9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – December 6th, 2022

Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

• Faith and freedom -Freedom of religion is protected when state keeps away from matters of faith
• No uniformity in parole and furlough rules
• India’s G20 Presidency: Championing the Global South
• Counting India’s poor: Numbers suggest the need for a welfare state
• Impacts of India-UK FTA: Nothing So Great About Free Trade With Great Britain

GS Paper 3

• The lingering crisis of labour post-pandemic
• Reforming distorted markets will enhance India competitiveness
• Climate talks as shortchanging international law
• DESH & ‘videsh’ – The proposed Bill will create asymmetries
• About energy transition: A slow and flawed transition

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

• Pension bill exceeded salary & wages spending for Centre, 3 states: CAG data
• Ministry of Culture organizes International conference on the contributions of “J C Bose: A Satyagrahi Scientist”
• Explained | Why are fisherfolk protesting the Vizhinjam port project?
• Sri Lanka turns to India for help to boost dairy production
• India, Germany ink migration agreement; Jaishankar defends Russian oil purchase
• India restores e-visas for Britons under five categories
• Union Agriculture Minister inaugurates the setting up of “Agriculture Investment Portal”
• Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities: Health inequities to be blamed for premature deaths among people with disabilities: WHO
• Paris Club proposes 10-year moratorium on Sri Lankan debt

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

Faith and freedom -Freedom of religion is protected when state keeps away from matters of faith

News:  The article discusses the tussle between Gujarat government and High Court regarding the anti-conversion law.

What is the tussle between Gujarat Government and Gujarat High Court regarding religious conversion law in the state?

Section 5 of the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, 2003 requires prior permission from the concerned District Magistrate for any conversion done directly or indirectly.

Gujarat High Court has put a stay on Section 5 of the Act because it covered inter-faith marriages as instances of illegal conversion whereas the Gujarat government is considering to remove a stay on this provision and implement it.

As per the High Court, the prior permission requirement would force someone to disclose one’s religious belief or any change of faith. Which is contrary to Supreme Court rulings that say marriage and faith involve an individual’s choice.

Whereas, the Gujarat government argues that the prior permission in Section 5 is meant to prevent the need to question the genuine nature of the conversion in an inter-religious marriage and stay on it is affecting even genuine inter-faith marriages.

Why is Section 5 of the Act against the Freedom of Religion?

Freedom of religion is protected only when no questions are raised and no suspicion is entertained when an inter-faith marriage has taken place. Therefore, forcing someone to disclose an intent to change one’s faith violates Freedom of Conscience and the Right to Privacy.

What can be the course of action?

SC has observed that conversion through allurement or charity work is a serious problem in the country. This might provoke the central government to come up with anti-conversion measures on a national scale.

Further, any law that deals with conversion should be made judiciously that focuses on protecting religious freedom and communal harmony.

No uniformity in parole and furlough rules

News– The article explains the issues related to the system of Parole and Furlough followed by states.

What are legal provisions related to Parole and Furlough?

The Prisons Act, 1894 and the Prisoners Act, 1900 did not contain any specific provision pertaining to parole and furlough. However, Section 59 of the Prisons Act empowers States to make rules for the shortening of sentences and for rewards for good conduct.

Prisons  fall in the State List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. Therefore States can legislate on issues related to prisons.

What are issues with the system of Parole and Furlough followed by states?

The Uttar Pradesh rules provide for the ‘suspension of sentence by the government generally up to one month. Maharashtra’s rules permit release of a convict on furlough for 21 or 28 days and on ‘regular parole’ for 45 to 60 days.

The recently revised rules of Haryana permit regular parole to a convict up to 10 weeks in two parts. Furlough is allowed for three to four weeks in a calendar year, and emergency parole up to four weeks.

What does it mean by Furlough and Parole?

It is considered as an incentive for good conduct in prison and is counted as a sentence served. Parole or leave is mostly a suspension of sentence.

Emergency parole or leave is granted for specified emergencies such as a death, serious illness or marriage in the family.

Regular parole or leave is granted after serving a minimum sentence in prison. Some States include other familial and social obligations such as sowing or harvesting of agricultural crops, essential repair of houses.

Haryana has a long list of ‘hardcore’ prisoners who are not entitled to be released except on ‘custody parole’ under certain conditions.

What is the way forward?

There is a need for a common legal framework in place to guide the States and check misuse. Otherwise, arbitrariness will endanger the entire criminal justice system.

At least half of the States should come together to request the Central government to legislate a common law for the country on parole and furlough.

India’s G20 Presidency: Championing the Global South

News– The article explains the renewed interest of international politics for the global south. It also explains India ‘s new perspective for the global south.

What are different perspectives on India’s approach for the global south?

Some people in India welcome the return to ideas like non-alignment and Third World solidarity. These influenced foreign policy of India in the past.

US and Europe, wonder if Delhi is returning to anti-Western orientation.

India’s eastern partners too are apprehensive that Delhi might privilege the “Global South”. It may downgrade the new forums like the BRICS built in recent years to promote a multipolar world.

Others think that  the claim to champion the Global South are not in consonance with India’s idea of a vasudhaiva kutumbakam.

What are the changing realities of new world order?

Many of the old constructs from the second half of the 20th century were framed around the axes of West versus the East and the North versus the South. They are not aligned with the ground realities.

Consider the example of China. It has long been viewed as part of the East and the South. But, now it is the second largest economic and military power and sits at the top of the global hierarchy and has deep ties with the West.

By the 1980s, most countries had moved away from the so-called third path to economic development. They began to adopt the ideas of liberalization and globalization.

India also restructured its economy and foreign policy. India continued to participate in the NAM summits and various affiliated forums in the United Nations. Promoting Third World solidarity was not a priority for India.

What are the new perspectives of great power for the global south?

World is entering into an era of renewed great power competition for the Global South.

China sees the Global South as a huge economic and geopolitical opportunity. Its strategy has culminated into the Belt and Road Initiative. China’s new global weight is not limited to the economic domain, but also envelops the cultural, political, technological, and the military.

China is eager to exploit the setbacks to US policies in the Middle East. He will also participate in a Sino-Arab summit. His visit will highlight the growing convergence between the Arab quest for strategic diversification away from the West and Beijing’s determination to have its footprint in Arab.

US is making special efforts to reconnect with the Global South. Last June, the US sought to inject new life into the summit with the Latin American countries. Washington is hosting the African leaders to regain some influence in the dynamic continent. Over the last two years, it has also intensified the engagement with the South East Asian and South Pacific countries.

Europe has begun to offer alternatives to Belt and Road by putting down serious money for infrastructure development. If Europe ever becomes a geopolitical actor, it will be compelled to take a more strategic view of the non-Western world.

What is India’s position with regard to the global south?

India too has risen in the international hierarchy. Although it is by no means a pole in its own right, its room for international activism has grown significantly. It can put its weight behind the issues of special concern to the developing world amidst the challenges presented by deglobalisation, the pandemic and climate change.

India’s objective is not to rebuild a global trade union against the North. India is eager to become a bridge between the North and the South by focusing on practical outcomes rather than returning to old ideological battles.

In recent years, Delhi has often talked of itself as a “South Western power” that is capable of building deep partnerships with the US and Europe and at the same time, championing the interests of the Global South.

What is the way forward for India to champion the cause of the global South?

India must also come to terms with the fact that the Global South is not a coherent group and does not have a single shared agenda. There is much differentiation within the South today in terms of wealth and power, needs and capabilities. This demands a tailored Indian policy to different regions and groups of the developing world.

Championing the Global South today would demand more active Indian engagement with the messy regional politics within the developing world.

Counting India’s poor: Numbers suggest the need for a welfare state

News– The article explains the issues of estimation of poverty in India and its implications for government.

What are different approaches used in India for calculating the prevalence of poverty?

The first is the calorie intake approach. 2400 calories per day was taken as a standard and converted into monetary value.

The World Bank uses the concept of income per day. It is now at $1.90. It translates into Rs 160 a day in India.

The third approach is use of income tax data.

What are the shortcomings of this approach?

Calorie approach– People can not live with just calories. They need other amenities like housing, clothing and education.

World bank– Using a universal yardstick across the world is not right. A weak currency can give a higher value in India.

Income tax data– It captures only a small segment as it leaves the big universe of rural people.

How can we calculate the number of vulnerable populations that need support?

The concept of poor needs to be broadened to represent the needy or vulnerable section of the society.

The government has been aggressive in reaching out to vulnerable populations that require support to maintain their minimum needs during the pandemic.

PMGKY covered 800 million people. It means 60% of the population needed support from the government. The National Portal of India in 2020 had put out a static that 42 crore people benefitted from PMGKY. It is around 30% of the population.

136 million families were covered under MGNREGA.

The PM Kisan Yojana covers 110 million farmers. It yields a number close to a third of the population, assuming that families comprise four members. This does not cover vulnerable non-farming classes, especially in urban areas.

By putting all these numbers together, the proportion of the vulnerable population in the economy would range between 30% to 60%.

What is the way forward for fulfilling the needs of the vulnerable section?

The government has to assume the role of a welfare state.

The focus has to be on job creation. Agriculture has to be commercialised. Manufacturing has to be revived.

A joint effort between centre and states is needed.

Impacts of India-UK FTA: Nothing So Great About Free Trade With Great Britain

News: Recently the possibilities for India-UK free trade agreement have increased.

About India-UK FTA negotiation

What will be the impact of the India-UK FTA on India’s economy?

Positive impacts of India-UK FTA

A study by the UK’s department of international trade said that India-UK FTA could increase India’s bilateral exports to the UK by £10.6 bn, and that of the UK by £16.7 bn.

-India might witness a modest increase in its exports of goods and services, especially IT sector, to the UK.

-With the UK’s customs duties low in most sectors, Indian exports could make gains only in a few sectors, such as garments, leather products, gems and jewellery.

Negative impacts of India-UK FTA

Inevitable job losses in those sectors where imports from the UK would displace domestically produced goods and services in India.

Reduction/elimination of customs duties by India and opening of some services sectors, particularly financial services to UK.

The FTA might curtail the ability of the Indian government to use policy instruments to boost the domestic production of goods and services. This is because, in India-UAE FTA, the government agreed to provide non-discriminatory treatment to UAE producers. India might agree to a similar demand from the UK also.

Not significant for Indian exporters: UK’s government procurement market already faces intense competition from countries such as the EU and US. So, it is unlikely that Indian exporters will make any significant gains in the UK government procurement market.

Challenge from the environmental aspect: The FTA could contain environment-related obligations that could hinder the Indian government’s efforts to low-carbon economy transition driven predominantly by domestic players.

What should India do before finalising India-UK FTA?

Conduct a detailed and objective assessment: India should analyse the economic benefits and costs of the India-UK FTA. Especially the provisions relating to labour, environment, digital trade and IPRs – before moving forward in the negotiations.

In conclusion, a meagre increase in India’s exports of £10.6 bn over a decade does not justify taking demanding commitments that impact India on many fronts.

GS Paper 3

The lingering crisis of labour post-pandemic

News:  Global Wage Report 2022-2023 and Asia-Pacific Employment and Social Outlook 2022 are the two reports released by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) recently. Both these reports gave an indication of the global employment scenario post-pandemic.

What are the findings of the report?

Growth: As per the reports, the nominal wages in India rose to ₹17,017 per month in 2021 from ₹4,398 in 2006.

However, the real wage growth in India declined to -0.2% in 2021 from 9.3% in 2006 when inflation is taken into consideration. This negative growth in India started after the pandemic.

The growth for China also decreased from 5.6% in 2019 to 2% in 2022 and for Pakistan the growth was -3.8%.

Cost of Living: The reports highlighted that the increasing cost of living has the greatest impact on lower-income earners because they have to spend most of their income on rising prices of essential goods and services.

Employment: As per the report, only high-skill occupations saw a recovery after the COVID-19 crisis at the Asia-Pacific level which raises concerns about rising inequality. There is an employment gain of 1.6% among high-skill workers between 2019 and 2021 but there is no such substantial gain among low-to-medium-skill workers.

Gap amongst G-20 countries: There is a significant gap in the average level of real wages between advanced G-20 countries and emerging G-20 countries such as India.

What can be the course of action?

The ILO in reports have provided the following remedies for the problem –

a) improvement in the nominal wages of the employee will help in safeguarding the standard of living of households and cushion them against the rising inflation in the future, b) there is a need to strengthen labour market institutions and wage policies, c) there is a need to create decent formal wage employment for equitable and sustainable wage growth, d) decrease in gender pay gap with a multilateral approach that focus on mitigating climate change, decreasing inequalities, poverty, etc. is needed.

Reforming distorted markets will enhance India competitiveness

News– The article explains the competitiveness related issues of Indian economy

How has the competitiveness of the Indian economy made a substantial improvement in recent years?

There have been notable developments in sectors like access to education, infrastructure development and quality of business environment.

According to World Bank data, the percentage of population with access to electricity has increased from 83.9% in 2014 to 99% in 2020.

Since the beginning of PM Gram Sadak Yojana, nearly 700000 kms road length has been completed.

From 2014 to 2020, the number of universities has increased from 723 to 1043.

In the last 5 years , the student enrollment in higher education witnessed an increase of 11.4%.

The food production has registered a rise from around 252 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 316 million tonnes in 2021-22.

What are some of the competitiveness challenges faced by the Indian economy?

Market structures– The key competitiveness challenge lies in the build of our market structures. India has focussed on improving inputs. The market structures that translate these inputs into actual outcomes experience distortions at various levels. It occurs when interventions in demand and supply dynamics lead to misallocation of resources.

A World Bank report on the power sector suggests that India’s efficiency gap is about 4% of GDP a year. It points to electricity subsidies, inefficient power generation, transmission and distribution as some of the factors contributing to power shortages.

Similarly, there is huge distortion in the education sector. Inputs in terms of infrastructure and enrollment have seen positive trends. But this has not translated into better learning outcomes.

Business environment– It is another area where market distortions exist. Individual rules have been improved. But, underlying structures and capacity of the public sector behind regulatory burden were weak.

What are some steps taken by the government to improve the competitiveness of the economy?

The PM Shri scheme aims to develop 14500 select schools by providing high-quality education keeping inclusivity and equitable outcomes central.

Udyam portal for MSME and National Logistics policy framework are some of initiatives to  make market structures more efficient.

Climate talks as shortchanging international law

News: In the climate negotiations areas of interest to developing countries are not covered or sparsely covered, while other areas are over-regulated. For instance, in COP27, there seems to be a concerted effort to fraudulently change the basic structure of the Climate Treaty.

What are the problems with the current climate negotiation process?

Not enough awareness among developed countries: Citizens in developed countries are not even aware that two-thirds of their national emissions of carbon dioxide come from their diet, transport, and residential and commercial sectors. All these together constitute the major share of the developed country’s GDP.

Ignores global well-being: Global well-being will require a) Urbanisation of the developing country’s population, b) Fossil fuels for infrastructure and energy needs of developing countries to achieve global well-being.

Need essential supplies which emit CO2: The developing countries need vast quantities of cement and steel for infrastructure as they urbanise.

Does not address the dilemma of developing countries: Developing countries such as India are both victims and perpetrators of Climate Change. In such a scenario, separating their roles, especially in the context of financing is complicated. For instance, many nations have suggested that India and China should be part of the contributing list of nations to the L&D fund.

How the climate treaty failed to bring equitable climate negotiation?

The objective of the Climate Treaty is to avoid a concentration of cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide, prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system and enable sustainable economic development. But the treaty failed to bring equitable climate negotiation because,

-The negotiation process adopted a manner that rejected historical responsibility for a continuing problem and shifted the burden to China and India.

-The agenda was set around globalised material flows and not about the wasteful use of energy.

-Public finance is used as a means to secure a political objective, and not to solve the problem. For instance, the $100 billion mitigation and adaptation fund promised in Paris has not materialised. Meanwhile, estimates suggest that about $200 billion a year is needed now and that will rise to about $300 billion a year by 2030.

In such a situation, new funding for ‘Loss and Damage’ will be from a “mosaic of solutions”, constituting a breach of trust.

–Longer-term trend has been ignored: Asia’s emissions with half the world’s population will rise to 40% in 2035. This will create pressures to further reduce emissions and displace their human rights.

-In Glasgow, in 2021, negotiators zeroed in on coal to reduce future emissions. This ignored the key finding of the IPCC on the centrality of the carbon budget.

Note: Carbon budgets can be estimated accurately from climate models. They are the most useful for the policy as they couple the climate with the economy.

-In the recent COP27, there has been no consensus on the obligation of industrial countries to compensate vulnerable countries for loss and damage fund.

What India can do to mitigate climate change when climate negotiations are poor?

India should a) Combine technology transfers and soft loans from multi-lateral institutions, b) Adopt market solutions for climate actions, c) Carefully design cess schemes to discourage GHG emissions, d) Improve the domestic fuel economy, e) Accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, f) Levy a carbon tax at the point of emission, and g) Raise the economy’s overall energy efficiency.

On moral grounds, India can contribute to the L&D fund in a gradually increasing manner.

DESH & ‘videsh’ – The proposed Bill will create asymmetries

News: The finance ministry has reportedly raised concerns about the Development Enterprise and Services Hub (DESH) Bill’s extension of tax concessions to special economic zones.

About the Development Enterprise and Services Hub (DESH) Bill 2022

Why does India need to replace the SEZ Act of 2005?

The draft DESH bill seeks to replace the SEZ Act of 2005. The Act aims to emulate China’s export-driven manufacturing strategy that transformed that country within a mere quarter-century. But the Act did not produce enough results because

a) Private sector-driven SEZ developers leveraged the tax arbitrage to create a massive real estate play, b) SEZ locations were not always optimal for export-oriented industries. For instance, large tracts of SEZs often comprise fertile farmland, and c) Supply eventually surpassed demand.

Hence, the draft DESH Bill seeks to maximise infrastructure use and enhance India’s export competitiveness.

What are the concerns highlighted by the finance ministry on the draft DESH Bill?

The issue of differential tax treatment: An SEZ is deemed “a customs territory outside India” and were liable for full customs duties plus integrated goods and services tax. But under the draft DESH bill, the SEZ units in the notified areas will be permitted to sell in the domestic tariff area (DTA).

This would create business units each of which would have a “DESH” area and “Videsh” area with differential tax treatments.

Create an outbreak of tax disputes: India’s existing tax laws are complex and contentious. The intra-unit variances were likely to create an explosion of tax disputes that will defeat the purpose of the new Bill.

Havoc for industrial units located outside the SEZs: DESH units producing the same goods as DTA units can enjoy tax breaks. This will create an inherent disadvantage for DTA units.

Does not address the problem with SEZ Act: Land acquisition by the private sector has proven a near-intractable problem to date. The DESH Bill does not address this issue.

What should be done?

A more universal approach to the problem of deficient infrastructure, red tape, and arbitrary and unpredictable policy intervention will benefit the country far more than reviving a largely unsuccessful attempt to reproduce China’s success.

About energy transition: A slow and flawed transition

News: The developed world has reduced its primary energy consumption and they are working on an energy transition. They shift most of the energy-intensive manufacturing to developing countries, where energy consumption is accelerating.

What are the challenges associated with energy transition?

Energy transitions are not similar to technological transitions. For instance, within 15 years, 90% of consumers in the West had switched to smartphones. Within 20 years, 50% of the developing world had internet access.

On the other hand, within this same 20-year period, despite all the cost reduction and policy support, wind and solar combined accounted for less than 5% of primary energy consumption.

Continued reliance on fossil fuels: The world relies on fossil fuels for 90% of its primary energy consumption in 1990. Today, it was around 83%. According to the International Energy Agency, fossil fuel reliance will remain at over 60%, even in 2050, unless the world drastically accelerates behavioural change.

Not enough attention on mass electrification: The media and investors focus on solar and wind investment. But they are not focussing on the challenge of how to electrify large parts of the economy and mass electrification.

Low focus on transmission investments: The world at present is focussing more on the strengthening of the grid but not on energy transmission investments.

Electricity as a percentage of energy use: Over the last 20 years, electricity as a percentage of energy use has risen only 2-3% in most major economies. No major economy has an electricity share of more than 20% in total energy use.

Transportation: Looking at the combined data for the US/Europe and China, electricity today accounts for only about 2% of the transport energy consumed. Even in 2040, EVs will constitute only 40% of the vehicles on the road.

The US has the lowest gasoline prices of any major economy and does not seem to have the political will to put in place the tax structure needed to shift preference to EVs.

What can be done to ensure just energy transition?

The world has to move electricity production entirely to renewables and then electrify other parts of the economy like industrial production, transport and residential heating, all large direct consumers of fossil fuels. For instance, even today, renewables as a percentage of electricity generation were only 20-25% in the US/China but 45% in Europe.

Need new investments: The world needs new investments to change the process and add specialised equipment for the energy transition in energy-intensive manufacturing of products such as cement, steel, plastics, chemicals and fertilisers.

Residential and commercial heating: In this, the world needs to move to a newer technology of electric heat pumps in buildings.

Overall, massive investments will have to be made for just energy transition and every investor will have to focus on their value chain to make it feasible.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Pension bill exceeded salary & wages spending for Centre, 3 states: CAG data

Source: The post is based on the article “Pension bill exceeded salary & wages spending for Centre, 3 states: CAG data” published in Indian Express on 6th December 2022.

What is the News?

According to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India(CAG) report titled ‘Union and State Finances at A Glance’ for 2019-20, expenditure on pension has emerged as one of the major components of the Committed Expenditure of the Centre and States in recent years.

What is committed expenditure?

The committed expenditure of the State Government on revenue accounts consists of interest payments; expenditure on salaries and wages; and pensions.

If the Committed Expenditure is higher, it means that the government has lesser flexibility to determine the purpose for which revenue expenditure is to be incurred.

What is the committed expenditure of the centre and states?

Centre’s Committed expenditure: The Centre’s total Committed Expenditure was Rs 9.78 lakh crore during 2019-20. This accounts for 37% of its total revenue expenditure. It included an expenditure of Rs 1.39 lakh crore on ‘salary and wages’, Rs 1.83 lakh crore on pensions and Rs 6.55 lakh crore on ‘interest payments and servicing of debts’.

– The Centre’s pension bill was 132% of its expenditure on salary and wages in 2019-20.

State’s committed expenditure: During 2019-20, the total Committed Expenditure of all states stood at Rs 12.38 lakh crore which was almost half (45%) of their combined revenue expenditure of Rs 27.41 lakh crore.

– The pension bill exceeded the salary and wages expenditure across three states – Gujarat, Karnataka and West Bengal – in 2019-20.

– Across five states – Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Odisha – the pension bill accounted for over two-thirds of their expenditure on salary and wages.

Ministry of Culture organizes International conference on the contributions of “J C Bose: A Satyagrahi Scientist”

Source: The post is based on the article “Ministry of Culture organizes International conference on the contributions of J C Bose: A Satyagrahi Scientist” published in PIB on 5th December 2022.

What is the News?

The Ministry of Culture has organized an international conference on the contributions of J C Bose: A Satyagrahi Scientist” on his 164th birth anniversary.

Who is Jagdish Chandra Bose?

Jagadish Chandra Bose (1858 – 1937) was an Indian physicist and plant physiologist. 

He earned a B.Sc. from University College London, which was connected with the University of London in 1883, and a BA (Natural Sciences Tripos) from the University of Cambridge in 1884.

Contributions

In 1917, he established Bose Institute – Asia’s first modern research center devoted to interdisciplinary studies. 

He discovered wireless communication and was named Father of Radio Science by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering.

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

He was the first to demonstrate radio communication with millimetre wavelengths, which fall in the 30GHz to 300GHz spectrum.

Bose is considered the father of Bengali science fiction. A crater on the moon has been named in his honour.

In 1896, he published Niruddesher Kahini, first work of science fiction in the Bengali language

Bose was the first Asian to be awarded a US patent. In 1904, he was awarded a patent for his invention of a detector for electrical disturbances.

Books: Response in the Living and Non-Living, The Nervous: Mechanism of Plants etc. 

Explained | Why are fisherfolk protesting the Vizhinjam port project?

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained | Why are fisherfolk protesting the Vizhinjam port project?” published in The Hindu on 6th December 2022

What is the News?

Vizhinjam in Kerala has been on the boil with protesters mainly fisherfolk and their families demanding the halting of under-construction Vizhinjam port. 

What is Vizhinjam Port?

Vizhinjam Port is an ambitious project taken up by the Government of Kerala. The port is being built by Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited.

It is designed primarily to cater container transhipment besides multi-purpose and break bulk cargo.

Significance: The port is located on the southern tip of the Indian Peninsula, just 10 nautical miles from the major international sea route and east-west shipping axis.

Hence, the port is expected to leverage the growth of minor ports in Kerala and other regional ports, creating thousands of employment opportunities.

Why are people protesting against this port project?

According to protestors, the port work has aggravated the coastal erosion along the coast of Thiruvananthapuram. 

They have raised demands which include 1) A scientific study to assess the impact of the port work on the shoreline after stopping the construction of the port, 2) A comprehensive rehabilitation package for the fisherfolk in the region, 3) An assured minimum wage when the sea turns rough due to inclement weather and 4) subsidized kerosene for boats.

Has the port project aggravated coastal erosion?

All types of construction work along a coast, aggravate sea erosion (loss of beach) and accretion (gain of beach). Any structure — be it groyne, seawall, or breakwater — intensifies erosion on one side and accretion on the other.

Note: Although coastal erosion is dominant in all coastal districts of Kerala, it is more severe along the coastline of Thiruvananthapuram.

Sri Lanka turns to India for help to boost dairy production

Source: The post is based on the article “Sri Lanka turns to India for help to boost dairy production” published in Indian Express on 6th December 2022

What is the News?

Sri Lanka has sought technical assistance from India’s National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and market leader Amul to boost dairy production.

Why has Sri Lanka sought assistance from NDDB to boost dairy production?

Currently, Sri Lanka’s domestic dairy production meets less than half of its requirements. 

The dollar-strapped Sri Lanka spends about $300 million annually on dairy imports, mostly from New Zealand. 

As the country’s economy crashed earlier this year, leading to severe shortages, milk products were unavailable to most.

Hence, that’s why Sri Lanka has sought assistance from NDDB to boost dairy production.

What is the significance of this partnership between India and Sri Lanka on dairy production?

This partnership on dairy production is not new between India and Sri Lanka.

In the late 1990s, Sri Lanka had invited India’s “milk man” Verghese Kurien to set up the ‘Kiriya’ dairy project, named after the Sinhala word for milk. 

A $20 million joint venture between the NDDB and Sri Lanka’s MILCO was announced but the project did not take off in the wake of resistance from nationalist worker unions and powerful business lobbies in Sri Lanka.

India, Germany ink migration agreement; Jaishankar defends Russian oil purchase

Source: The post is based on the article “India, Germany ink migration agreement; Jaishankar defends Russian oil purchase” published in The Hindu on 6th December 2022

What is the News?

India and Germany have signed a mobility partnership pact and held comprehensive discussions on key global challenges including the Ukraine conflict, situation in Afghanistan.

What are the key highlights from the India-Germany Foreign Ministers meeting?

Mobility Partnership pact: India and Germany have signed a comprehensive partnership on migration and mobility agreement to ease travel for research, study and work for people in both countries. 

On India’s import of crude oil from Russia: India’s Foreign Minister has strongly defended its import of crude oil from Russia. It said that India’s consumption of Russian oil is just one-sixth of European consumption and should not be compared unfavorably.

– Note: Recently, G7 and European Union countries have launched an “oil price cap” plan to withdraw shipping and insurance services to countries that buy Russian oil above the price of $60 a barrel.

On Ukraine War: India’s position on the Ukraine issue is clear that this is not an era of war and that the conflict should be resolved through dialogue. 

On India’s G20 Presidency: The two countries discussed India’s G20 Presidency and presidency at the UNSC which overlaps with Germany’s G7 presidency.

– The Indian side also expressed confidence over Germany’s support for India’s bid for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.

Baby Ariha Issue: India has expressed concerns over an Indian baby girl who has been living in foster care in Germany. The German authorities had taken custody of Ariha Shah over a year back alleging that the parents harassed her. The family members of the child have been seeking her repatriation to India.

India restores e-visas for Britons under five categories

Source: The post is based on the article “India restores e-visas for Britons under five categories” published in The Hindu on 6th December 2022.

What is the News?

India has restored e-visas for Britians wanting to visit India.

What is e-visa?

The Government of India had launched the e-visa in 2014. It enables the prospective visitor to apply for an Indian Visa from his/her home country online without visiting the Indian Mission and also pay the visa fee online. 

e-Visa has been divided into several categories such as e-tourist visa, e-Business visa, e-Medical visa, e-Conference, e-Medical Attendant and e-Emergency Visa.

What happened to e-visa during the pandemic?

The Government of India had suspended e-Visa for all countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and had not been restored for the citizens of the U.K and some other countries.

This curtailment of e-visas and difficulties getting visa appointments had frustrated travel plans for Britians including planned family visits to India. Now this facility has been restored for Britians wanting to visit India.

Union Agriculture Minister inaugurates the setting up of “Agriculture Investment Portal”

Source: The post is based on the article “Union Agriculture Minister inaugurates the setting up of Agriculture Investment Portal” published in PIB on 5th December 2022

What is the News?

The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has inaugurated the Agriculture Investment Portal (Krishi Nivesh Portal).

What is an Agriculture Investment Portal?

Launched by: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare 

Purpose: The portal is a one-stop solution for all investors who are looking to invest in India in agriculture and allied sectors.

– The portal highlights the steps for ease of doing business in India, the market entry strategies and the regulatory frameworks that are involved in setting up the operations. 

Objectives of the portal: 1) Boost investments in the agriculture sector of India, 2) To ease the hand holding process for the investors, 3) Tap the potential of all the sub sectors in Agriculture, 4) To guide and assist the investors with the major infrastructure available in India, 5) Support investors and companies with the schemes, policies and incentives given by the State and the Central Government.

Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities: Health inequities to be blamed for premature deaths among people with disabilities: WHO

Source: The post is based on the article “Health inequities to be blamed for premature deaths among people with disabilities: WHO” published in Down To Earth on 5th December 2022

What is the News?

The World Health Organization(WHO) has released a report titled- “Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities”.

What are the key highlights from the report?

Data related to PwDs: Approximately 1.3 billion people or 16% of the population has significant disability.

– Because of the systemic and persistent health inequities, many persons with disabilities face the risk of dying much earlier—even up to 20 years earlier—than persons without disabilities.

– They have more than double the risk of developing conditions such as diabetes, stroke or depression. 

– PwDs have more limitations in functioning – for example, inaccessible health facilities are up to 6 times more hindering for them. 

Factors for inequity in Healthcare to PwDs: 1) Hostile attitudes of healthcare providers, 2) Non-comprehensible health information formats, 3) Physical barriers, lack of transportation, or financial constraints that prevent access to a health center.

What are the recommendations given by the report?

Firstly, the report recommends 40 disability-targeted actions in areas like Political commitment, governance, Health financing etc  

Secondly, it recommends 3 principles for all governments and health sector partners: 1) Include health equity for PwD at the centre of any health sector action, 2) Ensure empowerment and meaningful participation of PwD in implementing any health sector action and 3) Monitor and evaluate the extent to which health sector actions lead to health equity for PwD. 

Thirdly, Governments, health partners and civil society should ensure all health sector actions are inclusive of persons with disabilities so that they can enjoy their right to the highest standard of health.

Paris Club proposes 10-year moratorium on Sri Lankan debt

Source: The post is based on the article “Paris Club proposes 10-year moratorium on Sri Lankan debt” published in AIR on 5th December 2022

What is the News?

The Paris Club has proposed a 10-year moratorium on Sri Lankan debt and another 15 years of debt restructuring as a formula to resolve the Sri Lankan debt crisis. 

What is the Paris Club?

The Paris Club is an informal group of creditor nations whose objective is to find workable solutions to payment problems faced by debtor nations. 

Members: The club has 22 permanent members including most of the western European and Scandinavian nations, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

– Note: India is not a member of the club

Origin: The origin of the club is traced to a meeting that happened in Paris between officials from Argentina, which had trouble paying back its debt with a group of lenders in 1956.