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  • Decriminalization of Adultery and the Duty and Discipline

    Adultery

    Central Idea

    • The Supreme Court of India decriminalized adultery in 2018, but the Union of India sought clarification from the Court concerning its implementation in the armed forces. The court’s observations suggest that the armed forces may still discipline for adulterous acts under their special legislations. However, recent court cases show that an act must have some nexus with the discharge of duties to be considered misconduct, and private affairs cannot be subjected to moral policing under the Service Conduct Rules or Article 33 of the Constitution.

    What is mean by Adultery?

    • Adultery is a term used to describe a consensual sexual relationship between a married person and someone who is not their spouse.
    • It is generally considered to be a breach of marital fidelity and can have legal, social, and religious consequences.
    • In some societies and cultures, adultery is considered a crime or a sin, while in others it may not be explicitly prohibited but is still frowned upon or considered morally wrong.

    Adultery In the Indian context

    • Joseph Shine v. Union of India: Adultery was a criminal offense under Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) until September 2018, when the Supreme Court of India decriminalized it in a landmark judgment in Joseph Shine v. Union of India.
    • Law applied to men only: Before the judgment, adultery was punishable by up to five years of imprisonment or a fine or both, and the law only applied to men who had sexual relations with someone’s wife without the husband’s consent.
    • Law did not consider women as an offender: The law did not consider a woman who had an affair with a married man as an offender or the husband as a victim.

    What is Article 33?

    • Fundamental rights of armed forces personnel can be curtailed by law for discipline: It empowers the Parliament to restrict or modify the fundamental rights of armed forces personnel, including members of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, to ensure the proper discharge of their duties and the maintenance of discipline among them. This means that the fundamental rights of armed forces personnel can be curtailed or modified by law to the extent that it does not hinder their duties or impact discipline.
    • Laws may be different from the general laws: The article gives special powers to Parliament to make laws that may not necessarily be in line with the fundamental rights guaranteed to Indian citizens under the Constitution. These laws may be different from the general laws applicable to Indian citizens, and their enforcement may be specific to the armed forces personnel.
    • Application: The article applies not only to the armed forces personnel but also to members of the police force and intelligence agencies involved in maintaining public order. However, the restrictions imposed on these personnel should be in line with the principles of the Constitution and not infringe on their right to privacy or other fundamental rights.

    Decriminalization of Adultery

    • Civil wrong: In 2018, The Joseph Shine judgment removed the criminalization of adultery and declared it a civil wrong that can be a ground for divorce.
    • State should not interfere in matters of personal relationship: The judgment recognized that the right to choose one’s partner and engage in consensual sexual relations is a fundamental right and that the state should not interfere in matters of personal relationships between consenting adults.
    • Violation of fundamental Rights: The provisions were found to be violative of Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Constitution of India.

    Recent Court Cases

    • Rajasthan High Court: In Mahesh Chand Sharma versus State of Rajasthan and Others (2019).
    • The court set aside departmental proceedings against a police inspector who allegedly had illicit relations with a woman constable and had a child from illicit relations.
    • The court held that no employer could do moral policing on its employees beyond the domain of their public life.
    • Gujarat High Court: In Maheshbhai Bhurjibhai Damor versus State of Gujarat and 3 other(s) (2022).
    • The court quashed and set aside the dismissal order of an armed police constable arising from allegations that he had developed illicit relations with a widow.
    • The court held that allegations of misconduct must have some nexus with the duties to be performed by the government servant.
    • Private affairs cannot be subjected to moral policing under the Service Conduct Rules or Article 33 of the Constitution.

    Government’s argument

    • Sought clarification: The Union of India sought clarification from the Court on implementing the decriminalization of adultery in the armed forces.
    • Special legislations must govern: The Union of India argued that special legislations, such as the Army Act, Air Force Act, and Navy Act, should govern promiscuous or adulterous acts among members of the armed forces.

    Conclusion

    • The recent court cases show that the decriminalization of adultery does not inhibit the parameters of departmental proceedings or enlarge them. Private affairs cannot be subjected to moral policing under the Service Conduct Rules or Article 33 of the Constitution unless it has some nexus with their duties. The sacrosanct right to privacy available to the members of the armed forces cannot be taken away unless it interferes with the discharge of duties.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is mean by Adultery? The Supreme Court of India decriminalized adultery in 2018. Discuss the reasons for doing so?

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  • Nikaalo Prelims Spotlight || Important keywords in Budget, Fiscal Policy and Taxation

    Dear Aspirants,

    This Spotlight is a part of our Mission Nikaalo Prelims-2023.

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    13th Mar 2023

    Important keywords in Budget, Fiscal Policy and Taxation 

    Annual financial statement:

    The Union Budget is the annual financial statement that contains the government’s revenue and expenditure for a fiscal year.

    It may also include planned sales volumes and revenues, resource quantities, costs and expenses, assets, liabilities and cash flows.

    The statement details the revenues from all sources, and expenditure on all activities that the government will undertake for the fiscal year. The fiscal year is calculated from 1 April-31 March.

    Under Article 112 of the Constitution, the government has to present a statement of estimated revenue and expenditure for every fiscal. This statement is called the annual financial statement. This document is divided into three sections: For each of these funds, the central government is required to present a statement of revenue and expenditure.

    1. Consolidated Fund:

    The Consolidated Fund of India, created under Article 266 of the Indian Constitution, includes the revenues received by the government and expenses made by it.

    All the revenue that the government receives through direct (income tax, corporation tax etc.) or indirect tax (Goods and Services Tax or GST) go into the Consolidated Fund of India.

    Revenue from non-tax sources like dividends, profits from the PSUs, and income from general services also contribute to the fund. Recoveries of loans, earnings from disinvestment and repayment of debts issued by the Centre also contribute to the fund.

    However, no money can be withdrawn for meeting expenses until the government gets the approval of the Parliament. Examples of expenditure include wages, salaries and pension of government employees, and other fixed costs. The repayment of debts incurred by the government is also done through the Consolidated Fund of India.

    The Consolidated Fund of India is divided into five parts:

    • Revenue account – receipts,
    • Revenue account – disbursements,
    • Capital account – receipts,
    • Capital account – disbursements, and
    • Disbursements ‘charged’ on the Consolidated Fund of India.

    Disbursements ‘charged’ on the Consolidated Fund of India is a special category within the Consolidated Fund of India which is not put to vote in the Parliament.

    This means whatever comes under this category need to be paid, whether the Budget is passed or not.

    The salary and allowances of the President, speaker and deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha, chairman and deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha, salaries and allowances of Supreme Court judges, pensions of Supreme Court and High Court judges come under this category.

    2.Contingency fund:

    Like the Consolidated Fund of India, the Contingency Fund of India constitutes a part of the annual financial statement.

    Established under Article 267(1) of the Indian Constitution, the fund is maintained by the ministry of finance on behalf of the President of India.

    As the name suggests, the Contingency Fund of India is an account maintained for meeting expenses during any unforeseen emergencies.

    Parliamentary approval for such unforeseen expenditure is obtained, ex- post-facto, and an equivalent amount is drawn from the Consolidated Fund of India to recoup the Contingency Fund after such ex-post-facto approval.

    3. Public account.

    Article 266 of the Constitution defines the Public Account as being those funds that are received on behalf of the Government of India.

    Money held by the government in a trust — such as in the case of Provident Funds, Small Savings collections, income of government set apart for expenditure on specific objects like road development, primary education, reserve/special Funds, etc — are kept in the Public Account.

    Public Account funds do not belong to the government and have to be finally paid back to the persons and authorities that deposited them.

    Parliamentary authorisation for such payments is not required.

    However, when money is withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund with the approval of Parliament and kept in the Public Account for expenditure for a specific purpose, it is submitted for a vote in Parliament.

    Appropriation bill

    Appropriation Bill is a money bill that allows the government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Fund of India to meet its expenses during the course of a financial year.

    As per Article 114 of the Constitution, the government can withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund only after receiving approval from Parliament.

    To put it simply, the Finance Bill contains provisions on financing the expenditure of the government, and Appropriation Bill specifies the quantum and purpose for withdrawing money.

    Vote-on-account

    The Constitution says that no money can be withdrawn by the government from the Consolidated Fund of India except under appropriation made by law.

    For that, an appropriation bill is passed during the Budget process.

    However, the appropriation bill may take time to pass through the Parliament and become a law. Meanwhile, the government would need permission to spend even a single penny from April 1 when the new financial year starts.

    Vote on the account is the permission to withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund of India in that period, usually two months.

    Vote on the account is a formality and requires no debate. When elections are scheduled a few months into the new financial year, the government seeks vote on account for four months. Essentially, vote on account is the interim permission of the parliament to the government to spend money.

    Corporation tax:

    Corporation tax is a direct tax imposed on the net income or profit that enterprises make from their businesses. Companies, both public and privately registered in India under the Companies Act 1956, are liable to pay corporation tax. This tax is levied at a specific rate according to the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

    Fringe benefits tax (FBT):
    The taxation of perquisites – or fringe benefits – provided by an employer to his employees, in addition to the cash salary or wages paid, is fringe benefits tax. It was introduced in Budget 2005-06. The government felt many companies were disguising perquisites such as club facilities as ordinary business expenses, which escaped taxation altogether. Employers have to now pay FBT on a percentage of the expense incurred on such perquisites.

    Direct Tax:

    A direct tax is paid directly by an individual or organization to the imposing entity. A taxpayer, for example, pays direct taxes to the government for different purposes, including real property tax, personal property tax, income tax, or taxes on assets. Direct taxes are based on the ability-to-pay principle. This economic principle states that those who have more resources or earn a higher income should pay more taxes.

    Indirect Tax
    In the case of indirect taxes, the incidence of tax is usually not on the person who pays the tax. These are largely taxes on expenditure and include Customs, excise and service tax.

    Indirect taxes are considered regressive, the burden on the rich and the poor is alike. That is why governments strive to raise a higher proportion of taxes through direct taxes. Moving on, we come to the next important receipt item in the revenue account, non-tax revenue.

    Non-tax revenue:

    Other than taxation being a primary source of income, the government also earns a recurring income, which is called non-tax revenue. While sources of tax revenue are few, the sources of non-tax revenue are many, with the number of collections per source. Although there are many sources of non-tax revenue, the amount per source is much less than that for tax revenue.

    For example, when citizens use services offered by the government, they pay bills, which are categorised as non-tax revenue, as the government provides infrastructure support to implement the services. Non-tax revenue also includes the interest collected by the government on the loans or funds offered to states.

    Grants-in-aid and contributions
    The third receipt item in the revenue account is relatively small grants-in-aid and contributions. These are in the nature of pure transfers to the government without any repayment obligation.
    These include expense incurred on organs of state such as Parliament, judiciary and elections. A substantial amount goes into administering fiscal services such as tax collection. The biggest item is the interest payment on loans taken by the government. Defence and other services like police also get a sizeable share. Having looked at receipts and expenditure on revenue account we come to an important item, the difference between the two, the revenue deficit.

    Revenue deficit:

    Revenue deficit arises when the government’s revenue expenditure exceeds the total revenue receipts.

    Revenue deficit includes those transactions that have a direct impact on a government’s current income and expenditure. This represents that the government’s own earnings are not sufficient to meet the day-to-day operations of its departments. Revenue deficit turns into borrowings when the government spends more than what it earns and has to resort to the external borrowings.

                   Revenue Deficit= Total revenue receipts – Total revenue expenditure.

    Revenue Deficit deals only with the government’s revenue receipts and revenue expenditures.

    Note that revenue receipts are receipts which neither create liability nor lead to a reduction in assets.

    It is further divided into two heads:

    • Receipt from Tax (Direct Tax,  Indirect Tax)
    • Receipts from Non-Tax Revenue

    Revenue Expenditure is referred to as the expenditure that does not result in the creation of assets reduction of liabilities. It is further divided into two types

    • Plan revenue expenditure
    • Non-plan revenue expenditure

    Fiscal Deficit:
    The fiscal deficit is defined as an excess of total budget expenditure over total budget receipts excluding borrowings during a fiscal year. In simple words, it is the amount of borrowing the government has to resort to meet its expenses. A large deficit means a large amount of borrowing. The fiscal deficit is a measure of how much the government needs to borrow from the market to meet its expenditure when its resources are inadequate.

    Primary deficit:

    Primary deficit is defined as a fiscal deficit of current year minus interest payments on previous borrowings.

             Primary deficit= Fiscal deficit – Interest payment on the previous borrowing

    In other words, whereas fiscal deficit indicates borrowing requirement inclusive of interest payment, the primary deficit indicates borrowing requirement exclusive of interest payment (i.e., amount of loan).

    We have seen that borrowing requirement of the government includes not only accumulated debt, but also interest payment on the debt. If we deduct ‘interest payment on debt’ from borrowing, the balance is called the primary deficit.

    Public debt:

    Public debt receipts and public debt disbursals are borrowings and repayments during the year, respectively. The difference is the net accretion to the public debt. Public debt can be split into internal (money borrowed within the country) and external (funds borrowed from non-Indian sources). Internal debt comprises treasury bills, market stabilisation schemes, ways and means advance, and securities against small savings.

    Ways and means advance (WMA):

    One of RBI’s roles is to serve as banker to both central and state governments. In this capacity, RBI provides temporary support to tide over mismatches in their receipts and payments in the form of ways and means advances.

    CESS:
    This is an additional levy on the basic tax liability. Governments resort to cess for meeting specific expenditure.

    Dividend distribution tax:

    A dividend is a return given by a company to its shareholders out of the profits earned by the company in a particular year. Dividend constitutes income in the hands of the shareholders which ideally should be subject to income tax.

    However, the income tax laws in India provided for an exemption of the dividend income received from Indian companies by the investors by levying a tax called the Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT) on the company paying the dividend. This tax has been abolished in the 2020-21 budget.

    FRBM Act 2003:

    The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBM Act), 2003, establishes financial discipline to reduce the fiscal deficit.

    What are the objectives of the FRBM Act?

    The FRBM Act aims to introduce transparency in India’s fiscal management systems. The Act’s long-term objective is for India to achieve fiscal stability and to give the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) flexibility to deal with inflation in India. The FRBM Act was enacted to introduce a more equitable distribution of India’s debt over the years.

    Key features of the FRBM Act

    The FRBM Act made it mandatory for the government to place the following along with the Union Budget documents in Parliament annually:

    1. Medium Term Fiscal Policy Statement

    2. Macroeconomic Framework Statement

    3. Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement

    The FRBM Act proposed that revenue deficit, fiscal deficit, tax revenue and the total outstanding liabilities be projected as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) in the medium-term fiscal policy statement.

    Fiscal Performance Index (FPI)

    • The composite FPI developed by CII is an innovative tool using multiple indicators to examine the quality of Budgets at the Central and State levels.
    • The index has been constructed using UNDP’s Human Development Index methodology which comprises six components for holistic assessment of the quality of government budgets, subsidies, pensions and defence in GDP
    • Quality of capital expenditure: measured by the share of capital expenditure (other than defence) in GDP
    • Quality of revenue: the ratio of net tax revenue to GDP (own tax revenue in case of States)
    • Degree of fiscal prudence I: fiscal deficit to GDP
    • Degree of fiscal prudence II: revenue deficit to GDP and
    • Debt index: Change in debt and guarantees to GDP

    Other measures of FPI

    • As per the new index, expenditure on infrastructure, education, healthcare and other social sectors can be considered beneficial for economic growth.

    Sabka Vishwas-Legacy Dispute Resolution Scheme

    • This Scheme is introduced to resolve and settle legacy cases of the Central Excise and Service Tax.
    • The proposed scheme would cover all the past disputes of taxes which may have got subsumed in GST; namely Central Excise, Service Tax and Cesses.
    • The Government expects the Scheme to be availed by a large number of taxpayers for closing their pending disputes relating to legacy Service Tax and Central Excise cases that are now subsumed under GST so they can focus on GST.
    • The Scheme is, especially, tailored to free a large number of small taxpayers of their pending disputes with the tax administration.

    Components of the Scheme

    • The two main components of the Scheme are dispute resolution and amnesty.
    • The dispute resolution component is aimed at liquidating the legacy cases of Central Excise and Service Tax that are subsumed in GST and are pending in litigation at various forums.
    • The amnesty component of the Scheme offers an oppor­tunity to the taxpayers to pay the outstanding tax and be free of any other consequence under the law.
    • The most attractive aspect of the Scheme is that it provides substantial relief in the tax dues for all categories of cases as well as full waiver of interest, fine, penalty,
    • In all these cases, there would be no other liability of interest, fine or penalty. There is also a complete amnesty from prosecution.

    Direct Tax Code:

    • The Direct Tax Code (DTC) is an attempt by the Govern­ment of India to simplify the direct tax laws in India.
    • It will revise, consolidate and simplify the structure of direct tax laws in India into a single legislation.
    • When implemented, it will replace the Income-tax Act, 1961 (ITA), and other direct tax legislation like the Wealth Tax Act, 1957.
    • The task force was constituted by the government to frame draft legislation for this proposed DTC in November 2017 and review the existing Income Tax Act.

    Direct Tax:

    • These are the taxes, paid directly to the government by the taxpayer. Under the direct tax system, the incidence and impact of taxation fall on the same entity, which cannot be transferred to another person.
    • It is termed as a progressive tax because the proportion of tax liability rises as an individual or entity’s income increases.
    • Examples- Income tax, corporate tax, Dividend Distri­bution Tax, Capital Gain Tax, Security Transaction Tax.
    • The system of Direct taxation is governed by the Cen­tral Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). It is a part of the Department of Revenue in the Ministry of Finance.

    Corporate Tax

    • A corporate tax also popularly known as the company tax or the corporation tax is the tax levied on the capital or income of corporations or analogous legal entities.
    • In most countries, such taxes are levied at the national level, and a tax that is similar to that imposed at the na­tional level could be imposed at the local or state levels.
    • The taxes could also be termed as capital tax or income tax.
    • Generally, Partnership firms are not taxed at the entity level.
    • In most of nations, the corporations functioning in a country are taxed for the income from that country.
    • Many countries tax all income of corporations incorpo­rated in the country or those deemed to be resident for tax purposes in the country.
    • The income of the company that is to be taxed is computed similarly to the taxable income for individuals.
    • Tax is generally imposed on net profits.
    • In India, companies, both private and public which are registered in India under the Companies Act 1956, are liable to pay corporate tax.

    Securities transaction tax (STT)

    • Sale of any asset (shares, property) results in loss or profit. Depending on the time the asset is held, such profits and losses are categorised as long-term or short-term capital gain/loss.
    • In Budget 2004-05, the government abolished long-term capital gains tax on shares (tax on profits made on the sale of shares held for more than a year) and replaced it with STT.
    • It is a kind of turnover tax where the investor has to pay a small tax on the total consideration paid/received in a share transaction.

    Banking cash transaction tax (BCTT)

    • Introduced in Budget 2005-06, BCTT is a small tax on cash withdrawal from bank exceeding a particular amount in a single day.
    • The basic idea is to curb the black economy and generate a record of big cash transactions

    Cess

    • This is an additional levy on the basic tax liability Governments resort to cess for meeting specific expenditure. For instance, both corporate and individual income is at present subject to an education cess of 2%.
    • In the last Budget, the government had imposed another 1% cess – secondary and higher education cess on income tax – to finance secondary and higher education.

    Countervailing Duties (CVD)

    • Countervailing duty is a tax imposed on imports, over and above the basic import duty CVD is at par with the excise duty paid by the domestic manufacturers of similar goods
    • This ensures a level playing field between imported goods and locally-produced ones.
    • An exemption from CVD places the domestic industry at the disadvantage and over long run discourages investments in affected sectors.

    Export Duty

    • This is a tax levied on exports. In most instances, the object is not revenue, but to discourage exports of certain items.
    • In the last Budget, for instance, the government imposed an export duty of Rs 300 per metric tonne on the export of iron ores and concentrates and Rs 2,000 per metric tonne on the export of chrome ores and concentrates.

    Pass-through Status

    • A pass-through status helps avoid double taxation. Mutual funds, for instance, enjoy pass-through status.
    • The income earned by the funds is tax-free. Since mutual funds’ income is distributed to the unit-holders, who are in turn taxed on their income from such investments any taxation of mutual funds would amount to double taxation.
    • Essentially, it means the income is merely passing through the mutual funds and, therefore, should not be taxed.
    • The government allows venture funds in some sectors pass-through status to encourage investments in start-ups.
     
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  • Australia’s AUKUS Dilemma: Options and Challenges

    AUKUS

    Central Idea

    • The AUKUS security partnership between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom has important implications for Australia’s plans to operate a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, with potential drawbacks.

    What is AUKUS?

    • Trilateral Partnership: AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, announced on September 15, 2021. The partnership involves cooperation in various areas, including defence and security, technology, and climate change.
    • Indo-Pacific region a primary focus: The AUKUS partnership is primarily focused on the Indo-Pacific region and aims to counter China’s growing influence in the region. As part of the partnership, Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines from the United States and the United Kingdom, which is seen as a significant shift in Australia’s defence posture.
    • Promote Peace and stability: The three countries have emphasized that the partnership is not aimed at any specific country and is intended to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

    AUKUS

    Australia’s AUKUS Dilemma

    • AUKUS Pathway Impact: Announcement about optimal pathway for AUKUS has implications for Australia’s plans to operate a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines
    • Opposition from Regional Partners: Regional partners oppose Royal Australian Navy operating nuclear attack submarines, posing a challenge for Australia’s deterrence capabilities against potential adversaries

    What are the Options for Australia’s Nuclear Submarines?

    • Following AUKUS consultations, three main options have emerged,
    1. US builds nuclear-powered attack submarines for Australia
    2. UK expands Astute-class program to Australia
    3. Trilateral effort to develop a new nuclear submarine design

    AUKUS

    What are the Challenges and Complexities for Australia’s Nuclear Submarines

    • US uncertain on Australis’s nuclear subs: US Policymakers are sceptical about building nuclear-powered attack submarines for Australia due to national security concerns
    • UK’s Dreadnought hinders Australia’s submarine expansion: UK’s construction of Dreadnought-class ballistic-missile submarine program and differences between Australian and American fleets pose a challenge for expanding Astute-class program to Australia
    • Nuclear design challenges: Trilateral effort to develop a new nuclear submarine design faces challenges related to U.S. export controls and technology transfer agreement
    • Nuclear tech complex and risky globally: The nuclear technology is complicated under the international system and poses potential proliferation risks.

    AUKUS

    The AUKUS Partnership: Implications for India

    • Increased security cooperation: The partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States is likely to lead to increased security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. This could help to balance out China’s growing military and economic power in the region and could create opportunities for India to work more closely with these countries on shared security concerns.
    • Potential for technological collaboration: AUKUS includes cooperation in technology and could lead to opportunities for India to collaborate with the three countries in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and cybersecurity. This could help to bolster India’s technological capabilities and could lead to new opportunities for trade and investment.
    • Impact on regional dynamics: The announcement of AUKUS could have a significant impact on regional dynamics in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in terms of how other countries in the region respond. India will need to carefully navigate these dynamics and ensure that its own interests are protected.

    Conclusion

    • The AUKUS security partnership has significant implications for Australia’s defence capabilities and strategic positioning in maritime Asia. However, it poses significant challenges and risks. Even with its closest allies, the U.S. faces difficulties transferring technology, highlighting the challenges for India and other countries in acquiring critical technology from the U.S. The AUKUS developments may have broader implications for regional security and nuclear technology.

    Mains Question

    Q. Evaluate the broader implications of the AUKUS developments for regional security and nuclear technology.

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  • [Sansad TV] Diplomatic Dispatch: India-Australia Ties

    [Sansad TV] Diplomatic Dispatch: India-Australia Ties

    Context

    • Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has completed his three-day state visit to India.
    • This is Anthony Albanese’s first high-level visit to India as the Australian Prime Minister.

    India-Australia Relations: A Backgrounder

    australia
    • The India-Australia bilateral relationship has undergone evolution in recent years, developing along a positive track, into a friendly partnership.
    • The two nations have much in common, underpinned by shared values of a pluralistic, Westminster-style democracy, Commonwealth traditions, expanding economic engagement etc.
    • Several commonalities include strong, vibrant, secular and multicultural democracies, free press, independent judicial system and English language.

    Historical Perspective

    • Early colonization: The historical ties between India and Australia started immediately following European settlement in Australia from 1788.
    • A penal colony: All trade, to and fro from the penal colony of New South Wales was controlled by the British East India Company through Kolkata.
    • Diplomatic ties: India and Australia established diplomatic relations in the pre-Independence period, with the establishment of India Trade Office in Sydney in 1941.
    • Expansion of ties: The end of the Cold War and simultaneously, India’s decision to launch major economic reforms in 1991 provided the first positive move towards development of bilateral ties.

    Various dimensions of ties

    [A] Political partnership

    Both countries are members of-

    1. G-20
    2. ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF),
    3. IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association),
    4. Asia Pacific Partnership on Climate and Clean Development,
    5. East Asia Summit and
    6. The Commonwealth
    7. QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue)
    • Australia has been highly supportive of India’s quest for membership of the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation).
    • Australia wholeheartedly welcomed India’s joining of the MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime).

    [B] Trade and Economy

    • 5th largest trade partner: India is the 5th largest trade partner of Australia with trade in goods and services.
    • Huge trade volume: Two-way trade between India and Australia was worth A$ 24.3 billion ($18.3 billion) in 2020, up from just $13.6 billion in 2007, according to the Australian government.
    • Uranium exports: After a series of attempts, in 2016, Australia opened the door for uranium exports to India.
    • R&D: An Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) which was established in 2006, supports collaboration between scientists in India and Australia on cutting-edge research.

    [C] Cultural ties

    • P2P ties: There is longstanding people-to-people ties to, ever-increasing Indian students coming to Australia for higher education.
    • Bond over cricket and tourism: Growing tourism and sporting links, especially Cricket and Hockey, have played a significant role in further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
    • Skilled workforce: India is one of the top sources of skilled immigrants to Australia.
    • Indian students: The number of Indian students continue to grow with approximately 105,000 students presently studying in Australian universities.
    • Diaspora: After England, India is the second largest migrant group in Australia in 2020.

    [D] Strategic Partnership

    • In 2009, India and Australia established a ‘Strategic Partnership’, including a Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation, which was further elevated to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020.
    • The Mutual Logistics Support Agreement that has been signed during the summit should enhance defense cooperation and ease the conduct of large-scale joint military exercises.
    • There is a technical Agreement on White Shipping Information Exchange.
    • Both nations conduct bilateral maritime exercise AUSINDEX. In 2018, Indian Air Force participated for the first time in the Exercise Pitch Black in Australia.
    • Foreign and Defence Ministers of both countries agreed to meet biennially in a ‘2+2’ format.
    • The first-ever Quad Leaders’ Virtual Summit held on 12 March 2021 saw the participation of Prime Ministers of India, Australia, Japan and President of USA.
    • A Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement between the two countries was signed in September 2014 during the visit of then PM Tony Abbott to India.

    Significance of the ties

    • COVID Management: Australia is one of the few countries that has managed to combat COVID-19 so far through “controlled adaptation” by which the coronavirus has been suppressed to very low levels.
    • STEM: From farming practices through food processing, supply and distribution to consumers, the Australian agribusiness sector has the desired R&D capacity, experience and technical knowledge.
    • Natural resources: Australia is rich in natural resources that India’s growing economy needs. It also has huge reservoirs of strength in higher education, scientific and technological research.
    • Alliance with US: The two countries also have increasingly common military platforms as India’s defence purchases from the US continue to grow.
    • Affinity with ASEAN: Australia has deep economic, political and security connections with the ASEAN and a strategic partnership with one of the leading non-aligned nations, Indonesia.
    • Containing China: The Indo-Pacific region has the potential to facilitate connectivity and trade between India and Australia. Both nations can leverage their equation in QUAD to contain China.

    International cooperation

    • Support at UNSC: Australia supports India’s candidature in an expanded UN Security Council.
    • APEC: Australia is an important player in APEC and supports   India’s membership of the organization. In 2008, Australia became an Observer in SAARC.

    Some irritants in ties

    • Trade imbalance: India’s trade deficit with Australia has been increasing since 2001-02 due to India-Australia Free Trade Agreement. It is also a contentious issue in the ongoing RCEP negotiations which India left.
    • High tariff on agri products in India: India has a high tariff for agriculture and dairy products which makes it difficult for Australian exporters to export these items to India.
    • Non-tariff barriers in Australia: At the same time, India faces non-tariff barriers and its skilled professionals in the Australian labour market face discrimination.
    • Visa Policy: India wants greater free movement and relaxed visa norms for its IT professionals, on which Australia is reluctant.
    • Future of QUAD: Australian lobby has sparked speculation over the fate of the Quadrilateral Consultative Dialogue (the ‘Quad) involving India, Australia, Japan and the United States.
    • Nuclear reluctance: Building consensus on non-nuclear proliferation and disarmament has been a major hurdle given India’s status as a nuclear power.    
    • Racism against Indians: Increasing Racist attacks on Indians in Australia has been a major issue.  

    Way forward

    • Upgradation of 2+2 format: It is prudent too for New Delhi and Canberra to elevate the ‘two plus two’ format for talks from the Secretary level to the level of Foreign and Defence Ministers.
    • Removal of trade barriers: Both nations need to resolve disputes at the WTO with regard to the Australian sector can act as a serious impediment.
    • Balancing China: An ‘engage and balance’ China strategy is the best alternative to the dead end of containment.

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  • States demand that ‘Lightning’ be declared a Natural Disaster

    Central idea: A few states have requested lightning to be declared a natural disaster due to the high number of deaths caused by it in the country.

    Why discuss this?

    • Around 2,500 people die every year due to lightning.
    • Present norms consider cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, fires, floods, tsunamis, hailstorms, landslides, avalanches, cloudbursts, pest attacks, frost, and cold waves as disasters covered under the State Disaster Response Fund.
    • Deliberations are necessary as it is a policy issue.

    What is lightning?

    • Scientifically, lightning is a rapid and massive discharge of electricity in the atmosphere some of which is directed towards earth.
    • The discharges are generated in giant moisture-bearing clouds that are 10-12 km tall.
    • The base of these clouds typically lie within 1-2 km of the Earth’s surface, while the top is 12-13 km away.
    • Temperatures in the top of these clouds are in the range of –35° to –45°C.

    Its formation

    • As water vapour moves upward in the cloud, the falling temperature causes it to condense.
    • As they move to temperatures below 0°C, the water droplets change into small ice crystals.
    • They continue to move up, gathering mass until they are so heavy that they start to fall to Earth.
    • This leads to a system in which, simultaneously, smaller ice crystals are moving up and bigger crystals are coming down.
    • Collisions follow and trigger the release of electrons, a process that is very similar to the generation of sparks of electricity.
    • As the moving free electrons cause more collisions and more electrons, a chain reaction ensues.
    • This process results in a situation in which the top layer of the cloud gets positively charged, while the middle layer is negatively charged.
    • The electrical potential difference between the two layers is huge, of the order of a billion to 10 billion volts.
    • In very little time, a massive current, of the order of 100,000 to a million amperes, starts to flow between the layers.

    Types of lightning

    • Broadly, there are three forms of lightning:
    1. Inter-cloud
    2. Intra-cloud
    3. Cloud-to-ground
    • It is the cloud-to-ground form of lightning that kills humans, as well as animals and livestock, and can substantially damage property.
    • While the Earth is a good conductor of electricity, it is electrically neutral.
    • However, in comparison to the middle layer of the cloud, it becomes positively charged.
    • As a result, about 15%-20% of the current gets directed towards the Earth as well.
    • It is this flow of current that results in damage to life and property on Earth.

    How intensely does it strike?

    • A typical lightning flash is about 300 million volts and30,000 amps.
    • To put it in perspective, household current is 120 volts and 15 amps.
    • A flash of lightning is enough to light a 100-watt incandescent bulb for about three months.

    Why does lightning kill so many people in India?

    • The reason for the high number of deaths is due to people being caught unawares and more than 70% of fatalities happened due to people standing under isolated tall trees.
    • About 25 per cent of the people were struck in the open.
    • Also, lightning is the direct promulgation of climate change extremities.

    Mitigating lightning incidents

    • Lightning is not classified as a natural disaster in India.
    • But recent efforts have resulted in the setting up of an early warning system that is already saving many lives.
    • More than 96% of lightning deaths happen in rural areas.
    • As such, most of the mitigation and public awareness programmes need to focus on these communities.
    • Lightning protection devices are fairly unsophisticated and low-cost. Yet, their deployment in the rural areas, as of now, is extremely low.
    • States are being encouraged to prepare and implement lightning action plans, on the lines of heat action plans.
    • An international centre for excellence on lightning research to boost detection and early warning systems is also in the process of being set up.

  • Bhutan no longer a ‘Least Developed Country’

    bhutan

    Central idea: Bhutan will become the seventh country to graduate from the United Nations’ list of Least Developed Countries (LDC) on December 13, 2023.

    What is a Least Developed Country (LDC)?

    • The LDCs are developing countries listed by the UN that exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development.
    • The concept first originated in the late 1960s and was codified under UN resolution 2768 passed in November 1971.
    • According to the UN, an LDC is defined as “a country that exhibits the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development, with-
    1. Low levels of income, human capital and economic diversification,
    2. High levels of economic vulnerability, and
    3. A population that is disproportionately reliant on agriculture, natural resources, and primary commodities.

    Criteria for LDCs

    • The UN identifies three criteria for a country to be classified as an LDC:
    1. It must have a gross national income (GNI) per capita below the threshold of USD 1,230 over a three-year average.
    2. It must perform poorly on a composite human assets index based on indicators including nutrition, health and education.
    3. It must demonstrate economic vulnerability such as being prone to natural disasters and possessing structural economic constraints.
    • Countries must meet a selection from all three criteria simultaneously and are reviewed on a three-year basis by the UN.

    How many countries are LDCs?

    • Currently, the UN lists 46 countries that qualify as LDCs.
    • Of those, 33 are from Africa, nine from Asia, three from the Pacific and one from the Caribbean.
    • At the UN 2021 triennial review of LDC countries, the organisation recommended that Bangladesh, Laos, and Nepal be removed from the list.

    How does a country get off the LDC list?

    • To graduate from the LDC list, a country must meet certain criteria in the three areas stated before namely, income, human assets, and economic vulnerability.
    • A nation must have a GNI per capita of at least USD 1,242 for two consecutive triennial reviews in order to meet the income requirement.
    • The nation must also show that this level of income can be sustained over the long term.
    • A nation also must show that it has improved its ability to withstand external economic shocks like natural catastrophes or shifts in commodity prices in order to pass the economic vulnerability test.

    How did Bhutan get off the LDC list?

    • Bhutan was included in the first group of LDCs in 1971. It fulfilled the requirements for graduation in 2015 and 2018.
    • Bhutan’s economy grew more than eight times in the last 20 years, from under USD 300 million in 2000 to USD 2.53 billion in 2017.
    • The percentage of people living in poverty decreased from 17.8 per cent in 2003 to 1.5 per cent in 2017.
    • The percentage of people living below the national poverty line decreased from 23.2 per cent in 2007 to 8.2 per cent in 2017.

    What economic measures did it take?

    • Hydropower exports: Bhutan increased exports of hydropower to India, which now accounts for 20 per cent of its economy.
    • Brand Bhutan: Bhutan established Brand Bhutan to diversify exports and target high-end markets with specialised exports of high-value, low-volume Bhutanese goods from sectors including textiles, tourism, handicrafts, culture, and natural resources.
    • Tourism promotion: It emerged out to be an all-season tourist destination in South Asia.

    Advantages of being an LDC

    • LDCs enjoy duty-free and quota-free (DFQF) access to the markets of developed countries.
    • LDCs are also eligible for loans with special terms for development, which include loans with a lower interest rate and a longer repayment time than those given to other nations.
    • The term “Official Development Assistance” (ODA) or “aid” is frequently used to describe this form of support.

    Way forward for Bhutan

    • As such, advancing out of the list is often only the first step in overall development.
    • Graduation from LDC status is not the end of the road, but the beginning of a new journey.
    • It is a time when a country needs to redouble its efforts to build its productive capacities, diversify its economy, and create new opportunities for employment and income generation.

    Back2Basics: Defining a country’s ‘Development’

    • There are no WTO definitions of “developed” or “developing” countries.
    • Developing countries in the WTO are designated on the basis of self-selection although this is not necessarily automatically accepted in all WTO bodies.
    • The WTO however recognizes as least-developed countries (LDCs) those countries which have been designated as such by the United Nations.

     

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  • Bengal is tackling fatal Adenovirus Infection

    adenovirus

    Central idea: 19 children below the age of five years have died in State-run institutions due to acute respiratory infection (ARI) caused by Adenovirus.

    What is Adenovirus Infection?

    • Adenoviruses are common viruses that typically cause mild cold or flu-like illness and are usually spread from an infected person to others by close personal contact
    • The virus is transmitted through the air by coughing and sneezing and also by touching an object or surface with adenoviruses on it
    • While the virus can affect people of any age group, children with low and compromised immunity are at a higher risk
    • Symptoms of the viral infection, other than common cold or flu-like symptoms, include acute bronchitis, pneumonia, pink eye (conjunctivitis), and acute gastroenteritis

    Reasons for outbreak in Bengal

    • Doctors claim that it is the recombinant strain which is the reason for the spike in infections and deaths.
    • Most of the children who have been infected by the virus are less than three years old and were born during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    • Children who are in the age group of six months to preschool are most susceptible to viral infection.

     

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  • Sickle Cell Anaemia screening meets only 1% of target

    anaemia

    Central idea:  The Health Ministry of India set a target to scan one crore people for sickle cell disease in 2022-23. However, with only two weeks left in the fiscal year, the Ministry has completed only 1% of the target.

    What is Sickle Cell Anaemia?

    anaemia

    • Sickle Cell Anaemia is a genetic blood disorder that affects the haemoglobin molecule in red blood cells.
    • People with sickle cell anaemia have abnormal haemoglobin that causes their red blood cells to become sickle-shaped, rigid and sticky.
    • These abnormal cells can clog small blood vessels, leading to excruciating pain, organ damage, and a higher risk of infections.
    • Sickle cell anaemia is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means that a person must inherit two copies of the mutated gene, one from each parent, to develop the disease.
    • There is no cure for sickle cell anaemia, but treatments are available to manage its symptoms and complications.

    How widespread is it in India?

    • Sickle cell anaemia is prevalent in some parts of India, particularly in tribal and rural areas.
    • According to the ICMR, sickle cell trait is present in about 20-22% of the tribal population in central India, and the disease is present in about 3-5% of the same population.
    • It is estimated that there are about 30 million carriers of the sickle cell trait in India, and around 1.5-2 lakh sickle cell disease patients.
    • The disease is most commonly found in the states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Gujarat.

    Recent discussions

    • India aims to eradicate sickle cell anaemia by 2047, Finance Minister announced during her Budget 2023 speech.
    • Under the new scheme, 70 million people up to the age of 40 years in affected tribal areas will be screened for the disease.
    • The Health Ministry has assigned tentative State-wise screening targets to the States for timely completion of the exercise.
    • The Ministry is working to create and maintain a central registry for all screened persons to prevent patients from slipping through the cracks.

    Current status of screening

    • Only 1,05,954 people have been screened so far, out of which 5959 people, or 5.62% of those screened were found to be carrying sickle cell disease traits.
    • Regular and timely screening of the population is important, as in a previous screening exercise of over 1.13 crore people in 2016, up to 9,49,057 (8.75%) tested positive for the sickle cell trait, and up to 47,311 of these ended up with full-blown sickle cell disease.

    Way forward

    • Increased screening: Achieving the goal of eliminating sickle cell anaemia would involve screening at least seven crore people under the age of 40 years in multiple phases by 2025-26.
    • Creating awareness: The Health Ministry is working to create awareness amongst those who carry the sickle cell trait to refrain from marrying another person who also carries the trait.
    • Targeted assessment: Pregnant women are a priority group for immediate screening, and in the long-term, screening of targeted population of unmarried adolescents between 10 to 25 years will be undertaken.
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  • Scientists devise ‘Glowscope’ to bring fluorescent microscopy to schools

    microscope

    Central idea: Researchers at Winona State University, Minnesota, have created a design for a rudimentary fluorescence microscope.

    Why in news?

    • The development can be put together at a cost of $30-50 (Rs 2,500-4,100) using products purchased on online marketplaces.
    • The device aims to democratize access to fluorescence microscopy.

    What is Fluorescence Microscopy?

    • An optical microscope views an object by studying how it absorbs, reflects or scatters visible light.
    • A fluorescence microscope views an object by studying how it reemits light that it has absorbed, i.e. how it fluoresces.
    • The object is illuminated with light of a specific wavelength.
    • Particles in the object absorb this light and reemit it at a higher wavelength.
    • These particles are called fluorophores; the object is infused with them before being placed under the microscope.

    How does it work?

    • The setup consists of two plexiglass surfaces, an LED flashlight, three theatre stage-lighting filters, a clip-on macro lens, and a smartphone.
    • The smartphone (with the lens attached) is placed on one surface that is suspended at a height (say, a foot above).
    • The second sheet is placed below and holds the object.
    • One of the stage-lighting filters is held between the flashlight and the object and the other two were held between the object and the smartphone.
    • The sources of illumination were also LED flashlights emitting light of correspondingly different wavelengths.

    Key observations

    • With this setup, the researchers were able to image the creatures’ brain, spinal cord, heart, and head and jaw bones.
    • They were able to zoom in and out using the smartphone camera and the clip-on lens.

    How accessible is this?

    • Using a ‘glowscope’ still requires access to fluorophores, suitable biological samples, the know-how to combine the two, and some knowledge of physics to work out which LED flashlight to buy.
    • The Foldscope was truly remarkable because all its required components were simple to understand.
    • However, the fact that a simple fluorescent microscope can be set up with a few thousand rupees means researchers can prepare samples and take them to schools, where students can observe them.
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  • How to manage UPSC prep along with a full time job?| Ex-Officer, MHA & Senior IAS mentor Avadhoot sir

    How to manage UPSC prep along with a full time job?| Ex-Officer, MHA & Senior IAS mentor Avadhoot sir

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    Preparing for the UPSC exam can be a tough race against time. And if you are a working professional who is managing your job along with the preparation, coping with the syllabus can be extremely difficult.

    Your day starts with the pressure of your work. You may have to manage project deadlines, you have to attend office meetings, you may have to deal with clients at work, and spend a lot of time at your workplace.  In fact, by the time you reach home from work, you already feel exhausted and have no energy to study anymore.

    But does that mean you give up on your dreams?

    NO!

    Time management is a #UPSCskill that tops all other skills in this long journey. Moreover, the complexity and vastness of the syllabus, unpredictability and ever-changing pattern of the UPSC exam, and cut-throat competition necessitate you to invest your time wisely.

    But how to do that? If you are not a fan of wasting your time and reinventing wheel join our FREE UPSC Webinar especially for Working UPSC Professionals.

    Avadhoot Shinde, sir senior IAS mentor at CivilsDaily will be LIVE for a special session. He was a senior-level Executive officer working for the Ministry of Home Affairs and has more than 10 yrs of UPSC experience.

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    What you will learn in this webinar?

    1. Management of Priorities – UPSC- work, family and life as well.
    2. Reducing time on non-priorities.
    3. Planning ahead, making targets, staying consistent w.r.t targets.
    4. How should the syllabus be approached to complete it within the time limit?
    5. Balancing prelims-mains on one hand and GS-current affairs on the other.
    6. How to determine the primary focus areas of the Prelims, Mains, and Personality tests?
    7. How to apply bookish as well as classroom knowledge to the exam?’

    We will discuss the important ways in which you can crack this exam through the following methods:

    1. Personalized timetable
    2. Personalized study plan
    3. Tracking your progress
    4. Investing in topics with good ROI
    5. Focusing on smart study

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  • 5 phased time management for UPSC 2024 (March’23 to May’24) | LIVE Workshop + QnA session with Prabhat sir, AIR 377, IRPS | Get FREE Strategic package on registration

    5 phased time management for UPSC 2024 (March’23 to May’24) | LIVE Workshop + QnA session with Prabhat sir, AIR 377, IRPS | Get FREE Strategic package on registration

    12th March 2023 (Sunday), 7:30 P.M | 15 Months to UPSC 2024 divided into 5 phases for a holistic UPSC preparation.

    Click & Register: 5 phased approach for UPSC 2024 with Prabhat sir

    Most of the UPSC-CSE toppers like Satyam Gandhi (AIR 10), Ria Dabi (AIR 15), Yash Jaluka (AIR 4), Mamta Yadav (AIR 5) and Shashwat Tripurari (AIR 19) cleared the exam as fresh graduates in their very first attempt. How were they able to do it?

    If you watch their strategy videos, you can find a common pattern — they started 12-24 months in advance before the exam.

    One of the benefits of starting your preparation early is the time you would get to revise, practice test series, make improvements, enhance the quality of your knowledge and answers, and get four steps ahead of the competition.

    However, what’s the best way to prepare, if you aren’t a fan of making mistakes and figuring it out along the way? We understand how annoying it might be for you if you were to study in a certain way for months together and then realize that it doesn’t align with the UPSC-CSE way of doing things.

    An ideal prep is divided into five phases and spread across 14-15 months? Prabhat sir, an IRPS officer who secured AIR 377 in UPSC 2019, is conducting a special workshop on time management & strategy for UPSC 2024.

    Block this time:

    12th March 2023 (Sunday), 7:30 P.M

    What you should expect in 1-1 LIVE with Prabhat sir?

    The workshop will cover a five-phased time management strategy that will help you plan and utilize your time effectively in the next 15 months leading up to UPSC 2024. Prabhat will share his own experience of preparing for the exam while managing his job and personal life. He will also provide practical tips on how to prioritize your studies, make the most of your free time, and avoid burnout.

    1. The first phase – Studying the Core Subjects. How to read every topic in the syllabus from 2-3 sources in the first reading and prepare a 1-2 page notes? And in your second reading, stick to only one source while using your notes as reference.

    2. The second phase – Studying Mains Specific Subjects & Optional. How to follow the ritual of reading, writing summaries and answering topic-wise previous year questions?

    3. Discussing 2-3 Revision Strategies which you can follow. Why should you not go more than 20 days without revision?

    4. Live demonstration of making the perfect notes. How to not copy line-by-line of everything you read & only note down the 5 dimensions of a topic?

    5. Why is the third phase of preparation the shortest of all? What should you ideally do after completing the Prelims and Mains subjects?

    6. About the fourth phase. How to improve your accuracy 3 months before the Prelims exams?

    5. The last phase. What must be done 3 months before the Mains exams?

    6. Including statistics and relevant data. What are the subject-wise important committee reports you should read?

    7. Three readings per subject. How do you study during each revision phase?

    CLICK & Register: LIVE session with AIR 377 Prabhat sir | 5 phased approach

    CivilsDaily’s FREE Webinar package

    Post-webinar we will share important PDFs, timetable framework, and notes.

    Other than this a strategy package will be emailed to you.

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  • 11th Mar 23 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    11th Mar 23 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    [WpProQuiz 1266]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 1266]

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • G20: SUMups To Tackle Global Natural Disasters

    Central Idea

    • The concept of SUMups, a hypothetical bundling of complementary start-ups globally that work on some aspect of managing natural disasters. There are some of the innovative technologies developed by these start-ups and how they can be combined to develop more effective disaster management solutions.

    Background: The Rising Frequency and Impact of Natural Disasters Globally

    • Increasing Frequency and Severity of Natural Disasters: Globally, natural disasters have become increasingly common and the severity of their impact is worsening.
    • FAO Report: According to the FAO’s report, there were 360 natural disasters per year in the 2010s that resulted in at least 10 deaths, affected 100 or more people, led to homelessness or injury, and required a declaration of a state of countrywide emergency and an appeal for international assistance.
    • Comparison of Natural Disasters: This number is significantly higher than the 100 events recorded in the 1980s and the 90 events recorded in the 1970s.
    • Frequency of Climate, Weather, and Hydrology-related Disasters: Furthermore, climate, weather, and hydrology-related disasters are becoming more frequent, while geophysical and biological emergencies are not, with the exception of Covid-19.
    • Global Impact of Natural Disasters: The impact of these natural disasters is global, affecting countries across the world in various ways, including forest fires, heat and dust storms, and floods.
    • The Need to Improve Disaster Response and Mitigation Efforts: As a society, it is important to recognize that natural disasters will continue to pose a threat and we need to improve our ability to respond and mitigate their effects.
    • Measures Being Taken to Address the Issue of Natural Disasters: Fortunately, there are measures being taken to address this issue, including research into improving disaster response systems and the development of new technologies to aid in disaster preparedness and relief efforts.

    Disaster Prevention Technologies

    • The disaster prevention technologies developed by start-up
    • CERD-AR: CERD-AR developed an Augmented Reality (AR) application that gamifies the animations of disasters and provides disaster prevention drills to prepare people for evacuation and reaction in ultra-realistic settings.
    • A Palo Alto-based start-up One Concern: One Concern built a digital twin of the world by analyzing satellite images to predict natural disasters. The platform combines Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning (AI/ML), and supercomputers to develop seismic and flood technology for real-time prediction of flooding and assess the risk associated with various events.

    Emergency Response and Reconstruction Technologies

    • Garuda Aerospace: Garuda Aerospace deployed drones in Turkey for surveillance in the affected earthquake areas to identify trapped victims.
    • HW Design Labs: HW Design Labs developed IoT innovations that support disaster response teams in planning their operations effectively through deep penetrating ground sensing radars, wireless connectivity solutions, advanced tracking, and navigation services.

    Emergency Communication Technologies

    • MyResQR: This start-up provides emergency communication between victims and stakeholders. The smart QR code manages information and triggers SOS during emergencies by enabling first responders like ambulance services, hospital staff, and other emergency response teams.

    Way Ahead

    • The SUMups represent an opportunity to combine innovative disaster management technologies from start-ups globally to address the Sustainable Development Goals for the whole world, such as building resilient infrastructure and zero hunger.

    Conclusion

    • The Startup20 Engagement Group of G20 can enable many such SUMups that can help deal with the increasing frequency, intensity, and complexity of natural disasters in the future. Sharing ideas and collaborating globally can help us all become better prepared and equipped to tackle these events. The article emphasizes that the sharing of ideas can be a powerful tool for solving complex problems, and the development of SUMups is a step in the right direction for improving disaster management worldwide.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is the concept of SUMups? Discuss the innovative technologies developed by start-ups in the areas of disaster prevention.

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  • India -Sweden: Flourishing Partnership

    Central Idea

    • This year marks 75 years of bilateral relations between India and Sweden, and it is an occasion to celebrate. Bilateral trade has reached unprecedented levels in the past year, with Swedish companies making significant strides in the Indian market. The latest Indian administration has shown a keen interest in augmenting and broadening the partnership between the two countries.

    The Past and Present: Bilateral Relations between India and Sweden

    • Sweden and India have come a long way in the past 100 years.
    • From limited contacts to a flourishing partnership, both countries have developed national wealth through industry and manufacturing. Swedish companies have been key drivers in both domains, and through their work, Sweden and India have found friends in one another.
    • In 2023, Sweden is celebrating the anniversaries of Ericsson, SKF, Alfa Laval, and Volvo, notable Swedish companies in India.

    Celebrating 75 Years of Friendship

    • Record bilateral trade: India and Sweden celebrated a record year for bilateral trade in 2022, with Swedish companies experiencing strong growth in India.
    • Flourishing partnership: Both countries are committed to expanding their partnership and collaborating in innovation, green transition, energy, health, industry policy and more.

    Emphasizing the Importance of Industry and Manufacturing

    • Key sectors: Industry and manufacturing are key to building long-term economic growth, and Sweden and India have identified these sectors as key areas of collaboration.
    • Swedish companies have been key drivers: An active industry policy necessitates partnerships and taking bold steps, and Swedish companies have been key drivers in industry and manufacturing in India for several decades.

    Prioritizing Green and Sustainable Practices

    • Commitment to green supply chain: The future belongs to green and sustainable practices, and both Sweden and India are committed to socially and environmentally sustainable practices throughout the entire supply chain.
    • Green transition and digitalisation: There is a clear commitment to this vision from governments and businesses alike, with a focus on digitalisation, the green transition, and the industry of the future.

    Way ahead: Opportunities for Even Closer Ties

    • There are opportunities for even closer ties between India and Sweden, including a Free Trade Agreement between the EU and India.
    • The European Union presidency offers a chance to explore this possibility, which would have a positive impact on economic and industrial exchange, particularly in cities like Pune where Swedish companies have a strong presence.

    Conclusion

    • The partnership between India and Sweden has come a long way in the past 75 years. Both nations have identified industry and manufacturing as key to building long-term economic growth, and there is a need to deepen work towards socially and environmentally sustainable practices.

    Mains Question

    Q. Discuss the key areas of collaboration between India and Sweden in the context of their 75-year bilateral relationship?

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  • [Burning Issue] Supreme Court’s Judgment on Appointment to ECI

    supreme

    Context

    • Recently, The Supreme Court of India in a judgment gave directions to reform the process of appointment of Election Commissioners in the Election commission of India.
    • In this context, this edition of the burning issue will elaborate on this judgment and talk about the various facets of this judgment.

    Background of the case

    • In 2015, a public interest litigation was filed by Anoop Baranwal challenging the constitutional validity of the practice of the Centre appointing members of the Election Commission.
    • In October 2018, a two-judge bench of the SC referred the case to a larger bench since it would require a close examination of Article 324 of the Constitution, which deals with the mandate of the Chief Election Commissioner.
    • In September last year, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice KM Joseph began hearing the case and almost a month later, the verdict was reserved.

    About the Election Commission of India

    • During the initial days: At first, there was only a Chief Election Commissioner on the commission. There are currently two Election Commissioners in addition to the Chief Election Commissioner. In 1989, two additional Commissioners were appointed for the first time; however, their terms were extremely limited, lasting only until January 1, 1990.
    • Multi-member body: Two additional Election Commissioners were appointed later, on October 1, 1993. Since then, the idea of a Commission with multiple members and the authority to make decisions by majority vote has been in place.
    • Appointment: The Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners are both appointed by the President. Their tenure is six years, or until they turn 65, whichever comes first.
    • Status as Indian Supreme Court Judges: They have the same status as Indian Supreme Court Judges and receive the same benefits and salary. Parliament must impeach the Chief Election Commissioner in order to remove him or her from office.

    What is the final judgment?

    • In the case of Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court unanimously held that appointments to the constitutional posts of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners are to be made by the President of India, on the basis of the advice of a three-member committee, comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, i.e. the lower house of the Parliament (or Leader of the largest party in Opposition in the lower house, in absence of a Leader of Opposition), and the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

    What is the current process of appointment?

    • As per the current process, the Law Minister suggests a pool of suitable candidates to the Prime Minister for consideration. The President makes the appointment on the advice of the PM.

    Significance of this judgment

    • Reducing the executive control: The judgment reaffirms and reiterates the importance of divesting the control of the executive over a body that is crucial to the conduct of free and fair elections.
    • Strengthening the independence of ECI: The judgment is being seen as a step forward in the direction of strengthening the independent authority and functioning of the Election Commission which alone is mandated to conduct a free and fair election under Article 324 of the Constitution”.
    • Protecting CEC and other ECs: It will automatically protect the Election Commissioners and the CEC from removal midway through their term and is therefore vital in protecting the Election Commission’s independence.

    Why court found it relevant to intervene?

    • According to Article 324(2), The Election Commission shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner and such number of other Election Commissioners, if any, as the President may from time to time fix and the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners shall, subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf by Parliament, be made by the President. The crux of the challenge is that since there is no law made by Parliament on this issue, the Court must step in to fill the “constitutional vacuum.”
    • Article 324(5) further authorizes the President to determine the conditions of service and tenure of the Election Commissioners, again, subject to any law made by the Parliament. Notably, a law has been framed by the Parliament with respect to Article 324(5)- the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991, however, no such law has been promulgated under Article 324(2)- concerning appointments to the Election Commission of India (ECI)- despite the constitutional expectation.
    • Debates of the Constituent Assembly: The Court’s verdict is based on a reading of the debates of the Constituent Assembly to ascertain what the founding members of the Constitution envisaged the process to be and an interpretation of similar provisions in the Constitution.
    • Law made on this behalf by Parliament: The deliberate addition of the words “subject to the provisions of any law made on that behalf by Parliament” after prolonged discussions indicates that “what the Founding Fathers clearly contemplated and intended was, that Parliament would step in and provide norms, which would govern the appointment to such an important post as the post of Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners.”
    • Examples of other commissions: The ruling examined a number of provisions in the Constitution, including the ones relating to the powers of the Supreme Court and High Court; establishing the SC, ST and Backward Classes Commissions, etc. where the Constitution uses the phrase “subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament”. The Court finds that while legislation has been supplemented for those provisions, there is no law on the appointment of the CEC even 70 years after independence.

    Criticism of the judgment

    • Former Union law secretary P K Malhotra, who had also headed the Legislative Department in the law ministry, said that through the verdict, the top court is legislating in the domain of Parliament.
    • However, the mode of appointment directed by the SC does not find any place in the Indian Constitution and can be challenged by the executive as judicial activism or judicial overreach.

    Government response

    • The government argued that “in the absence of such a law, the President has the constitutional power.” The government has essentially asked the court to exhibit judicial restraint.
    • The three-member committee has not had the best track record with regard to the appointment of the CBI Director. Whether this new appointment procedure will be able to bolster trust and confidence among different stakeholders, on the Election Commission and its impartiality, needs to be seen.

    Supreme court’s argument

    • The court in its ruling discusses at length its intention to “maintain a delicate balance” on the separation of powers. The court cannot usurp what is purely a legislative power or function but where there exist veritable gaps or a vacuum legislative field, the Court may not shy away from what essentially would be part of its judicial function.
    • The ruling cites past instances of the Court stepping in to fill a gap in the law, including the Vishaka guidelines to curb sexual harassment in the workplace, and the interpretation of the process of appointment of judges.

    One more issue highlighted by SC

    • As per Section 4 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Conditions of Service) Act, 1991, the Chief Election Commissioner is entitled to a term of 6 years, but they have to vacate the office upon attaining the age of 65 years.
    • The SC Bench had enquired during the proceedings that to fulfill the mandate of the provision, the Government could have considered an officer who could have completed the full term of six years.
    • But none of the Election commissioners have been able to complete the 6-year tenure. The Supreme Court observed that the appointment of an Election Commissioner with a tenure of fewer than six years is a clear breach of law pursuant to the provisions of the Act of 1991.

    Conclusion

    • Article 324(2) vested the Parliament with the job of framing a law to determine the appointment procedure, and to that effect, SCI’s directions are temporary in nature, until the legislative vacuum is filled.
    • However, the judgment will have a precedential value in that any law passed under Article 324(2) will be tested on the touchstone of whether it adequately protects the independence of the Election Commission from the executive.
    • As far as the effectiveness of this scheme of appointment is concerned, the track record of this three-member committee has not been impressive, and it remains to be seen whether the state of the ECI remains the same, improves, or worsens.

    “An Election Commission which does not ensure free and fair poll as per the rules of the game, guarantees the breakdown of the foundation of the rule of law.”

  • Government amends KYC to add non-profit organisations, ‘politically exposed persons’

    political

    Central idea: The Finance Ministry has amended the Prevention of Money Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules for widening the scope of Know your Customer (KYC) norms to include Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), non-profit organisations (NPOs) and those dealing in virtual digital assets (VDA) as reporting entities.

    Who are Politically Exposed Persons (PEP)?

    • According to the modified PML Rules, the Finance Ministry has defined PEPs as-
    1. Individuals who have been entrusted with prominent public functions by a foreign country
    2. Includes heads of states or governments, senior politicians, senior government or judicial or military officers, senior executives of state-owned corporations, and important political party officials.
    • Banks and financial institutions must maintain records of financial transactions of PEPs and share them with the Enforcement Directorate as and when sought.

    Other key changes introduced

    Recording of financial transactions of NPOs/NGOs

    • The financial institutions must register the details of their NGO clients on the Darpan portal of the Niti Aayog.
    • They are required to maintain the record for five years after the business relationship between a client and a reporting entity has ended or the account has been closed, whichever is later.

    Tightening of the definition of beneficial owners

    • The amendment to the PMLA rules includes the tightening of the definition of beneficial owners under the anti-money laundering law.
    • As per the amendments, any individual or group holding 10 per cent ownership in the client of a ‘reporting entity’ will now be considered a beneficial owner against the ownership threshold of 25 per cent applicable earlier.
    • The reporting entities include banks and financial institutions, firms engaged in real estate and jewellery sectors, intermediaries in casinos and crypto or virtual digital assets.

    Collection of information from clients

    • Reporting entities such as banks and crypto platforms are mandated to collect information from their clients under the anti-money laundering law.
    • So far, these entities were required to maintain KYC details or records of documents evidencing the identity of their clients, as well as account files and business correspondence relating to clients.
    • They will now have to also collect the details of the registered office address and principal place of business of their clients.
    • Additionally, they are required to maintain a record of all transactions, including the record of all cash transactions of more than Rs 10 lakh.

    Why such move?

    • FATF assessment: The amendments assume significance ahead of India’s proposed FATF assessment, which is expected to be undertaken later this year.
    • Risk-management: In one of its 40 recommendations, FATF recommends that financial institutions have risk-management systems to identify domestic and international PEPs.
    • Remove ambiguities: The broader objective is to bring in legal uniformity and remove ambiguities before the FATF assessment.

     

     

  • ISRO releases Landslide Atlas of India

    landslide

    The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently released the Landslide Atlas of India to identify landslide hotspots in the country.

    What are Landslides?

    • Landslides are natural disasters that occur in mountainous terrains where soil, rock, geology, and slope conditions are conducive.
    • A landslide is the sudden movement of rock, boulders, earth, or debris down a slope.
    • They can be triggered by natural causes such as heavy rainfall, earthquakes, snowmelting, and undercutting of slopes due to flooding.
    • They are extremely hazardous, posing a threat to human and animal lives, damaging property, roads, and bridges, disrupting communication lines, and snapping power lines.
    • Landslides are broadly classified based on the type of materials involved, the type of movement of the material, and the type of flow of the material.

    Why do they occur?

    • Landslides are natural disasters that occur mainly in mountainous terrains due to conducive conditions of soil, rock, geology, and slope.
    • Heavy rainfall, earthquakes, snow-melting, and undercutting of slopes due to flooding can trigger landslides.
    • Anthropogenic activities such as excavation, cutting of hills and trees, excessive infrastructure development, and overgrazing by cattle can also cause landslides.

    Factors contributing

    • The main factors that influence landslides include lithology, geological structures like faults, hill slopes, drainage, geomorphology, land use and land cover, soil texture and depth, and weathering of rocks.
    • Rainfall variability pattern is the single biggest cause for landslides in India, with the Himalayas and the Western Ghats remaining highly vulnerable.

    India’s vulnerability to landslides

    • India is considered among the top five landslide-prone countries globally, where at least one death per 100 sq. km is reported in a year due to a landslide event.
    • Approximately 12.6% of the country’s geographical land area (0.42 million sq km) is prone to landslides, with 66.5% of landslides reported from the North-western Himalayas, 18.8% from the North-eastern Himalayas, and 14.7% from the Western Ghats.

    Risks in specific states          

    • Mizoram recorded the highest number of landslide events in the past 25 years, with 12,385 events, of which 8,926 were recorded in 2017 alone.
    • Nagaland and Manipur also reported a high number of landslide events during the 2017 monsoon season.
    • Uttarakhand and Kerala reported the highest number of landslides, with Uttarakhand experiencing 11,219 events since 1998, and Kerala making inhabitants significantly vulnerable to fatalities, despite fewer events.

    Classification and Mapping of Landslides

    • Landslides are broadly classified based on the type of materials involved, type of movement, type of flow of the material, and whether they spread laterally.
    • The Landslide Atlas of India maps landslides mainly based on events and seasons.
    • The National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) used a landslide database created from 1998 to 2022 using aerial and high-resolution satellite images.

     

  • In news: Megha Tropiques Satellite

    sat

    ISRO attempted a controlled re-entry of the Megha Tropiques-1 satellite with leftover fuel to lower the orbit and reduce space debris.

    Megha Tropiques Satellite

    • The weather satellite Megha Tropiques-1 was developed as a joint mission by Indian and French space agencies.
    • It was launched aboard a PSLV by the space agency in 2011.
    • And, although the planned mission life of the satellite was only three years, it continued providing data on water cycle and energy exchanges in the tropics for nearly a decade.

    How was the satellite brought down?

    • With over 120kgs of fuel remaining in the satellite even after being decommissioned.
    • ISRO determined that there was enough to attempt a controlled re-entry.
    • When the satellites re-enter the atmosphere, the friction causes it to heat up to extreme high temperatures of thousands of degrees Celsius.
    • Without a heat shield, 99% of a satellite gets burnt up whether in a controlled re-entry or an uncontrolled one.

    Significance of the move

    • This was the first time that ISRO attempted such a manoeuvre to clear out space debris despite the satellite not being built to do so.
    • Usually, satellites are left in their orbit and because of the gravitational pull of the earth, they come down to the atmosphere over years and years.

    Why did ISRO attempt a controlled re-entry?

    • ISRO attempted the control re-entry to demonstrate and understand the process of doing so.
    • Keeping space clean is crucial with multiple spacefaring nations and private entities launching satellites.
    • Thousands of objects are flying around in low earth orbits, including old satellites, parts, and rocket stages.
    • Even small debris can destroy active satellites due to high speeds.
    • Kessler syndrome is a scary scenario where space debris collisions create more debris.

    What happens to satellites usually?

    • A controlled re-entry like the one attempted by Isro earlier this week is possible only for satellites in the low-earth orbit – at about 1,000 kms over the surface of the earth.
    • These manoeuvres, however, are not usually attempted because fuel reserves have to be maintained in the satellite after mission life is over.
    • And, this is impossible for satellites placed in geo-stationary or geosynchronous orbit – where time taken by the satellite to orbit the earth matches Earth’s rotation.
    • Such satellites are at altitudes of nearly 36,000 kms.
    • For attempting to bring down a satellite from such as orbit, a huge fuel reserve would be needed. This will only make the satellite heavier and costlier at launch.

    Also read-

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  • 10th Mar 23 | Nikaalo Prelims- Mini test 7 (Inflation, Banking and Monetary Policy)

    10th Mar 23 | Nikaalo Prelims- Mini test 7 (Inflation, Banking and Monetary Policy)

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  • Boosting India’s Tourism Sector

    Tourism Sector

    Central Idea

    • India’s travel and tourism sector is one of the fastest-emerging tourist destinations in the world, and it is poised to be the key axis of development in the coming years. Budget 2023, which marks the beginning of Amrit Kaal, the period of intense robust growth, has outlined the path to developing tourism in mission mode.

    Vision to develop 50 destinations

    • G20 provided Economic Boost: India’s presidency of the G20 and Prime Minister’s vision to develop 50 tourist destinations across the country have provided a significant boost to the tourism sector.
    • Global ranking: This initiative is expected to improve India’s global ranking on the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index.
    • Employment opportunities: The development of these destinations will create more employment opportunities and contribute to the overall GDP growth of the country.

    The central government’s push on tourism

    • Various policies and initiatives: The central government is committed to supporting the travel and tourism sector by implementing various policies and initiatives.
    • Six themes for the development in Union budget: The Union budget has identified six themes for the development of the sector, including convergence, public-private participation, creativity, innovation, digitization, and development of destinations.

    Power of collaboration

    • Collaboration is essential: Collaboration between the government, private sector, and local communities is essential for the development and promotion of tourism in India. This collaborative approach stimulates creativity, enhances competitiveness, and achieves visionary results.
    • For example: The Prime Minister has cited examples of successful collaborations, such as Kashi, Kedarnath, the Statue of Unity, and Pavagadh, to demonstrate how a unified approach can boost tourism in a region.

    Role of Technology in Tourism

    • Interdependence: Technology and tourism are becoming increasingly interdependent, and a coordinated approach that adopts technology can boost the tourism sector in India.
    • Employing Augmented and virtual reality: Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) can provide travellers with virtual tours and simulations of famous landmarks and cultural experiences.
    • Artificial intelligence: Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered chatbots and digital assistants can assist travellers in planning their trips and provide real-time assistance while travelling.

    “6P” approach to unlocking India’s tourism potential

    • 6P: Planning, Place, People, Policy, Process, and Promotion
    • Unlocking India’s tourism potential requires a comprehensive strategy that addresses the six key pillars 6Ps.
    • The government’s Budget Session addressed all these 6Ps effectively by covering destination planning and management, infrastructure development, sustainability and safety, development of human capital, policy and process interventions to align the Centre and states as well as promoting the narrative of Indian tourism.

    Tourism: A state subject

    • Tourism is constitutionally a state subject, and the central tourism department has been advocating for it to be moved to the Concurrent List to allow policy-making at both the central and state levels.
    • Granting tourism infrastructure status will provide further impetus to the growth of the sector.
    • The government is also considering the establishment of a National Tourism Board.

    Tourism Sector

    Conclusion

    • With the right policies and initiatives in place, it’s the ideal time for India to turbo-charge efforts to be among the top three travel and tourism economies globally.

    Mains Question

    Q. What are the six themes identified by the Union Budget for the development of India’s travel and tourism sector? How India can boost its economic growth through robust tourism sector? Discuss

     

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