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Voting Rights of Migrant Workers
Context
- It is very worrying that a third of the eligible voters, a whopping 30 crore people, do not vote. Among the many reasons, including urban apathy and geographical constraints, one prominent reason is the inability of internal migrants to vote for different reasons.
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What are the efforts by election commission to address the problem?
- Committee of Officers on Domestic Migrants: The Election Commission had earlier formed a “Committee of Officers on Domestic Migrants” to address this issue. The Committee’s report submitted in 2016 suggested a solution in the form of “remote voting”.
- All party representative: To further address this serious problem, the EC invited representatives from all recognised national and state political parties to discuss the legal, administrative, and statutory changes to resolve the issue.
- All party consensus: The discussion took place in the presence of a technical expert committee. It is important to recall that the last major decision about the voting system was the introduction of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), with the consensus of all political parties in 2010.
Migrant workers and their voting rights
- Least represented group: The Constitution guarantees freedom of movement to every citizen and freedom to reside in any part of the country. However, migrant workers, especially circular or short-term migrants, constituting tens of millions of citizens are some of the least represented groups in the ballot.
- Lack of access to vote: The issue of disenfranchisement faced by migrant workers is not one arising out of deliberate denial of the right to vote, but for lack of access to vote.
- Fundamental right: The Supreme Court, in a series of cases, has conclusively interpreted the freedom to access the vote as within the ambit of Article 19(1)(a).
Problems related to migrant workers and Voting
- Large scale migration: According to the 2011 Census, the number of internal migrants stands at 450 million, a 45 per cent surge from the 2001 census. Among these, 26 per cent of the migration (117 million) occurs inter-district within the same state, while 12 per cent of the migration (54 million) occurs inter-state.
- Alienation by residency criteria: The root cause of the migrant voters’ issue is that the individual’s inalienable right to vote is conditioned by a rather strict residency qualification. As a consequence, it tends to disenfranchise the migrant population.
- 60% migrants could not vote: In the survey report, ‘Political inclusion of Seasonal Migrant Workers in India: Perceptions, Realities and Challenges’ by Aajeevika Bureau, it was found that “close to 60 per cent of respondents had missed voting in elections at least once because they were away from home seeking livelihood options”.
What is the way forward?
- Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System: Section 60(c) of the Representation of People Act, 1951 empowers the Election Commission of India, in consultation with the government, to notify “classes” of voters who are unable to vote in person at their constituencies owing to their physical or social circumstances. Once notified, the voters are eligible for the ETPB system (Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System). In the 2019 general elections, the ETPB system was accessed by 18 lakh defence personnel across the country.
- Postal ballots for migrants: In 2019, in the backdrop of a PIL before the Supreme Court, a bill was floated to extend a similar remote voting possibility to over 10 million adult NRIs in order to “boost their participation in nation-building”. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, more than 28 lakh votes were received via postal ballots.
- Migrants are also equal citizens: In the existing system, remote voting within the constituency by voting via postal ballot is available to senior citizens, people with disabilities, and Covid-affected personnel. The postal ballot voting outside the constituency is available only to service voters, persons on election duty and persons on preventive detention. The Indian migrant worker too deserves the secured right to have access to vote through some mechanism.
- Remote electronic voting machine: The Election Commission has proposed the use of remote voting for migrant workers wherein a modified version of the existing model of M3 EVMs will be placed at remote polling stations. In fact, the Electronic Corporation of India Ltd. has already developed a prototype of a Multi-constituency Remote EVM (RVM) a modified version of the existing EVM which can handle 72 constituencies in a single remote polling booth. Technical details will be available only after the crucial demonstration.
Conclusion
- Migrant workers are also the equal citizens of the country. Social-economic and structural barriers should not the hurdle in there right to vote. Election commission of India has taken the step in the right direction. However, consensus needs to be built over the voting rights of migrants.
Mains Question

Q. What are the problems faced by migrant workers in exercise of there voting rights? What is the way forward towards ensuring voting rights to migrants?

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January 17, 2023
Day 2| Daily Answer Wars| CD WarZone
Topics for Today’s question:

GS-2 Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

Question:

Q. Discuss the role of the Election Commission of India in light of the evolution of the Model Code of Conduct. (15 Marks)

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January 17, 2023
Q. Discuss the role of the Election Commission of India in light of the evolution of the Model Code of Conduct. (15 Marks)

January 17, 2023
[Burning Issue] Kesavananda Bharati Case
Context
- The Vice-President while addressing the 83rd Conference of Presiding Officers said that the Kesavananda Bharati case judgment of 1973 set a bad precedent by seeking to establish judicial supremacy.
- The Vice-President also remarked that judicial review, as was done in the case of the NJAC law, diluted parliamentary sovereignty and labeled it as “one-upmanship”.
- In this context, this edition of the Burning Issue will talk about the famous Kesavananda Bharati Case and its relevance.
About the Kesavananda Bharti Case

Background of the case
- In the early 1970s, the government of then PM Indira Gandhi had enacted major amendments to the Constitution (the 24th, 25th, 26th and 29th) to get over the judgments of the Supreme Court in RC Cooper (1970), Madhavrao Scindia (1970) and the earlier mentioned Golaknath.
- All four amendments, as well as the Golaknath judgment, came under challenge in the Kesavananda Bharati case.
- Here, relief was sought by the religious figure Swami Kesavananda Bharati against the Kerala government vis-à-vis two state land reform laws.
The Judgment in Kesavananda Bharati Case
- The Constitutional Bench, whose members shared serious ideological differences, ruled by a 7-6 verdict that Parliament should be restrained from altering the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution.
- The court held that under Article 368, which provides Parliament with amending powers, something must remain of the original Constitution that the new amendment would change.
- The court did not define the ‘basic structure’, and only listed a few principles — federalism, secularism, democracy — as being its part. Since then, the court has been adding new features to this concept.
- Critics of the doctrine have called it undemocratic since unelected judges can strike down a constitutional amendment. At the same time, its proponents have hailed the concept as a safety valve against majoritarianism and authoritarianism.
About the Basic Structure Doctrine
- Definition: The basic structure doctrine is one of the fundamental judicial principles connected with the Indian Constitution. The doctrine of the basic structure holds that there is a basic structure to the Indian Constitution, and the Parliament of India cannot amend the basic features.
- A Judicial innovation: The doctrine of basic structure is nothing but a judicial innovation to ensure that the power of amendment is not misused by Parliament. The idea is that the basic features of the Constitution of India should not be altered to an extent that the identity of the Constitution is lost in the process
- Not mentioned in the constitution: The doctrine of basic structure is nowhere expressed or mentioned in the constitution of India. Justice Khanna provided that the power in Article 368 of ‘amend’ is not of nature of arbitrary but limited.
- Verbatim Article 368: “Power of the parliament to amend the constitution”, here the word ‘amend’ gives birth to the doctrine of basic structure. The word amend itself expresses that the parliament can amend the constitution but cannot change its ideals and philosophy or briefly say- the structure.
Evolution of the doctrine

The development history of the doctrine of basic structure can be divided into four stages –

First stage: Sankari Prasad judgment and ending with I.C. Golaknath judgment
- Initially, the judiciary was of the view that the amendment power of the parliament is unrestrictable because it can amend any part of the constitution even also the article-368 which provides the power to amend to the parliament. But in 1967, Golak Nath V State of Punjab, the Supreme Court adopted a new vision to see the powers of parliament that it cannot amend the part III of the constitution i.e Fundamental rights and thus awarded fundamental rights a “Transcendental Position”
The Second stage: Starting with Post Golaknath Scenario and ending with Keshavananda case Judgment
- In 1973, Keshavanada Bharti V State of Kerala gave birth to the landmark judgment which pronounced that the parliaments cannot alter or disturb the basic structure of the constitution. It was held that the parliament has unfettered power to amend the constitution but it cannot disturb or emasculate the basic structure or fundamental features of the constitution as it is only the power of amendment and not of the re-writing constitution.
The Third stage: Starting with Post Keshavananda’s case and ending with Indira Gandhi’s case
- Although the doctrine of basic structure was given in Kesavanand case, it got widespread acceptance and legitimacy due to subsequent cases and judgments. The main evolution of this doctrine started during the emergency period imposed by then-powerful PM Indira Gandhi. 39th amendment was passed by the government in order to suppress her prosecution which also extracted the elections of the Prime Minister from the purview of judicial review. However, in the case of Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Raj Narain, the 39th amendment act was quashed with the help of the doctrine of basic structure.
The fourth stage: Judgments like Minerva Mill’s case and Vaman Rao’s case
- In the Minerva Mills case, the Supreme Court provided key clarifications on the interpretation of the basic structure doctrine. Under the limited power of parliament to amend the constitution, two important factors were added, to keep harmony and balance between the rights and directive principles and Judicial review.
Significance of the Judgment and the doctrine
- Strengthen judicial review: The doctrine forms the basis of the power of the Indian judiciary to review and override amendments to the Constitution of India enacted by the Parliament.
- Clarification about Article 368: Article 368 postulates only a ‘procedure’ for amendment of the Constitution. The same could not be treated as a ‘power’ vested in the Parliament to amend the Constitution to alter the ‘core’ of the Constitution, which has also been described as the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution.
- Not antithetical to legislative authority: Justice Shastri said Judicial Review was undertaken by the courts “not out of any desire to tilt at legislative authority in a crusader’s spirit, but in the discharge of a duty laid down upon them by the Constitution”.
- A system of checks and balances: The Kesavananda Bharati verdict (1973) made it clear that judicial review is not a means to usurp parliamentary sovereignty. It is a “system of checks and balances” to ensure constitutional functionaries do not exceed their limits.
Criticisms
- The mandate of the people through Parliament is disregarded: in a democratic society, “the basic” of any “basic structure” has to be the supremacy of the mandate of the people. The primacy and sovereignty of Parliament and legislature are inviolable. He said the power of Parliament to amend the Constitution and deal with legislation should not be subject to any other authority.
- Curb on Legislature: The landmark Kesavananda Bharati judgment of 1973 is said to limit the Parliament’s power under Article 368 to amend the Constitution.
How judiciary responded to VP’s criticism?
- The Supreme Court commented that the Vice-President’s public criticism of the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) judgment may be seen as comments by a high constitutional authority against “the law of the land” under Article 141.
- That is, as long as the NJAC judgment which upholds the collegium system of judicial appointments, exists, the court is bound to comply with the verdict.
- The Parliament is free to bring a new law on judicial appointments, possibly through a constitutional amendment, but that too would be subject to judicial review.
Conclusion
- The doctrine of basic structure laid in the Kesavananda Bharati case has been construed as the idea to preserve the most fundamental ideals of the Constitution while acting as a check on the powers of the government to make laws that may distort or remove these basic principles.
- Both the branches of the state, The Legislature and the Judiciary must understand that it is not the parliamentary supremacy or judicial review which is supreme, but the Constitution of India which is the supreme and highest law of the land. Thus, the Constitution of India must be upheld and respected by all the organs of the state.
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January 17, 2023
Making The Case for Wealth Tax
Context
- The discourse on efficient, effective and equitable public spending often takes us into the realm of limited resources facing competing demands. India definitely needs to widen its revenue collection as well as base. In this context, it is important to discuss the need for levying a wealth tax, and levying it now.
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Why wealth needs to be taxed?
- Accumulation of wealth: The most compelling reason stems from evidence that there has been massive accumulation of wealth in a few hands. A small section of people has access to a large share of economic assets and resources that remain almost completely untaxed and thus unavailable for public allocation.
- Wealth without hard work: Wealth, much less than even income, has little to do with one’s education, merit or efforts; it is largely dependent on inheritance and opportunities that come with the advantages associated with belonging to one of India’s privileged classes and castes.
- Income inequality: India’s top 10% population owns 65% of the country’s wealth, while the bottom 10% owns only 6%, according to the World Inequality Database, 2022.
- Wealth of rich doubled in pandemic: An Oxfam report has highlighted how India’s richest doubled their wealth during the pandemic. This happened for a variety of reasons, including profits made on vaccines and commodity and asset price movements.
- Wealth doesn’t translate into productive resources: But the fact remains that India, despite facing grave financial and economic challenges, has no means to convert any of this growing wealth into productive resources that can generate employment opportunities and push up the incomes of multitudes, which in turn can drive demand for goods something that is needed to counter an economic drag-down.
What is the government’s attitude towards wealthy?
- Rich knows how to invest: One may argue and it is common to hear this that wealth is better left to the wealthy, as they know best how to invest. This has not been in sufficient evidence, at least in India.
- Corporate tax lowered: The government lowered the corporate tax rate significantly from 30% to 22% in 2019-20, which has continued despite the economic crises caused by the pandemic. However, this did not elicit much private investment.
History of Wealth taxation in India
- Wealth tax: Wealth tax, which is a direct tax unlike the goods and services tax or value-added tax, can take several forms, such as property tax, inheritance or gift tax and capital gains tax.
- Capital gains tax: Capital Gains tax exists in India, but applies only to transactions and hence is limited in its base.
- Estate duty: India scrapped its estate duty in 1985 and has no inheritance tax. Although the receipt of gifts is subject to income tax in the beneficiary’s hands, it has various exemptions; it is almost entirely exempt if received from within the family, including the extended family of self and spouse.
- Exemption leads to accumulation: These exemptions shrink the base significantly, as most accumulated wealth is acquired through family, and that remains outside the gift tax’s ambit. Given the cultural context of wealth inheritance, some exemptions make sense, but upper thresholds can be easily added to make it more effective.
Present status of wealth taxation
- No wealth tax: India presently does not have any wealth tax i.e., a tax levied on one’s entire property in all forms.
- One time solidarity tax: It did not impose a one-time ‘solidarity tax’ on wealth in post-covid budgets that could have generated resources for essential public investment.
- Example of developing countries: A number of Latin American countries, including Argentina, Peru and Bolivia, have either introduced or are introducing a progressive annual wealth tax levied on the wealth gains of each year or a one-time covid ‘solidarity’ tax.
Conclusion
- Idea of wealth tax appear good on paper however; it may negatively impact the domestic and foreign investment in the country. Direct tax slab for superrich in India is already among the highest in the world. The idea of wealth taxation needs careful deliberation before implementation.
Mains Question

Q. Comment on history of wealth tax in India. why wealth tax is necessary in India? elaborate.

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January 17, 2023
Supreme Court to hear petitions for Criminalization of Marital Rape
The Supreme Court is set to begin hearing a series of petitions seeking to criminalize marital rape from March 14.

What is Marital Rape?
- Marital rape is the act of sexual intercourse with one’s spouse without her consent.
- It is no different manifestation of domestic violence and sexual abuse.
- It is often a chronic form of violence for the victim which takes place within abusive relations.
Status in India
- Historically considered as right of the spouses, this is now widely classified as rape by many societies around the world.
- In India, marital rape is not a criminal offense (as protected under IPC section 375).
- India is one of fifty countries that have not yet outlawed marital rape.
Reasons for disapproval of this concept
- The reluctance to define non-consensual sex between married couples as a crime and to prosecute has been attributed to:
1. Traditional views of marriage
2. Interpretations of religious doctrines
3. Ideas about male and female sexuality
4. Cultural expectations of subordination of a wife to her husband
- It is widely held that a husband cannot be guilty of any sexual act committed by himself upon his lawful wife on account of their mutual matrimonial consent.
Why it must be a crime?
- Associated physical violence: Rape by a spouse, partner or ex-partner is more often associated with physical violence and sexual mutilation.
- Mental harassment: There is research showing that marital rape can be more emotionally and physically damaging than rape by a stranger.
- Compulsive relationship: Marital rape may occur as part of an abusive relationship.
- Revengeful nature: Furthermore, marital rape is rarely a one-time event, but a repeated if not frequent occurrence.
- Obligation on women: In the case of marital rape the victim often has no choice but to continue living with their spouse.
Violation of fundamental rights
- Marital rape is considered as a violation of FR guaranteed under Article 14 of the Indian constitution which guarantees the equal protection of laws to all persons.
- By depriving married women of an effective penal remedy against forced sexual intercourse, it violates their right to privacy and bodily integrity, aspects of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21.
Problems in prosecuting marital rape
- Lack of awareness: A lack of public awareness, as well as reluctance or outright refusal of authorities to prosecute is common globally.
- Gender norms: Additionally, gender norms that place wives in subservient positions to their husbands, make it more difficult for women to recognize such rape.
- Acceptability of the concept: Another problem results from prevailing social norms that exist.
Present regulations in India
- Indian Penal Code criminalizes rape in most cases, although marital rape is not illegal when the woman is over the age of 18.
- However, until 2017, men married to those between 15 and 18 could not be convicted of rape.
- Marital rape of an adult wife, who is unofficially or officially separated, is a criminal offence punishable by 2 to 7 year in prison; it is not dealt by normal rape laws which stipulate the possibility of a death sentence.
- According to the Protection of Women From Domestic Violence Act (2005), other married women subject to such crime by their husband may demand for financial compensation.
- They also have the right to continue to live in their marital household if they wish, or may approach shelter or aid homes.
However, marital rape is still not a criminal offense in this case and is only a misdemeanor.

Arguments against criminalization
- Subjective: It is very subjective and intricate to determine whether consent was acquired or not.
- Prone to Misuse: If marital rape is criminalized without adequate safeguards it could be misused like the current dowry law by the dissatisfied wives to harass and torture their Husbands.
- Burden on Judiciary: It will increase the burden of judiciary which otherwise may serve other more important causes.
Way forward
- Sanctioning marital rape is an acknowledgment of the woman’s right to self-determination (i.e., control) of all matters relating to her body.
- In the absence of any concrete law, the judiciary always finds it difficult to decide the matter of domestic rape in the absence of solid evidence.
- The main purpose of marriage is procreation, and sometimes divorce is sought on the ground of non-consummation of marriage.
- Before giving a final interpretation, the judiciary must balance the rights and duties of both partners.
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January 17, 2023
RBI proposes Expected Loss-based Approach for Loan Provisioning
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed a framework for the adoption of an expected loss-based approach for loan provisioning by banks.

What is Loan-Loss Provision?
- The RBI defines a loan loss provision as an expense that banks set aside for defaulted loans.
- Banks set aside a portion of the expected loan repayments from all loans in their portfolio to cover the losses either completely or partially.
- In the event of a loss, instead of taking a loss in its cash flows, the bank can use its loan loss reserves to cover the loss.
- Since the bank does not expect all loans to become impaired, there is usually enough in the loan loss reserves to cover the full loss for any one or a small number of loans when needed.
- An increase in the balance of reserves is called loan loss provision.
- The level of loan loss provision is determined based on the level expected to protect the safety and soundness of the bank.
And what is the expected loss-based approach?
- Under this practice, a bank is required to estimate expected credit losses based on forward-looking estimations, rather than wait for credit losses to be actually incurred before making corresponding loss provisions.
- As per the proposed framework, banks will need to classify financial assets (primarily loans, including irrevocable loan commitments, and investments classified as held-to-maturity or available-for-sale) into one of three categories — Stage 1, Stage 2, or Stage 3.
- This depends upon the assessed credit losses on them, at the time of initial recognition as well as on each subsequent reporting date, and make necessary provisions.
1. Stage 1 assets are financial assets that have not had a significant increase in credit risk since initial recognition or that have low credit risk at the reporting date. For these assets, 12-month expected credit losses are recognised and interest revenue is calculated on the gross carrying amount of the asset.
2. Stage 2 assets are financial instruments that have had a significant increase in credit risk since initial recognition, but there is no objective evidence of impairment. For these assets, lifetime expected credit losses are recognised, but interest revenue is still calculated on the gross carrying amount of the asset.
3. Stage 3 assets include financial assets that have objective evidence of impairment at the reporting date. For these assets, lifetime expected credit loss is recognised, and interest revenue is calculated on the net carrying amount.
What are the benefits of this approach?
- The forward-looking expected credit losses approach will further enhance the resilience of the banking system in line with globally accepted norms.
- It is likely to result in excess provisions as compared to shortfall in provisions as seen in the incurred loss approach.
What is the problem with the incurred loss-based approach?
- The incurred loss approach requires banks to provide for losses that have already occurred or been incurred.
- The delay in recognising expected losses under an “incurred loss” approach was found to exacerbate the downswing during the financial crisis of 2007-09.
- Faced with a systemic increase in defaults, the delay in recognising loan losses resulted in banks having to make higher levels of provisions which ate into the capital maintained precisely at a time when banks needed to shore up their capital.
- This affected banks’ resilience and posed systemic risks.
- Further, the delays in recognising loan losses overstated the income generated by the banks which, coupled with dividend payouts, impacted their capital base
Which banks are covered under this approach?
- The proposed norms are for all scheduled commercial banks, excluding regional rural banks.
- Regional rural banks and smaller cooperative banks (based on a threshold to be decided based on comments) are proposed to be kept out of the framework.
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January 17, 2023
World Economic Forum (WEF) Summit at Davos
The World Economic Forum has begun its annual summit in Davos, Switzerland,

World Economic Forum (WEF)
- Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, WEF is an international not-for-profit organization, focused on bringing the public and private sectors together to address the global political, social, and economic issues.
- It was founded in 1971 by Swiss-German economist and Professor Klaus Schwab in a bid to promote the global cooperation on these most pressing problems.
- The first meeting of WEF was held more than five decades ago in Davos, which has been the home of the annual gathering almost ever since, also becoming the shorthand for the event.
Tap to read more about important reports published by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

WEF partners
- The WEF is largely funded by its partnering corporations.
- These are generally global enterprises with an annual turnover greater than $ 5 billion.
- For these corporations, the WEF provides a platform “to shape the future, accessing networks and experts to ensure strategic decision-making on the most pressing world issues.”
- Partners range from Apollo Tyres to Apple – they can be from any industry, as long as they wish to engage using WEF’s platforms.
- WEF also partners with public subsidies.
Why are the summits held at Davos?
- Sometimes described as Europe’s highest town, Davos has been the venue for the WEF’s annual meeting every year since its inception – with one exception.
- Davos, a ski resort, and the annual host of WEF’s meeting is a quaint town located on the lap of the Swiss Alps.
- In many ways, it is a surprising choice for a meeting of global economic giants and geopolitical leaders.
- The meeting was held in New York in 2002 in a gesture of solidarity following the 9/11 attacks.
Who are the attendees and what actually happens in Davos?
- Typically, Davos attracts global business executives and policymakers – and it’s strictly invite-only.
- Usually attending will be the sitting U.S. president, top EU and UN leaders, business leaders and entrepreneurs, academics, heads of NGOs and charities, the media, activists and even some celebrities.
- Donald Trump, Jens Stoltenberg, Ursula von der Leyen, Greta Thunberg, Elton John and many other high-profile names have all previously attended Davos.
- The conference includes hundreds of discussions, keynote speeches and panels, and all-important networking sessions, usually behind closed doors in five-star hotels.
- CEOs and investors seize the opportunity for face-to-face deal-makings.
Davos 2023: What’s on this year’s agenda?
- This year’s annual meeting in Davos will take place January 16–20, 2023.
- The theme is “cooperation in a fragmented world” and within that are five sub-themes, including the energy and food crises, inflation, technology for innovation, social vulnerabilities and geopolitical risks.
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January 17, 2023
ISRO pushing Venus Mission ‘Shukrayaan’ to 2031
ISRO said that it is yet to receive approval from the Indian government for the Venus mission and that the mission could as a result be postponed to 2031.

Shukrayaan I: Venus Orbiter Mission
- Shukrayaan-I is a planned orbiter to Venus by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to study the surface and atmosphere of Venus.
- The idea was born in 2012; five years later, ISRO commenced preliminary studies after the Department of Space received a 23% hike in the 2017-2018 budget.
- The orbiter, depending on its final configuration, would have a science payload capability of approximately 100 kilograms (220 lb) with 500 W available power.
- The launch will involve GSLV Mark II.
Expected launch
- ISRO had originally hoped to launch Shukrayaan I in mid-2023 but cited the pandemic when it pushed the date to December 2024.
- Optimal launch windows from Earth to Venus occur once around every 19 months.
- This is why ISRO has ‘backup’ launch dates in 2026 and 2028 should it miss the 2024 opportunity.
- But even more optimal windows, which further reduce the amount of fuel required at liftoff, come around every eight years.
Other missions to Venus
- The US and the European space agencies have Venus missions planned for 2031 — referring to VERITAS and EnVision, respectively.
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January 17, 2023

James Webb Telescope discovers its first Earth-sized Exoplanet

exoplanet

NASA has announced that the James Webb Space Telescope has discovered its first new exoplanet LHS 475 b.

LHS 475 b

The exoplanet LHS 475 b is roughly the same size as Earth.
Located just 41 light-years away, the planet orbits very close to a red dwarf star and completes a full orbit in just two days.

Red Dwarf Stars

As mentioned before, the newly discovered exoplanet orbits around a red dwarf star.
Such types of stars are the most common and smallest in the universe.
As they don’t radiate much light, it’s very tough to detect them with the naked eye from Earth.
However, as red dwarfs are dimmer than other stars, it is easier to find exoplanets that surround them.
Therefore, red dwarfs are a popular target for planet hunting.

What are Exoplanets?

Exoplanets are planets that orbit other stars and are beyond our solar system.
According to NASA, to date, more than 5,000 exoplanets have been discovered.
Scientists believe that there are more planets than stars as each star has at least one planet orbiting it.
Exoplanets come in a host of different sizes. They can be gas giants bigger than Jupiter or as small and rocky as Earth.
They are also known to have different kinds of temperatures — boiling hot to freezing cold.

Significance of exoplanets study

Studying exoplanets not only broadens our understanding of other solar systems but also helps us piece together information about our own planetary system and origin.
However, the most compelling reason to learn about them is to find extraterrestrial life.
Researchers emphasize on determining if exoplanets are solid or gaseous or even has water vapour in the atmosphere.
This helps scientists determine if a discovered world is habitable or not.
Another important element of the study is finding out the distance between an exoplanet and its host star.

Do you know?

If an exoplanet is too close to the star, it might be too hot to sustain liquid water. If it’s too far, it might only have frozen water. When such a planet is at a distance that enables it to have liquid water, it is said to be in the “Goldilocks zone”.

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January 17, 2023

Ancient Votive Stupas found near Nalanda
The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) has discovered two 1200-year-old miniature votive stupas during landscaping activities near Sarai Tila mound on the premises of ‘Nalanda Mahavihara’, a world heritage site in Nalanda district.

What has ASI found?
- The stupas, carved from stone, depict Buddha figures.
- These two votive stupas (offered in fulfillment of a vow) were discovered by the ASI officials during landscaping near Sarai Tila mound within the premises of ‘Nalanda Mahavihara on January 4.
- These, carved from stone depicting Buddha figures, must be around 1200 year old.
What are Stupas?
- The Sanskrit word stupa signifies “heap, mound, and pile” and is derived from the root ‘stup’ “to pile up.”
- The ashes of Buddha collected were divided into eight parts and stupa was erected on them.
- The legend of relic sharing has been imagined latter on, after the establishment of relic worship and stupa.
- This belief was raised only when the Buddha was considered as a God, a Chakravartin.
Types of Stupa
- Buddha himself distinguished three kinds of stupa (Chaitya): (i) Sariraka, (ii) Paribhogika and (iii) Uddesika (according to Mahaparinibbanasutta).
- Beside all these, there are also the sculpted, engraved painted stupas intended to procure merit for the donors.
- Mostly stupa is containing a relic, that the stupa must have been considered from ancient times as a substitute of the Buddha.
- In Buddhist history, the Buddha was considered to be a Chakravartin, a universal monarch.
How votive stupas were erected?
- As his ashes were no longer available, they were replaced by his written law –i.e. factitious body of the Buddha (Niramanakaya), the relic stupas contain the spiritual relics (Dharama Sarira) and the body of law (Dharamakaya) of these represented as Buddha.
- These stupas erected over relics are called Sariraka Stupas.
- Other stupas called Paribhogika were erected over objects used by the Buddha, such as his bowl, girdle, clothes etc.
- Others called Uddesika(votive) were raised over places which were made famous by the presence of Buddha (Buddha’s presence). These are commemorative stupas.
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January 17, 2023
[Sansad TV] Perspective: The Voice of Global South
Context
- The PM recently hosted a virtual event, “Voice of the Global South Summit”. 125 countries participated in the virtual summit.
- Respond, Recognise, Respect & Reform to re-energise the world…That was the four-point mantra PM emphasised at the event.
The first use of this Global South in a contemporary political sense was in 1969 by Carl Oglesby, writing in Catholic journal Commonwealth in a special issue on the Vietnam War.

What is Global South?
- ‘Global North’ refers loosely to countries like the US, Canada, Europe, Russia, Australia and New Zealand, while ‘Global South’ includes countries in Asia, Africa and South America.
- The term has been used multiple times, such as when EAM Jaishankar said of ongoing global conflicts, “polarisation may occur elsewhere, the people who suffer most are the Global South”.
Features of Global South
- Lower-income countries: The Global South is a term often used to identify lower-income countries on one side of the so-called global North–South divide, the other side being the countries of the Global North.
- Beyond geographical south: As such the term does not inherently refer to a geographical south; for example, most of the Global South is actually within the Northern Hemisphere.
- Third World radicalism: The term, as used by governmental and development organizations, was first introduced as a more open and value free alternative to “Third World” and similar potentially “valuing” terms like developing countries.
- Newly industrialized: Countries of the Global South have been described as newly industrialized or in the process of industrializing and frequently have a history of colonialism by Northern, often European, states.
- Major countries: The countries of Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico have the largest populations and economies among Southern states. The overwhelming majority of these are located near the tropics.
Need for such classification
- Economic term: The concepts of ‘East’ and ‘West’ is one example of this, with the Western countries generally signifying greater levels of economic development and prosperity among their people, and Eastern countries considered as being in the process of that transition.
- Geopolitical alignment: Another similar categorisation is of First World, Second World and Third World countries, referring to countries associated with the Cold war-era alliances of the US, the USSR, and non-aligned countries, respectively.
- Broader classification: The East/West binary was seen as often perpetuating stereotypical thinking about African and Asian countries. Categorising incredibly diverse countries into a monolith was felt to be too simplistic.
- Shared history: Major commonality between the South countries is that most have a history of colonisation, largely at the hands of European powers. Now they are arguably more accurate in grouping countries together, measuring similarly in terms of wealth, indicators of education and healthcare, etc.
- Common requirements: The concept is being reiterated now because of the economic emergence of some of these South countries, such as India and China, in the last few decades. Many consider the world to now be multipolar rather than one where the US alone dominates international affairs.
- Indian context to the Global South
- Collective representation: As India assumed the presidency of the G20 group of countries for 2022 to 2023, EAM S Jaishankar said that India would be the “voice of the Global South that is otherwise under-represented in such forums”.
- Reform in multilateral institutions: When leaders such as Jaishankar mention it, they are also pointing to the region’s historical exclusion from prominent international organisations – such as from the permanent membership of the UNSC, the UN and the IMF.
How has this term materialized with Ukrainian War?

Ans. South-South’ Cooperation
- Interestingly, when Jaishankar criticised the expectation from India to take a stance on the Ukraine war and rebuke Russia, China’s heaped praises.
- This is where the idea of ‘South-South’ cooperation comes in.
What is South-South Cooperation?
- Economically emergent countries: Why the concept is being reiterated now is partly because of the economic emergence of some of these South countries, such as India and China, in the last few decades.
- Shift in geopolitical poles: Many consider the world to now be multipolar rather than one where the US alone dominates international affairs.
- Challenging the US led global order: The progress achieved by many Asian countries is also seen as challenging the idea that the North is the ideal.
Criticism of the classification
- Vague classification: Some of the earlier terms’ criticisms apply here, too, such as the argument that the term is too broad. There is also the question of whether the South simply aims to replace the North and the positions it occupies, again continuing a cycle in which a few countries accumulate crucial resources.
- Triggered by crony-capitalism: Much controversy currently surrounds the question of whether elites of the global South and ‘rising powers’ genuinely have the intention to challenge the dominant structures of global capitalist development.
- Beneficial only to India and China: In the rise of Asia, the continued neglect of Africa has been questioned as well.
Significance of the Global South
- Podium for India: India, with its enormous population and enormous economic capabilities, is working to unite the nations of the Global South into a powerful front so that an action-oriented approach can be adopted for the countries of the global south.
- Untapped potential: There is enormous untapped potential in the growing economies of the Global South. The countries will witness significant progress if they cooperate in areas like technical exchanges, ideas exchanges, exchanging best practices in manufacturing, and other areas.
- Common concerns: India is committed to utilise the G20 presidency to give resonance to the voice of the global south and to highlight the common concerns of energy security, energy justice, sustainable energy transition so that all developing countries can gain reliable and clean energy.
Challenges for consolidation
- Row over climate reparations: In the ongoing debate about North countries paying for funding green energy, having historically contributed to higher carbon emissions, many in the Global North have objected to China and India’s exclusion from this, given their increasing industrialization.
- Russia-Ukraine War: This ongoing war severely affected the least developed countries (LDCs) aggravating the concerns related to food, energy and finance, thereby, threatening the development prospects of LDCs.
- China’s unprecedented rise: This prompted them to get more allied towards China. China is increasingly making inroads in the Global South through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for developing infrastructure.
- US domination: The world is now considered to be multipolar by many but still, it is the US alone who dominates international affairs. Even today, US is still dominating the Ukrainian War.
- Dependence over North: Global North-South divergences have been historically characterised by major gaps in the access to resources required for crucial developmental outcomes. Industrialisation has been always skewed in the favour of global North.
Way forward
- Active engagement: Championing the Global South today would demand more active Indian engagement with the messy regional politics within the developing world.
- Need for Policy vision: India must also come to terms with the fact that the Global South is not a coherent group and does not have a single shared agenda. There is much differentiation within the South today in terms of wealth and power, needs and capabilities.
Conclusion
- If the Global South and India worked together, they could make significant advancements in the fight against terrorism, maritime policy, and other fields.
- In its development partnerships, India’s approach has always been consultative, outcome-oriented, demand-driven, people-centric and respectful of the sovereignty of partner countries.
- The Indian side has made an effort to set its development programs in the Global South apart from those of China, which can result in debt traps and financially unsound undertakings.
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January 16, 2023
Indian women’s labor force participation is declining
Context
- According to the World Bank report released in June 2022, Indian women’s labour force participation proportion of the population over the age of 15 that is economically active has been steadily declining since 2005 and is at a low of 19 percent in 2021.
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How the experts are analysing the falling participation of women?
- Patriarchy in continuity: According to some experts there is continuities of patriarchal oppression and structural barriers to women’s economic participation in India.
- Informal economy not accounted: Other group of experts says these claims fail to acknowledge that this measure does not capture women’s participation in the informal economy.
- Preference for home-based work: In developing economies such as India, women are concentrated in the informal sector and demonstrate a preference for home-based work opportunities that allow them to balance their domestic duties with income-generating activities.
- Social consideration: It is simplistic and instrumental link between women’s labour force participation and measures of societal development.
- Reductionist approach: It is important to move beyond reductionist explanations and probe how women’s employment operates in specific contexts. This calls for a more comprehensive understanding of women’s decision-making and navigation around employment.
Economy theory about women participation in labour force
- Standard economic theory: Standard economic theory predicts that as household income increases, women withdraw from devalued labour because their income is no longer required to run the household.
- Income employment: As household income rises and educational attainment improves, women re-enter the workforce.
- Mismatch of skills: But for moderately educated women from upwardly mobile families, there is often a mismatch between available jobs and their skills and ambitions.
- Aversion towards low-paid jobs: As their families are in the process of claiming middle-class status, young women are often averse to taking up low-paid jobs in the formal economy.
- Class and social mobility: If they are unable to secure high-status white-collar jobs, they prefer home-based work such as tailoring or running tuitions for young children. Thus, women’s employment preferences are often intertwined with family-centred projects of class and social mobility.
Study of ground reality about women employment
- Facilitated study group: In a recent study, facilitated study group (FSG) interviewed 6,600 women of working age from low-income communities across 16 cities in India.
- Small job and business: It found that women’s ability to work outside the home is defined by the views of their family members who prefer women working from home or engaging in a small business to allocate more time to household responsibilities. But 59 percent of women prefer jobs in the formal sector over entrepreneurship.
- Less use of child care: Less than 1 percent of working mothers with children under 12 years old have used paid childcare services. 89 percent are unwilling to use paid childcare services.
- Preference to family care: Affordability isn’t a key factor in not considering paid day-care. It’s because mothers do not trust day-care services as they do not provide ‘family-like’ care.
- Balancing the familial expectations: These findings suggest that Indian women’s employment-related decisions are shaped by considerations of providing caregiving to their children and balancing their preferences with familial expectations.
What should be the right approach about women participation?
- Family responsibility and career: women, especially in low-income communities in India, have a composite view of their lives (jobs, enterprises, care work, upholding traditions, and community connections) and navigate through these with their household and extended family.
- Comprehensive view of life: The non-compartmentalisation emerges from a culturally embedded and empirically grounded perspective that does not view culture as a limitation, but as a resource and enabler that provides a comprehensive valuation for all kinds of work that women do (informal and formal).
- Understanding the cultural context: This translates into everyday negotiations that have less to do with upturning the current social structure and more with negotiating for increased autonomy within the cultural context.
- Flexible working Hours: Policy solutions must derive from the negotiations women are interested in undertaking with their employers around home-based work or flexible working hours. It is important to perceive women’s employment goals as reflective of preferences defined not only by their gender but also by their social and cultural context.
Conclusion
- The breakdown of the family structure and caregiving systems in developed economies offers an important lesson. If Indian women want to participate in the formal labour force while retaining their family structure, this preference should be accommodated in institutional and interpersonal responses.
Mains Question

Q. In the context of world bank report analyse the declining participation of women in labour force. What should be the right approach to increase the participation of women in labour force?

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January 16, 2023
16th Jan 2023 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

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January 16, 2023
Day 1| Daily Answer Wars| CD WarZone
Topics for Today’s question:

GS-2 Mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of the vulnerable sections.

Question:

Q. Besides the welfare schemes, India needs deft management of inflation and unemployment to serve the poor and the underprivileged sections of society. Discuss. (15 Marks)

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January 16, 2023
Q. Besides the welfare schemes, India needs deft management of inflation and unemployment to serve the poor and the underprivileged sections of society. Discuss. (15 Marks)

January 16, 2023
A Bumpy Ride for India’s Economy in 2023: A perspective
Context
- India’s general elections, scheduled for 2024, will also bring in their wake high-pitched rhetoric and spin-doctoring to further muddy the waters. In short, buckle up because the next 12 months promise a flurry of conflicting signals and a rather bumpy ride. A perspective on Indian economy in 2023.
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Turbulent global situation
- Pandemic plus Ukraine war: One conflicting signal is already staring us in the face, the seemingly doomed future of globalization. Post-Brexit, the covid pandemic and Russia-Ukraine conflict, there are multiple signs indicating retrenchment of globalization.
- Collapse of Supply chains: The collapse of global supply chains due to economic lockdowns has refocused attention towards near-shoring or on-shoring.
- Trade barriers: In an associated move, nations have erected protective trade barriers; both the US and EU are using climate plans to renege on free-trade promises. The end result, reduced global trade.
What are the prospects from international institute?
- BlackRock Investment Institute’s 2023 Global Outlook: Various financial institutions across the globe are trying to wrap their heads around the phenomenon. According to BlackRock Investment Institute’s 2023 Global Outlook, “We see geopolitical cooperation and globalization evolving into a fragmented world with competing blocs.
- Citi’s wealth outlook for 2023: Citi’s wealth outlook for 2023 intoned ominously, as a less globalized, more polarized world presents challenges for investors.
Effect of globalization and policy change by developed economies
- Rising federal rates: As US employment numbers and demand data continue to stay elevated (despite, paradoxically, slowing growth), the Federal Reserve is likely to be unrelenting in its endeavor to bring the inflation rate back to 2%.
- Rise in domestic interest rates: The Fed’s actions will undoubtedly strengthen the dollar further, forcing many central banks across the global economy to raise interest rates in tandem. Interestingly, central banks in emerging economies today face threats to their independence from an external agency and not from the political dispensation at home.
- Increase in food and fuel cost: Beyond interest rates, inflation also travels easily across national boundaries, especially through food and fuel trade. The fractured supply chains and war in Europe have ensured that inflation’s harmful impact might sustain through 2023.
- Omicron variant and travel restrictions: The other undesirable effect of globalization could be the persisting effect of the Omicron variant that has travelled seamlessly from one corner of the world to another. The Indian government has been forced to resume random screening of passengers arriving from different parts of the world to test for the numerous Omicron variants that have witnessed a resurgence in recent times.
Impact on Indian Economy
- Over-priced equity markets: Indian equity markets have been soaring since early 2020, once the initial shock of the covid pandemic was negotiated. Cross-country comparisons across emerging markets by various valuation indices show the Indian market to be considerably over-priced currently, both relative to its own past performance as well as compared with the rest of the world.
- High retail investors: Interestingly, the market held its own despite foreign portfolio investors (FPI) pulling out money over the past few months. Domestic investment institutions and retail investors are believed to have kept the market valuation up. But below this cheery visage lies a grim reality.
- Worrisome credit records: Sectoral credit deployment data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shows credit growth in commercial banks in recent months has been driven by only two segments: non-bank financial companies (NBFCs) and consumer loans.
- High retail borrowings: A large chunk of the NBFC borrowing was also for on-lending to retail borrowers, given tepid industrial credit demand. RBI data for commercial banks shows consumer loans in four categories advances against fixed deposits, advances against shares or bonds, loans against gold jwellery and other personal loans grew by almost 71% between April 2020 and November 2022.
- Loans for equity investments: It is quite likely that a large proportion of these loans have found their way into stock markets; the Nifty-50 index gained close to 118% between April 2020 and November 2022, at a time when FPI investments during the same period witnessed a net inflow of only ₹1,464 crore.
Conclusion
- The year 2023 appears to be very bumpy for economy in general and credit growth and recovery in particular. SEBI and RBI need to protect the retail investors from Ponzi scheme and fake promises of guaranteed returns.
Mains Question

Q. How policy changes in developed economies affects the India’s decision making? Assess the effect of turbulent global situation on credit growth in India.

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January 16, 2023
Mental Health Problem and effective policy
Context
- The fifth Global Mental Health Summit, co-sponsored by over half a dozen organisations engaged with mental health, was held in Chennai to discuss mental health in the context of human rights, ethics and justice. Highlighting the importance of mental health, it gave a call for action against the continued neglect by society at large and the governments at central and state levels, in particular.
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Findings of national mental health survey
- The National Mental Health Survey (NMHS): The latest National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) conducted by National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and WHO, was published in 2016.
- Prevalence of mental disorder: According to the survey, the prevalence of mental disorders among adults in India is around 10.6%. The most common disorders were anxiety disorders (7.3%) and mood disorders (4.5%).
- Higher among women than men: The survey also found that the prevalence of mental disorders was higher among women than men, and that the majority of people with mental disorders did not receive any treatment.
- Prevalence of mental disorders is higher in urban areas: It also found that the prevalence of mental disorders was higher in urban areas than in rural areas, and that there was a higher prevalence of mental disorders among people with lower levels of education and income.
- Gap in treatment coverage for people with mental disorder : The survey highlighted that there is a significant gap in treatment coverage for people with mental disorders, and that the majority of people with mental disorders do not receive any treatment.
- Plan for mental health: The survey has provided an important information for Indian government and mental health professional to plan and implement mental health programs and policies in the country.
What constitutes good policy making on mental health?
- Policy should be based on research and findings: Policies should be based on sound research and evidence from scientific studies. This helps to ensure that policies are effective in addressing mental health issues and are not based on assumptions or stereotypes.
- Active engagement of stakeholders: Policy making should involve a wide range of stakeholders, including people with lived experience of mental health issues, mental health professionals, and representatives from relevant government departments and non-governmental organizations.
- A comprehensive and integrated approach: Mental health policies should be comprehensive and address a wide range of issues, including prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery. They should also be integrated with other policies, such as those related to education, housing, and employment.
- Ensure easy access to mental health care: policies should ensure that people have access to appropriate and affordable mental health care, including both medication and psychosocial therapies.
- Public awareness and Sensitization : policies should ensure that people with mental health issues are treated with dignity and respect, and that their human rights are protected.
Case study: How India tackled HIV/AIDS?
- Active surveillance system: The need for crafting strategic interventions based on epidemiological evidence from an active surveillance system.
- Modelling different options: The importance of modelling different options of addressing the wide array of interventions required in different geographies, among different target groups, to provide the data related to cost effectiveness as well as efficacy of the interventions required for scaling up.
- Proactive advocacy of systemic issues among all influencers: The proactive advocacy of systemic issues among all influencers the media, judiciary, politicians, police and other intersectoral departments whose programmes and activities have had a direct bearing on the key populations being worked on.
- Community engagement: The use of peer leaders and civil society that was allocated over 25 per cent of the budget. Though a central sector programme was fully funded by the central government, every intervention was formulated with active participation and dialogue among the states and constituencies of local leaders.
Strategy for better implementation of mental health policy
- Clear goals and objectives: Having clear and measurable goals and objectives can help to ensure that policies are implemented effectively and that progress can be tracked.
- Training and capacity building: Providing training and capacity building for mental health professionals, as well as for other relevant stakeholders such as community leaders, can help to ensure that policies are implemented effectively.
- Community engagement: Involving communities in the planning and implementation of mental health policies can help to ensure that policies are responsive to the specific needs and priorities of local populations.
- Monitoring and evaluation: Regularly monitoring and evaluating the implementation of policies can help to identify any barriers or challenges, and make adjustments as necessary.
- Multi-sectoral approach: Adopting a multi-sectoral approach that involves collaboration between different sectors, such as health, education, social welfare, housing, and employment can help to ensure that policies are implemented in a coordinated and effective manner.
- Policy flexibility: Policies should be flexible enough to adapt to changing circumstances, and be responsive to feedback and suggestions from the community and stakeholders.
latest research in mental health domain
- The growing recognition of the importance of early intervention in mental health: Research has shown that early intervention can prevent mental health issues from becoming more severe, and can help individuals to recover more quickly.
- The use of technology in mental health: There has been an increase in the use of technology, such as mobile apps, virtual reality, and teletherapy, to deliver mental health care. Studies have shown that these technologies can be effective in improving mental health outcomes.
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health: The pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health, and research has been conducted to understand the extent of the impact and to develop strategies to mitigate it.
- Advancements in brain imaging and genetics: Researchers are using brain imaging techniques and genetic studies to gain a better understanding of the underlying causes of mental disorders and to develop more effective treatments.
- The use of personalized medicine in mental health: There is growing interest in the use of personalized medicine, which involves using genetic and other information to tailor treatment to the individual patient, to improve mental health outcomes.
- The benefits of nature-based interventions for mental health: Studies have shown that spending time in nature can have a positive impact on mental health, including reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression.
- The importance of social determinants of mental health: Research has highlighted the importance of social determinants such as poverty, education, and social support in mental health.
- The importance of addressing mental health in the workplace: Studies have highlighted the impact of workplace stress and burnout on mental health and the importance of workplace interventions to promote mental well-being.
Do you know Neuralink?
- Neuralink is a gadget that will be surgically inserted into the brain using robotics. In this procedure, a chipset called the link is implanted in the skull.
- Neuralink can be used to operate encephalopathy. It can also be used as a connection between the human brain and technology which means people with paralysis can easily operate their phones and computer directly with their brain.
Conclusion
- Mental health problems and not related to age of persons. From children to old age all can suffer from this menace. Government of the must formulated, implement the effective, resulted oriented mental health policy as earliest as possible
Mains Question

Q. What factors need to be taken care while drafting sound mental health policy? Suggest a strategy for better implementation of metal health policy.

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January 16, 2023
Ganga Vilas: A boost to riverine tourism
Context
- The travel-tourism-hospitality sector got a symbolic boost on Friday, with the Prime Minister launching the MV Ganga Vilas from Varanasi. The luxury 51-day cruise operated in partnership with private players by the Inland Waterways Authority will traverse several states, two countries and make stops at about 50 tourist and heritage sites along the Ganga and Brahmaputra River systems.
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All you need to know about MV Ganga Vilas
- MV Ganga Vilas is the first indigenously made and the world’s longest river cruise
- The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is the coordinator of this ship tourism project.
- The cruise has three decks, 18 suites on board with a capacity of 36 tourists, with all the modern amenities and avoids river pollution.
- It has its own sewage treatment plant besides a water treatment plant that lifts water from the river for daily use.
- The cruise has a gymnasium, a spa, restaurant, sunbath deck and other amenities on board to entertain the tourists and also to provide them a comfortable experience.
Journey of MV Ganga Vilas
- From Varanasi to Dibrugarh: Set to sail from Varanasi, the cruise ship, MV Ganga Vilas, will cover 3,200 km over 51 days, crossing 27 river systems and several states before ending its journey at Dibrugarh.
- It will cover World heritage sites: The voyage is packed with visits to 50 tourist spots, including World Heritage spots, national parks, river ghats, and major cities like Patna in Bihar, Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Guwahati in Assam.
- Pilgrimage plus environmental tourism: It will make pit-stops to cover the famous Ganga Arti in Varanasi, the Buddhist site of Sarnath; and even Majuli, the largest river island in Assam.
What are the concerns highlighted?
- Silting and pollution of rives must be addressed on priority: Two of the greatest threats to India’s rivers silting and pollution must be addressed.
- Employment generation must go hand-in-hand with ecological repair: Both the PM and Shipping & Ports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal have cited the jobs that riverine tourism could bring to states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Assam. But employment generation must go hand-in-hand with ecological repair.
Way ahead
- Involve local communities: For the government to realise its goal to increase cruise passenger traffic from 4 lakh people to nearly 10 times that figure. But this growth, to be sustainable, must involve local communities.
- Smaller vessels could be involved: While there is potential for larger, luxury liners, riverine tourism could also expand and cater to travellers from different economic strata. Also, smaller vessels may pose less of an ecological challenge.
- Lesson to be learnt from Kerala: While the Centre’s push in the sector, with the PM as the face, is welcome, states and the private sector too must be brought on board. There is, for example, much that east Indian states can learn from how Kerala monetizes and maintains its backwaters.
- Further expansion with worlds best practices: The Ganga cruise, though, should be just a beginning in tapping the unrealized potential of India’s numerous and diverse river systems for tourism. At the same time, the expansion must take into account the best practices from around India and the world, while ensuring local communities and the environment are not given short shrift.
Conclusion
- The hospitality sector is labor-intensive and can provide some of the formal jobs that a transitioning Indian economy so desperately needs. And given the growing global market for ecologically-conscious travel, India can if it is meticulous and enterprising in its planning protect its rivers and create jobs at the same time.
Mains question

Q. Recently government launched MV Ganga Vilas cruise. Discuss how it will change the face of tourism in India?

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January 16, 2023
Hospitality Industry in India: Adhering to the principle of Atithi Devo Bhava
“To other Country, I may go as a tourist. But to India I come as a pilgrim”-Martin Luther King

Context
- As the world moves on, the service sector travel and tourism business included is emerging as a major growth engine for the Indian economy. People are once again flying in great numbers, airports are crowded, hotels are well booked, and travellers want to explore, connect and feel alive through the exhilarating emotion of travel. Despite several difficulties and challenging infrastructure in hospitality, the industry has fared extremely well.
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What is mean by Hospitality?
- Hospitality refers to the friendly and generous treatment of guests or strangers.
- It involves making guests feel welcome, comfortable, and attended to during their stay or visit.
- The goal of hospitality is to create a positive experience for the guest and to ensure that they have everything they need to feel at home and enjoy their time.
Hospitality Industry in India
- Hospitality contributes to the economy: The hospitality industry in India is a growing industry which contributes significantly to the country’s economy.
- India a choiced tourist destination: India is home to number of popular destinations for tourists, due to its diverse culture, ancient civilization, art and architecture, spiritual knowledge centre and the paradise of natural beauty.
- Infrastructure upgraded with time: The hospitality industry in India has undergone significant growth in recent years, fueled by an increase in domestic and international tourism, as well as the development of new infrastructure, such as airports and roads.
- Hospitality companies determined to offer diverse experience: Hospitality companies have consistently added supply across all segments budget, business and luxury hotels, homestays, villas and so forth by developing new circuits and offerings that tap into the diverse and myriad potential of Incredible India.
How Hospitality Industry contributes to the Economy?
- Tourism a driving force: Tourism is seen as a major driving force for any economy. It has a multiplier effect on associated industries like hospitality.
- Spillover earning: Not only improves economic condition but also enhances standard of living: The spillover of earnings from tourism into other industries not only improves economic conditions but also enhances the standards of living of the local population.
- For instance, GDP and employment in Goa: This is most apparent at the popular beach destination of Goa. Contributing over 16 per cent to the GDP and 35 per cent to direct employment within the state as per the IBEF Report 2022, the domino effect of the sector on indirect job creation is unrivalled. Today, led by tourism, Goa leads the nation in per capita NSDP (Net State Domestic Product) as per the RBI.
- Significant impact on high employability: As per trends, every hotel room generates five to seven jobs, both directly and indirectly, further leading to a significant impact on other high-employability sectors such as real estate and infrastructure.
- Will generate more than 100 million jobs globally: In fact, according to the latest World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) report, the sector is expected to create nearly 126 million new jobs globally within the next decade with at least 20 per cent of these from the Indian subcontinent. However, government support will be instrumental in achieving this.
- Will augment the Indian economy to reach $1 trillion by 2047: With Indian companies reporting positive earnings this fiscal, the sector is poised to potentially grow three times compared to the pre-pandemic levels to touch $250 billion by 2030 and further accelerate to reach $1 trillion by 2047.
Way ahead
- Upgrading the infrastructure to cater new consumer demands well: The travel and tourism industry is constantly evolving, catering to rapidly changing consumer demands. A capital-intensive industry, the hospitality sector needs to continually plough back to keep the ball rolling.
- Attracting more investments: A good start will be the Centre according infrastructure status to the sector, which will boost the industry, incorporating required incentives including regulatory ease, cheaper loans, tax concessions and contributing to a cycle of attracting more investments.
- Augmenting the infrastructure growth: In addition, industry status at the state and Union territories-level and augmenting the infrastructure growth will also have a much-needed positive impact. States like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have taken the lead, and more should follow suit.
India’s G20 presidency an opportunity for India
- Challenge to provide world class experience to visiting dignitaries: As India takes on the G20 presidency and starts preparing for the summit in 2023, positioning the country as a safe, tourist-friendly destination hinges on how the government can work together with the industry and provide world-class experiences to visiting dignitaries.
- Meeting mostly be hosted in hotels: Around 300 plus meetings are expected to take place during the summit, most of which will be hosted within the corridors of the finest hotels across the country.
- Adhering to the principle of Aithi Devo Bhava: Hospitality companies are leaving no stone unturned to showcase India’s cultural essence, and the inherent warmth of Atithi Devo Bhava in our service philosophy.
- India can set an impression: Using the summit to highlight the country’s unique and differentiated travel offerings, India can claim its position on the world tourism stage.
Conclusion
- India’s growth story remains immensely encouraging. On the back of strong consumer demand, travel and tourism offers promising growth and are at an important inflection point. Through collective action between industry stakeholders and government, we can undoubtedly shape an even more thriving future for the industry one that can have a positive impact on the economy and society at large.
Mains question

Q. Tourism and Hospitality is a growing industry in India. In light of this discuss how this industry contributes to the economy? Illustrate with an example.

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January 16, 2023

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