9 PM UPSC Current Affairs Articles 22 March, 2024

Mains Oriented Articles

GS PAPER - 2

New Citizenship Amendment Rules in India: Citizens on the edge

Source: The post new Citizenship Amendment Rules in India, has been created, based on the article “Citizens on the edge” published in “Indian express” on 22nd March 2024.

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

News: The article criticizes the new Citizenship Amendment Rules in India, stating that they create complex and unfair procedures for refugees seeking citizenship, don’t protect their rights, and are likely to cause bureaucratic difficulties and uncertainty for applicants.

For details information on Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 read here

What are the new Citizenship Amendment Rules?

Scope of the Act: The Citizenship Amendment Rules implement the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, which offers Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.

Proof of Nationality and Entry: Applicants must prove their nationality and show they entered India before the cut-off date. This is difficult for those who fled persecution and may have lost important documents.

Committee-Based Processing: Applications are processed by state and district level committees, but the procedures and guidelines for these committees are not clearly defined.

Document Verification: The committees assess the authenticity of documents, a challenging task when the issuing authorities are non-existent or unclear, as observed in global examples like Afghan refugees in Australia.

Eligibility Certification: Applicants must provide certificates from local community institutions as proof of religious and national identity, but how these certificates will be assessed is unclear.

For more information on Citizenship Amendment Rules read here

What are the criticisms of the Citizenship Amendment Rules?

Promoting Religious Discrimination: The Rules are criticized for being arbitrary and discriminatory on religious grounds, offering citizenship routes primarily to non-Muslims.

Opaque Procedures: They establish complex and unclear procedures, lacking legal safeguards for asylum seekers, which could lead to a bureaucratic nightmare.

Documentary Burden: The emphasis on documentary evidence places an onerous burden on refugees who may not have access to such documents, especially those who fled persecution.

Committee Ineffectiveness: The Empowered and District Level Committees tasked with processing applications lack clear guidelines, raising concerns about their effectiveness and fairness.

Potential for Arbitrary Decisions: The lack of transparency and procedural clarity in the Committees’ functioning could lead to arbitrary decisions, reminiscent of the issues faced in Assam’s Foreigners Tribunals.

Way forward

To improve the Citizenship Amendment Rules, India should adopt international best practices that prioritize a wide range of evidence, not just documents, to prove persecution. Establishing a system with trained professionals, clear guidelines, and mechanisms for appeal can ensure a fair, transparent, and effective process for asylum seekers.

Question for practice:

Discuss the criticisms surrounding the Citizenship Amendment Rules in India and propose potential improvements.

Judges joining politics in India: The judge’s code

Source: The post judges joining politics in India has been created, based on the article “The judge’s code: Members of the judiciary should follow a self-imposed discipline -and be seen to do so too” published in “Indian express” on 22nd March 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2-polity-Separation of powers between various organs (judiciary)

News: The article discusses how former Judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay joined politics right after leaving his judicial position. It compares his move with similar actions by past judges.

What are the former incidents of judges joining politics in India?

CJI K Subba Rao: He resigned three months before retirement and became the opposition’s presidential candidate. Known for supporting civil liberties.

Justice Baharul Islam: Initially a politician, he served in the Rajya Sabha, became a High Court Judge, and then a Supreme Court Justice. He resigned five weeks early and was nominated for the Lok Sabha but returned to the Rajya Sabha. His judicial decisions faced scrutiny when re-entering politics.

Justice K S Hegde: He transitioned from being a Rajya Sabha member to a Supreme Court Justice, then left to successfully contest a Lok Sabha seat and became the Speaker of the lower house.

What are the major concerns of judges joining politics in India?

Judicial Impartiality: Concerns arise about a judge’s neutrality if they enter politics, as seen with Justice Baharul Islam, whose political return led to scrutiny of his judicial decisions.

Institutional Integrity: Judge Gangopadhyay’s actions, like conflicts with fellow judges and controversial public statements, raised questions about maintaining the judiciary’s integrity.

Preserving Judicial Independence: Gangopadhyay’s transition to politics right after resigning from a high judicial office can be seen as compromising the judiciary’s independence, a concern echoed in past instances.

What should be done?

Uphold Judicial Standards: Judges should adhere to standards like the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct. This means avoiding political bias and preserving the dignity of their office, as exemplified by Justice K S Hegde, who maintained a gap between his judicial and political careers.

Implement Self-Restraint: As former Supreme Court Judge E S Venkataramiah noted, judges must exercise self-restraint and humility. This helps curb personal biases and maintain judicial integrity.

Question for practice:

Examine the implications of former judges in India transitioning to political roles, citing historical instances and highlighting concerns regarding judicial impartiality.

GS PAPER - 3

Present status of Nuclear energy

Source: This post Present status of Nuclear energy has been created based on the article “Nuclear energy: fixing the finance” published in “The Hindu” on 21 March 2024.

UPSC Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Infrastructure – Energy

News: The first-ever Nuclear Energy Summit was held recently in Brussels. The summit highlights nuclear energy’s role in combating climate change.

What is the present status of nuclear energy?

India’s current nuclear capacity offers cost-effective and reliable energy, yet contributes only a minor fraction to the renewable mix.

The Nuclear Energy Summit is an initiative in collaboration with the IAEA’s ‘Atoms4Netzero’ programme. It is a part of the multilateral approach to decarbonisation.

Global Nuclear Infrastructure consists of 440 reactors worldwide and significant growth in Asia, particularly China.

What is the Significance of Nuclear Energy in Combating Climate Change?

Environmental advantages: COP28 recognized nuclear energy’s capacity to significantly reduce carbon emissions, compared to solar farms and other renewable sources. The declaration at the conference agreed for tripling nuclear capacity by 2050.

Source of continuous energy: It can become a source to provide uninterrupted energy, without any geographical limitation.

Economic Advantages: With lower operating costs, smaller land requirements, and longer life cycles, nuclear power stands out among renewable energy sources.

However, there’s a significant gap in nuclear energy financing from Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and private investors.

What are the financing mechanisms and technological advancement opportunities in the nuclear energy field?

Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and extended fuel cycles enhance safety and efficiency. Which reduces nuclear-related risks and opens the industry to private investment.

Successful Cooperative Funding Models from France, South Korea, Russia, and the U.K. demonstrate the viability of cooperative funding models.

Recent liberalization efforts, including invitations for private investment and plans for substantial capacity expansion. It signals a promising future for India’s nuclear energy sector.

Water- An instrument of global conflict and build world peace

Source-This post on Water- An instrument of global conflict and build world peace has been created based on the articles

“Water, an instrument to build world peace” published in “The Hindu” on 21 March 2024.

“Navigating the global waterscape, its challenges” published in “The Hindu” on 21 March 2024.

UPSC Syllabus–GS Paper-3– Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

Context– World Water Day, which falls on March 22, is a global initiative backed by the United Nations. It has been observed every year since 1993. The theme this year is “Leveraging Water for Peace.”

Around 2 billion people are facing persistent global challenge of securing access to clean water. Water scarcity threatens individual well-being and collective prosperity. Therefore, there is a need for sustainable management of water resources.

What is the status of water availability in India?

1) Per capita water availability-It is already low enough to be categorized as water stressed. It will reduce further to 1341-meter cube by 2025- and 1140-meter cube by 2050.

2) State specific groundwater consumption-In almost every State and in the main cities of India, there is groundwater table depletion. For ex- In Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi and Haryana, the ratio of groundwater consumption to availability is 172%, 137%, 137% and 133%, respectively, which is cause for alarm.

3) Sector-wise use– 72% of all water withdrawals are for use in agriculture, 16% by municipalities for households and services, and 12% by industries.

What are the reasons for water crisis in India?

Read more- Water Crisis in India

What is the impact of scarcity of water?

1) Endanger water security– It leads to the poor functioning of ecosystems. It also threatens food and water security.

2) Hamper peace– According to the World Resources Institute, 17 countries face ‘extremely high’ levels of water stress which may lead to conflict, unrest and peace among people. It has been a cause of conflict in the past as well. For Example, the disputes between the Mesopotamian cities of Lagash and Umma over water resources.

3) Impact on Rural Livelihoods: With a significant portion of the world’s rural population relying on water for agriculture, water scarcity directly impacts livelihoods.

4) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Transboundary water cooperation is integral to realizing the SDGs. It highlights the interconnectedness of water management with health, food security, and ecosystem services.

What should be the way forward?

1) Rainwater harvesting– There is a need to adopt rainwater harvesting (in-situ and ex-situ) in India. It enables resilience against water scarcity and drought by increasing recharge and aiding irrigation.

2) Rejuvenation of ponds– Existing government’s such as the watershed management, Mission Amrit Sarovar and the Jal Shakti Abhiyan programmes give emphasis on water conservation and rainwater harvesting, rejuvenation of waterbodies.
However, there is the need for a protocol of the revival of ponds/waterbodies.

3) Additional Measures– There is a need for some additional interventions to ensure ‘water for peace’ such as –

a) Monitoring-There should be effective monitoring of the groundwater table and the reclamation of the water quality of groundwater, rivers and waterbodies.

b) Circular water economy-There should be effective pricing of water uses and promotion of a circular water economy.

C) Efficient irrigation system-Ensuring efficient irrigation techniques such as integrating water resources with micro-irrigations systems and IOT based automation.
There is a need to grow low water requirement crops and adoption of optimal crop plan that has integrated farming system models.

D) Ending Freebies-Populist policies like free electricity should be done away with.

E) Enhanced Water Diplomacy and International Law: The adoption of universal principles for International Water Law and improved cooperation over water-sharing are crucial. This approach can facilitate equitable water allocation, fostering regional stability and peace.

F) Inclusive Water Governance: Collaborative governance, which involves all stakeholders, including indigenous and local communities, is essential. It will ensure effective and equitable water allocation among nations.

G) Addressing Transboundary Water Challenges: A sophisticated form of cross-border water governance is required to manage the world’s freshwater resources effectively, especially in transboundary contexts.

Question for practice

What is the status of water availability in India? What steps can be taken to ensure judicious use of water?

India’s Goal for 2047: Sustaining rapid growth is challenging

Source: The post India’s Goal for 2047 has been created, based on the article “Sustaining rapid growth is challenging” published in “Business standard” on 22nd March 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3- economy- growth and development

News: The article discusses India’s goal of becoming a developed country by 2047. It explains the challenges and factors needed for economic growth, comparing India’s progress with other countries and emphasizing the importance of good policies and global conditions.

What is India’s Goal for 2047?

Developed Country Status: India’s primary goal is to become a developed country by 2047, focusing on broad societal and economic development.

High-Income Economy: The target is to reach a per capita income of about US$14,000, aligning with the World Bank’s high-income country criteria.

Improving on Past Performance: Recognizing slower growth in earlier decades, the goal is to significantly accelerate development, similar to the post-1990s economic reforms.

What are the factors needed for India to become a developed country by 2047?

Economic Growth: India needs to maintain an 8% annual growth rate until 2047. This mirrors the growth rates of nations like South Korea and Singapore that have successfully developed.

Policy and Governance: Effective policies in areas like fiscal management, foreign trade, education, health, and law are crucial. This reflects the success factors of developed East Asian countries.

Global Context: India’s progress will be influenced by global economic and geopolitical situations, as seen in the examples of Sudan and Yugoslavia, where external factors heavily impacted their development trajectories.

Technological Progress: Adapting and innovating in technology is vital, similar to how China and East Asian countries have advanced.

Addressing Climate Change and Resource Scarcity: Mitigating climate impacts and managing resources efficiently is essential, akin to global challenges faced by all developing nations.

What challenges do developing countries face?

Lack of Resources: Developing countries often have limited capital, skills, and technology. For instance, Sudan, despite its natural resources, remains poor due to a lack of these key elements.

Political Instability: Civil unrest and wars greatly hinder progress. Sudan’s long civil wars have left it with a per capita income of just over $500.

Economic Policies: Changes in economic regimes can disrupt growth. Yugoslavia, for example, saw its growth and development halt due to political fragmentation after changing its economic system.

Global Economic Conditions: The broader economic environment greatly impacts these countries, influencing their growth trajectories and ability to develop.

Way forward

To achieve the status of a developed nation by 2047, India must sustain 8% annual economic growth, drawing lessons from East Asian countries’ rapid development. Implementing robust policies across education, health, and infrastructure, and adapting to global and environmental challenges, are crucial in this complex, arduous journey.

Question for practice:

Discuss India’s journey to become a developed country by 2047, highlighting the key factors essential for achieving this goal.

Concerns of AI in finance: Regulating Al in finance looks like a wild goose chase

Source: The post concerns of AI in finance has been created, based on the article “Regulating Al in finance looks like a wild goose chase” published in “Live mints” on 22nd March 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3 – Awareness in IT, Space, Computers, and Robotics

News: This article discusses the challenges of regulating artificial intelligence (AI) in finance. It highlights concerns about AI’s transparency, biases, and misuse.

For detailed information on AI read – Article1, Article2

What are the concerns of AI in finance?

Ethical Concerns: There is a significant risk that AI systems, driven by flawed or incomplete data, may adopt biases. This may lead to decisions that don’t align with ethical standards expected in financial practices.

Transparency Issues: The decision-making processes within AI systems are complex and not easily understood, which can lead to a lack of trust and difficulties in assessing the fairness and accuracy of AI-driven decisions.

Misuse of AI: There’s a significant concern about the misuse of AI in finance, especially in exploiting regulatory loopholes for profit. The complexity of AI systems makes such misuse hard to detect for regulators and competitors, adding a layer of risk to the financial sector.

Why is regulating AI challenging?

Rapid Evolution: AI technology evolves quickly, making it hard for regulations to keep up.

Complexity: The intricate nature of AI systems complicates understanding and effective regulation.

Technology Gap: There’s a widening gap between regulatory capabilities and technological advancements, leading to supervision lagging behind necessary responses.

What should be done?

Adopt Advanced Supervision Tools: Regulators should employ real-time digital supervision techniques. Utilizing activity-based supervision and algorithmic data analytics proactively can improve oversight and understanding of AI in finance.

Enhance Transparency: There’s a need to increase the transparency of AI systems. Making the decision-making processes of AI more understandable and clearer can build trust and allow for better regulation.

Close the Technology Gap: Addressing the gap between regulatory capabilities and technological advancements is crucial. Regulators need to equip themselves with the latest tools to effectively monitor and regulate financial activities in the digital age.

Focus on Ethical AI Use: Emphasizing the ethical use of AI in financial sectors should be a priority. This includes ensuring that AI decisions are unbiased and adhere to ethical standards.

Continuous Adaptation: Given AI’s rapid evolution, regulators must continuously adapt their strategies and tools to stay effective. This ongoing adaptation is vital to manage financial risks effectively.

Question for practice:

Analyse the key concerns and proposed solutions regarding the regulation of artificial intelligence in the finance sector.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Strict rule on Bioplastic

Source-This post on Strict rule on Bioplastic has been created based on the article “Ministry of Environment tightens rules on bioplastics” published in “The Hindu” on 21 March 2024.

Why in the news?

The Environment Ministry has recently introduced rules that make it harder for makers of disposable plastic ware to label such products as ‘biodegradable’. It has introduced a stipulation that makers of disposable plastic ware must not leave any microplastics behind.

What are the broad kinds of technological fixes to address India’s plastic waste pollution?

Biodegradable plastic-It involves plastic goods being treated before they are sold.

Compostable plastics-They degrade, but require industrial or large municipal waste management facilities to do so.

What are the recent changes?

As per new amendments to India’s Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2024, biodegradable plastics will be defined as materials which are not only capable of degradation by biological processes in specific environment such as soil, landfill but also as materials that do not leave any microplastics.

What are the issues with recent changes?

1) The rules do not specify which chemical tests can be used to establish the absence of microplastics.

2)The rules do not specify that up to what extent microplastics must be reduced in a sample in order to consider them eliminated.

3) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)  has refused to provide makers of disposable plastic ware with a ‘provisional certificate’ to license their products as biodegradable.

Read more-Solid waste management

UPSC Syllabus-Environment

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Startup Forum

Source-This post on Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Startup Forum has been created based on the article “4th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Startup Forum organized in New Delhi” published in “PIB” on 21 March 2024.

Why in the news?

The fourth edition of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Startup Forum  was recently convened in New Delhi on March 19, 2024.

About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Startup Forum

Aspect	Details
Objective	To expand the startup interactions amongst the SCO Member States by nurturing the spirit of innovation, generating more employment and encouraging young talent to build innovative solutions.
Organized by	Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Features	1) SCO Pavilion Showcase-Over 15 SCO startups showcased their innovative products and services, facilitating networking and inspiration among entrepreneurs. 2) Workshop on Seed Fund Establishment-Conducted by Startup India, the workshop provided strategic insights into setting up seed funds for early-stage startups, encouraging interactive participation and knowledge exchange. 3) Establishment of Special Working Group (SWG)-All SCO Member States agreed to establish a SWG for Startups and Innovation at the SCO Heads of State Summit in 2022.It was aimed at fostering collaboration and regional economic development. India, as the permanent chair, has led the adoption of SWG regulations and will host its second meeting in November 2024.
Previous initiatives undertaken by Startup India	Startup India had organized various initiatives for SCO Member states including: 1. SCO Startup Forum 1.0: The SCO Startup Forum in 2020 laid the foundation for multilateral cooperation and engagement for startups amongst the SCO Member States. 2. SCO Startup Forum 2.0: The two-day Forum was held virtually in 2021 through a customized platform representing the Indian culture in augmented reality. SCO Startup Hub, a single point of contact for the SCO startup ecosystem, was launched in this forum. 3. Focused Mentorship Program: A 3-month long virtual mentorship series ‘Starting-Up’ in 2022 was organized for the nominated startups, to build capacity amongst the SCO Startup founders. A total of 100+ hours of mentorship was provided to the startups etc.

Read more–Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

UPSC Syllabus-International Relation

India as co-chair of Digital Innovation Board

Source-This post on India as co-chair of Digital Innovation Board has been created based on the article “International Telecommunication Union elects India as co-chair of its Digital Innovation Board” published in “PIB” on 21 March 2024.

Why in the news?

Dr Neeraj Mittal was unanimously elected as co-chair of the Digital Innovation Board of International Telecommunication Union. It is formed under the aegis of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development.

About Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development

Started by– International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Objective– To respond to significant unmet needs of ITU Membership in the area of innovation, as articulated in the Kigali Action Plan adopted at the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2022 (WTDC-22) and the Outcomes of the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2022 (PP-22).

What are the main vehicles of the alliance?

The Alliance has three main vehicles: –

1) Digital Transformation Lab

2) Network of Acceleration Centres-ITU has selected 17 organizations from around the world to host Network of Acceleration Centres with the Global Innovation Centre at ITU Area Office and Innovation Centre, New Delhi. It aims to coordinate the efforts of Network Acceleration centres around the globe.

3) Digital Innovation Board-It is established to provide strategic guidance, expertise and advocacy regarding its mission of building critical local enablers and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in digital development.
The Digital Innovation Board comprises Ministers and Vice Ministers of Telecom/ICT of 23 Member Countries of ITU spanning Asia, Europe, Africa, North and South America.

About International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Aspect	Details
Introduction	It is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies.
Nature of body	It is an intergovernmental organization that coordinates between governments and private sector bodies with respect to global telecommunication and information communication technology (ICT) services.
Established	It was established in 1865 as the International Telegraph Union. In 1947 the ITU became a specialized agency of the United Nations.
Headquarters	Geneva, Switzerland.
Membership	It has a membership of 193 countries and nearly 800 private sector entities and academic institutions
Function	1) It allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits; 2) It helps incoordination and setting of technical standards related to telecommunication/ICT; 3) It strives to improve access to ICTs in underserved communities worldwide;
India and ITU	India has been an active member of the ITU since 1869 and has been a regular member of the ITU Council since 1952.

Read more-Telecom Sector Reforms 

UPSC Syllabus-International Organization

BhashaNet portal

Source-This post on BhashaNet portal has been created based on the article “MeitY/NIXI successfully unveils BhashaNet portal at Universal Acceptance Day event” published in “PIB” on 21 March 2024.

Why in the news?

The BhashaNet portal was unveiled at the Universal Acceptance (UA) Day event on March 21, 2024.

About BhashaNet portal

Aspect	Details
Launched by	Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI)
Objective	To advance digital inclusion and promoting Universal Acceptance across India.
Key features	1) Multilingual Support-The portal will provide resources and information in multiple Indian languages, making it accessible to a wider audience. 2) UA Readiness Tools-Developers and businesses can access tools and guidelines to help them assess and improve the UA readiness of their applications and systems. 3) Best Practices and Case Studies-The portal will showcase best practices and case studies from organizations that have successfully implemented UA, serving as a source of inspiration and guidance for others
Significance	1) It will support the cause of Universal Acceptance by providing resources, tools, and information to help developers, businesses, and organizations make their applications and systems Universal Acceptance-compliant. 2) It will bridge the digital divide and ensure that everyone, irrespective of their language or script, can access and benefit from digital services

Note-Universal Acceptance-
It is a concept that aims to ensure that all domain names and email addresses, regardless of language or script, can be used by all internet-enabled applications, devices, and systems.

Read more-Pathways for digital inclusion

UPSC Syllabus-Schemes & Programmes.

Low water level in Indian reservoir

Source-This post on Low water level in Indian reservoir has been created based on the article “Water level in more than half the key reservoirs at less than 40% capacity” published in “Live Mint” on 22 March 2024.

Why in the news?

The Central Water Commission (CWC) has recently reported that water level in more than half of India’s 150 major reservoirs is lower than 40% of the capacity.

What is the status of reservoir in India?

1. The water level in more than half of India’s 150 major reservoirs is lower than 40% of the capacity. The storage of water in two-third of reservoir is being less than 50%.

2. Andhra Pradesh (-69%) has the highest number of reservoir where water level is below normal. Further, the storage in Tamil Nadu was 30% lower than usual.

What are the reasons for low level of water in the reservoir?

1) The depleting water level in the country is attributed to lower rainfall caused by El Niño. This has resulted in drought and prolonged dry period in Asia amid the warming up of the Pacific Ocean.

2) During the post-monsoon period (October-December 2023), more than 50% of regions in the country were rain-deficient.

What will be the impact of low water level in Indian reservoir?

1) The falling water reservoir level negatively impact hydro power generation.

2) It may cause water crisis in central and southern cities.

3) The low reservoir level is likely to increase dependency of summer crops on rainfall. This may delay crop sowing in irrigated area.

Read more- Central Water Commission (CWC)

UPSC Syllabus-Geography in news & Indian economy (Agriculture)