9 PM UPSC Current Affairs Articles 22 March 2025

Mains Oriented Articles

GS PAPER - 2

India plans to make IORA stronger and effective

Source: The post India plans to make IORA stronger and effective has been created, based on the article “Charting a route for IORA under India’s chairship” published in “The Hindu” on 22 March 2025. India plans to make IORA stronger and effective.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2-Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Context: India is set to chair the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) from November 2025. As the current Vice-Chair, India plans to strengthen IORA’s governance. This article discusses the region’s strategic significance, IORA’s challenges, and the steps India can take to enhance its effectiveness and impact.

For detailed information on India must strengthen its Indian Ocean strategy read this article here

Geostrategic Importance of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

1. The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is strategically vital, encompassing two-thirds of the world’s population.
2. It is critical for global trade, facilitating 75% of the world’s trade and 50% of daily oil transport.
3. The IOR generated $1 trillion in goods and services, with intra-IORA trade valued at $800 billion in 2023.
4. The region faces significant challenges including political instability, environmental issues, and security threats like piracy and trafficking.
5. These dynamics necessitate enhanced regional cooperation to address supranational problems effectively.

Role of IORA

1. IORA is one of the oldest intergovernmental organisations in the Indian Ocean Region.
2. It promotes cooperation in areas such as disaster risk management, cultural and academic exchanges.
3. It provides a platform for middle and small powers to collaborate on regional issues.
4. Dialogue partners include the U.S., European Union, and China.

Challenges Faced by IORA

1. Funding Constraints: IORA’s budget depends on member contributions. Most members are developing nations, except Singapore, France, and the UAE. The current budget is only a few million dollars. In comparison, the Indian Ocean Commission, with just five members, has a $1.3 billion budget for 2020–2025. IORA’s expanding agenda in maritime safety, blue economy, and innovation requires more funds.
2. Limited Institutional Capacity: IORA has a small Secretariat based in Mauritius with limited staff. Its operations, including data handling and policy analysis, are slow and prone to errors. There is an urgent need for digitised data systems and technological integration to improve governance and efficiency.

India’s Priorities as Upcoming Chair

1. Enhancing Funding: India aims to increase IORA’s budget by creating new funding opportunities. IORA’s budget is just a few million dollars, while the Indian Ocean Commission has $1.3 billion for 2020–25. India plans to involve private players like shipping, oil and gas, and tourism industries.
2. Technology Integration: India plans to use digital tools for better data handling and faster policy analysis. The IORA Secretariat, with limited staff in Mauritius, faces slow and error-prone data work.
3. Educational Collaboration: India will develop maritime-ready courses with research institutions. This supports the growing marine economy. Courses like marine accounting can help build skills for blue economy jobs.

Way forward

1. India should align its SAGAR vision with IORA’s goals to strengthen regional cooperation.
2. It should leverage the strengths of IORA members—Australia in marine science, France and Singapore in marine technology, and UAE and Oman in investments.
3. Traditional marine knowledge from island nations like Sri Lanka and Mauritius should be integrated for sustainable practices.

Question for practice:

Discuss how India can enhance the effectiveness of IORA during its upcoming chairmanship.

India’s Parliament needs a stronger role in budgeting

Source: The post India’s Parliament needs a stronger role in budgeting has been created, based on the article “India’s marginalised Parliament in budgetary affairs” published in “The Hindu” on 22nd March 2025. India’s Parliament needs a stronger role in budgeting.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2-Polity-Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

Context: The article examines India’s Parliament’s limited role in shaping the budget. It compares this with other democracies where legislatures significantly influence economic policy. The article emphasizes reforms needed to boost parliamentary involvement in budgeting.

For detailed information on Declining Role of Parliament in Ensuring Accountability of Executive read this article here

Parliamentary Influence on Budgets Globally:

1. Historical Struggle: Historically, legislatures fought hard to control public finances to prevent executive overreach.
2. British Example: In the 19th century, British Parliament gained significant financial control.
3. Active Role Today: Today, some parliaments actively draft and modify budget proposals, ensuring thorough scrutiny.
4. Limited Role in Some Cases: Others play a limited role, merely approving budgets without detailed oversight.
5. Committee-Based Scrutiny: Certain legislatures have specialized committees for in-depth budget discussions, while others rely on centralized finance committees.
6. Positive Outcomes: Across democracies, higher parliamentary engagement and budget transparency lead to better social outcomes and economic stability. Examples include active legislative roles in budget processes in countries like the U.S., Australia, Canada, and the U.K.

Current State of India’s Parliamentary Involvement:

1. Executive Dominance: The Finance Ministry primarily drafts the budget, excluding even Cabinet Ministers from the process until its presentation in the Lok Sabha.
2. Lack of Legislative Scrutiny: Unlike other legislative bills, the budget proposal bypasses in-depth cabinet discussions, limiting Parliament’s role to superficial scrutiny.
3. Minimal Debate Quality: The dominance of the executive results in fragmented debates and limited oversight in Parliament, weakening the core principles of democracy.
4. Ceremonial Role of Rajya Sabha: Despite its democratic credentials, the Rajya Sabha has no significant role in budget discussions, mirroring a lack of bicameral influence in budgetary matters.
5. Passive Legislative Role: Legislators have minimal power to amend or influence budget proposals, reducing their role to merely approving the government’s financial plans.

Consequences of Limited Parliamentary Role:

1. Ineffective Oversight: Parliament has little role in making the budget. This leads to weak checking of government spending and policies. The executive takes decisions without proper control.
2. Reduced Accountability: The executive controls the budget process. Parliament cannot question or correct it. This increases the risk of misuse of public money.
3. Democratic Deficits: Parliament’s small role weakens democracy. There is less public and legislative checking of financial decisions. This is not the case in stronger democracies.

Reforms for Enhanced Parliamentary Role:

1. Pre-Budget Discussions: Institutionalise a 5–7 day discussion during the monsoon session. It will help legislators assess fiscal health and suggest budget priorities. This will also improve coordination among subject committees and ensure public concerns are raised early.
2. Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO): Create an independent office to provide MPs with data-based analysis. Model it on the U.S. Congressional Budget Office or similar bodies in the UK, Canada, and Australia. A PBO can offer policy briefs, forecast trends, and assess the fiscal impact of government policies, boosting informed and accountable decision-making.

Conclusion

Many parliaments shape budgets actively, but India’s role remains weak. The executive controls the process, limiting legislative input. This reduces transparency and accountability. Stronger parliamentary involvement, like in the U.S. or U.K., leads to better outcomes. India needs reforms to fix this imbalance.

Question for practice:

Examine the reasons for the limited role of India’s Parliament in the budget-making process and suggest reforms to strengthen its involvement.

GS PAPER - 3

Covid taught us five lessons for future

Source: The post Covid taught us five lessons for future has been created, based on the article “Five years on, five lessons from Covid lockdowns” published in “Indian Express” on 22nd March 2025. Covid taught us five lessons for future.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper3- Disaster and disaster management.

Context: March 2025 marks five years since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. The global health crisis exposed serious vulnerabilities in how the world manages large-scale disasters. As new threats loom, the article reflects on five key lessons from the pandemic to better prepare for future emergencies.

For detailed information on 7 Lessons From The Pandemic read this article here

Five Covid Lessons

1. Global Problems Need Global Solutions
   • Many disasters, like pandemics or tsunamis, transcend borders. Isolating a country is not a viable strategy. Instead, there is a need for global systems to monitor and manage risks.

• However, the pandemic weakened international cooperation. For instance, the U.S. withdrew from WHO and closed down the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning System.
• Despite these setbacks, new efforts like India’s genomic dataset offer hope for stronger global collaborations, with India well-positioned to lead.

2. Solutions Must Be Locally Relevant
   • During global emergencies, countries prioritize their own citizens. For example, during vaccine shortages, countries without local manufacturing suffered. India was better prepared due to its own vaccine production. Local conditions also matter.

• Social distancing worked in open spaces but failed in densely populated slums. In Dharavi, 50% of residents had antibodies within five months, compared to 15% in non-slum areas.
• Hence, resources like masks and ventilators should be targeted to high-prevalence areas.

3. Build Systems Before Disaster Strikes
   • India avoided mass starvation due to its strong Public Distribution System. However, emergency cash transfers were limited to those with existing accounts like PM-KISAN or Jan Dhan.

• The lockdown could have been used to strengthen health systems. For example, a centralised oxygen database could have helped in better coordination.
• Planning and system readiness across all government levels are critical to effective disaster response.

4. Data Is Crucial for Governance
   • During the migrant crisis, visuals showed people fleeing cities, but there was no data on how many were affected. The absence of a recent census worsens the problem.

• Globally, distrust in data grew during the pandemic, as seen in the U.S. shutting vaccine hesitancy studies. Governments need to treat data as a governance tool, not a threat.

5. Trust in Government Is Essential
   • Emergency decisions often involve uncertainty. Successful implementation depends on public trust.

• During the lockdown, 85% in Delhi-NCR supported it just because the government said it was necessary. Even years later, nearly 80% across India agreed it was the right decision.
• Yet, global trends show that such trust is fragile and must be nurtured for unity during future crises.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed global, national, and local gaps in disaster response. Learning from these five lessons—global cooperation, local relevance, preemptive planning, data-driven governance, and public trust—is crucial for future resilience.

Question for practice:

Discuss the key lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic that can help improve future disaster preparedness and response.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Ramadevara Betta Vulture Sanctuary

News– The rare sighting of the Indian Long-Billed Vulture at Ramadevara Betta Vulture Sanctuary highlights the effectiveness of protected area-based conservation efforts. Ramadevara Betta Vulture Sanctuary.

About Ramadevara Betta Vulture Sanctuary

• Location: Ramadevara Betta Hill Range, Ramanagara, Karnataka.
• Significance:
  • India’s first and only vulture sanctuary, established in 2012.
  • Declared an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) in 2017 to protect endangered vultures.
• Vulture Species Found:
  • Indian Long-Billed Vulture (Gyps indicus)
  • Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
  • White-Backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis)

About Indian Long-Billed Vulture (Gyps indicus)

• Distribution: Found in India, Pakistan, and Nepal.
• Habitat: Prefers savannas, open landscapes, and areas near villages, cities, and farmland.
• Physical characteristics:
  • Medium-sized and bulky scavenger.
  • Females are smaller than males.
• Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered.

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

News– Kirsty Coventry Becomes First Woman and African President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

About International Olympic Committee (IOC)

• It was established in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin to revive the ancient Greek Olympics.
• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland.
• Mission: “Building a Better World through Sport.”
• Roles & Responsibilities:
  • Governs the Summer, Winter, and Youth Olympics.
  • Oversees National Olympic Committees (NOCs) globally.
  • Ensures compliance with the Olympic Charter.

IOC Session:

• It is an annual meeting of IOC members to make key decisions.
• Members: 101 voting members + 45 honorary members.
• Decides on:
  • Amending the Olympic Charter.
  • Electing the IOC President and Executive Board.
  • Selecting the host city for future Olympic Games.

Process of selecting Olympic host Country:

• Informal Dialogue: IOC discusses potential bids with interested nations.
• Targeted Dialogue: IOC’s Executive Board invites a “preferred host” to refine its proposal.
• No Fixed Timeline: Selection depends on political, economic, and environmental factors.

Key selection criteria

• Geopolitical, socio-economic, human development and environmental factors
• Alignment with existing long-term development plans
• Envisaged sustainability and legacy impacts
• Political and public support
• Funding strategy
• Infrastructure readiness (transport, venues, accommodation)

Sillahalla Power Project

News– The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) recently canceled the public hearing for the Silahalla Power Project in the Nilgiris due to strong public opposition and environmental concerns. Sillahalla Power Project.

About Sillahalla Power Project

• Type: Pumped storage hydroelectric project by Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO).
• Location: Kundah Taluk, Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu.
• Objective: To generate 1,000 MW electricity to meet peak power demand.
• Associated Rivers: Silahalla stream (tributary of the Kundah River), which ultimately feeds into the Bhavani River (a tributary of the Cauvery River).

Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve – Key Facts Geographical Location: Situated in: The Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats. Spread across: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. Major Protected Areas within the reserve: Tamil Nadu: Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Mukurthi National Park. Kerala: Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Silent Valley National Park. Karnataka: Bandipur National Park, Nagarhole National Park. Vegetation– Tropical evergreen forests, montane sholas, grasslands, moist deciduous forests, and thorn forests. Flora– It is home to 132 endemic plant species, including rare species like Adenoon, Calacanthus, and Frerea. Fauna: It hosts the largest population of Nilgiri Tahr and Lion-tailed macaque, along with elephants, tigers, gaurs, sambars, and chitals. Significance– It is the first UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve in India (1986) under the Man and Biosphere Programme.

Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000

News– Elon Musk-owned X (formerly Twitter) has challenged the government’s use of Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act) to moderate and order the removal of content on social media. Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000.

About Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000

• It is India’s primary legislation governing cyber activities, electronic transactions, and digital governance.
• It establishes a legal framework for cybersecurity, digital signatures, data protection, and penalties for cyber offenses.
• Key Features:
  • It grants legal recognition to electronic records and digital signatures.
  • It defines intermediary liabilities and protections.
  • It empowers the Central Government and CERT-In to regulate cybersecurity.
  • It was amended in 2008 and 2015 to address emerging cyber threats.

Important Provisions in News:
Section 69A:

• It allows the government to block online content in the interest of sovereignty, national security, public order, or to prevent incitement.
• It requires written orders and follows procedural safeguards.
• It was upheld by the Supreme Court in Shreya Singhal vs Union of India (2015).

Section 79:

• It provides conditional immunity to intermediaries for third-party content.
• As per Section 79(3)(b), intermediaries must remove unlawful content upon government notification to retain immunity.
• It does not authorize direct blocking but notifies intermediaries of potential liability.