The Communist Party of India (Maoist) claims to fight for gender equality, but the reality is that women cadres are subject to structural violence and exploitation.
Negligible representation in the council: Despite constituting 35%-40% of the party, women’s representation in the Central Committee and the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) is negligible
Members in the cadre: Only one-woman cadre is a Central Committee member out of more than 20 members, and only two women cadres are DKSZC members out of approximately 20 members
Concerns over women’s health and nutrition
Health challenges: Women face additional health challenges in the jungle and receive inadequate nutrition and healthcare. Most women become anaemic due to the lack of proper nutrition.
Menstrual hygiene challenges: Women cadres do not receive menstrual leave and need to be alert all the time with a gun. Only one loin cloth is provided to two women cadres to be shared as a sanitary napkin for six months.
Fundamental necessities are not adequate: Women cadres are not allowed to liberally use water and are at the mercy of the unit commander who carries some medical necessities
Conditions for marriage and reproduction
Marriage is not to enjoy family life: The party permits marriage only between willing partners to fight together, not to enjoy family life.
Forced vasectomy: Male cadres are forced to undergo vasectomy either before marriage or immediately after marriage.
Forced abortion: If a woman cadre gets pregnant, she has to undergo an abortion
Silent on divorce and polygamy: The party is silent on issues of divorce and polygamy
Sexual exploitation and ill-treatment of women
Sexual exploitation and ill treatment: Sexual exploitation of women is not uncommon in the party, and instances of suicide by women cadres due to ill-treatment and suspicion are reported.
Nominal punishment: Disciplinary action is taken against cadres for moral turpitude, but the maximum punishment is only suspension for a year or demotion.
Conclusion
Women who join the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in the hope of bringing about a revolution for the proletariat and the landless class are often subject to the same structural violence that they are supposed to fight. The party needs to ensure gender equality in reality, not just in its claims, and provide better conditions for women cadres.
Mains Question
Q. How do structural inequalities and power dynamics within political movements impact the fight for gender equality? Illustrate.
India can still become a leader in dispute resolution despite missing the opportunity to establish itself as an arbitration hub. The use of Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) can enable India to enhance its ease of doing business and become a more preferred destination for dispute resolution.
India’s shortcomings in arbitration
India’s low rank in the ‘Enforcing Contracts’ category in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business report, which indicates the difficulties in enforcing contracts in India.
Although India has taken steps to improve its arbitration laws and regulations, it is not yet a preferred destination for arbitration.
India’s strengths in technology
India’s has demonstrated its strengths in technology, especially in the field of ODR.
India has a unique advantage in this area due to the widespread adoption of online technology during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the judiciary lead the way in online hearings.
ODR is a method of resolving disputes through the use of digital technology and the internet, without the need for physical presence in a traditional courtroom setting.
It involves the use of various tools and platforms such as video conferencing, case management systems, digital signatures, and even advanced technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to resolve disputes.
ODR offers many advantages over traditional methods of dispute resolution, such as reduced burden on courts, time and cost savings, and increased accessibility to dispute resolution services for parties located in different geographical locations.
ODR is becoming increasingly popular around the world, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which has made physical hearings and meetings difficult or impossible in many cases.
Advantages of Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) in India
Convenience: ODR provides a convenient way for parties to resolve disputes without the need to physically travel to a court or other dispute resolution center. This can save time and money, especially in cases where parties are located in different parts of the country.
Efficiency: ODR can help to streamline the dispute resolution process by providing tools such as case management systems, automated case flows, and digital signatures and stamping. This can help to reduce the time and costs associated with traditional dispute resolution methods.
Accessibility: ODR can make dispute resolution more accessible to individuals and businesses, especially those who may not have the resources to pursue traditional legal remedies.
Expertise: ODR platforms can provide access to experts in specific fields, such as intellectual property, international trade, or e-commerce, which can be especially useful in resolving disputes that involve complex legal issues.
Confidentiality: ODR can provide a confidential environment for parties to resolve disputes, which can be especially important in cases where sensitive business information is involved.
Flexibility: ODR can be tailored to the specific needs of the parties and the dispute, providing a more flexible and adaptable approach to dispute resolution than traditional legal methods.
Opportunities for ODR in India
ORD already in use: Private platforms in India are already resolving lakhs of disputes through ODR and that many corporates have migrated to ODR to resolve small-value disputes.
Look beyond the conventional tools: The ODR can be used for more than just audio/video conferencing and can encompass tools such as multi-channel communication, case management systems, automated case flows, digital signatures and stamping, and even advanced technologies such as blockchain, natural language processing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
Measures to promote ODR
Three key measures that can be taken to promote ODR in India are as follows:
Incentivizing the use of ODR: Incentivizing the use of ODR through legislative measures such as setting ODR as a default dispute resolution tool for online transactions, fast-tracking enforcement of ODR outcomes, and exempting or reducing stamp duty and court fees.
Solving infrastructure challenges: Solving infrastructural challenges and optimizing existing setups such as Aadhaar kendras to also function as ODR kiosks. Each court can have an ODR cell along with supplemental technical and administrative support.
Proactive use of ODR by government: Government departments should explore ODR as a grievance redress mechanism. Proactive use of ODR by government entities will not only increase trust in the process but also ensure that citizens have access to a convenient and cost-effective means of resolving disputes with the government.
Conclusion
The ODR has the potential to ensure justice for all, at everyone’s fingertips. While India may have missed the bus to become an arbitration hub, it can still catch up and overtake other countries in ODR.
Mains Question
Q. What is Online Dispute Resolution (ODR)? Discuss the advantages of ODR in India and suggest measures that can be taken to promote its use.
This Spotlight is a part of our Mission Nikaalo Prelims-2023.
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12th Apr 2023
Nai Manzil Scheme
OBJECTIVES –
To address the educational and livelihood needs of minority communities lagging behind in terms of educational attainments.
It aims to provide educational intervention by giving the bridge courses to the trainees and getting them Certificates for Class XII and X from distance medium educational system.
It seeks to provide trade basis skill training in four courses at the same time of formal education, in field of (i) Manufacturing (ii) Engineering (iii) Services (iv) Soft skills. It intends to cover people in between 17 to 35 age group from all minority communities as well as Madrasa students.
Nodal Ministry –The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs
Nai Roshni
OBJECTIVES –
Empower and install confidence in women of minority communities by equipping them with knowledge, tools and techniques to interact with government systems, banks and intermediaries
Nodal Ministry –The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs
USTAAD Scheme
OBJECTIVES –
The scheme aims at preserving and promoting the rich heritage of the traditional arts & crafts of the Minority communities. 2.In the light of globalisation & competitive market, these crafts have gradually lost their employability. 3.It also envisages at boosting the skill of craftsmen, weavers and artisans who are already engaged in the traditional ancestral work.
Nodal Ministry –The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs
Hunar Haat
OBJECTIVES –
It is aimed at promoting and supporting artisans from Minority communities and providing them domestic as well as international market for display and sell their products.
The Hunar Haat exhibition has been organised by the National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) under “USTTAD” scheme In it about 184 master artisans from across the country are showcasing their traditional art and skills at about 100 stalls at the international platform.
It seeks to provide an excellent platform to artisans belonging to Minority communities from across nation to display their art and skills before domestic and international visitors.
Nodal Ministry –The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs
Stanapan Suraksha Scheme
OBJECTIVES –
To promote breastfeeding and keep a tab on “inappropriate” promotion of baby food items. Stanpan Suraksha is first-of-its-kind app deveopled for promoting breastfeeding and baby food promotion reporting mechanism.
Using it any person can click a photograph of inappropriate baby food promotion around them and related equipment and send it to BPNI.
The app also has a city-wise database of trained breastfeeding counsellor to educate and provide assistance to mothers during antenatal and postnatal period. It has sign up option for mothers who wish to become a breastfeeding counsellor, pledging for petition and donation.
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Eklavya Model Residential Schools
Eklavya Model Residential School Scheme was started in 1998
First school was started in the year 2000 in Maharashtra.
EMRSs have been functioning as institutions of excellence for tribal students.
In order to further educational opportunities for more ST children, Government has sought to extend the facility of EMRSs in all the 672 Blocks where ST population is more than 50% of the total population in a span of next five years.
Funds for establishing the school are arranged by both Centre and State government together.
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme
OBJECTIVES –
To decrease the dropout rate in the transition from elementary to the secondary stage. Given for Class 9th and 10th.
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana
OBJECTIVES –
Educational empowerment of Scheduled castes.
Central assistance is provided to the implementing agencies viz. State Governments/UT Administrations/ Central and State Universities/ Non-Governmental Organisations/Deemed Universities in the private sector, for construction of fresh hostels/expansion of existing hostel facilities for Scheduled Castes students.
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
National Overseas Scholarship Scheme.
OBJECTIVES –
Financial support to SC and ST students pursuing Master’s level courses and PhD/Post-Doctoral courses abroad.
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Scheme for up-gradation of merit of SC students.
OBJECTIVES –
Upgrade the merit of SC students by providing them remedial and special coaching in classes IX to XII.
Income Ceiling: Rs. 3.00 Lakh per annum .
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS)
OBJECTIVES –
To rehabilitate all the remaining manual scavengers and their dependents in alternative occupations.The main features of the Scheme include one-time cash assistance, training with stipend and concessional loans with subsidy for taking up alternative occupations.
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Sugmay Bharat Abhiyaan
OBJECTIVES –
The target of this scheme is to make at least fifty government buildings disabled-friendly under the campaign in each of the state till the end of 2016 and make 25 per cent of the public transport vehicles under the government as disabled-friendly till mid-2017.
A remarkable feature of the scheme is that a website will also be made where the people can put their views on the accessibility of any building.
The international airports in the country and railway stations which come under A1, A and B categories will be made fully disabled-friendly.
Special set-top boxes will be made available to make watching TV more convenient for the visually impaired. In the next 5 years, almost 200 persons will be trained to speak in sign languages on government TV channels. Government websites will also be made friendlier by using text to speech option.
Under the scheme, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will give free motorized tricycles to persons with 70-90% disability.
A Sugamya Bharat mobile app which can provide information on disabled-friendly public facilities in a city, will be launched under the scheme.
For awareness, a team of experts will conduct workshops for sensitizing the main parties including builders and activists.
Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Disha
OBJECTIVES –
Early Intervention and School Readiness Scheme.
This is an early intervention and school readiness scheme for children upto 10 years with the disabilities covered under the National Trust Act.
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
VIKAASDay Care
OBJECTIVES –
A day care scheme for persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities, above 10 years for enhancing interpersonal and vocational skills.
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
SAMARTH Respite Care
OBJECTIVES –
A scheme to provide respite home for orphans, families in crisis, Persons with Disabilities (PwD) from BPL, LIG families with at least one of the four disabilities covered under the National Trust Act.
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
GHARAUNDA
OBJECTIVES –
Group Home for Adults.
This scheme provides housing and care services throughout the life of the person with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities.
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
NIRMAYA Health Insurance Scheme.
OBJECTIVES –
This scheme is to provide affordable Health Insurance to persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities.
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
SAHYOGI Caregiver training scheme
OBJECTIVES –
A scheme to set up Caregiver Cells (CGCs) for training and creating skilled workforce of caregivers to care for Person with Disabilities (PwD) and their families.
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
GYAN PRABHA Educational support
OBJECTIVES –
Scheme to encourage people with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities for pursuing educational/ vocational courses.
Nodal Ministry –Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
PRERNA Marketing Assistance.
OBJECTIVES –
A marketing scheme to create viable & widespread channels for the sale of products and services produced by persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities
Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Schemes and Policies for Women
SCHEME
OBJECTIVES
SALIENTFEATURES
MINISTRY
Nirbhaya Fund
-Nirbhaya Fund is an Indian rupee 10 billion corpus announced by the Government of India in its 2013 Union Budget. -According to the then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, this fund is expected to support initiatives by the government and NGOs working towards protecting the dignity and ensuring the safety of women in India. -Nirbhaya (fearless) was the pseudonym given to the 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim to hide her actual identity.
Earlier Ministry of Home Ministry, Now Ministry of Women & Child
ICDS
-To prevent and reduce young child under-nutrition (% underweight children 0- 3 years) by 10 percentage points, -Enhance early development and learning outcomes in all children 0-6 years of age, -improve the care and nutrition of girls and women and reduce anaemia prevalence in young children, girls and women by one fifth by the end of the 12th five-year plan.
-It is a centrally sponsored scheme -The engagement of the Anganwadi worker and helper from the same village -It is a universal and self-selecting scheme i.e. anyone can visit the Aanganwadi centre and enrol these services. -Package of six services i.e. o SNP – supplementary nutrition programme o Pre-school education o Health and nutrition education, o Immunization, o Health check-up and o Referral services to the beneficiaries AEC-cum-crèche, AWC-cum counsellor.
Ministry of Women & Child
Mahila Police Volunteer
It envisages the creation of a link between the police authorities and the local communities in villages through police volunteers who will be women specially trained for this purpose. Under this scheme, it is expected to have at least one such volunteer in every village whose primary job will be to keep an eye on situations where women in the village are harassed or their rights and entitlements are denied or their development is prevented. Joint initiative b/w Min. of WCD and Home Min.
Ministry of Women & Child and Home Ministry
UJJAWALA Yojana
A comprehensive scheme for prevention of trafficking and rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of victims of trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation
Ministry of Women & Child
One-Stop centre scheme
1. To provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces under one roof. 2. To facilitate immediate, emergency and non-emergency access to a range of … support under one roof to fight against any forms of violence against women
1. These centres will provide immediate access to a range of services including medical, legal, psychological and counselling support to the victims. 2. The OSC will support all women including girls below 18 years of age affected by violence, also for girls below 18 years of age, institutions and authorities established under Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 will be linked with the OSC. 3. In addition to this, a single uniform number –181 will provide 24-hour emergency response to all women affected by violence, through referral (linking with appropriate authorities such as Police, OSC or hospital); funding thru’ Nirbhaya fund
Ministry of Women & Child
Swadhar Grehs
Homes for relief and rehabilitation of women in difficult circumstances including survivors of rape/assault etc. Provision for food clothing, counselling. training, clinical and legal aid; long term
Ministry of Women & Child
She-Box
Online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to ensure effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act
Ministry of Women & Child
Universalization of Women Helpline
Ministry of Women & Child
The mission for Protection and Empowerment for Women
: To achieve holistic empowerment of women through the convergence of schemes/programmes of different Ministries/ Department of Government of India as well as State Governments
-It aimed at improving the declining Child Sex Ratio; ensuring survival. & protection of the girl child; ensuring her education, and empowering her to fulfil her potentials social sector welfare schemes for care, protection and development of women. -It will provide an interface for rural women to approach the government for availing their entitlements and for empowering them through training and capacity building.
Ministry of Women & Child
Mahila Shakti Kendra
-Mahila Shakti Kendras will converge all Govt. Schemes for women at National, State, District and Block level Skill Development, Employment, Digital Literacy, Health and Nutrition. -Through this scheme, the government plans to reach 115 most backward districts in the country with 920 Mahila Shakti Kendra…
Ministry of Women & Child
PRIYADARSHINI SCHEME(discontinued in 2016)
Women’s Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme in the Mid Gangetic Plains
Ministry of Women & Child
Sabla
-Enable the adolescent girls for self-development and empowerment -Improve their nutrition and health status. -Promote awareness about health, hygiene, nutrition, adolescent reproductive and sexual health (ARSH) and family and child care. -To educate, skill and make them ready for life’s challenges
Nutrition provision – Iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation – Health check-up and referral services – Nutrition & health education (NHE) -Counselling/guidance on family welfare, ARSH, child care practices and home management. -Upgrade home-based skills, life skills and integrate with the national skill development program (NSDP) for vocational skills. -Mainstream out of school adolescent girls into formal/non-formal education. -Provide information/guidance about existing public services such as PHC, CHC, post office, bank, police the station, etc.
Ministry of Women & Child
Saksham
Ministry of Women & Child
Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana
-Empower women in agriculture by making systematic investments to enhance their participation and productivity, -Create and sustain agriculture-based livelihoods of rural women.
-a sub-component of the Deendayal Antodaya Yojana-NRLM (DAY-NRLM) – Under the Pariyojana, projects are conceived in such a manner that the skill base of the women in agriculture is enhanced to enable them to pursue their livelihoods on a sustainable basis. -Under MKSP sustainable agriculture, 58 projects from 14 States have been sanctioned which will benefit 24.5 lakhs Mahila Kisans during the period.
Ministry of Rural Development
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
1.Prevent Female infanticide 2.Ensure Every Girl Child is Protected 3.Ensure every Girl Child is educated Enforcement of PC & PNDT Act, nation-wide awareness and advocacy campaign and multi-sectoral action in select 100 districts (low on Child Sex Ratio) in the first phase. -Under this scheme, there is a strong emphasis on mindset change through training, sensitization, awareness-raising and community mobilization on ground.
It is a tri-ministerial effort of Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health & Family Welfare and Human Resource Development.
Sukanya samriddhi yojana
1.(Minor) bank account for girl child below the age of 10. 2.She can withdraw 50% of the money after reaching the age of 18 e.g. for higher education. 18 years deadline will also help to prevent child-marriages. For initial account opening, minimum deposit Rs.1000 required. Later, any amount in multiples of 100 can be deposited, but maximum Rs. 1.5 lakh per year. Interest rate: 9.1% compounded annually.
Ministry of Women & Child
Pocso-e Box
1, POCSO e-box is a unique endeavour by NCPCR for receiving an online complaint of Child Sexual Abuse directly from the victim. 2. Through a well-defined procedure, complaints are directly followed up by a team which counsels the victim, providing further guidance for required legal action. Through a short animation film embedded in the e-box, it assures the victim not to feel bad, helpless or confused as it’s not her fault. With the e-box, it is easy to register a complaint through a step-by-step guided process.
The Ministry of Women & Child It is an initiative of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), for Direct online Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse.
NARI
Due to scattered information on various women-centric schemes/legislations, there is a lack of awareness among people regarding the same. To address this problem the government launched NARI portal as a single window access to information and services
Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology
e-samvaad Portal
It is a platform for NGOs and civil society to interact with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) by providing their feedback, suggestions, put up grievances, share best practices etc. • This will help in the formulation of effective policies and measures for the welfare of women and children.
Ministry of Women & Child
Stree Swabhiman
-It aims to create a sustainable model for providing adolescent girls and women access to affordable sanitary products in rural areas. -Under this project, sanitary napkin micro manufacturing units (semi-automatic and manual process production unit) are being set up at CSCs across India, particularly those operated by women entrepreneurs. -The product will be sold under the local brand name and marketed by village-level entrepreneurs. -Each facility will employ 8-10 women and educate women of their society to overcome this social taboo. -It also has a menstrual hygiene related awareness generation component and is also expected to reduce drop-out rates in girls on reaching puberty.
Ministry of Electronics and Information technology (MeITY)
PROGRAM TO TRAIN ELECTED WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES OF PANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS
-The program aimed at capacity building of EWRs is being organized by the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) of the MoWCD. -It is the first-ever initiative which will train approximately twenty thousand EWRs covering nearly 50 EWRs from each district (by March 2018) who will go out and administer the villages professionally. – It will help in creating model villages, ensure their effective participation in the governance process and help preparing women as political leaders of the future.
Ministry of women and Child
Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP)
-To provide competencies and skill that enable women to become self-employed/entrepreneurs. -The scheme is intended to benefit women who are in the age group of 16 years and above across the country.
Ministry of women and Child
Rashtriya Mahila Kosh
-RMK is a national credit fund for women under the aegis of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. -It was established in 1993 for socio-economic empowerment of women. -It aims to provide financial services with backward and forward linkages for women in the unorganized sector through Intermediary Micro Finance Organizations (IMOs) and Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) and to augment their capacities through multi-pronged efforts. -RMK also extends micro-credit to the women in the informal sector through a client-friendly, without collateral and in a hassle-free manner for income generation activities
Central idea: This article discusses the importance and functions of parliamentary committees in India.
Why in news?
As little as 25% of the Bills introduced were referred to committees in the 16th Lok Sabha, as compared to 71% and 60% in the 15th and 14th Lok Sabha respectively.
This represents a declining trend of national legislation being subjected to expert scrutiny.
What is a Parliamentary Committee?
A committee appointed or elected by the House or nominated by the Speaker that works under the direction of the Speaker and presents its report to the House or the Speaker.
Two kinds of committees: Standing Committees and Ad hoc Committees.
(1) Standing Committees
Permanent and regular committees constituted from time to time in pursuance of the provisions of an Act of Parliament or Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.
The work of these Committees is of continuous nature.
Examples include the Financial Committees and DRSCs.
(2) Ad hoc Committees
Appointed for a specific purpose and cease to exist when they finish the task assigned to them and submit a report.
The principal Ad hoc Committees are the Select and Joint Committees on Bills.
Examples include the Railway Convention Committee and Joint Committee on Food Management in Parliament House Complex.
Why need Parliamentary Committee?
Parliament scrutinizes legislative proposals (Bills) in two ways: discussion on the floor of the two Houses and referring the Bill to a parliamentary committee.
Since Parliament meets for 70 to 80 days in a year, there is not enough time to discuss every Bill in detail on the floor of the House.
Role of the committee in the passage of a Bill
The debate in the house is mostly political and does not go into the technical details of a legislative proposal.
Referring a Bill to a parliamentary committee takes care of the legislative infirmity of debate on the floor of the House.
However, referring Bills to parliamentary committees is not mandatory.
What is a Select Committee?
India’s Parliament has multiple types of committees.
Departmentally related Standing Committees focus on the working of different ministries.
Each committee has 31 MPs, 21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha.
The main purpose is to ensure the accountability of Government to Parliament through a more detailed consideration of measures in these committees.
When does a committee examine a Bill?
Bills can reach a committee through a recommendation by the minister piloting the Bill or the presiding officer of the House.
What happens when a Bill goes to a Committee?
The committee undertakes a detailed examination of the Bill, inviting comments and suggestions from experts, stakeholders and citizens.
The government also appears before the committee to present its viewpoint.
The committee’s report makes suggestions for strengthening the Bill.
While the committee is deliberating on a Bill, there is a pause in its legislative journey.
The Bill can only progress in Parliament after the committee has submitted its report.
What happens after the report?
The report of the committee is of a recommendatory nature.
The government can choose to accept or reject its recommendations.
Select Committees and JPCs have an added advantage of including their version of the Bill in the report.
The minister in charge of that particular Bill can move for the committee’s version of the Bill to be discussed and passed in the House.
Importance of these Committees
Parliamentary committees analyze the impact that a specific piece of legislation may have on governance indicators.
It recommends the government to take an ‘Action Taken’ report for the House to judge the progress made on the suggestions of the committee.
Though committee reports aren’t binding on the government, it helps the legislature ensure oversight of the executive.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) released the National Credit Framework (NCrF), which will allow students to earn educational credits at all levels, irrespective of the mode of learning i.e. offline, online, or blended.
What is National Credit Framework (NCrF)?
The NCrF is a meta-framework that integrates the credits earned through school education, higher education, and vocational and skill education.
It consists of three verticals:
National School Education Qualification Framework (NSEQF)
National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) and
National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF)
The NCrF provides a mechanism for the integration of general academic education and vocational and skill education, ensuring equivalence within and between these two education streams.
Institutions would be free to notify their detailed implementation guidelines with flexibility for catering to their academic requirements.
Key features
(1) Credit System
Under the NCrF, one credit corresponds to 30 notional learning hours in a year of two semesters.
A student is required to earn a minimum of 20 credits every semester.
A student can earn more than 40 credits in a year.
Maximum credits a student can earn during schooling period is 160.
A three-year bachelor’s degree course will result in a total of 120 credits earned.
A Ph.D. degree is at Level 8 and earns 320 credits upon completion.
(2)Study of Vedas: Students can obtain credits for their proficiency in diverse areas of the Indian knowledge system, including the Puranas, Vedas, and other related components.
(3) Indian Knowledge System (IKS): UGC notified the final report, which includes the components of the IKS. The IKS comprises 18 theoretical disciplines called vidyas and 64 practical disciplines, including vocational areas and crafts. These disciplines were the foundation of the 18 sciences in ancient India, as per the report.
(4) Educational Acceleration: The NCrF supports educational acceleration for students with gifted learning abilities. It provides scope for crediting national/international achievers in any field, including but not limited to sports, Indian knowledge system, music, heritage, traditional skills, performing & fine arts, master artisans, etc.
(5) International Equivalence: The international equivalence and transfer of credits shall be enabled through various multilateral/bilateral agreements between respective regulators of the countries concerned. NCrF would lend credibility and authenticity to the credits being assigned and earned under various programs in India, making these credits more acceptable and transferable internationally.
Central idea: The article provides an overview of the LHC, its construction, how it works, and what it has discovered. It also discusses the future of the LHC, including plans to upgrade it and build a bigger version.
Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world’s largest science experiment built by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN).
It is a collider that smashes two beams of particles in opposite directions and these particles are hadrons.
The LHC is on the energy frontier of physics research, conducting experiments with highly energized particles.
Currently, the LHC is being warmed up for its third season of operations following upgrades that have made it more sensitive and accurate.
How does the LHC work?
Hadrons are subatomic particles made up of smaller particles, and the LHC typically uses protons.
Protons are energized by accelerating them through a narrow circular pipe that is 27 km long.
The pipe encircles two D-shaped magnetic fields created by almost 9,600 magnets.
Protons are accelerated through the beam pipe by rapidly switching the direction of the magnetic field.
Eventually, protons move at 99.999999% of the speed of light, according to the special theory of relativity.
What happens when particles are smashed?
When two antiparallel beams of energized protons collide head-on, the energy at the point of collision is equal to the sum of the energy carried by the two beams.
The highest centre-of-mass collision energy the LHC has achieved so far is 13.6 TeV.
At the moment of collision, there is chaos, and energy coalesces into different subatomic particles under the guidance of the fundamental forces of nature.
Different particles take shape depending on the amount and flavour of energy available.
What has the LHC found so far?
The LHC consists of nine detectors, and they study particle interactions in different ways.
The ATLAS and CMS detectors discovered the Higgs boson in 2012 and confirmed their findings in 2013.
Using the data from collisions, scientists have tested the predictions of the Standard Model of particle physics, observed exotic particles, and pieced together information about extreme natural conditions.
What is the LHC’s future?
The LHC has not been able to find ‘new physics’ that can explain the nature of dark matter or why gravity is such a weak force.
One way forward is to improve the LHC’s luminosity by 10x by 2027 through upgrades.
Another idea is to build a bigger and more powerful version of the LHC, based on the hypothesis that it can find ‘new physics’ at even higher energies.
Physicists are divided on whether to invest in building a bigger machine or less expensive experiments with guaranteed results.
B2BASICS
What is Hadron?
Hadron is any member of a class of subatomic particles that are built from quarks and thus react through the agency of the strong force. The hadrons embrace mesons, baryons (e.g., protons, neutrons, and sigma particles), and their many resonances.
CERN
European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) is the world’s largest nuclear and particle physics laboratory.
CERN is based in Geneva on the French-Swiss border. It has 23 member states.
India in 2016 became an associate member of the CERN. Indian scientists have played a significant role in the ALICE experiment, which is a dedicated experiment for search and study of Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP).
Try this MCQ
Which of the following is a subatomic particle made up of smaller particles and is commonly used in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the US has retained the “Category 1” status for India’s aviation safety oversight following a review.
The FAA uses the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program to determine whether a country’s oversight of its airlines that operate or wish to operate to the US or enter into codeshare partnerships.
What is the IASA Program?
The International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program is conducted by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The program evaluates the safety oversight of civil aviation authorities in countries worldwide.
It determines whether a country’s oversight of its airlines that operate or wish to operate to the U.S. or enter into codeshare partnerships with U.S. carriers comply with safety standards established by the UN International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The IASA program focuses on three broad areas, including personnel licensing, operation of aircraft, and airworthiness of aircraft.
Countries are rated as Category 1 if they comply with international safety standards, or Category 2 if they do not comply with international safety standards.
The IASA program is conducted over a one-year period, which includes physical audits and a further review.
India’s commitment to aviation safety
The assessment by the ICAO as well as the FAA is a testimony to India’s commitment of having an effective safety oversight for its civil aviation system.
In November 2021, the ICAO conducted an audit, and India scored an Effective Implementation (EI) of 85.65%, an improvement from the previous EI of 69.95%.
Punjab Chief Minister unveiled a statue of Teja Singh Sutantar, a former MP and revolutionary leader.
Teja Singh Sutantar
Teja Singh was born as Samund Singh in 1901 in Aluna village of Gurdaspur district.
After completing his schooling, he joined Khalsa College in Amritsar.
Following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919, he joined the Akali Dal to participate in the movement to liberate gurdwaras from degenerate mahants.
However, in September 1921, he formed his own squad called the Sutantar Jatha, which successfully liberated a gurdwara in a village called Teja in Gurdaspur district from the mahants.
He later freed another gurdwara in Othian village from mahants.
Early life and revolutionary activities
In early 1923, Teja Singh went to Kabul as a Sikh missionary and there he came into contact with a few leaders of the Ghadar Party, who were preparing for their second attempt to overthrow the British government.
They persuaded Teja Singh to undergo military training, so he joined the Turkish military academy in 1925 under the pseudonym Azad Beg.
He later moved to Berlin and then to Canada and the United States, where he addressed congregations of Indians, mainly Punjabi Sikh immigrants.
Political Career
After visiting several countries, Teja Singh returned to India and became a prominent leader of the communist party (CPI).
He contributed revolutionary articles to the party journal, the Kirti, frequently writing about issues that plagued peasants.
In May 1937, he was elected unopposed to the Punjab Legislative Assembly as a nominee of the Indian National Congress while he was still in prison.
He continued to remain a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly till 1945.
He was also the secretary of the Communist Party (Punjab) from 1944 to 1947.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) fighters, including Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Rafale, SU-30MKI, and Jaguars, are set to participate in bilateral air Exercise Cope India 23 with US Air Force (USAF) F-15 fighters and B-1B long-range bombers.
Exercise Cope India
Cope India began in 2004 as a fighter training exercise held at Air Station Gwalior.
The exercise has evolved to incorporate subject matter expert exchanges, air mobility training, airdrop training and large-force exercises, in addition to fighter-training exercises.
The exercise was last held in 2009.
The exercise showcases US and India’s efforts and commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Highlights of the 2023 version
The exercise will be conducted in two phases, with the first phase practicing the air-mobility component involving transport aircraft of both countries.
The IAF element will include the Su-30MKI, Rafale, Tejas, and Jaguar fighter aircraft, while Japan is taking part in the exercise as an observer.
The second phase of the exercise will witness the participation of B-1B bombers of USAF, and F-15 fighter aircraft of the USAF will join the exercise subsequently, according to an IAF statement.
The exercise will be supported by aerial refuellers, Airborne Warning and Control System, and Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft of the IAF.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is all set to launch the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or Juice, mission from its spaceport in French Guiana on an Ariane 5 launcher.
What is the Juice Mission?
Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission is a project by the European Space Agency (ESA) to explore the Solar System’s largest planet Jupiter and its three largest moons, Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa.
Juice is constructed by an industrial consortium led by Airbus Defence and Space and is planned to reach Jupiter in 2031 using remote sensing, geophysical, and in situ instruments.
Goals of the Juice mission
Juice aims to create a detailed map of the surfaces of Jupiter’s moons and to look beneath them to probe their potential habitability by creating a comprehensive picture of Jupiter.
One of the primary goals of the Juice mission is to gain insight into how planetary systems form and evolve over time and how possibly habitable environments can arise in Jupiter-like systems around other stars.
Juice will also analyze the chemistry, structure, dynamics, weather, and climate of Jupiter and its ever-changing atmosphere.
Ganymede: Focus of the Juice mission
Ganymede is the largest moon in the Solar System and the only one to generate its magnetic field.
Juice will move into Ganymede’s orbit after approximately four of arriving at Jupiter.
Juice will use its suite of ten sophisticated instruments to measure how Ganymede rotates, its gravity, its shape and interior structure, its magnetic field, its composition, and to penetrate its icy crust using radar down to a depth of about nine km.
Can Juice detect life?
Juice is not equipped to detect life on Jupiter or its moons.
It is, however, capable of finding out whether there could be places around Jupiter, inside the icy moons, where the necessary conditions, such as water, biological essential elements, energy, and stability, to sustain life are present.
Scientists believe that there is a possibility that life is present on Jupiter’s moons, in the form of microbes or more advanced species, such as those found in deep-sea trenches and at hydrothermal vents on Earth.
The 17th Lok Sabha is set to complete its five-year term in 2024. However, with only 230 sitting days so far, it is unlikely to surpass the 331 days of the shortest full-term Lok Sabha since 1952. The latest session, the Budget session, was marked by minimal legislative activity and continuous disruptions, with only one item, the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address, being discussed.
Low Productivity of the 17th Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha has functioned for only 33% of its scheduled time (46 hours) during the Budget session, with the Rajya Sabha working for 24% (32 hours).
The second part of the session was even more unproductive, with the Lok Sabha working for only 5% and the Rajya Sabha for 6% of their scheduled time.
The number of Bills introduced and passed has also declined significantly since the first session, with fewer than 10 Bills being introduced or passed in each of the last four sessions.
The latest Budget session was also one of the shortest since 1952, with the Lok Sabha spending only 18 hours on financial business, compared to an average of 55 hours in previous Budget sessions of the 17th Lok Sabha.
Lok Sabha
Term
Total Sitting Days
Bills Introduced
Bills Passed
Average Sitting Days per Year
15th
2009-2014
357
244
181
71
16th
2014-2019
331
247
156
66
17th
2019-2024
Less than 331 (projected)
150 (as of April 2023)
131 (as of April 2023)
58 (projected)
Lack of Debates and Discussions
Short-duration discussions: The Rules of Procedure of both Houses of Parliament provide for various devices that can be used to draw attention to matters of public importance and hold the government accountable. However, in the 17th Lok Sabha, only 11 short-duration discussions and one half-an-hour discussion have been held so far, and none were held during the latest session.
Question Hour: This is despite the fact that the latest session saw the least amount of time spent on questions in the current Lok Sabha. Question Hour functioned for only 19% of the scheduled time in the Lok Sabha and 9% of the scheduled time in the Rajya Sabha.
Why the Lok Sabha’s productivity has been low?
Disruptions and Protests: The 17th Lok Sabha witnessed frequent disruptions and protests from opposition parties, leading to a significant loss of time and decreased productivity. Some of the major issues that led to disruptions include the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC), and farm laws.
Lack of Consensus: The ruling party enjoyed a clear majority in the Lok Sabha, but there was still a lack of consensus on many key issues, resulting in a delay in passing important bills and legislation.
COVID-19 Pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic also contributed to the low productivity of the Lok Sabha as many sessions were delayed or cancelled due to safety concerns.
Speaker’s Decision: The decision of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha to disallow opposition MPs from raising certain issues also resulted in protests and disruptions, further reducing the productivity of the house.
Shorter Sessions: The 17th Lok Sabha had shorter sessions compared to previous Lok Sabhas, which also contributed to lower productivity. Many important bills and issues were left pending as there was not enough time to discuss and debate them thoroughly.
Delay in passing important bills: When the Lok Sabha is unable to function effectively, it can lead to a delay in passing important bills, which may have an adverse impact on the economy and governance. For example, crucial bills related to taxation, infrastructure, and social welfare may get delayed, affecting the overall progress of the country.
Poor quality of legislation: When the Lok Sabha is unable to function effectively, it may lead to poor quality of legislation. There may be a lack of debate and discussion, leading to hasty decision-making and poor-quality laws that may have unintended consequences.
Damage to democratic institutions: When the Lok Sabha is unable to function effectively, it can damage the democratic institutions of the country. It can erode the trust of citizens in the democratic process and lead to a feeling of disenchantment and disengagement among the people.
Wastage of taxpayers’ money: When the Lok Sabha is unable to function effectively, it leads to wastage of taxpayers’ money. The salaries and allowances of Members of Parliament are paid from the public exchequer, and if they are not able to discharge their duties effectively, it amounts to a waste of taxpayers’ money.
Negative impact on investor confidence: When the Lok Sabha is unable to function effectively, it can have a negative impact on investor confidence. Investors may be hesitant to invest in the country, leading to a slowdown in economic growth and development.
Lack of accountability: When the Lok Sabha is unable to function effectively, it may lead to a lack of accountability. Members of Parliament may not be held accountable for their actions, and the executive may be able to push through decisions without proper scrutiny or oversight.
Conclusion
The 17th Lok Sabha has been marked by low productivity and a lack of debates and discussions, despite the availability of mechanisms to hold the government accountable. The upcoming year is unlikely to see a significant increase in the number of sitting days. This lack of productivity and accountability could undermine the role of Parliament in a democracy and the ability of the government to pass important legislation.
Mains Question
Q. What are the reasons for the low productivity of the 17th Lok Sabha? What are the implications of its low productivity, and how might it affect the country’s progress and democratic institutions?
The resurgence of Sikh extremism in the form of the self-styled Sikh extremist preacher Amritpal Singh, modelling himself on Bhindranwale of yore, has raised concerns in areas with a significant Sikh diaspora. The real cause for concern is that the current security dispensation has not learnt from past mistakes and needs to take appropriate action before the situation spirals out of control.
The resemblance of the self-styled Sikh extremist preacher, Amritpal Singh, to Bhindranwale is limited to style and lacks substance.
However, the extremist fringe among Sikh youth, including the Sikh diaspora in Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US, seems to be galvanized by the imposter’s attempts to revive the Bhindranwale mystique.
The links have been established by this ‘core group’ with pro-Khalistan groups such as the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), the Babbar Khasla, and the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF).
Lessons from the Past
Inadequate current security dispensation: The current security dispensation does not appear to have learnt the right lessons from past mistakes.
Operation Blue Star: The Bhindranwale phenomenon was not a sudden development, and if it were properly handled, it could have been checkmated well before 1984, and the subsequent violence leading to ‘Operation Blue Star’ and the damage caused to Akal Takht could have been avoided.
What was the Khalistan movement?
Dates to pre-independence era: The Khalistan movement, which started in the 1940s during British rule, calls for establishing a separate nation for Sikhs. When India became independent and Punjab was partitioned, its leaders demanded a special status for the state. However, the Central Government did not pay attention to these demands, and Sikhs felt betrayed, leading to the idea of a separate nation growing substantially.
Rise of Bhindranwale: Many individuals and organizations contributed to the Sikh revivalist movement; however, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale emerged as a charismatic leader after becoming the head of Damdami Taksal on August 25, 1977.
Failure to fulfil regional demand: Punjabi political parties, such as the Sikh Akali Party, failed to fulfil the regional demands concerning river waters and the transfer of Chandigarh as a capital city to Punjab. The devolution of power gave rise to Bhindranwale’s image among the masses.
Finally Military Operation: The military mission, OBS, was carried out between June 1 to June 10, 1984, to take control of key gurdwaras, including the Golden Temple in Amritsar, from Bhindranwale’s supporters. Bhindranwale was killed during the operation; however, in recent times, his image remains alive and well.
Why is it being revived?
Political instability: Punjab in recent years has witnessed a political crisis leading to a change in governments, ruling political parties and CM’s giving chance for radical outfits to grow.
Economic challenges: Punjab state has a high employment rate (According to data from the Centre’s Periodic Labour Force Survey 2019-20, Punjab’s unemployment rate is higher than the national average). Also, the year-long Farmers’ protest in 2021 and railways blockades have led to the creation of negative sentiments among investors about the state’s investment environment leading to decreasing investments in Punjab and rising unemployment.
Rising communalism: multiple events of blasphemy have taken place in the state which is flaming the fire of communalism among the people of the state.
Provocation from Pakistan: Investigations by security agencies suggest links between Khalistani groups and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) – further increasing the likelihood of feelings of separatism due to drug trafficking and networking through Sikh pilgrimages.
Feeling to of persecuted minority: images of the 1984 anti-sikh riots and the topic of the non-persecution of culprits of the riots are being used to suggest that Sikhs are persecuted minority and thus they must have their own land in form of Khalistan.
Cause of concern
Threat to national security and integrity: the resurgence of the Khalistan movement is a threat to national security similar to the Kashmir and NE insurgency.
May darken Punjab’s future: a poor law and order situation may deter investors to invest in Punjab thus further deteriorating its economy and leading to spillover effects in social and political sectors.
Involvement of diaspora: The idea of forming a separate state for Sikhs has died down in Punjab; however, it has attracted the attention of a large audience in the diaspora who now have settled in other nations for long and thus have lost their affinity with India as their homeland.
Misuse of social media: which defies any international boundary, thus misused by separatists in Pakistan and other nations.
Bilateral relations may be harmed: the Khalistan issue has already harmed Indo- Canada relations and now straining Indo-UK due to the conduction of Referendum 2020 in these countries despite the Indian Government’s objection.
Avoiding Misreading of Sentiments
Wider perspective: Treating all that is happening now as evidence of a foreign conspiracy instead of facing up to the reality that this may be more than a mere emotional outburst of the Sikh extremist fringe is a grave mistake.
Finding the real cause: Blaming the current violence on the drug mafia with links to Pakistan can at best be a proximate, but not the real cause.
Confronting the Threat
Innovative ways: India needs to find ways and means to defeat the ‘siren call’ of radical extremists of every hue, whether they be Khalistanis or other kinds of extremists.
Ensure balance and sense of unity: It needs to steer between the extremes of the right and left and ensure a greater sense of unity within the country, according to individual dignity and human progress, and demonstrating leadership in the comity of nations.
Way ahead
The resurgence of Sikh extremism and the growing insecurity among Sikh youth and discontent prevailing among the Sikh peasantry needs to be addressed to prevent a repeat of the violent events that took place in the late 1970s to the 1990s.
Intelligence analysis should be prioritized to detect the signs of growing insecurity and discontent.
There is need for good intelligence to deal with the situation.
Conclusion
India should not yield to the temptation of resorting to hard measures without understanding the true causes and join the ranks of nations that solely believe in strong-arm methods. India needs to effectively confront the threat posed by radical extremists, such as the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), while respecting liberal values and ensuring unity within the country.
China’s recent move to rename 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh and standardise those names on the basis of a map is an exercise of the Chinese perspective of international law, which goes against the international law widely adhered to by most members of the United Nations.
China’s claims over disputed territories, such as the South China Sea, are often based on historical records, maps, and cultural relics.
China argues that these territories had been its territory since the Song Dynasty and, therefore, should be considered part of its sovereign territory. However, this approach is not recognized under international law and undermines the basis of the international legal system.
Chinese perspective of international law
Jurisdiction rights: The Chinese perspective of international law is based on its strong stress on the principle of sovereignty. According to this view, sovereign states have an inalienable right to exercise jurisdiction over their territories and their people without interference from other states.
Historic rights: China combines its vision of sovereignty with the historic right to exercise jurisdiction over those territories or maritime areas as well, which were once ruled by a Chinese dynasty in the mediaeval or ancient era.
Undermines international legal system: The historic right approach makes China undermine the basis of the international legal system grounded in the sovereign equality of states and the general rules of international law.
Contravention of international courts and tribunals
Contravenes the decisions of international courts and tribunals: China’s attempt to rename 11 disputed locations on historical and administrative bases contravenes the decisions of international courts and tribunals.
No convincing proofs: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) considers direct evidence of possession and the actual exercise of sovereignty as more convincing proof of title to a territory than indirect presumption from events in history.
Against the principle of uti possidetis juris: China’s renaming exercise goes against the principle of uti possidetis juris, which is the principle that the boundaries of newly independent states should follow those of the previous colonies.
Help of cartographic materials: China tries to buttress its territorial and maritime claims with the support of maps, but cartographic materials do not have any legal value by themselves. They constitute extrinsic evidence of varying reliability that might, depending on the circumstances, be used together with other evidence to establish a fact.
What is the principle of uti possidetis juris?
The principle of uti possidetis juris is a Latin phrase that means as you possess under law.
It is a principle of international law that was developed in the context of decolonization. The principle holds that newly independent states should inherit the territorial boundaries that existed at the time of their independence.
The idea is that the territorial integrity of a new state should be protected and that the boundaries of the state should not be subject to change without the consent of the state.
The principle of uti possidetis juris is meant to prevent disputes over territorial boundaries that could lead to instability or conflict.
Implications of China’s actions
China’s actions in Arunachal Pradesh undermine the international legal system based on the sovereign equality of states and the general rules of international law.
China’s historic right approach to sovereignty over territories and maritime areas is a cause for concern for other countries with territorial disputes with China.
China’s use of maps to support its territorial and maritime claims is not a legally valid argument and undermines the legal basis for resolving territorial disputes.
Conclusion
China’s attempt to rename disputed territories in Arunachal Pradesh goes against established principles of international law and undermines the sovereign equality of states. The use of historical claims and maps to support territorial and maritime claims is not recognized in international law. This renaming exercise is likely to further strain India-China relations and impact regional stability. It is essential to uphold the principles of international law to ensure the independence and stability of new states and prevent challenges to territorial boundaries.
Mains Question
Q. What is the principle of uti possidetis juris? How does China’s attempt to rename territories in Arunachal Pradesh contravene the decisions of international courts and tribunals?
The Union government informed the Supreme Court that a new law, namely the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022, to enforce individual privacy in online space was “ready”.
Legislation on ‘Data’: A Backgrounder
The personal data protection bill has been in the works for about five years.
The first draft of the Bill was presented by an expert panel headed by Justice B.N. Srikrishna in July 2018, after a year-long consultation process.
Timeline of key events
July 2018: After a year of consultations and deliberations, the PDP Bill, 2018, drafted by an expert committee headed by Justice BN Srikrishna, is presented to MeitY. Subsequently, MeitY begins drafting the next iteration of the Bill.
December 2019: The PDP Bill, 2019, prepared by MeitY, is referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for review.
December 2021: After multiple extensions, and a leadership change, JPC Chairperson tabled the report of the JPC on the PDP Bill, 2019, as well as the draft Data Protection Bill 2021, in the parliament.
August 2022: On August 3 this year, MeitY withdrew the 2021 Bill, stating that a more “comprehensive legal framework” will be presented soon.
DPDP Bill, 2022 is based on seven principles
According to an explanatory note for the bill, it is based on seven principles-
Lawful use: The first is that “usage of personal data by organisations must be done in a manner that is lawful, fair to the individuals concerned and transparent to individuals.”
Purposeful dissemination: The second principle states that personal data must only be used for the purposes for which it was collected.
Data minimisation: Bare minimum and only necessary data should be collected to fulfill a purpose.
Data accuracy: At the point of collection. There should not be any duplication.
Duration of storage: The fifth principle talks of how personal data that is collected cannot be “stored perpetually by default,” and storage should be limited to a fixed duration.
Authorized collection and processing: There should be reasonable safeguards to ensure there is “no unauthorised collection or processing of personal data.”
Accountability of users: The person who decides the purpose and means of the processing of personal data should be accountable for such processing.
Key features of the bill
(1) Data Principal and Data Fiduciary
The bill uses the term “Data Principal” to denote the individual whose data is being collected.
The term “Data Fiduciary” the entity (can be an individual, company, firm, state etc.), which decides the “purpose and means of the processing of an individual’s personal data.”
The law also makes a recognition that in the case of children –defined as all users under the age of 18— their parents or lawful guardians will be considered their ‘Data Principals.’
(2) Defining personal data and its processing
Under the law, personal data is “any data by which or in relation to which an individual can be identified.”
Processing means “the entire cycle of operations that can be carried out in respect of personal data.”
So right from collection to storage of data would come under processing of data as per the bill.
(3) Individual’s informed consent
The bill also makes it clear that individual needs to give consent before their data is processed.
Every individual should know what items of personal data a Data Fiduciary wants to collect and the purpose of such collection and further processing.
Individuals also have the right to withdraw consent from a Data Fiduciary.
The bill also gives consumers the right to file a complaint against a ‘Data Fiduciary’ with the Data Protection Board in case they do not get a satisfactory response from the company.
(4) Language of information
The bill also ensures that individuals should be able to “access basic information” in languages specified in the eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution.
Further, the notice of data collection needs to be in clear and easy-to-understand language.
(5) Significant Data Fiduciaries
The bill also talks of ‘Significant Data Fiduciaries, who deal with a high volume of personal data.
The Central government will define who is designated under this category based on a number of factors ranging from the volume of personal data processed to the risk of harm to the potential impact on the sovereignty and integrity of India.
(6) Data protection officer & Data auditor
Such entities will have to appoint a ‘Data protection officer’ who will represent them.
They will be the point of contact for grievance redressal.
They will also have to appoint an independent Data auditor who shall evaluate their compliance with the act.
(7) Right to erase data, right to nominate
Data principals will have the right to demand the erasure and correction of data collected by the data fiduciary.
They will also have the right to nominate an individual who will exercise these rights in the event of death or incapacity of the data principal.
(8) Cross-border data transfer
The bill also allows for cross-border storage and transfer of data to “certain notified countries and territories.”
However an assessment of relevant factors by the Central Government would precede such a notification.
(9) Financial penalties
The draft also proposes to impose significant penalties on businesses that undergo data breaches or fail to notify users when breaches happen.
Entities that fail to take “reasonable security safeguards” to prevent personal data breaches will be fined as high as Rs 250 crore.
As per the draft, the Data Protection Board — a new regulatory body to be set up by the government — can impose a penalty of up to ₹500 crore if non-compliance by a person is found to be significant.
What distinguishes this bill from its earlier versions?
Gender neutrality: Significantly, and for the first time in the country’s legislative history, the terms ‘her’ and ‘she’ have been used irrespective of an individual’s gender. This, as per the draft, is in line with the government’s philosophy of empowering women.
Imbibes best global practices: To prepare it, best global practices were considered, including review of data protection legislations of Australia, European Union (EU), Singapore, and a prospective one of the USA.
Comprehensiveness: The draft has outlined six ‘Chapters’ and a total of twenty-five points. The ‘Chapters’ are: ‘Preliminary,’ ‘Obligations of Data Fiduciary,’ ‘Rights and Duties of Data Principal,’ ‘Special Provisions,’ ‘Compliance Framework,’ and ‘Miscellaneous.’
Special emphasis for child protection: If personal data is likely to cause harm to a child, its processing will not be allowed.
Hits of the bills
Widening the scope of data: Narrowing the scope of the data protection regime to personal data protection is a welcome move, as it resonates with the concerns of various stakeholders.
Harnessing economic potential: Now non-personal data could be used to unlock social and economic value to benefit citizens, businesses, and communities in India with appropriate safeguards in place.
Doing away with aggressive push for Data localisation: Relaxing data localisation provisions to notify countries to which data can flow, could aid India in unlocking the comparative advantage of accessing innovative technological solutions from across the globe, which in turn helps domestic companies.
Free flow of data: In addition, the free flow of data will help startups access cost-effective technology and storage solutions, as our research shows.
Allowing data transfers: This will also ensure that India is not isolated from the global value chain, helping businesses stay resilient in production and supply chain management and fostering overseas collaboration.
Some criticisms of the bill
Wordplay: There had been use of open-ended language such as “as necessary” or “as may be prescribed”.
Govt monopoly: The Bill did not seem to work towards protecting people, but ensures that the government retains all power without any checks or balances.
Exemption provisions: The government has been given the power to exempt not only government agencies but any entity that is collecting user data, from having to comply with the provisions of this bill when it is signed into law.
No protection against data breach: The Executive in India has a track record of exploiting to expand its powers. There is no right for compensation to individuals in case of a data breach. They have no right to data portability.
Conclusion
Crafting such crucial legislation is no mean task. It may require some more trial and error to succeed.
Definitely, it will involve some time and deliberation to arrive at a comprehensive legal framework.
Formation: They are mainly derived from the debris brought down from the Himalayas or the silt left out by the retreating sea. Thus they are azonal soils.
Areas: Alluvial soils are widespread in the northern plains and the river valleys. Through a narrow corridor in Rajasthan, they extend into the plains of Gujarat. In the Peninsular region, they are found in deltas of the east coast and in the river valleys.
Soil texture: The alluvial soils vary in nature from sandy loam to clay. These soils are more loamy and clayey in the lower and middle Ganga plain and the Brahmaputra valley. The sand content decreases from the west to east.
Soil Colour: The colour of the alluvial soils varies from the light grey to ash grey depending on the depth of the deposition, the texture of the materials, and the time taken for attaining maturity.
Other Characteristic Features:
In the Upper and Middle Ganga plain, two different types of alluvial soils have developed, viz. Khadar and Bhangar.
Khadar and Bhangar
Khadar: the newer alluvium deposited by floods annually, enriches the soil by depositing fine silts, light colour, found near river beds, porous in nature. Bhangar: older alluvium, clayey, darker, has lime nodules called Kankars, found in doabs (inter-fluve areas).
Alluvial soils of the northern plains —> transported soils —>, therefore, lack humus —> lack nitrogen [That is why we need to use nitrogenous fertilisers in the northern plains!]. Exception: the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta region is rich in humus.
These soils lack in nitrogen, phosphorus and humus. However, they are generally rich in potash and lime.
The soil profile has no stratification.
Alluvial soils are intensively cultivated.
In certain areas, these soils are covered with unproductive wind-borne soil called Loess.
Limitations:
Allow water to sink into lower strata, and
Lack nitrogen (But these soils are capable of fixing nitrogen very rapidly through leguminous crops (peas, beans, cloves etc.)
These soils are locally known as the ‘Regur Soil’ or the ‘Black Cotton Soil’. Internationally, these are known as ‘tropical chernozems’. These soils are famous for the cultivation of cotton.
Formation: These have mainly formed from the Deccan Trap rocks —> Zonal Soils
Areas: These are found in the Deccan trap region. Black soil covers most of the Deccan Plateau which include parts of:
Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh,
Gujarat,
Andhra Pradesh and some parts of
Tamil Nadu.
Soil Texture: Black cotton soil (regur soil) is highly argillaceous i.e. clayey. It is deep and impermeable and thus has high water retention capacity.
Soil Colour: These soils are black in colour due to the presence of iron, aluminium compounds and humus.
Other Characteristic Features:
These soils are rich in minerals and known for their fertility.
The soil depth varies from place to place. It is very thick in lowlands but very thin on highlands. Also, in the upper reaches of the Godavari and the Krishna, and the northwestern part of the Deccan Plateau, the black soil is very deep.
These soils swell and become sticky when wet and develop deep wide cracks when dry. This helps in self-aeration, which leads to the absorption of nitrogen from the atmosphere. Thus, there occurs a kind of ‘self ploughing’. This aeration and oxidisation to deep levels contribute to the maintenance of the fertility of these soils. This continued fertility is favourable in the area of low rainfall for cotton cultivation even without irrigation.
Due to slow absorption and loss of moisture, the black soil retains the moisture for a very long time, which helps the crops, especially, the rain-fed ones, to sustain even during the dry season.
Chemically, the black soils are rich in lime, iron, magnesia and alumina. They also contain potash. But they lack in phosphorous, nitrogen and organic matter.
Suitable Crops: These soils are highly productive and well suited to the cultivation of cotton, pulses, millets, linseed, tobacco, sugarcane, vegetables and citrus fruits.
Note: In the southern and eastern parts of the country where rainfall is heavy, black soils often occur in close proximity to red soils. Black soils occupy valleys and low-level areas whereas the red soils occur on higher slopes and hilltops. Mixed black and red soils occur in Coimbatore, Madurai, Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu) and Bundelkhand region.
3. Red and Yellow Soils
Locally called ‘Chalka’ in Andhra Pradesh.
Formation: These are derived from granites, gneisses and other metamorphic rocks —> Zonal Soils. These are formed under well-drained conditions.
Areas: Along the piedmont zone of the Western Ghat, a long stretch of area is occupied by red loamy soil. Yellow and red soils are also found in parts of Orissa and Chattisgarh and in the southern parts of the middle Ganga plain. They encircle the black cotton soil zone.
Soil Colour: The soil develops a reddish colour due to a wide diffusion of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rocks. It looks yellow when it occurs in a hydrated form. Often, their upper layer is red and the lower layer is yellow.
Soil Texture: Varies from sand to clay and loam.
Other Characteristic Features:
The fine-grained red and yellow soils are normally fertile, whereas coarse-grained soils found in dry upland areas are poor in fertility.
Have a porous and friable structure.
They are generally poor in nitrogen, phosphorous and humus.
These soils are airy and need irrigation for cultivation.
Intense leaching is a menace in these soil areas.
Suitable Crops: In places where irrigation facilities are available, the crops cultivated are wheat, cotton, pulses, tobacco, millets, oilseeds, potato, maize, groundnut and orchards.
4. Laterite Soil
The word laterite has been derived from the Latin word ‘Later’ which means brick. These soils when wet are as soft as butter but become hard and cloddy on drying. Therefore, these are widely cut as bricks for use in house construction.
Formation: The lateritic soils are particularly found on high flat erosion surfaces in areas of high(>200cm) and seasonal rainfall. The alternating wet and dry seasons lead to the leaching away of the siliceous matter of the rocks leaving behind the compounds of iron and aluminium. These are zonal soils.
Areas: These soils have mainly developed in the higher areas of the Peninsular plateau. The laterite soils are commonly found in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and the hilly areas of Orissa and Assam.
Soil Colour: Reddish-brown in colour due to the presence of iron oxide.
Other characteristic features:
With rain, lime and silica are leached away, and soils rich in iron oxide and aluminium compound are left behind(thus the reddish-brown colour). Also, the humus content of the soil is removed fast by bacteria that thrive well in high temperature.
These soils represent the end product of decomposition and are generally low in fertility.
The pebbly crust is the important feature of laterites which is formed due to alteration of wet and dry periods.
These soils are acidic in character due to leaching. Application of manures and fertilisers is required for making these soils fertile for cultivation.
These soils are poor in organic matter, nitrogen, phosphate and calcium, while iron oxide and potash are in excess.
Suitable crops: Red laterite soils in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala are more suitable for tree crops like cashew nut. These soils are also suitable for tea plantations.
We discussed in detail alluvial, black, red and laterite soils. Let’s continue the discussion and move on to the next soil types!
Formation: These are derived from the disintegration of adjacent rocks and are largely blown from coastal regions and Indus valley.
Areas: Arid soils are characteristically developed in western Rajasthan, which exhibits characteristic arid topography.
Soil Colour: Arid soils range from red to brown in colour.
Soil Texture: They are generally sandy to gravelly in texture and have a high percentage of soluble salts.
Other characteristic features:
These are saline in nature. In some areas, the salt content is so high that common salt is obtained by evaporating the saline water.
Due to the dry climate, high temperature and accelerated evaporation, they lack moisture and humus.
These soils are deficient in nitrogen and humus. The phosphate and iron content is normal. These soils are rich in minerals but the main limitation is the lack of water.
The soils exhibit poorly developed horizons.
Plants are widely spaced.
Chemical weathering is limited.
Lower horizons of the soil are occupied by ‘kankar’ layers because of the increasing calcium content downwards. The ‘Kankar’ layer formation in the bottom horizons restricts the infiltration of water, and as such when irrigation is made available, the soil moisture is readily available for sustainable plant growth.
Suitable crops: If irrigated these soils give high agricultural returns. The availability of water from the Indira Gandhi canal has transformed the agricultural landscape of desert soils of western Rajasthan. These soils are mainly devoted to bajra, pulses, guar, fodder and less water requiring crops.
6. Saline and Alkaline Soils
They are also known as Usara soils. Various local names for saline soils are Reh, Kallar, and Chopan, Rakar, Thur, Karl etc.
Formation:
These soils have developed in areas with dry climatic conditions (in areas having a little more rainfall than the areas of desert soils) accompanied by lack of proper drainage. In this situation, salts of sodium, calcium and magnesium are deposited on the upper layer of the soil by capillary action.
In the Rann of Kuchchh, the Southwest Monsoon brings salt particles and deposits there as a crust.
These soils are also formed when saline water spreads on the land at the time of high tide in coastal areas. Also, seawater intrusions in the deltas promote the occurrence of saline soils.
Salinization also occurs because of over-irrigation (canal irrigation/groundwater use) and in areas of the high water table (as in the coastal areas of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu). Salinity from irrigation can occur over time wherever irrigation occurs. This is because almost all water (even natural rainfall) contains some dissolved salts. When the plants use the water, the salts are left behind in the soil and eventually begin to accumulate. Also, excessive irrigation with dry climatic conditions promotes capillary action, which results in the deposition of salt on the top layer of the soil (See the following figure).
Areas: They occur in arid and semi-arid regions, and in waterlogged and swampy areas. These are more widespread in western Gujarat, deltas of the eastern coast and in Sunderban areas of West Bengal.
Soil Texture: Their texture ranges from sandy to loamy.
Other characteristic features:
Because of capillary action, the salts are sucked up in solution to the surface and form white encrustations on the surface (See the picture below).
The salt efflorescence of calcium, magnesium and sodium makes these soils infertile.
Saline soils contain an excess of neutral soluble salts of chlorides and sulphates whereas sodic or alkali soils contain sodium carbonates/ sodium bicarbonates.
They lack in nitrogen and calcium and have low water-bearing capacity.
These soils can be reclaimed by improving drainage, by applying gypsum and/or lime, and by cultivating salt-resistant crops like barseem, dhaincha and other leguminous crops.
The saline and alkaline soils may occur in any group of soils.
Crops grown: In coastal areas, coconut trees are found in plenty in these soils. As discussed above, cultivating salt-resistant crops like bar seem, dhaincha and other leguminous crops can help in reclaiming these soils.
Note: In the areas of intensive cultivation with excessive use of irrigation, especially in areas of green revolution, the fertile alluvial soils are becoming saline. In such areas, especially in Punjab and Haryana, farmers are advised to add gypsum to solve the problem of salinity in the soil.
7. Peaty Soils
These soils are locally called Kari in Kottayam and Alleppey districts of Kerala.
Formation: These are marshy soils and are a result of waterlogging and anaerobic conditions (which leads to partial decomposition of organic matter).
Areas: They are found in the areas of heavy rainfall and high humidity, where there is a good growth of vegetation. It occurs widely in the northern part of Bihar, the southern part of Uttaranchal and the coastal areas of West Bengal, Orissa and Tamil Nadu.
Soil Colour and Texture: These soils are normally heavy and black in colour
Other characteristic features:
These soils are characterised by a rich humus and organic content.
There is a presence of iron and varying amounts of organic matter (10-40%). The organic matter in these soils may go even up to 40-50 per cent.
These soils are generally acidic in nature. But at many places, they are alkaline also.
Suitable crops: These are generally submerged during the rainy season and utilised for the cultivation of rice.
8. Forest Soils
Formation: As the name suggests, forest soils are formed in the forest areas where sufficient rainfall is available.
Areas: These are found in the forest areas of Himalayas, Sahyadris, Eastern Ghats and terai region.
Soil colour and texture: The soils vary in structure and texture depending on the mountain environment where they are formed. They are loamy and silty on valley sides and coarse-grained in the upper slopes. Their colour is dark brown.
Other Characteristics:
In the snow-bound areas of the Himalayas, they are acidic with low humus content. This is because humus is rawer at higher levels. Also, these soils are subjected to denudation due to landslides and snowfall.
The soils found in the lower valleys are fertile and rich in organic content.
Owing to sharp differences of hill slopes and climates, these soils may differ greatly even when in proximity. [Recall here the discussion on the impact of topography on soils!]
Also, these soils exist in thin layers because of their development on the mountain slopes.
These soils are poor in potash, phosphorus and lime.
Soil erosion is a major problem in these areas.
Crops grown: The slopes are used for horticulture and plantations crops like tea, coffee, spices, apple, peach etc. Rice and wheat are grown in valleys. Potatoes are grown in mostly all areas.
Drainage
The flow of water through well-defined channels is known as ‘drainage’ and the network of such channels is called a ‘drainage system’.
Types of Drainage Patterns
Discordant drainage
A pattern of drainage that bears no relation to the structure of the underlying rock. This may be because:
1. The drainage pattern developed on rock strata that have since been removed by erosion; a process known as superimposition. The drainage pattern thus developed is called superimposed drainage (or Epigenetic or Superinduced Drainage). Examples: The Damodar, the Subarnarekha, the Chambal, the Banas and the rivers flowing at the Rewa Plateau, rivers of eastern USA and southern France.
2. The drainage pattern was already present before a period of uplift and folding that formed the present structure. As the uplift took place, the rivers were able to cut down at approximately the same rate and so maintain their courses. This process is called antecedence and the drainage system thus developed is called antecedent drainage.
Many of the Himalayan rivers have antecedent origin i.e. these rivers existed even before the Himalayan ranges were uplifted. These rivers originate in the Tibetan side beyond the mountain ranges of Himalayas. The Indus, Satluj, Alaknanda, Gandak, Kosi, Brahmaputra all have an antecedent origin. Since these rivers are antecedent, they run transverse to the mountain ranges cutting deep V-shaped, steep-sided valleys (deep gorges).
Concordant Drainage (also called accordant drainage)
The pattern of drainage which arises from and closely follows the trends of the underlying strata is called concordant drainage.
Consequent Streams: Those streams whose courses are the direct consequence of the initial topography are called consequent streams.
Subsequent Streams: These are developed after the master consequent.
Obsequent streams: These flow in opposite direction to the master consequent.
Resequent Streams: A resequent stream flows in the same direction as that of the initial consequent stream, but which develops in response to a new base level formed due to inversion of relief.
Concordant Drainage Patterns
Drainage pattern:
Drainage pattern refers to a design which a river and its tributaries form together from its source to its mouth. The drainage pattern of an area is the outcome of:
The geological time period,
Nature and structure of rocks,
Topography,
Slope,
Amount of water flowing, and
The periodicity of the flow.
Some Important Drainage Patterns:
A combination of several patterns may be found in the same drainage basin.
1. Dendritic: The dendritic pattern develops where the river channel follows the slope of the terrain. The drainage pattern resembling the branches of a tree is known as “dendritic” the examples of which are the rivers of northern plain. It is the most common stream pattern. A dendritic pattern develops in a terrain which has uniform lithology, and where faulting and jointing are insignificant.
2. Radial: The radial pattern develops when streams flow in different directions from a central peak or a dome-like structure. E.g. the rivers like the Narmada, Son and Mahanadi originating from Maikal Hills flow in different directions and are good examples of a radial pattern.
Radial drainage patterns are also found/in the Girnar Hills (Kathiwar, Gujarat), and Mikir Hills of Assam.
3. Trellis: When the primary tributaries of rivers flow parallel to each other and secondary tributaries join them at right angles, the pattern is known as ‘trellis’. A trellis drainage pattern develops where hard and soft rocks lie parallel to each other. For example, rivers in the upper part of the Himalayan region and in the old folded mountains of the Singhbhum (Chotanagpur Plateau) have drainage of trellis pattern. The trellis drainage pattern can also be seen in the Appalachian region of the U.S.A., where hard and soft rocks occur in parallel bands.
4. Centripetal: When the rivers discharge their waters from all directions in a lake or depression, the pattern is known as ‘centripetal’. This drainage pattern is also called endorheic drainage. For example, Loktak lake in Manipur.
5. Rectangular: In this drainage, both the main stream and its tributaries show right-angled bends. A rectangular drainage pattern develops on a strongly jointed rocky terrain. It differs from trellis pattern drainage, since it is more irregular and its tributary streams are not as long or as parallel as in trellis drainage. Example: Colorado river (USA), streams found is the Vindhyan Mountains of India.
6. Barbed: If you look at the way that tributaries empty into larger rivers, you will notice that most of them flow in the same direction as the rivers they empty into. But quite a large number flow the other way. In fact, you will find stretches of some rivers where every tributary empties into the river in the “wrong” direction! Such an occurrence is known as a barbed drainage pattern.
Most barbed drainage patterns are the result of river-capture which reverses the direction of flow. However, the tributary channels continue to flow in their original direction.
The Arun River (Nepal), a tributary of the Kosi is an interesting example of barbed drainage pattern.
A Barbed Drainage Pattern
7. Annular: Annular pattern represents that part of a drainage pattern in which the subsequent streams follow the curving or arcuate courses before joining the consequent stream. These results from a partial adaptation to an underground circular structure i.e. batholiths. This is not a very common drainage pattern in India. Some examples of this are however found in Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand), Nilgiri Hills in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
8. Parallel drainage: The drainage pattern in which the rivers flow almost parallel to each other is known as parallel drainage. The small and swift rivers originating in the Western Ghats and discharging their water into the Arabian Sea provide a good example of parallel drainage pattern in India.
9. Deranged pattern: This is an uncoordinated pattern of drainage characteristic of a region recently vacated by an ice-sheet. The picture is one of numerous water courses, lakes and marshes; some inter-connected and some in local drainage basins of their own. This type of drainage is found in the glaciated valleys of Karakoram.
India’s four-year run of abundant summer monsoon rainfall is likely to end this year, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting a 4% shortfall in the coming season.
The monsoon forecast for 2022 is still categorized as “normal” but at 96% of the long-period average (LPA), it is at the lowest end of the range.
El Nino, a cyclical phenomenon of warming in the central Pacific, is believed to be the key factor responsible for the below-normal forecast.
Factors affecting the forecast
El Nino: It has been linked to diminished rainfall in six out of 10 years in India, and 2022 is expected to see its development.
La Nina: It has been influencing the rainfall in India since 2019 and is expected to end this year.
Reduced snow cover in Eurasia: It can have a positive impact on the monsoon forecast, and this year’s snow cover in Eurasia was below normal.
Positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD):IOD could result in more moisture and rainfall over India during August and September, and therefore, have a reduced impact of the El Nino.
IMD’s dynamical monsoon forecast techniques: It involves the simulation of global atmospheric and ocean conditions to forecast climate conditions, which the IMD has started to rely on more heavily in recent years.
What is El Nino and La Nina?
El Nino and La Nina are two opposite phases of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle.
ENSO is a naturally occurring phenomenon that involves the interaction between the ocean and atmosphere in the equatorial Pacific.
Here is a detailed comparison of El Nino and La Nina
El Nino
La Nina
Definition
Warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures
Cooler-than-normal sea surface temperatures
Frequency
Every two to seven years
Every two to seven years
Duration
Several months to a year or more
Several months to a year or more
Impact on winds
Weakens trade winds, leading to changes in patterns
Strengthens trade winds, leading to changes in patterns
Impact on rains
Reduces rainfall and can cause droughts
Increases rainfall and can cause flooding
Impact on temp.
Warmer-than-average temperatures
Colder-than-average temperatures
Global effects
Droughts in Asia and Africa, floods in Americas
Floods in Asia and Africa, droughts in South America
Impacts on India
El Nino
La Nina
Associated with weak monsoons and drought-like conditions in India
Associated with above-normal rainfall and floods in India
Sea surface temperature in the equatorial Pacific Ocean rises above normal levels
Sea surface temperature in the equatorial Pacific Ocean drops below normal levels
Changes in the atmospheric circulation patterns
Changes in the atmospheric circulation patterns
Shift in the location of the jet stream, affecting the strength and direction of the monsoon winds
Increase in the strength of the monsoon winds, bringing more moisture and rainfall to India
Results in reduced rainfall, dry spells, and heatwaves, leading to crop failures and water scarcity
Excessive rainfall can also lead to floods and landslides, causing damage to crops and infrastructure
Back2Basics:Long Period Average (LPA) study of Monsoon
The IMD predicts a “normal”, “below normal”, or “above normal” monsoon in relation to a benchmark “long period average” (LPA).
The LPA of rainfall is the rainfall recorded over a particular region for a given interval (like month or season) average over a long period like 30 years, 50 years, etc.
LPA refers to the average rainfall recorded from June to September for the entire country, the amount of rain that falls every year varies from region to region and from month to month.
The IMD’s prediction of a normal monsoon is based on the LPA of the 1971-2020 period, during which India received 87 cm of rain for the entire country on average.
It has in the past calculated the LPA at 88 cm for the 1961-2010 period, and at 89 cm for the period 1951-2000.
Amul, the country’s largest dairy player, announced on April 5 that it would supply milk and curd through e-commerce portals in Bengaluru.
The announcement was met with opposition from Kannadigas, who saw it as an attempt to threaten the iconic Nandini milk brand of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF).
Political Controversy
The Amul vs. KMF row turned into a political tool in poll-bound Karnataka.
Dissenting sections expressed fears that Amul would eat into the market of Nandini and pose a threat to its business in the state.
The ruling government was accused of attempting to privatize the milk sector and “finish off” a home-grown product.
A quick backgrounder
Both Amul Dairy and KMF are successful examples of adopting the three-tiered ‘Anand’ model of dairy procurement.
Farmers supply milk to dairy cooperatives at the village level, which is then procured by milk unions at the district and state levels.
There are 16 district milk unions in Karnataka supplying milk to the dairy cooperatives.
KMF provides competitive prices to dairy farmers.
KMF corners most of the market share for surplus milk provided by farmers in the state.
Anand Model of Dairy Procurement
It is a system of milk collection and distribution pioneered by the Amul cooperative in Anand, Gujarat, India.
This model has revolutionized the dairy industry in India by providing a fair price to dairy farmers, eliminating the need for middlemen, and improving the quality of milk.
Under the Anand model, farmers are organized into dairy cooperatives, which collect and market their milk.
The cooperatives are managed by the farmers themselves and are supported by the infrastructure and marketing expertise of the Amul cooperative.
The farmers are paid a fair price for their milk, which is based on its quality and quantity, and they receive regular payments for their milk.
Why are people protesting?
Overpricing: The pricing difference between Amul’s toned milk and Nandini’s toned milk was highlighted, with Amul’s milk priced at ₹54 per litre and Nandini’s at ₹39 per litre.
Unhealthy competition: KMF’s online presence in the state could create unhealthy competition with Amul’s online presence, despite the pricing difference, according to the federation.
The turf war
The KMF is the second-largest milk cooperative in India after Amul.
While Amul and KMF compete in neutral regions like Mumbai, Nagpur, Goa, Hyderabad, and Chennai markets, they have not clashed on home turfs.
Karnataka is a milk-excess market that meets the needs of the state and exports surplus to other states.
KMF plans to write to the National Dairy Development Board, requesting it to direct Amul not to venture into the Bengaluru market and concentrate on milk-deficient states.
Clarification by Amul
Amul clarified that it was launching its fresh milk and curd only for a niche market through e-commerce channels and not through the mass market distribution network.
