04 Aug 2018: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

A. GS1 Related

B. GS2 Related

Context:

Citing historical deprivation the Centre called the Supreme Court to revisit 2006 Nagaraj ruling.

• The government began its push for providing “accelerated promotion with consequential seniority” for Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) members in public employment.
• It was said that the Dalits are ‘presumed backward’ and are facing deprivation of sorts till date and that the state needs to take affirmative action by providing them equality of opportunity.

Background:

• The 2006 Nagaraj judgment was pronounced by a five-judge Constitution Bench.
• Following a 2006 judgment of the Supreme Court, the government cannot introduce a quota in promotion for its SC/ST employees unless they prove that the particular Dalit community is backward, inadequately represented and such a reservation in promotion would not affect the overall efficiency of public administration. The opinion of the government should also be based on quantifiable data.
• It was made clear that even if the state has compelling reasons, the state will have to see that its reservation provision does not lead to excessiveness so as to breach the ceiling limit of 50% or obliterate the creamy layer or extend reservation indefinitely

Issue:

• Now, the government wants another five-judge Constitution Bench to refer the 2006 verdict to a larger Bench for a re-examination, citing the reason that the 2006 verdict had effectively created an “impossible situation” for providing accelerated promotions with consequential seniority for SC/ST communities in government services.
• Government said it wanted a total of 22.5% (15% for SC+7.5% for ST) posts reserved for promotion for SC/ST in public employment, stating, only this quantum would satisfy their need for adequate representation.
• The government objected to a creamy layer concept among the SC/ST.
• Chief Justice Misra said the three criteria in the Nagaraj judgment — backwardness, inadequacy and administrative efficiency — were “compelling reasons” so that reservation by government was not excessive. The three qualifiers were meant to prevent reservation from making an inroad into the right of equal opportunity in public employment and prevent reverse discrimination.

A World Health Organisation (WHO) report estimated that the Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin (SBM-G) will result in preventing more than three lakh deaths due to diarrhoea and protein-energy malnutrition between 2014-October 2019.

Details:

• The report is titled “The progress report on potential health impact from increased sanitation coverage through the SBM-G”
• The research was conducted by the WHO for the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
• Findings of the report:
  • It said that India’s rural sanitation coverage escalated to 89.07% till August 2, 2018.
  • Under the SBM-G, 19 States and Union Territories were declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) and 7.9 crore toilets were built, 421 districts and more than 4.9 lakh villages were declared ODF.
  • The WHO study showed that before the initiation of SBM-G, unsafe sanitation caused 199 million cases of diarrhoea annually and that by 2019, the initiative aims to achieve 100% sanitation coverage.

Read about SBM  – https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/swachch-bharat

• India and Sri Lanka’s governments, after detailed negotiations, have agreed that India, with a 70% stake in the joint venture, will contribute $225 million to revamp and run the airport, while the Sri Lankan side will invest the balance.
• India will operate the airport on a 40-year lease, as per the draft agreement.

Background:

1. India has agreed to form a joint venture with Sri Lanka to operate the country’s loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in Hambantota.
2. The $210 million facility, 241km south-east of Colombo, is dubbed the “world’s emptiest airport” due to a lack of flights.
3. The joint venture would see India gain a major stake of the airport.

Strategic importance to India:

• The Chinese takeover of Hambantota port increased India’s worries that it will become an Indian Ocean hub for the Chinese navy. Though Hambantota has never been feasible as a full blown Chinese naval base, its proximity to India would make it highly vulnerable to air attack in the event of conflict between the two countries.
• A key element in any overseas naval base, and even a logistics facility, is easy access by air for people and supplies. A naval base also requires maritime air surveillance capabilities. Control over Hambantota airport will give India considerable control over how the port is used.
• Therefore, India’s strategic interests run in the airport, located near the China-controlled port in Hambantota.
• This move by India could also be seen as a counter to China’s growing presence in the South Asian region.

C. GS3 Related

Context:

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has called for imposition of import duties on telecom products outside the ambit of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA-1) and incentivising their local design and manufacturing with an aim to eliminate India’s dependence on imported telecom gear by 2022.

• Suggesting that India aim at net zero imports of telecommunications equipment by 2022, the TRAI recommended the setting up of a ₹1,000 crore fund for promoting research and innovation in the sector.
• The regulator has suggested that the progress of indigenous telecommunication equipment manufacturing be monitored by Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• It is planned to have a dedicated unit in DoT to be made responsible for the facilitation and monitoring of telecommunication equipment design, development, and manufacturing in the country.
• It was proposed to create a Telecom Research and Development Fund (TRDF), with initial corpus of ₹1,000 crore for promoting research, innovation, standardisation, design, testing, certification and manufacturing indigenous telecom equipment.
• Subsequently, Telecom Entrepreneurship Promotion Fund(TEPF) and Telecom Manufacturing Promotion Fund(TMPF) need to be set up.
• To address security concerns, TRAI had suggested that the telecom service providers be incentivised for deploying indigenous telecom products beyond the quantities to be mandated under the preferential market access policy.

India as a signatory to the World Trade Organisation’s ITA-1 has a zero-duty commitment on 217-odd electronic items in the list. But it is under no obligation to allow duty-free imports of ICT items outside the ITA-1.

Benefits:

• Local manufacturing of network equipment will reduce imports and create self-reliance and job opportunities.
• Currently, India imports 90% of its requirements. If the recommendations are to be implemented, it would enable Indian telecom equipment manufacturing sector to transition from an import-dependent sector to a global hub of indigenous manufacturing.

Context:

Concerned at the loss of revenue, the Kerala State government has decided to tighten the e-way bill norms and make it mandatory for inter-State goods movement. The government is said to be losing over Rs. 400 crore because of tax evasion, mainly because the e-way bill system has not been fully operational.

• It is touted as an anti-evasion measure that would help boost tax collections by clamping down on trade that currently happens on a cash basis.
• The State has also had to take a beating because of the recent decision of the GST Council to cut tax rates for a horde of goods, mainly durables, which would affect a consumer State such as Kerala.
• The State is worried since the projected revenue has not come in from its IGST share.
• It is in this context that the government has decided to set up 190 inspection squads. The squads would be deployed in specified places along the State borders. Mobile squads would be in operation.

What is an eWay Bill?

eWay Bill is an electronic way bill for movement of goods which can be generated on the eWay Bill Portal. Transport of goods of more than Rs. 50,000 (Single Invoice/bill/delivery challan) in value in a vehicle cannot be made by a registered person without an eway bill. When an eway bill is generated a unique eway bill number (EBN) is allocated and is available to the supplier, recipient, and the transporter.

3. ICRISAT to study Mission Kakatiya

Question 1. Bonalu is an annual festival celebrated in

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

1. Artifical intelligence is a disruptive technology. Elucidate on the future of this technology?

2. Abolition of NJAC has created vaccum in the judicial appointments and reinforces the judicial supremacy over Executive and Legislature. Critically Comment.