Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

• North India’s monsoon mayhem
• Demographic transition and change in women’s lives

GS Paper 2

• Citizen action for clean politicians, cleaner politics
• Message from Madras on POCSO Act
• What India can gain from Europe — and Europe from India
• India@75, Looking at 100: Preparing for a digital future
• Let’s not have regulatory overlaps on data compliance
• Green washing – Changes to conservation laws must be backed by scientific evidence

GS Paper 3

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

North India’s monsoon mayhem

Source– The post is based on the article “North India’s monsoon mayhem” published in “The Hindu” on 12th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 1 – Geography

Relevance: Climatology of India

News-. The article explains the pattern of monsoon this year and factors influencing monsoon.

What has been the pattern of monsoon this year?

Monsoon onset was delayed by Interactions between typhoons and cyclones. Cyclone Biparjoy delayed the arrival of monsoon over Mumbai by nearly two weeks.

The monsoon in Mumbai arrived together with Delhi for the first time in over half a century.

The distribution of rainfall remains patchy. Excess rainfall is witnessed over the northern Western Ghats and northwest India. There is deficit in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

Extreme heat has also been reported even with heavy rainfall in some areas of Himachal Pradesh.

What are the factors influencing monsoon in India?

Global warming creates a warm, humid atmosphere, which acts like a drug for the weather. All weathers are affected by global warming.

Weather patterns are also caused by other factors. One such factor is the El Niño.

Wildfires have led to burning over three times the normal area and emitted about three times the normal amount of carbon dioxide. This has caused warming.

The strongest winds break into clockwise or anticlockwise patterns in the upper atmosphere, especially in mountainous terrain, like the Himalayas.

The strong clockwise winds of the upper atmosphere require an anticyclonic circulation near the surface to feed the upper-level outflow. This convergence near the surface causes excess rainfall.

The warming over the Himalayas has not been uniform. Some parts in the mountain chain are impacted by local warming. During the monsoon, the local features impact the weather pattern. This can lead to cloudbursts, heavy rains, or even heat waves.

What are the factors that are having an influence on monsoon rainfall this year?

Rainfall over northwest India is in line with the fact that the Arabian Sea has warmed by around 1.5 degrees Celsius since January.

This year, pre-monsoon rainfall has been higher than normal due to the warm Arabian Sea, combined with an unusually high frequency of western disturbances. Soil has been left moister than normal, which has impacted the monsoon development.

The monsoon is also influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. The entire Atlantic has been warmer than average since March. An Atlantic Niño, with a warmer tropical Atlantic, usually tends to dampen monsoon rainfall. The effects of this on monsoon this year are unclear.

Demographic transition and change in women’s lives

Source: The post is based on the article “Demographic transition and change in women’s lives” published in The Hindu on 12th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 1- population and associated issues

News: The article discusses impacts of demographic transition on the lives of women.

How has India’s demographic journey impacted women’s lives?

The surge of India’s population from 340 million at independence to 1.4 billion was fueled by decreased mortality rates. With male life expectancy rising from 56 in 1941 to 69 today, Indian families started having fewer children. This brought about significant shifts in the lives of Indian women, especially in their role as mothers, their engagement in education and employment, and their experiences in old age.

How has the decrease in ‘Fertility Rate’ affected gender preference?

With families having fewer children, a son’s guarantee became harder, raising the probability of not having a son from 6% with four children to 25% with two. A study from the India Human Development Survey found that 85% of women respondents expected old age support from their sons, hence sex-selective abortions and neglect of sick daughters became prevalent, reducing the number of girls per 100 boys from 96 to 91 between 1950 and 2019.

What implications do fewer children have for women’s education and employment?

As mothering became a lesser part of women’s lives due to lower fertility, more opportunities for education and employment arose. Women’s years spent caring for children under five reduced from 14 to eight between 1992-93 and 2018-20. However, despite over 70% of girls enrolling in secondary education, early marriage and childbearing persist as defining factors of women’s lives, with the average age at first birth remaining below 22 years for women born in the 1980s.

What role does early motherhood play in women’s employment?

Early motherhood hinders women’s labor force participation because the peak childcare years clash with the period for gaining work experience and securing skilled jobs. As a result, women often only have access to unskilled work once their children have grown.

How has increased life expectancy affected women in old age?

With life expectancy rising, the proportion of women aged 65 and above increased from 5% to 11% between 1950 and 2022 and is predicted to reach 21% by 2050. Aging has unique implications for women, as they usually outlive their husbands and, without access to savings and property, become dependent on their children for support.

What measures can help break the cycle of gendered disadvantage?

Enhancing women’s access to employment and assets could lessen their reliance on sons. However, efforts to increase women’s labor force participation must be paired with access to affordable childcare. An experiment in Madhya Pradesh found that expanding the Anganwadis to include a crèche increased work participation of mothers. Practical strategies for childcare access could involve staffing crèche under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme or setting up neighbourhood childcare centres through self-help groups. These steps could help harness the potential demographic dividend fully.

GS Paper 2

Citizen action for clean politicians, cleaner politics

Source– The post is based on the article “Citizen action for clean politicians, cleaner politics” published in “The Indian Express” on 12th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Polity

Relevance: Issues faced by Indian political system

News- The article talks about criminalisation of politics and the role of money power in the Indian political landscape.

What are some facts and statistics about criminalisation of politics in India?

1,777 Out of the 4,001 MLAs currently in session have criminal cases, which is 44%. The current Lok Sabha has 43% members with criminal cases.

28% of MLAs have serious criminal cases today.  47 MLAs have murder cases, 181 have attempted murder cases, 114 have crimes against women cases, and 14 have rape cases.

The states/Union Territories with highest number of MLAs with serious crimes cases are Delhi (53%), Bihar (59%), Maharashtra (39%), Jharkhand (38%), and Uttar Pradesh (38%).

The candidate with a criminal record has a winning chance over 15%. In comparison, it was 4.7% for those with a clean record.

The number of candidates with criminal records has increased only because the party leaders continue to give more tickets to them.

In advanced countries, there is no such system of distributing tickets. Candidates are selected in a more open and democratic process.

Winning is the means to recover the money spent and accumulate it for the next election.

ECI has taken very little action on this.

What shows the role of money power in politics?

The average assets of the MLAs were ₹13,63 crore. Candidates with criminal cases have average assets of ₹16,36 crore.

Winning depends on wealth. Candidates in Indian Elections are now spending more than the United States presidential election. Candidates are spending public money to promise freebies like free water, free electricity, free travel, and free food.

Spending on elections is at an all-time high. Money is being spent on clothes, mobile phones, cooking utensils, liquor, and cash for voters

Message from Madras on POCSO Act

Source: This post has been created based on the article “Message from Madras”, published in The Times of India on 12th July, 2023.

Syllabus topic: GS Paper 2 – Government policies for the vulnerable sections of the society

News: Madras High Court recently stated that the cases involving consensual sex between adolescents should be distinguished from actual abuse cases. Therefore, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Juvenile Justice Act, should be reviewed.

The court also stated that criminalizing consensual adolescent sex is against the interest of adolescents.

In 2013, India raised the age of consent from 16 to 18. It led to categorization of cases of sex with individuals below 18 as statutory rape.

What are the issues involved with criminalization of consensual sex?

It negatively impacts family relationships. According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), “family problems” and “love affairs” are the main causes of suicides among individuals under 18.

Chief Justice of India Chandrachud has recently urged the Parliament to reconsider the age of consent. He highlighted the importance of adolescent health care, stating that teenagers should not be overly burdened by the law.

It results into humiliation of both the accused and the survivor during investigations.

In 2022, the Supreme Court banned the two-finger test, with reason that it adds to the trauma of female survivors. However, the practice continues.

What India can gain from Europe — and Europe from India

Source: The post is based on the article “C Raja Mohan writes on PM Modi in Paris: What India can gain from Europe — and Europe from India” published in The Indian Express on 12th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

News: India’s PM visit to Paris this week is expected to produce new agreements, especially in defense and space, and raise the bilateral strategic partnership to a higher level.

How might India contribute to European Security?

India’s PM visit to Paris may redefine India’s role in global security affairs, particularly with Europe.

India’s contribution during the World Wars is often forgotten. Nearly one million Indian soldiers served in the First World War and two million in the Second World War, playing a vital role in establishing peace in Europe.

This historical engagement could serve as a precedent for a renewed role in European security.

Why has India’s role in global security diminished?

India’s political alignment with the Soviet Union during the Cold War and its subsequent dependence on Russia for security support hampered its global security politics.

India’s strategic autonomy was constrained due to its fear of losing Russia’s backing on the Kashmir issue in the UN Security Council.

This trend continues as evidenced by India’s silence over Russian aggression in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea.

What are the reasons for India to take a fresh look at European security and prospects for renewing India’s role?

Changing security landscape in Europe: The NATO summit and the ongoing war in Ukraine, coupled with differing stances on resolving the conflict, call for fresh perspectives. As an emerging global power, India can play a vital role as an impartial mediator in European security matters.

Impact of European security on Asia: The outcomes of the war in Ukraine are expected to have profound consequences for Asian security. “Partnership without limits” unveiled by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping highlights the increasing engagement of Asian countries in European affairs.

Understanding France’s stance on China: Understanding French’s stance on China, which has generated controversy in Asia, is important for India. France’s attempts to de-risk its economic ties with China and diversify its Asian commercial engagement present opportunities for India.

Modernising India’s defence industry: France can play a vital role in modernising India’s defence industrial base through co-development and co-production of weapons. Strengthening India’s defence capabilities, in turn, can help stabilise the balance of power in Asia, indirectly contributing to European security.

Recalibrating India’s European strategy: The war in Ukraine offers a rare political incentive for India to recalibrate its European strategy, which has been long influenced by Russia. An integrated view of European security can help India emerge as a valuable interlocutor between the West and Russia.

Engagement with European security institutions: The need to engage deeper with European security institutions prompts India’s renewed interest. Working with institutions such as NATO, the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), the EU Intelligence and Situation Centre (INTCEN), and the intelligence-sharing forum among the EU’s national spy agencies, Club de Berne can help India play a more active role in global security.

India@75, Looking at 100: Preparing for a digital future

Source: The post is based on the article “India@75, Looking at 100: Preparing for a digital future” published in Indian Express on 12th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

News: Digital transformation in India is facing some foundation related challenges.

India is witnessing a remarkable digital transformation. It represents the world’s second-largest online market, the lowest data rates, and a growing fintech landscape. However, this acceleration has created potential divides, especially in terms of equitable access to technology.

It helped office work and children’s education during the pandemic. However, issues in Aadhaar-based digital social security programs, such as biometric mismatches, have resulted in the denial of benefits to some citizens.

How are infrastructure challenges impacting the ‘Digital Economy’?

The State of India’s Digital Economy Report emphasizes the role of absent analogue foundations that drive the digital economy, including physical and social infrastructure.

Aspects like poor power supply and low literacy levels contribute to an internet usage gap.

To address these challenges, the Indian government has set goals to provide 4G network coverage to all villages by 2024 and strengthen digital literacy initiatives.

What are the initiatives taken to strengthen India’s ‘Digital Ecosystem’?

The Indian government has launched several initiatives, such as Sanchar Saathi, to address the ecosystem’s vulnerabilities highlighted by increasing cybercrimes and financial frauds.

The impact of digital transformations shouldn’t only be measured in the number of new technologies or users but also by how it affects people’s lives.

Targets on user numbers and network participants should be expanded to include outcomes on financial security, health benefits, and improved living standards.

What principles should policymakers consider?

As India approaches its 100th year of independence and digital ecosystems become integral to economic growth, four principles are suggested for policymakers.

Firstly, the rush to digitise everything should be stopped, because the basic infrastructure is not ready.

Secondly, consultative policy making is needed, with beneficiaries placed at the heart of the process.

Thirdly, policymakers should focus on creating adaptive policies and agile regulatory frameworks. Lastly, policy should be data-driven and evidence-based. The lack of consistent data for meaningful analysis and assessment of the digital ecosystem is a hurdle that needs addressing.

How to ensure the success and sustainability of ‘Digital Transformation’?

The success of any transformative process rests on transparency, regular monitoring, and impact assessments. These processes must be institutionalised to build accountability for such significant changes, helping to establish trust and long-term sustainability of the digital transformation.

Let’s not have regulatory overlaps on data compliance

Source: The post is based on the article “Let’s not have regulatory overlaps on data compliance” published in Live Mint on 12th July, 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

News: According to recent judgement of Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU), in Europe, it’s now legally established that if a company violates data protection laws through abuse of market dominance, competition authorities can assess data protection compliance to determine any breach of competition laws.

How is data protection affecting other regulatory frameworks?

As businesses transition to digital platforms, data protection laws are increasingly superimposed on other legislative frameworks. Traditional regulators are engaging with data protection issues, blurring boundaries and forcing businesses to adjust internal processes to meet multiple, sometimes conflicting, regulatory demands.

What is the conflict between data protection and competition regulation?

The conflict between data protection and competition regulation arises in the digital economy where dominant tech companies collect vast amounts of user data. This gives them a competitive advantage, raising questions about fair competition. Concurrently, it blurs the boundaries of traditional regulatory scopes, as competition regulators now have to consider data protection issues in their assessments.

How did European authorities respond to these concerns?

European competition authorities have started investigating Big Tech companies’ data advantages for potential anti-competitive implications.

One example was the German Federal Cartel Office’s 2019 investigation into the merged user data of social media platforms, where it found the company violated the EU’s data protection law by bundling consent with standard terms and conditions.

The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) upheld this decision, setting a precedent that allows competition authorities to consider GDPR compliance when determining market dominance abuse.

In anticipation of this, European legislators introduced a provision in the Digital Markets Act to prevent large “gatekeeper” online companies from combining user data without explicit consent, further emphasizing the interconnected nature of competition regulation and data protection.

What are the compliance challenges for businesses?

For businesses, regulatory compliance can be a burden, demanding clarity on what actions are required and which regulator to satisfy. With overlapping regulations, organizations face the potential of increased compliance responsibilities, especially when the requirements of different regulators diverge.

What lessons can India learn as it develops a new data protection regime?

As India prepares to enact a new data protection law, the case study of Europe suggests the importance of avoiding regulatory overlaps. Clear boundaries between different regulatory mandates can provide clarity for companies on compliance expectations. In instances of unavoidable overlap, a system is needed to reconcile conflicting regulatory demands.

Green washing – Changes to conservation laws must be backed by scientific evidence

Source: The post is based on an article “Green washing – Changes to conservation laws must be backed by scientific evidence” published in The Hindu on 12^th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation

Relevance: concerns with the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023.

News: The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 is currently under discussion by a Joint Committee of Parliament.

What is the present legislation governing the industrial exploitation of forest land?

The Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980 empowers the state to regulate and impose costs on industrial exploitation of forest land.

Further, SC ruling in the T.N. Godavarman Thirumalpad case (1996) expanded the scope of protection under the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980 to even non-officially classified forests.

What are the key provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023?

Read Here: Objections overruled, Forest Bill goes to House unchanged

What are the issues with the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023?

The amendments do not contribute significantly to regenerating natural forests but rather incentivize afforestation for commercial purposes.

While the concept of grooming private forests may sound appealing in theory, expecting them to serve as a permanent carbon stock is unrealistic, considering the strong market incentives to use them as “carbon credits.”

Read More: The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 weakens the very purpose of the legislation, which is to protect and conserve India’s forests

What is the present status of forest cover in India?

As per the biennial reports of the Forest Survey of India, India’s forest cover has seen only marginal increases. The growth in forest cover within officially recorded forests remains stagnant or shows only minor increments.

However, it is tree cover in orchards, plantations and village homesteads that has been on the rise and supplementing India’s claim that 24% of its area is under forest and tree cover.

India, as part of its international climate commitments, has committed to increasing this number to 33% and adding a carbon sink of 2.5 billion to 3 billion tons of CO2 this way, by 2030.

What is the way ahead?

Changes to conservation laws may be necessary. However, due to new climate realities, these changes should be supported by robust scientific evidence.

GS Paper 3

Floods in India

Source– The post is based on the article “Express view on monsoon-battered India: Weathering it out” published in “The Indian Express” and “Fury of floods” published in the “Business Standard” on 12th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Disaster management

News- The article explains the issue of increasing flooding events in India in recent years.

How rainfall patterns during the monsoon season have shown a distinct change in recent years?

Most parts of the country have witnessed intense bursts of rain, with relatively dry spells.

After the Uttarakhand disaster of 2013, India is experiencing at least one intense rainfall event that has resulted in large-scale flooding.

Examples are floods in Chennai in 2015, Kerala in 2018, Bihar in 2019, Bengaluru last year, Assam almost every year.

What are some facts about flood vulnerable areas in India?

As per National Flood Commission in its 1980 report, the country’s overall flood-prone area is 40 million hectares, or 12 percent of the total geographical area. It has since expanded to over 50 million hectares.

Flash floods are now common in places that were earlier not considered flood-prone earlier. The arid zones in Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat are typical examples.

The “flood vulnerability index” of the National Disaster Management Authority has identified Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Assam, Gujarat and Odisha as the states most susceptible to floods.

As per the National Remote Sensing Centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation, there exist several new stretches in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal that are prone to flooding after heavy rain.

The hilly states in Himalayan range are susceptible to floods due to landslides, subsidence, and re-routing of the natural course of rivers and water channels.

What are the reasons behind the increase in flooding events?

As India’s cities expanded, there was encroachment of natural water sinks such as wetlands, marshes and lakes.

In most of the country, storm water drains that were planned decades ago are still locked in networks. Inadequate municipal administration worsens the situation and drains are almost always blocked.

This means that too much rainwater gets trapped within a city’s borders. For example, the storm water drains in Delhi can’t handle the 153 mm of rain that Delhi received over the past weekend.

There is a lack of pre-emptive moves to mitigate the floods. Flood control by multipurpose irrigation-cum-hydro-power projects and other water management programmes in the past is not in practice. No new projects were started in the recent past.

Existing dams have become bane due to unregulated and uncoordinated water releases from these structures. It leads to flooding in many areas in central and peninsular India.

Deforestation and global warming have led to cloudbursts, cyclones, and have aggravated the flood risk.

Soil erosion lowers its capacity to soak rainwater. Besides, there is denudation of vegetative cover in river catchments. It has increased the load of sediments in riverbeds and reduced their water-carrying capacity.

There is encroachment of natural floodplains of rivers. It has lowered their ability to act as natural buffers against floods.

Unplanned expansion of habitation, and indiscriminate disposal of garbage and other urban waste is also responsible for flooding.

What is the way forward for flood management?

Relief efforts need to be stepped up. There is a need for a proactive policy against climate vagaries.

There are requirements for different strategies for urban floods.

There is a need for a holistic approach to address the menace of recurring floods. The government can set up an experts’ panel to prepare a national flood control plan.

The rise of revenue department

Source: This post has been created based on the article “The rise of revenue department”, published in Business Standard on 12th July, 2023.

Syllabus topic: GS Paper 3 – Mobilization of resources and associated issues

News: The recent multiple changes made by the Indian government to the Tax Collection at Source (TCS) system depicts a troubling shift in the revenue department’s approach to tax initiatives.

Although India’s tax system needs a more transparency, minimized discretion, and improved ease for taxpayers, it seems revenue department is returning to pre-reform practices. It is imposing unfriendly tax laws.

What are the recent changes made to the taxation system by the government?

on February 1, government announced all Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) remittances would be subject to the tax collection at source (TCS). TCS rate was increased from 5% to 20% for both LRS remittances and overseas tour packages.

On May, government announced removal of differential treatment for credit cards for international transactions. This meant that credit card payments for foreign exchange bills would also attract a 20% TCS.

The third change announced last month rolled back the changes. For all remittances under the LRS and overseas tour packages, the TCS rate became zero for amounts up to ₹7 lakh per individual per year. It also exempted overseas credit card transactions from the LRS.

What are the critical arguments against these moves?

TCS rate was initially justified as a means for the government to monitor transactions. However, Banking records could already provide a trail for the tax department to monitor for tax evasion.

It shows that revenue department has been experimenting with unfriendly tax initiatives.

It also indicates returning to old practices that had been reduced after the economic reforms of the 1990s. These reforms included significant cuts in import duties, reduction and rationalization of direct taxes, and the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST).

The changes to the TCS for LRS remittances suggest a return to pre-reform practices.

It is unfair to blame survey methodology when results disagree with a view point

Source: The post is based on the article “It is unfair to blame survey methodology when results disagree with a view point” published in The Indian Express on 12^th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Growth & Development, Planning

Relevance: concerns associated with various surveys conducted in India

News: In a recent article titled “The sample is wrong,” Shamika Ravi, a member of the PM’s Economic Advisory Council, expressed concerns about national surveys in India. However, it is not a correct picture.

What concerns were highlighted by Shamika Ravi?

Under-Representation: She argued that indicators used by the National Sample Survey (NSS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have failed to capture the true progress of India, and they express concerns about the deterioration of the official statistical system.

The overestimation of the rural population in national surveys conducted by NSS and NFHS (National Family Health Survey) is cited as an example of this shortcoming.

However, the national data gathering system has gone to great lengths to make the samples statistically representative.

For instance, separate samples are drawn for rural and urban areas, and any excluded geographical regions are clearly specified for reasons beyond the organization’s control.

Moreover, the population estimates derived from the NSS have consistently been lower than the numbers reported by the Census or its projected figures.

Although this disparity has been investigated in the past, no specific faults in the survey methodology have been identified. 

Share of the Rural Population: Shamika Ravi further argued that the share of rural population estimated by NSS/NFHS post 2011 Census is much higher than the projected share of rural population from the Census.

However, population projection is based on assumptions on fertility, mortality and migration using appropriate statistical models.

The urban population is projected using the urban-rural growth differential (URGD) from the period 2001-2011, which implicitly takes into account increases both in statutory and Census towns.

Moreover, the primary objective of the NSS and other survey agencies is to generate statistically valid estimates separately for rural and urban areas.

They typically report percentage values rather than absolute numbers across different categories. Their methodologies are not designed to estimate the population size in the survey year.

Conservative in Urban Projections: Shamika Ravi argues that the Census has been conservative in its urban projections as India achieved the urbanisation level projected for 2016 in 2011.

However, using the method of URGD, even the United Nations (UN) has projected a much higher share of urban population in India.

It is also worth noting that the last Census data is over 13 years old, and despite several representations, the Registrar General of India (RGI) has not made efforts to reassess its urban projections.

Response Deficits: Shamika Ravi observes a relationship between response deficits in surveys and wealth levels. It is true that household surveys are becoming difficult due to non-cooperation of households and non-access to richer households in urban areas.

However, the NSS utilizes a substitution method for non-cooperating households, ensuring a near 100 percent response rate. Hence, the observation that the response rate of men falls significantly with wealth needs investigation.

What is the way ahead?

Sampling theory and practice is a scientific discipline. Even some of the surveys conducted by MOSPI have also been found to be of indifferent quality due to engagement of outside agencies.

Hence, it is unjust to solely blame the survey methodology when survey estimates diverge from a particular narrative.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Poll bonds chief source of donations for parties: report

Source: The post is based on the article “Poll bonds chief source of donations for parties: report” published in The Hindu on 12th July 2023

What is the News?

Association of Democratic Reforms(ADR) has released a report titled “Analysis of Donations to Registered Political Parties from FY 2016-17 and FY 2021-22.

What are the key findings of the report?

Donations to Political Parties: The total donations declared by the 7 National Parties from Electoral Bonds, corporate sector and other donations between FY 2016-17 and 2021-22 were Rs 13190 crores (80.247%).

– For National parties, there was a 743% increase in donations from electoral bonds between FY 2017-18 and FY 2021-22 while for corporate donations this increase is only 48%. 

– Electoral Bonds are the most preferred mode of donations for making contributions to National and Regional parties followed by direct corporate donations.

– The total donations declared by BJP is more than three times the total donations declared by all other National parties.

Electoral Bonds: During the six-year period, more than 52% of BIP’s total donations came from Electoral Bonds worth ₹5,271.97 crore.

– The Congress declared the second highest donations from bonds of ₹952.29 crore (61.54% of its total donations) followed by the Trinamool Congress that got ₹767.88 crore (93.27%). 

– Among the regional parties, the BJD received 89.81% of its total donation from bonds worth ₹622 crore, while the DMK got ₹431.5 crore (90.7%) and the TRS got ₹383.65 crore (80.45%).

Direct Corporate Donations: The direct corporate donations declared by 7 National parties are more than five times the corporate donations declared by 31 Regional Parties during the six-year period.

– The corporate donations declared by BJP are at least three-four times more than the total corporate donations of all other National Parties. In FY 2017-18, it was more than eighteen times that of all other National parties.  

– For the six-year period, BSP has consistently declared no corporate donations while CPI has declared receiving zero corporate donations from FY 2018-19 to FY 2021-22.

What is the legal row between farmers and PepsiCo?

Source: The post is based on the article “What is the legal row between farmers and PepsiCo?” published in The Hindu on 12th July 2023

What is the News?

The Delhi High Court has held that there was “no merit” in the appeal filed by PepsiCo over the patent rights for its ‘unique potato’ variety.

What is the case about?

The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights’ Authority (PPVFRA) had revoked PepsiCo’s registration with respect to its potato plant variety, ‘FL 2027’ (used in Lay’s chips).

The rights were revoked on the grounds provided under Section 34 (grounds for revocation of registration) of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001 (PPV&FR). 

Against this judgment, Pepsico went to Delhi High Court.

What is FL 2027?

FL 2027 is a potato variety with high dry matter and low sugar content better suited for making chips.

This variety was developed in 1996 by Robert W Hoopes, a US breeder employed with Frito-Lay Agricultural Research, a division of PepsiCo Inc.

PepsiCo India was granted a certificate of registration for FL 2027 as an “extant variety” on February 1, 2016. 

The validity period – during which nobody else could commercially produce, sell, market, distribute, import or export it without the breeder’s authorisation – was six years from the date of registration and extendable up to 15 years.

What is Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001(PPV&FR)?

Click Here to read

What is Section 34 of the PPV&FR Act?

According to Section 34 of the PPV&FR Act, the protection granted to a breeder may be revoked by the authority on the following grounds: 1) grant of a registration certificate is based on incorrect information furnished by the applicant 2) registration certificate was granted to an ineligible person 3) when the breeder does not provide the registrar with the required documents 4) failure to provide an alternative denomination for variety registration in case the earlier variety provided is not permissible for registration 5) failure of the breeder to provide the required seeds for compulsory license 6) failure to comply with the acts, rules, regulations and directions issued by the Authority and 7) if the grant of the registration certificate is against public interest.

Why did the PPVFRA revoked Pepsico’s patent right over FL 2027?

PepsiCo had sought the registration of FL 2027 variety as a “new variant” instead of an “extant variant” in its application in 2012 despite furnishing the date of its commercialisation in India to be 2009. 

However, to be registered as a “new variant” an additional requirement of ‘novelty’ in addition to ‘distinctiveness’, ‘uniformity’ and ‘stability’ must be satisfied one year before the date of filing of the application for registration. 

The court held that FL 2027 could not fulfill the criteria of novelty and was only eligible for registration under “extant variety”.

Will this ruling impact investor confidence in India’s IP regime for protection of plant varieties and breeder’s rights?

Probably not. The High Court has merely faulted PepsiCo for wrongly applying for registration of FL 2027 under the category of “new variety” and giving an incorrect date for its first commercialisation. 

Supreme Court asks ED chief to quit; but upholds amendments

Source: The post is based on the article “Supreme Court asks ED chief to quit; but upholds amendments” published in The Hindu on 12th July 2023

What is the News?

The Supreme Court has said that the third extension to the present Enforcement Directorate (ED) chief was illegal and in violation of its judgment in 2021.

However, the court permitted him to continue in office until July 31 to allow for a smooth transfer.

What was the case before the Supreme Court?

The present ED Chief was first appointed as the ED Director in 2018, for a fixed period of two years. 

Days before his tenure was to end, the President modified the previous order retrospectively and changed Mishra’s tenure to three years.

In November 2021, the Supreme Court upheld the extension granted to ED Chief beyond two years.

In December 2021, the Parliament passed two bills: The Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

These bills provide that the tenure of ED and CBI chiefs could be extended by up to three years after the mandated term of two years.

Hence, under the amended law, he got an extension from November 2021 to November 2022. Further, he got the third extension by a notification till November 2023.

This extension and the amendments to the CVC and DSPE Act were challenged before the Supreme Court.

What was the ruling of the Supreme Court?

Source: Hindustan Times

On ED Tenure extension: The Supreme Court has said that the consecutive service extensions granted to Mishra in 2021 and 2022 as illegal. The court ordered the present ED Chief to resign by July 31, allowing for a smooth transition of responsibilities to his successor. 

On amendments to the CVC and DSPE Act: The Supreme Court upheld as constitutional the amendments made to the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003 and The Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.

The court referred to the need to exercise self-imposed limits while undertaking judicial review of legislative or executive actions.

It said that the legislative enactment can be struck down only on two grounds: 1) Firstly, that the appropriate legislature does not have the competence to make the law and 2) secondly, that it takes away or abridges any of the Fundamental Rights enumerated in Part III of the Constitution or any other constitutional provisions.

415 million Indians came out of multidimensional poverty in 15 years, says UNDP study

Source: The post is based on the article “415 million Indians came out of multidimensional poverty in 15 years, says UNDP study” published in The Hindu on 12th July 2023

What is the News?

The Global Multidimensional Poverty Index(MPI) 2023 has been released.

What is the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)?

Global MPI is a key international resource that measures acute multidimensional poverty across more than 100 developing countries.

It was first launched in 2010 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).

The Global MPI advances SDG 1 – ending poverty in all its forms everywhere. It also measures interconnected deprivations across indicators related to SDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 11.

Click Here to read more

What are the key findings of the report?

Source: UNDP

Globally: 25 countries including India have successfully halved their global MPI values within 15 years, indicating that substantial progress is attainable.

– Around 1.1 billion out of 6.1 billion people (just over 18%) live in acute multidimensional poverty across 110 countries.

– Sub-Saharan Africa (534 million) and South Asia (389 million) are home to approximately five out of every six poor people.

– Nearly two-thirds of all poor people (730 million people) live in middle-income countries, making action in these countries vital for reducing global poverty.

– Children under 18 years old account for half of MPI-poor people (566 million). The poverty rate among children is 27.7%, while among adults it is 13.4%. 

– Poverty predominantly affects rural areas, with 84% of all poor people living in rural areas.

India: Around 415 million people exited poverty within a span of just 15 years between 2005 to 2021 in India.

The number of people in multidimensional poverty in India decreased from approximately 645 million in 2005-06 to about 370 million in 2015-16 and further to 230 million in 2019-21.Hence, the incidence of poverty fell from 55.1% to 16.4% during the period.

Deprivation in ​​​​all indicators declined in India.

The poorest states and disadvantaged groups, including children and individuals from marginalized castes, experienced the fastest progress in reducing poverty.

People who are multidimensionally poor and deprived under the nutrition indicator in India declined from 44.3% in 2005/2006 to 11.8%in 2019/2021 and child mortality fell from 4.5% to 1.5%.

Japan India Maritime Exercise-2023 concludes

Source: The post is based on the article “Japan India Maritime Exercise-2023 concludes” published in PIB on 11th July 2023

What is the News?

The 7th edition of Japan India Maritime Exercise 2023 (JIMEX 23) has been concluded in the Bay of Bengal.

What is Japan India Maritime Exercise(JIMEX)?

JIMEX is an annual maritime exercise between India and Japan.

Aim: To consolidate the high degree of interoperability that exists between maritime forces of the two countries, through complex exercises in the surface, sub-surface and air domains.

JIMEX 2023 witnessed complex exercises undertaken jointly by the two navies. Both sides engaged in advanced level exercises in all three domains of maritime warfare: surface, sub surface and air.

JIMEX 23 saw the participation of 1) INS Delhi – India’s first indigenously built Guided Missile Destroyer 2) INS Kamorta – an indigenously designed and built Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette 3) P8I, maritime patrol aircraft and 4) Dornier, ship-borne helicopters and fighter aircraft.

What are the other exercises between India and Japan?

Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN: It is an annual joint military exercise between India and Japan from 2018.

SHINYUU Maitri: It is a joint exercise between the Indian Air Force and the Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF).

Recommendations of 50th meeting of GST Council

Source: The post is based on the article “Recommendations of 50th meeting of GST Council” published in PIB on 11th July 2023

What is the News?

The 50th meeting of the Goods and Services Tax(GST) Council was held under the chairmanship of the Union Finance Minister.

What is the Goods and Services Tax(GST) Council?

Click Here to read

What are the decisions taken by the GST Council?

Source: Business Standard

GST on Online Gaming: The GST Council has approved the imposition of a uniform 28% tax on full “face value” of bets involving online gaming, casinos and horse racing. This will bring them on a par with betting and gambling.

– Currently, most online gaming platforms pay an 18 per cent tax on the commission collected for each game.

Tax on food and beverages in Cinema Halls: The GST on restaurants inside Cineplex will attract 5% GST against 18% earlier.

– Currently, movie tickets below Rs 100 were taxed at 12%, while those above the threshold attracted 18% GST.

Exempted GST on cancer drugs: GST Council has decided to exempt GST on import of cancer drug Dinutuximab, and Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP) used in the treatment of rare diseases. Currently, the drug attracts a 12% integrated GST.

Tribunals: The council has recommended setting up of a mechanism for appellate tribunals. Demands for state-wise benches were presented by various states, and the Council approved setting up of as many as 40 benches in phases.

Kui language inclusion in 8th schedule gets approval of Odisha govt

Source: The post is based on the article “Kui language inclusion in 8th schedule gets approval of Odisha govt” published in New Indian Express on 11th July 2023

What is the News?

The Odisha Cabinet has approved a proposal to recommend the inclusion of the Kui language in the Eighth schedule of the Constitution of India.

What is Kui Language?

Kui is a South-Eastern Dravidian language spoken by the Khonds (also spelt Kondha and Kandha) community.

It is primarily spoken in the state of Odisha. It is traditionally written using the Odia script.

It is closely related to other languages in the Dravidian family such as Gondi and Kuvi. 

It was also referred to as the Kuinga language during the historical period.

What are the benefits of inclusion of Kui Language in 8th Schedule?

It will help in the preservation, promotion, and propagation of the Kui language and culture;

Activities such as publication, creation of content and recognition will get momentum;

Create an eco-system to facilitate research & Studies anchored around the preservation, promotion and propagation of Kui Language.

Massive shelf cloud appears in Haridwar amid heavy rains

Source: The post is based on the article “Massive shelf cloud appears in Haridwar amid heavy rains” published in Livemint on 11th July 2023

What is the News?

A terrifying shelf cloud has recently appeared in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar amid heavy rains.

What are Shelf Clouds?

Source: Moneycontrol

Shelf clouds are a type of arcus cloud, characterized by their impressive and intimidating appearance. 

These unique cloud formations often resemble a large, horizontal wedge or shelf extending from the base of a thunderstorm or cumulonimbus cloud.

These clouds are typically formed on the leading edge of a storm.

Formations of Shelf Clouds:

The formation of shelf clouds occurs when a mass of cold and dense air is forcefully driven by the wind into a warmer air mass. 

This phenomenon takes place during the downdraft of a thunderstorm, where the cold air rapidly descends and disperses, creating a strong gust front.

Distinctive Features of Shelf Cloud:

Shelf clouds exhibit several distinct features that contribute to their dramatic appearance.The underside of the shelf cloud is often dark and menacing, featuring turbulent and rapidly rising air.

This area is characterized by a swirling mass of clouds, indicating the intense updrafts and strong winds associated with the thunderstorm.

The leading edge of the cloud is typically smooth and well-defined, appearing as a rolling arc or shelf. This edge may have a greenish or bluish tint due to the scattering of sunlight caused by water droplets within the cloud.

Significance and implications of Shelf Clouds:

As shelf clouds are usually associated with thunderstorms, their presence serves as a visual warning sign of impending severe weather. However, they are typically harmless.

The following today’s current affairs articles have been covered in 7 PM Explained section of the day: 

1) Semiconducting Future

Source: Times of India, Date: 12th July 2023

2) Our Chips Are Not Down

Source: Times of India, Date: 12th July 2023

3) Need a fresh start

Source: Business Standard, Date: 12th July 2023

7 PM Editorial of the day: Semiconductor manufacturing in India: significance and challenges – Explained, pointwise