Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

GS Paper 3

• The net zero challenge
• Banks up to tricks with bad loans again?
• Corridors, not translocation, key to decongesting India’s tiger reserves
• Resolute measures can save the planet from the harm of plastics

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

Citizen activism that is missing from the wrestling ring

News- A few nationally acclaimed wrestlers have been protesting against their federation chief, allegedly for sexual harassment.

There is a lack of citizen activism seen during Nirbhaya protests and the Anna Andolan.

What have been the characteristics of civil society activism in India?

Middle-class activism was at its peak in the colonial period. This was not completely free of social conservatism and caste-based fractures. But it had a pluralistic and egalitarian dimension.

It revolved around socio-economic initiatives undertaken by urban elites of the upper castes, lower-middle and middle classes. It was directed towards individuals of lower social status.

The middle classes were not active in civil society participation from the Nehruvian era onwards. They were part of power structures within the state-centred political economy.

As per some scholars, there has been dominance of caste/community-based organisations. The country lacked a modern civil society. Others have appreciated the role of these organisations in aiding democratisation.

Some scholars say that in India, religion, caste, ethnicity and language have been effectively mobilised in articulating and representing group identities and interests.

During the United Progressive Alliance, there was a resurgence of urban, middle-class activism around issues of political corruption.

There was rising discontent among middle classes. It was due to corrupting influences of mass-based politics and vote banks and suspicions” towards unions, subordinate castes and Muslims.

This middle-class equated technocratic governance and entrepreneurialism with progress. For them, politics represented social division and ‘barriers to development’.

How has the nature of civil society activism changed after 2014?

Post-2014, the ideology of the ruling Party has influenced this middle-class. It reflects the changing Indian sensibility, especially among India’s professional and middle classes.

Thus, the middle classes now represent a kind of a civil society base of the ruling party. It can explain a weakening attachment towards independent social actors, as the wrestlers.

The weakness of personality-driven Anna Andolan is evident. The Narmada Bachao Andolan ultimately ended in failure.

NBA was disinterested in mobilising peasants and workers in rural Gujarat. Ecological concerns privileged urban middle class perspectives.

However, there still exists space for popular mobilisation. In Tamil Nadu, labour rights organisations compelled the M.K. Stalin government to stall the implementation of a new labour law.

The farmers’ agitation demonstrates the continuing influence of these organisations in parts of northern India. Some of these groups have now given their support in favour of the protesting wrestlers.

The Delhi ordinance is an unabashed power-grab

News– On May 19 this year, the Union government promulgated an ordinance to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD) Act, 1991. It nullified the Supreme Court judgement of May 11 on the powers over bureaucratic appointments in Delhi.

The SC viewpoint on the position of Delhi in India’s federal constitutional scheme?

As per Supreme Court, Article 239AA in the Constitution has accorded the National Capital Territory of Delhi a “sui generis” status.

The Court held that there is no “homogeneous class” of Union Territories and States. The Indian Constitution has several examples of special governance arrangements. These treat federal units differently from each other.

India’s federal system has been described as asymmetric due to the special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and special protections under Article 371, and 5th and 6th Schedule Areas.

SC used the asymmetric federalism framework to clarify the position of the NCTD in India’s federal scheme.

It remarked that though NCTD is not a full-fledged State. Article 239AA created an asymmetric federal model for the NCTD. The unique constitutional status conferred upon it makes it a federal entity.

For countries with deep ethnic, linguistic, and cultural differences, an asymmetric model of federalism is desirable. It accommodates the interests of various social groups through territorial units.

The Court noted that the principles of federalism and democracy are interlinked. Use of legislative power by the state fulfils people’s aspirations.

Federalism creates “dual manifestation of the public will”. Here, the priorities of the two sets of governments are different.

Why is the presidential ordinance problematic?

It does not augur well for judicial independence. The legislature can alter the legal basis of a judgment. But it cannot directly overrule it.

The power of ordinance is only to meet an extraordinary situation. It cannot be used to serve political ends. The ordinance by the Union government is an act of constitutional subterfuge.

The ordinance creates a civil services authority where bureaucrats can overrule an elected Chief Minister. It destroys long-established norms on bureaucratic accountability.

For all these reasons, the ordinance is a direct assault on federalism and democracy.

For further reading- https://forumias.com/blog/supreme-court-empowered-delhi-govt-centre-gets-ordinance-to-put-bureaucrats-over-cm/

Spare the rod and change the law

News- The Director General of Health Services (DGHS) issued directions that doctors in Central government hospitals to prescribe only generic medicines instead of branded drugs.

Why do Indian doctors lack trust in the quality of generic medicines?

Firstly, India has lagged behind countries like the U.S. in creating the appropriate legal and scientific standards ensuring bio-equivalence testing. It provide guarantees to doctors on the interchangeability of generic medicines with each other and the innovator drug.

India mandated bio-equivalence testing only in 2017. Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) recommended that existing generic drugs, approved prior to 2017 be tested for bioequivalence. But, it was ignored by the government.

Many doctors have developed faith in particular brands. The patient feedback has taught them that other brands do not work as effectively.

Second, it should be ensured that the drug remains stable through a stressed supply chain in differing conditions of heat and humidity.

The law prescribing mandatory stability testing prior to providing marketing approval became mandatory in India only in 2018.  But it did not apply retrospectively to generic drugs approved prior to 2018.

What is the way forward?

Hence it is not appropriate for the DGHS to force doctors to prescribe drugs by generic names. The DGHS must work towards resolving the genuine concerns of doctors.

There is a need for regulations which require pharma companies to identify on their packaging whether a drug has been tested for bioequivalence and stability as required by the law.

Building the confidence of doctors in generic medicine serves public interest better than threatening them with punitive action.

GS Paper 3

The net zero challenge

News- The RBI has released “Currency and Finance Report for 2022-23 — “Towards a greener cleaner India” report.

What are the findings of the report?

An annual GDP growth rate of 9.6% would raise net GHG emissions by 10.5 times of levels in 2021-22.

The nationally determined contribution will set back economic output by as much as 9% by 2049.

Only a more ambitious action of achieving net zero by 2050 would limit the losses from extreme weather events and decarbonisation to 3% by 2049.

The report talks about the inflationary impact of the status quo against the alternative of achieving net zero by 2050.

What are the financial risks involved in transition towards net zero?

The productive life of existing fossil fuel-based assets will be shortened. It will expose the banking sector through loans to these assets. Such risks are more pronounced for public-sector banks.

However, the financial risks are not just limited to conventional energy, non-conventional energy registered an increase in share of industry bad loans.

There are risks to assets, and therefore to the banking system, from the growing incidence of extreme weather events.

What are the policy alternatives mentioned in the report to address these risks?

The report lays significant emphasis on the role of fiscal policy. It makes a case for fiscal intervention in the form of a carbon tax or an emission trading system.

It finds that a carbon tax of $25 per tonne and $50 per tonne of Co2 under different scenarios can be effective, alongside other policy interventions.

It mentions the role of shifts in production to less energy intensive sectors like fisheries, textiles, land transport and services. But there is no roadmap for these sectors that have long confronted legacy issues.

Banks up to tricks with bad loans again?

News: The RBI governor in a conference of the directors of public-sector banks (PSBs) has made comments regarding tricks adopted by banks to conceal the real status of stressed loans.

What are some of the tricks adopted by PSBs?

Click Here to Read

What is the effect of evergreening loans on private and public sector banks?

In private banks, shareholders bear the brunt, promoters may be removed and even face legal consequences.

In contrast, when PSBs mismanage their finances, no significant action is taken against bank chairman, board of directors, or officials.

Hence, there is lack of accountability in PSBs due to the absence of core reforms, which has significant implications for the overall banking system.

Must Read: RBI governor cautions against evergreening of loans: Are banks, corporates still window-dressing loans?

Why do PSBs suffer more loss than the Private sector banks?

PSBs hold a significant portion of people’s savings and play a crucial role in providing loans to small businesses, farming, and acting as the primary channel for government schemes, subsidies, and pensions.

However, despite having the potential to make profits, PSBs have often incurred losses or minimal profits.

The main reason for the losses is the prevalence of corruption in lending to unreliable projects that ultimately fail. A large number of small and big businesses have also burdened PSBs with staggering bad loans.

What is the current situation of bad loans in the PSBs?

As per the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, scheduled commercial banks had written off bad loans of ~10 trillion in five years and only 13 percent of the write-off had been recovered.

Further, the cumulative recovery of bad loans through the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) until September has been just 30.8 percent.

Moreover, more than 90 percent of the bad loans originate in PSBs and many loans are designed to go bad. When a case is referred to the IBC, there are almost no assets left to recover.

What can be the way ahead?

Factors such as bank recapitalization, gradual resolution of bad loans, and overall economic growth have led to a significant increase in the shares of PSBs since 2020.

However, given the current scenario of evergreening loans, this can again make banks suffer losses. Hence, the measures by the RBI to check such activities are appreciated.

Corridors, not translocation, key to decongesting India’s tiger reserves

News: The successful implementation of Project Tiger has led to an increase in the tiger population. Due to which, tiger density in some the reserves have increased.

What are the concerns present with increasing tiger density?

A high density of tiger population has resulted in increased conflicts between humans and animals.

This has caused translocating tigers from the reserves which have a higher density to the reserves which are less congested/empty.

Why is translocation needed?

Click Here to Read

What are the concerns with the translocation of tigers?

Read Here: Tiger translocation project: Need and significance – Explained

What are the different views regarding the translocation of tigers?

Some argue that the issue of high tiger density is only a problem in certain over-managed and renowned reserves as vast areas of tiger habitat do not face issues with high density.

While others are of the view that congestion does not necessarily require translocation. There is a need to prevent degradation of forests in buffer areas and the translocation should only be considered as a last resort.

It is also argued that reintroducing prey and stopping hunting is crucial for the survival of translocated tigers.

What can be the course of action?

First, in order to reduce the tiger density, the urgent need is to stop the unscientific practice of habitat manipulation that results in high density of prey.

This includes clearing extra-wide view lines, the famed ‘exotic weed removal’ schemes, the creation of meadows, creating excessive water holes natural as well as artificial, and replenishment in the dry season.

It is believed that natural decline in prey density will eventually lead to a decrease in tiger density.

Second, translocating tigers, along with habitat manipulation, is seen as aggravating the problem rather than solving it. Translocation exercises are costly, particularly when conservation funds are limited.

Instead, corridors between distant reserves can be established to address the issue.

Third, the only solution to tigers spreading into the buffer areas that causes man-animal conflict is the stringent regulation of human activities in those areas and keeping infrastructure development out of the buffer.

Resolute measures can save the planet from the harm of plastics

News: On World Environment Day, 2018, India’s Prime Minister made a historic announcement to make India single-use plastic-free by 2022. Despite the ban on 21 items of single-use plastic last year, the implementation has been ineffective in most parts of the country.

What are some of the facts related to plastic pollution?

The world produces 400 million tonnes of plastic every year.

About 75% of all plastic ever produced has become waste.

Around the world, one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute, and up to five trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year. Half of all plastic produced is designed for single-use purposes.

Studies suggest that there will be more plastics than fish in the ocean by 2050.

Most plastic items never fully disappear; they just break down into smaller and smaller pieces. These microplastics can enter the human body and accumulate in organs.

What are the concerns associated with plastic pollution?

The presence of microplastics has been detected in human organs, and in the placentas of new-born babies. Plastic-associated chemicals, such as methyl mercury, plasticisers, and flame retardants, can enter the body and are linked to health concerns.

The greenhouse gas emission from production, use and disposal of conventional fossil fuel-based plastics is estimated to grow to 19% of the global carbon budget by 2040.

Plastic pollution also results into clogging of drains contributing to urban floods, aesthetic deterioration, landfill leachates, and damage to coral reefs.

What should be done?

Refusing all single-use plastics and ensuring the extended producer’s responsibility. Full ban on single use plastic should be implemented.

Encouraging local clean-up drives.

Norms and standards must be put in place by governments, cities, towns, businesses, and the finance sector to eliminate unnecessary plastics.

Transitioning from a linear plastics economy to a circular one.

Adopting a low resource-intensive lifestyle and prioritizing the concepts of refuse and reduce over reuse, recycle, and repair is crucial.

Over 100 countries have adopted legislation on plastic bags, and many have introduced rules on single-use plastics more generally. However, these legislations cannot be successful without participation of citizens.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Union Minister For Jal Shakti Launches Unified Registration Portal For GOBARdhan

Source: The post is based on the article “Union Minister For Jal Shakti Launches Unified Registration Portal For GOBARdhan” published in the PIB on 01st June 2023

What is the News?

The Union Minister for Jal Shakti has recently launched the Unified Registration Portal for GOBARdhan. The portal will act as a one-stop repository to assess investment and participation in Biogas/CBG sector at the pan-India level and more importantly, streamline the process of setting up CBG/Biogas plants in India.

Note: Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) is a vital umbrella initiative based on the whole of Government approach which aims to convert waste to wealth towards promoting a circular economy. 

About the Unified Registration Portal For GOBARdhan

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, has developed the portal to facilitate the setting up of Biogas/Compressed Biogas (CBG) plants.

Scope: The portal acts as a one-stop repository for assessing investment and participation in the Biogas/CBG sector at the pan-India level. It streamlines the process of setting up CBG/Biogas plants.

Process of enrolment: Any government, cooperative or private entity operating or intending to setup a Biogas/CBG/Bio CNG plant in India can obtain a registration number by enrolling in this unified registration portal. States have been advised to get their CBG/Biogas plant operators registered on the portal on priority to avail existing and upcoming support from the Union Government.

Benefits of registration: The registration number will enable availing of a multitude of benefits and support from the Ministries & Departments of the Government of India.

Significance:

-The Unified Registration Portal of GOBARdhan is a perfect example of Cooperative Federalism as the stakeholder Central Ministries, all line departments of Centre and States have come together in the development and deployment of the portal.

-The Portal displays information on both existing as well as proposed GOBARdhan projects and will be a valuable tool for investors as well as entrepreneurs of the sector.

-The portal will not only ensure Ease of Doing Business (EODB) but will also attract greater investment from private players.

-The portal is available in the public domain to ensure transparency as well as make data available for research and related purposes.

-The portal aligns with India’s climate action goals, promotes clean energy, rural employment, improved health outcomes, and contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Govt. of India’s Mission LiFE.

Understanding the Kavach system

Source: The post is based on the article “Understanding the Kavach system” published in The Hindu on 5th June 2023

What is the News?

The death of over 288 passengers in the train accident in Odisha has brought into sharp focus the safety mechanisms needed to prevent such tragedies.

What is Kavach?

KAVACH is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection(ATP) System for Indian Railways.

Developed by: Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in collaboration with the Indian industry.

What are the features and significance of KAVACH?

The Traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS), with the help of equipment on board the locomotive and transmission towers at stations connected with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags. This helps in two-way communication between the station master and loco-pilot to convey any emergency message. The instrument panel inside the cabin helps the loco-pilot know about the signal in advance without visual sighting, and the permissible speeds to be maintained.

If a red signal is jumped and two trains come face to face on the same line, the technology automatically takes over and applies sudden brakes.

Note: Both the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express and the Yeshwanthpur-Howrah Express were not fitted with KAVACH-TACS. The Kavach system project is yet to be implemented on the Howrah-Kharagpur-Chennai line. 

Where has Kavach been implemented?

The South Central Railway (SCR) Zone is a pioneer in the implementation of the KAVACH – (TACS). The Kavach system has been deployed over 1,465 kms in the SCR limits in 77 locomotives and 135 stations till March this year.

The Secunderabad-based Indian Railways Institute of Signal Engineering & Telecommunications (IRISET) hosts the ‘Centre of Excellence’ for Kavach. IRISET has been mandated by the Railway Board to train the in-service railway staff on Kavach.

What is the Kavach deployment strategy?

The first priority is the High-Density Routes and the New Delhi-Mumbai and New Delhi-Howrah Sections, as they have higher chances of accidents because the trains run closer to each other.

The second priority lines are the Highly Used Networks, the third ones are other Passenger High-Density Routes and the final priority is of course to cover all other routes.

The reasons Law Commission gave while recommending a stronger sedition law

Source: The post is based on the article “The reasons Law Commission gave while recommending a stronger sedition law” published in the Indian Express on 5th June 2023

What is the News?

The 22nd Law Commission has said that the sedition needs to be retained, but certain amendments could be made for greater clarity regarding its usage.

What is Sedition?

What are the Law Commission’s recommendations on Sedition?

The Commission recommended three changes to the law on sedition. These are

First, the report asked to include the ratio of the Kedar Nath ruling into the provision by adding the words “with a tendency to incite violence or cause public disorder.” The report also defines tendency to incite violence.

Second, the report suggests enhancing the imprisonment for sedition to “remove an oddity.” One of the criticisms against the provision is that it leaves judges with wide discretion on sentencing.

Section 124A has a jail term of up to three years or life imprisonment. This means that the judges either held imprisonment for life or held imprisonment up to three years only, but nothing in between. The Law Commission has now proposed enhancing the jail term up to seven years or life imprisonment.

Note: The 42nd Law Commission report, in 1971, recommended that the minimum punishment be only fine.

Third, to prevent misuse of the law, the report suggested including procedural safeguards.

What are the reasons given by the committee to retain the sedition law?

To safeguard the unity and integrity of India: The report cited threats to India’s internal security, including Maoist extremism, militancy and ethnic conflict in the north-east, terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and other secessionist activities. These necessitate retaining the law on sedition.

Reasonable restriction: The Commission justified criminalising sedition as it is a reasonable restriction under Article 19(2) of the Constitution (which deals with restrictions on the right to freedom of speech, assembly, etc. under Article 19(1)).

Realities differ in every jurisdiction: Britain and many other colonial countries outlawed Sedition but that does not mean India should outlaw it too. This is because a) the courts of competent jurisdictions like the US, the UK, etc. had their own history, geography, population, diversity, laws, etc which are not compatible with Indian circumstances and b) they have merged their sedition law with counter-terror legislation.

How India has become relatively atmanirbhar in Pulses compared to Edible Oil

Source: The post is based on the article “How India has become relatively atmanirbhar in Pulses compared to Edible Oil” published in the Indian Express on 5th June 2023

What is the News?

India is significantly import-dependent on Edible oil and pulses. Due to various steps, India has now achieved over 90% self-sufficiency in dals.

About India’s import of edible oil and pulses

Edible oil: Between 2013-14 and 2022-23 (April-March), the value of India’s vegetable oil imports has increased significantly. Out of the 24-25 million tonnes (mt) cooking oil that the country consumes annually, only 9-10 mt is from domestically produced grain. The balance 14-15 mt is imported.

Pulses: The value of imports has posted only a marginal rise during the nine years. The reduction in pulses imports has come essentially on the back of higher domestic production. According to the Agriculture Ministry, India’s pulses output has increased from 19.26 mt in 2013-14 to 27.50 mt in 2022-23. The Yellow/white peas (matar) and chickpea (chana) has recorded dramatic import reduction.

What led to the decrease in pulses imports?

The boost to chana production came from two key government measures such as

Import levies: The government levy a) a 60% import duty on chana since March 2018, b) a 50% duty plus a minimum price of Rs 200/kg below which imports are not permitted. These have resulted in a near-complete stoppage of imports.

Note: Yellow/white peas imported mainly from Canada, Russia, Ukraine and Lithuania are basically a substitute for chana.

Government procurement at minimum support prices (MSP): The MSP of chana itself has been raised from Rs 3,100 to Rs 5,335 per quintal between 2013-14 and 2022-23.

Incentivizing Indian farmers to expand area under the pulses crop grown during the rabi (winter-spring) season.

What is still a cause of concern for pulses?

Chana’s success has not been replicated for other pulses, particularly arhar/tur or pigeon pea. The same goes for urad (black gram), a predominantly kharif (post-monsoon sown) crop like arhar. Masoor (red lentil) imports from Canada and Australia have crossed 1.1-1.2 mt in some years. There is currently no duty on imports of masoor, arhar or urad.

100s of Aravali hillocks flattened, sandstorms reaching Delhi-NCR: Study

Source: The post is based on the article “100s of Aravali hillocks flattened, sandstorms reaching Delhi-NCR: Study” published in The Times of India on 5th June 2023

What is the News?

A recent study from the Central University of Rajasthan has found that Aravallis, one of the world’s oldest mountain ranges, now leave the path open for sandstorms from the Thar Desert to hit the National Capital Region (NCR) and western UP.

About the report on Aravali Hillocks

The report titled “The Assessment of the Land Use Dynamics of Aravali Range”. The systematic disappearance of hills at the upper level was recorded in Naraina, Kalwar, Kotputli, Jhalana and Sariska with heights of 200 metres to 600 metres above sea level. The count of vanishing hills at the lower and middle level, with heights between 50 to 200 metres above sea level, has yet to be completed.

What are the findings of the study on Aravali hillocks?

The study has identified over 31 hills in the upper Aravali range that have disappeared in the last two decades, besides “hundreds of hills” in the lower and middle levels. Until 1999, 10,462 sq km in the range was covered with dry deciduous forest. This has been reduced (41%) to 6116 sq km in 2019.

This is due to unchecked mining and urbanisation, threatening the flora and fauna of one of the world’s oldest mountain ranges.

What are the impacts of disappeared Aravali hillocks?

Places which saw the vanishing hills, like Bharatpur, Dholpur, Jaipur, Chittorgarh, have been facing more sand storms than usual. This has become an annual feature now. Apart from exposing NCR to more sandstorms, the destruction of hills and forests in the Aravalis has also led to

Increased man-animal conflict: Leopards, chinkara and sambhar deer, which live in the hills, have been entering human settlements.

Threaten existing ecosystem: Rare plants like neel, chonakurinji and karun kurinji are facing wipe-out threats.

What are the suggestions of the report on protecting the remaining Aravali hillocks?

Mining leases granted by Rajasthan (which constitutes 80% of the Aravali range), Gujarat (10%), Haryana (7) and Delhi (3) need to be reworked, and suspended in vulnerable areas.