9 PM UPSC Current Affairs Articles 6th August, 2024
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Mains Oriented Articles
GS PAPER - 2
Pros and cons of allowing doorstep delivery of alcohol in India
Source: The post pros and cons of allowing doorstep delivery of alcohol in India has been created, based on the article “On doorstep delivery of alcohol” published in “The Hindu” on 6th August 2024.
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2-Polity – Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Context: The article discusses the pros and cons of allowing doorstep delivery of alcohol in India. It covers revenue generation, potential reduction in drunk-driving, safety concerns, health risks, economic costs, and policy recommendations for managing alcohol consumption and related harms.
For detailed information on Alcohol Policies in India – Our hypocrisy on alcohol read this article here
Why Consider Doorstep Delivery of Alcohol?
- Revenue Generation: Taxes on alcohol sales contribute up to 25% of all revenue in various States. For instance, India is the sixth-largest alcohol market globally, generating $52 billion in revenue.
- Reducing Drunk-Driving: Doorstep delivery might reduce drunk-driving incidents. In India, 6-48% of fatal road traffic accidents are due to alcohol use.
- Safety for Women: Doorstep delivery can help women avoid on-premise violence. Evidence from Kerala shows that shutting bars reduced violence against women.
What are the Arguments Against Doorstep Delivery?
- Economic Costs vs. Benefits: Studies indicate that the costs due to alcohol use in India exceed the economic benefits from alcohol sales.
- Behavioral Assumptions: Doorstep delivery assumes people will drink responsibly. However, this assumption lacks concrete evidence.
- Increased Consumption: The availability of alcohol on-demand might increase consumption and promote binge drinking, leading to more alcohol-related harms.
- Questionable Impact on Drunk-Driving: While reducing drunk-driving is a goal, other measures like sobriety checkpoints and stricter penalties are proven to be more effective.
- Health and Economic Burden: Treating alcohol-related diseases and injuries could cost India over ₹3 lakh crore between 2011 and 2050. Including productivity losses, the total cost rises to ₹121.3 lakh crore. Revenue from excise taxes will cover only one-fifth of these financial losses.
What Can Governments Do?
- Restrict Availability and Marketing: Governments can restrict the availability and marketing of alcohol.
- Higher Taxes: Implementing higher taxes can help reduce consumption.
- Enforce Drunk-Driving Laws: Enforcing laws and increasing penalties can reduce alcohol-related road traffic fatalities.
- Invest in Treatments: Governments should invest in psychosocial treatments for alcohol-use disorders. This approach addresses the root causes and helps reduce long-term health costs.
- Monitor Impact: Regularly monitor the impact of policies like doorstep delivery on alcohol consumption. Use data from service providers to assess the health and economic outcomes, adjusting policies if necessary.
Question for practice:
Evaluate the potential benefits and drawbacks of allowing doorstep delivery of alcohol in India.
Gender-Based Violence in India
Source: The post gender-based violence in India has been created, based on the article “The issue of institutional violence, addressing it” published in “The Hindu” on 6th August 2024
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 – Social Justice – Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of vulnerable sections.
Context: The article discusses India’s electoral process and highlights the neglect of women’s safety issues by politicians and voters. It describes the severe challenges women face, including institutional violence and systemic barriers, and calls for trauma-informed justice reforms and greater public demand for women’s safety.
For detailed information on On Crimes Against Women read Article 1, Article 2
How Severe is Gender-Based Violence in India?
- Nearly 50% of women in India face domestic violence.
- Two-thirds of Dalit women experience sexual violence in their lifetimes.
- Only 1% of women facing intimate partner violence seek divorce, resulting in one of the lowest divorce rates in the world.
- 77% of women remain silent about the violence they endure, even to close relatives.
What are the Challenges in Seeking Justice?
- Institutional Violence: Survivors face systemic barriers, starting even before they report violence.
- Police Attitudes: 39% of officers believe complaints of gender-based violence are baseless.
- Reporting Barriers: Police often discourage women from filing complaints, as seen in the case where police tried to dissuade a woman and sent her to different stations.
- Judicial Delays: India has a backlog of 40 million court cases, which severely impacts survivors seeking justice.
- Rural Challenges: Male-dominated and upper-caste panchayats add more obstacles for women in rural areas.
What Should be Done?
- Implement trauma-informed and survivor-centric training for police and judicial officials, as practiced by organizations like Vanangna.
- Adopt national policies that focus on the wisdom of survivors, especially those from marginalized communities, to design a just system.
- Promote gender-sensitive training and monitoring in criminal law procedures to ensure staff handle cases with a trauma-informed approach.
- Increase public sharing of data and stories to better understand the frequency and denial of justice for women.
- Encourage voters and politicians to prioritize women’s safety by demanding reforms and supporting policies that protect women’s rights.
- Use successful campaigns like the one for girls’ education as a model to create a national shift in attitudes towards women’s safety and justice.
Question for practice:
Examine the factors contributing to the challenges women in India face when seeking justice for gender-based violence, as highlighted in the article.
The Economic Impact of Judicial Delays in India
Source-This post on The Economic Impact of Judicial Delays in India has been created based on the article “Judicial delays: An economic burden” published in “Business Standard” on 6 August 2024.
UPSC Syllabus-GS Paper-2– structure, Organization and Functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary
Context– The Chief Justice of India has highlighted that delays in resolving cases mean denying justice. India’s judicial system is one of the slowest in the world. According to the World Bank, it takes an average of nearly four years to enforce a contract in India, ranking it among the bottom five countries for speed.
What are the reasons behind judicial delay in India?
1) Government Litigation– Government departments, especially revenue and labor, are involved in a large portion of legal disputes. The lengthy duration of these cases has a major overall impact.
2) Government Legal Capacity: – Government legal departments struggle to handle litigation effectively, highlighting the need to build their capacity at both central and state levels.
3) Judicial Vacancy-India has about 25,000 judges, which need to be increased to two or three times this number to better serve a population of 1.4 billion.
Read More- Reasons Behind Judicial Pendency
What are the Economic Implications of Judicial Delays?
1) Asset Lockup: – Delays in resolving cases tie up assets, land, and resources, preventing their effective use. In India, around $200 billion is stuck in land disputes.
2) Legal Costs- Long delays in cases result in high legal fees and take up a lot of management time, but calculating the exact costs is difficult due to the widespread nature of the problem.
3) Informal Economic Relationships-Due to the difficulty of enforcing contracts, many economic relationships stay informal. This results in increased reliance on personal connections, the continued importance of community networks despite modernization, and small businesses staying in the unorganized sector.
4) Impact on Business Behavior-Unethical practices may become common because delays prevent timely punishment. When enforcing contracts is difficult, businesses become more cautious and focus on short-term goals.
5) Economic Growth- Studies estimate that judicial delays reduce GDP growth by 1-2 percentage points each year, especially affecting industries that are dependent on specific investments and contracts. Modern manufacturing, global trade, and investments depend on timely and fair contract enforcement, which is hampered by these delays.
What should be the way forward?
1) Expansion of Judicial Positions– Increasing the number of judges is important to reducing judicial delays, and this expansion will necessitate investment in new courts, libraries, and administrative staff.
2) Enhancing Infrastructure and Technology– The use of new information technology mechanisms should be enhanced to streamline processes.
3) Administrative Reforms- Frequent rotation of judges and lack of effective grouping of cases can hinder efficiency. Addressing these issues can help speed up case resolution and improve overall judicial efficiency
4) Need for Legal Reforms-Older laws that are outdated or ineffective should be revised or abolished. Practices like frequent adjournments and misalignment of judges’ expertise with case requirements need to be addressed.
5) Coordination Approach- To fix the coordination issues between the judiciary and government, a high-level committee led by a respected former Chief Justice should be established.
Question for practice
What are the economic effects of judicial delays, and what steps should be taken to address them?
GS PAPER - 3
Solutions to Address Power Sector Concerns
Source: The post solutions to address power sector concerns has been created, based on the article “Powering India’s future” published in “The Hindu” on 6th August 2024
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3-infrastructure-energy
Context: The article discusses India’s clean energy transition, highlighting achievements in electrification and renewable energy growth. It addresses challenges in decarbonizing the power system, rising electricity demand, and climate impacts. It suggests increasing renewable energy targets, improving grid connectivity, and adopting smart metering.
For detailed information on India’s transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy read this article here
What Key Milestones Has India Achieved in the Last Decade?
- India achieved near-universal electrification through the Saubhagya scheme, with 97% households electrified by 2020.
- Renewable energy capacity increased five-fold, making India the fourth-largest globally.
- Power distribution companies’ losses dropped by 40% to 15% in 2022-23.
What Challenges Does India Face in Decarbonizing its Power System?
- Rising Electricity Demand: Annual demand has been growing by 7-9% since the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Peak Demand Increase: Peak demand is rising faster than overall demand.
- Climate Impact: Weather extremes, induced by climate change, exacerbate challenges.
- Renewable Energy Share: Despite efforts, renewables constitute just 13% of the power generation mix.
- Coal Dependency: Coal generated 80% of power during non-solar hours in FY24, but 40 GW of coal capacity was often unavailable due to maintenance issues.
- Power Outages: Unplanned surges and inadequate network capacity cause power outages.
What are the Solutions to Address Power Sector Concerns?
- Raising Renewable Energy Targets: India should aim for over 500 GW of renewable energy and storage by 2030. Currently, renewables make up just 13% of India’s power generation mix. Increasing renewables and storage can support peak demand and are cost-competitive.
- Deploying Diverse Clean Energy Resources: As of March, India’s renewable capacity stood at 144 GW, with another 128 GW in the pipeline. Tapping renewable potential in more states and ensuring faster grid connectivity is crucial. Diversifying from solar to other clean technologies helps meet evolving demand.
- Improving Energy Availability: In FY23, only 6.3% of India’s power was procured through power exchanges. Low liquidity leads to price volatility. Innovations in bid designs and long-term contracts attract renewable energy developers.
- Maintaining Coal Fleet Effectively: Coal generated 80% of power during non-solar hours in FY24. However, 40 GW of coal capacity was unavailable 60% of the time due to maintenance issues. Revising norms for better maintenance is essential.
- Fast-Tracking Digitalization: Over 11 million smart meters have been installed, with half in Bihar and Assam. Smart meters help discoms forecast demand, plan networks, and integrate renewables. The target is 250 million smart meters. Ensuring consumer privacy and system security is crucial.
Question for practice:
Discuss the key milestones and challenges India has faced in its clean energy transition over the last decade.
Social implications of capital gains
Source: The post social implications of capital gains has been created, based on the article “The social benefits of stock market speculation” published in “The Hindu” on 6th August 2024
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper3- Economy-mobilisation of resources
Context: The article explains that raising taxes on stock market profits is based on the belief that such gains are like gambling. However, it argues that stock market speculation helps efficiently allocate capital and manage risks, benefiting the overall economy.
For detailed information on Changes in India’s tax regime for capital gains read this article here
Why did the government raise taxes?
- The government raised taxes on capital gains to reduce speculative activities in the stock market, which are seen as similar to gambling.
- The Economic Survey suggested that developing countries like India should not waste limited savings on speculation.
- Finance Secretary T.V. Somanathan noted capital gains are the fastest-growing income class, justifying higher taxes.
- The budget also removed indexation benefits for real estate investors to address perceived easy profits.
- These measures aim to encourage long-term investments and ensure better allocation of capital towards productive sectors, rather than speculative activities.
How do capital gains occur?
- Capital gains happen when an investor buys an asset at a lower price and sells it at a higher price. In a perfect world, with accurate future forecasts, there would be no capital gains.
- However, due to uncertainty, some businesses are undervalued or overvalued. Efficient investors earn capital gains by investing in undervalued businesses.
- For example, if a business is expected to yield ₹110 in a year and investors want a 10% return, they would pay ₹100 for it. If an investor buys it for ₹50 and sells it at ₹100, they gain 100%.
What are the social implications of capital gains?
- Efficient Resource Allocation: Capital gains occur when investors correctly identify undervalued businesses, leading to better allocation of resources.
- Economic Growth: Proper capital allocation results in overall economic growth, as seen when investors prioritize sectors in high demand, such as healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, over less critical sectors.
- Liquidity and Market Functioning: Speculative activities provide liquidity, enabling long-term investors to buy and sell shares easily, which aids in the efficient functioning of the stock market.
- Risk Management: Derivatives trading helps manage risk by allowing investors to lock in prices for future transactions, crucial for sectors like agriculture. Without such tools, farmers may be discouraged from producing due to price uncertainty.
- Potential Misallocation: High taxes on capital gains and derivatives may deter efficient investment, leading to potential misallocation of resources and hindering economic growth.
Question for practice:
Examine the reasons why the Indian government decided to raise taxes on capital gains and the social implications of this decision.
Inflation Targeting in India
Source-This post on Inflation Targeting in India has been created based on the article “Should RBI target only core inflation? Bad idea” published in “LiveMint” on 6 August 2024.
UPSC Syllabus-GS Paper-3- Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment.
Context– The article argues that focusing solely on core inflation is inadequate and could negatively impact certain groups. Unstable inflation can unfairly benefit borrowers over lenders and savers. This highlights the need for a central bank that controls inflation effectively.
Inflation targeting works well in America, but India’s economic structure requires a different approach. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) focuses on overall retail inflation instead of core inflation or labor market conditions
What is the difference in inflation targeting between India and the United States?
1) RBI’s Monetary Policy Approach- The RBI’s monetary policy panel is unlikely to consider labor market data, like the Mint+Shine study that shows 95% of formal-sector employees looking for new jobs in early 2024. This differs from the US Federal Reserve, which closely tracks labor market conditions along with inflation.
2) Sources of Inflation in India- Unlike in the US, where a tight labor market can drive inflation, India’s inflation mainly comes from unstable farm supplies. Therefore, Indian policymakers need to focus more on commodity data than on labor market statistics.
3) Data Reliability – India’s informal economy makes it difficult to collect reliable data, while the US’s formal economy offers clearer insights into how employment affects inflation.
Read More– Inflation In India- Reasons and Solutions
What are the arguments against focusing only on core inflation, which excludes volatile items like food and energy prices?
1) Social and Economic Inequality– Focusing only on core inflation could harm the poor disproportionately by ignoring price stability for essential goods.
2) Agriculture and Food Security- Retail inflation in India is closely tied to agricultural output, showing how much food prices affect overall inflation.
3) International Economic Relations– Oil import costs add to inflation uncertainty in India, showing the country’s vulnerability to global commodity price changes.
Way ahead-The central government should exercise fiscal restraint to support the RBI’s efforts in controlling inflation. It warns that excessive state spending could increase inflation.
Question for practice
How does inflation targeting differ between India and the United States? What are the drawbacks of focusing solely on core inflation, which excludes volatile items such as food and energy prices?
International Conference of Agricultural Economists
Source-This post on International Conference of Agricultural Economists has been created based on the article “International Conference of Agricultural Economists: A chance to cement India-Africa partnership in food security” published in “The Indian Express” on 6 August 2024.
Context- India is hosting the 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE) in Delhi from August 2-7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest, and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be the guest of honor. This is a notable event, as the last time India hosted the ICAE was in Mysore in 1958 with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
India’s G20 presidency in 2022 and Brazil’s in 2023 shaped global food security and hunger policies. India also helped include the African Union in the G20, boosting South-South cooperation. The G20 presidencies from 2022 to 2025 (Indonesia, India, Brazil, South Africa) marks a shift towards prioritizing Global South interests in food systems governance.
What were the key findings from the ICAE session ?
A special ICAE session compared experiences of 20 major Indian states with 15 African countries from 2004-05 to 2019-20. Key findings include:
A) High debt service ratios lead to lower agricultural spending relative to social protection.
B) African countries consistently underfund agriculture compared to Indian states.
C) Both regions underinvest in high-return areas like agricultural R&D and extension.
D) The need for subsidy reforms and resource reallocation to boost agricultural growth and improve child nutrition outcomes.
What are global food security challenges?
1) Agriculture and Food Security– Achieving global food and nutritional security faces significant challenges due to climate change and geopolitical conflicts
2) Global Hunger and Investment- A study by the University of Bonn and FAO suggests that reaching zero hunger by 2030 is becoming unrealistic. It estimates that an extra $21 billion per year is needed in agriculture and rural areas to end global hunger by 2040.
What should be the way forward?
1) Bioeconomy Strategies– India and Brazil’s G20 focus on bioeconomy, along with China’s new strategy, highlights the growing global interest in this field. Building a bioeconomy would benefit from global investments, such as those from the Global Climate Fund.
Read More– Strengthening China-India Relations
2) Climate Resilience and System Transformation- It’s important to invest in climate resilience by focusing on adaptation, mitigation, and systemic changes.
3) Leveraging the Role of G20 and FAO- The G20 can positively influence global food security and hunger solutions. To advance these goals, the G20 should remain active, with the FAO offering crucial studies and investment advice.
4) India’s Leadership in South-South Cooperation- India can enhance agri-food connections between Africa and itself, benefiting a third of the world’s population. It should use its expertise at the G20 to address global food security challenges.
Question for practice
What are the challenges to global food security, and what steps should be taken to address them?
Global Economic Shifts
Source-This post on Global Economic Shifts has been created based on the article “On the stock market slump: Fall and correct” published in “The Indian Express” on 6 August 2024.
UPSC Syllabus-GS Paper-3- Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment
Context- The U.S. Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady but hinted at a new approach, balancing concerns about both inflation and employment. This shift raised the chance of a rate cut in September, which led to a rise in the Dow Jones index.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a smaller-than-expected increase of 114,000 non-farm payrolls in July and a rise in the unemployment rate to 4.3%, raising concerns about a weakening labor market and possible recession. Global markets are also worried about potential interest rate hikes by the Bank of Japan and rising tensions in the Middle East.
How did global markets react to the labor market data?
1) Labor Data -The labor market data led to a global market downturn. The Dow Jones dropped 1.5 percent, and Indian markets fell more than 1 percent. The BSE Sensex plunged 2.95 percent, the BSE Midcap fell 3.6 percent, and the small cap index dropped 4.21 percent. The Nifty VIX, a gauge of market volatility, surged by 42.2 percent.
2) Asian and European Markets – Other Asian markets also declined, with the Nikkei down 12.4 percent and the Kospi down 8.77 percent. European markets, including the DAX and FTSE, opened lower, and US stock futures fell as sell-off pressure grew.
Read More- Financial Market in India
What are some concerns affecting the Indian stock market specifically?
Concerns have persisted about high valuations in India’s small and midcap stocks. A recent Kotak Institutional Equities report noted a mix of optimism and euphoria in the market. Besides global issues, domestic factors like the RBI’s upcoming monetary policy meeting and new economic data could also affect market trends.
Question for practice
How did global markets react to the labor market data?
Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)
Bagata Tribe
Source- This post on Bagata Tribe has been created based on the article “In dark shadow of a powerhouse: tribes who built A.P power project live in darkness” published in “The Hindu” on 6 August 2024.
Why in News?
The Bagata tribal people, who worked on the Lower Sileru Hydro-Electric Project construction, continue to live in darkness as they struggle to obtain electricity.
About Bagata Tribe
Aspects | Description |
About | 1. The Bagata tribe resides in the states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. 2. The Bagatas trace their community name to devoted warriors (Bhaktas) of the former rulers. 3. The Bagata tribes engage in farming to meet their daily needs. |
Alternate Names | They are also known as Bagatha, Bagat, Bagodi, Bogad, or Bhakta. |
Dance forms | Dhimsa is a popular dance enjoyed by Bagata tribes of all ages, who participate energetically. Their dances are collectively known as Sankidi Kelbar. |
Family | 1. Nuclear families are common within their society. 2. Cross-cousin marriage is preferred, and marriage by negotiation is considered ideal. |
Language | 1. They primarily speak a form of the Oriya language among themselves. 2. Telugu and Adivasi Oriya are their main languages. |
Religion | They worship Hindu gods and goddesses alongside their family and tribal deities. |
UPSC Syllabus: Art and Culture
Bailey bridge
Source- This post on Bailey bridge has been created based on the article “What is a Bailey bridge, constructed in Wayanad after landslides?” published in “Indian Express” on 5 August 2024.
Why in News?
Recently, the Indian Army’s Madras Engineer Group (Madras Sappers) constructed a Bailey bridge at Chooralmala to reach Mundakkai village, which was severely impacted by landslides.
About Bailey Bridge
1. A Bailey bridge is a type of modular bridge with pre-built parts requiring minimal construction work and can be assembled quickly when needed.
2. The Bailey bridge was invented by Donald Coleman Bailey, an English civil engineer, during World War II (1939-45), as noted in a US Army Engineer School manual.
How Does the Bailey Bridge Work?
1. The prefabricated parts of a Bailey bridge include light steel panels connected by pins, which are large, screw-like objects that help establish the guardrails of the bridge.
2. Workers place beams through the guardrails on either side to form the deck or path of the bridge, with all beams constructed to lock into the guardrails, ensuring stability.
3. The bridge can be extended, and the lightness of the parts allows for mobility without the need for heavy installation equipment.
4. In disaster relief situations, this is ideal as the parts can be transported in small trucks, making it useful during wartime as well.
Key Facts About Madras Sappers
1. The Madras Sappers is an engineering group of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army, originating from the Madras Presidency army of the British Raj.
2. This regiment has its headquarters in Bengaluru.
3. The Madras Sappers were the only regiment of the Madras Presidency Army to survive the reorganizations that took place between 1862 and 1928.
UPSC Syllabus: Environment
Evolution of clock
Source- This post on Evolution of clock has been created based on the article “How time has been kept throughout history: from sundials to atomic clocks” published in “The Hindu” on 5 August 2024.
Why in News?
The world has evolved from measuring time using the Sun and the Moon to using atoms and their nuclei.
About clock
1. Clocks measure time by tracking something that repeats at a fixed frequency.
2. Modern clocks have a power source, resonator (like a quartz crystal), and counter.
Evolution of clock
1. Sundials (Ancient Times): It used the position of the Sun to cast shadows, indicating time by the shadow’s length and position.
2. Water Clocks (Ancient Civilizations): It utilized the steady flow of water to measure time, with water levels indicating elapsed periods.
3. Hourglasses (Ancient Times): It employed sand flowing through a narrow passage to measure specific intervals.
4. Mechanical Clocks (13th Century): It featured the verge escapement mechanism, allowing gear movement at fixed intervals, driven by weights and pulleys.
5. Spring-Driven Clocks (15th-18th Centuries): It was introduced coiled springs for power, with fusee mechanisms ensuring consistent force, leading to pocket watches.
6. Pendulum Clocks (1656): It was invented by Christiaan Huygens and this used a pendulum’s regular swings to improve accuracy.
7. Marine Chronometers (1761): It was developed by John Harrison. These were crucial for determining longitude at sea, resistant to ship motion and environmental changes.
8. Electric Clocks (19th Century): It was powered by batteries or electric motors, enhancing accuracy and reliability over mechanical predecessors.
9. Quartz Clocks (20th Century): It utilized quartz crystals oscillating at fixed frequencies due to the piezoelectric effect, leading to widespread use in watches and wall-clocks.
10. Atomic Clocks (1940s-Present): It employed atoms (e.g., caesium-133) as resonators, with lasers exciting atoms to emit radiation at precise frequencies, achieving unprecedented accuracy.
11. Optical Clocks (Next-Generation): It use atoms like strontium or ytterbium, with radiation in the optical range, offering stability and precision over billions of years.
12. Nuclear Clocks (Future Development): It is potential next-next-generation devices, using atomic nuclei as resonators for ultra-high precision, with thorium-229 nuclei being a primary candidate.
UPSC Syllabus: Science and technology
Indian Siris Tree
Source- This post on Indian Siris Tree has been created based on the article “Village mourns death of century-old tree (thehindu.com) published in “The Hindu” on 6 August 2024.
Why in News?
The century-old Indian siris tree on the western bank of the River Godavari in Kumaradevam, East Godavari district, collapsed recently due to soil erosion caused by the heavy flow of floodwater.
This tree had been featured in over 100 movies and was believed to be the most photographed tree near the Godavari river.
About Indian Siris (Albizia lebbeck)
1. The Indian Siris, scientifically known as Albizia lebbeck, is a species of deciduous tree in the Fabaceae family.
2. It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Africa.
3. It is known for its large, feathery leaves and fragrant flowers. The Indian Siris is widely appreciated for its aesthetic, ecological, and economic benefits.
4. Habitat: The Indian Siris thrives in a variety of habitats, including riverbanks, dry forests, and coastal areas. It is highly adaptable to different soil types, although it prefers well-drained soils.
5. The tree is also tolerant of drought and can survive in arid conditions, making it suitable for reforestation projects in dry regions.
6. Uses:
i) The wood of the Indian Siris is durable and termite-resistant, making it valuable for construction, furniture, and cabinetry. It is also used for making agricultural tools and implements.
ii) Various parts of the tree, including the bark, leaves, and seeds, are used in traditional medicine. They are believed to have anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and antimicrobial properties.
iii) The Indian Siris is an excellent shade tree and is often planted in parks, gardens, and along roadsides. It helps in soil conservation and provides habitat for numerous bird and insect species.
iv) Due to its attractive foliage and fragrant flowers, the Indian Siris is popular as an ornamental tree in landscaping.
7. Cultivation: It grows best in full sunlight and requires minimal maintenance once established. Regular pruning can help maintain its shape and encourage healthy growth.
8. Cultural Significance: In India, the Indian Siris holds cultural and symbolic importance. It is often associated with prosperity and protection. The tree is also mentioned in various ancient texts and scriptures, highlighting its longstanding presence and value in Indian society.
9. Conservation: Conservation efforts, including sustainable harvesting practices and reforestation programs, are essential to ensure its continued survival and availability for future generations.
UPSC Syllabus: Environment
Supreme Court Verdict on L-G’s Authority to Nominate Aldermen
Source- This post on Supreme Court Verdict on L-G’s Authority to Nominate Aldermen has been created based on the article “In setback for Delhi’s AAP govt, Supreme Court upholds L-G’s power to nominate 10 aldermen to MCD” published in “The Hindu” on 5 August 2024.
Why in News?
The Supreme Court confirmed that the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi has the statutory duty to nominate 10 persons with special knowledge of municipal administration to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
This authority is part of the L-G’s office and is not influenced by the Council of Ministers.
Authority of the Lieutenant Governor (L-G)
1. The power of the L-G is derived from Section 3(3)(b)(1) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957.
2. This Act was amended in 1993, allowing the L-G to nominate 10 expert persons to the MCD.
Supreme Court’s Decision
1. The judgment was delivered by a Bench consisting of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala.
2. Justice Narasimha authored the judgment, stating that the L-G’s authority is mandated by a parliamentary law.
3. The court did not agree with the argument that the L-G’s power is outdated or merely symbolic.
Constitutional Context
1. The power vested in the L-G aligns with the amendments made to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act in 1993, which were intended to incorporate constitutional changes in Articles 239AA and 239AB concerning municipal administration.
2. These articles deal with the establishment of the Delhi government within the framework of municipal administration.
3. Role of the Council of Ministers: The court clarified that the L-G’s power to nominate aldermen is independent and not subject to the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.
UPSC Syllabus: Polity and nation