9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – March 2nd, 2023

Mains Oriented Articles

GS PAPER - 1

Supreme Court censure on renaming games: Because the past lives in the present

Source: The post is based on the article “Supreme Court censure on renaming games: Because the past lives in the present” published in the Indian Express on 2nd March 2023.

Syllabus: GS-1: Urbanization, their problems and their remedies.

Relevance: About renaming places.

News: The Supreme Court has recently dismissed a PIL that sought a renaming commission focussed on “ancient India”.

About the case and renaming places after history

Must read: Listen to the court – SC warning against renaming places by abusing history, and invoking it selectively, is valuable and timely

Why terming medieval rulers as “invaders” and “outsiders” is wrong?

Firstly, during medieval times, kings and sultans were not accountable for their actions. These were times when hierarchies were held as important for “social cohesion” and statecraft had very different objectives. Wars and violence were often critical to empire-building.

Secondly, the history is too complex to be captured in binaries. For instance, Aurangzeb revoked many of the policies of his forefathers. He imposed Sharia laws, brought back the discriminatory jizya tax that Hindus had to pay in return for protection and gave orders to destroy Hindu shrines in some parts of his empire.

On the other hand, there were more Hindus in the higher echelons during Aurangzeb’s rule than any other Great Mughal. He had Rajput relatives, and gave grants for maintaining Hindu temples.

Thirdly, the colonial regime periodised India’s past into Hindu rule, Muslim rule and British rule. This is evident from James Mill’s History of India. His book categorises Mahmud of Ghazni, Ibrahim Lodhi, Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan as the invader. His book had a significant impact on the country’s education system for most of the colonial period.

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Our Health, Our Data – Digital models for disease tracking are crucial. But so are data analytic skills & privacy protection

Source: The post is based on the article “Our Health, Our Data – Digital models for disease tracking are crucial. But so are data analytic skills & privacy protection” published in The Times of India on 2nd March 2023.

Syllabus: GS-2: Issues relating to the development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health.

Relevance: About public health surveillance.

News: Bill Gates recently mentioned the importance of effective public health surveillance and early warning systems in forestalling future pandemics.

About public health surveillance in India

Public health surveillance helps in the identification, collation and analysis of disease occurrence. It is the bedrock of national healthcare architecture.

In India, a watershed moment in public health was the outbreak of plague in Surat in 1994. The plague catalysed the creation of the National Apical Advisory Committee in 1995.

This was followed by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project in 2004 and the Integrated Health Information Platform in 2019.

What are the present opportunities to improve public health surveillance in India?

Developments over the last two years indicate that over the next decade, digital identifiers and integrated systems will greatly expand the surveillance footprint. The unique health identifiers (UHID) for individuals and their Aadhaar data can help in improving public health surveillance in India.

These will help in creating electronic health records. These records will span private-sector healthcare providers and can be integrated with public disease surveillance programmes.

What are the challenges in creating public health surveillance in India?

-Public health institutions tracking disease occurrence based on data generated by states are the primary disease surveillance arms. But the state’s performance so far has been less optimal as they often function in silos.

-Over the next decade, having adequate skilled personnel in public health surveillance may be a bigger challenge.

For instance, WHO’s International Health Regulations are binding on members. The regulations cover chemical agents and radioactive materials. This shortage of skills is a big challenge in enforcing them.

-Health risks are no longer confined to infectious diseases.

-Digital models aren’t regulated by a robust personal data protection bill. Further, health data is sensitive and anecdotal evidence suggests that voluntary dimensions to rules on UHID are often violated.

What should be done to improve public health surveillance in India?

a) Digital models should be used to bring far-reaching changes in public health surveillance by expanding sources of data collation to the private sector, b) Public health surveillance can suffer a setback in the absence of adequate data security. Hence, the government should frame a proper data protection framework.

Phasing out the line, ‘math is not for a girl’

Source– The post is based on the article “Phasing out the line, ‘math is not for a girl’” published in The Hindu on 2nd March 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Issues related to development and management of education

Relevance: Gender issues in education field

News- The representation of females in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics or other math intensive fields and careers remains is not desirable.

What is the status of girls’ performance in maths?

Boys outperform girls in mathematics significantly, which has been persistent over time. But, there is a considerable variation.

In the north Indian States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, boys outperform girls substantially. In south India, girls outperform boys in Mathematics.

What are the reasons behind less representation of girls in the field of maths?

There is a tendency to attribute these disparities to differences in ability. It does not acknowledge the impact of social and cultural norms.

Girls are found to perform better in some southern States. It implies that inherent ability is not responsible for this difference.

There is a widespread prevalence of the systematic devaluation of girls related to their mathematical aptitude in the classroom, at home, and in society. This is reflective of stereotypes related to girls.

How public policy recognises the discrimination faced by girls in enrolling and continuing their school?

The National Education Policy 2020  acknowledges the need to address several gender gaps in schooling. It stresses the need to implement gender­ sensitive training for teachers. It calls for establishing a ‘Gender ­Inclusive Fund’ for States to utilise in implementing community based interventions.

Similarly, the National Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Care also acknowledges these gender disparities.

How underrepresentation of girls in the field of mathematics is neglected by policy documents?

However, neither of these documents explicitly recognises the causes and consequences of gender differences in mathematics learning at early ages.

It is not that these gaps and mechanisms are unknown to the educational administration and policymakers. It was recognised in the position paper on the “Teaching of Mathematics” published by the NCERT in 2005.

The paper talks about poorer outcomes for girls in mathematics through the devaluation of girls in society. It also discusses classroom research, indicating how gendered perceptions and the behaviour of teachers might negatively impact the performance of girls in maths.

What is the way forward to remove discrimination against girls in the field of mathematics?

Targeted behavioural interventions can curb the gender stereotyping of “math is not for a girl” at the household, societal, and school levels.

References to female mathematicians should be made in textbooks, female names, and characters in word problems.

There is a need to provide exposure to female role models in STEM fields in the course curriculum.

G20: India’s platform for global leadership

Source– The post is based on the article “G20: India’s platform for global leadership” published in The Hindu on 2nd March 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Global Groupings and Agreements affecting India’s interests.

Relevance: Development related to G20

News- India recently hosted the meeting of the G20 finance minister as its current chair.

Why does the G20 seem to be in a deadlock?

Foreign Ministers of Japan and South Korea declined to attend the Delhi meet. Russia, China and the EU publicly stuck to their differing positions on the war in Ukraine.

For the first time ever, the group could not agree on an outcome document in a recent meeting of foreign ministers.

India found itself in an uneasy situation. It was not able to explain whether it supported its own

Chair’s summary. The summary noted that the majority of states condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and rejected the use or the threat of use of nuclear weapons.

India has reservations about calling Mr. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine a war at all. India wanted the conflict to be referred to as a crisis.

There was little time left for discussions on debt restructuring and cryptocurrency regulation.

Why should India take a stand on Russia’s invasion of UKraine at president of G20?

Condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is not about supporting the United States or encouraging NATO expansion. It is about upholding the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity enshrined in the UN Charter.

These are also the same principles that India has relied on for international support in the four wars that it has fought since independence.

The concern is global. This is not just a European problem. The war has affected oil and gas prices, exacerbated inflation and disrupted global food supplies and prices.

Further, it has escalated nuclear risks. There is a big threat to Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, all five of which have come under direct shelling this past year.

If war continues for a longer time, Russia will be weaker due to sanctions and isolation by developed economies. It will become more dependent on China. The irony of India not taking sides means that it is helping Russia become a client state of China.

India played a vital role last year in reaching consensus at the Bali summit. It would be a tragedy if India is not able to do so at New Delhi.

GS PAPER - 3

Searing changes: On heatwaves predicted by the Met Office

Source: The post is based on the article “Searing changes: On heatwaves predicted by the Met Office” published in The Hindu on 2nd March 2023.

Syllabus: GS-3: Disaster Management.

Relevance: About the impact of heat waves.

News: February was generally considered as a ‘spring’ and a ‘winter month’ by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and usually posts temperatures in the low 20s. But recently, the IMD has said that February 2023 was the warmest February since 1901 with the average maximum temperature at nearly 29.54°C. The IMD has also said that these trends are likely to spill over into summer.

What is a heat wave, and what are its implications?

Read here: Winter Heatwaves – Explained, pointwise

About the present status of heatwaves in India

There has been a gradual rise in the temperature along with that the minimum temperatures are also scaling new heights. Most of northeast, eastern, central and northwest India is expected to post “above normal” temperatures.

Heatwaves during March-May are likely over most parts of India, except for the north-east, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and coastal Karnataka.

What are the impacts of heat waves in India?

Impact on humans: A Lancet study reported a 55% rise in deaths due to extreme heat and that excessive heat also led to a loss of 167.2 billion potential labour hours among Indians in 2021.

Impact on the wheat yields: India produced 106.84 million tonnes of wheat in the 2021-22 crop season, less than the 109.59 million tonnes in the 2020-21 season. This is due to the hotter-than-usual March that impacted the crop during its growth phase.

What are the challenges in predicting the impact of heat waves this year?

This is because, a) Only after March, the global forecast models can be able to analyse sea-surface conditions and can credibly extrapolate, b) The interplay between local weather and climate is complex, and c) The science continues to be uncertain about the impact of climate change on rising heatwave intensities. 

What should be done to reduce the impact of heat waves in India?

a) Public health systems should be more responsive to the challenges from rising temperatures, b) Several States have action plans and early warning initiatives but inadequate outreach, particularly in rural India. This should be addressed, c) Promote newer crop varieties that mature early, d) Greater emphasis on aiding farmers to tweak soil and water management practices to adapt to the impact of heat waves.

Lessons from Turkey: How to make India earthquake prepared

Source– The post is based on the article “Lessons from Turkey: How to make India earthquake prepared” published in The Indian Express on 2nd March 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Disaster management

Relevance: Earthquake induced disasters

News- The destruction caused by earthquakes in Turkey should be alarming for us.

Nearly 58% of the Indian landmass is vulnerable to earthquakes. Geologists have warned of a probable massive earthquake in the Himalayan state.

What are the main components of India policy on earthquake and issues related to the policy?

India’s policy on earthquake preparedness operates primarily at the scale of structural details. It is guided by the National Building Codes. This includes specifying dimensions of columns, beams and details of the reinforcements that join these elements together.

It ignores the buildings that were constructed before such codes were published in 1962. Such buildings form a large part of our cities.

It assumes infallibility in the processes of enforcement. It relies only on penalisation and illegalities.

It treats earthquakes as a problem of individual buildings. It assumes that buildings exist and behave in complete isolation from their urban context.

The truth is that buildings exist in clusters and in the event of an earthquake, behave as a system. They collapse on nearby buildings and on the abutting streets.

What are the interventions needed to improve the preparedness of the country for earthquakes?

At individual building level- There is a need to create a system of retrofitting existing structures and enforcing seismic codes with more efficiency.

Such a policy should include two measures- (1) To create a system of tax-based or development rights-based incentives for retrofitting one’s building up to seismic codes. This  will enable the growth of an industry around retrofitting and will generate a body of well-trained professionals and competent organisations.

2) By ensuring better enforcement of seismic codes through a similar model. The National Retrofitting Programme was launched in 2014 is a step in that direction. The RBI directed banks to deny loans for any building activity that does not meet the standards of earthquake-resistant design.

Japan is a good example in this case. It has invested heavily in technological measures to mitigate the damage from the frequent earthquakes that it experiences.

Skyscrapers are built with counterweights and other high-tech provisions to minimise the impact of tremors. Small houses are built on flexible foundations and public infrastructure is integrated with automated triggers that cut power, gas, and water lines during earthquakes.

At urban-level– The policy should start with surveys and audits that can generate earthquake vulnerability maps. These maps show the parts of the city that are more prone to serious damage.

This should follow four criteria- (1) The percentage of vulnerable structures in the area. (2) The availability of evacuation routes and distances from the nearest open ground. (3) Density of the urban fabric. (4) Location of nearest relief services and the efficiency with which these services can reach affected sites.

Using such maps, enforcement, incentives, and response centres can be proportionally distributed across the urban terrain.

A policy on earthquake preparedness will require a visionary, radical and transformative approach.

Some areas such as dense historic city centres will still be beyond repair. They will require either surgical retrofitting or revised town planning schemes.

What are challenges in executing these interventions?

Surgical retrofitting is unreliable and the revised town planning schemes are politically suicidal.

People across time and space have been in denial of such threats. Therefore, political will is lacking to execute such transformations. Earthquakes are not seen as a fatal threat.

The country must work at raising productivity growth

Source– The post is based on the article “The country must work at raising productivity growth” published in the mint on 2nd March 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Indian economy and growth

Relevance: Factors impacting growth of Indian economy

News- The recent budgets have hiked capital expenditure substantially but there is less focus on improving productivity of the economy.

What is the rationale behind substantially hiked capital expenditure in recent budgets?

The reason is multiplier effects of capex. It is assumed that increased capex would lead to higher growth in future, as these investments could enhance capital formation.

Prospects of higher growth might also attract more private investments.

However, such a growth strategy fails to realise its full potential unless there is corresponding increases in productivity.

Why is productivity an issue for the Indian economy?

A recent study published in January’s RBI Bulletin shows the existence of large productivity differences across sectors.

The study examined the time span between 2001 and 2019 and divided it into two sub-periods, 2001-10 and 2011-19.

RBI study offers disaggregated economy-wide estimates in the manufacturing sector. Wide variations are found in productivity growth across sectors.

The sectors crucial in accelerating industrial growth, such as electrical equipment, refined petroleum, machinery and chemicals, witnessed a productivity decline in the second time period, compared to the first.

The sectors with lower share in overall value addition, such recycling, have registered higher productivity growth since 2010.

Two important inferences can be made from the figures. First, capital-intensive sectors saw a decline in productivity growth. Labour-intensive sectors, barring transport equipment and parts had higher productivity.

The RBI study’s findings are in line with a 2021 World Bank report. It observed that the level of productivity in the South Asia Region(SAR)  remains the lowest among emerging market and developing Economies regions.

The World Bank report argues that the average level of labour productivity in SAR during 2013-18 was only 5% of the advanced economy average.

However, it should be noted that within South Asia, India stands out with higher growth of productivity.

What is the way forward to increase the productivity of the Indian economy?

There is a need to enhance investments to strengthen human capital. The economy has already achieved outcomes in terms of raising life expectancy, reducing mortality, and expanding access to education.

The investments in physical infrastructure needs to be complemented with commensurate human capital improvements.

This involves a two-pronged approach. First, provide more capital access to factors that contribute to human capital formation and ensure that these are inclusive. Second, we must ensure continuous quality improvements in human capital.

Resource reallocation was the driver of aggregate productivity during 2001-10. Productivity can be raised by sectoral reallocation of resources from low to more productive sectors. It should be accompanied by improved local services and urban planning.

There is a need for renewed effort to promote the reallocation of capital and labour to more productive firms within sectors.

Productivity-enhancing inter-firm resource reallocation can be encouraged by policies to foster competition and by reducing regulatory burdens that discourage firm growth. This requires continued reforms.

Clean Energy Transition of States and their challenges – Explained, pointwise

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Introduction

The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and Ember has recently released a report titled “Indian States’ Energy Transition“. The report highlighted the glaring inequality in the Clean Energy Transition of States. As per the report, Karnataka now has the best-equipped power systems to convert its electricity system from fossil-powered to renewable energy sources, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. On the other hand, Bihar, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh did the worst. 

What is a clean electricity transition? 

This refers to the shift from fossil-based power production and consumption to renewable energy sources by transforming the electricity sector through innovative policies, efficient technologies, and greener market pulls while ensuring reliable supply with effective closed-loop systems in place. 

An effective clean electricity transition requires a timely switch towards a clean power-fuelled, economically feasible, politically viable, and secure system that can create value for business and society. 

Must read: Energy Transition: Challenges and Solutions – Explained, pointwise

What are the report’s key highlights on the Clean Energy Transition of States? 

The report analyses 16 states that account for 90 percent of India’s yearly power demand. Their scores were calculated based on states’ performance on four major dimensions. Such as Decarbonisation, Performance of the Power System, Readiness of the Power Ecosystem, and Policies and Political Commitments.

Karnataka: 

• Karnataka ranks first in all four dimensions of the clean energy transition. 
• The state fared the best in decarbonizing its power sector and has the highest share of renewables in its power supply mix (48%). 

Only Delhi’s power sector’s emission intensity of GSDP is lower than that of Karnataka (2.2 kgCO2eq/Rs1,000).  

Haryana has the lowest installed capacity of older, more polluting coal power plants.

Maharashtra: 

• It has the biggest power demand in India and was found to be in the mid-range. This is mostly because the state is slow to use renewable energy and can’t shut down older, more polluting coal power plants. 
• Its renewable energy share (11%) is lower than most other states. 

Chhattisgarh has the highest emissions intensity of GSDP (43 kgCO2eq/ Rs1,000). Its renewable energy share in the power supply mix (1%) is better than only Bihar.  

Bihar, UP, and West Bengal: 

• These states must work more to improve their clean energy transition performance. 
• These states should maximize their renewable energy generation potential, and at the same time increase commitment to moving away from fossil fuels-based electricity.

What is the need for the Clean Energy Transition of states? 

India’s clean electricity transition requires all states and Union Territories to transform their power sectors. More specifically, progress in states with high power demand is not only crucial but also urgent for India’s power sector to achieve a clean electricity transition. 

The transition needs Indian states to work together and take the lead to fight the problems that make it hard to reach India’s goals, such as fulfilling Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), India’s net-zero commitments, and the implementation of the ambitious climate action at the national level.

What are the challenges faced by states in their clean energy transition?

Under utilisation: Renewable energy-rich states are not utilizing their renewable energy generation potential. Potential hurdles, such as land conflict, technology upgrades, and lack of transmission infrastructure, could come in the way of the clean energy transition of states. 

For instance, even the top performer Karnataka has utilized only 11% of its total renewable energy potential.

Ignoring other possibilities: While the states are focusing on large-scale renewable power projects, mainly utility-scale solar, they are ignoring other possibly viable options, such as rooftop solar, small hydel plants, etc. 

Different priorities between the centre and states: The national (central) government and sub-national (state) governments in India often have different priorities with respect to the energy sector. For example, 

The Centre’s perspective is informed by macroeconomic stability, economic growth and geostrategic issues. On the other hand, states are driven more by local and state-level concerns. Further, the State’s political-economic realities are affected by factors such as energy access, affordability, local jobs and economies. 

Energy Transition at the State Level and Fiscal Impact: Many coal-producing states naturally rely heavily on fossil fuels for revenues as they benefit from both coal-related royalties from mining but also tax revenues from sales of oil and natural gas.  

The transition and its impact on the state’s employment:  As the country moves away from fossil fuels, there will be negative effects on jobs all along the value chain. This includes employment across mining, transport and storage, processing and manufacturing, and trade. 

Read More: India’s Strategy for Net Zero – Explained, pointwise

What steps have been taken by the Indian states towards the clean energy transition? 

Initiatives of the central government to facilitate clean energy transition of states

• Intra-State Transmission System – Green Energy Corridor Phase-II for laying the infrastructure for connecting electricity generated from renewables with the power grid in seven states. This scheme would receive 33% central financial assistance. This is crucial to create green market mechanisms for inter- and intra-state renewable energy trading. 
• The scheme for “Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects” has a target of generating 40GW capacity by March 2024. So far, the central government has sanctioned 50 solar parks with a combined capacity of 33.82GW in 14 states.  
• Progressive policies like net metering, banking of power and feeder segregation are implemented under the ‘Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan Yojana (KUSUM)’ scheme. 
• The green day ahead market (GDAM): The Power Ministry has launched GDAM to enable India to achieve green targets and facilitate the integration and expansion of green energy in an efficient, competitive, sustainable, and transparent manner.  
• The government has permitted foreign direct investment up to 100 per cent under the automatic route and has wavered Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) charges and losses for the inter-State sale of solar and wind power for projects. 
• Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd (IREDA), as of November 2020, has financed more than 2,700 renewable energy projects in India with cumulative loan disbursements to the tune of ₹ 57,000 crore. 

Initiatives of state governments to facilitate clean energy transition

The Interstate Clean Energy Procurement Program (ICEPP) was launched in India by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). ICEPP will help eight Indian states build up their clean energy infrastructure by giving public procurement officials training on best value and life-cycle cost analysis. USTDA is funding ICEPP through its Global Procurement Initiative (GPI). 

Various states also have many initiatives. Such as,

• Rajasthan: Rajasthan Wind Solar Hybrid Policy 2019 and Rajasthan Electric Vehicle Policy 2022 helped accelerate the capacity addition.  
• Karnataka: It was the first southern state in India to notify a renewable energy policy, the Karnataka Renewable Energy Policy 2009-14 to harness green, clean, renewable energy sources for environmental benefits and energy security. Recently, the state released the Karnataka Renewable Energy Policy 2022-2027.
• Tamil Nadu has a dedicated solar energy policy 2019 and EV Policy 2019 
• Several states have announced their EV Policy to complement the national scheme and to address state-specific needs. 

What should be done to ensure the clean energy transition of states? 

In order to enhance the state’s clean energy transition, the “Indian States’ Energy Transition” report has recommended the following, 

Focus on offshore wind energy: India has the potential to generate 140GW of electricity from offshore wind along its 7,600km coastline. However, there is a need to develop local supply chain, logistics and port infrastructure to utilise offshore wind’s full potential. 

Pay attention to coal plants: State energy departments need to closely monitor their coal plants and retire older plants, unless needed as peaker plants during high-demand months. 

Increase green market participation of states: States need to focus on increasing participation in green market mechanisms like GDAM, GTAM, open access, corporate PPAs etc. In addition, states also need to focus on innovative bilateral financial markets mechanisms like Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPA) and Contracts for Difference (CfD). 

Introduce private sector participation: The introduction of private sector participation and competition shall bring more capital and management expertise into the electricity sector. This will help enhance operational efficiency, and increase accessibility and affordability. 

Focus on feeder segregation: Reliable state-level data on feeder segregation needs to be made available for more robust analysis. States with large agriculture loads need to focus more on feeder segregation. 

Develop a circular approach: States need to develop a holistic and circular approach towards handling solar panel, battery, and electric vehicle waste. This is even more crucial as India sets up new manufacturing units under the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme. 

The other recommendations include, a) Data transparency and availability at the state level needs an enhancement for robust analysis, b) Robust transmission infrastructure is necessary to better evacuate renewables at the state level, c) Initiatives like ‘Time of Day tariff’ and ‘Direct Benefit Transfer’ need more focus for state-level implementation in addition to regular tariff revisions by the state regulators.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

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