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  • IPCC’s Synthesis Report: Urgent Action Needed For Climate-resilient Development

    Central Idea

    • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently released the synthesis report of its Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) cycle, which serves as a survival guide for humanity. The report highlights the urgent need for a climate-resilient development model that integrates adaptation, mitigation, and sustainable development for all.

    Key Takeaways from the AR6 Report

    • Human activity is driving global temperature rise, currently at 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels, with an estimated trajectory of 2.8°C by 2100.
    • While the rate of emissions growth has slowed in the past decade, humanity is estimated to be on a 2.8° C (2.1°-3.4° C range) trajectory by 2100.
    • This temperature rise is causing widespread impacts on climatic systems, with greater risks at lower temperatures than previously assessed.
    • The IPCC report highlights that by 2019, humanity had already used up 80% of its carbon budget for limiting warming to 1.5°C, with developed economies being the biggest contributors.
    • The report also notes that existing modelling studies, which are often used to assess emission trajectories, do not explicitly account for questions of equity.

    Major implications for limiting warming to 1.5°C rather than 2°C

    1. Carbon Budget and Temperature Targets:
    • The world’s carbon budget for 1.5°C is much lower than for 2°C. Global pathways show that limiting warming to 1.5°C requires a 43% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, while for 2°C it is 21%.
    • Even more concerning is that projected CO2 emissions from existing fossil fuel infrastructure already surpass the remaining carbon budget for 1.5°C.
    • Striving for a 1.5° C target implies deep and immediate reductions in emissions in all sectors and regions, which makes more salient different national circumstances and questions of climate equity and operationalisation of the UNFCCC’s core principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility and Respective Capabilities.
    1. Climate adaptation itself has limits:
    • The report highlights that adaptation itself has limits, which implies that some losses and damages of climate change are inevitable.
    • For example, the report finds that some coastal and polar ecosystems have already reached hard limits in their ability to adapt to a changing climate.

    Key message of the report

    • Climate-resilient development: Urgently adopting climate-resilient development a developmental model that integrates both adaptation and mitigation to advance sustainable development for all.
    • Green transition: The report assesses the plethora of technologies and design options, such as solar energy or electric vehicles, that can help countries reduce emissions or become more resilient today at low costs, and in a technically feasible manner.
    • Equity and social justice: Prioritising and addressing equity and social justice in transition processes are shown to be key to climate-resilient development.
    • Net-zero emissions: To achieve climate-resilient development, the world needs to reach net-zero emissions. This may depend on large-scale carbon dioxide removals, which are challenging to achieve.

    Progress and gaps in Climate Response

    • Some progress has been made in policies and laws, with the effectiveness of policy tools like carbon markets.
    • The report points out that there are gaps between modelled sustainable pathways and what countries have pledged (ambition gaps) as well as substantial gaps between what countries pledge and what they actually do (implementation gaps).

    Way ahead

    • Policy package: Policy packages that comprehensively address climate objectives can help countries meet short-term economic goals.
    • Investment: Delayed action risks locking-in to high carbon infrastructure in this decade, and creating stranded assets and financial instability in the medium term. Therefore, high upfront investments in clean infrastructure are imperative.
    • Financing needs to be increased manyfold: Despite sufficient global capital, both adaptation and mitigation financing need to increase many-fold, between three to six times for annual modelled mitigation investments, from 2020 to 2030.

    Conclusion

    • The IPCC AR6 synthesis report provides a blueprint for sustainable development and presents a sobering account of the present and future damages to ecosystems and vulnerable populations. It is crucial for governments and individuals worldwide to act urgently to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and pursue climate-resilient development.

     

     

  • Family Courts: Need for Expansion and Reforms

    Central Idea

    • Mumbai’s only family court, inundated with divorce applications and family disputes, showcases a range of emotions and highlights the need for additional family courts to better address these complex and sensitive issues.

    The Nature of Family Court Cases

    • Mostly divorce cases: Common grounds for divorce include domestic violence, adultery, and dowry, but absurd reasons can also be found among the cases.
    • Other issues and counselling: Family courts handle not only divorce cases but also maintenance, child custody, and alimony cases, with judges first suggesting counseling for couples seeking to end their marriages.
    • Emotional scenes: Family courts witness heightened emotions, such as anger, blame, heartbreak, relief, and joy, as people struggle with the consequences of broken relationships.
    • Inequal treatment: Instances of inequality in the judicial system are evident, with influential individuals sometimes receiving preferential treatment.
    • Role of technology and empathy: During the COVID-19 pandemic, non-custodial parents sought to maintain contact with their children through video calls.
    • For instance: A lactation room was recently inaugurated at the Bandra family court to provide a refuge for women with infants amidst child custody and divorce proceedings.

    Why Family courts were established?

    • Family courts were established to provide a forum for speedy settlement of family-related disputes, emphasizing non-adversarial conflict resolution and promoting conciliation.

    What are the challenges faced by Family courts in India?

    • Backlog of cases: One of the most significant challenges faced by family courts in India is the backlog of cases. Family disputes are often complex and require a significant amount of time to resolve, which results in long waiting periods for litigants.
    • Lack of infrastructure: Many family courts in India lack adequate infrastructure, such as courtrooms, staff, and equipment, which makes it difficult to manage cases efficiently.
    • Shortage of judges: There is a shortage of judges in family courts, leading to delays in the disposal of cases.
    • Low awareness: Many people in India are not aware of the role and functions of family courts, which often leads to confusion and delays in the resolution of disputes.
    • Socio-cultural factors: In many cases, socio-cultural factors such as patriarchy, gender discrimination, and dowry-related issues pose significant challenges to family courts in India.
    • Limited jurisdiction: Family courts in India have limited jurisdiction and can only hear certain types of cases related to family disputes. This can result in some cases being heard by multiple courts, leading to delays and confusion.

    The Need for Expansion and Reform in Family Courts: A Case of Mumbai’s family court

    • With over 5,000 divorce cases pending in Mumbai’s family court, frivolous applications and counter-applications add to the pendency of cases and negatively impact children.
    • The current seven judges at Mumbai’s family court are insufficient to handle the caseload, and the promise of 14 additional family courts in Mumbai, along with one each in Thane and Navi Mumbai, is a much-needed and welcome move.

    Conclusion

    • Mumbai’s family court reveals the complexity and emotional intensity of family disputes, and the urgent need for additional family courts to better address these sensitive issues. Expanding the number of family courts will help ensure that more families receive the support and resolution they need during these challenging times.

    Mains Question

    Q. Establish the purpose of Family courts. Discuss the challenges faced by family court in India.

     

     

  • 24th Mar 23 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    24th Mar 23 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    [WpProQuiz 1286]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 1286]

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  • India’s Water Vision: Roadmap for a Sustainable Future

    Central Idea

    • India’s Water Vision addresses key water-related challenges, highlights ongoing interventions, and offers recommendations for ensuring sustainability and serving as a model for other countries to achieve clean water and sanitation for all.

    India’s Water vision

    • India’s Water Vision is a government initiative aimed at providing clean and safe water to all citizens of India.
    • It was launched in 2019 and aims to provide water security, improve water use efficiency, and increase the use of recycled water.
    • The initiative also focuses on conservation of water resources and promoting sustainable water practices.
    • It is a plan announced as part of the Prime Minister’s Vision India @ 2047 initiative.

    The Importance of India’s Water Vision

    • Climate change: India’s Water Vision comes at a critical time when the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report confirms the adverse impacts of human-caused climate change on water availability and security, and the UN 2023 Water Conference takes place after a 46-year gap.
    • G20 presidency: India’s G20 presidency can set an example for other countries to prioritize water action, leading to a global water action agenda with clear commitments and pledges to accelerate progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 by 2030.

    Challenges and Interventions in India’s Water Sector

    • Jal Jeevan Mission: The Jal Jeevan Mission has increased tap connections in rural households, but there is a need to ensure reliability and quality of water supply through investments in source sustainability and water quality surveillance for improved social, economic, and public health outcomes.
    • Groundwater regulation: Strengthen groundwater governance by making substantial progress in decision-making through groundwater atlas, aquifer mapping, and extensive monitoring. Encourage states like Rajasthan and Punjab to pass bills and fully implement the central government’s model law for regulating groundwater.
    • Namami Gange Programme and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation: Focus on pollution abatement and river rejuvenation by improving wastewater management through initiatives like Namami Gange Programme and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation. Realize the potential of treated wastewater for irrigation by strengthening treatment infrastructure and pricing freshwater adequately.
    • Per Drop More Crop initiative: Improve water use efficiency in irrigated agriculture by promoting micro-irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler technologies through the Per Drop More Crop initiative. Scale up water-saving technologies through targeted subsidies for small and marginal farmers.
    • Atal Bhujal Mission: Engage local communities in water management through programs like Atal Bhujal Mission, which aims to improve groundwater management in water-stressed blocks by involving communities in the preparation of water security plans, ensuring climate resilience.

    Recommendations for Ensuring Sustainability of Water Actions

    • Ensure sustainable source: Ensure access to safely managed domestic water services by focusing on source sustainability and water quality surveillance, leading to positive social, economic, and public health outcomes.
    • Prompt groundwater regulation: Encourage all states to fully implement groundwater regulation laws and take prompt action to address groundwater overexploitation, especially in major groundwater-consuming states.
    • Improve wastewater treatment: Strengthen wastewater treatment infrastructure to treat a larger proportion of municipal sewage and ensure that freshwater is adequately priced to promote safe reuse of treated water for irrigation.
    • Efficient water use practice: Scale up water-saving technologies in agriculture by providing targeted subsidies to small and marginal farmers, facilitating the adoption of water-efficient practices and potentially saving 20% of currently used irrigation water by 2050.
    • Improving community engagement: Support ongoing community engagement in water management by ensuring the development and implementation of annual water security plans, taking corrective action when necessary to ensure water security in vulnerable regions.

    Facts for prelims

    Initiative Objective
    Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) Ensure piped water supply to every household in the country by 2024
    Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY) Improve groundwater management in the country
    Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)              Provide irrigation facilities to all agricultural lands in the country
    National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC) Collect, collate, and disseminate water-related data from various sources
    National Hydrology Project (NHP) Improve the country’s hydrological data management system
    Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) Create awareness about water conservation and promote the judicious use of water

    Conclusion

    • India’s Water Vision offers a comprehensive roadmap for addressing water-related challenges and achieving clean water and sanitation for all. By sharing its successes, discussing the sustainability of its initiatives, and offering support to other countries, India can leverage its G20 presidency to accelerate progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6 and serve as a model for global water action.

     

     

  • Nikaalo Prelims Spotlight || ISRO and its Missions/Important Submarines in News

    Dear Aspirants,

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

    You can check the broad timetable of Nikaalo Prelims here

    Session Details

    YouTube LIVE with Parth sir – 1 PM  – Prelims Spotlight Session

    Evening 04 PM  – Daily Mini Tests

    Join our Official telegram channel for Study material and Daily Sessions Here

    24th Mar 2023

    1. RISAT-2B: An all-seeing radar imaging satellite

    • The PSLV-C46 is set to launch RISAT-2B from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

    RISAT Constellation

    • RISAT-2B, short for “Radar Imaging Satellite-2B”, is the second in a series of satellites used to observe weather conditions on Earth using radar imagery.
    • RISAT-2 was the first satellite in the series, launched for the purpose of surveillance. RISAT-1 was launched later, to become India’s first all-weather radar imaging satellite.
    • RISAT-2B is to be followed by RISAT-2BR1, 2BR2, RISAT-1A, 1B, 2A and so on.
    • ISRO orbited its first two radar satellites in 2009 & 2012 and it plans to deploy four or five of them in 2019 alone.
    • A constellation of such space-based radars means a comprehensive vigil over the country.
    • Once operational, the satellite will be capable of monitoring weather day and night, in all weather conditions.

    2.Phase 4 of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)

    • The Union Cabinet has approved ongoing GSLV continuation programme Phase-4 consisting of five GSLV flights during the period 2021-2024.
    • The will enable the launch of 2 tonne class of satellites for Geo-imaging, Navigation, Data Relay Communication and Space Sciences.
    • It will meet the demand for the launch of satellites at a frequency up to two launches per year, with maximal participation by the Indian industry.

    About GSLV

    • GSLV Continuation Programme was initially sanctioned in 2003, and two phases have been completed and the third phase is in progress and expected to be completed by Q4 of 2020-21.
    • GSLV has enabled independent access to space for 2 tonne class of satellites to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
    • One of the significant outcomes of the GSLV Continuation Programme is the mastering of the highly complex cryogenic propulsion technology, which is an essential technological capability to launch communication satellites to GTO.
    • This has also paved the way for the development of a high thrust Cryogenic engine & stage for the next-generation launch vehicle i.e. GSLV Mk-lll.
    • With the recent successful launch of GSLV-F11 on 19th December 2018, GSLV has successfully orbited 10 national satellites.
    • GSLV with the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage has established itself as a reliable launch vehicle for communication, navigation and meteorological satellites and also to undertake future interplanetary missions.

    3.Mission Shakti (Anti-Satellite Missile Test)

    • In an incremental advance, India has successfully conducted an Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missile test, named Mission Shakti.
    • India becomes the fourth country in the world to demonstrate the capability to shoot down satellites in orbit.
    • So far, only the United States, Russia and China have this prowess.

    Mission Shakti

    • While Mission Shakti may have targeted an object in outer space, India has long developed the ability to intercept incoming missiles.
    • In 2011, a modified Prithvi missile mimicked the trajectory of a ballistic missile with a 600-km range.
    • The DRDO-developed Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Interceptor Missile successfully engaged an Indian orbiting target satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in a ‘Hit to Kill’ mode.
    • The interceptor missile was a three-stage missile with two solid rocket boosters.

    4.Young Scientist Programme (YUVIKA)

    Young Scientist Programme

    • ISRO has launched a special programme for School Children called “Young Scientist Programme” “YUva VIgyani KAryakram from this year.
    • The Program is primarily aimed at imparting basic knowledge on Space Technology, Space Science and Space Applications to the younger ones with the intent of arousing their interest in the emerging areas of Space activities.
    • The residential training programme will be of around two weeks duration during summer holidays and it is proposed to select 3 students each from each State/ UTs to participate in this programme covering state, CBSE, and ICSE syllabus.
    • Those who have just finished 9th standard (in the academic year 2018-19) and waiting to join 10th standard (or those who have started 10th Std just now) will be eligible for the programme.
    • The selection will be based on the 8th Std marks.
    • Students belonging to the rural area have been given special weightage in the selection criteria.

    5.PSLV-C45/ Emisat Mission

    • For the sheer number of ‘firsts’ to its credit, the scheduled PSLV-C45/Emisat mission scheduled will be a memorable one for the ISRO.

    PSLV-C45/Emisat

    • C-45, which is set for lift-off from the second launchpad at Sriharikota, will mark the 47th flight of the PSLV.
    • It is meant for electromagnetic spectrum measurements, according to the ISRO.
    • It will be released into an orbit at 749 km.
    • EMISAT is primarily based on on the famous Israeli spy satellite called SARAL or (Satellite with ARgos and ALtika), and inherits its SSB-2 bus protocol for conducting sharp electronic surveillance across the length and breadth of India.
    • The satellite would serve as the country’s roving device for detecting and gathering electronic intelligence from enemy radars across the borders as it circles the globe roughly pole to pole every 90 minutes or so.
    • For the third successive PSLV mission, the ISRO plans to reuse the rocket’s spent fourth stage or PS4 to host short experiments.

    6.ISRO, French agency to set up a maritime surveillance system

    • ISRO and its French counterpart CNES has sealed an agreement to set up a joint maritime surveillance system in the country.
    • The two nations will explore putting up a constellation of low-Earth orbiting satellites.

    Oceansat-3-Argos Mission

    • The system will be augmented with the launch of Oceansat-3-Argos mission in 2020 along with a joint infrared Earth-observation satellite.
    • These will identify and track the movement of ships globally – and in particular, those moving in the Indian Ocean region where France has its Reunion Islands.
    • Before that, they will initially share data from their present space systems and develop new algorithms to analyse them, according to the Paris based National Centre for Space Studies.
    • They work together for the design and development of joint products and techniques, including those involving Automatic Identification System (AIS), to monitor and protect the assets in land and sea.

    7. Use of Space Technology in Agriculture Sector

    • The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has been pro-active in using the space technology in the agricultural sector. Take a look of various initiative in the aid of farmers:

    Various institutional measures

    1. The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare established a Centre, called Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre, in 2012.
    2. It works for operationalization of the space technology developed in the Indian Space Research Organization, for crop production forecasting.
    3. The Soil and Land Use Survey of India uses satellite data for soil resources mapping.

    8. India’s communication satellite GSAT-31 launched successfully

    GSAT-31

    1. It was launched in an elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit with a perigee (nearest point to Earth) of 250 km and an apogee (farthest point to Earth) of 35,850 km, inclined at an angle of 3.0 degree to the equator.
    2. With a lift-off mass of 2536 kg, GSAT-31 will augment the Ku-band transponder capacity in Geostationary Orbit.
    3. The satellite will provide continuity to operational services on some of the in-orbit satellites.
    4. GSAT-31 will provide DTH Television Services, connectivity to VSATs for ATM, Stock-exchange, Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG) and e-governance applications.
    5. The satellite will also be used for bulk data transfer for a host of emerging telecommunication applications.
    6. It is India’s 40th communication satellite which is configured on ISRO’s enhanced ‘I-2K Bus’, utilising the maximum “bus capabilities” of this type.

    9.ISRO launches Human Space Flight Centre in Bengaluru

    Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC)

    1. The HSFC, the hub of ISRO’s future manned missions, was inaugurated at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru.
    2. Announced on August 15 2018, the country’s first crewed mission is set to happen by 2022, the 75th year of Independence.
    3. HSFC shall be responsible for the implementation of Gaganyaan project — which involves mission planning, development of engineering systems for crew survival in space, crew selection and training and also pursue activities for sustained human space flight missions.
    4. HSFC will take the support of ISRO centres to implement the first developmental [crewed] flight.

    10.ISRO’s first mission of 2019 to put military satellite Microsat-R in space

    • ISRO’s first mission of 2019 will put into space a 130-kg military imaging satellite, Microsat-R.
    • C-44 will be launched from the older First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

     Details of Launch

    1. The satellite would be placed within 15 minutes after take-off in a polar orbit 274 km away from Earth.
    2. This is much lower than any of its civil Earth observation spacecraft, which fly pole to pole over the globe at between 400 km and 700 km.

    Payload Details

    Microsat-R

    1. Microsat-R and its payload come assembled from a handful of laboratories of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
    2. It is meant for military use.
    3. The satellite was assembled outside and ISRO only interfaced it” with its own systems and the launch vehicle, just as it treats any customer satellite.

    11.Unispace Nanosatellite Assembly & Training Programme of ISRO

    NNATI Programme

    1. It is a capacity-building programme on Nanosatellite development.
    2. It is an initiative by ISRO to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations conference on the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space (UNISPACE-50).
    3. The programme provides opportunities to the participating developing countries to strengthen in assembling, integrating and testing of Nanosatellite.
    4. UNNATI programme is planned to be conducted for 3 years by U.R. Rao Satellite Centre of ISRO in 3 batches and will target to benefit officials of 45 countries.

    About UNISPACE+50

    1. It is an event marking the 50th year of the first UN Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
    2. It is an initiative of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).
    3. Three such conferences held earlier recognized the potential of space and laid the guidelines for human activities and international cooperation related to outer space.

    11.ISRO successfully launches hyperspectral imaging satellite HysIS

    HysIS

    1. HysIS stands for Hyper Spectral Imaging Satellite.
    2. The objective of the probe is to provide observations within the visible, near-infrared and shortwave infrared bands of the electromagnetic spectrum.
    3. The imaging tools will help the HysIS satellite monitor atmospheric activity and climate change, while also assisting studies of Earth’s magnetic field.
    4. These observations will have a host of applications, prime among which relate to agriculture, forestry, water management, and coastal patterns.
    5. The satellite’s payload also consists of a 730W power backup, and a 64Ah Li-ion battery.
    6. It will continue to make observations until 2023 when the mission ends.
    7. After this launch, the next big event for the Indian space organisation will be its awaited mission to the moon – Chandrayaan-2 – in early 2019.

    12.GROWTH-India telescope’s first science observation

    GROWTH-India Telescope

    1. The GROWTH-India telescope was commissioned six months ago soon after which it saw first light, on the night of June 12.
    2. It is part of a multi-country collaborative initiative – known as the Global Relay of Observatories Watching Transients Happen (GROWTH) – to observe transient events in the universe.
    3. The fully robotic telescope is designed to capture cosmic events occurring over relatively shorter periods of the cosmological timescale: years, days and even hours.
    4. Universities and research institutes from the US, the UK, Japan, India, Germany, Taiwan and Israel are part of the initiative.
    5. Their primary research objective is time-domain astronomy, which entails the study of explosive transients and variable sources (of light and other radiation) in the universe.

    13.ISRO telemedicine nodes for soldiers in high-altitude areas

    Telemedicine Nodes by ISRO

    1. In a major effort to improve emergency medical support to soldiers posted in high-altitude areas, especially Siachen, the Integrated Defence Staff of the Defence Ministry and the ISRO signed an MoU to set up telemedicine nodes in critical places across the country.
    2. ISRO will establish 53 more nodes in the first phase over and above the existing 20, in various establishments of the Army, Navy and Air Force across the country.

    14.Chandrayaan-1 data confirms the presence of ice on Moon: NASA

    NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) is testimony

    1. M3, aboard the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, launched in 2008 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was uniquely equipped to confirm the presence of solid ice on the Moon.
    2. Scientists used data from NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) instrument to identify three specific signatures that definitively prove there is water ice at the surface of the Moon.
    3. It collected data that not only picked up the reflective properties we would expect from ice, but was also able to directly measure the distinctive way its molecules absorb infrared light, so it can differentiate between liquid water or vapour and solid ice.
    4. Most of the new-found water ice lies in the shadows of craters near the poles, where the warmest temperatures never reach above minus 156 degrees Celsius.
    5. Due to the very small tilt of the Moon’s rotation axis, sunlight never reaches these regions.

    15.ISRO set to launch its TV channel

    1. The ISRO is all set for a year-long Vikram Sarabhai centenary celebration starting in August 2019 to honour the visionary scientist and its legendary founding father.
    2. In a few months’ time, it plans to roll out a dedicated ISRO TV channel showcasing space applications, developments and science issues, targeting young viewers and people in remote areas in their language.

    Satellite launches now open to public

    1. As it strengthens its public outreach, ISRO will shortly start allowing the public to watch satellite launches from its Sriharikota launch centre.
    2. Selected students of classes 8 to 10 will be trained at ISRO for a month and taken to various laboratories and centres across the country.

    Vikram Sarabhai- the legend

    1. Sarabhai, the architect of the Indian space programme, the first ISRO chief and renowned cosmic ray scientist, was born on August 12, 1919.
    2. ISRO’s tributes to Sarabhai start with naming the first Indian moon landing spacecraft of the Chandrayaan-2 mission ‘Vikram’.
    3. Sarabhai was only 28 when he sowed the seeds of a space agency around the late 1940s and 1950s.

    16. Upgraded Vikas engine will soon boost ISRO’s rockets

    Adding more thrust

    1. The Vikas engine will improve the payload capability of PSLV, GSLV and GSLV Mk-III launch vehicles.
    2. The space agency has improved the thrust of the Vikas engine that powers all of them.

    Main beneficiary: GSLV Mk III

    1. The main beneficiary of the high-thrust Vikas engine is said to be the heavy-lifting GSLV-Mark III launcher, which ISRO expects will now put 4,000-kg satellites to space.
    2. This would be the third Mk-III and the first working one to be designated Mk III Mission-1 or M1.
    3. The first MkIII of June 2017 started with a 3,200-kg satellite and the second one is being readied for lifting a 3,500-kg spacecraft.
    4. The Vikas engine is used in the second stage of the light lifting PSLV; the second stage and the four add-on stages of the medium-lift GSLV; and the twin-engine core liquid stage of Mk-III.

    17.ISRO’s PRL scientists discover an ‘EPIC’ planet

    India in elite planet-spotting club

    1. A team from the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, has spotted for the first time a distant planet six times bigger than Earth and revolving around a Sun-like star about 600 light-years away.
    2. EPIC 211945201b (or K2-236b) is the name given to the planet by the discovery team. The host star is named EPIC 211945201 or K2-236.
    3. With this discovery, India has joined a handful of countries which have discovered planets around stars,” PRL’s parent ISRO has announced.
    4. The discovery was made using a PRL-designed spectrograph, PARAS, to measure and confirm the mass of the new planet.

    About EPIC

    1. EPIC was found circling very close to the Sun-like star, going around it once in about 19.5 days and unlikely to be inhabitable because of its high surface temperature of around 600°C.
    2. The team found the planet to be smaller in size than Saturn and bigger than Neptune.
    3. Its mass is about 27 times Earth’s and six times that of Earth at the radius.
    4. The scientists estimate that over 60% of its mass could be made up of heavy elements like ice, silicates and iron.

    GSAT-30 spacecraft

    1. India’s telecommunication satellite GSAT-30 was successfully launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) on January 17, 2020, from Kourou launch base, French Guiana by Ariane-5 VA-251.
    2. GSAT-30 is configured on ISRO’s enhanced I-3K Bus structure to provide communication services from Geostationary orbit in C and Ku bands. The satellite derives its heritage from ISRO’s earlier INSAT/GSAT satellite series.
    3. Weighing 3357 kg, GSAT-30 is to serve as a replacement to INSAT-4A spacecraft services with enhanced coverage. The satellite provides Indian mainland and islands coverage in Ku-band and extended coverage in C-band covering Gulf countries, a large number of Asian countries and Australia.
    4. The designed in-orbit operational life of GSAT-30 is more than 15 years.

    Important Submarines in News:

    1. Indian Naval ship Sahyadri reaches Darwin, Australia for exercise KAKADU 2018

    Exercise KAKADU

    1. After having been deployed to the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean for over four months, which included representing Indian Navy in multinational exercises MALABAR 18 at Guam and RIMPAC 18 at Hawaii, INS Sahyadri entered the Port of Darwin, Australia to participate in Exercise KAKADU 2018
    2. Indian Navy’s participation in KAKADU 18 provides an excellent opportunity to engage with regional partners and undertake multinational maritime activities ranging from constabulary operations to high-end maritime warfare in a combined environment
    3. It is aimed at enhancing interoperability and development of common understanding of procedures for maritime operations

    About the exercise

    1. Exercise KAKADU, which started in 1993, is the premier multilateral regional maritime engagement exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and supported by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
    2. The exercise is held biennially in Darwin and the Northern Australian Exercise Areas (NAXA)
    3. Exercise KAKADU derives its name from Kakadu National Park, which is a protected area in the northern territory of Australia, 171 km south-east of Darwin
    4. KAKADU 2018 is the 14th edition of the exercise
    5. During the exercise, professional exchanges in harbour and diverse range of activities at sea, including complex surface, sub-surface and air operations would enable sharing of best practices and honing of operational skills.

    2.Operation NISTAR Successfully Culminates with Safe Disembarkations of 38 Indian Nationals at Porbandar

    Operation NISTAR

    • INS Sunayana successfully evacuated 38 Indian Nationals at/ off Socotra Islands during a swift Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Operation (HADR), code named Operation NISTAR.
    • The Indian Nationals were stranded after severe Cyclonic Storm – Mekunu devastated the area around Socotra Island.
    • INS Sunayana was diverted from Gulf of Aden deployment to Socotra Island for search and rescue operations.

    Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) in India’s National Strategy

    • HADR operations have attracted the attention of the global community in recent years.
    • The Indian armed forces have a wide experience of disaster relief operations both at home and abroad, where they have been the core of relief operations.
    • Due to its sub-continental size, geographical location and its vulnerability to disasters, India has kept its forces ready to render assistance at short notice.
    • In the six decades since independence, India has experienced a number of natural and man-made disasters such as floods, earthquakes, famines, industrial accidents etc.
    • At the same time, India has partnered the global community in providing relief in affected regions.

    3.INS Karanj boosts Navy’s firepower

    Third Scorpene class submarine joins Naval fleet

    1. The Navy’s third state-of-the-art Scorpene class submarine, INS Karanj, has been launched
    2. The new submarine is named after the earlier Kalvari class INS Karanj, which was decommissioned in 2003
    3. This launch follows the launch of the first two Scorpene submarines — INS Kalavari and INS Khanderi.

    4.Indian Navy inducts its first Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle

    • The Indian Navy has inducted its first Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) System at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.

    About DSRV

    1. DSRV is used to rescue crew members stranded in submarines that get disabled. The Indian Navy joins a select group of naval forces in the world that boasts of this niche capability.
    2. The DSRV can be operated at a depth of 650 meters and can hold around 15 people.
    3. The Indian Navy in March 2016 had commissioned two DSRVs, the second will deployed at the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam.
    4. The induction of the DSRV marks the culmination of years of effort of the Indian Navy in acquiring this niche submarine rescue capability.

    Why need DSRV System?

    1. The Indian Navy currently operates submarines of the Sindhughosh, Shishumar, Kalvari Classes as well as nuclear powered submarines.
    2. The operating medium and the nature of operations undertaken by submarines expose them to high degree of inherent risk.
    3. In such an eventuality, traditional methods of search and rescue at sea are ineffective for a disabled submarine.
    4. To overcome this capability gap the Navy has acquired a third generation, advanced Submarine Rescue System considering of a Non-tethered Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) and its associated equipment.

    What makes Indian DSRV special?

    1. The Indian Navy’s DSRV System is considered to be the most advanced system currently in operation globally for its capability of undertaking rescue from a disabled Submarine upto 650 m depth.
    2. It is operated by a crew of three, can rescue 14 personnel from a disabled Submarine at one time and can operate in extreme sea conditions.

    5.Indian Navy’s Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) Capability

    Context

    • The Indian Navy has inducted a Submarine Rescue System with a Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) along with associated equipment.

    Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV)

    1. The Indian DSRV has the capability to rescue personnel from a distressed submarine (DISSUB) up to a depth of 650 m and it is the latest in terms of technology and capabilities.
    2. It has been designed and supplied to meet unique requirements of our submarines by M/s James Fishes Defence, UK.
    3. This System has a Side Scan Sonar for locating the position of the submarine in distress at sea.
    4. It will be providing immediate relief by way of posting Emergency Life Support Containers with the help of Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) for the rescue.
    5. To ensure early mobilization, the System permits rapid transportation of the Rescue System from the base to the exact location of the distressed submarine by transportation using air/land/sea vessels.

    5.INS Tarangini returns after Vogage across the World

    Context

    • The sail training ship of Indian Navy, INS Tarangini based at Kochi, returned after a seven month long sailing across the world.

    Lokayan 18

    1. The Voyage named “Lokayan 18” was flagged off on 10 Apr 18 from Kochi in INS Tarangini.
    2. During the voyage, the ship has proudly ‘shown the flag’ and highlighted the diverse culture of India across 15 ports in 13 countries.
    3. The ship sailed across the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean Sea, Strait of Gibraltar, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, English Channel and North Sea, right up to Norway before commencing her homeward passage back to Kochi.
    4. The ship also participated in the culminating event of the ‘Three Festival Tall Ships Regatta’ at Bordeaux, France.
    5. Over the years, INS Tarangini has been extensively deployed for long voyages away from her base port of Kochi, which includes one circumnavigation of the globe (2003-04) and three previous ‘Lokayans’ (2005, 2007 and 2015).

    About INS Tarangini

    1. INS Tarangini is a three masted ‘square rigged’ barque which carries a total of 20 sails.
    2. She is the First Sail Training Ship in Indian Navy and was commissioned on 11 Nov 1997.
    3. In her 21 years of glorious service, she has sailed over 2,20,000 nautical miles to date across the world’s oceans.
    4. She is the first of two Sail Training Ships in the First Training Squadron, the other being INS Sudarshini.
    5. The primary role of these Sail Training Ships is to develop character and professionalism, as well as inculcate the qualities of initiative, courage, resilience and spirit amongst the Sea Trainees.
    6. The ship also imparts practical training to them, primarily on navigation, sailing and seamanship.

    6.EyeROV TUNA: India’s first Underwater Robotic Drone

    India’s first Underwater Drone

    1. India’s first underwater robotic drone was launched and handed over to the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) of DRDO.
    2. The Remotedly Operated Vehicle (ROV)/underwater drone, named EyeROV TUNA, was developed by EyeROV Technologies, a company incubating at Kalamassery-based Maker Village, Kochi.
    3. NPOL, a laboratory of Delhi-headquartered Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), made the first order of the product.
    4. The drone will be used by NPOL for research and development activities which in turn would result in a commercial product for defense purposes.

    Features of EyeROV TUNA

    1. It can be navigated up to a depth of 50 metres to take real-time HD video images to examine ship hulls or undersea cables or bridge moorings, eliminating the need for costlier and riskier manual inspection by divers.
    2. It weighs less than 10 kilogram and can be used for inspection of ship hulls, ports, dams and nuclear power plants
    3. EyeROV is a light rover which can be easily accessed and controlled with the supporting attached and connected hardware such as laptops and joysticks.
    4. It can be used for inspection of ship hulls, ports, dams and nuclear power plants.

    7.India’s first missile tracking ship is readying for sea trials

    VC 11184

    1. This will be the first of its kind ocean surveillance ship being built as part of the efforts to strengthen the country’s strategic weapons programme.
    2. Its induction will put India in the elite of club of a few countries that have such a sophisticated ocean surveillance ship.
    3. It has the capacity to carry 300-strong crew with hi-tech gadgets and communication equipment, powered by two diesel engines, and a large deck capable of helicopter landing.
    4. The keel of the ship which was laid on June 30, 2014, is being built for the National Technical Research Organisation.
    5. This technical intelligence agency working directly under the supervision of the Prime Minister’s Office and the National Security Adviser.

    Strategic Weapons Programme

    1. Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) is gearing up to undertake sea trials of India’s first missile tracking ship by the first week of October.
    2. Visakhapatnam is considered a strategic location on the East Coast for the Indian defence forces as it is home for Ship Building Centre to build nuclear powered submarine INS Arihant class.

    INS Chakra

    • Nuclear powered submarine under a 10-year lease from Russia since 2012.
    • Negotiations are underway to lease an additional Akula-class attack submarine

    Arihant Class Submarine

    • A class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines being built for the Indian Navy
    • The lead vessel of the class, INS Arihant was launched in 2009
    • Arihant is the first ballistic missile submarine to have been built by a country other than one of the five permanent members of the UNSC
    • The 6,000 tonne vessel was built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project at the Ship Building Centre in the port city of Visakhapatnam
    • INS Arihant is to be the first of the expected five in the class of submarines designed and constructed as a part of the Indian Navy’s secretive Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project

    Project 17 – Shivalik class Frigate

    • The Shivalik class or Project 17 class is a class of multi-role frigates in service with the Indian Navy.
    • They are the first stealth warships built in India – built by Mazagon Dock Limited
    • A total of three ships were built between 2000 and 2010, and all three were in commission by 2012

    Project 15 – Delhi Class destroyers

    • Delhi-class destroyers are guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy
    • Three ships of this class are in active service – INS Delhi, INS Mysore, INS Mumbai
    • The Delhi-class vessels are the third-largest warships to be fully designed and built in India, after the Kolkata-class destroyers and the Shivalik-class frigates

    Project 15A – Kolkata Class Destroyer

    • The Kolkata class (Project 15A) are a class of stealth guided missile destroyers
    • The class comprises three ships – Kolkata, Kochi and Chennai – built by Mazagon Dock Limited
    • The destroyers are a follow-on of the Project 15 Delhi-class destroyers, but are considerably more capable than them

    Project 15B – Visakhapatnam Class Destroyer

    • The Visakhapatnam class (Project 15B) is a class of stealth guided missile destroyers currently being built for the Indian Navy.
    • Based on the Kolkata-class design, the Visakhapatnam class will be an extensively improved version.
    • 1st ship of Project 15B, a Guided Missile Destroyer Visakhapatnam– largest missile destroyer commissioned in India till now
    • Will carry 8 BrahMos missiles
    • Future Ships under this project – Porbandar, Mormugao, Paradip

    Project 17A

    • The Project 17A-class frigate is follow-on of the Project 17 Shivalik-class frigate for the Indian Navy.
    • A future project aimed at building country’s most advanced warships
    • Seven frigates will be built indigenously with stealth features to avoid easy detection by Mazagon Dock and GRSE

    Project 75I

    • 6 Diesel submarines with Air Independent Propulsion System (AIP) technology for Indian Navy by 2022
    • Conventional diesel-electric submarines have to surface every few days to get oxygen to recharge their batteries.
    • With AIP systems, they can stay submerged for much longer periods.
    • Will have both anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare viz. vertical launched BrahMos for the sea & land targets + Tube-launched torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare
    • AIP significantly improves stealth, as it enables a submarine to generate electricity for services and battery charging and propulsion while completely submerged.

    Scorpene submarine to carry AIP

    • A class of diesel-electric submarine jointly developed by the French DCN and the Spanish company Navantia & now by DCNS under Project 75.
    • It features diesel-electric propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP) system.
    • A DRDO-developed critical propulsion system will go into the last two of the six Scorpene submarines, being built under technology transfer at Mazagon Dock, Mumbai.

    Aircraft Carriers –  INS Vikrant

    • Maiden indigenous aircraft carrier in India
    • Largest aircraft carrier after induction
    • Previous aircraft carriers in India – INS Vikramaditya from Russia & INS Viraat from UK
    • Puts India in the elite group of four nations – the US, Russia, the UK and France – in the world capable of designing and constructing aircraft carriers

    INS Alleppey Decommissioned

    • Was one of the six Ponchicherry class coastal minesweepers, designed to detect and destroy underwater mines

  • India’s Push for Semiconductors

    semiconductor

    Central idea

    • The Indian government has given ₹1,645 crore in PLI incentives to electronics manufacturers to bring more of the supply chain to India.
    • There is a growing need for semiconductors as they are used in almost all modern electronics.
    • Many countries are moving away from China’s dominance in the sector due to supply chain vulnerabilities and geopolitical pressures.

    Semiconductor manufacturing in India

    • Invest India agency estimates electronics manufacturing to be worth $300 billion by 2025-26.
    • While finished product facilities have been growing, fabs for chipsets and displays are rarer.
    • Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is set to announce the first semiconductor manufacturing fab soon.
    • Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) suggests India to leverage its strength in the electronics manufacturing value chain.
    • Foundry companies require high investments while OSAT generate better margins.
    • Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) set-ups take care of less capital-intensive parts of chipmaking and run specialized tests.
    • Many chip facilities tend to be captive units of large companies.

    Importance of semiconductor manufacturing

    • Semiconductor fabrication units turn raw elements like silicon into integrated circuits used in practically all electronic hardware.
    • Fabs are highly capital-intensive undertakings costing billions of dollars for large facilities.
    • Fabs require a highly reliable and high-quality supply of water, electricity, and insulation from the elements, reflecting the high degree of precision, cost, and capital needed to make sophisticated circuits.
    • Countries have spotted strategic value in cornering segments of the value chain for fabs.
    • China has pulled ahead of Taiwan last year in terms of global sales from fabs.
    • The US passed the CHIPS Act to provide subsidies and investments to manufacturers opening fabs and making semiconductors in the US.
    • US also pushed some restrictions and sanctions on the Chinese semiconductor industry.

    India’s advantages in semiconductor manufacturing

    • India has an advantage in semiconductor manufacturing as a large portion of semiconductor design engineers globally are either Indian or Indian-origin.
    • Chipmaking firms such as Intel and NVIDIA have large facilities in India that are already flush with Indian talent working on design problems.
    • China is losing control over this advantage in the face of sanctions and an ageing population.
    • Experts believes that without a sustainable pipeline of high calibre talent, China’s goals for the semiconductor sector will not be achievable.

    Various challenges

    • Huge Investments involved: Semiconductor Fabrication facility requires many expensive devices to function. Complex tools and equipment are required to test quality and move silicon from location to location within the ultra-clean confines of the plant.
    • Economy of scale:  In semiconductor fabrication, a high volume of production is required to be maintain so as to meet the increasing demand of the marketplace, at the same time, a strong financial backing as Indian market is very much uncertain about financial fluctuations.
    • Requirement highly skilled labour: Semiconductor fabrication is a multiple-step sequence of photolithographic and chemical processing steps during which electronic circuits are gradually created on a wafer made of pure semiconducting material. This actually requires high skills.
    • Scarcity of raw materials: From a value-chain perspective, it needs silicon, Germanium & Gallium arsenide and Silicon carbide which are not available in India and needs to be imported.
    • Uncertain Indian market: A semiconductor fabrication facility in India cannot independently rely on Indian customers for their entire sales structure. They have to maintain overseas customer base to balance inflections from Indian market due to market trends, government policies etc.
    • Disposal of hazardous waste: Many toxic materials are used in the fabrication process such as arsenic, antimony, and phosphorus. Hazardous impact on the environment by the industry may act as an impediment to India’s commitment to mitigate climate change.

    Policy initiatives in India

    • Make in India:This aims to transform India into a global hub for Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM).
    • PLI scheme:In December 2021 the Centre sanctioned ₹76,000 crore under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme to encourage the manufacturing of various semiconductor goods within India.
    • DLI scheme:It offers financial incentives, design infrastructure support across various stages of development and deployment of semiconductor design for Integrated Circuits (ICs), Chipsets, System on Chips (SoCs), Systems & IP Cores and semiconductor linked design.
    • Digital RISC-V (DIR-V) program: It intends to enable the production of microprocessors in India in the upcoming days achieving industry-grade silicon and design wins by December 2023.
    • India Semiconductor Mission (ISM):The vision is to build a vibrant semiconductor and display design and innovation ecosystem to enable India’s emergence as a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design

    Way forward

    To ensure greater resilience in a volatile world, India needs to undertake the following measures to sustain the domestic and global semiconductor demand:

    • Policy framework: As foundry setup is highly Capital intensive, it must be supported with a solid long term plan and financial backing. This backing is required from the entrepreneur & the government both.
    • Fiscal sustenance: In text of Indian Government as tax holiday, subsidy, zero duty, financial investment etc. will play an important role in promoting the Fab along with the semiconductor industry in India; this will put further pressure on already large Fiscal Deficit.
    • Support Infrastructure: World class, sustainable infrastructure, as required by a modern Fab be provided, with swift transportation, large quantity of pure water, uninterrupted electricity, communication, pollutant free environment etc.

    Conclusion

    • India’s electronic manufacturing incentive programs are geared towards breaking new ground in ambitious plans connected to popular brands such as Apple.
    • The Indian government is working to create an ecosystem that will facilitate sustainable growth and fiscal feasibility in the semiconductor industry.
    • The electronics value chain must be an international undertaking among like-minded nations with common values to be effective.

     

  • India’s disputed Compensatory Afforestation (CAMPA) Policy at odds with new IPCC report

     

    Central idea

    • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Synthesis Report, where the IPCC notes the significance of preserving natural ecosystems to mitigate climate change.
    • The report has raised concerns about the ongoing policy of afforestation in India that allows forests to be cut down and replaced elsewhere.

    Afforestation in India

    • Afforestation has become an increasingly contested policy in India.
    • The government has pledged to add “an additional (cumulative) carbon sink of 2.5-3 GtCO2e through additional forest and tree cover by 2030”.

    Why is CAMPA invoked in the IPCC report?

    • India’s Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) has been accused of facilitating the destruction of natural ecosystems in exchange for forests to be set up elsewhere.

    What is CAMPA?

    • CAMPA is a body established by the Indian government in 2002 on the orders of the Supreme Court.
    • The purpose of CAMPA is to promote afforestation and regeneration activities as a way of compensating for forest land that has been diverted to non-forest uses, such as for dams, mines, and other development projects.
    • The Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980 requires project proponents to identify land elsewhere for afforestation and pay for the afforestation exercise.
    • The money paid by project proponents is deposited in a fund overseen by CAMPA.

    Controversies surrounding CAMPA

    • Unutilised fund: The money paid to CAMPA sits in a fund, but most of the fund remained unspent until 2013, leading to criticism of facilitating the destruction of natural ecosystems. In 2006-2012, the fund grew from Rs 1,200 crore to Rs 23,600 crore.
    • Threatening endangered landscape: CAMPA also came under fire for funding projects that endangered landscape connectivity and biodiversity corridors.
    • Unsustainability of artificial plantation: CAMPA has been accused for planting non-native species or artificial plantations that don’t compensate for the ecosystem loss.

    Why is forestation under CAMPA unsustainable?

    • Natural ecosystems sequester more carbon: This report highlights the importance of preserving natural ecosystems and reducing the conversion of natural ecosystems to mitigate climate change.
    • Renewable energy installation is more sustainable: The IPCC report also found that solar power has more mitigating potential than reducing the conversion of natural ecosystems, and wind power was the third highest.

    Conclusion

    • Preserving natural ecosystems should be recognized as an essential means to mitigate climate change, and environment impact assessments should include climate costs.
    • Policies such as afforestation, ecosystem restoration, and renewable energy must be carefully evaluated to reduce the impact of the climate crisis.

     

  • Disqualification of a MP over Criminal Charges

    disqualification

    Central idea: A politician has been sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in a 2019 defamation case filed against him for his remarks about the surname of a community. This conviction could lead to his disqualification.

    Disqualification of a Lawmaker

    Disqualification of a lawmaker is prescribed in three situations-

    1. Constitutional provisions: First is through Articles 102(1) and 191(1) for disqualification of a member of Parliament and a member of the Legislative Assembly respectively. The grounds here include holding an office of profit, being of unsound mind or insolvent or not having valid citizenship.
    2. Defection: It is in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides for the disqualification of the members on grounds of defection.
    3. Representation of The People Act (RPA), 1951: It provides for disqualification for conviction in criminal cases.

    Disqualification under RPA, 1951

    • It provides for disqualification for conviction in criminal cases.
    • Section 8 of the RPA deals with disqualification for conviction of offences.
    • The provision is aimed at “preventing the criminalisation of politics” and keeping ‘tainted’ lawmakers from contesting elections.

    Section 8(3) states: “A person convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years shall be disqualified from the date of such conviction and shall continue to be disqualified for a further period of six years since his release.”

    Appeal and stay of disqualification

    • The disqualification can be reversed if a higher court grants a stay on the conviction or decides the appeal in favour of the convicted lawmaker.
    • In a 2018 decision in ‘Lok Prahari v Union of India’, the Supreme Court clarified that the disqualification “will not operate from the date of the stay of conviction by the appellate court.”
    • This means that Gandhi’s first appeal would be before the Surat Sessions Court and then before the Gujarat High Court.

    Changes in the Law

    • Under the RPA, Section 8(4) stated that the disqualification takes effect only “after three months have elapsed” from the date of conviction.
    • Within that period, lawmakers could file an appeal against the sentence before the High Court.
    • However, in the landmark 2013 ruling in ‘Lily Thomas v Union of India’, the Supreme Court struck down Section 8(4) of the RPA as unconstitutional.

    Lily Thomas Verdict

    • The Lily Thomas verdict was a landmark judgment delivered by the Supreme Court of India in 2013.
    • The verdict struck down a provision in the Representation of the People Act (RPA), which allowed convicted lawmakers to continue in office if they filed an appeal within three months of their conviction.
    • The provision, which was part of Section 8(4) of the RPA, had been criticized for allowing convicted politicians to continue to hold public office while their appeals were pending in higher courts, and for contributing to the criminalization of politics in India.The verdict was seen as a major step towards cleaning up Indian politics and ensuring that convicted criminals do not get to occupy public offices.

     

     

  • What does ‘Guillotine’ refer to in legislative parlance?

    Central idea: Amidst the ongoing stalemate in Parliament, some MPs said the government may guillotine the demands for grants and pass the Finance Bill without any discussion in the Lok Sabha.

    What is a Guillotine?

    • A guillotine is an apparatus designed for efficiently carrying out executions by beheading.
    • It consists of a large, weighted blade that is raised to the top of a tall, erect frame and released to fall on the neck of a condemned person secured at the bottom of the frame, executing them in a single, clean pass.
    • The origin of the exact device as well as the term can be found in France.
    • The design of the guillotine was intended to make capital punishment more reliable and less painful in accordance with new Enlightenment ideas of human rights.

    Guillotine Motion in Parliament

    • In legislative parlance, to “guillotine” means to bunch together and fast-track the passage of financial business.
    • It is a fairly common procedural exercise in Lok Sabha during the Budget Session.
    • After the Budget is presented, Parliament goes into recess for about three weeks, during which time the House Standing Committees examine Demands for Grants for various Ministries, and prepare reports.
    • After Parliament reassembles, the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) draws up a schedule for discussions on the Demands for Grants.
    • Given the limitation of time, the House cannot take up the expenditure demands of all Ministries; therefore, the BAC identifies some important Ministries for discussion.
    • It usually lists Demands for Grants of the Ministries of Home, Defence, External Affairs, Agriculture, Rural Development and Human Resource Development.

    Why use such a motion?

    • Members utilise the opportunity to discuss the policies and working of Ministries.
    • Once the House is done with these debates, the Speaker applies the “guillotine”, and all outstanding demands for grants are put to vote at once.
    • This usually happens on the last day earmarked for the discussion on the Budget.
    • The intention is to ensure the timely passage of the Finance Bill, marking the completion of the legislative exercise with regard to the Budget.

     

  • 23rd Mar 23 | Nikaalo Prelims- Mini Test 15 (Pollutants, Important Keywords in Environment)

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