9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – January 23rd, 2023
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Mains Oriented Articles
GS PAPER - 2
A reminder of the flaws in India’s urbanisation policies
Contents
Source– The post is based on the article “A reminder of the flaws in India’s urbanisation policies” published in The Hindu on 23rd January 2023.
Syllabus: GS2- Urbanisation, their problems and their remedies
Relevance– Issues related to urban finance and urban governance
News– The article explains the scenario of urban finance in India. It provides solutions to problem faced by urban governance in India
What is the scenario of urban finance in India?
Urban finance predominantly comes from the government. 48%, 24% and 15% of urban capital expenditure needs are derived from the central, State, and city governments, respectively. Public–private partnership projects contribute 3% and commercial debt 2%.
Various reports have estimated a huge demand for funding urban infrastructure. The Isher Judge Ahluwalia report says that by 2030, nearly ₹39.2 lakh crore would be required. A McKinsey report on urbanisation has a figure of $1.2 trillion, or ₹90 lakh crore.
What are some points contained in the World Bank report on urbanisation in India?
It estimates that nearly ₹70 lakh crore would be needed for investment in urban India to meet the growing demands of the population.
It suggests improving the fiscal base and creditworthiness of the Indian cities. Cities must institute a buoyant revenue base. They must be able to recover the cost of providing its services.
This report points out that nearly 85% of government revenue is from the cities.
Its emphasis is on the levying of more burdens in the form of user charges on utilities, etc.
It focuses on private investments
State-level management of urban water and sewerage functions may be devolved in a time-bound manner.
An improved urban legal framework that includes a stable and certain fiscal transfer regime, accords financial powers to ULBs will determine the future of cities.
What are issues with urbanisation in India?
The basic problem with the reports on urbanisation in India is that they are made using a top to bottom approach. They have too much of a focus on technocentric solutions using very high capital-intensive technologies.
Cities primarily are run by parastatals.The city governments hardly have any role to play in the smooth functioning of such parastatals.
What is the way forward for improving the situation of the Indian urban ecosystem?
Plans must be made from below by engaging with the people and identifying their needs.
Empowering the city governments and the people at large is the need of the day.
The national task force to review the 74th Constitutional Amendment by K.C. Sivaramakrishnan provides many suggestions. It asks for empowering the people, transferring subjects to the city governments.
It suggests that 10% of the income-tax collected from cities be given back to them and ensuring that this corpus fund was utilised only for infrastructure building.
There is a need to improve urban governance. Regular elections should be held in cities and there must be empowerment through the transferring of the three Fs: finances, functions, and functionaries.
No Entry, No Deal – Without more visas, UK FTA makes little sense for India
Source: The post is based on the article “No Entry, No Deal – Without more visas, UK FTA makes little sense for India” published in The Times of India on 23rd January 2023.
Syllabus: GS 2 – Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Relevance: About the process of visa liberalisation.
News: Recently, the UK international trade secretary pointed out that the country left the EU because it does not believe in the free movement of people. Further, visa liberalisation under the proposed India-UK FTA is also not up for negotiation. This poses challenges to the India-UK FTA.
Why visa liberalisation is essential for India-UK trade?
-The two-way trade between India-UK in 2021-22 was $17. 5 billion, lower than India’s trade with Germany or with Belgium. India’s overall merchandise trade with the UK was less than 2%. Free movement of skilled labour and students between India and the UK could have provided an incentive to quicken the pace of negotiations.
-Access to India’s huge market appears to be the UK’s primary incentive for UK. An FTA which lowers tariffs for British exporters helps the UK.
But with UK tariffs already low, India can gain only from visa liberalisation.
Must read: India – UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) | Timeline |
What needs to be done to facilitate India-UK FTA?
FTAs require tradeoffs. Some domestic interests have to be set aside in the pursuit of larger gains from lowering barriers to trade. Similarly, the UK have to revisit its visa liberalisation policy.
What India should do?
The UK and Australia already have a regime of unfettered movement for young people, including job seekers. Against this backdrop, India should work on other potential FTAs like the ones with the EU and US as gains from these FTAs are far greater than anything on offer by the UK.
Read more: Impacts of India-UK FTA: Nothing So Great About Free Trade With Great Britain |
Necessary pushback – The Centre should stop seeing judicial appointments as rewards for loyalists
Source: The post is based on the article “Necessary pushback – The Centre should stop seeing judicial appointments as rewards for loyalists” published in The Hindu on 23rd January 2023.
Syllabus: GS 2 – Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary.
Relevance: About the process of appointing judges.
News: The Supreme Court collegium has pushed back against the Union government’s attempts to block the appointment of some advocates as High Court judges.
Read more: MoP for the appointment of judges: Law Minister’s suggestion to CJI on appointment of judges: The context and background, explained |
What is the collegium?
Read Here: Explained | The workings of the Supreme Court collegium |
What are the three Judge’s Cases?
Must read: The Collegium System – Explained Pointwise |
What should be done?
Read more: Check, do not cross – Government should work towards systemic reform; not attack the judiciary |
[Kurukshetra January 2023 Summary] Cooperative Entrepreneurship – Explained, pointwise
Contents
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Introduction
To achieve the objective of inclusive development, many different approaches to community development have been advocated by development planners and policy makers. Many of these approaches have been put into practise by State Governments and Union Administrations. Among these, one powerful strategy has been to tap the potential of cooperatives and to promote cooperative entrepreneurship in order to run community businesses that are efficient and profitable. Cooperatives are based on triple tenets of democracy, economic development and social mobilization. Based of this basis of tenets, the Cooperatives are able to successfully and independently mobilise resources and utilize them productively. Even though cooperatives all share similar qualities, there are many different ways in which they can be organised and run.
The broad classifications of cooperatives include: (a) Short-term credit cooperatives like State Cooperative Banks (SCBs), District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) and Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS); (b) Long-term credit cooperatives like Primary Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (PCARDBs) and State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (SCARDBs); (c) Commodity cooperatives in different products like dairy, oil, sugar, textiles ,etc. and service cooperatives like housing, transport, tourism, hospital cooperatives,
In India, one of the first examples of financial inclusion was the adoption of Cooperative Societies Act, 1904. Since then a long way has been traversed and with the setting up of the new Ministry of Cooperation by the Union Government in July, 2021, the continued significance of the cooperative movement has been underscored.
The 4-fold guiding principles of this movement are: (a) Sahkar se Samriddhi; (b) Inclusive Growth; (c) Aatma Nirbharta through community entrepreneurship; (d) Cooperation: Beyond Cooperatives.
Cooperative Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is defined as the creation of an innovative economic organization for the purpose of gain or growth under conditions of risk or uncertainty. In this context, cooperatives can be called community enterprises being managed by diverse member entrepreneurships. Studies have indicated that local participation in development activities has positive impact on shaping communities. Local Participation also ensures progression of low-income communities into the mainstream.
Legal Framework
The legal framework of cooperatives is governed by Cooperatives Society Act, 1912; Mutually Aided Cooperative Thrift Society Act; and Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002. Cooperative societies with members from one State are registered under the provisions of State Cooperative Societies Act concerned and are regulated by the State Registrars of the Cooperative Societies concerned.
Cooperative societies with members from more than one State are registered by the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies under the Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS).
It is estimated that there are 54 lakh cooperative societies with a membership of 29 crore people. As many as 1,509 Multi-State Cooperative Societies are registered in the country under the provisions of MSCS Act, 2002.
Read More: [Kurukshetra January 2023 Summary] [Cooperation, Cooperatives] Realising Sahkar Se Samriddhi – Explained, pointwise |
Strengthening the Cooperative Structure
Multiple initiatives have been launched to strengthen the cooperative sector.
First, A pan-India project for computerisation of 63,000 PACS has been launched. The estimated total cost is INR 2,516 crore. Digitalisation of PACS will ensure efficiency of their operations, speedy disbursal of loans, lower transition costs, faster audits, reduction in imbalances in payments and accounting with SCBs and DCCBs, enhanced transparency and trustworthiness, and a positive and emphatic transition towards financial inclusion and providing digital literacy to farmers.
Second, Draft model bye-laws are being prepared. These bye-laws will help transform the PACS into multipurpose and multidimensional vibrant economic entities.
Third, Formulation of scheme ‘Cooperation to Prosperity‘ will map the growth catalysts in the economy and encourage rolling out of a coordinated approach of cooperative development to enhance income and growth.
Fourth, Formulation of a scheme for modernising and professionalising the cooperative education and training will take care of capacity building needs of the sector and will ensure that the cooperative sector attains required competitiveness in the changed economic scenario.
Fifth, A new National Cooperative Policy is being formulated and the 2-decade old policy is being reviewed. New and sustainable growth pathways through cooperation is being explored.
Sixth, A National Cooperative Database is being created. It will help in identifying the areas where cooperative movement could be expanded. Accordingly, it will facilitate the framing of appropriate policy.
Steps Which May Be Taken Going Ahead
There are some more steps which may be taken to strengthen the cooperatives.
Awareness and Access to Information
A major awareness programme entailing all forms of media is required. School children and fresh graduates need to be made aware that entrepreneurship, especially in the cooperative sector, is a full-fledged career option available to them.
In this context, some universities have started running undergraduate entrepreneurship programmes. The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) under the Ministry of Cooperation is implementing Yuva Sahakar– Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme. At present, a proposal to set up a National Level University dedicated for the cooperative sector is under the consideration of the Ministry of Cooperation.
A common interactive portal with all information for cooperatives, including potential employee-employer mapping, access to information, credit etc. should be created.
Training and Skill Development
Training is an integral part of upgradation of skills and for forming the basis of entrepreneurship. Such trainings are conducted by various institutes including NCDC, Bankers Institute of Rural Development, National Council for Cooperative Training (NCCT)’s Regional Institutes of Cooperative Management, Institutes of Cooperative Management, National Institute of Cooperative Management, National Cooperative Union of India, etc.
For capacity building, customised special schemes may be explored. In this context, entrepreneurs among cooperatives and aspiring entrepreneurs can avail benefits of Ministry of MSME’s Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programme.
Technological Upgradation
In the fast changing world today keeping abreast of technological developments has become an absolute necessity and a reiteration of Schumpeter’s theory that new innovations replace existing ones which become obsolete with time. Accordingly, special schemes for cooperatives, with a focus on digitalisation may be required.
Finance
Cooperatives can develop new business concepts and expand existing units. They need timely, sufficient, and affordable financing and services to use it. Collateral-free loans must be accessible, affordable, and timely. Cooperatives may also need a dedicated fund.
Procurement and Marketing
Marketing of products and services have remained a challenge for the cooperatives. Recently, in June 2022, cooperatives have been allowed to register on Government e-Marketplace (GeM) as “buyers’. The objective of this initiative is to enable cooperatives to procure goods and services from 40 lakh vendors on the GeM portal, thereby improving transparency in the procurement system and helping cooperatives to make some savings.
A preference policy for cooperatives as ‘sellers’ may ensure the much needed boost to them.
Subsidized participation in fairs may help them in showcasing their products and forging business tie-ups. In this context, a holistic approach helping cooperatives in overcoming tariff, non-tariff and other trade barriers will help them in gaining market access overseas and become competitive.
Mentoring
Cooperation among Cooperatives is one of the 7 Principles of Cooperation as defined by the International Cooperative Alliance. Effective cooperative cooperation and coordination would benefit cooperatives business initiatives and maximise community development by expanding member-driven cooperative activities. Thus, larger cooperatives should mentor smaller ones to keep them competitive in the market.
Coping up with the Repercussions of the Pandemic
Cooperatives need policy and financial support from the Government. While the Ministry of Cooperation designs policies and procedures to spread cooperatives through enterprise and entrepreneurship development, NCDC finances sectoral cooperatives through loan and subsidy assistance to reduce their financial burden and risk. NCDC disbursed INR 28,272.51 crore in loans and subsidies in 2018-19, INR 27,703.43 crore in 2019-20, and INR 24,733.24 crore in 2020-21.
In 2021-22, NCDC increased financial assistance by 38% to INR 32,221.08 crore and restructured loans worth INR 203.78 crore and INR 369.68 crore for Sugar and Textiles Cooperatives respectively.
Budget 2022-23 has reduced the Minimum Alternate Tax rate for cooperatives from 18.5% to 15% and the surcharge on cooperative societies with a total income of more than INR 1 crore and up to INR 10 crores from 12% to 7%.
More such financial incentives need to be provided to further strengthen the Cooperatives.
Recommendations
The cooperative movement in India is not uniform across the nation. As per the information available, Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu witness larger spread of cooperatives (National Cooperative Union of India, (2018). There is a need to work towards deepening the cooperative movement in Northern, North-eastern and Eastern States where the cooperative spread is low.
For cooperative entrepreneurship to effectively contribute to community development, the following are some recommendations:
First, Efforts are needed to ensure convergence of schemes, to facilitate the ease of doing business and to actually go beyond cooperatives, as envisaged in the term cooperation’ vis-à-vis ‘cooperatives’.
Second, There is an urgent need to smoothen registration processes of cooperatives in diverse areas. Udyam certification of MSME for smaller cooperatives may be considered for them to avail benefits of programmes for cooperatives instead of any additional documentation.
Third, The possible tenets of the National Policy for Cooperatives which is being drafted may stress on universal coverage and providing a single unique identity to each cooperative; on being technology-driven; a single portal and identity number for registration and all other business affairs; integration/convergence with other Ministries’ programmes, portals and efforts; and promoting and setting up of sector-specific export-oriented Multi-State and State Cooperatives.
Fourth, An all-pervasive awareness programme about the cooperative movement and related model of socio-economic growth may be undertaken through a pan-India network of cooperative capacity building institutions.
Fifth, For capacity building of those working in the cooperative sector, sector-specific customised and specialised programmes may be developed.
Sixth, Special schemes for cooperative, with a focus on digitalisation may be adopted.
Seventh, An exclusive fund for cooperatives may be explored to not only finance credit risks but to support brand development, technology adoption, marketing, advertisement and marketing research etc.
Eighth, A preference policy for cooperatives as ‘sellers’ on GeM may be considered to attract more cooperatives as sellers.
Ninth, Subsidised participation in National, Regional and State fairs may be considered.
Tenth, Bigger cooperatives may mentor the weaker and smaller ones.
Source: Kurukshetra January 2023
GS PAPER - 3
It’s time for India’s universities to join the world
Source– The post is based on the article “It’s time for India’s universities to join the world” published in The Hindu on 23rd January 2023.
Syllabus: GS3- Issues relating to development and management of education
Relevance– Higher education
News– The article explains the specifications of the higher education sector in India. It also suggests some solution to establish India as a major player of the world’s academic community.
What are the specifications of the higher education sector in India?
Emerging leader– Indians are well-known globally as top scientists and academics, university leaders, and key leaders in high tech. But little is known about the academic environment from which they have emerged.
India’s academic system is now the world’s second largest. The country is actively pursuing reform and improvement.
India is in a particularly advantageous position. The world sees India as an increasingly important economy and geopolitical player.
India also plays an important role in higher education. It is mainly an exporter of students and talent in many scientific fields, especially in information technology.
There is a growing interest abroad in linking with Indian universities and research institutes due to disengagement from China by some Western countries.
Complexity of system– India has one of the world’s most complex and little understood academic environments. Its higher education sector is fragmented, inflexible with tight subject boundaries.
Private sector colleges and universities will continue to fuel growth. High-quality government institutions such as the IITs and AIIMS are also expanding and improving.
India has set up the National Institutional Ranking Framework. It has helped to fuel competition among institutions.
India’s global ranking in scientific publications improved from the seventh position in 2010 to the third in 2020. India ranks third in terms of the number of PhDs awarded in science and engineering.
India’s Global Innovation Index ranking has also improved significantly, from 81 in 2014 to 40 in 2022, although it lags significantly behind the U.S. and China.
Indian universities have not scored well in the global rankings. The highest-scoring Indian institution in the 2023 Times Higher Education ranking is the Indian Institute of Science, in the 251-300 range.
The best-known institutions globally are the IITs. These do not rank well because they are small, specialised schools and not comprehensive universities. But, their quality is much better than their ranking scores.
Distinctiveness– There has been emergence of about a dozen top-quality non-profit private universities, mostly funded by philanthropically minded Indians. This elite sector is expanding and is focused on building an international ‘brand’ for Indian higher education.
India uses English as the main language of science and higher education, which makes it much easier to interact with the rest of the world.
India has more than 100 research laboratories in diverse areas sponsored by the CSIR and other Central government agencies. Some are outstanding in terms of their research contributions and their relationships with India’s economy.
What is the way forward to establish India as a major player of the world’s academic community?
India’s universities and its scientific prowess are an important part of a soft power strategy. The internationalisation initiatives outlined in the NEP is an important start. India’s G20 leadership is also an excellent opportunity to exercise leadership.
India should convene a conference of leaders of universities in the G20 countries with the aim of acquainting them with India’s academic opportunities.
It is required to create a prestigious scholarship programme that would provide top Indian students and faculty time in leading universities abroad and funding to bring top academics from abroad to India. China’s version of this is the China Scholarship Council.
Indian universities, researchers, and academics also need to involve themselves in the global scientific community through participation in joint projects, international meetings.
This will need careful planning, sustained resources, support from the Central and State governments and an expanded international consciousness in the Indian academic community.
Oxfam inequality report: Taxing the ‘obscenely’ wealthy may not be the right solution
Source– The post is based on the article “Oxfam inequality report: Taxing the ‘obscenely’ wealthy may not be the right solution” published in The Indian Express on 23rd January 2023.
Syllabus: GS3- Indian economy and mobilisation of resources
Relevance– Inequality and taxation structure of India
News– The article explains the Oxfam “Survival of Richest report” and analyses its claims regarding the tax structure in India.
What are some main points contained in the Oxfam Survival of Richest report?
According to the report, there are now 166 billionaires in India. It is up from 106 in 2020. Wealth is concentrated among the top deciles. Top 30% accounts for 90% of the wealth.
Globally, 1% are estimated to have captured almost two-thirds of new wealth.
It argues for a wealth tax and higher taxes on corporates.
It also argues that indirect taxes are regressive. The paper says that the bottom 50% pays six times more indirect tax as a percentage of income as compared to the top 10%.
What are the issues regarding the claims put by the report?
The corporate tax cuts brought the statutory tax rate down from 30% to 25.17%.
The cost of revenue foregone due to this is estimated at Rs 1.03 lakh crore. However, it is not the equivalent of revenue that would have been realised had there been no incentive. The same revenue would not have been realised in its absence.
Further, the comparison of corporate tax collections is unfair as the simplified regime for corporate taxes was introduced after 2019.
The current income tax system exempts incomes up to Rs 5 lakh from tax. The GST rate structure places a higher burden on luxuries.
The upward trend in the GST collections post 2021, accompanied by higher retail sales of luxury goods, indicates that the tax may be progressive. It is despite the K-shaped recovery.
An indirect tax can be more efficient in a tax system where compliance in direct taxes is not broad-based. Therefore, the report underplays the importance of indirect taxes.
Even on direct taxes, India has implemented the surcharge on top incomes taking the marginal tax rate to 42.74%.
It is also important to inquire into the computations. It is estimated that the total wealth held by India’s richest is Rs 54.12 lakh crore.
But, there is no clarity regarding the amount of the assets counted as a part of private wealth or held in the form of trusts or companies.
Merely adding this to wealth does not make it taxable. The legal title may prohibit the authorities from levying such a tax.
A siloed approach to tax policy, with interlinkages between different taxes is not meaningful. In the past, India has used a wealth tax. But the collections were low. It was costly to implement it.
Everything is not fixed by taxes. The role of other macroeconomic policies, like low interest rates and regulatory interventions, should not be ignored.
The gas paradox: Govt encouraging huge investment to push demand but imposing policies that deter domestic exploration and production
Contents
Source: The post is based on an article “The gas paradox: Govt encouraging huge investment to push demand but imposing policies that deter domestic exploration and production” published in Business Standard on 23rd January 2023.
Syllabus: GS 3 – Economic Development
Relevance: import dependency of India on oil and gas
News: The article discusses the policies adopted by the government which makes India import dependent on natural gas.
What is the current situation of India in natural gas?
The government encouraged investments of over Rs 2 trillion in natural gas infrastructure and offered subsidies under the PM Ujwala Yojana (PMUY) to expand access to cleaner burning fuels, CNG and LPG.
However, the government has also come up with policies that have held back the development of domestic oil and gas resulting in lower domestic production.
This makes India rely on gas imports with volatile global fuel rates.
The growth rate of domestic natural gas is too weak to match the rising demand in India.
Moreover, the government has come up with new guidelines which has affected the oil and gas companies.
What are the new guidelines for natural gas given by India?
The new guidelines have capped the trading margins on resale of gas and provided complex conditions on prioritising sales to households and transport sectors in the case of similar bids at e-auctions.
It also requires a huge amount of paperwork that gas producers must produce before officials. This policy change was announced without any warnings.
This has made Reliance Industries and BP to postpone an auction in which it decided to sell 6 million cubic metres (mcm) a day of gas to Indian consumers at half the rates of international liquefied natural gas (LNG).
What has been the trend in consumption and import of natural gas?
Overall consumption of natural gas rose 22 percent between 2015-16 but the growth rate of LNG imports surged 58 percent a day during this period.
This led to imports growing at 53 per cent in 2019-20 from 41 percent in 2015-16 because domestic production failed to catch up with demand.
The dependency on overseas suppliers for cooking gas rose to 62 per cent from 47 per cent in 2017-18, after which the government decided to offer subsidised connections under PMUY.
This import dependency will also affect India to reach the target of 15 percent natural gas in the energy mix by 2030 which currently stands at 6 per cent.
Moreover, natural gas demand from the city gas distribution sector for domestic cooking fuel and transport is expected to grow 15-17 per cent over fiscal 2022-2027.
Therefore, this rapid growth in city gas use will make India more dependent on foreign fuel due to limited domestic production.
Moreover, there were also changes made by the current government in capping the price of gas but none was successful.
What changes were made by the government?
In 2014, the Rangarajan Committee’s gas pricing formula was diluted by removing LNG prices as a benchmark to calculate domestic gas rates.
It then capped the price of gas produced from unconventional areas, including deep waters.
However, when these measures did not work, it constituted a committee last year led by former Planning Commission member Kirit Parikh.
It recommended a price cap on domestic supplies that is around 20 per cent lower than current levels which will come effect from April this year.
What is the way forward for India?
Policies such as interfering with fuel prices, arbitrarily capping margins of traders, constantly disturbing with gas pricing formulae, and pursuing pointless arbitrations have discouraged foreign explorers from coming to India.
Therefore, India needs to adopt such policies which build a trust of foreign companies in India and make India more dependent on domestic production.
State actors and information warfare – We should recognise that many can play the game of manipulation targeting the Indian information space
Source: The post is based on an article “State actors and information warfare – We should recognise that many can play the game of manipulation targeting the Indian information space” published in Business Standard on 23rd January 2023.
Syllabus: GS 3 – Technology
Relevance: misuse of the internet technology
News: Countries these days use the internet as a tool to spread campaigns and influence the people but such campaigns if not used properly can have harmful effects.
What are the harmful effects of internet campaigns?
Internet-based campaigns are built much like crowds in many political rallies. Such campaigns are operated by political parties, private persons, and governments.
Internet-based information manipulation is not illegal but it has the ability to distort the beliefs of many people.
For example, people believe so much in the misinformation spread through trusted sources like WhatsApp that even the wrong information seems to be true.
Such campaigns were also used by Russia in 2016 to influence the US election and UK on Brexit.
Russian have also simultaneously run pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine campaigns, aiming to get victims misinformation and to hate one another. Thus, bringing conflict within the target society.
These campaigns are of two kinds – a) specific policy objectives, such as Brexit or a Trump victory, broadly aimed at disrupting the essence of liberal democracies, b) bringing chaos and confusion.
Further, thousands of people are using the internet to defame their enemies and to influence government officials about their enemies.
Therefore, many threats can come up with internet-based campaigns and it may also affect a nation’s security.
What can be the threats for India?
Currently, these campaigns in India are run by local businessmen and local political parties. However, there are also chances that foreign states may run such campaigns.
This would influence Indian masses and have negative outcomes, ultimately weakening India.
Also, India is one of the countries in the Global South that has been the target of Russian influence campaigns on the subject of the invasion of Ukraine.
What are the measures required by India to prevent such campaigns?
First, India needs to recognise the problem of influence campaigns which are aimed at reshaping the behaviour of its state and political system.
Second, it requires bringing together knowledge of technology policy, foreign policy, media, and the political system to tackle those campaigns.
Third, it needs to spread awareness against the misinformation shared by social media like WhatsApp or Twitter.
A step too far – ‘Fake news’ rules will damage press freedom
Contents
Source: The post is based on the following articles
“Draft amendments to IT rules: A looming censor” published in the Indian Express on 23rd January 2023.
“A step too far – ‘Fake news’ rules will damage press freedom” published in the Business Standard on 23rd January 2023.
Syllabus: GS 3 – Role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges.
Relevance: About the process of curbing free speech.
News: The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) recently announced the draft amendments to Information Technology rules.
About the draft IT rules
Read here: The amendments to the IT Rules, 2021 |
What are the impacts of the draft IT rules?
Read more: New IT rules likely to impact ease of business in India, says report |
How the draft rules will impact free speech?
-If passed, the rules will allow the government to order digital intermediaries to take down posts it deems fake, without any forum for appeal or redressal. The proposed rules in effect grant the government blanket powers of censorship.
-The rules allow Press Information Bureau (PIB) to remove the posts from online platforms. The PIB is a government agency, and it is not the government’s role to play editor.
-Supreme Court’s verdict in Shreya Singhal v Union of India (2015) said that take-down orders can only be issued on the grounds laid out in Article 19(2) of the Constitution. . The proposed amendments to IT rules threaten to bring back that draconian spirit into digital governance.
-The PIB’s record in “flagging” misinformation has been far from perfect. When the government is merely flagging and labelling content, such a mistake is reversible. If it issues takedown orders under a legal architecture that provides no room for appeal and become constitutionally untenable.
Overall, the determination of fake news cannot be placed in the sole hands of the government.
What should be done to curb free speech?
All over the world, the task of curbing free speech is best performed by a free and inquiring press. India should follow a similar approach.
India as a democracy is built on the notion that voters have the ability to make judgements about how effectively the government is performing. People can reduce free speech if they are provided with access to free and fair information.
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