9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – November 16th, 2023

Mains Oriented Articles

GS PAPER - 2

On OTT Regulation – Regulating OTT

Source: This post on OTT Regulation is based on the article “Regulating OTT: Draft Broadcasting Regulation Bill may be an attempt to control digital infrastructure” published in Indian Express on 16^th November 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 Indian Polity – Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

News: The article discusses the new Broadcasting Services Bill in India, which might replace the 1995 Cable TV Act. It suggests the bill could control media more, affecting minority representation and viewer choices, continuing past issues with media regulation in India.

What are the key provisions of the Broadcasting Services Bill, 2023?

Key provision of the bill include:

Unified Regulation Framework: The bill aims to replace the Cable Television Networks Act of 1995, creating a single framework for broadcasting, OTT, digital media, and more.

Addresses Technological Changes: It addresses changes in the broadcasting landscape, like DTH and OTT platforms, reflecting technological advancements.

Simplifying Business Procedures: The bill seeks to simplify business procedures and enforce the Programme and Advertisement Codes more effectively.

Inclusion of Emerging Technologies: It includes contemporary definitions and provisions for new broadcasting technologies.

Enhanced Self-Regulation: Proposes ‘Content Evaluation Committees’ and a ‘Broadcast Advisory Council’ for better self-regulation in broadcasting.

Accessibility Considerations: Focuses on accessibility for persons with disabilities through comprehensive guidelines.

Penalties and Fines: Introduces statutory penalties for breaches, considering the financial capacity of entities involved.

What is the current landscape of broadcasting regulation in India?

What are the concerns with this Bill?

Threat of Censorship: The bill could give the government more power over media content. It allows government officers to prohibit broadcasts they deem inappropriate. This might result in undue censorship or content restrictions.

Does not address Conflict of Interest: The bill does not address ongoing issues in media regulation, such as the influence of politicians and cable operators. This has been a problem in the past.

What should be done?

Clarify Ambiguous Terms: The bill should clearly define its broad terms to prevent subjective interpretations and ensure fair enforcement.

Balance Government Control: There needs to be a balance between government oversight and media freedom to avoid overreach and censorship.

Strengthen Self-Regulation: Enhance self-regulation mechanisms to reduce excessive government intervention in content regulation.

Question for practice:

What are the concerns raised regarding the recent Broadcasting Services Bill, 2023? How can these issues be tackled?

On Alcohol Policies in India – Our hypocrisy on alcohol

Source: This post on Alcohol Policies in India is based on the article “Our hypocrisy on alcohol: It’s about politics and money — not health” published in Indian Express on 16^th November 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 Indian Polity – Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

News: The article discusses India’s conflicting views and policies on alcohol. It mentions how alcohol is seen differently in various cultures and religions within India, and how state policies focus more on revenue than health. The need for a consistent, health-focused alcohol policy is emphasized.

How do Indian attitudes vary towards alcohol?

Cultural Views: Alcohol is viewed differently across Indian cultures. Upper castes often see it as negative, linking it to “tamasic” food, while many tribal societies accept it openly.

Gender Dynamics: Alcohol consumption by men often negatively impacts women, leading to many women-led social protests against alcohol.

Alcohol and Religion: Different religions in India have varied stances on alcohol. Islam forbids it, Christianity is more permissive, and Hinduism does not explicitly prohibit it.

Medical View: Medically, alcohol is recognized as harmful in India, known for increasing the risk of heart diseases and impacting liver health.

What are the approaches to alcohol policy across different States?

Different states have different approaches. These include:

1. a) Revenue-Driven Policies: States like Haryana and Delhi have policies driven by the revenue potential of alcohol sales, with Haryana having liquor vends every few hundred meters in some cities.
2. b) Socio-cultural Factors: Gujarat continues prohibition as a Gandhian legacy, while Mizoram, a Christian-majority state, also has prohibition laws.
3. c) Government Control for Safety: Tamil Nadu, learning from hooch tragedies, controls alcohol sales through its State Marketing Corporation, aiming for safer consumption.

What are the issues with alcohol policies in India?

Revenue vs. Health Priorities: The focus on generating revenue often overshadows health concerns. States like Kerala stepped back from partial prohibition for financial reasons, showing a conflict between health and revenue.
Also, the practice of notifying “dry days” in advance so people can purchase alcohol beforehand, showing a bureaucratic approach rather than a focus on health.

Inconsistent State Policies: There’s a lack of uniformity in policies among states. For instance, Haryana’s approach with numerous liquor vends contrasts with the prohibition in Gujarat and Mizoram.

Weak Enforcement of Regulations: Despite existing rules, enforcement is lax. The article notes that alcohol firms flout advertising bans, including in major events like the cricket World Cup, with little government intervention.

Exclusion from GST: States are reluctant to include alcohol under the GST scheme, indicating a preference for maintaining individual control over alcohol policies for revenue reasons.

What should be done?

National Health-Focused Policy: A national alcohol policy prioritizing health over revenue is necessary. This should align with the WHO’s updated stance of “no alcohol is good.”

Tackle Societal Hypocrisy: The hypocrisy in societal attitudes, like the difference in private and public consumption and varying views across castes and religions, needs to be confronted.

Legislative Action on Advertising: Stronger legislative measures are needed to enforce advertising bans and control surrogate advertising by alcohol firms.

Balanced Approach to Revenue and Health: The policy should find a middle ground between revenue generation and health impact mitigation, considering the economic aspects without compromising public health.

Open Discussion: Society needs open, non-judgmental discussions about alcohol use, breaking down the traditionalism vs. modernism dichotomy and addressing religious perspectives.

Question for practice:

Critically analyse the effectiveness of the alcohol policies in India in addressing health risks.

On School Mergers – Strengthening schools

Source: This post on School Mergers is based on the article “Strengthening schools – States can benefit from NITI Aayog’s project” published in Business Standard on 16^th November 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 Governance – Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education.

News: The article discusses how merging small schools in India, as done in a project called SATH-E, saves money and improves education.

Some highlights on the present State of School Education in India:

Challenges: The system faces issues like poor learning outcomes, teacher shortages, and governance difficulties. A significant challenge is running many small, inefficient schools. In Jharkhand, merging 4,380 such schools addressed this problem.

Government Initiatives: Initiatives like the Right to Education Act and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan have improved educational access. The mid-day meal scheme supports student welfare. The SATH-E project, implemented in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha, focuses on merging schools for efficiency and better quality. This resulted in substantial cost savings, exemplified by Jharkhand’s 2400 crore rupees saved from school mergers.

What is the SATH-E Project?

The Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital in Education (SATH-E) Project, launched in 2017, aims to transform school education in India. It selected Jharkhand, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh to develop as role model states.

Key strategies: It includes merging schools, remedial programs, teacher training, monitoring recruitment, reorganizing institutions at district and state levels, and using Management Information Systems (MIS). The MIS helps in setting goals, planning, resource allocation, and evaluating performance.

Monitoring: Progress is monitored nationally by the National Steering Group (NSG) and Central Project Monitoring Unit (CPMU), and at the state level by State Project Monitoring Units (SPMU).

What are the benefits of school mergers?

Resource Consolidation: Merging schools, as seen in Jharkhand with 4,380 schools, leads to significant cost savings and efficient resource use.

Improved Academic Environment: Larger schools offer better facilities and a more diverse peer group, enhancing the learning experience.

Enhanced Teacher Availability: Consolidation helps in rationalizing teacher deployment, ensuring better teacher-student ratios.

Governance and Monitoring: With fewer but larger schools, governance and monitoring become more effective, as seen in the SATH-E project.

What are the concerns with school mergers?

Access to Education: Merging schools can increase travel distances, potentially leading to higher dropout rates, especially in tribal and hilly areas.

Right to Education Act Compliance: Activists argue that mergers may violate the RTE Act, which guarantees education in neighborhood schools.

Cultural and Geographical Challenges: In diverse states like India, the one-size-fits-all approach of school mergers may not suit all communities.

What should be considered in school mergers?

Ensure Accessibility: Provide transportation and infrastructure to ensure students can attend larger, merged schools without difficulty. Khunti district’s approach of arranging buses for students from distant areas can be emulated.

Focus on Teacher Rationalization: Improve teacher availability and quality in merged schools to enhance learning outcomes.

Maintain Close Proximity Schools: Especially for primary education, to prevent increased dropout rates due to distant schooling locations.

Improve Monitoring and Governance: Enhanced governance leads to better school performance and reduced dropout rates, as seen in the outcomes of school mergers.

Question for practice:

Examine the effectiveness of the SATH-E project in improving school education through school mergers.

On the impact of declining center-state relations – The price of persistent federal frictions

Source: This post on the impact of declining center-state relations has been created based on the article “The price of persistent federal frictions” published in The Hindu on 16^th November 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 Indian Polity – Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure.

News: This article discusses the impact of declining Centre-State relations on the economy of India.

A detailed article on Federal Structure of Indian Polity can be read here.

A detailed article on the Challenges of Centre-State relations can be read here.

In recent years, the frequency and intensity of disputes between the Union government and the States have increased. The economic costs of this development are long-lasting.

What are the emerging challenges in center-state relations?

1. Lack of autonomy with states regarding public expenditure: This is because State governments depend on the Centre for their revenue receipts.
2. Homogenisation of social sector policies: In a diverse country like India, states have their own unique socio-economic conditions, cultural differences, and varying levels of development. Therefore, their needs and priorities in the social sector can differ significantly.
3. Functioning of regulatory institutions: Regulatory institutions often operate under the purview of the central government. Their functioning can influence the power dynamics between the center and the states.
4. Powers of central agencies: The extent of powers held by central agencies can sometimes be seen as encroaching on the autonomy of states. Striking a balance between centralized authority for national interests and respecting the autonomy of states is crucial.

What can be the impact of center-state federal frictions on the economy?

There are three important economic consequences of this:

Firstly, the spread of the Centre’s span of activities leads to a situation where the Centre starts crowding out the States in terms of investments.
For instance, PM Gati Shakti. The flexibility of States in formulating their State master plan is curtailed by the centralization of planning and implementation of the national master plan. This has become a reason for underinvestment by States, which can hamper regional economies.

Secondly, unhealthy fiscal competition between the Centre and States is developing. State governments are engaging in competition with other States and with the Centre, in place of healthy fiscal competition among different regions/States.
For instance, welfare provisioning. States’ revenues, especially non-tax revenues, remain flat due to a lack of avenues for raising non-taxes (For e.g., profits of state-owned companies) due to the direct provisioning of many utilities and services by the Centre.

Thirdly, it may lead to inefficiencies associated with ‘parallel policies’. Federal friction can lead to the Centre or the States duplicating the other’s policies.
For instance, pension schemes. Though States joined the National Pension Scheme (NPS) initially, some States have started to roll back to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). The fiscal costs associated with OPS will have long-term consequences for the economy.

Read more on OPS vs NPS here.

What needs to be done?

The interdependence between Centre and States is inevitable, especially in a large, diverse, developing society and needs to be preserved.

Question for practice:

A declining trend in center-state relations has implications for the broader economy, and not just for the polity. Explain.

On the issues with the Same-Sex Marriage verdict – A grave error in the law

Source: This post on the issues with the same-sex marriage verdict has been created based on the article “A grave error in the law” published in The Hindu on 16^th November 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 Governance – Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of vulnerable sections.

News: This article discusses the issues with the recent Supreme Court verdict on same-sex marriages where it held that same-sex couples do not have the right to marry under the Special Marriage Act. According to the author, the court not only laid down a fundamentally wrong interpretation of the Constitution but also overlooked its own precedents.

A detailed article on the Same-Sex Marriage verdict can be read here.

What is the Special Marriage Act, 1954?

Special Marriage Act,1954 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to validate and register inter-religious and inter-caste marriages in India. It governs a civil marriage where the state sanctions the marriage rather than the religion.

It allows marriage between inter-faith or inter-caste couples without giving up religious identity or opting for conversion. No religious formalities are required to be carried out under the Act.

What were the observations of the Court on SMA in the same-sex marriage verdict?

1. The court had held in Navtej Johar Case (2018) while decriminalising homosexuality that ‘sex’ under Article 15 also means ‘sexual orientation’. However, the majority judgment justified the exclusion of the Special Marriage Act from its observations in the Navtej Johar Case by saying that the object of SMA was not to discriminate against same-sex persons.
2. The Court further stated that absence of a law (to regulate same-sex marriages) does not amount to discrimination.
3. The minority judgment does not address the issues in SMA by holding that “this Court cannot either strike down the constitutional validity of SMA or read words into the SMA because of its institutional limitations”.

What are the issues with the verdict?

According to the author, the verdict has the following issues:

1. Against the Right to Equality: When the state refuses to recognise marriages of homosexual couples under the SMA, it violates the constitutional guarantee of non-discrimination (or the right to equality).
2. Refusal to consider an Absence of Law as Discrimination: The judgment stated that absence of a law (to regulate same-sex marriages) does not amount to discrimination. However, this misses the core of the issue. When the state has chosen to refuse to recognise one set of marriages on the ground of sexual orientation alone, it amounts to discrimination.
3. Separation of Powers wrongly interpreted: The Court’s stand of institutional capacity is flawed as it is precisely the institutional purpose of a constitutional court to examine whether the legislation in question is constitutional.
4. Refusal to Tackle Complicated Issues: The Court’s refusal to review the SMA because it will be a complicated exercise is against the established system of constitutional adjudication. This can lead to the Parliament avoiding constitutional scrutiny by drafting laws in a way that requires the court to undertake a complex interpretive exercise.
5. Lack of Creative Interpretation of Law: Reading the Special Marriage Act to take in marriages of queer persons did not require the court to legislate (which would’ve been termed judicial overreach). A creative interpretation of the law would have allowed the court to locate the right of marriage in the law, but it was overlooked.
6. Abdication of Responsibility: In one of the directions of the judgment, the court delegates that a committee be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary to decide the entitlements of queer persons. This is where the court abdicates its role. When a complaint of rights violation is brought before the judiciary, referring the question back to the discriminator (Executive or Legislature) is irrational.

Question for practice:

Illustrate the issues with the recent Supreme Court verdict on the Special Marriage Act, in the context of the denial of recognition to same-sex marriages in India.

On Abolition of Death Penalty – Life over death

Source: This post on abolishing the death penalty has been created based on the article “Life over death” published in The Hindu on 16^th November 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 Governance – Government policies and interventions.
 GS Paper 2 Indian Polity – Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary

News: This article discusses the arguments against the death penalty.

A detailed article on Death Penalty can be read here.

Recently, the parliamentary committee that examined the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the proposed criminal statute likely to replace the IPC, has not made a recommendation to abolish the death penalty.

What are the provisions for the Death Penalty in India?

Capital punishment in India is a legal penalty for some crimes under the Indian Penal Code.

It can be granted in cases such as under Section 302 of IPC (Murder), Section 305 (Abetment of suicide of a minor or insane person) or Section 121 (Treason for waging war against Government of India).

In Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab, 1980, the Supreme Court of India upheld the constitutionality of the death penalty in India but laid down the ‘rarest of rare’ doctrine. It requires judges to impose the punishment only in the ‘rarest of rare’ cases.

What are the arguments for abolishing the Death Penalty?

1. Does not deter crime: There is no conclusive evidence that the death penalty deters crime more effectively than long prison sentences.
2. Takes away the scope for reform: Imprisonment for the remainder of the convict’s natural life will be a more rigorous punishment and provide scope for reform.
3. Disproportionately affects the underprivileged: Most of those on death row came from underprivileged backgrounds. Nearly 3/4^th of death row prisoners are from Lower Castes or Religious Minorities.
4. Global opinion in favour of its abolition: There are 98 countries which have abolished it for all crimes.

What should be done?

1. Devising a Remission Policy: Removing capital punishment and introducing a universal remission policy will be important. In remission, the duration of the sentence is reduced without changing the nature of the sentence.
2. Life Imprisonment as an alternative: ‘Life imprisonment’ (term for the remainder of one’s natural life) should be the default alternative to death sentences.

Question for practice:

Various arguments have been cited by experts for abolishing the death penalty in India. Enumerate.

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Following articles have already been covered in the 7 PM Articles of the day: 

Already Covered Factly articles 

1. Article- Uttarakhand Tunnel collapse 

Already Factly Link- What is the “Char Dham Project”? 

2. Article- Shri Piyush Goyal participates in the 3rd in-person Ministerial meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)

Already Factly Link- Indo- Pacific Economic Framework 
Today’s article covered as part of 7 PM 
Article- What led to the Uttarakhand tunnel collapse — and how it could have been avoided 
7 PM Article - Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse- Explained Pointwise

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Saturn’s rings disappearing!

Source– This post “Saturn’s rings disappearing!” is based on the article “Will Saturn’s rings really ‘disappear’ by 2025? An astronomer explains” published in “The Hindu” on 14th November 2023.

Why in the News?

Saturn’s rings will not disappear permanently by 2025. Although they will become almost invisible from Earth during that time, it is a regular occurrence due to the thinness of the rings.

What are Saturn rings?

1. The planet’s enormous ring system, comprised of bits of ice, dust and rocks, spreads out over a huge distance – just over 280,000km from the planet.
2. The rings orbit directly above Saturn’s equator and they too are tilted to the plane of Saturn’s orbit.

Why Saturn rings will disappear?

1. Saturn’s rings will become almost invisible from Earth in 2025 due to the edge-on perspective from our viewpoint.
2. This phenomenon occurs because the rings are so thin that, when seen from a distance, they appear to vanish when viewed edge-on.
3. This happens regularly. The last time was in 2009 and the rings gradually became visible again, over the course of a few months.

UPSC Syllabus- Science & Technology

Four Fundamental Forces of the Universe

Source– This post “Four Fundamental Forces of the Universe ” is based on the article “How many forces are there in nature, really? | Explained” published in “The Hindu” on 15th November 2023.

Why in the News?

Recently an assistant professor of theoretical physics at the Centre for High Energy Physics in the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru published an article on that topic.

What is the concept of ‘Force’?

1. Force is an agent that induces an object to change its velocity, according to Newton’s second law.
2. The forces we have encountered in our daily lives  – tension, friction, van der Waals force, weight, etc. – come from just four fundamental types of interactions between elementary particles(subatomic particles).

What are the four fundamental forces of Universe?

1. Gravity– The force that pulls us to the surface of the Earth, keeps the planets in orbit around the Sun and causes the formation of planets, stars and galaxies.

2. Electromagnetic force– Electromagnetism is the force responsible for the way matter generates and responds to electricity and magnetism.

3. Weak force– It is responsible for certain kinds of radioactive decay. For example, the kind of decay measured by archaeologists when they perform radiocarbon dating. It operates only up to distances of 10^-18 m – (ten raised to the power (-18): about one-thousandth the size of a proton).

4. Strong force– It ranges over somewhat longer distances, around 10^-15 m (ten raised to the power (-15)). It keeps the nucleus of an atom bound together, rather than flying apart, and sustains the nuclear fusion that powers the sun.

What is the key concept that defines these interactions of forces in Universe?

Force carrier
1. A force-carrier is any species of particle that mediates the interactions between particles that experience that force, for example- the Higgs boson, discovered in 2012.

Force	Force Carrier
Gravity	Graviton
Electromagnetism	Photon
Weak force	W Boson and Z Boson
Strong force	Gluons

UPSC Syllabus- Science & Technology

Constantine Joseph Beschi(Veeramamunivar)

Source– This post “Constantine Joseph Beschi(Veeramamunivar)” is based on the article “Constantine Joseph Beschi, a missionary, Tamil scholar, and Chanda Sahib’s Dewan” published in “The Hindu” on 14th November 2023.

Why in the News?

Recently Emerald Publishers released the English translation of the first biography of Veeramamunivar(known as Constantine Joseph Beschi) in Tamil written by A. Muttusami Pillei.

Who is Constantine Joseph Beschi?

1. Constantine Joseph Beschi, the Italian Jesuit missionary and Tamil scholar
2. He had also maintained a close friendship with Chanda Sahib, the Nawab of the Carnatic.
3. He had even acted as his Dewan.

What are the views of Muttusami Pillei on Constantine Joseph Beschi?

1. He was a Religious devotee and an Italian Jesuit missionary.

2. Office of Dewan– By appointing him to the office, the Nawab of the Carnatic also gifted the Italian Jesuit four villages in Tiruchi district, which yielded a revenue of ₹12,000 a year.

3. He held the office of Dewan in Tiruchi till 1740.

4. He abstained from the “use of flesh and fish”.

5. He also studied Sanskrit, Telugu, and Tamil assiduously and became a master of these languages, especially Tamil.

UPSC Syllabus-History (Literature)

9th India International Science Festival (IISF) 2023 to be held at Faridabad, Haryana

Source: The post is based on the article “9th India International Science Festival (IISF) 2023 to be held at Faridabad, Haryana” published in “PIB” on 16th November 2023

Why in the News?

The 9th edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2023 will be held at Faridabad, Haryana.

What is the India International Science Festival(IISF)?

Specifications	Details
Started in	2015
Organized by	Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Department of Space and Department of Atomic Energy in partnership with Vijnana Bharati.
Purpose	It is a science movement spearheaded by scientists of the nation with swadeshi spirit.
Aim	To provide a platform for inspiring public at large and individuals with diverse levels of interests like students, educators, scientists, researchers and science communicators
Theme for 9th IISF	‘Science and Technology Public Outreach in Amrit Kaal’

UPSC Syllabus: Science and Technology

Igla-S Missile: Russia to supply Igla-S anti-aircraft missiles to India

Source: The post is based on the article “Igla-S Missile: Russia to supply Igla-S anti-aircraft missiles to India” published in “TOI” on 16th November 2023

Why in the News?

Russia has signed a deal to provide Igla-S anti-aircraft missiles to India and authorized the local production of Igla-S under license. 

What is Igla-S?

Specifications	Details
What is it	Igla-S is a man-portable air defence system (MANPADS) that can be fired by an individual or crew to bring down an enemy aircraft.
Developed by	Russia
Features	It has a capability of bringing down low flying aircraft. It can also identify and neutralize air targets such as cruise missiles and drones.
Comprises of	The missile comprises 9M342 missile, 9P522 launching mechanism, 9V866-2 mobile test station and 9F719-2 test set.
Range	500m to 6 km
Target Altitude	Upto 3.5 kms
Speed	400 meters per second
Significance	This will boost India’s defence capabilities along Pakistan and China’s borders.

Note: Russia is India’s largest arms supplier. According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute(SIPRI), Russia accounted for 45% of India’s arms imports between 2018 and 2022 followed by France at 29% and United States at 11%.

UPSC Syllabus: Defence

Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra

Source: The post is based on the article “Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra” published in “PIB” on 16th November 2023

Why in the News?

The Prime Minister has launched the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra.

What is the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra?

Specifications	Details
Aim	To promote and publicize government welfare schemes. To enroll potential beneficiaries of these schemes by collecting details during the yatra.
Features	The schemes that will be publicized through the yatra include Ayushman Bharat ; PMJAY  PM Garlb Kalyan Anna Yojana;  Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana among others.
IEC Vans to publicize schemes	Five specially designed IEC (Information, Education and Communication) Vans will carry the message of the Government’s flagship welfare programmes.
Target	The target is to cover over 2.55 lakh Gram Panchayats and over 3,600 urban local bodies by 25th January 2024.

UPSC Syllabus: Schemes and Programs

Gold drives trade deficit to new high

Source: The post is based on the article “Gold drives trade deficit to new high” published in “The Hindu” on 15th November 2023

Why in the News?

In October,2023 India’s exports increased by 6.2% to $33.6 billion, but imports surged to a record $65.03 billion, leading to highest monthly trade deficit of $31.46 billion. This happened due to increase in import of gold and other commodities like oil and electronics.

Why has Gold imports increased?

The sharp increase in gold imports could be because of the rise in domestic demand for gold jewellery due to the festive season.

What is the data on Gold Production worldwide and in India?

1)Global Gold Production: China is the largest gold producer. The other major countries are Australia, Russia and the United States.

– India’s share in the global gold production is less than 0.05%.

2)Gold Reserves in India:The largest resources of gold ore (primary) in India are located in Bihar (44%) followed by Rajasthan (25%), Karnataka (21%), West Bengal (3%), Andhra Pradesh (3%) and Jharkhand(2%)

3)India’s Gold Market: Gold supply in India is primarily met through imports.

– The countries from which India imports most of its gold are Switzerland and UAE.

UPSC Syllabus: Indian Economy

World Governance Index: Need for World Bank’s governance indicators to be transparent

Source: The post is based on the article “World Governance Index: Need for World Bank’s governance indicators to be transparent” published in “Indian Express” on 16th November 2023

Why in the News?

Chief Economic Advisor has raised concerns over the use of Worldwide Governance Index Indicators in ratings assessment by credit ratings agencies. He has called for the World Governance Index to be more transparent and less subjective.

What is the World Governance Index?

Specifications	Details
Published by	World Bank
Purpose	It provides a ranking of 215 countries territories based on six dimensions of governance: 1)Voice and Accountability 2)Political Stability and Absence of Violence 3)Government Effectiveness 4)Regulatory Quality 5)Rule of Law 6)Control of Corruption
Sources	WGI aggregates information from over 30 data sources provided by various institutions like survey institutes, think tanks, NGOs, international organizations, and private sector firms. Examples include the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Project and Freedom House.
Significance	WGI plays a key role in deciding the sovereign credit rating of any country.

What are the concerns of India related to the World Governance Index?

1) The World Bank compiles the World Governance Index Indicators using data from think tanks and organizations like Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Project and Freedom House. However, India has argued that these indicators have methodological problems as they are based on subjective opinions of some experts who do not have presence on the ground. For instance, US-based Freedom House has given India a score of 66 out of 100 and tagged it ‘partly free’. EIU 2022 Democracy Index ranked India at 46 and classed it as a ‘flawed democracy’. 

2) These indicators are then used by global rating agencies to assess governance levels while deciding on countries’ credit ratings. A lower credit rating increases the borrowing cost for countries. Hence, that’s why India has called for the World Governance Index to be more transparent and less subjective.

UPSC Syllabus: Index/Reports in News

All Efforts on to Stop Coal Import by 2025-26; Focus on Producing 100 Million Tonne from Underground Mines by 2030: Union Minister

Source: The post is based on the article “All Efforts on to Stop Coal Import by 2025-26; Focus on Producing 100 Million Tonne from Underground Mines by 2030: Union Minister” published in “PIB” on 16th November 2023

Why in the News?

The Ministry of Coal has launched the eighth round of the commercial coal mines auction process. 

What is the data on Coal Production in India?

Coal is the most important and abundant fossil fuel in India. It is found in a form of sedimentary rocks and is often known as ‘Black Gold’.

Coal is classified as a nonrenewable energy source because it takes millions of years to form.

 Occurrence of Coal in India:

1)Gondwana Coal Fields:  Gondwana coal comprises about 98 percent of the total reserves and 99 percent of the production of coal in India. Gondwana coal is said to be about 250 million years old.  

2)Tertiary Coal Fields: Its share is only about 1% of the total production in India. It bears coals of younger age; from 15 to 60 million years.  

– Lignite Coal Fields: Tertiary coal is the lignite coal. The coal is of inferior quality, with around 30 to 50% carbon. India’s largest ignite deposits are at Neyveli in Tamil Nadu.

India Coal Reserves: India is the world’s second-largest coal producer and 5th largest country in terms of coal deposits.

Major Coal Producing States: During 2022-2023, the four major coal producing states were Odisha (24.52%), Chhattisgarh (20.70%), Jharkhand (17.52%) and Madhya Pradesh (16.35%). These four states together contributed about 79.08% of the total coal production in the country.

India’s Coal Imports: The 5 major coal importers to India are Indonesia, Australia, South Africa, USA & Russia.

– India has plans to stop the import of coal by 2025-26.
– The focus is on producing 100 Million Tonne from Underground Mines by 2030.

UPSC Syllabus: Indian Economy

PM Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM PVTG) Mission: PM launches ₹24,000-crore project for development of vulnerable tribal groups

Source: The post is based on the article “PM Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM PVTG) Mission: PM launches ₹24,000-crore project for development of vulnerable tribal groups” published in “PIB” on 16th November 2023

Why in the News?

The Prime Minister has launched the ₹24,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM PVTG) Mission.

What is Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM PVTG) Mission?

Specifications	Details
Nodal Ministry	Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Announced in	Union budget 2023–24
Aim	To improve socio-economic conditions of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs)
Features	Under the mission, basic facilities such as road and telecom connectivity, electricity, safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition and sustainable livelihood opportunities will be provided to areas where PVTGs live.
Collaboration with Ministries	The mission will be implemented through the convergence of 11 interventions from nine Ministries. These schemes include Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana, National Sickle Cell Disease Elimination Mission among others.

Who are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups(PVTGs)?

Specifications	Details
Who are they	PVTGs are the more vulnerable groups among tribal communities
Origin	In 1973, the Dhebar Commission created Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a separate category, which are less developed among the tribal groups. In 2006, the Government of India renamed the PTGs as PVTGs.
Criteria for Identifying PVTGs	1)Pre-agricultural level of technology 2)Low level of literacy 3)Economic backwardness 4)A declining or stagnant population.
PVTGs in India	1) Currently, there are 75 PVTGs in India. Of these, the highest number of PVTGs are found in Odisha (13), followed by Andhra Pradesh (12). 2) The largest PVTG is Odisha’s Saura community.

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