- Front Page / NATIONAL [The Hindu]
- Jallikattu verdict spurred a flood of animal right cases in SC
- Derailments rise but safety reports gather dust
- Editorial/OPINION [The Hindu]
- The nowhere people next door
- In fruitless pursuit of permanence
- Dealing with the deadwood
- From Jellicut to jallikattu
- ECONOMY [The Hindu]
- Indian Express
- Live Mint
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Front Page / NATIONAL [The Hindu]
[1] Jallikattu verdict spurred a flood of animal right cases in SC
Context:
• Jallikattu is a bull sport in Tamil Nadu. It was banned by the Supreme Court in 2014 citing cruelty against the bull despite cultural significance.
• With the Jallikattu verdict, the Supreme Court stretched the fundamental right under Article 21 to include all species. Previously it had been confined to only human life and dignity.
What the Article talks about?
Post the jallikattu ban, the Supreme Court has heard many cases dealing with the rights of various animals like bulls, elephants, horses, dogs, roosters to even exotic birds.
The Constitutional Perspective:
In the case of Animal Welfare Board of India versus A. Nagaraja, the Supreme Court extended the fundamental rights to animals.
• It gave a verdict that bulls have the fundamental right under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution to live in a healthy and clean atmosphere
• Not to be beaten, kicked, bitten, tortured, plied with alcohol by humans
• Not to be made to stand in narrow enclosures amidst loud noises from crowds
• The Supreme Court also declared that animals have a right to protect their life and dignity from human excesses.
In Depth:
• The Supreme Court has changed the way in which animals are treated during religious events and festivities.
• In Andhra Pradesh, the Supreme Court did not lift the ban on rooster fights conducted during the Makar sankranthi festival. The court only stayed the power of the police to arbitrarily raid farmsteads and private property for prize roosters.
• In both jallikattu and cock fight cases, the Supreme Court refused to heed the common argument that a ban would destroy the livelihoods of farmers and end the indigenous species of bulls and roosters, respectively.
• The Supreme Court has condemned Kerala for not following its orders on showing compassion to stray dogs. The dogs were found to have fatally bitten civilians especially, economically weaker sections, women and children. The angry civilians are found to have killed them.
• In another case dealing with the rights of captive elephants used in Kerala for temple festivals like Thrissur Pooram, the Supreme Court threatened them with criminal prosecution and ‘severe consequences’ if they were found torturing the animals.
• In November 2015, the court had also asked the government to respond on whether exotic pet birds were safer in cages or do they have a fundamental right to fly.
• Animal lovers want the apex court to ban practices like ringing, tagging and stamping of birds. The debate was between the right to livelihood of pet shop owners and the right of birds to live freely.
• In December 2015, in another case, the Supreme Court asked the Central government to clarify whether it was cruelty to employ elephants for joyrides.
[2] Derailments rise but safety reports gather dust
Context:
According to a Railway Board official, there were 68 derailments till December 2016, compared to 65 in the previous year. This is one of the highest in the past 6 years.
Why Train Accident Occurs?
- Derailments happen due to fault in either railway tracks or the rolling stock.
- Around 70 % of the rail accidents in 2015-16 occurred due to the fault of railway staff such as poor maintenance, non-adherence to safety rules and adopting short-cuts, according to official reports.
Standing Committee Report on Railways:
- The Standing Committee on Railways in its recent report titled ‘Safety and Security in Railways’ said the Railways have failed in maintaining safety standards of the rail tracks.
- The committee also highlighted that out of 5,000 km track length due for renewal at present, only 2,700 km track was targeted to be renewed by the Railways.
- The Standing Committee also criticized the Railways for failing to address the human error involved in rail accidents. The committee was of the view that, the railway ministry has failed to assess the root cause of repeated mistakes by the railway staff.
The Commission of Railway Safety Report:
- The Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) (under administrative control of the Civil Aviation Ministry) has not yet submitted the preliminary finding report of the Patna-bound Indore-Rajendranagar Express derailment that took place in November 2016 in which around 146 people lost their lives.
- A railway official says that the reason behind the delay by CRS was that sabotage angle (destruction caused for political and military advantage) is being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
- The delay in submitting the report is important as yet another derailment on Saturday of the Hirakhand Express in Andhra Pradesh has claimed the lives of 39 persons with over 50 injured.
Editorial/OPINION [The Hindu]
[1] The nowhere people next door
Issue:- About Rohingya crisis
Problems faced by Rohinyas:-
- Rohinyas are persecuted at home in Myanmar.
- Based in Bangladesh, this group is not recognized by the Myanmar government as per the 1982 Citizenship Law, hence denied citizenship.
- While Myanmar claims that there were no Rohingyas in Myanmar before the British brought ‘Bengalis’ to Burma, there is sufficient evidence to show that the Rohingyas pre-existed the British-engineered migration.
State induced mass exodus:-
Rohinya militants are accused of killing 9 police officers in October, 2016. Since then:-
- Hundreds of people have been killed at the hands of the military,
- Many more hundreds have disappeared,
- Scores of women sexually assaulted,
- Villages razed to the ground,
- Tens of thousands have fled the country
- And of those, who have fled, many of them have ended up in the hands of traffickers
Most disturbing factor is that all this has been denied by Myanmar military and is continuing under the stewardship of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Why Aung San Suu Kyi Failed?
- Despite the return of democracy in 2015, the military continues to have a strong hold over the civilian government.
- The country’s constitution also reserves one-fourth of the seats in Parliament for the military.
- Since her children are British citizens, Aung San Suu Kyi is barred from becoming the country’s president.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s inadequate attempts
It is not only that Ms. Suu Kyi’s is bound not to act, her own response to the Rohingya crisis has been both inadequate and half-hearted.
- For example, she has not fully acknowledged the extent of violence the Rohingyas are systematically subjected to by the government she leads.
- During the 2015 election campaign, she was even accused of not visiting the Rohingyas.
- Ms. Suu Kyi formed an advisory commission on Rakhine State under the chairmanship of Kofi Annan.
- But this seems to be an advisory body for development and reconciliation rather than one that can objectively investigate violence committed against the Rohingya community.
- Over a dozen of her fellow Nobel Laureates recently wrote an ‘open letter to the President of the Security Council criticizing her inadequate efforts.
International factors
- Considering no direct bearing on their interest and with the occupation by Syrian matter, western world do not want to get bogged down with the Rohingyas.
- In UNSC, For Beijing, its relationship with Myanmar’s Generals is important to gain access to the country’s natural resources, and recruiting Myanmar for China’s larger economic goals
- For India, Myanmar’s assistance is seen as significant in dealing with the insurgency in the Northeast.
- In any case, the Rohingyas are of no strategic value to anyone.
- India’s historic record has been better in accommodating the Roghinyas, but this policy is undergoing change recently.
- Bharatiya Janata Party’s Jammu and Kashmir unit has also demanded that Rohingya refugees from Jammu be sent away.
Why peace and stability in Rakhine state is good for India?
- As and when peace returns to Myanmar, India can ask the latter to rehabilitate the Rohingyas.
- Second, a stable and democratic Myanmar will naturally gravitate towards New Delhi.
- Third, and perhaps most importantly, the Rohingya crisis, if it remains unsettled, can become a path toward radicalisation and pose a greater security threat for India.
New Delhi should use creative diplomacy to persuade Myanmar to resolve the Rohingya crisis.
[2] In fruitless pursuit of permanence
Context – Recently, Jallikattu practice has been resumed by the ordinance of central government.
What the central government has done?
- Due to the Supreme Court’s ban on the Jallikattu practice, it would have been difficult for the government to bring an amendment.
- Hence the central government has granted its consent to the State Governor promulgating the ordinance.
- But still the protests are ongoing for the ‘permanent solution’.
Legal hurdles
- The ordinance has pleased neither side in the jallikattu vs. animal rights debate.
- The Centre’s nod may have ensured that the ordinance will not be opposed as being repugnant to a Central law, but other legal hurdles remain.
- Even a parliamentary Act is subject to judicial scrutiny.
- The Supreme Court has declared that jallikattu is inherently cruel and contrary to the objectives of the PCA.
- Unless it recognizes culture and tradition as valid grounds to permit events involving bulls, the exemption given to jallikattu may be invalidated.
[3] Dealing with the deadwood
Issue– Central government has recently decided to compulsorily retire two Indian Police Service (IPS) officers and one Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer for ‘non-performance’.
How it has been done?
- The compulsory retirements are in pursuance of the service rules that contemplate a review either when an officer reaches the age of 50 or completes 25 years of service.
- This decision was last taken 40 years back in the wake of the Emergency under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Pay structure of civil servants
- Each Pay Commission has enlarged the civil service pay packet and perquisites.
- Civil servants can reach the peak and earn the maximum pension of ₹1,12,500 per month.
Low work quality
- There are only very few dedicated officers in the bureaucracy.
- Many officers do not have more than a few hours of work a day.
- Portfolios are created only to accommodate officers
- Only a few select ones get to be in important positions during their careers.
- There are sizeable number of dishonest officers in each services
Obstacle to civil service reforms
- The only obstacle in the way of drastic civil service reform like the present one is the judiciary that overturns or stays every administrative action against an erring senior officer.
- Judicial overstepping, while correcting unjust action against a few honest civil servants, unwittingly promotes the cause of many unscrupulous elements.
- The track record of administrative tribunals in the country is a matter of great concern to those looking for a balanced and objective bureaucracy.
- There is need here for an immediate corrective by the Union Law Ministry.
[4] From Jellicut to jallikattu
Context
Science can ensure commercial viability and protection of indigenous breeds of cattle.
What is the issue?
Tamil Nadu has recently cleared an ordinance on jallikattu. The issue is whether this sport would help preserve the indigenous breeds of cattle.
There are mainly two issues:
1. Some say that if the sport is banned, owners of indigenous bulls may not find it worth preserving the indigenous variants.
2. Others say that only the ‘untamed’ bull is used for breeding. and thus they may not identify the strongest male. This would result in the weakening of the stocks.
Lack of Concrete Data
There is no accurate data for the indigenous cattle. There are less scientific records for managing the herd. There are still no herd books or registers for the breeds.
How to increase native breeds
1. South Asian breeds of cattle have led to increase in the native breeds across world.
2. Science has improved the value and strength of Indian native breeds across world.
3. There is also an immediate need for the national data banks to hold samples and data of animals.
Conclusion
Science and Technology can ensure that India’s native breeds become commercial viable.
ECONOMY [The Hindu]
[1] Curbs on outsourcing may hit U.S. economy: Nasscom
Context – India’s IT industry has warned about the adverse impact that curbs on outsourcing will have on the U.S. economy
While, U.S. President Donald Trump had promised to follow a ‘Buy American, Hire American’ policy in his inaugural speech on January 21 in Washington.
Reasons
- High-skilled workers are not available in the U.S.
- Indian IT industry provided services to American companies, which helped them to be competitive in the global market.
- And to keep the U.S. economy rising, it needs to be competitive.
- More than 60% of the Indian IT industry’s $108-billion export revenue comes from the U.S.
Example
- Chandrashekhar said that an Indian IT company which tried to hire people in the U.S., had interviewed more than 4,000 people but could hire only about 20.
Some stats
- Due to shortfalls in college graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), entering the STEM workforce, there could be 2.4 million unfilled STEM jobs in the U.S. by 2018.
- The Nasscom president said even in colleges and universities in the U.S., more than 50% of the students are foreigners in STEM courses.
India’s contribution in US
Indian industry hires a lot of people, including Americans. According to a 2015 report, the industry had created more than 4 lakh jobs in the U.S.
Indian IT industry’s investments in the U.S. were to the tune of $2 billion between 2011-13 and in the four-year period between 2011-15, Indian IT industry had paid $20 billion in taxes.
Indian Express
[1] Justice, more sensitive
Issue – Bihar government has decided to put in place 50 per cent reservations in judicial services.
Introduction
• Social sensitivity attributes is a very important in judicial pronouncements.
Example
• In 1968, 44 dalits were burnt alive in Tamil Nadu.
• In this case 23 landlords were arrested, of which 15 were acquitted and the rest were given liberal imprisonment by the district court.
• When the case went to Madras High Court, all the accused were aquitted.
• In contrast, after the Bara massacre of February 1992, where 35 upper caste landowners were killed by the MCC (Maoist Communist Centre), the then Lalu Prasad government in Bihar had to invoke TADA.
• In 2001, the special TADA court and the district and session court awarded the death sentence to several of the accused
Reservation in Bihar
• Government has directed for 50 percent reservation after consultation with the Patna High Court and Bihar Public Service Commission
• In state of Bihar vs Dayanand Singh case, The judgment resulted in reservations for superior posts like district and additional judge.
• New reservation policy of the Bihar government has been applauded by socially sensitive persons
Criticism and counter to criticism of policy
• It is being said that reservations in the judiciary will not only disturb the level playing field, it is also a step guided by “vote bank” politics.
• But the facts is that reservations for the marginalised in a sensitive area like the judiciary will indeed ensure a more socially sensitive justice.
• According to the Pew Research Centre in 2013, even in the US “blacks faced unfair treatment in dealing with police or in the courts”.
• Hispanic, Latino and other minority groups in the US do not feel that the judiciary is inclusive.
• In India, a sense of judicial inclusion is even more necessary.
• In India too, people from the lower caste background do not venture to go to the higher echelons of the judiciary, fearing an insensitive court.
Way ahead
• It is high time that the nation also revisits the recruitment pattern of high court judges. The constitution should not be invoked to shield them from scrutiny.
Live Mint
[1] Connecting India’s states with good logistics
Introduction
To reap the full benefits of GST on inter-state trade, both hard and soft logistics infrastructure need to improve
Logistics and GST
- Logistics is a series of services and activities that constitute supply chains—such as transportation, warehousing, brokerages etc.
- Although these activities are essentially carried out by private firms, their efficiency depends upon public infrastructure. This includes both “hard” or physical infrastructure and “soft” or institutional infrastructure such as systems, procedures and regulations.
- In India, responsibilities for both hard and soft infrastructure are shared by a number of central and state agencies.
Data on Logistics
- Some estimates suggest that logistics costs in India amounted to a sizeable 14% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014.
- It is also suggested that inefficient logistics chip off a whopping $45 billion from India’s economic output, or about 2% of the country’s GDP.
- The World Bank’s 2016 Logistics Performance Index (LPI), which ranks 160 countries every two years, found that India moved up to 35th place internationally, compared to 54 in 2014.
Challenges
- The main challenge in improving Logistics is improving the connections between Indian states.
- Poor inter-state supply chains not only erode the competitiveness of the country as a whole, but also prevent the benefits of better international connectivity from spreading across the country.
New initiatives
- In the recent past India has rapidly improved its hard infrastructure.
- Seven new multimodal freight corridors are on the anvil, and work on some is well under way.
- Such as Western and Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridors where high-speed trains will run along electrified freight-only tracks from the hinterland to ports on the western and eastern coasts.
Way Forward
- To improve overall Logistics soft Infrastructure is very much necessary.
- GST is most certainly a major step forward. However, to reap the full benefits of GST on inter-state trade, more will be needed.
- A large part of travelling time is spent at checkpoints getting tax and customs clearances.
Conclusion
- A start could be made by removing unnecessary delays at inter-state check posts.
- The World Bank’s LPI report provides a number of examples from countries that have implemented logistics reforms successfully.
- For instance, it will be important to monitor the performance of domestic supply chains to inform policymaking, and conduct a public-private dialogue on the issue.
- Such efforts will help determine the best way forward and contribute to the country’s emergence as a rising global manufacturing power.
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