Brief of newspaper articles for the day bearing
relevance to Civil Services preparation
- GS PAPER 2
- ‘Yoga medals’ proposed for paramilitary troops {Governance – Paper II}
- A case for cutting out the censor {Polity – Paper II}
- The race to the 38th floor {International Institutions – Paper II}
- GS PAPER 3
- Army to involve industry in its long-term plans {security – Paper III}
- State-owned banks widen reach quicker than private lenders {Economy – Paper III}
- Exim Bank’s African credit to boost services exports {Economy – Paper III}
- A Wider Battle {Governance – Paper III}
- Payments banks: How many more will call it quits? {Economy – Paper III}
GS PAPER 2
[1]‘Yoga medals’ proposed for paramilitary troops
Context
- Government of India has planned to give Yoga medals to Central Paramilitary troops for displaying exceptional skills in Yoga.
- It has also planned to re-employ the retired paramilitary personnels as Master Yoga trainers. This will create a big resource pool of yoga teachers.
Award of Medals
- A committee under CRPF has been formed which would suggest the process for awarding yoga medals to the paramilitary personnel who have excelled in performing various asanas and having a very good record of being a yoga teacher.
- Each central paramilitary force (CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, BSF) will identify persons from their own force for these medals.
- All the personnel selected for the medal will also show their yoga skills on International Yoga Day (June 21st).
- Also an option would be given to the retiring paramilitary personnels to become Master Yoga trainers post their retirement.
Other Initiatives
The paramilitary forces will also prepare an e-book that will include the activities which they undertake for promotion of Yoga on a regular basis and also those initiatives which they take up on International Yoga Day
Conclusion
These yoga medals are a very good initiative not only for bringing yoga into the limelight but also for rewarding those who have been taking steps to diligently promote it regularly. This initiative would also help expand the resource base of yoga trainers which is the need of the hour.
[2] A case for cutting out the censor
Context
- Central Board of film certification has off late become a body which is enforcing moral policing on films.
- It has been suggesting cuts and restrictions in films which are far from being reasonable. Recently, it decision to do the same with a film Udta Punjab which aims to showcase the drug menace of Punjab has sparked off a debate on its role.
What has happened?
- Pahlaj Nihalani, the chairperson of Central Board of Film certification (CBFC) has has ordered numerous cuts in the film Udta Punjab which range from removing all references to the state to the removing of words like MP, MLAs etc. among other.
- The reasoning given is that the film defames Punjab . Not only is the reasoning absolutely absurd but it also points at this decisions possible relation with upcoming Punjab legislative assembly elections.
Legal rights with CBFC and their misuse
- CBFC is a statutory body under Cinematograph Act 1952. This act empowers the CBFC with pre-censorship i.e before releasing a film for mass viewing, it must be given a clean chit by CBFC (also interchangeably referred to as the Censor Board).
- The board makes sure that the film content does not fall under the “reasonable restrictions imposed upon freedom of speech” under Article 19(2) of the constitution.But since these reasonable restrictions are ambiguously worded (public order, decency, morality etc.), this gives CBFC leeway to exercise arbitrary jurisdiction to impose cuts and restrictions.
- Even the govt guidelines to CBFC on what restrictions and cuts to impose have been changing time to time which results in arbitrary censorship of the films.
It has been a long fight
- Film makers have been since long fighting with this pre censorship by CBFC. A rational argument to end this has been that there is no pre-censorship on other modes of communications (e.g. print media). Also, not only do films face such censorship but also the guidelines for it are vague and arbitrary.
- Film makers in past have gone to the courts as well but unfortunately, the courts have upheld the cinematograph act ignoring its vagueness and misuse.
What should be done?
- The time has come that the govt must realize that it is the citizens who as autonomous entities must decide what to watch and what not to watch.
- The idea of govt acting as a moral keeper of the society when it comes to films should be shunned. No only is this a mockery of the rights of the citizens of the country but it also gives the message to the whole world that Indian citizens are not mature enough to make their own decisions in things as simple as watching a film.
- Courts must take note of this dictatorship happening at the CBFC and must make sure that it rectifies its erroneous judgement of upholding the cinematographer act as is.
[3] The race to the 38th floor
Issue:
- Women Empowerment.
- Recent appointments to top posts of the world are showing signs of women empowerment.
- Like In 2014, Michaëlle Jean became the first woman Secretary-General of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie.
- Recently, a woman became Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, and another the Secretary-General of FIFA.
- Hillary Clinton could be the first woman President of the U.S.
- Five women are contesting for Secretary-General’s position in the United Nations.
In December last year, position was calling for nominations. Mainly women to represent most vulnerable section of the society. But it was open to all.
Process of election:
- Secretive process arranged by the 5 permanent members.
Who are those permanent members?
- U.K.
- U.S.
- Russia
- China
- France
But many urged this time to encourage women candidates and an open fight and more public scrutiny than before.
Female Candidates so far:
- Irina Bokova, the Bulgarian Director-General of UNESCO
- Helen Clark, New Zealand’s former Prime Minister and Administrator of the UNDP
- Natalia Gherman, former Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova
- Susana Malcorra, Foreign Minister of Argentina
- Vesna Pusic, a former Croatian Foreign Minister.
Candidates will surely increase.
India would prefer the Secretary-General to be someone:
- With whom it can work with closely to help its aspirations to become central in relevance to the future of the world.
GS PAPER 3
[1] Army to involve industry in its long-term plans
Context
- Indian Army is going planning to have an in-house weapon design and procurement bureau. It would be called as Army Design Bureau (ADB).
- This would be on the lines of already existing Navy design bureau which has indigenously (in the past many years) come up with various indigenous warship designs.
Analysis
This Army design bureau will include academia and industries to develop indigenous knowhow about weapons.ADB is in the final stages of approval.
- Such a bureau is definitely needed as Army’s equipment modernisation has been seeing a dip in the past few years.
- In fact interactions with academia and industries have already started across the country with teams already working on some prototypes in IIT Mumbai and Kharagpur.
ADB no doubt is a welcome step but it needs to be clarified how it would work when the Defence procurement procedure (DPP) which covers all the defence procurements is already in place.
Priority Areas
- Some high priority areas which the army is aiming for using ADB are small arms, smart munitions, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and communication and electronic warfare system.
Conclusion
- ADB is not only a step forward towards modernising the equipments but is also an acceptance to the “Make in India” program of the govt. It reflects how army is opening more to collaborating with industries to make the program of Make in India work.
[2] State-owned banks widen reach quicker than private lenders
Context
- Recent data by the RBI shows that the presence of public sector banks has increased much quickly as compared to the private banks.
Parameters of Comparison
RBI has made a comparison between public sector and private sector banks on various parameters:
- ATMs
- Point of Sale devices
- Credit and Debit cards outstandings and the value of transactions done via these cards.
Comparison of ATM
- ATMs by Public sector banks comprise 72% of the total ATMs in the country.
- Also, since March 2012 to the present day, PSBs have added more than 80,000 ATMs countrywide. However, private banks have added only around 25,000 ATMs during the same period.
One might argue that the increase in number of ATMs of PSBs is due to the rural financial inclusion program made mandatory by the govt. But to counter this , the data reveals that even in urban, semi-urban and metro areas , the share of ATMs of PSB is much larger that private sector banks.
Comparison of Point of Sale (PoS) devices
- Even in terms of PoS devices, the public sector banks have added close to 4 lakh devices since March 2o12 compared to nearly 3 lakh devices by private sector banks.
Comparison with respect to Credit Cards
- In terms of issuance of credit cards and the share in credit card transactions, private sector banks have outshined the public sector banks. Since March, 2o12 the share of private sector banks in the issuance of credit cards has increased to 60% of the total credit cards.
- Even in case of credit card transactions, private sector banks command a share of 55% of the total transactions.
Comparison with respect to Debit Cards
- In the debit cards domain, public sector banks take a huge lead. 77% of the total debit cards are issued by PSBs since March 2o12.
[3] Exim Bank’s African credit to boost services exports
Context
- Exim bank is planning to give $10 billion to Africa in the next three years at both commercial and concessional rates. It is disbursing this loan so that it can be used for boosting India’s service exports to Africa.
A change in strategy
- Earlier Exim bank was disbursing loans to Africa mainly to help the building of infrastructural and industrial projects there.
- However, since now China is doing the same and that too with much more financial resources and capability, Exim bank changed its strategy so as to play on India’s strength in services (healthcare, IT, education etc.) and to increase the services exports from India to Africa.
This change in strategy is a because the government has allowed a greater say to Exim Bank in deciding India’s interests while promoting economic diplomacy
Other initiatives
- President Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate Exim Bank’s new office in Cote d’Ivoire on his visit to Africa.This office will service West Africa. Exim Bank already has an office in Addis Ababa for servicing central and eastern Africa and another office in Johannesburg to cater South Africa.
- Exim Bank has also set up a Kukuza Project Development Company (KPDC) in Nairobi. This is done in collaboration with IL&FS group, African Development Bank and State Bank of India for development of infrastructure project. KPDC would be kick started before PM Modi visits Africa.
- Exim Bank has also disbursed $300 million for setting up electric transmission lines along West Africa.
[4] A Wider Battle
Context
- NFHS-4 data reveals a significant decline in child malnutrition in India since the last decade. The data however, is still only from 13 states and 2 UTs. When fully available, a more comprehensive picture will be available.
Revelations from NFHS-4 data
- Childhood stunting which represents chronic malnutrition has seen a decline in almost all the states.
- However, there is still a wide disparity between the states themselves. We can take examples of Telangana and Tamil Nadu where around 28% of the children have low height corresponding to their age while the corresponding figure for Bihar stands at 48%.
- Also the decline in stunting in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh is lower in comparison to the other states.
Is the improvement in malnutrition only because of higher economic growth?
- During the period between NFHS-2 and NFHS-3 also there was high economic growth but hardly any significant improvement in malnutrition.So it can not be said that higher growth has lead to lower malnutrition.
- Also countries like Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal have lower per capita income than India and lower levels of stunting as well.
- If we take up the case of India only. Here also the states with lower state domestic product (Tripura) have lower stunting than states with higher per capita state domestic product (Haryana)
Hence, there are many factors such as food availability and quality, status of women in the domestic sphere and society, access to health services, open defecation etc. which have high correlation with malnutrition and it is not only economic growth which is responsible for this turnaround.
Conclusion
- It is imperative for the govt to sustain this trend of lower malnutrition and this can be done by implementing programs which aim at overall development of women and children rather than just the ones which focus on an increasing GDP.
[5] Payments banks: How many more will call it quits?
Context
- Payment Bank licences are being surrendered. 3 out of 11 applicants who got the licenses have surrendered them.
What could be the reasons for surrendering the licences?
- Let us first see what payment banks can do and what they can’t do
Can do
- Accept deposits upto Rs 1 Lakh.
- Provide remittance services and distribute third party financial products.
- Issue debit cards and internet banking services
Can’t do
- Issue loans
- Issue credit cards
So, having this model in mind many companies were of the opinion that they would make money by acting as business correspondent agents and collecting money on behalf of other banks charging a fee but many found it infeasible in the longer run.
There are many other issues like:
- They can not take deposit above 1 lakh per day at the end of the day. So how can they create trust and confidence among prospective customers. This will create it as a secondary account not primary because they have to transfer all excess money to other account at the end of the day.
- Some high net-worth individuals and even most salaried account holders will not create another secondary account as they are getting all facility being a valued customer to the primary account bank.
- Payments services requirement is not that much frequent which can justify this model as all the banks are giving these facilities.
Conclusion:
- Promoting a non-cash economy is a great idea but the current system does not incentivise the system.
- Now that RBI has done with its role, the government would need to step in by giving tax incentives to merchants for encouraging card-based payments. It means additional tax on the merchants for cash transactions can do the job.
- Creating a comprehensive infrastructure to bring all P2P transactions under non-cash transactions can also help.
Leave a Reply