Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

• Our new digital rules must ensure online child safety
• India @75, Looking at 100: Accessibility is for everyone
• A judgement that upholds the Constitution
• The future of India’s civil society organizations
• A message for the planners in dealing with the Dragon
• IITs need to make science empathetic and inclusive
• Tweak The Tech – MNREGA’s process change to reduce corruption is hurting those who need jobs. GoI must have a relook
• Express View: A campus that is safe and free

GS Paper 3

• Two Apples Of Our Eye – Manufacturing vs services is a false binary for India. We need both. But why we need them is not properly understood

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

• India Ransomware Report 2022
• Union Minister of Tribal Affairs launches Marketing and Logistics Development for Promotion of Tribal Products from North Eastern Region (PTP-NER)
• Scientists probe characteristics of a form of plasma wave identified in the Indian Antarctic station, Maitri
• India, Russia agree to deepen trade and economic relations
• Women’s reservation in local body polls: Nagaland’s municipal tightrope
• SC hearing pleas on same sex couples’ right to marry: What is civil union, how is it different from marriage
• Plant ‘cries’: Recalling Jagadish Chandra Bose
• Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission launches National Campaign “Sangathan se Samriddhi” to mobilize 10 Crore Rural Women into Self Help Groups
• Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 notified by Central Government

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

Our new digital rules must ensure online child safety

News: The article discusses the threats associated with the use of the internet to children and measures needed to address those.

How are children vulnerable to the internet?

Over the last few years and especially post-pandemic, access to the internet for children has increased for education, learning, and entertainment.

Due to which, online sexual abuse of children has increased by 400 times. 

Therefore, the government is trying to revamp India’s Information Technology Act, 2000 and provide safe harbour to child safety.

Why is a safe harbour important for child safety?

Safe harbour ensures that users can benefit from an open, free and safe internet, and protects people from the dangers of mass censorship by intermediaries.

The current IT Act provides safe harbour protection to online intermediaries whereby platforms are liable to take down user-generated content on receiving ‘actual knowledge’ of its illegality through a court or government order.

Therefore, increasing the accountability of online intermediaries is important.

However, overarching restrictions on civil rights and dilution of safe harbour can impact user safety, as seen in the case of SESTA-FOSTA legislations of the US.

Five years after its enactment, numerous reports came up suggesting that these laws had endangered the lives of sex workers. It made it difficult to gather evidence to investigate and prosecute traffickers.

Therefore, the IT Act should be amended in such a way that it serves the purpose.

What changes can be made to the IT Act 2000?

Adopting Tech-Based Solutions: The new IT Act must focus on expanding affirmative technology-based solutions to tackle child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and establish community hotlines for swift remedial measures. The Supreme Court of India also recommended these measures in the Prajwala case of 2018.

Moreover, public-private partnerships to incentivize the growth of privacy-enabling technologies must be encouraged.

Tech companies must use cutting-edge technologies, adopt global best practices such as end-to-end encryption and build new ways to identify and take action against perpetrators.

Greater responsibility sharing and capacity enhancement: The new law should focus on deploying streamlined grievance redressal processes that intermediaries must adopt to efficiently respond to online harm.

A process should be adopted for grading grievances according to the degree of harm and those related to CSAM proliferation should be addressed on an immediate basis.

Intermediaries should also make their terms of service easily comprehensible for children and create easily accessible mechanisms for them to lodge complaints.

Furthermore, improving law enforcement authorities’ capacity to conduct efficient investigations and prompt prosecutions.

Sensitization and collaboration: Children should be included as equal participants in the fight against online child abuse. For instance, the Australian government is instituting a Youth Advisory Council, which will provide the administration feedback on online safety issues and measures to counter cyber-harm.

Many countries are also making efforts through their engagement of school systems to raise public awareness on the issue. It could be helpful to adapt such practices to Indian educational systems as well.

India @75, Looking at 100: Accessibility is for everyone

News: The article discusses issues of accessibility with the disadvantaged group and measures needed to address those.

What is accessibility and why is it needed?

Accessibility is a fundamental human right, but it’s often overlooked in our daily lives. Therefore, there is a need to see beyond physical differences and treat everyone with empathy and respect.

This includes learning how to interact with people with reduced mobility and understanding their needs. For instance, not misusing parking or sitting areas or using toilets designated for people with reduced mobility.

There is also a need to prioritize accessibility to the needy such as wheelchair users, pregnant women, or children, and help make public spaces more accessible for all.

When people have the freedom to choose how they want to live their lives, they become more productive and contribute more to society and the economy.

What are some of the concerns with accessibility in India?

The proportion of elderly (over 60 years old) people in India is expected to increase from 8.6 per cent in 2011 to 12.5 per cent by 2030 and almost 20 per cent by 2050. 

Currently, due to inadequate infrastructure, elderly individuals who expect to enjoy their lifelong savings are unable to do so. They are unable to enjoy themselves due to unexpected challenges like temporary injuries, etc.

However, as India turns 100 in 2047, it could proactively address accessibility issues.

How can India address the accessibility issues by 2047?

Making India accessible by 2047 for everyone requires collective effort.

India should prioritise accessibility in its infrastructure development, transport and policies. This will provide equal opportunities for all and ensure full participation in society.

India is the world’s largest democracy, and it has a unique opportunity to lead the world in making accessibility a fundamental human right and position itself to become a superpower.

A judgement that upholds the Constitution

Context- The Supreme Court (SC) judgement in the Media One case requires a political reading and not merely a legal one.

What is the importance of the judgement?

It is a landmark judgement on the freedom of expression. It endorses the citizen’s right to question the state by distinguishing the government from the nation.

What are recent criticisms against SC?

It has postponed hearings on important cases such as electoral bonds and the dilution of Article 370. It has also upheld the draconian provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

SC has taken a stand against constitutionally guaranteed freedoms. It stayed the Bombay High Court order that directed the release of physically challenged activist G.N. Saibaba.

How is SC going for course correction?

In Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India, SC took away the power of appointment of Election Commissioners from the sole domain of the executive. It directed the constitution of a committee to select them.

Media One judgment has underlined the institutional capacity of the court to uphold the rights in troubled political times.

How is the media one judgement different from other judgements that uphold the important constitutional principles?

In the Bommai case, it holds that federalism and secularism are the basic features of the Constitution. However, it failed to address the real issue of dissolution of a few State governments, as elections were held in those States subsequently.

In the Puttaswamy case, the Supreme Court only provided details of the idea of privacy and related concepts at a doctrinal level. It did not go for a direct and immediate encounter with the executive.

On the other hand, in the Media One case, the court directly confronted the Centre.

It directed it to renew the licence of the media house. It considered all the major doctrinal issues such as the right to fair hearing, proportionality standard and public interest claims and issued directives to the Centre in concrete terms.

What are the challenges faced by the judiciary across the world?

Populist autocracies try to crush the judiciary with their majoritarian impulse.

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to interfere with the independence of the judiciary.

In Bolivia, judges have been arbitrarily dismissed in the last few years.

Poland lowered the retirement age of judges. The regime sent out older judges and inducted new persons who are loyalists of the government.

The executive in India delays making judicial appointments as suggested by the collegium. There is sometimes even public criticism of the judiciary by the executive in India.

How has the Supreme Court balanced its judgments?

It shows the judiciary’s effort to resist majoritarian overtones. However, it has also distanced itself from the role that the Opposition is supposed to play.

It is because the task before the court is not to uphold the Opposition’s politics, even when it might be legitimate.

Therefore, recently, the apex court rightly dismissed a plea by Opposition parties, which alleged arbitrary use of central probe agencies against them. The grievance is genuine. But the issue needed a political solution, not an adjudicatory resolution.

This is how the court’s constitutional duties vary from the Opposition’s politics. It cannot pose a political check, which can only happen by way of mass movements or electoral decisions.

The future of India’s civil society organizations

News– The article deals with changing landscape of civil society in India.

What are the challenges faced by civil society in current times?

CSOs lobbying for greater constitutional and civic freedoms are facing many challenges.

The access of funds to CSOs has been restricted by cancelling Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act clearances, revoking licenses, imposing retrospective taxes, and pressuring private companies and philanthropists to redirect funding.

Civil society is being vilified as disruptive to India’s development trajectory — and therefore anti-national.

Some specific CSOs are the primary recipient of government patronage and also the principal beneficiary of Corporate Social Responsibility funds.

What are the issues with the working of CSOs?

Instead of reorientation of their operational methodologies, CSOs still follow outdated tactics whose overall utility is fast diminishing. For example, sanctioned protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Town Hall in Bengaluru or Azad Maidan are not useful in the present scenario.

Similarly, articles, speeches at think tanks/conferences, and petitions/open letters do not shame governments into any substantive course correction.

Even lobbying legislators to raise issues is ineffective as it has become easy to hinder or ignore Parliamentary functions.

Progressive CSOs fail to blend socio-cultural values with welfare/constructive work or calls to protect constitutional values. They are unable to reshape hearts and minds, and guide mass consciousness.

Vast sections of society have been radicalized. This is a major shortcoming of progressive civil society.

Evidence from various States suggests that local communities secure benefits from progressive CSOs, but ideologically align with the ruling government. This dichotomy has resulted in psychological fatigue among key activists.

What are the options for civil society?

CSOs need some financial sustenance because of financial constraints. Without sustained support, CSOs cannot mould public discourse.

Young activists could be inducted into political parties, either within the party organisation or in an aligned body. This could create an institutionalised moral force within the parties. This would afford parties a layered systemic approach to thorny issues.

Currently, many parties consciously avoid direct exposure to difficult issues that could adversely impact them electorally. This includes communal disturbances, atrocities against Dalits and women, and advocating for Adivasi rights or civic and political freedoms.

If an aligned civil society organisation took up such issues, it would ensure that a party remains connected to genuine community problems. There is a precedent to this, when the Congress Movement complemented the Congress system.

What is the way forward for CSOs?

CSOs will need to urgently collaborate with other progressive stakeholders. They will need to shed their studied aversion to each other and political parties.

We need to find structural solutions to structural problems. This is our historic responsibility.

Private philanthropies and companies need to realise that they are the only lifeline for progressive CSOs today. It is infinitely easier to support organisations that work on ‘soft’ issues that may not invite the wrath of the powers. But inaction today will directly contribute to the extinction of civil society.

Conscientious Indians must find the courage to work together and silently devise new methods of collaboration.

A message for the planners in dealing with the Dragon

News– Recently, China remanded 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh. There was also denial of visas to some Indian media personnel who the Chinese consider to be ‘unhelpful’ in their reporting.

Why does China need to be taken seriously?

Some experts consider China’s President Xi Jinping as less of a Sun Tzu follower. He is close to Mao who believes in power flowing through the barrel of a gun.

Some experts argue that Xi Jinping should be taken seriously when he says that he is preparing China for war.

He has called for working together, dare to fight, break out of dependence on foreign technologies and rally behind the People’s Liberation Army to make China great again.

There have been border talks with China and post-talks statement of ‘working together to maintain peace’. Such long drawn out negotiations appear to be purely tactical positions. But it needs to be viewed through a strategic prism.

What are the issues with the capability of the Indian armed forces?

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, in its March 2023 report has shown the shortcomings in defence hardware and equipments with Indian armed forces

The committee has commented adversely on the slow production rate of the Tejas fighter by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. It noted that the IAF’s urgent need to make up its dwindling squadron numbers through the 114 Multi Role Fighter Aircraft project.

Similar observations have been made for hardware procurement for the Indian Army. The committee has acknowledged that funds are scarce. It has recommended that allocation for defence should be 3% of GDP to maintain India’s deterrent posture.

The ongoing one-year-plus Russia-Ukraine conflict has shown that power is not just about possessing capability but also about the capacity-to-last-the-distance too. India’s acquisition plans must be oriented accordingly.

IITs need to make science empathetic and inclusive

News– The IITs are in the news again for a spate of suicides.

What are the reasons for differences across various social groups at IITs?

There exists a gap in capabilities. For JEE Advanced 2022, the cut-off for admission for general category candidates was much higher compared to SC candidates. The median score of eligible SC candidates was very low.

There are many cultural reasons and some material ones. The Census 2011 data for Maharashtra tells us that 76% of the general population had had latrines at home in comparison to 57% of SC families. The fraction of SC households with a scooter was 14% while that for the general category it was 24%

This inequality persists in other basic amenities as well. Thus, reaching school or college or even finding time for it is harder for SC students.

But this inequality is not only about social class. There are inequities in the access to water too.

What is the best approach to learning at academic institutions?

The material inequality in society should be intensely studied by universities. Students of all disciplines should conduct field and community studies to understand its causes and provide insights.

Engineers can design robust solutions and social scientists would ensure that these indeed work.

Professors would transmit this knowledge to government agencies and companies so that this inequality reduces.

For students, such interdisciplinary field work will bring a shared experience of the realities of their society. They will engage in an open and honest discussion about its problems.

This will help students to develop mutual respect, empathy and a collective understanding of how the state and the market work. Such a constructive engagement by the university can make higher education empathetic.

Diversity is important in this scheme. Only a diverse student and faculty body will be able to uncover facts and design more effective and sustainable solutions. More equitable societies will produce better professionals and citizens and a diverse set of role models.

How will this approach be helpful for IITs?

The above approach can easily bring change for the IITs. Faculty members can work with district administrations to address these issues and involve both IIT and local college students.

This will prepare an ecosystem of higher education that satisfies its institutional as well as cultural roles.

For the IITs, such an approach will certainly improve the social environment within the student body. It will reduce competitive stress and increase collaboration and teamwork.

Students will also appreciate the great diversity of backgrounds and understand the adversities many among them have had to face. It will show them that for most real-life problems, unlike the JEE.

It will inculcate in them the true spirit of science of empathy, exploration and teamwork —where the laboratory is the wide world outside.

What are other issues with academic institutions in India?

The socio-economic problems require the sustained engagement of the smartest people and the most innovative companies and enterprises. Elite institutions have failed to convert our problems into opportunities and solutions.

That has resulted in a shortage of jobs and the lottery of competitive exams. The IITs now are merely the marketplace for the few good jobs.

What is the way forward for more inclusive learning in higher educational institutions?

It is also time for the students from IIT to reject this market-based approach.

Sustainability is now the core concern of state agencies and national and international companies. They need a science which is free, a science which probes and explores all issues of knowledge and society.

There is a need for training in this science of empathy and diversity. Indian science needs to become more democratic. Then universities will become more empathetic and society more equal and prosperous.

Tweak The Tech – MNREGA’s process change to reduce corruption is hurting those who need jobs. GoI must have a relook

News: The app-based attendance and Aadhaar-enabled payments were introduced in MGNREGA. But these process ‘improvements’ in MGNREGA have hampered the interface for the poor and deterred people from seeking work.

About the process ‘improvements’ in MGNREGA

Last year, the government introduced a national mobile monitoring software. The software can record attendance in real-time, with geotags and photographs. The move was intended to minimise corruption and provide oversight. But, the software has also made the MGNREGA work inaccessible to many poor households.

How do process ‘improvements’ in MGNREGA hamper access to the poor?

a) wage payments are delayed, b) only 43% of MNREGA workers qualified for the new Aadhaar-based payment system. This is because they have not been able to fill in their details, c) workers losing wages because of errors in the attendance system, d) worksite supervisors having to buy smartphones to use the app, d) connectivity and app errors are also associated with the system.

What should be done?

Digitisation has been one of India’s success stories. But, when it comes to using tech in public services proper alternatives should be provided.

Express View: A campus that is safe and free

News: Recently, the University of Delhi has issued a 17-point advisory to be implemented by colleges and departments when organising festivals and other events. These include mandatory NOC from the police, concertina wires on boundary walls. CCTVs at all gates, etc. The advisory has come in the wake of alleged security lapses in a college event.

What is the rationale behind DU’s advisory?

Security lapses have occurred in colleges in the past. Apart from the recent instance, three women’s campuses have also faced security lapses in recent times. Hence, there is a need for greater safety of students. This makes it more necessary for authorities to issue this advisory.

What are the concerns associated with DU’s advisory?

a) Cameras in classrooms and police permission to organise routine events encroach on the privacy of students, b) Enable censuring of students and hamper students exploring new ways of being, c) Hampers study and socialisation of students in an enabling environment.

What should be done?

The need for greater safety should not be achieved at the cost of students’ freedom. Securitisation and surveillance in the name of students’ safety should be tolerated. The college should talk to the students, sensitise them to the challenges and support them in critical times. It is the only way to ensure that security does not mean having to step back from freedom.

GS Paper 3

Two Apples Of Our Eye – Manufacturing vs services is a false binary for India. We need both. But why we need them is not properly understood

News: The India visit of Apple boss and two recent data points have re-ignited a simmering debate on manufacturing vs services. India has seen a dramatic 55% increase in the exports of electronics finished products.

On the other end, there has been a significant rise in the export of services not only from the IT sector alone but also from legal, medical, and MNC back-offices. So, experts have said India should focus more on services. This raises debate on what India should focus on, manufacturing or services?

Why India should prefer manufacturing or services?

Manufacturing is not a massive job-creator like Services: China, the largest factory in the world, with a manufacturing output of $5 trillion, employs around 83 million workers in manufacturing. In China, despite its monster manufacturing capacities, half of its workers are employed in services.

In contrast, India, with a manufacturing output of around $500 billion, employs between 27 million and 62 million workers.  A study has found that manufacturing employment declined from 51 million in 2016-17 to 27 million in 2020-21.

Another study found that hi-end jobs, especially in the hi-tech sectors, have a much bigger multiplier effect on jobs created than low-tech jobs. In short, services industries tend to create more hi-tech jobs than relatively low-tech, low-skilled manufacturing assemblies.

Manufacturing is crucial to keep the trade deficit low: High-performing services and limited manufacturing will lead to the trade deficit. This is because most services are non-tradable in nature and the country will depend on imports largely for manufactured items. So, countries that have limited manufacturing capacities also tend to have structural current account deficits (CAD).

For example, The UK and the US. Since they are developed they have enormous access to a reserve currency and more policy options to deal with structural CAD. But this is not feasible for emerging markets (EM) like India. CAD forces a trade-off between economic stability and income growth.

What India should prefer, manufacturing or services?

India needs both manufacturing and services. This is because,

To reduce CAD: India’s CAD has been a perpetual policy constraint for the country since its independence. Despite the record growth in service exports and the spectacular emergence of electronics exports, India ended 2022-23 with a CAD of around 2% of GDP.  So, India needs to have larger manufacturing capacities with market access to do away with CAD constraints.

To reduce risks of supply chains: India’s high dependence on China for API (a key ingredient in pharmaceutical manufacturing) or rare earth minerals (critical for a range of industries) or industrial intermediates for strategic electronic products presents large, un-diversifiable risks. Even during Covid, the developed countries ringfenced vaccine supplies. Hence, India should focus on manufacturing along with the focus on services.

Prelims-Oriented Articles (Factly)

India Ransomware Report 2022

Source: The post is based on the article “India Ransomware Report 2022” published in CERT-IN on 19th April 2023

What is the News?

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has released the India Ransomware Report 2022.

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a category of malware that gains access to systems and makes them unusable to its legitimate users, either by encrypting different files on targeted systems or locking the system’s screen unless a ransom is paid. 

What are the key findings of the India Ransomware Report 2022?

Ransomware incidents: Overall, there is a 53% increase in Ransomware incidents reported in the 2022 Year over Year. 

Sector impacted: IT & ITeS was the majorly impacted sector followed by Finance and Manufacturing. 

– Ransomware players targeted critical infrastructure organizations and disrupted critical services in order to pressurize and extract ransom payments. 

Prevalent ransomware variants: Lockbit was a majorly seen variant in the Indian context followed by Makop and DJVU/Stop ransomware. 

The RaaS (Ransomware-as-a-service) ecosystem is becoming more prominent, allowing even non-technical individuals to launch ransomware attacks.

Restoration time: Ransomware restoration & recovery time is dependent upon multiple factors like level of infection, affected applications, availability of backups & images, and Business continuity preparedness.

– On an average, the restoration time is about 10 days for infections in reasonably large infrastructure networks.

Recommendations: Organizations must level up their capabilities for monitoring and early detection of Ransomware infection. 

As prevention is better than cure, it is desirable to understand the attack surface and ensure the hardening of all internet-exposed assets and improve security posture to minimize the Ransomware attack probability.

Union Minister of Tribal Affairs launches Marketing and Logistics Development for Promotion of Tribal Products from North Eastern Region (PTP-NER)

Source: The post is based on the article “Union Minister of Tribal Affairs launches Scheme “Marketing and Logistics Development for Promotion of Tribal Products from North Eastern Region (PTP-NER)” published in PIB on 18th April 2023

What is the News?

Union Minister of Tribal Affairs has launched the scheme “Marketing and Logistics Development for Promotion of Tribal Products from North-Eastern Region (PTP-NER)”.

What is the Marketing and Logistics Development for Promotion of Tribal Products from North-Eastern Region (PTP-NER) scheme?

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs

Type: Central Sector Scheme

Aim: To strengthen livelihood opportunities for tribal artisans through increased efficiency in procurement, logistics and marketing of tribal products from North Eastern States. 

States covered: The scheme will apply to the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.

Nodal Agency: Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation(TRIFED) 

Key Features of the scheme: The scheme will facilitate tribal artisans to avail opportunities of enhancing income through the provision of backward and forward linkages through incubation support, aggregation, skill and entrepreneurship development, sourcing and procurement, marketing, transportation and publicity. 

– The Central government will organize Tribal Artisans Melas (TAMs) in April and May to showcase tribal products.

Scientists probe characteristics of a form of plasma wave identified in the Indian Antarctic station, Maitri

Source: The post is based on the article “Scientists probe characteristics of a form of plasma wave identified in the Indian Antarctic station, Maitri” published in PIB on 18th April 2023

What is the News?

Scientists have identified Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron (EMIC) waves in the Indian Antarctic station, Maitri.

What are Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron (EMIC) waves?

EMIC are a form of plasma waves observed in the Earth’s magnetosphere.

These waves play an important role in the precipitation of killer electrons (electrons having speed close to the speed of light, which form the radiation belt of planet Earth), which are hazardous to our space-borne technology/instruments. 

The study of these waves can help understand the impact of energetic particles in the radiation belts on low-orbiting satellites.

What is Plasma?

Plasma is the fourth state of matter. More than 99% of the matter in the visible universe consists of plasma. 

Our Sun, solar wind, the interplanetary medium, near-Earth region, magnetosphere and upper part of our atmosphere all consist of plasma.

The study of plasma waves provides us with information on regions inaccessible to us, transport mass and energy across different regions, how they interact with charged particles, and control the overall dynamics of the Earth’s magnetosphere.

What is Magnetosphere?

A magnetosphere is a region around a planet dominated by the planet’s magnetic field. Other planets in our solar system have magnetospheres, but Earth has the strongest one of all the rocky planets.

Earth’s magnetosphere is a vast, comet-shaped bubble, which has played a crucial role in our planet’s habitability. The magnetosphere shields our planet from solar and cosmic particle radiation, as well as erosion of the atmosphere by the solar wind – the constant flow of charged particles streaming off the sun.

India, Russia agree to deepen trade and economic relations

Source: The post is based on the article “India, Russia agree to deepen trade and economic relations” published in Business Standard on 19th April 2023

What is the News?

India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation(IRIGC-TEC) meeting was recently held.

What is IRIGC-TEC?

India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) is the apex G2G forum for bilateral economic cooperation. 

It is chaired by the External Affairs Minister from the Indian side and Deputy Prime Minister from the Russian side. 

What are the key highlights from the meeting?

Rising Trade deficit: The rising dependence on discounted crude oil has resulted in India’s trade deficit with Russia hitting the second-highest place in 2022 after China.

– During 2022-23, India’s maximum trade deficit was with China at $71.58 billion. This was followed by Russia, where the deficit expanded sevenfold — from $4.86 billion in FY22 to $34.79 billion in FY23.

Oil imports from Russia: India’s imports from Russia have more than quadrupled to $46.33 billion over the last fiscal year, mainly through oil.

– Russia, traditionally India’s top source of military hardware, displaced Iraq last month to become India’s top supplier of crude oil. 

India-Russia FTA: India and Russia are discussing a free trade agreement (FTA). This could deepen bilateral commercial ties that have flourished since the war broke out in Ukraine.

Free trade pact with Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU): India’s External Affairs Minister has said that a free trade agreement (FTA) with EAEU — comprising five member states of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia will certainly deepen the bilateral commercial relationship between India and Russia. 

Women’s reservation in local body polls: Nagaland’s municipal tightrope

Source: The post is based on the article “Nagaland’s municipal tightrope” published in The Hindu on 18th April 2023

What is the News?

The Supreme Court has issued notices to Nagaland chief minister for repealing the Nagaland Municipal Act and violating an undertaking given to the court to roll out 33% reservation for women in local bodies after a gap of more than a decade.

The Nagaland government had repealed the act due to opposition from several traditional tribal organizations.

Why is there opposition to women’s reservation in local body polls in Nagaland?

Nagaland is arguably the only State where Urban Local Bodies(ULB) seats are not reserved for women as mandated by clause IV of the 74th Amendment to the Constitution of India. 

Most of the traditional tribal and urban organizations oppose the 33% reservation of seats for women as they argue that such reservation would violate the special provisions granted by Article 371A of the Constitution to Nagaland. 

Article 371A states that no Act of Parliament would apply to the religious or social practices of the Nagas, Naga customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law, and ownership and transfer of land and its resources. 

The hohos (apex tribal bodies) point out that women have traditionally not been part of decision-making bodies.

Have Urban Local Bodies(ULBs) polls ever been held in Nagaland?

The first and only civic body election in Nagaland was held in 2004 without any reservation of seats for women. 

The State government amended the 2001 Municipal Act in 2006 to include 33% reservation for women in line with the 74th Amendment. 

This triggered widespread opposition forcing the government to indefinitely postpone the ULB polls in 2009. 

Recently, under pressure from the Supreme Court, the Nagaland government laid the ground for holding ULB polls.But the government succumbed to public pressure and repealed the Municipal Act 2001.

What is the demand of organizations opposing women’s reservation in ULB polls?

The groups against reservation for women want a “guarantee” that the 33% quota would not violate the provisions of Article 371A. 

They suggested that the duration of the reservation should be capped at two tenures and demanded that the post of chairperson should not be reserved for women.

SC hearing pleas on same sex couples’ right to marry: What is civil union, how is it different from marriage

Source: The post is based on the article “SC hearing pleas on same sex couples’ right to marry: What is civil union, how is it different from marriage” published in Indian Express on 19th April 2023

What is the News?

A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of India has began hearing a batch of petitions seeking legal recognition of same sex marriage.

CJI has clarified that the hearing’s scope would be limited to developing a notion of a “civil union” that finds legal recognition under the Special Marriage Act.

What is a civil union?

A “civil union” refers to the legal status that allows same-sex couples specific rights and responsibilities normally conferred upon married couples.

How is a civil union different from marriage?

In the year 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) legalized same-sex marriages across the nation with its landmark ruling in “Obergefell v. Hodges”.

Prior to the 2015 ruling, a majority of the US states had civil union laws that allowed same-sex couples to marry, without providing them formal recognition of the same.

These civil unions would be accompanied by rights such as inheritance rights, employment benefits to spouses, joint parenting or joint ownership rights, and the right to abstain from testifying against one’s partner — similar to the spousal privilege given under Section 122 of the Indian Evidence Act when it comes to disclosure of communication between two spouses.

However, the big difference between civil unions and marriage was that civil unions were recognised in the issuing states, which determined their own marriage laws and not by federal law.

This meant that the couples enjoyed the benefits of the partnership only in states that recognize same-sex unions and not across the country. Since the US had a system where states had to determine their own marriage laws, this disparity of recognition existed.

In the wake of the legalization of same-sex marriages, several civil unions were converted into marriages.

Which other countries allow civil union?

The United States allows same-sex unions. Before 2009, the year that Sweden legalized same-sex marriages, LGBTQ couples there could apply for civil unions and enjoy different benefits.

From 1993, couples in Norway enjoyed the right to enter into civil unions, which gave way to a new law 15 years later. Similarly, countries like Brazil, Uruguay, Andorra, and Chile had also recognised the right of same-sex couples to enter into civil unions, even before they formally recognised their legal right to marriage.

Plant ‘cries’: Recalling Jagadish Chandra Bose

Source: The post is based on the article “Plant ‘cries’: Recalling Jagadish Chandra Bose” published in Indian Express on 19th April 2023

What is the News?

A group of researchers from Israel reported that they had been able to pick up distress noises made by plants. 

The researchers said these plants had been making very distinct, high-pitched sounds in the ultrasonic range when faced with some kind of stress like when they were in need of water.This was the first time that plants had been caught making any kind of noise.

Note: More than a century ago, Jagadish Chandra Bose had shown that plants experienced sensations and were able to feel pleasure and pain just like animals. 

Who was Jagadish Chandra Bose?

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Contribution of JC Bose:

JC Bose is remembered for two things — his work on wireless transmission of signals and on the physiology of plants. 

Contribution to science: He is widely believed to be the first one to generate electromagnetic signals in the microwave range.

– He was also the first one to come up with radio receivers, which enabled wireless telegraphy.

– Yet, Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian scientist who carried out the first transmission of signals across the Atlantic in 1901 is recognised as the sole inventor of the radio. He was awarded the 1909 Nobel Prize for this work that Bose is known to have accomplished earlier.

Study of Plants: Bose invented the crescograph, a device for measuring the growth of plants. He for the first time demonstrated that plants have feelings.

– But some of his work became controversial as well, particularly when he claimed that not just plants, even inanimate inorganic matter could respond to stimulus, and that there was actually no sharp demarcation between living and non-living worlds. 

– Such “mental leaps” have sometimes been attributed to Bose’s “deep convictions in Indian philosophy” and his “faith in universalism”. 

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission launches National Campaign “Sangathan se Samriddhi” to mobilize 10 Crore Rural Women into Self Help Groups

Source: The post is based on the article “Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission launches National Campaign “Sangathan se Samriddhi” to mobilize 10 Crore Rural Women into Self Help Groups” published in PIB on 18th April 2023

What is the News?

The Minister of Rural Development has launched ‘Sangathan Se Samriddhi’ campaign.

What is Sangathan Se Samriddhi campaign?

The campaign has been launched under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).

Aim: To empower marginalized rural households by bringing all eligible rural women into the fold of Self Help Groups(SHGs).

Target: The campaign aims to bring 10 crore women under the purview of SHGs from the existing nine crore.

The campaign will be organized in all states with the expectation of forming more than 1.1 lakh SHGs during the period through interventions like 1) organizing General Body Meetings of Village organization and experience sharing by SHG champions to motivate left out households to join SHGs, 2) training new SHG members, 3) reviving defunct SHGs, 4) opening SHG bank accounts among others.

Significance of the campaign: Rural population accounts for 65% of India’s total population. It is extremely important that women from these areas are empowered.

– DAY-NRLM has a vision that at least one woman member from every rural household can join a Self Help Group and take advantage of the opportunities and financial support offered under the programme to improve their livelihoods.

– The government has set a target that every woman associated with SHGs should be able to earn one lakh rupees per annum. This will empower them and automatically have a considerable effect on the country’s GDP. 

Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 notified by Central Government

Source: The post is based on the article “Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 notified by Central Government” published in PIB on 18th April 2023

What is the News?

The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has notified the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.

What are Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023?

The rules have been notified under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960 and after superseding the Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rules, 2001. 

The rules have addressed the guidelines of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the 2009 case between the Animal Welfare Board of India(AWBI) and the People for Elimination of Stray Troubles. 

Key Provisions of the rules:

Animal Birth Control(ABC) programmes for the sterilization and immunization of stray dogs are to be carried out by the respective local bodies/municipalities/Municipal Corporations and Panchayats.

The cruelty involved in carrying out the ABC programme needs to be addressed.

The Municipal Corporations need to implement the ABC and Anti Rabies Program jointly.

One of the requirements under the Rule is that the Animal Birth Control Programme needs to be carried out by an AWBI-recognized organization specifically recognised for the Animal Birth Control programme.

About Dog Biting cases in India

According to data submitted in Parliament, India recorded a whopping 160 million cases of street/stray dog bites between 2019 and 2022.

This has also led to an increase in revenge crime and atrocities against dogs, feeders of dogs and caregivers as well as conflicts among urban residents.