Brief of newspaper articles for the day bearing
relevance to Civil Services preparation
Note: There are few article on women and their status in society which are being left out of 9 PM Brief . These articles will be covered in standalone issue by the end of the week.
- GS PAPER 2
- Don’t compromise on privacy {Bills & Legislations}
- Basis of a revolution {Bills & Legislations}
- More mollycoddling
- GS PAPER 3
- Backlash forces Jaitley to withdraw EPF tax {Budget Proposals}
- Pollution remains in floodplain due to sink effect: study {Pollution}
- Bombay house is the first heritage building to get green ratings {Environment}
- Cooling the earth down {Environment}
- A dead Yamuna weeps for its survival {Environment}
GS PAPER 2
[1]. Don’t compromise on privacy
Idea of Aadhaar Bill
Ato provide for “efficient, transparent, and targeted delivery of subsidies, benefits and services”
Why Aadhaar bill is In criticism?
As it was introduced with the label of money bill to avoid rajya sabha approval.
Section 7 makes proof of Aadhaar necessary for “receipt of certain subsidies, benefits and services”.
Supreme court ruling
Aadhaar cannot be made mandatory.
Concern
Data protection
There are provisions in the bill for data protection but there are exceptions to it.
Exceptions causing problem
Section 29(4), by which no Aadhaar number or biometric information will be made public “except for the purposes as may be specified by regulations”
Section(33), under which the inbuilt confidentiality clauses will not stand when it concerns national security.
Direction has to come from an official who is not below the rank of a Joint Secretary to the government
There is a confusion that India need to streamline the way it delivers benefits, and to empower citizens with a basic identification document and to empower citizens with a basic identification document.
This is not possible without ensuring the strictest protection of privacy.
[2]. Basis of a revolution
Issued 100 crore Aadhaar numbers
What are the importance of aadhaar card?
To enable government to go paperless, presence-less and cashless.
This will Launch India to the front of the league of nations whose governments use technology to create an effective, efficient and modern welfare state that treats its people with dignity.
What is the positive outcome?
Rs 10,000 crore-plus savings in LPG subsidy in one year alone.
Why we need regulatory legitimacy?
To reach at its full potential.
The current bill is kind of equipoise between various stakeholder perspectives and the concerns of the Supreme Court.
What are the key features of aadhaar bill?
Enrolment is voluntary.
Only be used as proof of identity and not as proof of citizenship.
Enables the government to prevent fraud, corruption and waste for delivery of any benefit, subsidy or service from the Consolidated Fund of India (such as LPG subsidy, MGNREGA wages, various insurance schemes, provident fund schemes, government scholarships, and much more)
Does not prohibit the usage of Aadhaar for any other purpose by any public or private entity.
How it provides privacy protection?
- “use limitation” — it can only be used for the purpose for which the user gives consent.
- “collection limitation” — no information other than demographic (name, address, date of birth, sex and, optionally, email id/ mobile number) and biometric (photo, fingerprint and iris scan) will be collected.
- “access and rectification” — the user can access his own information and has an obligation to rectify it if it needs updating.
- No demographic information or identity information received from the Unique Identification Authority of India can be displayed publicly.
- The only exception to certain confidentiality (but not security) obligations is national security, provided an order to disclose information is issued either by a court, or by a joint secretary or higher officer, and vetted by a high-powered committee headed by the cabinet secretary.
- No core biometric information can be shared is a principle without exception.
- Stringent penalties, including imprisonment for breach of privacy and other violations.
Big concern
Digital independence of billions of Indians
Net neutrality will cause “digital colonisation”
All the information related to aadhaar will be in the hands of few foreign internet “gatekeepers”.
Treat
Enables financial inclusion.
Eliminate 2,000 crore pages of paper or more
300 million daily seekers of government services to save at least two hours every day.Time is money. This saved time will bring more growth while working more hours. People may use it for family time will increase bonding between family and friends eventually make a person happy will in turn increase his productivity.
Eliminate fraud in government subsidies of at least Rs 50,000 crore every year
Enable linking individuals to an organisations
It could unclog our highways and eliminate waiting rooms in hospitals.
Eliminate fraud in degrees and substantially improve labour market matching
Many more
Conclusion
Aadhaar can accelerate India’s rise and fulfil our tryst with destiny. It is time for legislation, action and innovation.
[3]. More mollycoddling
Concern
Sale of eight F-16s to Pakistan
Pakistan’s singular objective is to strengthen itself against India
These weapons and platforms that have no nexus with the fight against terror. These include the Perry-class Missile Frigate USS McInerney, P-3C Orion maritime aircraft, AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and 32 (excluding the new eight) F-16s, more suited to wage war with India
US arms supplies to Pakistan can only embolden its army and help preserve its stranglehold on the elected government
Importantly, the US has become India’s largest defence supplier. While it gives India access to sophisticated arms, there’s a hidden danger. It’s doubtful India would be able to use its US-origin wares against Pakistan without Washington’s consent.
Pakistan became the third country outside Nato to be supplied F-16s.
GS PAPER 3
[1]. Backlash forces Jaitley to withdraw EPF tax / Government cuts its losses on EPF
What happened?
Government has withdrawn its Budget proposal to tax a portion of the Employees’ Provident Fund corpus upon withdrawal.
What was the proposal?
Government had proposed that upto 60% of corpus withdrawn from EPF will not be taxed only if invested in National Pension System (NPS) , remaining 40% to be tax-free.
What was the objective of the proposal?
To encourage more private sector employees to go for pension security after retirement instead of withdrawing the entire money from EPF.
Why withdraw?
Criticism from the Opposition.
Proposal was seen as anti-middle class.
It would force people to invest in annuity product even if they are not willing to do so.
What has been retained?
NPS subscribers can withdraw 40% of the corpus without any tax liability. The rest of 60% will attract a combination of withdrawal tax and deferred tax on the annuity products one buys.
Broader objective.
We need to move towards a ‘pensioned society’.
For this we need a holistic social security ecosystem in the country.
[2]. Pollution remains in floodplain due to sink effect: study
Concern
Levels of air pollution are higher in and around the floodplains of the Yamuna
Study
Distribution of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and coarse particulate matter (PM10) is more in the area around the floodplains.
What are the Sources of pollutants?
Human activity
Vehicles
Industries around the floodplains
What is the Solution?
More plantation will increase he moisture that will make PM settle.
Who will plant trees?
The Environment and Forest Department
A total of 97 sq. km of floodplains in Delhi were notified as wetland, but because of illegal construction, it has shrunk to about 65 sq. km
[3]. Bombay house is the first heritage building to get green ratings
Bombay House is the Tata group’s headquarters.
It has became the first heritage building in India to be awarded a platinum rating by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).
Measures taken by the Bombay House
It has installed smart retrofits like waterless urinals and smart metering.
Installed solar photovoltaics.
It has a segregated waste management policy.
It also has a green policy to promote conservation of resources.
Key areas
The building won under the EB (Existing Building) rating system for implementing measurable strategies and solutions in five categories: site & facility management, water efficiency, energy efficiency, health & comfort and innovation.
Objective of ICBC
The ICBC launched its Green Existing Buildings ratings system:
To encourage sustainability practices, and prioritise green concepts and techniques for water and energy efficiency.
And reduction in use of fossil fuels, and conservation of natural resources.
[4]. Cooling the earth down
Measures for fight against global warming
The Paris conference covered emissions-reduction approach to fight against global warming.
Even if all the national commitments made in Paris are fulfilled, the effects of global warming will inevitably worsen in the near term so alternative solutions using engineering innovations can become the next sorted out measures.
Climate engineering methods
First category is management of Carbon, which aims at removing the greenhouses gases from the atmosphere.For example,(i) carbon capture and storage (CCS), where some of the carbon dioxide being emitted by coal-fired power stations is recaptured by physically sucking it in and transporting it elsewhere to be sequestered underground. (ii) by increase in forest cover.
Second category is Solar Radiation Management(SRM), which is ambitious as well as worrisome. It involves reducing global warming by cutting down the heat absorbed by our planet from the sun. Examples are marine cloud brightening, cirrus cloud manipulation and stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI).
Stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI)
It is a bold and risky method.
It involves spraying into the stratosphere fine, light-coloured particles designed to reflect back part of the solar radiation before it reaches and warms the earth. It could bring the global temperature by 1 degree celsius. It requires Sulphur dioxide and few airplanes for injecting the required aerosol into the stratosphere.
Natural volcanic eruptions of 1991 in Philippines had reduced the global temperature for a couple of years.
Side effects of SAI
Crossing national boundaries.
Reduced precipitation, soil moisture, and river flow in many regions.
Increase in acid deposition on the ground.
Ozone layer depletion.
If it is discontinued prematurely, then there can be rapid re-warming.
Future scenario
SAI is comparatively cheaper, so any developing country can afford it. And pursuing their national interest, they might not consider the possible harmful effects on other countries. This might lead to global conflicts.
Proactive approach
A blanket ban on SRM would be unwise and difficult to implement.The goal of SRM is to mitigate damage done by carbon emissions. If there is some chance of it succeeding safely, it would be unwise to abandon it at this stage.
So, it should be done under proper regulatory oversight
And the limitations and risks of such interventions should be fully understood which will provide the basis for informed decision-making.
This will call for international governance mechanisms for overseeing the research and development and possible deployment of climate engineering techniques.
[5]. A dead Yamuna weeps for its survival
World Spiritual Festival
Three-day cultural festival will see 35,000 musicians perform simultaneously on a seven-acre stage.
Over 3.5 million people are expected to attend the event for which pontoon bridges were constructed across the river, on which no construction is permitted.
Floodplains of Yamuna
Home to over 200 species of birds
Help recharge groundwater for the city
Concern
Destruction of the river
Solution
If government is not taking steps to rehabilitate the river it should keep the Yamuna free of all burdens is vital for the local birdlife and for a water-scarce city such as Delhi.
No single party has opposed this systematic destruction of the lifeline of Delhi.
Earlier event
In April 2007 Shopping extravaganza
This time even the army was asked for the help to build pontoon bridges.
The prime minister is expected to attend the event.
The organizers of the event have pleaded in court that it is too late now to shift the venue elsewhere.
Why don’t the delhi government suggest for other sites in delhi like city’s stadia, or the Ramlila grounds or Pragati Maidan while prohibiting the use of floodplains of yamuna which is already in threat?
BY: ForumIAS Editorial Team
Leave a Reply