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Note4Students

Like abolition of FIPB and merger of Railway budget with General budget. This is a Revolutionary step taken by Government which will have wide reaching Consequences. Since UPSC has been asking lot of questions on reform measures taken by the Modi Government A question can be expected on this topic also.

Context

Last year The Cabinet has decided in principle to advance the presentation of the Union Budget by a month, from February to January. The objective is to have the Budget constitutionally approved by Parliament and assented to by the President, and all allocations at different tiers disseminated to budget-holders, before the financial year begins on April 1.

Presenting the budget earlier comes with both advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

In the existing system, the Lok Sabha passes a vote on account for the April-June quarter, under which departments are provided a sixth of their total allocation for the year. This is done by March. The Finance Bill is not passed before late April or early May. If the Budget is read in January and passed by February-March, it would enable the government to do away with a vote on account for the first three months of a financial year.

Retired and serving officials say the biggest plus would be that the Finance Bill, incorporating the Budget proposals, could be passed by February or March. So, government departments, agencies and state-owned companies would know their allocations right from April 1, when the financial year begins.

It would also help the private sector to anticipate government procurement trends and evolve their business plans. And, civil society could deliberate on and give feedback in time for the parliamentary discussions.

 

Disadvantages:

1. One big disadvantage of advancing the Budget preparations is lack of comprehensive revenue and expenditure data. Currently, work on the Budget begins in earnest by December. By the time it is finalised in mid-February, data on revenue collections and expenditure trends is available for the first nine months of the financial year, i.e April-December. Based on which, projections for the full year can be made.
2. To read the Budget in January, the centre will have to start preparing it by early October. To go by less than six months of data and making projections for the full year and the next year, based on such an incomplete picture, will be an impossible task.
3. Advancing the Budget dates would be fraught with practical difficulties. Effective Budget planning also depends on the monsoon forecasts for the coming year, making the advancing the whole exercise even more difficult.
4. Besides, whether the chambers of Parliament and its standing committees will get adequate time to deliberate on the budget is a moot point. The standing committees of Parliament, whose charter is to examine the justification of the ministry-wise allocations and funding needs of concomitant programmes included in the Budget, undertake their scrutiny during a two to three-week gap within the budget session period, when the houses are adjourned. This scrutiny is an essential element in the parliamentary budget approval system.

Way ahead:

Advancing the presentation of the Budget, so as to allow Parliament to vote on tax and spending proposals before the beginning of the new financial year on April 1, is a good idea. It would do away with the need for a vote on account and allow new direct tax measures to have a full year’s play. Members of Parliament now will have to work hard over two months to vet Budget proposals, for this to work.

 

Conclusion:

These reforms make sense, but Budget reform has to go further, to incorporate a multi-year time horizon and shift to outcome-linked expenditure management, as had been recommended by a committee headed by C Rangarajan in 2011.

Note4Students

India has been fighting with proxy state terrorists since independence. Nuclear weapon owned neighbours posing formidable threats to the national security. Moreover as a regional power India has gained commendable respect among the world countries.  So it is important to discuss about to design a national security policy.

Introduction

1. Unlike other democracies, India does not have a formally declared national security strategy.
2. The threats and challenges to a country’s national interests in the prevailing geo-strategic and regional security environment guide its national security objectives and these, in turn, help to formulate a comprehensive national security strategy

Analysis

What would be the basis of national security strategy

1. The primacy of national interests in the formulation of national security strategy is unquestionable.The meaning of national interest is survival
2. The protection of physical, political and cultural identity against encroachments by other nation-States.’
3. National interests may be defined as ‘the claims, objectives, goals, demands and interests which a nation always tries to preserve, protect, defend and secure in relations with other nations.
4. These are classified as vital or survival interests and other interests.
5. Vital national interests must by definition be defended by applying military force if it becomes necessary.

 

India’s vital national interests would include the following:

1. The security of Indian territory on land and sea and that of Indian airspace
2. the protection of Indian citizens
3. the security of India’s energy sources, refining facilities and merchant vessels engaged in transporting oil and gas and trade
4. A peaceful and stable internal and external security environment for unhindered socio-economic development;
5. The protection of critical infrastructure against physical disruption and cyber-attack.

 

Other major national interests comprise the following:

1. An egalitarian world order that is rules-based and promotes free trade and security of the global commons through international cooperation;
2. The promotion of democracy and respect for universal values at home and around the world.

Why do we need a National Security Strategy?

1. Maintaining the territorial integrity of India‘s borders on land, sea and air, as defined by law and enshrined in the Constitution, including the defence of India’s island territories.
2. Defending India’s coastline against aggression and infiltration; and, ensuring the security of Indian personnel and assets such as ships and oil rigs operating in the Exclusive Economic Zone.
3. Resolving the territorial and boundary disputes with China and Pakistan on favourable terms through negotiations in an early time frame. (In this context, as the territory occupied by the Chinese on the Aksai Chin Plateau in Ladakh and by the Pakistanis in Pakistan occupied Kashmir is required to be regained in accordance with two separate parliamentary resolutions, building a national consensus to resolve both territorial disputes through a negotiated settlement should be an important political objective.)
4. Protecting the lives and property of India’s citizens, including during insurgencies and against acts of terrorism.
5. Maintaining effective nuclear deterrence against the use or the threat of use of nuclear weapons against India.
6. Protecting critical infrastructure and military command and control systems against cyber-attack from State and non-State actors and developing offensive cyber operations capabilities to deter such attacks.
7. Ensuring the security of India’s energy sources, refining facilities and modes of transportation, especially the security of oil and gas fields, ships transporting oil and gas and, where necessary, oil and gas pipelines within India and abroad.
8. Undermining the China-Pakistan nexus and reducing the salience of the Pakistan army in the country’s polity.
9. Ensuring through diplomatic means and in conjunction with strategic partners that India will not be required to fight a simultaneous two-front war with China and Pakistan.
10. Providing a stable and peaceful external security environment in India’s area of strategic interest to facilitate unimpeded socio-economic development and the free flow of trade. (This may involve military intervention, singly or in conjunction with strategic partners, when India’s vital national interests are threatened.)
11. Creating and sustaining an effective capability for out-of-area contingency operations through military intervention, when necessary, to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and the security of the global commons (freedom of navigation in the sea lanes of communication, air space, cyber space and outer space).
12. Being prepared to provide security and other assistance to the Indian Diaspora, especially in West Asia and on the Arabian Peninsula.
13. Acting vigorously against narcotics traffickers and small arms smugglers and disrupting their linkages with terrorist organisations.
14. Bringing to speedy justice both overseas and local perpetrators of terrorist strikes in India and against Indian assets anywhere.
15. Preventing the destabilisation of friendly countries in India’s area of strategic interest extending from the South China Sea in the east to the Horn of Africa in the west, and providing military and other assistance when requested by them. (In this context, stability in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, is a major national interest.)
16. Developing balanced relationships with strategic partners, including through defence cooperation, to deter conflict and manage crises, and engaging with organisations such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to launch cooperative security initiatives, while preserving India’s strategic autonomy.
17. Promoting cooperation and understanding with neighbouring countries and implementing mutually agreed confidence-building measures to prevent crises through miscalculation.
18. Pursuing security and strategic dialogues to address key challenges before the international community.
19. Following a consistent and principled policy on nuclear disarmament and international security issues based on universality, non-discrimination and equal security for all.
20. Working dynamically to achieve the goal of self-reliance (70 per cent indigenous content) in defence procurement by 2025. (The indigenous manufacture of microchips, the basic building block of ICT products, must be a national priority.)
21. Investing appropriately in the development of high-end defence technologies in conjunction with strategic partners to gain an edge in combat capabilities over military adversaries.
22. Developing a pro-active strategic culture by exposing all students in schools and colleges to understanding basic threats and challenges to national security and the measures necessary to overcome these. (All government training institutions must also educate their trainees about national security issues by devoting a portion of the syllabus to the subject.)

Way Forward

1. The government should appoint a study group to deliberate over the important issues of national interests and national security objectives and recommend a national security strategy for consideration by the Cabinet Committee on Security. The exercise should be steered by the National Security Advisor.
2. Strengthening the national security architecture will be possible if the triad of defence and strategic studies, defence studies and analyses, and national security policy-making become interdependent organically, intellectually, professionally and systemically.

Question:

Why needs a national security strategy. What will be the objectives of security policy?

Note4Students

Prevalence of peace is the one the pre requisite for the development. Left wing extremism had engulfed many developmental efforts with its sheer coercive action. A civil administration–police coordinated action is required to bring the peace in the red corridor. Home ministry’s new policy of SAMADHAN tries to achieve a multi-dimensional development agenda through affirmative action.

Introduction:

1. India is the largest democracy in the world. However, Left Wing Extremism desires to weaken and make the roots of democracy hollow.
2. A Naxal or Naxalite is a member of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). The term Naxal derives from the name of the village Naxalbari in West Bengal, where the movement had its origin. Naxalites are considered far-left radical communists, supportive of Maoist political sentiment and ideology.

Problems Faced By government:

1. 12000 citizens of our country have lost their lives in violent activities of the Left Wing Extremists
2. Out of these 12000 people, 2700 are jawans of the Security Forces and the remaining 9300 are innocent and simple common people who are not guilty.
3. The anti-development Left Wing Extremism not only target the Security Forces but also public property like roads, culverts, railway tracks, electricity and telephone towers, hospitals, schools, anganwadi and panchayat bhawans etc, that are created by the Government for benefit of the common man.
4. It is evident from the destruction caused by the Left Wing Extremists that they do not want people to get facilities and access to the development, in the remote and inaccessible areas, because these facilities provide the path of economic and social progress, to the local people
5. It also joins them to the mainstream of the nation. The cancer of LWE flourishes in poverty or backwardness.
6. Therefore, the LWE strategy is to ensure that the people of this area stay without electricity, without road, without education, so that the vested interest of the Left Wing Extremists continues unabated.

 

Recents Developements:

1. The whole country is agitated with the martyrdom of 25 CRPF personnel in the incident of April 24, 2017 in Burkapal, Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. In such situations, the challenge before us is to maintain focus and move towards our goal with speed, in a planned manner.
2. The Government was concerned but not perturbed by the attack on the CRPF Camp by the Left Wing Extremists and
3. A new formula of SAMADHAN has been evolved to tackle the Naxalites problem.

The solution to the LWE problem is not possible with any silver bullet. There is no short-cut for it. For this short term, medium term and long term policies need to be formulated at different levels. There is need to find a solution for this problem and the strategy is available and encompassed in the word ‘SAMADHAN’ which means-

S– Smart Leadership

A– Aggressive Strategy

M- Motivation and Training

A– Actionable Intelligence

D– Dashboard Based KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and KRAs (Key Result Areas)

H– Harnessing Technology

A– Action plan for each Theatre

N– No access to Financing

SAMADHAN:-

S – Smart Leadership-

The key properties of ‘Smart Leadership’ are:

• Vision,
• Mission,
• Passion and
• Self belief

1. A leadership full of self confidence should have a solid vision on how he would envisage the challenges of the future and prepare his team and energise his team to a mission mode, in order to achieve his objectives. To make his team secure, disciplined and victorious, should be of paramount importance for him.
2. The success stories of many police officers in India are inscribed in the minds of the common people, as to how they kept their teams alive with energy. On the Left Wing Extremism front, we also need such leadership, who despite adversity, keep their jawans full of enthusiasm and teach them only to win.
3. Be it Central Forces or the district police, they will have to work under a coordinated strategy and plan. The most important thing is that the officers will have to lead from the front. Success in this regard cannot be achieved only by sitting in Delhi, Ranchi or Raipur..
4. Unified Co-Ordination and Command is needed in the LWE Front. Along with Strategic Command, Unified Command is also required at the Operational and Tactical Level. Intelligence sharing is important too.

 

A-Aggressive Strategy-

1. Need to consider whether to react only after the occurrence of such events? Should our role not be Proactive?
2. Learning from the old incidents, we need to bring aggression into our policy. Aggression in thinking, Aggression in strategy, Aggression in deployment of forces, Aggression in operations, Aggression in development and Aggression in road construction.
3. Have to be cautious that extremely defensive deployment may result in reduction of operational offensive.
4. Have to consider that although the figures of the surrenders of the Left Wing Extremisms are increasing, but whether benefit of intelligence from these surrendered LWE cadres is being derived.
5. Must ensure that the States take the ownership of LWE operations and CAPFs cooperate with them fully. At the same time, the forces on the Ground level should not lack leadership. “Unity of Purpose” and “Unity of Action” are essential for the success of operations.

 

M – Motivation and Training –

1. The Government has superior resources, training, technology, than the Left Wing Extremists. But there is a need for better coordinated efforts to counter the strategy of the LWE.
2. Success on this front cannot be achieved only by being emotional in this regard. The right vision, right strategy, efficient use of resources, knowledge of enemy strengths and weaknesses, training of their security forces, their facilities and arrangements of tools are necessary for success.
3. In the camps where the security forces are residing, proper facilities of power, water, connectivity should be provided so that the Security Forces may remain stress free. They should also be able to contact their family as per requirement.
4. In addition to information about the place of posting, security forces should also have knowledge of language, dialects, traditions and culture so that they can adapt to the local conditions and earn the trust of the local people.
5. Security forces must adhere to Standard Operating Procedures so that they are conscious about their own security.

 

A-Actionable Intelligence

1. To develop actionable intelligence it is important that all intelligence agencies and security forces establish a good network with local people.
2. Surrendered LWE cadre should be used for intelligence collection to the maximum possible.
3. Need to depute Shadow Intelligence Officers to trace the prominent targets associated with Left Wing Extremism.
4. There is a need to establish specific procedures between State Police and Central Forces for the exchange and use of intelligence.

 

D-Dashboard based KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and KRAs (Key Result Areas):-

• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Key Result Areas (KRAs) should be determined both for the State Police and the CAPFs. This would not only help to assess the preparedness but also their performance, regular progress of its unit and individual abilities of each police officer.

 

H – Harnessing Technology –

1. Technology is a Force Multiplier.
2. Many technologies including Space, IT and Communication have brought revolutionary changes in the world. Many new techniques are also being used in dealing with law and order and the crime. On the LWE  front, there is a need to use more of such latest technologies.
3. Use of some Cutting edge Technologies
4. The use of the UAV is sub-optimal, that needs to be augmented both by numbers and by use in the right place.
5. The Mini UAVs are extremely useful. Therefore, they should be procured and available in more quantities. We must try that with every battalion there must be atleast one UAV / Mini UAV.
6. Use high resolution PTZ Cameras, GPS Tracking, Handheld Thermal Imaging, Radar, Satellite Image etc.
7. Trackers in Weapons
8. Biometrics in smart gun triggers.
9. Trackers should also be embedded in Shoes, BP jackets etc.
10. In addition, unique identification numbers should also be used in Gelatine and other explosive materials.
11. States that do not have expertise in such state of the art technology, the Central Government can assist in this regard

 

A-Action plan for each theatre:- 

1. The situation of Left Wing Extremism in different States is not the same.
2. In different States, to fight Left extremism, there is a need to fight on multiple fronts and to create a specific action plan for each of such fronts, in order to achieve success on a systematic basis.
3. There is a need to create separate short-term, medium-term, long-term strategies, whose goals and deadlines are clearly defined.
4. The Implementation should be done on a Mission Mode defining the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for continuous monitoring and Key Result Areas (KRAs), that should also be aligned with these strategies.

 

N-No access to financing:-

1. Economic resources play an important role in any war or any such exercise, because when money is available, only then will it be possible to buy, eat, drink and possess ammunition and weapons. Therefore, choking the financial resources of the LWE is the most basic mantra in this fight.

Conclusion:-

1. We have come a long way in defeating the fight with Left Wing Extremists. In the remote areas, our young men are constantly working for the development and protection of the area endangering their lives.
2. That day is not far when this mindless violence will be completely finished and once again the atmosphere of peace and prosperity will prevail and people will rapidly join the main stream along with enjoying the fruits of development.

 

Note4Students

Cyber security one of the most important topics surfaced in this year. Various incidents of cyber-attack necessitated the engineering of stronger cyber defence mechanisms. In this context, this following article will provide an insight about cyber security.

Introduction

1. India witnessed more than 27,000 cyber security threat incidents in the first half of 2017.
2. Authorities including the telecom regulator TRAI are also noticing the threat posed by mobile applications that collect sensitive user data

Recent incidents

1. Two Indian conglomerates were forced to pay $5 million each in order to prevent hackers from disclosing information that could have implicated them in a wrongdoing.
2. State run Union Bank of India was breached by cyber hackers. The hackers had managed to get past the bank’s security systems but the money trail was traced and the movement of funds was blocked.
3. The vulnerability of the banks came into light recently when data of about 3.2 million debit cards was lost in what is claimed to the India’s biggest breaches. SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI, YES Bank and Axis were worst hit by the breach of the debit cards.
4. WannaCry, a crypto-ransomware that is also called WannaCrypt, affected at least 200,000 computers in 150 countries, including India, described as the largest ever of its kind. The WanaCrypt encrypts data on a computer within seconds and displays a message asking the user to pay a ransom of $ 300 in Bitcoins to restore access to the device and the data inside.

Analysis

What is Cyber Space?

1. Cyberspace comprises IT networks, computer resources, and all the fixed and mobile devices connected to the global Internet
2. A nation’s cyberspace is part of the global cyberspace; it cannot be isolated to define its boundaries since cyberspace is borderless. This is what makes cyberspace unique.
3. Unlike the physical world that is limited by geographical boundaries in space—cyberspace can and is continuing to expand. Increased Internet penetration is leading to growth of cyberspace, since its size is proportional to the activities that are carried through it.

The term “cyber security” refers to three things:

1. A set of activities and other measures, technical and non-technical, intended to protect computers, computer networks, related hardware and devices software, and the information they contain and communicate, including software and data, as well as other elements of cyberspace, from all threats, including threats to the national security;
2. The degree of protection resulting from the application of these activities and measures;
3. The associated field of professional endeavour, including research and analysis, aimed at implementing and those activities and improving their quality.

India’s Vulnerability on cyber space

1. India remains vulnerable to digital intrusions such as cyber-espionage, cybercrime, digital disruption and Distributed Denial of Service (DoS)
2. The crimes related to cyber world can be multi-layered, multi-location, multilingual, multicultural and multi-legal, that’s why it is difficult to investigate and reach to the criminal.
3. The cases related to cyber-crime have increased by 70% in the year 2014 as compared to the year 2013.
4. There is growing threat from online radicalization.
5. The number of cybercrime cases registered in India has risen by 350 per cent in the three-year period from 2011 to 2014, according to a joint study by PwC and Assocham.
6. With the growing adoption of the Internet and smart-phones, India has emerged “as one of the favourite countries among cyber criminals.”
7. Major security threat: Critical infrastructure: Attackers can gain control of vital systems such as nuclear plants, railways, transportation or hospitals that can subsequently lead to dire consequences.
8. Despite having a National Cyber Security Policy (2013), risks to our critical infrastructure remain.
9. In spite of instituting a National Cyber Security Coordinator (2014), the rivalries between the National Technical Research Organisation (the nodal agency for cybersecurity) and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology impede cooperation.
10. Lack of coordination among different government agencies.
11. China’s emphasis on ‘cloud computing techniques’, and the involvement of its Ministry of State Security in this endeavour, suggests that it is preparing for all-out offensive cyber operations. India would be a prime target.

What India Wants

1. Bleeding edge technology: Bleeding edge refers to technology that has been released but is still not ready for the general public due to the fact that it has not been reliably tested. The term bleeding edge was formed as an allusion to the similar terms “leading edge” and “cutting edge”.
2. Big data analytics: it is the process of collecting, organizing and analysing large sets of data (big data) to discover useful information.
3. Air gapping: Air gapping is a security measure that involves isolating a computer or network and preventing it from establishing an external connection. An air gapped computer is physically segregated and incapable of connecting wirelessly or physically with other computers or network devices.  Emphasis on cloud computing techniques.
4. Offensive cyber operations and strengthened cyber security.

International Convention on Cyber-crime:

1. Convention on Cybercrime, also known as the Budapest Convention.
2. The Budapest Convention is the first international treaty that addresses Internet and computer crime by harmonizing national laws, improving legal authorities for investigative techniques, and increasing cooperation among nations.
3. The Budapest convention is the only multilateral convention on cyber security – considered critical to economic and national security of a country
4. .Developing countries including India have not signed it stating that the developed countries lead by the US drafted it without consulting them.

Way Forward

The success in the futuristic space endeavour will depend upon setting up a well-tuned, cyber secure and tamper proof cyber security system, which can provide surge capabilities to bolster India’s Space programme during critical period or in hostilities.

Questions:

Q.) Cyber security, in the near future, will be the main component of the state’s overall national security and economic security strategies. Are citizens, organizations and public institutions ready to face challenges of cyber security? Critically analyse

Q.) Discuss the necessity of and measures being taken to introduce strong cyber security framework for banking sector in India.

Not always, but many a times I encounter a wrong data in the articles and the daily current affairs. For example in todays news the bullet train case the Japan has given a soft loan of ₹88000 crore with the interest rate of 0.1% per annum but you people have written some wrong data. Things like these force us to reverify all the data we read in CD. Please rectify the issues. Thanks again for the hard work that you guys are doing.

Note4Students

Escalated tension in the various parts world necessitated an evacuation plan. Considering the size of Indian diaspora, tentative plans would not be successful in every instance. So this topic is important for mains examination.

Introduction

• India has extensive experience conducting evacuation operations, but given the rising economic contributions and political influence of Indian citizens abroad and the increasing complexity of these operations, the incentives to ensure the success of future ones are now even greater.
• As India’s diaspora continues to grow, so will the challenges New Delhi faces challenges in protecting this diverse and geographically dispersed population. To overcome these issues, the Indian government will have to institutionalize best practices, bolster its diplomatic and military capabilities, and improve coordination.

Fig: Indian diaspora

Analysis

Why do we need an evacuation policy?

1. India has conducted more than thirty evacuation operations across Africa, Asia, and Europe, including its largest-ever civilian airlift of 110,000 people from the Persian Gulf in 1990.
2. With one of the world’s youngest populations, India’s population is expected to peak at 1.7 billion in 2060, and many are likely to seek a new passport and consular support while traveling, working, or studying abroad.29 Keeping track of and monitoring this growing mobile population will pose a significant challenge to the Indian government.
3. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), an estimated 11 million Indian citizens now permanently reside abroad, and almost 16 million people of Indian origin hold other citizenships.1 The annual average rate of growth of India’s diaspora population was 4.5 percent between 2000 and 2015.2 Personal remittances are now twenty-nine times what they were in 1990, playing a vital role in the country’s economic growth and development policies.
4. Given the trend of increased migration and travel from India, it will become increasingly important for the country’s government to institutionalize its best practices and learn from the experiences of other countries.
5. According to the United Nations (UN), the total number of international migrants increased between 1990 and 2015 from 154 million to 244 million—now constituting 3.3 percent of the world’s population.
6. Evacuating citizens from abroad is an extremely complex mission in which distance, logistics, security, and coordination pose numerous obstacles. Such operations can assume various forms, and the instruments employed depend on myriad factors, such as geographic location, the nature of the crisis environment, or the size of the population to be extricated.
7. Several states have therefore developed extensive expertise and capabilities to evacuate their citizens and, most importantly, they have established standard operating procedures for such contingencies. For example, Brazil’s National Defence Policy now enshrines the protection of its 3 million citizens living abroad as a main objective.
8. However, given the lack of any formal doctrine or emergency plan, the success of India’s missions has mostly been due to the individual sacrifices of officials from its diplomatic corps, flagship carrier, and armed forces.
9. As more than 11 million Indians now reside abroad, and more than 20 million travel overseas each year, the government will no longer be able to rely on heroic, ad hoc efforts and quick-fix solutions.
10. Lingering and emerging challenges, including a lack of standard operating procedures and inadequate coordination, will only intensify as evacuation operations become larger in scope and public scrutiny increases

Steps To Be Taken By The Government

1. The Indian government should employ significant diplomatic and military resources to assess its evacuation operations and institutionalize best practices;
2. Develop standard operating procedures, including emergency doctrines;
3. Train and prepare its diplomatic cadre to operate in hostile environments, and increase coordination with other governments;
4. Assign a greater role to the armed forces, strengthening their capacity to plan and deploy in tandem with civilian authorities;
5. Establish a permanent coordinating mechanism that facilitates communication and joint operations across national, regional, and international levels and bureaucratic and military levels;
6. Designate a civilian air reserve fleet for evacuation operations to reduce the burden on Air India, whose staff also requires specific training;
7. Explore new communication technologies to develop consular platforms to identify, monitor, and contact citizens’ abroad, offering them real-time updates on evacuation procedures.
8. Expand efforts to manage public pressure through diplomacy and a communication strategy that appropriately prioritizes Indian citizens over people of Indian origin.

Conclusion

1. To secure their diaspora as a prized asset, home states are also more inclined to protect migrants in extraordinary times of crisis.
2. As a vulnerable and dislocated population, migrants are particularly exposed to various risks abroad, including natural disasters, political unrest, and violent conflict in their host country or region.
3. They are often specifically targeted by populist and extremist movements or forced to depart after sudden changes in immigration laws. In such circumstances, governments must act swiftly and decisively to protect the lives and assets of their citizens, which may require evacuating them safely back home.

Questions

Q1. A proper evacuation plan for overseas workers would serve our national interests. Analyse

Note4Students

The Union Cabinet has approved the new wage code bill. The Code on Wages, 2017 was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Labour and it is recently cleared by Cabinet. The Code would ensure universal minimum wage for all industries and workers. It will also cover those workers who are getting monthly pay of higher than Rs 18,000. Labour reforms is one of the long pending decision and the minimum wage is the basic solution for poverty alleviation, if not Universal Basic Income.

Introduction

The Wage code Bill seeks to consolidate laws relating to wages by replacing: (i) the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, (ii) the Minimum Wages Act, 1949, (iii) the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, and (iv) the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 and will ensure uniformity of minimum wage across geographical regions and all sectors. If passed it is expected to benefit over 4 crore employees across the country. At present, every state decides the minimum wage for different industries and labour classifications .The bill seeks to empower the Centre to set a minimum wage across all sectors in the country and the states will have to maintain that.

Indian labour market has a sharp divide between organised and unorganised sector.The small proportion of organised labour enjoys an advantage with stringent laws and rules and regulations enabling them to fight for their rights. The major chunk however consists of unorganised labour with almost no job or social security. With India poised to have the largest workforce in the world by 2025 it is imperative that labour issues are given the attention and the importance that they deserve.

According to ILO, Social and economic outlook trends 2016 ‘Poor quality  job remains a pressing issue worldwide’ and 12 per cent of workforce in developed countries and 42 per cent in developing countries are in informal employment.

Key features of the Legislation

• 1. The bill defines Wages as it includes salary, allowance, or any other component expressed in monetary terms.  This will not include bonus payable to employees or any travelling allowance, among other.

Minimum Wage

• 1. National minimum wage:  The central government may notify a national minimum wage for the country.  It may fix different national minimum wage for different states or geographical areas.
  2. Fixing the minimum wage: The Code requires employers to pay at least the minimum wages to employees as specified by central or state government as National minimum wage. The Code specifies that the central or state governments will review or revise the minimum wage every five years.
  3. Working hours: The central or state governments will fix the number of hours that will constitute a working day. Further a day of rest for employees every week.  The amount of overtime will be at least twice the normal wage of the employee.

Payment of Wages

• 1. Wages will be paid in (i) coins, (ii) currency notes, (iii) by cheque, or (iv) through digital or electronic mode.  The wage period will be fixed by the employer as either: (i) daily, (ii) weekly, (iii) fortnightly, or (iv) monthly.
  2. Deductions:  Under the Code, an employee’s wages may be deducted on certain grounds including: (i) fines, (ii) absence from duty, (iii) accommodation given by the employer, or (iv) recovery of advances given to the employee, among others.  These deductions should not exceed 50% of the employee’s total wage.

Payment of Bonus

• 1. Determination of bonus:  The employer will pay each employee an annual bonus of at least: (i) 8.33% of his wages, or (ii) Rs 100, whichever is higher. In addition, the employer will distribute a part of the gross profits amongst the employees in proportion to the wages earned by employees.
  2. Maximum bonus:  An employee can receive a maximum bonus of 20% of his wages.

Advisory Board:

1. The central and state governments will constitute their respective advisory boards.  These boards will have representation from: (i) employees, (ii) employers, and (iii) independent persons. 
2. Further, one-third of the total members will be women. 
3. The boards will advise the respective governments on aspects including: (i) fixation of minimum wages, and (ii) increasing employment opportunities for women.

Offences:

 The Code specifies penalties for offences committed by an employer, such as

(i) paying less than the due wages, or

(ii) for contravening any provision of the Code.  Penalties vary depending on the nature of offence, with the maximum penalty being imprisonment for three months along with a fine of up to one lakh rupees.

Merits of the Legislation

1. Will ensure decent  Minimum wage for all which will result into increase in disposable incomes in turn help in eradicating Poverty, hunger to achieve SDGs.
2. Uniformity in coverage. At present, the minimum wages fixed by the Centre and states are applicable to workers getting up to Rs 18,000 pay monthly and does not cover workers getting a monthly wage of more than Rs 18,000. If the bill is approved in the Parliament, workers getting a monthly pay of higher than Rs 18,000 would also be legally entitled to a minimum wage.
3. Multiplicity of definitions will be removed through this change.
4. The wage conditions of unskilled workers will improve.
5. This bill is expected to treat contract labour on par with regular employee to have dignified life.
6. It Will ensure humane working conditions through minimum working hours,overtime etc. and  prevent exploitation of labour.
7. Formalisation of economy.
8. Also help in reduce regionalism by reducing wage disparity across different regions.

Demerits of the Legislation

1. The Economic survey highlights 78% of indian firms employ under 50 worker and just 10% employ more than 500 comparable of china are 15 and 20% respectively. Further strengthening  of labour laws will worsen the situation.
2. According to Noble prize winner economist George Stigler, the minimum wages doesn’t satisfies original intentions i.e. elimination of poverty and it tends to reduce employment and  family income.
3. Labour comes under concurrent list and different states having different criteria in deciding minimum wages so there is possibility some states may raise concern.
4. Will facilitate ease of doing business but affect competitiveness of trade and industry, especially states capacity to attract FDI.
5. Economic theory and its evidences suggest that any price control leads to creation and expansion of black market. Similarly in this case companies will prefer contractual workers or keep majority of workforce in informal sector.
6.  Negative impact on hiring in tier II and tier III markets.
7. Implementation would be difficult and it may lead to inspector raj.

Way Forward/Conclusion

• 1. Bringing four legislations into one is a major step towards labour reforms.
  2. Looking at the larger picture, the new wage code is one part of the reforms needed to modernize the archaic labour laws in India, and hence a step in the right direction. But to make the new code into reality Government will have to,
• Generate political consensus; 
• Work on creating an infrastructure to ensure implementation; and 
•  Talk to state governments about the nuances of the new wage structure. It is a long process. Until then, the four crore employees will have to keep their fingers crosses.

 

Model Questions

Q.) What is the significance of the proposed Wage code in India? Explain the challenges that competitiveness in trade and industry will face?

Q.)List out recent labour reforms? How they will have impact on meeting Global standards and achieving economic growth?

Sources:

PRS India Website

Big Picture Discussion

The Hindu News, The Mint , Financial Express

Ministry of Labour

Yojana on Labour reforms

Note4Student:

After string of victories of BJP in all major elections The Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, headed  by senior congress leader Anand Sharma called for debate on reforms in adoption of First past the post system and also suggested a dual system where separate votes for a candidate and a party could be considered. India being one of the world’s largest democracy any change or debate on election methods process is very important from our exam point of view.

Introduction

India adopted Parliamentary form of government with representative democracy in which legislatures are elected by First Past The Post system (FPTP) type of election.

Under this FPTP system in India:

Entire country divided in to constituencies now 543.

Each constituency elects one candidate

Candidate who gets highest number of votes declared elected than others. Even if votes share less than 50%.(Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) massive election victory is the claim that they got 31.84% of vote share and  won 282 seats that, therefore, 69% of those who voted did not vote in favour of the winning party)

This system is also known as Single Member Plurality or Plurality Voting system in which winner takes it all. And all other votes are disregarded.

Analysis

Positives of having FPTP

1. Firstly it is praised for simplicity and easy to understand. No specialised knowledge of elections and politics required. During parliamentary debates members of constituency assembly representing Scheduled Caste and General Hindus rejected the system of proportional representation bcz of its complexity and difficult to understand  for illiterate population.
2. It retains link between the constituency, Member of Parliament (MP) and voter.
3. Fosters representation and ‘Geographical Accountability’.
4. It allows voters to choose between persons rather than just between parties or balances both party and candidate. So voter asses performance of individual candidate and party.
5. Gives chance to popular candidate to get elected even without party backing.
6. Cost effective.
7. Ensures stable government in such a diverse country.

Negatives aspects of FPTP

1. It may exclude minority parties from representation in Parliament or Councils if they don’t have concentration areas where their candidates can win. Lesser women MPs, MLAs as they don’t have area of concentration.
2. It will encourage development of ethnic parties i.e. political parties base their plans, policies in favour of particular clan, religion, region, etc.
3. Since there is delimitation of boundaries, cases of gerrymandering can occur.
4. FPTP system results in Two Party system. E.g. BJP and Congress.
5. It leaves a large number of wasted votes which do not go towards the election of any candidate.

Alternative to FPTP

Proportional Representation

Seats are allotted to the political parties according to their vote share. Here voter vote for party not for candidates.

Advantages of PR system

1. Faithfully translate votes cast into seats won.
2. Encourage or require the formation of political parties.
3. Give rise to very few wasted votes, depending on the threshold.
4. Facilitate minority parties’ access to representation depending on the or the district magnitude.
5. Encourage parties to campaign beyond the districts.
6. Restrict the growth of ‘regional fiefdoms’.
7. Make power-sharing between parties and interest groups more visible.

Disadvantages OF PR System

1. Gives rise to coalition governments and a fragmented party system i.e. Less stable government.
2. The inability of the voter to enforce accountability by throwing a party out of power or a particular candidate out of office.
3. Difficulties either for voters to understand or for the electoral administration to implement depending on voter’s education and training of poll workers.

Way forward

1. On the lines of European countries Dual system of election model need to be studied in which voters cast vote both  to Political party and candidate.
2. recommendations of the Law Commission’s 170th and 255th report should be implemented:
3. A hybrid of both first-past-the-post and proportional representation should be tried.
4. Both the reports have suggested that 25% or 136 more seats should be added to the present Lok Sabha and be filled by Proportional Representation.
5. Need to study PR system on pilot basis.

Conclusion

The election process and system should safeguard the following principles: more representation, transparency, verifiability, fairness, eligibility to vote, free, secret and universal suffrage, and accessibility.

No electoral system is perfect. Each one favours one or more of the objectives of elections – but not all of them. Broadly speaking, PR systems favour accuracy of representation; While FPTP favours stability. Majority systems tend to stress strong and stable government. Different electoral systems produce different results. There is no one objectively “best” system. Need to debate, discuss, to evolve more suitable election system.

Q1. What is First past the post system? How it is different form Proportional representation? Is it time for India to shift from FPTP system to PR system? Critically analyse.

Q2. Electoral system failed to achieve India as a more representative democracy? Critically analyse this statement and give your views with recent examples.