Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) has inaugurated the online filing of Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) T2 and T3 applications.
Who are Authorised Economic Operators?
The AEO concept is one of the main building blocks within the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards (SAFE).
The latter is part of the future international Customs model set out to support secure trade.
The growth of global trade and increasing security threats to the international movement of goods have forced customs administrations to shift their focus more and more to securing the international trade flow and away from the traditional task of collecting customs duties.
Recognizing these developments, the World Customs Organization, drafted the WCO Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate global trade (SAFE).
In the framework, several standards are included that can assist Customs administrations in meeting these new challenges.
Developing an Authorized Economic Operator programme is a core part of SAFE.
AEOs in India
AEO is a voluntary programme.
It enables Indian Customs to enhance and streamline cargo security through close cooperation with the principal stakeholders of the international supply chain viz. importers, exporters, logistics providers, custodians or terminal operators, customs brokers and warehouse operators.
Back2Basics: World Customs Organization (WCO)
WCO is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
The WCO is noted for its work in areas covering international trade facilitation, customs enforcement activities, combating counterfeiting in support of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), drugs enforcement, illegal weapons trading, integrity promotion, and delivering the sustainable capacity building to assist with customs reforms and modernization.
The WCO represents 179 Customs administrations that collectively process approximately 98% of world trade.
As the global centre of Customs expertise, the WCO has the tools and expertise to assist implementation of all legal, policy, procedural, technological, and human resource aspects related to trade facilitation.
The WCO maintains the international Harmonized System (HS) goods nomenclature and administers the technical aspects of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreements on Customs Valuation and Rules of Origin.
Moving ahead with its plans to make e-commerce processes open source and curbing digital monopolies, the government on has appointed an advisory council to design and accelerate the adoption of open network for digital commerce.
The move by the government is the latest in a series of changes announced or being planned to be rolled out by the government for the e-commerce sector.
So, what changes will the open network for digital commerce bring about? What are its aims and objectives? How significant a move it is towards streamlining the country’s e-commerce ecosystem?
These are some aspects we will analyse on in this article.
What is ONDC Project?
ONDC seeks to promote open networks, which are developed using the open-source methodology.
The project is aimed at curbing “digital monopolies”.
This is a step in the direction of making e-commerce processes open-source, thus creating a platform that can be utilized by all online retailers.
They will encourage the usage of standardized open specifications and open network protocols, which are not dependent on any particular platform or customized one.
What does one mean by ‘Open-sourcing’?
An open-source project means that anybody is free to use, study, modify and distribute the project for any purpose.
These permissions are enforced through an open-source licence easing adoption and facilitating collaboration.
What processes are expecting to be open-sourced with this project?
Several operational aspects including onboarding of sellers, vendor discovery, price discovery and product cataloguing could be made open source on the lines of Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
If mandated, this could be problematic for larger e-commerce companies, which have proprietary processes and technology deployed for these segments of operations.
What is the significance of making something open-source?
Making a software or a process open-source means that the code or the steps of that process is made available freely for others to use, redistribute and modify.
If the ONDC gets implemented and mandated, it would mean that all e-commerce companies will have to operate using the same processes.
This could give a huge booster shot to smaller online retailers and new entrants.
What does the DPIIT intend from the project?
ONDC is expected to digitize the entire value chain, standardize operations, promote inclusion of suppliers, derive efficiencies in logistics and enhance value for stakeholders and consumers.
Countering ‘Digital Monopoly’
Digital monopolies refer to a scenario wherein e-commerce giants or Big Tech companies tend to dominate and flout competition law pertaining to monopoly.
The Giants have built their own proprietary platforms for operations.
In March, India moved to shake up digital monopolies in the country’s $ 1+ trillion retail market by making public a draft of a code of conduct — Draft Ecommerce Policy, reported Bloomberg.
The government sought to help local start-ups and reduce the dominance of giants such as Amazon and Walmart-Flipkart.
The rules sought to define the cross-border flow of user data after taking into account complaints by small retailers.
Processes in the ONDC
Sellers will be onboarded through open networks. Other open-source processes will include those such as vendor and price discovery; and product cataloguing.
The format will be similar to the one which is used in the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
Mega e-commerce companies have proprietary processes and technology for these operations.
Marketplaces such as Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato, BigBasket and Grofers will need to register on the ONDC platform to be created by DPIIT and QCI.
The task of implementing DPIIT’s ONDC project has been assigned to the Quality Council of India (QCI).
Why such a move by the govt?
This COVID pandemic has made every business to go digital.
India is a country with 700 million internet users of whom large crunch of population are active buyers on e-coms.
There are 9 platforms in the world which are billion user platform and all are private. This is the monopoly which the govt aims to hit.
No country would ever want a few (foreign) companies to control their domestic e-commerce ecosystem.
Countries like US are struggling to control their monopoly over the e-commerce giants leaving no space for Indian legislations to control these overseas companies.
In India Amazon, Walmart, Uber are controlling larger crunch of share in the market leaving very less scope for domestic companies to cope up with.
Scope for ONDCs success
Over last 50 years India is dealing with Big Tech companies with responsibility and pragmatic manner. Now it is also coming with new policies to control them.
The drafting panel has extraordinary persons like Mr. Nandan Nilekani and others who were in Aadhar, NPCI, MyGov, Retail industry and these make it inclusive and innovative.
India has successfully executed various public digital platforms like JAM Trinity, Aadhar linked projects. India for sure can handle its digital ecosystem better in e-coms too.
Open-sourcing will benefit society at large as did the UPI.
Issues that can be raised
Draft E-Commerce policy can raise resistance from companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Walmart etc.
They may raise hues over operability and ease of doing business.
MSMEs have already raised the growing compliance burden for e-commerce.
They have argued that the govt is technologically and digitally motivating everybody to get online and on the other hand it is culling their very ability to reach out to the consumer to get more people on board.
Possible issues with ONDC
Every platform has its own challenges so would the ONDC may have.
While UPI was ruled out (BHIM being the first) people were reluctant in using it due to transaction failures.
With subsequent improvements and openness people and businesses are using it in every walks of life. So it would work with ONDC.
Conclusion
Once adopted, ONDC will make sure consumer and seller interest will be protected as the UPI did.
Best is yet to come and we are in 4th industrial revolution where the Govt should strengthen itself accordingly and make businesses inclusive and restrict the monopolies.
Should you have any queries or want to have a discussion with a mentor please mention this course and write to hello@civilsdaily.com or reach out to us at 8929987787.
Over 150 Civilsdaily students are appearing in UPSC civil services interviews this year. They have followed our mentorship program blindly. You could be next. For numerous testimonies and program endorsements please read below.
The enrollments for the July batch of Foundation 2022 and the UAP 2022 program are open now.
Not only UPSC has a vast syllabus but it expects a certain level of intellectual, social, and emotional maturity from its aspirants. It’s a very complex task to come up with a study plan/timetable that harmonizes every element and takes into consideration the return on investment on certain topics.
We’ve just now launched the July batches for the following courses. It is the apt time you should start for IAS 2022. Any delay beyond this point will make things unmanageable for you.
Foundation 2022
Should you have any queries or want to have a discussion with a mentor please mention this course and write to hello@civilsdaily.com or reach out to us at 8929987787.
It is a complete program for IAS 2022 which includes:
MasterClasses -to ensure comprehensive coverage of all the portions of static syllabus along with an in-depth analysis.
Ultimate Assessment Program – to evaluate your level of preparation through various tests- Prelims, Mains, Essay, Samachar Manthan, Decimate Prelims.
A dedicated mentor to guide you through the maze of the UPSC exam.
Exclusive membership to Civilsdaily Community on Habitat.
A mentor-guided assessment program to keep you on track at all times and bring in strategic interventions when and where required.
How are we going to approach UPSC IAS 2022?
Broadly, six factors determine your success in cracking this prestigious IAS exam. The most important being understandingthe expectations of UPSC; according to that planning and strategizing; then Learning – Knowledge and information; Analyzing – making linkages, connections, etc.; Executing and utilizing information; and Constant course correction – because mistakes are inevitable, need to rectify them asap.
Through our mentorship-driven and personalized approach, we’re hell-bent on simplifying things for you. Hence, we have come up with a plan that you will instantly connect with you and give you a vibe that yes you can do it!
1. Integrated Approach
Preparation for Prelims and Mains is harmonized. You study a subject, attempt prelims tests, and then attempt mains tests for the same. This leads to solid preparation.
Many institutes out there will not able to present an integrated approach. They offer separate timetables for prelims and mains confusing the students further. That’s not the case with us!
2. Priority-wise Coverage of subjects
We are starting with the most important subjects from the exam perspective first. These are very predictable + have a very high return on investment. They need to be mastered if one has to have a shot at the exam. Polity, Modern History, and Economics. The lower priority ones follow afterward.
3. Logical Division of Topics
Subjects have been divided into topics that logically fit together. Eg. for Polity we ask you to prepare in 2 parts – first, till Central Government and second, from State Government and beyond. This division is not ad-hoc and does not break the flow of your studies.
4. Base and Advanced Sources
We have divided the sources into 2 parts, Base Sources, and Advanced Sources. Base sources are those which you have to master. You should come to advanced sources only when you are thorough with the Base Sources.
All this under the guidance of a dedicated mentor who will oversee your progress, help you strategize your preparation, plan it and make it measurable, help you analyze and evaluate your preparation; and introduce strategic interventions wherever and whenever required.
Should you have any queries or want to have a discussion with a mentor please mention this course and write to hello@civilsdaily.com or reach out to us at 8929987787.
If you wish to do a direct bank transfer, here are the details.
NOTE #1: BEFORE MAKING A DIRECT BANK TRANSFER, PLS CHECK THE FULL AMOUNT (INCLUSIVE OF TAXES). ONCE THE PAYMENT IS DONE, DROP A MAIL TO HELLO@CIVILSDAILY.COM WITH YOUR TRANSACTION ID AND COURSE JOINED
NOTE #2: CIVILSDAILY’S PARENT COMPANY NAME IS APEIROGON TECHNOLOGIES. DON’T PANIC!
For months on end, top slots in important government agencies like NHRC, CBI, Election Commission, NCERT etc remain vacant affecting the governance.
Vacancies in various agencies
The post of the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission was kept vacant until June this year.
The post of the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had been vacant since February until the recent appointment.
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) retired on April 12 leaving just two members in the Commission.
The Centre appointed the new Election Commissioner in June.
Of the 40 Central universities across the country, nearly half are without regular Vice-Chancellors.
Officers holding additional charges exist in various ministries, commissions and departments.
Impact of vacancies
Vacancies have had a deleterious effect on governance.
Delays in promotions and appointments affect the organisations.
Vacancies also tend to demoralise the officials who await promotions after vacancies arise.
Delays in important appointments send a wrong signal to the nation.
Elections Commission was functioning only with two members for several months, in case of a disagreement on any issue between the two of them, a solution would have become difficult.
Need to change the process for appointment of Election Commissioners
The appointment of Elections Commissioners is done by the Centre.
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has filed a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court demanding the appointment of Election Commissioners by a committee, as is done in the case of appointment of the Director of the CBI.
The 255th Report of Law Commission had recommended that Election Commissioners be appointed by a high-powered committee.
The high-powered committee is headed by the Prime Minister has two members – the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
However, if the Prime Minister decides on a candidate and the CJI consents, the Opposition leader’s dissenting note carries no weight.
There is a need, therefore, to expand the high-powered committee to include at least two more members of eminence with proven integrity for the selection process
Way forward
A time frame needs to be worked out to announce top appointments at least a month in advance.
Political considerations need to be pushed to the back seat for a clean and honest administration.
Conclusion
Considering the impact vaccines have on governance, we need to devise a mechanism to avoid such vacancies for such a long duration.
Recently, a High Court suggested that homeless persons with health conditions be branded with a permanent tattoo, when vaccinated against COVID-19.
Issue
In many countries, persons with severe mental health conditions live in shackles in their homes, in overcrowded hospitals, and even in prison.
On the other hand, many persons with mental health issues live and even die alone on the streets.
Three losses dominate the mental health systems narrative: dignity, agency and personhood.
Issues with the laws: Far-sighted changes in policy and laws have often not taken root and many laws fail to meet international human rights standards.
Many also do not account for cultural, social and political contexts resulting in moral rhetoric that doesn’t change the scenario of inadequate care.
There is also the social legacy of the asylum, and of psychiatry and mental illness itself, that guides our imagination in how care is organised.
Way forward: A responsive care system
We must understand mental health conditions for what they are and for how they are associated with disadvantage.
These situations are linked, but not always so, therefore, not all distress can be medicalised.
Adopt WHO guidelines: Follow the Guidance on Community Mental Health Services recently launched by the World Health Organization.
The Guidance, which includes three models from India, addresses the issue from ‘the same side’ as the mental health service user and focuses on the co-production of knowledge and on good practices.
Drawn from 22 countries, these models balance care and support with rights and participation.
Open dialogue: The practice of open dialogue, a therapeutic practice that originated in Finland, runs through many programmes in the Guidance.
This approach trains the therapist in de-escalation of distress and breaks power differentials that allow for free expression.
Increase investment: With emphasis on social care components such as work force participation, pensions and housing, increased investments in health and social care seem imperative.
Network of services: For those homeless and who opt not to enter mental health establishments, we can provide a network of services ranging from soup kitchens at vantage points to mobile mental health and social care clinics.
Small emergency care and recovery centres for those who need crisis support instead of larger hospitals, and long-term inclusive living options in an environment that values diversity and celebrates social mixing, will reframe the archaic narrative of how mental health care is to be provided.
Conclusion
Persons with mental health conditions need a responsive care system that inspires hope and participation without which their lives are empty. We should endeavour to provide them with such a responsive care system.
Guru Dronacharya wanted to test his students at Gurukul, so he placed a wooden bird on a tree branch. He gathered all students including Arjuna and asked them to strike the eye of the wooden bird. While others saw the wooden bird, branch, leaves etc. Only Arjuna saw the eye of the bird.
Arjuna was the greatest warrior because could see only the TARGET and nothing else. He was learning from one of the greatest warriors of the time, Guru DRONACHARYA.
In the battle for Prelims-2021, you also need guidance from someone like Guru DRONACHARYA to score and score 130 plus in the next 90 days
What do you need to do for assured success Prelims-2021?
You need clear strategy for next 90 days,
You need to revise effectively to remember whole syllabus at eve of exam
You need to practice lots of tests
You need to revise current affair of one year
you need a mentor to fill the critical gaps for assured success in prelims-2021.
For the above to happen, I have brought a 90s days plan for you: It consists of two programs-
(A) Reconquer Prelims Batch-2 : General group
This is a mentorship- cum- test series program only for sincere aspirants of Prelims-2021.
Key features:
90 days test strategy and mentorship guidance
32 Tests for prelims-2021
Evidence based question making and 360 degree testing
Overall mentorship by Santosh Gupta
Current affairs Magazine by CivilsDaily of one year
Economic Survey and Budget Videos
One strategy call in the beginning and rest through habitat group
Weekly 2 zoom meetings with Santosh Gupta sir for Monitoring progress
Score boosting videos
Focused attention to each- own strengths and weaknesses by Santosh Gupta
Fees: 5000+ GST(18%) = 5900
(B) Super- 25 Select Group: Intake for this group only 25 students.
Let it very clear that this group is only for two kinds of aspirants:
Sincere aspirants stuck in 80-90s score in last 1-2 attempts and want to score 130+
Those who have appeared prelims at least once
Features of Super- 25 group :
32 tests
Subject wise specific Critical input aimed at prelims-2021
Mentor Calls from Santosh sir twice a week (before and after test)
Weekly 2 Zoom meetings for discussions and Important topics discussion
Individual Personal attention by Santosh sir
Daily Monitoring of weekly targets
Curated current affairs topics to read
Everything else mentioned in General group
In addition to above, you will learn: Five-Fold Approach for Prelims
Learn 3 fold approach of attempting prelims questions
Key words approach to revision
360 Degree approach to Learn Current Affairs
Learn to interlink Static and Current affairs
Learn to maintain consistency and boost confidence
Results of Super-20 held last year gave result output of 60% i. e. 12 out of 20 students mentored by Santosh Sir qualified prelims-2020. Already 10 candidates registered for the Select-25 group for Prelims -2021. The target for 2021 is at least an 80 per cent success rate.
It is time to wake up from slumber induced by Lockdowns and postponement of prelims. Let’s be ready for assured success in Prelims-2021 scheduled on 10th October- 2021
About Santosh Gupta
Santosh Gupta sir has scored above 140 twice in UPSC prelims and always 120 plus in all 6 attempts. He wrote all 6 mains and appeared for Interviews 3 times. He has qualified UPSC EPFO and BPSC 56-59th also. He has been teaching and mentoring UPSC aspirants for the last 5 years.
He is working as Assistant Commissioner in Commercial Tax Department in Government of Bihar presently.
We don’t grow when things are easy, we grow when we face challenges.
Your UPSC growth will happen only when you are ready to take on the challenges you face in preparation daily.
One of the common myths about the UPSC examination is that you have to read everything under the sun. This myth gives rise to the basic challenge of INCONSISTENCY. Students are reading everything and diversifying their resources which leads to confusion, incomplete syllabus, and pending mock tests.
POOR PRACTICE schedules leave students with no idea on how to convert knowledge into marks. The prime reason for lack of practice is LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY or MONITORING ofyour performance. Without constant monitoring, procrastination becomes a foul play in your preparation.
Our MENTORSHIP PROGRAM is aimed at solving the challenges of inconsistency, poor practice, and lack of monitoring.
INCONSISTENCY – Every individual is different, their strengths and weakness are different and their time availability is also different. Identifying this is important so that you don’t end up making unrealistic targets and lose momentum. Your mentor will make sure you start slow but remain consistent to build your confidence. Making your schedule more structured based on our experience of working with 2000+ students is our first priority.
PRACTICE – Rome was not built in one day. Similarly, practicing is not a one-time activity. Aspirants make the mistake of thinking that getting feedback on your mains copy o attempting a few tests is enough. Nope! Not that simple. Your mentor has to work with you on a regular basis to analyze your performance. This will ensure that if you are getting unproductive, we can bring you back in the right direction as soon as possible.
MONITORING: A neutral third-person monitoring can be a great addition to your preparation. Constant check on what you are reading, what good material not to miss, and also focusing on areas of high importance is the priority in our mentorship program.
Several issues such as vaccine wars, debates over the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the fracas over West Bengal’s Chief Secretary, and the pushback against controversial regulations in Lakshadweep have once again brought into focus the idea of federalism.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, since taking office, has begun to craft an ideological narrative on State rights, by re-introducing the term Union into the public discourse and pushing back against increased fiscal centralisation
Lack of political consensus among States for genuine federalism
Federalism in India has always had political relevance, but except for the States Reorganisation Act, federalism has rarely been an axis of political mobilisation.
Fiscal and administrative centralisation persisted despite nearly two decades of coalition governments.
Rather than deepen federalism, the contingencies of electoral politics have created significant impediments to creating a political consensus for genuine federalism.
Three challenges in deepening federalism among States
1) Tendency to equate federalism as against nationalism
The grammar of development and nationalism, which has mass electoral appeal is used to undermine federalism.
Slogans such as ‘one nation, one market’, ‘one nation, one ration card’, ‘one nation, one grid’ symbolise development and nationalism while leaving little space for federalism.
In this context, federalism as a principle risks being equated with regionalism and a narrow parochialism that is anti-development and anti-national.
2) Lack of federal principles
Pratap Bhanu Mehta has pointed out that over the decades, federal principles have been bent in all kinds of ways to co-produce a political culture of flexible federalism.
Federalism in this rendition is reduced to a game of political upmanship and remains restricted to a partisan tussle.
Claimants of greater federalism often maintain silence on unilateral decisions that affect other States.
For instance, the downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory, the notification of the NCT of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021 hardly witnessed protests by States that were not directly affected by these.
3) Economic and governance divergence among states
Across all key indicators, southern (and western) States have outperformed much of northern and eastern India.
This has resulted in a greater divergence rather than expected convergence with growth.
This has created a context where collective action amongst States becomes difficult as poorer regions of India contribute far less to the economy but require greater fiscal resources to overcome their economic fragilities.
These emerging tensions were visible when the 15th Finance Commission (FC) was mandated to use the 2011 Census rather than the established practice of using the 1971 Census.
This, Southern states feared, risked penalising States that had successfully controlled population growth by reducing their share in the overall resource pool.
With the impending delimitation exercise due in 2026, these tensions will only increase.
Way forward
A politics for deepening federalism will need to overcome a nationalist rhetoric that pits federalism against nationalism and development.
Reclaim fiscal federalism: Weak fiscal management has brought the Union government on the brink of what economist Rathin Roy has called a silent fiscal crisis.
The Union’s response has been to squeeze revenue from States by increasing cesses.
Its insistence on giving GST compensation to States as loans (after long delays) and increasing State shares in central schemes.
Against this backdrop, both sub-nationalist sentiments and the need to reclaim fiscal federalism create a political moment for a principled politics of federalism.
Sharing burden with poorer States: On the fiscal side, richer States must find a way of sharing the burden with the poorer States.
An inter-State platform that brings States together in a routine dialogue on matters of fiscal federalism could be the starting point for building trust and a common agenda.
Overcome isolationist tendency: The politics of regional identity is isolationist by its very nature.
An effort at collective political action for federalism based on identity concerns will have to overcome this risk.
Finally, beyond principles, a renewed politics of federalism is also an electoral necessity.
Consider the question “Federalism in India has always had political relevance, but it has rarely been an axis of political mobilisation. What are the factors responsible for this? Suggest the way forward for the states to overcome these factors.”
Conclusion
A renewed politics of federalism would require immense patience and maturity from regional parties. It remains to be seen whether they up to the task.
How many times have you read something and then forgot the details? How many times have you gone back and read the whole thing again? How much effort have you wasted? How much TIME have you wasted?
Well, you can change that immediately. How?
Collaborative learning – Learn together with your peers.
Chat-based thorough discussions – Discuss every topic in detail.
Focused study material – An in-depth study of the most important topics first.
The smart approach – Study through discussions, MCQs, chats, and mentors.
Learn the tricks for free – Learn how to score more than your competitors!
An ongoing jala jagadam (fight over water resources), as it has been described by regional media, once again drew the police forces of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana into a tense standoff over release of water from the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir.
Krishna River Dispute
Both states have disagreements over the sharing of the Krishna River water continue to shape politics in the region.
AP alleges that Telangana has been drawing Krishna water from four projects — Jurala, Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, and Pulichintala without approvals from the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).
The KRMB an autonomous body that was set up after the bifurcation of the state, to manage and regulate the waters in the Krishna basin.
What is the issue?
The water that is used for power generation, Andhra says, is being wasted by releasing it into the Bay of Bengal, even as farmers in the Krishna delta ayacut are yet to begin sowing of the kharif crop.
Telangana says it would continue with the hydropower generation to meet its requirements of power.
At the same time, it has taken strong exception to the irrigation projects of the Andhra Pradesh government, especially the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project (RLIP), which it claims is illegal.
Telangana has called for a 50:50 allocation of water from the Krishna River.
How is the water split between the states currently?
After Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh, the two states agreed to split the water share 66:34 on an ad hoc basis until the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-2 decided the final allocation.
Why is Telangana making the big hydel push?
The Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project that was inaugurated in 2019 requires a huge amount of power to draw water from the Godavari River.
Also, the Telangana government says that it needs hydel energy to power its Nettempadu, Bheema, Koilsagar and Kalwakurthy lift irrigation projects.
Despite protests by Andhra, the Telangana CM has chosen to operate all hydel power stations at full capacity because hydel power is cheaper, and imposes a smaller burden on the already stretched state budget.
What is the solution to the disagreement, then?
Telangana wants the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-2 to permanently settle the water dispute.
In the meantime, it wants the KRMB to convene a full-fledged board meeting on a mutually agreed date this month to address its grievances against Andhra Pradesh.
What political factors are at play behind the dispute?
The two CMs have maintained cordial relations and have even met on several occasions to discuss long-standing issues arising out of the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh.
Critics have, however, alleged that the two CMs are fanning regional sentiments purely for political gains.
Back2Basics: Interstate (River) Water Disputes (ISWDs)
These are a continuing challenge to federal water governance in India.
Rooted in constitutional, historico-geographical, and institutional ambiguities, they tend to become prolonged conflicts between the states that share river basins.
India has 25 major river basins, with most rivers flowing across states.
As river basins are shared resources, a coordinated approach between the states, with adequate involvement of the Centre, is necessary for the preservation, equitable distribution and sustainable utilization of river water.
Within India’s federal political structure, inter-state disputes require the involvement of the Union government for a federal solution at two levels: between the states involved, and between the Centre and the states.
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act, 1956 (IRWD Act) was enacted under Article 262 of the Constitution of India on the eve of reorganization of states to resolve the water disputes that would arise in the use, control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley.
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the state/regional governments.
