Brief of newspaper articles for the day bearing
relevance to Civil Services preparation
- GS PAPER 2
- HC guidelines to deal with freedom of expression issues {Polity}
- SC sets deadline for blocking online sex selection ads {Governance}
- Are big cars cleaner? Not yet in India {Judiciary}
- Disabled and disheartened {Polity}
- GS PAPER 3
- Centre okays scheme for apprenticeship training {Economy}
- Cabinet gives ‘in-principle’ nod to set up port in TN {Economy}
- Why RBI governors need a longer tenure {Economy}
- The FDI illusion {Economy}
- ‘Brexit to have muted impact on Indian financial markets’ {Economy}
GS PAPER 2
[1]HC guidelines to deal with freedom of expression issues
Context
Madras High Court has ruled that the the freedom of expressions of artists and authors should be protected and instead of asking them not to publish/display their work by citing reasons of law and order, the state should focus on maintaining law and order.
Analysis
- Clarifying the real intent of freedom of speech as described in Article 19(1)(a) of the constitution, the court ruled that, the presumption of this article is freedom of speech and not restriction, so till the time the court does not feel that the matter comes under the ambit of reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2), the freedom of speech must be guaranteed no matter what the opinion of a section of society is.
- Court also suggested to institute an expert body which would deal with the situation where there are conflict of views related to art, literature etc. This expert body should consist of people qualified in the branch of art and creative literature.
- Court has also asked the state to ensure that proper protection and security is provided to the artists and author when they are attacked by a section of society due to their work.
Other things said in the judgement
Conclusion
Madras HC has definitely displayed a better outlook toward the freedom of speech and expression especially when it comes to artists and authors. With the growing incidence of curbing films, literary works, paintings etc in the country, such a judgement comes like a silver lining in the yellow cloud.
[2]SC sets deadline for blocking online sex selection ads
Context
Supreme Court has expressed its displeasure over the still on-going pre-natal sex selection advertisements on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Microsoft.
Analysis
- One year back, in January 2015, SC ordered these search engine companies to take down the advertisements pertaining to pre- natal sex selection as they lead to aborting the girl child, thus weakening the already dwindling sex-ratio.
- These advertisements were also in violation of Section 22 of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994.
- Still after an year, no progress has been made and the companies have failed to comply with the order.
- Now, SC has asked the government to convene a meeting between its technical experts and such search engine companies within 10 days so as to decide how to weed out such advertisements.
- Centre had earlier suggested that these companies should share the URL and IP addresses hosting these ads so that they can be blocked.
- But internet companies have been crying hoarse that internet is a no-censor zone and these steps by the govt. amount to censorship.
Conclusion
Even the space of internet must have reasonable restrictions. Advertisement which affect the country socially and morally must be regulated. The verdict by SC is a right step in this direction.
[3]Are big cars cleaner? Not yet in India
Issue
- Do big cars (expensive cars) really cause less pollution than small ones?
Context
- Centre claimed that big and high-end diesel cars pollute less than small cars while challenging the court’s blanket ban on fresh registration of diesel luxury cars and SUVs with over 2000 CC engine capacity in Delhi.
Arguments given by the government
- Just because a car is big and powerful, it does not mean it is more polluting.
- Besides, the more expensive a car is, say Rs. 75 lakh or Rs. 1.5 crore, the better equipped it is against pollution.
The reality
- There is no way to ascertain that big cars are less polluting, simply because car manufacturers do not share the emissions profile of their vehicles.
- Moreover, technology treatments that allow certain big cars to be cleaner than their smaller compatriots aren’t available here because they require ultra-low-sulphur diesel that isn’t yet commercially available in the country.
Technology
- A big diesel car could have reduced nitrous oxide emissions than a small car if it employed specific exhaust treatment technologies.
- Cars with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) module cost about €100 (Rs. 7,500) more than those with Exhaust Gas Recovery (EGR) and nitrogen trap.
- Trouble is that SCR, which is scheduled to become mandatory for the forthcoming Euro 6 norms in 2020, and even EGR are presumed to be effective only if they use diesel that has sulphur content less than 50 parts per million.
- Oil companies in India have yet to put in infrastructure to produce such diesel.
Norms in India
- Diesel engines, now globally castigated for being a source of nitrous oxides and particulate matter and believed to aggravate several lung diseases, can vary in the quantity of particulate matter they emit.
- As of today, diesel engine cars in India are only required to ensure that they emit no more than 0.025 gm/km of particulate matter if they are “small” and 0.06 gm/km if they are “big” or 2000 cc-and-above and only if they are registered in the 13 Indian cities bound by the Bharat Stage-4 norms.
- The same cars are allowed to emit roughly 10 times more nitrous oxide emissions, again depending on the weight class.
- This underlines the paradox of pollution by diesel engines.
- The way a diesel engine burns its fuel is more efficient compared to a petrol engine.
- While this could mean less particulate matter, it correspondingly raises nitrous oxide levels. Conversely, trying to rein in nitrous oxides will compromise fuel-use efficiency and increase particulate matter emissions.
- Volkswagen, Mercedes and Toyota cars are equipped with particulate filters abroad. But they are not available in their Indian versions.
[4]Disabled and disheartened
Issue
- Reservations for disabled citizens in government jobs.
Already discussed
Additional points:-
- The court has ruled that limiting the disabled quota to posts filled through direct recruitment in the two groups is in contravention of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995; also, that the disabled quota will extend to promotions.
- It directed that vacancies among posts identified for the disabled must be filled through reservation, regardless of the mode of recruitment — be it promotion or direct recruitment.
- The ruling has significantly enhanced the scope for the disabled to gain employment in the higher echelons.
- The court noted the “alarming reality” that the disabled were out of jobs not because their disability came in the way, but rather due to “social and practical barriers”.
- It is time the Centre evolved a more inclusive policy that is in full conformity with its legal obligations.
- Progressive legislation and enabling administrative orders constitute the policy framework under which the government should deal with the rights of persons with disabilities and seeks to provide them equal opportunities.
GS PAPER 3
[1]Centre okays scheme for apprenticeship training
Context
Centre has approved the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme with an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore. This scheme would provide apprenticeship training to 50 lakh youth by 2020.
Analysis
- The scheme aims at providing financial incentive to those employers who are taking apprentices under them. Earlier, there was always a problem of employees not engaging apprentices as they had to be paid and that meant a burden on employees.
- Ministry of Skill Development will share with the employes, 25% of the stipend to be paid to the apprentices.
- Also, 50% of the expenditure spent on training of the apprentices will also be funded by the govt.
Conclusion
This scheme seems to be a win-win for the govt, youth as well as the employers. By sharing the expenses with employers, there won’t be a big burden on employers. The youth will benefit by this exercise as it will lead to skill development. The government would win because a great chunk of India’s demographic dividend will get skilled for the coming times.
[2]Cabinet gives ‘in-principle’ nod to set up port in TN
Context
In-principle approval to set-up India’s 13th major port has been given by the centre. This port would be at Enayam near Colachel in Tamil Nadu.
News
- This port will be developed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).
- This port will be a major gateway container port for cargo and will be become a trans-shipment hub for East-West trade route.
- 3 major ports in Tamil Nadu : V. O. Chidambaranar Port Trust, Chennai Port Trust and Kamarajar Port Limited, will provide the initial investment for SPV.
- This new port is also expected to reduce the logistic cost for the importers/exporters of South India who at present rely on trans-shipment in Colombo paying additional handling charges.
12 major ports of India:
Kandla, Mumbai, JNPT, Marmugao, New Managlore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore, V.O. Chidambarnar, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia).
[3]Why RBI governors need a longer tenure
Context
It has been felt by many a experts and even the Governors of RBI itself that a 3 year tenure for the Governor of Central Bank is not sufficient.
Analysis
- The 3 years tenure of RBI Governor is lesser than almost all his counterpart in other countries (USA, England etc.) barring Brazil.
- A short term for such an important position would lead to breaks and hiccups in the monetary policy, supervision of banks, currency market and overall financial stability.
- This does not mean that a longer term automatically ensure better functioning but the term in itself should atleast be not so short that it makes longer-term planning redundant.
- The new Monetary Policy Committee will have a tenure of 4 years and the inflation target will be decided by the Finance Ministry every 5 years.
- In such a scenario the 3 years term of RBI Governor does not fit in as he is an important part of MPC and also has to take steps to contain inflation
What should the tenure be?
The apt term for RBI Governor should be 5 years. 5 year tenure will be consistent with the political cycle of the country as well as in line with the initiatives like MPC.
A longer tenure will also be an indirect boost for the central bank to make efficient long-term plans.
[4]The FDI illusion
Issue
- The defence sector needs much more than increased foreign direct investment.
More difficult than imagined
- The policy of the government to allow 100 per cent FDI in the defence sector is being heralded as the fillip that India’s stagnating military indigenisation effort needs and that very soon Make in India will gain robust traction.
- However, this is a very difficult path.
- India’s many institutional deficiencies and distinctive cultural DNA traits may make this highly desirable goal more difficult to achieve than imagined.
The sad reality
- India is one of the largest importers of military inventory.
- Over the next decade, India will allocate over $ 200 billion towards acquisition and modernisation.
- A truly competent and nimble policy making body would be able to prioritise and attracting investment.
- But the sad reality is that the Indian defence leadership is clueless about how best to invest such a large sum of money over a decade with foreign participation and add tangible capacity to the military in a sustainable manner.
- What is missing is the holistic institutional integrity and multi-ministry competence that can envisage a national systems-engineering equivalent.
Road ahead
- The 100 per cent FDI ceiling in defence, while being welcome, will have to be preceded by some very rigorous introspection about existing inadequacies.
- The holy grail of indigenisation can be attained only if the vast resources of the Defence Research and Development Organisation and Defence PSUs are dis-aggregated and re-cast on the lines of successful models that exist in countries such as Israel.
- A DRDO-centred, incremental approach will not succeed.
- The government needs to mobilise young entrepreneurial Indians to undertake cutting-edge defence research.
- Concurrently, with defence budgets likely to shrink in real terms, there is an urgent need to create a cadre, within the ministry of defence, equipped for such onerous responsibilities.
[5]‘Brexit to have muted impact on Indian financial markets’
Issue
- Impact of Brexit on Indian Economy. Analysis by the Moody’s Investors Service.
Analysis
- Indian financial markets will experience limited impact from Britain exiting the European Union (EU).
- Exports to the U.K. and the rest of the European Union account for 0.4 per cent and 1.7 per cent of India’s GDP respectively. Only a very large and prolonged slump in imports from these region would markedly dent India’s exports.
Impediments to higher growth in India, according to Moody’s
- First, lacklustre global demand constrains exports, which account for around 20 per cent of GDP.
- Second, two years of drought have dampened consumption with weak rural incomes and higher food inflation lowering purchasing power.
- Lastly, high leverage (the ratio of a company’s loan capital (debt) to the value of its ordinary shares (equity)) for some large corporates weighs on credit demand while impaired assets in the banking system negatively affect credit supply.
Additional points
- Imposition of minimum import prices for steel, for example, will be mildly positive for the sector.
- By contrast, expensive telecom auctions in 2016 will contribute to a further increase in leverage in the telecom sector, which is yet to digest last year’s auction outcome.
Leave a Reply