August 19th, 2021, CNA:- Download PDF Here
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. GS 1 Related B. GS 2 Related INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1. Tech to help protect UN peacekeepers: Jaishankar C. GS 3 Related ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY 1. India can do more, hints climate official ECONOMY 1. Centre to boost oil palm farming D. GS 4 Related E. Editorials INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1. Keeping an eye on China’s expanding nuclear stack POLITY AND GOVERNANCE 1. The police we need ECONOMY 1. A delayed intervention F. Prelims Facts 1. Wanchuwa festival 2. ‘Green bonds help projects net Rs. 26,300 cr.’ 3. Conditions favourable for monsoon revival: IMD G. Tidbits 1. NHRC flags delay in criminal justice reform process 2. Global goods trade continues recovery: WTO H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
A. GS 1 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
B. GS 2 Related
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Tech to help protect UN peacekeepers: Jaishankar
Context:
- Indian External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, recently presided over a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) open debate on technology and peacekeeping.
Background:
UN Peacekeeping missions and India’s role:
- India is one of the top troop contributors to the U.N. peacekeeping missions and thus a key priority has been to ensure the safety of the Indian peacekeeping personnel.
- Peacekeeping has been earmarked as a priority area of focus for India’s month-long UNSC presidency.
- India has been a pioneer in UN Peacekeeping. Deploying more than a quarter of a million troops over the years to as many as 49 UN peacekeeping missions, serving under the blue flag, 175 gallant Indian soldiers have made the supreme sacrifice, the largest number among troop-contributing countries. Currently, around 5000 Indian personnel have been deployed across nine missions.
- Peacekeeping would play a crucial role in India’s vision of ensuring international peace and security.
Also read: UNSC Presidency: India’s Agenda: RSTV – Big Picture
Details:
- The Security Council adopted a “Presidential Statement” underscoring the importance of peacekeeping, the complexities and challenges of the environment in which it occurs and the importance of existing and new technologies to protect peacekeepers.
- A four-point framework was outlined for securing the safety of peacekeepers.
- Deployment of proven, cost-effective and field-serviceable technologies
- Availability of sound information and intelligence
- Continuous technological improvements and their availability
- Capacity building and training of peacekeepers with regard to technology
Initiatives announced by India:
‘UNITE Aware’:
- The External Affairs Minister announced the rollout of ‘UNITE Aware’.
- This is a technological platform developed in partnership with the UN to help enhance the safety of UN peacekeepers.
- UNITE Aware will provide terrain information and “improve situational awareness” for peacekeepers by allowing for visualizing, coordinating and monitoring of peacekeeping operations on a real-time basis.
MoU with UNCAP:
- A Memorandum of Understanding between India and the UN in support of the “Partnership for Technology in Peacekeeping” initiative and the UN C4ISR Academy for Peace Operations (UNCAP) has also been announced by India.
- UN C4ISR Academy for Peace Operations is located in Entebbe, Uganda.
- This will help meet the training needs of peacekeeping forces in line with available technological capability and future requirements as well.
C. GS 3 Related
Category: ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
1. India can do more, hints climate official
Context:
- President-designate of the United Nations Conference of Parties (COP), Alok Sharma’s visit to India.
Details:
- While lauding India for being on track to overachieve its Nationally Determined Contribution, the head of COP 26 said he hoped India would consider more ambitious emissions targets.
- The visit by the President-designate is part of a larger international tour building consensus among nations for concrete outcomes ahead of the 26th round of climate talks to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, in November.
Major aspects to be considered at the upcoming COP-26:
Carbon neutrality:
- A major theme building ahead of the climate talks is Carbon Neutrality. The goal of carbon neutrality will be critical to ensuring that the earth does not heat up an additional half a degree by 2100 and will be in line with the temperature targets envisaged under the Paris climate agreement.
- The major aspect of discussion would be on how many nations can commit to a net zero target and by when. As of now a little over 120 countries have committed, with varying degrees of firmness, to reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.
- India has not committed to a 2050 plan for Carbon Neutrality.
For more information on this topic, refer to the following article:
UPSC Comprehensive News Analysis of 8th Apr 2021
Access to finance and transfer of technology:
- A major aspect of the difference between the developed countries and the developing countries when it comes to climate action has been the provision of climate finance to developing countries from developed countries for adaptation and mitigation.
- The promised $100 billion finance continues to be outstanding.
India’s stand on the issue of climate action:
- India’s argument has been that committing to carbon neutrality would compromise on ensuring the economic growth of its citizenry.
- India’s line of argument has been that its per capita emissions continue to be one of the lowest and is well below the global average. Also given that the current climate change can be mainly attributed to legacy emissions of the developed world, India cannot be held responsible for the climate crisis and the developed world should take up a proportionately higher responsibility.
- India is on track to achieve its INDCs as per the 2015 Paris agreement.
- Reducing the emissions intensity of GDP by 33%–35% by 2030 below 2005 levels.
- Increasing the share of non-fossil-based energy resources to 40% of installed electric power capacity by 2030. India has committed to installing 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030 of which 100 GW is reportedly installed.
- Creation of an additional (cumulative) carbon sink of 2.5–3 GtCO2e through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
- India has based the achievement of its INDCs on the conditionality of assured help of transfer of technology and low-cost international finance including from the Green Climate Fund. The failure to provide the promised funds from the developed countries is indicative of the attitude of developed countries to climate action.
Additional information:
- The Union Cabinet has approved ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.
- The Kigali amendment envisages phasing out of Hydro Fluoro Carbons (HFC) by 80-85% of present levels by 2040 in a phased manner. India has committed to phasing down HFC in four steps from 2032 with a 10% reduction in 2032, 20% in 2037, 30% in 2042 and 80% in 2047.
1. Centre to boost oil palm farming
Context:
- Approval of the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) by the Cabinet.
Details:
- In a bid to reduce India’s dependence on imports of edible oils, the new mission will strive to ensure self-sufficiency in edible oil production.
- Under the NMEO-OP mission, the aim is to reduce import dependence from 60% to 45% by 2024-25, by increasing domestic edible oil production from 10.5 million tonnes to 18 million tonnes, a 70% growth target.
- As part of the palm oil-related targets, the Mission hopes to increase oil palm acreage by an additional 6.5 lakh hectares by 2025-26 and grow production of crude palm oil to 11.2 lakh tonnes by 2025-26 and up to 28 lakh tonnes by 2029-30.
- Currently, less than four lakh hectares are planted with oil palm in India.
- The Centre will offer price assurances, viability gap funding and planting material assistance to oil palm farmers to boost domestic production.
- The provision of price assurance will reduce the risk for farmers facing price fluctuation due to volatility in the international market. The government will fix a viable palm oil price and in case of high volatility, the government will pay the difference in price to the farmers through direct benefit transfer. This assurance will inculcate confidence in the Indian oil palm farmers to go for the increased area and thereby more production of palm oil. The assurance to the farmers will be in the form of the viability gap funding and the industry will be mandated to pay 14.3% of the crude palm oil prices.
- The Mission will also more than double the support provided for the cost of planting materials. A substantial increase has been made for planting material for oil palm and this has increased from Rs 12,000 per ha to Rs.29,000 per ha. Further, a substantial increase has been made for maintenance and inter-cropping interventions as well.
- In a bid to encourage oil palm cultivation in northeastern India and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Centre will bear an additional cost of 2% of the crude palm oil prices in these States.
- Over a five-year period, the financial outlay for the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) will amount to Rs. 11,040 crore.
For more related information, refer to the following article:
UPSC Comprehensive News Analysis of 10th Aug 2021
Significance:
- The scheme will immensely benefit the oil palm farmers, increase capital investment, create employment generation, shall reduce the import dependence and consequently save foreign exchange and also increase the income of the farmers.
Challenges:
- There are some biodiversity concerns involved with palm oil monoculture plantations as observed in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia.
D. GS 4 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
E. Editorials
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Keeping an eye on China’s expanding nuclear stack
The article argues that despite contentions about the scope and prospective size of China’s nuclear capabilities, India needs to be watchful of its neighbour’s expanding nuclear stack. The debate is over the scope and prospective size of the PRC’s nuclear capabilities.
Context:
- Recently, greater evidence has emerged that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is expanding the size of its nuclear arsenal by building more missile silos (storeroom).
- It indicates that the PRC is fielding a larger nuclear force based on fixed land-based capabilities.
- The nuclear missile silo field in the Xinjiang region in western China is believed to host 110 silos.
- Also, there is evidence that China had built a site with 120 silos in the arid region of Yumen, in the Gansu province.
What could be the possible reason behind this expansion?
- To increase the survivability of its arsenal against a first strike from its nuclear adversaries, specifically the United States.
- The U.S possesses a larger arsenal at 3,800 warheads. Additionally, its growing missile defence capabilities poses a threat to Chinese retaliatory nuclear forces.
Concerns:
- China’s nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles forces (land-based and sea-based) have improved in quantity and quality.
- According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) as well as the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), Chinese nuclear forces stand at roughly anywhere between 250 to 350 nuclear warheads.
- The concern is the rate and extent of the production by PRC as making a precise estimate of the PRC’s nuclear strength is not easy.
- Its Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) capabilities and Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) capabilities in the form of the Dongfeng-41 (DF-41) and the DF-26, respectively, are its most potent land-based missile systems.
- At least 16 launchers of the DF-26 are known to be deployed in the Xinjiang region close to the Sino-Indian border.
China’s Strategy:
Decoy Missile Silos:
- It appears that China is either concealing the number of missiles tipped with nuclear warheads or deceiving the world by building a large number of decoy missile silos.
- China has been known to deploy decoy silos in the past.
- It’s a tactic used by the U.S. and presumably other nuclear powers. During the Cold War, American strategic forces would move missiles from silo to silo with the hopes of confusing their Soviet rivals.
- It’s the military version of using fake social media accounts to try to throw off people.
A first strike strategy:
- Land-based nuclear capabilities would enable China to present a nuclear opponent with a larger menu of targets to strike. This is likely to exhaust a large number of the enemy’s missiles in a first strike.
- Some of the decoy silos are meant to absorb and exhaust a part of the enemy’s first strike nuclear forces.
- Therefore, the larger the target list for any potential opponent, the greater the chances of China’s arsenal surviving a first strike thereby boosting the credibility of China’s nuclear deterrence.
In all probability, China is expanding its nuclear forces if not to match the larger nuclear forces fielded by the Americans and the Russians, but sufficient to withstand a first strike and then execute a retaliatory attack that would defeat the opponent.
Impact on India:
- China has refused to enter any tripartite arms control negotiations with Americans and Russians.
- It possibly sees its current build-up as a necessity to bridge the nuclear asymmetries it faces against Washington and Moscow.
- While the growth in China’s nuclear arsenal might not have an immediate impact on India, its development of land-based nuclear silos in the Xinjiang province is a cause of concern – given the region’s proximity.
- It is likely to have an impact on the ongoing boundary stand-off between the two countries in Eastern Ladakh.
- The major concern is the coercive leverage fixed land-based nuclear capabilities give the Chinese in consolidating their territorial gains in Depsang, Demchok and Gogra-Hotsprings.
It is unlikely that the strategic balance between China and India will change because of the Chinese nuclear expansion, but it is essential for India to keep a close eye on its neighbour and work on enhancing its own strategic capabilities.
Category: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
The article written by the former CBI Director R.K. Raghavan explains why India needs a police force that is responsive and respected, against the one that is feared – as is the current scenario.
The ideal police officer:
- The police must provide for the protection of public safety and the rights of all persons.
- The preservation of human rights and dignity should be the very cornerstone for a robust police organization.
- People should be able to receive the service to which they are entitled, without having to pay any bribe.
- Good conduct, empathy and a quick reflex are the ideal qualities of the police who are required to intervene in dangerous situations and also go to the rescue of the poorest when they are harassed by anti-social elements.
- Police officers being tech-savvy would play a major role in the future of law enforcement in India – especially for regulating public assemblies and solving crimes.
- India stands out for handing over independent responsibility to IPS officers even in the early years of their induction.
- The IPS assignment apart from being prestigious is laden with unparalleled trust even in an inexperienced youth.
Issues:
- Recently, a case of alleged extortion was registered against a former Mumbai Police Commissioner.
- A senior IPS officer in Tamil Nadu was recently served a charge sheet in court in connection with a case pertaining to the sexual harassment of a woman officer.
- It is distressing to note the declining levels of integrity among senior IPS officers.
Management of Police Personnel:
- The National Police Academy (NPA) has the greatest role in building character.
- Faculty selection and strict supervision also play a role in ensuring a good police force.
- Senior police officials must serve as role models to the probationers in terms of empathy, skill and integrity.
- Brilliant and straightforward officials must be chosen to occupy public positions calling for objectivity and skill.
- Unfortunately, it is not the case with IPS appointments as many officers are given posts based on their links and loyalty to the ruling party.
- However, the Supreme Court has laid down the process for the selection of the Director-General of Police.
- The State government now has to make the appointment from a panel of three names approved by the Union Public Service Commission.
- This will ensure that no outrageous appointments are made.
- It is the honest and hard-working officer at the top that will make the difference between good and tendentious policing.
Context:
The government has notified the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) scheme – the rules and rates based on which exporters can claim rebates on taxes paid on their outbound cargo.
Read more on the RoDTEP Scheme in the link.
Details:
- The Government is confident that the RoDTEP is WTO-compliant.
- It covers roughly 65% of India’s exports with the remission rates being notified in the range of 0.5% to 4.3% of the Freight On Board value of outbound consignments.
- For some goods, there is a cap on the value of the exported items.
- Steel, pharmaceuticals and chemicals have been excluded from the RoDTEP.
This Scheme has been comprehensively covered in Aug 18th, 2021 CNA.
Issues:
- Some sectors are concerned about the rates being lower than expected.
- Engineering firms are concerned about the taxes on key raw materials not being adequately offset.
While fine-tuning of the scheme may be needed, it is a relief to the exporters that a major vacuum has been plugged.
Way Forward:
- The global economy is on the cusp of one of its strongest rebounds as COVID-19 vaccination drives have picked up pace in many advanced economies.
- As these economies look to go beyond China to service domestic consumption demand, India must aggressively step up to the opportunity.
- Furthermore, having opted out of RCEP, India is looking to re-ignite free trade pact negotiations with Australia, the U.K., the EU and the U.S.
- Prime Minister’s call to scale up exports to $400 billion in 2021 has helped expedite the notification of rules and rates under RoDTEP scheme.
- A new foreign trade policy, a few smaller export-related schemes and a mechanism to fork out the pending dues under the earlier export incentive programme are expected in the near future.
- Till domestic recovery in India firms up, private investments are unlikely to take off. In this scenario, public capital spending and exports are the two growth engines with feasible firepower to aid the recovery momentum.
F. Prelims Facts
- The Wanchuma festival is celebrated by Tiwa tribesmen of Karbi Anglong district of Assam.
- The festival is celebrated to mark a good harvest and involves prayers for protection from pests and natural calamities.
- It involves songs, dances and a bunch of rituals performed by people clad in their native attires.
2. ‘Green bonds help projects net Rs. 26,300 cr.’
Green Bonds:
- A green bond is a fixed-income instrument designed specifically to support specific climate-related or environmental projects. More specifically, green bonds finance projects aimed at energy efficiency, pollution prevention, sustainable agriculture, fishery and forestry, the protection of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, clean transportation, clean water, clean energy and sustainable water management.
- Green bonds typically come with tax incentives to enhance their attractiveness to investors.
- The World Bank issued the first official green bond in 2009.
Context:
- As per the report titled ‘Financing India’s Energy Transition through International Bond Markets’ by CEEW Centre for Energy Finance (CEEW-CEF), Indian renewable energy project developers have raised ₹26,300 crore through the issuance of green bonds in the first half of 2021.
3. Conditions favourable for monsoon revival: IMD
Break in Monsoons:
- During July and August, there are certain periods when the monsoons become weak. Rainfall practically ceases over the country outside the Himalayan belt and southeast peninsula. This is known as a break in the monsoon.
- Rainfall increase along the foothills of the Himalayas, Northeast India and parts of the Southern Peninsula (Rayalseema and Tamil Nadu).
- Middle of August is most prone to ‘breaks’ and that too longer breaks.
- The breaks are believed to be brought about by the northward shifting of the monsoon trough (minimum low pressure cell in ITCZ). The axis of the trough lies at the foothills of the Himalayas during the break period.
Context:
- The India Meteorological Department has said that atmospheric conditions are favourable for the revival of monsoon in northwest India.
G. Tidbits
1. NHRC flags delay in criminal justice reform process
- A group of experts under the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) have expressed serious concerns over the slow pace of reforms in the criminal justice system to ensure speedy justice. The resulting delay in the disposal of cases is leading to human rights violations of the under-trials and convicts.
Recommendations:
- Special laws and fast-track courts could replace certain offences under the Indian Penal Code in order to reduce the piling up of cases.
- Digitisation of documents would help in speeding up investigations and trials.
2. Global goods trade continues recovery: WTO
- As per the latest WTO’s Goods Trade Barometer, global merchandise trade is exhibiting robust recovery from the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The WTO however cautions that the positive outlook for world trade could be overshadowed by risks such as regional disparities, continued weakness in services trade, and lagging vaccination timetables.
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q1. Which of the given statements is/are correct?
- The main objective of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol is the protection of the ozone layer.
- Under the Kigali Amendment, Parties to the Montreal Protocol will phase down the production and consumption of Hydrochlorofluorocarbons.
- Hydrofluorocarbons are massively potent greenhouse gases that cause the massive destruction of stratospheric ozone.
Options:
- 1 only
- 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: a
Explanation:
- The Vienna Convention, concluded in 1985, is a framework agreement in which States agree to cooperate in relevant research and scientific assessments of the ozone problem, to exchange information, and to adopt “appropriate measures” to prevent activities that harm the ozone layer.
- The objective of the 1985 Vienna Convention is to preserve human health, and to protect the environment from any harmful effects of the depletion of the ozone layer.
- The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (the Montreal Protocol) is an international agreement designed to stop the production and import of ozone-depleting substances and reduce their concentration in the atmosphere to help protect the earth’s ozone layer.
- Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol envisages phasing out of Hydro Fluoro Carbons (HFC) by 80-85% of present levels by 2040 in a phased manner. India has committed to phasing down HFC in four steps from 2032 with a 10% reduction in 2032, 20% in 2037, 30% in 2042 and 80% in 2047.
- Hydrofluorocarbons were introduced as a non-ozone-depleting alternative to Hydrochlorofluorocarbons. Hydrofluorocarbons are potent greenhouse gases but are not ozone destructive.
Q2. Which of the given statements is/are INCORRECT w.r.t Speaker of the Lok Sabha:
- It is mandatory for the Speaker to resign from the political party soon after he/she is elected in order to honour the constitutional obligation of independence and impartiality.
- The Speaker is empowered to order the suspension of a member from the house and revoke such an order.
- When the Lok Sabha is dissolved the Speaker shall vacate his/her office immediately.
Options:
- 1 and 3 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
- 1 only
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
- In India, it is not mandatory for the Speaker to resign from the political party soon after he/she is elected.
- While the Speaker is empowered to place a Member under suspension, the authority for revocation of this order is not vested in the speaker.
- Whenever the Lok Sabha is dissolved, the Speaker shall not vacate his office until immediately before the first meeting of the Assembly after the dissolution.
Q3. Which of the given statements with respect to Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is/are correct?
- It was formed by an initiative of India and South Africa.
- All the QUAD members are among its member nations.
- Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD) is a flagship initiative of IORA.
- It has set up the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) at Gurugram.
Options:
- 2 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 4 only
- 3 and 4 only
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation:
- The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), formerly known as the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative and the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC), is an international organisation consisting of 23 states bordering the Indian Ocean. It was formed by an initiative of India and South Africa.
- Not all QUAD members are among the IORA member nations.
- The Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD) is a flagship initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), with its origins in the 13th Council of Ministers meeting, held in November 2013 in Perth, Australia.
- The IORA is tripartite in nature, bringing together representatives of Government, Business and Academia, for promoting cooperation and closer interaction among them.
- The Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) at Gurugram is a domestic initiative of India and has nothing to do with the IORA. The IFC-IOR was set up in 2018 to coordinate with regional countries on maritime issues and act as a regional repository of maritime data. It presently has linkages with 21 partner countries and 22 multi-national agencies across the globe.
Q4. Consider the following pairs:
Festivals Tribes
- Wanchuwa Tiwa
- Nyokum Nyishi
- Myoko Lushai
Options:
- 3 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
- The Wanchuwa festival is celebrated by Tiwa tribesmen of Karbi Anglong district of Assam. The festival is celebrated to mark a good harvest and involves prayers for protection from pests and natural calamities. It involves songs, dances and a bunch of rituals performed by people clad in their native attires.
- Nyokum is a festival celebrated by the Nyishi tribe of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The festival is commonly celebrated by people from all classes and walks of life for better productivity, prosperity and happiness of all human beings.
- The Myoko Festival is an annual celebration in Ziro Valley, by the Apatani tribes.
Q5. ‘Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA)’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of negotiations held between India and
- European Union
- Gulf Cooperation Council
- Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
- Shanghai Cooperation Organization
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: a
Explanation:
- The broad-based Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) is a proposed treaty between India and the EU.
- Through this agreement, India and the EU expect to promote bilateral trade by removing barriers to trade in goods and services and investment across all sectors of the economy.
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- Denial of access to credible data not only weakens governance, it also denies the citizens the basic right to hold the govt accountable. In the light of the Statement, examine the importance of data in policymaking. (15 Marks, 250 Words)[GS-2, Governance]
- India requires a police force that is responsive and respected and not one that is feared. Discuss the need for reforms and suggest measures. (15 Marks, 250 Words)[GS-2, Governance]
Read the previous CNA here.
August 19th, 2021, CNA:- Download PDF Here
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