Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

• Lessons from the fracas over foodgrains
• If the consumption of tobacco is not okay, India should just ban it
• Antibiotics with promise — a lifeline India awaits
• Let Them Think – on education system of India
• Thwarting Twitter – on Karnataka HC judgment against Twitter

GS Paper 3

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

Lessons from the fracas over foodgrains

Source: The post is based on the article “Lessons from the fracas over foodgrains” published in “The Hindu” on 5th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2- Government policies and intervention & GS 3 – issue related to poverty and hunger

News: The Karnataka government recently decided to convert the promised Anna Bhagya scheme to a direct benefit transfer temporarily. It has brought into focus the limits of a state government’s policy intervention on a crucial matter such as food security.

What is Karnataka’s Anna Bhagya Scheme?

The Anna Bhagya scheme, an initiative by Karnataka, aims to supply 5 kg of free rice monthly to 4.42 crore beneficiaries. This group consists of 45 lakh Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) cardholders, 3.58 crore Priority Household (PHH) cardholders, and 39 lakh cardholders from a special PHH category within Karnataka. These provisions would be over and above the regular allocations provided under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

What are the Challenges for Karnataka’s Anna Bhagya Scheme?

Sudden change in OMSS-D policy: The biggest challenge for the Anna Bhagya scheme was the sudden change in the Open Market Sale Scheme-Domestic (OMSS-D) policy by the central government. The Union Food Ministry stopped the sale of surplus grains to states, under this scheme. The OMSS is now limited to accommodate small and marginal buyers and traders. It was a major route to supplement the allocation for rice-deficit states.

Effective communication gap: There was also a lack of effective communication between different departments at the national level and the state government. If there had been better coordination, the difficulties in launching the scheme could have been mitigated.

Financial burden: Lastly, the financial cost of the scheme is another significant hurdle. With FCI agreeing to supply grains at ₹36.6 per kg, the monthly cost for the state would amount to around ₹840 crore.

Lastly, supplies for the scheme would not have been fulfilled, just by OMSS-D.

What is OMSS Policy?

Read here: The Open Market Sale Scheme for wheat and rice

Why has the central government shifted the OMSS Policy?

This Shift in policy due to a) lower quarterly stocks of rice and wheat, which was at the lowest in three years, b) uncertainty about the upcoming monsoon season and its potential impact on food grain production, c) concerns over state-level food schemes which rely on the central government and FCI to support such schemes without considering broader trends and realities.

What are the lessons for states from this event?

States must have comprehensive plans and mechanisms in place before launching any large-scale scheme.

The states must consider the macro picture to ascertain the practicality of their new schemes, in the light of national food security and financial implications.

It also underscores the need for states to consider all aspects before making promises that rely heavily on central support.

Political parties should exercise restraint while making electoral promises, especially on critical issues like food security.

If the consumption of tobacco is not okay, India should just ban it

Source: The post is based on the article “If the consumption of tobacco is not okay, India should just ban it” published in “Live mint” on 5th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Issues related to health

News: India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare plans to enforce additional anti-tobacco controls on Online Curated Content Providers (OCCPs)

What are Online Curated Content Providers (OCCPs)?

OCCPs are platforms that deliver digitally streamed entertainment content over the internet. These platforms include popular streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. OCCPs typically offer a wide range of content, including movies, TV series, documentaries, and other forms of entertainment, which they curate or organize based on the user’s preferences, viewing history, or specific categories. OCCPs are different from other online platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc., which provide user-generated content.

What is the government plan to enforce more anti-tobacco regulations on OCCPs?

As per these guidelines, the OCCPs will be required to display textual warnings on the harmful effects of tobacco use when scenes involving such products are shown.

The OCCPs have been given 90 days to comply and adopt a technical solution to this. Additionally, the warnings must be displayed in the language of the audio track of the content, which means OCCPs may need to translate the warnings into multiple languages.

The content providers are also expected to review their existing libraries manually to identify all instances of tobacco use. This implies a significant task of viewing and marking the relevant sections in their vast content libraries.

The onus of implementing these changes and adhering to the new guidelines will be primarily on the content owners, with OCCPs offering the required technical solutions. This could lead to substantial content going offline if it’s impractical for OCCPs or content owners to comply with these new regulations.

What are the challenges in implementing this plan?

Multi-language compliance: The requirement to display warnings in the language of the audio track can lead to logistical and financial burdens, as it necessitates translating warnings into multiple languages.

Manual review requirement: Manually identifying content containing the use of tobacco products could take millions of hours, as it cannot be accomplished solely by automated technology. This diverts significant resources from content creation to compliance efforts.

Burden on small providers: Smaller streaming platforms might find it especially difficult to comply with these new guidelines. It might stifle innovation and foster an unequal playing field.

Potential content loss: If content owners refuse or fail to comply with these guidelines, OCCPs may need to remove the non-compliant content, leading to a significant loss of content available for consumers.

Impact on International Content: It could deter international content creators from including tobacco warnings in their work, limiting the availability of popular international titles in India.

What should be done?

Re-evaluation of guidelines: The government should avoid unnecessarily burdensome requirements. The focus should be on measures that are practical, efficient, and not overly disruptive to the industry.

Learning from global practices: Countries like Singapore, Australia, and the EU have managed to create regulations that balance public health concerns with industry growth. India can gain valuable insights from these models.

Comprehensive public health campaigns: Instead of placing the entire burden on OCCPs, the government could invest in comprehensive public health campaigns addressing the root causes of tobacco consumption, such as stress and peer pressure.

Inclusive policy framework: Regulations should be created in consultation with industry stakeholders to ensure they are inclusive and consider the operational realities of OCCPs. This will ensure a more effective and fair policy framework.

Antibiotics with promise — a lifeline India awaits

Source– The post is based on the article “Antibiotics with promise — a lifeline India awaits” published in The Hindu on 5th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS2-Issues related to health

News-The article emphasizes the need for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for essential antibiotics that can make a profound difference between life and death.

What are the challenges posed by Antibiotic resistance?

Infection specialists, intensivists, oncologists, and doctors treating severe infections in critically ill and immunocompromised patients are facing challenges.

Each year, millions of lives are lost due to the lack of available antibiotics in the face of these formidable pathogens.

The relentless march of drug resistance has rendered once-effective treatments ineffective.

Doctors are left with limited choices and often resort to suboptimal treatments that may have significant side effects or offer little hope of a cure.

It adds to the immense pressure and helplessness experienced by doctors on the front lines.

What is the way forward?

India must extend the COVID level of urgency as in granting EUA for to saving the lives of patients who may otherwise succumb to infections resistant to all currently available antibiotics.

Cefiderocol, a licenced antibiotic in several countries, developed by a Japanese company, has demonstrated excellent efficacy against drug-resistant infections. India demands access to this life-saving antibiotic without delay.

However, we must emphasise the importance of responsible and appropriate utilisation of these medications.

A collective decision by a team of experienced doctors, including infectious diseases experts should be made mandatory before initiating their use.

By granting EUA for cefepime/zidebactam, an Indian innovation, and cefiderocol, a globally recognized antibiotic, we can strengthen our arsenal against drug-resistant infections.

As a nation known for its scientific achievements, we can make a substantial impact on the world stage.

Let Them Think – on education system of India

Source: This post is based on the article “Let Them Think”, published in The Times of India on 5^th July, 2023.

Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2, Issues related to Education system in India

News: Recently, 550 academics have criticized the move of Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to cancel a discussion on UAPA, prisons and the criminal justice system.

What the move of IISc has been criticized for being against NEP’s objective?

The National Education Policy 2020 aims to transform the educational system from a content-focused, rote-learning model to one that develops the advanced cognitive skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving. The policy encourages addressing creativity challenges through an interdisciplinary approach.

IISc is the top institution in GOI’s national rankings in its categories. The decision to cancel the discussion highlights that an institute of high standard is also not following the approach of NEP. It indicates that the Indian education system may not have fully grasped the NEP’s message.

The development of creativity cannot be achieved by limiting students to a strict curriculum and discouraging any activities that might provoke questioning. Protecting students from real-world issues will be counterproductive in enhancing their cognitive abilities.

Therefore, any attempt by an institution to prevent students from exploring diverse perspectives on UAPA and its role in the criminal justice system is a significant disservice to them.

Thwarting Twitter – on Karnataka HC judgment against Twitter

Source: This post is based on the article “Let Them Think”, published in The Times of India on 5^th July, 2023.

Syllabus topic: GS Paper 2, Government Policies for various sectors

News: The article discusses the recent rejection by the Karnataka High Court of a petition by Twitter, Inc., which challenged the validity of the Union government’s blocking orders.

Read More about the case– A case of unchecked power to restrict e-free speech

The court ruled that Twitter, as a foreign entity, could not invoke the constitutional guarantee of free speech and expression on behalf of its users.

It also imposed a fine of ₹50 lakh on Twitter for indulging in “speculative litigation” despite not complying with the blocking orders for a long period.

Court refused to entertain all arguments based on:

• The absence of notice to users and
• Lack of proportionality involved in large-scale suspension of accounts and posts on few topics.

What are the issues reported by the author with the judgment?

The court’s decision will potentially encourage account-level blocking rather than the removal of specific tweets, links, or URLs deemed harmful to public order or national security.

It will have significant implications for freedom of speech and expression in India, particularly in the context of social media platforms.

It also raises questions about the rights and obligations of large media companies in relation to user-generated content. A definitive verdict from the Supreme Court may be needed to clarify these issues.

What should be done?

Laws in most countries allow intermediaries such as social media platforms and Internet service providers to remove any offending content.

Democracies should formulate policies and regulations rooted in fairness and natural justice.

Government should avoid imposing undue restrictions on freedom of speech and expression.

In Shreya Singhal case (2015), Section 69A of the IT Act was upheld by the Supreme Court, because, the section provides adequate procedural safeguards.

GS Paper 3

A macro view of the fiscal health of States

Source: The post is based on the article “A macro view of the fiscal health of States” published in “The Hindu” on 5th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Government Budgeting

News: The article discusses the fiscal operations of the Indian states and highlights the importance of understanding state finances to improve country’s fiscal situation.

Indian states mobilize over a third of total revenue, spend 60% of combined government expenditure, and have around 40% share in government borrowing. The basis of this analysis relies on the data collected from the budgets (2023-24) of 17 major States in India.

What are the majors finding of this analysis?

The general government deficit and debt, which increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, has started to recede.

The Union level fiscal deficit declined from 9.1% of GDP in 2020-21 to 5.9% in 2023-24 (BE).

All-State fiscal deficit was 4.1% of GDP in 2020-21, and it is expected to be 2.9% of GDP for the major States in 2023-24 (BE).

These 17 major States contained their fiscal deficits despite revenue contraction during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Factors that led the improvement in the fiscal situation

1. Union-State fiscal coordination during Covid,
2. Expenditure-side adjustments,
3. improved GST collection,
4. higher tax devolution, and
5. recovery in non-GST revenues.

What are the remaining Fiscal challenges?

The reduction in the fiscal deficit has not been accompanied by a corresponding reduction in revenue deficit. Out of 17 major states, 13 states have a deficit in the revenue account in 2023-24 (BE).

The all-State share of revenue deficit in fiscal deficit for the same year is expected to be 27%.

The 12th Finance Commission identified three States, as fiscally stressed States, in term of revenue deficit. This number has increased to seven.

What should be done?

The focus should be brought back to the management of the revenue deficit. Following are some suggested measures:

Linking interest-free loans to States with a reduction in revenue deficit can prevent diversion of borrowed resources and incentivize fiscal discipline.

Implementing performance incentive grants based on revenue deficit reduction can further encourage fiscal balance and quality expenditure.

Carbon credit trading scheme: Waiting to exhale

Source: The post is based on the article “Carbon credit trading scheme: Waiting to exhale” published in “Business Standard” on 5th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Environment pollution and degradation

News: India is starting a Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), to help local businesses adjust to the European Carbon Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The CBAM, which begins this October, sets stricter standards for the export of carbon-heavy goods such as cement, steel, aluminium, and fertilisers.

What is India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS)?

India’s CCTS is a program designed to allow companies to trade carbon credits. These credits represent a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. If a company emits less than its allowable limit, it can sell its surplus credits to a company that exceeds its limit. This scheme helps India manage and reduce its overall carbon emissions.

What is the regulatory structure of India’s CCTS?

The regulatory structure of the CCTS is overseen by a National Steering Committee. This committee is made up of 18 ministries and departments, providing comprehensive oversight over the scheme.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) is identified as the only regulator in the scheme.

Additionally, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency acts as the market’s administrator, with the Grid Controller of India handling registrations of market players.

Despite traditionally being overseen by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), the carbon credit market’s regulation falls under the CERC in this scheme.

What are the various challenges?

Regulatory challenges: In October 2021, the Supreme Court stated that the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) would regulate the spot market for power, but only for immediate deliveries up to eleven days. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) would oversee the futures and options market. However, the CCTS is to be regulated by CERC. However, carbon credit is essentially a financial market, so as per the SC order SEBI should be the regulator.

Complexity in market structure: The market structure of CCTS is complex, involving multiple agencies and oversight bodies. Companies might struggle with compliance due to the complicated structure, potentially increasing the cost of obtaining carbon credits.

Unclear validity of international certificates: The framework does not clearly indicate if international carbon abatement certificates will be accepted alongside domestic ones in the new scheme. This could cause confusion and difficulties for companies looking to comply with emission norms.

Fungibility of Carbon Certificates: There are concerns about whether the carbon certificates should be interchangeable across different platforms and tenors. While financial markets often benefit from subdividing certificates to create more value, the carbon market might be more efficient with a standard, fungible product. The current notification is silent on this matter, causing uncertainty among market players.

Navigating the carbon-tax era in trade

Source– The post is based on the article “Navigating the carbon-tax era in trade” published in  Bsiness standard on 5th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS3-Environment

Relevance: Climate change related policy

News- The process for the EU’s Border Carbon Adjustment Tax (Border-CAT) is set to start this year and will kick in from January 2026, initially covering steel, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, hydrogen, and electricity.

This tax could cause trade disruptions, as developed countries, accounting for 65% of global trade, may charge a carbon tax of 20-35% over import duties.

What are the impacts of the EU’s Border Carbon Adjustment Tax?

Firstly, World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments on tariffs will become meaningless for countries charging a carbon tax. Free trade agreements (FTAs) with developed countries, which are charging carbon tax, will become one-sided.

Secondly, the EU’s exports may become expensive. While China may become the lowest-cost supplier of clean energy-compliant products. It will do so through a combination of hydroelectric and green hydrogen-led production of steel, aluminium, cars, and other industrial products.

Thirdly, the world will be divided into countries charging carbon tax and the rest of the world (RoW).

Fourthly, it may reduce the EU’s exports to RoW markets, where cheaper products will be available from countries that do not charge a carbon tax.

Finally, the tax will not stop dirty imports; it will just tax them. So, the carbon tax will have an insignificant impact on the reduction of global emissions.

What should be the actions taken by Indian government and industry?

Set up a carbon trading mechanism and re-designate customs, excise duty, and cesses charged on petroleum, coal and other items as carbon tax. This will reduce the amount of tax to be paid to the EU.

The government must devise a WTO compatible carbon tax retaliation mechanism. It should sign new FTAs with developed countries after resolving the carbon tax issues.

The government may consider a new PLI for low carbon trial projects and must create a cadre of energy auditors to help firms with emissions data, ensuring their accreditation by the EU system.

Each firm must know its unit’s current state of baseline emissions and calculate the monetary impact associated with them.

They should set internal targets to decarbonize and evaluate the costs of adopting renewables.

Large firms may consider setting up two production lines — one for carbon tax markets, and the other for the RoW and develop strategies to enhance their competitiveness in the new trade regime.

What explains the resilience of Indian manufacturing?

Source: The post is based on the article “What explains the resilience of Indian manufacturing?” published in Live Mint on 5^th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Indian Economy – Growth & Development, Industrial Policy

Relevance: About the improving manufacturing sector in India

News: The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) shows India as the only large economy whose factory output is growing significantly.

What is Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI)?

Read Here: What is  Purchasing Managers Index  PMI?  and Purchasing Managers Index(PMI) for manufacturing slipped to two years low

PMI involves surveys of purchasing managers in 500 manufacturing companies across 19 industries in India.

It helps analysts and economists to correctly anticipate the changing economic trends in GDP, inflation, employment and industrial production.

How is India’s manufacturing faring?

The PMI was at 57.8 in June, slightly lower than 58.7 in May. A PMI above 50 indicates expansion or growth compared to the previous month, while a value below 50 signifies contraction.

India’s manufacturing PMI is indicating the resilience of the country’s factory sector. 

The first three months of FY24 also saw a high manufacturing PMI, indicating a rebound in manufacturing, after a contraction of 1.3% in FY23.

This has led to an increase in business confidence and optimism around future business activity among the industry.

What has caused the manufacturing sector to revive?

Strong demand from both domestic and international markets led to significant enhancements in production, sourcing, and hiring.

As per the experts, this positive trend has been due to the government’s increased spending, especially in capital expenditure, and due to the increasing demand for private consumption, which grew by 7.5% in FY23.

What does this mean for the economy?

Strong manufacturing performance is crucial for India to achieve high GDP growth. 

However, this growth is accompanied by higher inflation and wage costs. Despite this, since demand is high, it will allow companies to pass on the increased costs to consumers.

How are other economies faring?

Major economies worldwide are facing challenges in their manufacturing sectors.

China’s June PMI of 50.5 was lower than May’s 50.9, and manufacturing business confidence has reached an eight-month low. China is also struggling with declining export demand and falling employment.

Even the Eurozone saw a PMI of 43.4 in June, indicating further contraction compared to May’s 44.8. Similarly, the United States recorded a PMI of 46.3 in June, marking a six-month low compared to May’s 48.4.

The contraction in the UK’s manufacturing sector has also worsened.

Source: Mint

Next steps for GST – Administrative and policy interventions needed

Source: The post is based on an article “Next steps for GST – Administrative and policy interventions needed” published in Business Standard on 5^th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Indian Economy – Fiscal Policy, Growth and Development

Relevance: concerns present with the GST system and measures needed to address them

News: After six years of implementation, the goods and services tax (GST) system seems to have stabilized, with monthly revenues of at least ~1.5 trillion.

A number of interventions over the years, such as the introduction of e-way bills, the use of e-invoice and technology, have improved efficiency.

However, despite the achievements of the past six years, there are still concerns present with the GST system.

What are the concerns present with the GST system?

In a recent special drive conducted by tax officials, approximately 60,000 suspicious entities were identified. After verifying 50,000 of them, it was discovered that about 25% were bogus.

Hence, to strengthen the system, the administration is planning to introduce biometric authentication along with geo-tagging.

The tax authorities have also found a number of instances of fake input tax credit claims. For example, GST officials in recent months have busted over 300 syndicates with estimated fake input tax credit claims of about ~25,000 crore.

Hence, in this regard, it is important for new systems or changes in tax administration to minimize compliance burdens and allow registered entities to focus on their businesses.

Must Read: The unsung hero – After five years, it seems GST has begun to show sustained growth even as it has many weaknesses and policy challenges

What can be the way ahead?

First, there is a need for strengthening supervision in a sustained manner to check tax evasion and fraudulent claims of input tax credit.

Second, the GST Council must also make necessary interventions. For instance, although there has been an improvement in revenue collection in recent years, the system still falls short of the initial expectations.

The estimated GST collection in 2022-23 was 6.65% of the GDP, only slightly better than the 6.3% collected in 2016-17. Also, collection may be affected when the extended compensation cess expires.

Therefore, it is important that the GST Council addresses the long-pending issue of rationalising both rates and slabs. Reducing the number of slabs, along with adjustments in rates, will improve efficiency and collection.

Pro-Khalistan ‘freedom rally’ in Toronto: Ramping up noise

Source: This post is based on the article “Let Them Think”, published in The Times of India on 5^th July, 2023.

Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3, Internal Security , external threats to internal security

News: The article discusses the resurgence of radical pro-Khalistan propaganda in Canada, which is a cause for concern for India.

What are some of the examples of rise of pro-khalistan activities in Canada?

The perpetrators of June 1985 bombing of Kanishka, Air India’s Flight 182 were reported to be the members of the Babbar Khalsa International. However, they went unpunished due to a sloppy investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

No action has been taken against the radical groups such as Sikhs for Justice, who are escalating their activities in Canada.

A planned pro-Khalistan “freedom rally” in Toronto was oganised on July 8, which openly threatens violence against Indian diplomats posted in Canada.

A month ago, a parade was held in Toronto by pro-khalistani figures, depicting the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

What is the reason behind inaction against pro-Khalistani figures in Canada?

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is dependent on Jagmeet Singh, a known Khalistani propagandist and leader of the New Democratic Party.

Why is it an internal security matter for India?

Since the initiation of the “Referendum 2020” campaign about five years ago in countries with large Sikh diasporas (Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK), the pro-Khalistan activities in Punjab have increased. The sudden emergence of khalistani leader Amritpal Singh is an example. The referendum is aimed at separation of Punjab from India.

The developments in Canada are exacerbating security concerns in Punjab.

However, it is also true that several failures of Punjab’s political elites to address economic and social challenges has also contributed to this problem.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

23rd SCO Summit – SCO calls for multipolar world order as Iran joins grouping

Source: The post is based on the article “SCO calls for multipolar world order as Iran joins grouping” published in The Hindu on 5th July 2023.

What is the News?

India hosted the 23rd Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State in the virtual format. This is the first time India is hosting the summit.

What are the key takeaways from the 23rd SCO Summit? 

Iran as new member: SCO has decided to induct Iran as its ninth member.

New Delhi Declaration: One of the major outcomes of the SCO summit was the New Delhi Declaration. 

– The name of the declaration was coined by the Indian government.

– The declaration proposes five joint statements namely: fight against terrorism, de-radicalisation, sustainable lifestyle to tackle climate change, production of millets and digital transformation.

– The declaration also listed a number of global challenges, including new and emerging conflicts, turbulence in the markets, supply chain instability, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.  

India on China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): India has once again refused to endorse China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) scheme which envisions rebuilding the old Silk Road to connect China with Asia, Europe and beyond with large infrastructure spending.

– India was the only country in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) not to support the project.

India has also stayed out of a joint statement on SCO Economic Development Strategy 2030, indicating a lack of consensus in the grouping.

India on cross border terrorism: Prime Minister has said that some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of their policies.

The PM said that SCO should not hesitate to criticize such nations because there can be no place for double standards on such serious matters.

India has been repeatedly pointing out that Islamabad uses terrorist groups as instruments of state policy.

China has been blocking the listing of Pakistan-based terrorists at the UN Security Council (UNSC).

Govt. to help combat child trafficking in border areas, set up rehabilitation homes

Source: The post is based on the article “Govt. to help combat child trafficking in border areas, set up rehabilitation homes” published in The Hindu on 5th July 2023.

What is the News?

The Central Government has decided to help build infrastructure in border areas to combat child trafficking and help in rehabilitation and protection of victims.

About Trafficking in border areas of India:

India is a source as well as destination country for trafficking of persons.

The source countries of such trafficking are Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar from where women and girls are trafficked under false promises of providing a better life, jobs and good living conditions in India.

A majority of those trafficked are minor girls or young women who after their arrival in India are sold and forced into commercial sex work. 

These girls/women often reach major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad etc. from where they are taken out of the country mainly to the Middle East and SouthEast Asia.

What are the steps the government has taken till now to combat trafficking in border areas?

Till now, the Women and Child Development Ministry has been providing financial assistance to all States and Union Territories under the Nirbhaya Fund to set up and strengthen Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTU) in every district of the country. 

Funding has also been provided for setting up of AHTU units in border guarding forces such as the Border Security Force (BSF) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

What are the further steps the government is planning to take to combat trafficking on border areas?

Government has decided to provide financial assistance to States/UTs in border areas to set up protection and rehabilitation homes for the victims of trafficking particularly for minor girls and young women.

These homes will provide services like shelter, food, clothing, counseling, primary health facilities and other daily requirements.

The government will also help build infrastructure to combat child trafficking in border areas.

The victims of trafficking will also be produced before the child welfare committee to declare fit facility for providing sponsorship as per the Mission Vatsalya Scheme guideline and accordingly, the states/UTs will be requested to do the needful.

Impact of CSR funds ‘not widely felt’ despite jump in spending: Ministry of Corporate Affairs

Source: The post is based on the article “Impact of CSR funds ‘not widely felt’ despite jump in spending: Ministry of Corporate Affairs” published in Economic Times on 2nd  July 2023.

What is the News?

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has said that there has been a limited impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives despite an increase in such spending in recent years.

What is Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR)?

Click Here to read

Data on Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR):

Source: Economic Times

CSR spending in FY21 amounted to Rs 26,210 crore representing an 80% growth since FY16.

This increase is commendable but the impact of CSR funds is not widely felt, necessitating a strategic and sustainable approach. 

What are the challenges to CSR in India?

Regional disparity: There is a substantial regional disparity in the deployment of CSR funds. 

In FY21, ten states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh accounted for over 44% of the CSR funds.In contrast, the eight northeastern states received a meager 0.91% share. 

This regional imbalance is worrisome as the smaller regions often face higher levels of socio-economic challenges and underdevelopment.

The potential reason for such disparity could be the stipulation under the Section 135(5) of the Companies Act 2013 which says that companies should give preference to the areas around which they operate while allocating CSR funds.But this rule is not mandatory. 

Hence, companies can avoid concentrating CSR funds in specific regions by adopting a multi-dimensional approach to CSR.This involves identifying regions with high socioeconomic vulnerabilities and directing resources towards their development.

For this, they can collaborate with local NGOs, community-based organizations, and government agencies to ensure the effective implementation of CSR projects at the grassroots level. 

CSR funding in few specific sectors: Education, healthcare, and rural development have remained the top receivers of the CSR funds. 

According to the official data, between FY15 and FY21, the education sector received about 37% of the total CSR spending. 

The health sector received 30% and Rural development projects received 9.6% of the total CSR expenditure.

Deep sea mining permits may be coming soon. What are they and what might happen?

Source: The post is based on the article “Deep sea mining permits may be coming soon. What are they and what might happen?” published in Indian Express on 3rd July 2023

What is the News?

The International Seabed Authority is preparing to resume negotiations on the opening up of international seabed for deep sea mining.

What is Deep Sea Mining?

Deep-sea mining is the process of retrieving mineral deposits from the ocean below 200 metres—the deep seabed, which covers around two-thirds of the total seafloor.

There are three types of deep sea mining: 1) taking deposit-rich polymetallic nodules off the ocean floor 2) mining massive seafloor sulphide deposits and 3) stripping cobalt crusts from rock.

How is Deep Sea Mining regulated now?

Countries manage their own maritime territory and exclusive economic zones, while the high seas and the international ocean floor are governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas(UNCLOS).It is considered to apply to states regardless of whether or not they have signed or ratified it.

Under the treaty, the seabed and its mineral resources are considered the “common heritage of mankind” that must be managed in a way that protects the interests of humanity through the sharing of economic benefits, support for marine scientific research, and protecting marine environments.

Mining companies interested in deep sea exploitation are partnering with countries to help them get exploration license.

Why is there a pressure on ISA to establish regulations now?

In 2021 the Pacific island nation of Nauru — in partnership with mining company Nauru Ocean Resources applied to the ISA to exploit minerals in a specified deep sea area. 

This triggered a clause of the UN treaty that requires the ISA to complete regulations governing deep sea exploitation by July 2023. 

If no regulations are finalized, Nauru can submit an application to conduct the mining without any governing regulations. Other countries and private companies can start applying for provisional licenses if the ISA fails to approve a set of rules and regulations by July,2023.

What is the environmental impact of deep-sea mining?

Firstly, the deep ocean absorbs and stores more than 90% of the excess heat and approximately 38% of the carbon dioxide generated by humanity. Breakdown of even a small fraction of carbon stored in marine sediments could exacerbate climate change.

Secondly, noise from deep-sea mining could disrupt marine mammals, such as whales and dolphins, that use sound as a primary means of underwater communication and sensing.

Thirdly, ​​waste water and the particles discharged by mining ships at the ocean surface will affect ecosystems and commercially important or vulnerable species,

Fourthly, there are implications for the human rights of communities that could be affected by pollution or damaged fisheries.

What do mining companies say about the environmental impact?

The mining companies argue that the biggest threat to the oceans is climate change, and that the planet’s top priority should be to achieve net-zero emissions. To achieve this, trade-offs will be necessary.

Zo peoples of Manipur and Mizoram: ethnicity, religion, a shared history.

Source: The post is based on the article “Ethnicity, religion, a shared history: ties that bind the Zo peoples of Manipur & Mizoram” published in Indian Express on 5th July 2023.

What is the News?

Mizoram’s Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) has called for a reunification of the Zo people in view of the continuing ethnic violence between the dominant Meiteis and the Kuki-Zomi tribes in Manipur.

Who are Zo people?

The Zo people are an ethnic group which inhabit areas of India, Myanmar and the Chittagong hill tracts of Bangladesh.

The Chin Hills or Indo-Chin hill ranges in northwestern Myanmar is the home to a large number of tribes that come under the Zo umbrella.

Zo group includes many sub-tribes and clans such as the Chin, Kuki, Mizo, Lushei, Zomi, Paitei, Hmar, Ralte, Pawi, Lai, Mara, Gangte, Thadou, etc.

These tribes are believed to have migrated from China through Tibet to settle in Myanmar, and speak a group of Tibeto-Burman languages.

Constant feuds among the tribal clans and their kings (chieftains) drove many of the clans westward to modern-day Mizoram and parts of Manipur in the 17th century. 

They settled in new villages but even so remained socially and emotionally connected with the Chin tribes of Myanmar.

Apart from ethnicity— the tribes are also connected together by Christianity

Union Minister lays foundation stone of Inland Waterways Transport Terminal at Bogibeel, Dibrugarh

Source: The post is based on the article “Union Minister lays foundation stone of Inland Waterways Transport Terminal at Bogibeel, Dibrugarh” published in PIB on 5th July 2023.

What is the News?

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways has laid the foundation stone of Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) terminal to be developed at Bogibeel in Dibrugarh, Assam.

Where is the Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) terminal being developed?

Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) terminal is being developed at Bogibeel in Dibrugarh, Assam by the bank of the River Brahmaputra (National Waterways 2).

The terminal is being developed under the aegis of Inland Waterways Authority of India(IWAI).

The executing agency of the terminal is being done by the Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Construction Limited. 

Some major features of the terminal include cargo and passenger berths, approach and other internal roads, transit shed, open storage area, truck parking area, passenger waiting area among others.

The terminal is scheduled to be completed by February 2024.

What is the significance of developing this Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) terminal at Bogibeel?

Firstly, this terminal is likely to play a pivotal role in rejuvenating inland waterways transportation in the region for both cargo and passenger movement.

Secondly, the terminal will act as a catalyst towards reclaiming the lost glory of Dibrugarh as a major commercial hub. It will also play a crucial role in the development of upper Assam and nearby states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland in terms of cargo as well as passenger transportation.

Thirdly, it will also lead to increase in eco-tourism, and easing the movement of EXIM cargo with comparatively lower transportation cost vis-a-vis others.

Startup20 -India’s remarkable economic scale and market potential enable startups to flourish and thrive in global startup ecosystem: Union Commerce and Industry Minister

Source: The post is based on the article “India’s remarkable economic scale and market potential enable startups to flourish and thrive in global startup ecosystem: Union Commerce and Industry Minister” published in PIB on 3rd July 2023.

What is the News?

The Union Minister for Commerce and Industry has addressed the Startup20 meeting at Gurugram.

What is Startup20?

Startup20 is an official engagement group established under India’s G20 Presidency. 

It acts as a dialogue forum with the G20 nations startup ecosystem stakeholders and intends to represent the startup ecosystem of the G20 nations to raise the macroeconomic concerns and challenges faced by the startup ecosystem players in these nations.

Startup20 Engagement Group will operate through three Task Forces: 

– The Foundations and Alliances Taskforce: It will work to create a startup terminology handbook, set up a global knowledge hub, and create bilateral and Multilateral collaborations with governments, policymakers, academic & research institutes, industry associations and international organizations to promote startups.

– The Finance Taskforce: It will broaden the array of financial instruments available to startups, through policy level intervention and create pitching, capacity building and networking opportunities for startups with the global investor community.

– Inclusion and Sustainability Taskforce: It will work towards promotion of inclusive entrepreneurship, startups working towards inclusion, creating a sustainable planet on the back of startups working towards the SDGs, while also encouraging them to adopt growth-centric sustainable strategies.

First meeting of Startup20: Startup20’s inception meeting was held in Hyderabad in January 2023.At the meeting, Startup20X was launched.

– Startup20X is a platform conceptualized to host talks, conferences, and events conducted under the aegis of India’s Startup20 Engagement Group. It will bring together leaders from the world of innovation and entrepreneurship and give them a platform to share their experiences and network with ecosystem stakeholders. 

India ranked 67th on Energy Transition Index, Sweden on top: WEF

Source: The post is based on the article “India ranked 67th on Energy Transition Index, Sweden on top: WEF” published in The Hindu on 28th June 2023

What is the News?

The World Economic Forum(WEF) has released the Energy Transition Index 2023.

What is the Energy Transition Index?

Click Here to read

What are the key takeaways from Energy Transition Index 2023?

Rankings: Sweden has topped the list and was followed by Denmark, Norway, Finland and Switzerland in the top five.

– France (7) was the only G20 Country in the top 10, followed closely by Germany (11), the U.S. (12), and the U.K. (13).

India: India has been ranked 67th out of 120 countries.

Observations made on India: India is the only major economy with energy transition momentum accelerating across all dimensions.

– Despite continued economic growth, India has successfully reduced the energy intensity of its economy and the carbon intensity of its energy mix, while achieving universal energy access and effectively managing affordability of electricity.

Contributors: Universal access to electricity, replacing solid fuels with clean cooking options and increasing renewable energy deployment have been primary contributors to the improvement of India’s performance.

Concerns: Rising import dependence amid global energy market volatilities, predominantly carbon-intensive energy mix. Challenges include balancing economic growth and creating quality jobs for the growing working-age population.

Recommendations: Continued progress of India will be challenged by two key macro trends: strong economic growth and the urgency to create quality jobs for a growing working age population.

– Hence, for this a skilled workforce, public-private collaboration in innovation, and investment in research and development in low-carbon technologies are necessary to enable India’s energy transition.

Data scraping explained: What is data scraping and why Elon Musk is changing Twitter rules over it?

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained: What is data scraping and why Elon Musk is changing Twitter rules over it?” published in TOI on 5th July 2023

What is the News?

Twitter has implemented temporary reading limits to address issues of Data Scraping and system manipulation.

What is data scraping? 

Data scraping, also known as web scraping, is the automated process of extracting large amounts of data from websites or online sources.

It involves using software tools or programming techniques to gather information from web pages and convert it into a structured format, such as a spreadsheet or a database.

What are the positive implications of Data Scraping?

Data Scraping can be used for various legitimate purposes. Researchers and analysts can scrape data to gather information for market research, trend analysis, or monitoring competitors’ pricing and product information. 

Companies can scrape data to collect customer feedback, reviews, or to generate leads for their sales teams. 

Data scraping can also be used for academic research, data journalism or to create innovative applications and services.

What are the drawbacks of data scraping? 

Firstly, data scraping can be harmful when used for unethical or illegal purposes. For instance, many websites have terms of service or usage agreements that prohibit scraping their data without permission. When scraping violates these terms, it becomes unauthorized access to a website’s data and can lead to legal consequences. 

Secondly, there’s always the threat of copyright infringement as data scraping may involve copying and reproducing copyrighted material without proper authorisation. 

Thirdly, scraping personal data, such as email addresses, phone numbers, or sensitive information, without the consent of individuals can result in privacy violations. It may lead to the misuse of personal data, identity theft, or targeted advertising.

Fourthly, data scraping impacts a website’s performance. Intensive and frequent scraping can put a significant load on the targeted website’s servers leading to decreased performance or even crashing the site. This affects the user experience of legitimate visitors and can be considered a form of denial of service attack.