01 Feb 2022: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
POLITY
1. The limits of the legislature’s power to suspend a member
C. GS 3 Related
ECONOMY
1. Survey pegs growth at 8-8.5% in ’22-23
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
HEALTH
1. The case for vaccinating children against COVID-19
ECONOMY
1. A hazy picture on employment in India
POLITY
1. The supreme failure
F. Prelims Facts
1. Ethanol blending of 8.1% achieved, target was 10%
G. Tidbits
1. ‘Demand for MGNREGA work softens’
2. India ranks third globally in forest area gain: Survey
3. Railways to see ‘very high’ capex over 10 years: Survey
4. ‘Centre has adopted MSP, but States must facilitate crop shift’
5. Infra push
6. Social spending
7. India calls for ‘quiet diplomacy’ on Ukraine
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

A. GS 1 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

B. GS 2 Related

Category: POLITY

1. The limits of the legislature’s power to suspend a member

Syllabus: Parliament and State Legislatures— Functioning, Conduct of Business, Powers & Privileges and Issues Arising out of these/Separation of Powers between various organs

Prelims: Representation of the People Act, 1951 – provisions; Article 190(4) of the Constitution

Mains: General principles arising from the case

Context:

• Recently, the Supreme Court declared the suspension of 12 opposition legislators for one year by the Maharashtra Assembly for disorderly conduct as being irrational and illegal.
  • Amid accusations on the opposition legislators of damaging the presiding officer’s microphone and abusing the Deputy Speaker, a resolution moved by the state Parliamentary Affairs Minister suspending the 12 opposition MLAs was subsequently adopted by the Maharashtra Assembly. This barred the suspended MLAs from entering the legislative premises for 12 months.
  • This suspension was challenged in the Supreme Court.

Details:

• A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court has ruled that the suspension beyond the term of the particular session in which it was imposed was a nullity in the eyes of the law.

Maharashtra state government’s arguments:

• The main argument from the State government was that there is no limitation on the power of the legislature to punish for breach of privilege or disorderly conduct in the course of its proceedings and that there can be no judicial review of the manner in which it is exercised.
• It also contended that when the power to expel a member is available, the power to suspend, being a lesser punishment than expulsion, is also available to the House at all times.
• Though Rule 53 of the Maharashtra Assembly Rules provides powers for the Speaker to direct a member to withdraw from the Assembly for disorderly conduct for the day, or the remainder of the Session, there are no such limitations on the time period of suspension when the whole House decides to impose suspension.
• The Government also pointed out that in Raja Ram Pal (2007), the Supreme Court had upheld the expulsion of 12 MPs in the cash-for-questions scandal.

The Bench’s reasoning:

• Rule 53 allowed for only a ‘graded approach’ to the issue of disorderly behaviour, an initial suspension for a day, and then for the remainder of the session, but nothing beyond it. The suspension for 1 year is not in line with the ‘graded approach’ principle.
• Rule 53 has no separate provision for the House to impose a lengthy suspension.
• Suspension for 1 year seemed to have worse consequences than outright expulsion from the legislature, as a by-election will be held within six months.
  • The Representation of the People Act, 1951, states that any vacancy in the House has to be filled up through a by-election within six months of its occurrence.
• The Bench raised a question as to how any suspension can go beyond 60 days, in the light of Article 190(4) of the Constitution, which says the House could declare a seat vacant if a member is absent for 60 days.
• The suspension of an MLA beyond the session duration amounts to punitive action and does not count as a disciplinary measure.
• A one-year suspension meant that the constituency concerned would go without representation in the Assembly for a whole year.
• This could be detrimental to democracy, as it could be used to manipulate numbers in the legislature, and deny the opposition the opportunity to participate effectively in debates.

General principles arising from the case:

• Even though the judiciary will not interfere in the functioning of the legislature, the judiciary is not deprived of the power of judicial review if there is a violation of the Constitution.
• Despite having no prescribed limits to the privileges of the House, the privileges are subject to the provisions of the Constitution.

C. GS 3 Related

Category: ECONOMY

1. Survey pegs growth at 8-8.5% in ’22-23

Syllabus: Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment

Mains: Economic survey findings – Growth projections; Challenges/concerns for Indian economy

Context:

• Economic Survey for 2021-22 tabled by Union Finance Minister in Parliament.
• Read more on Economic Survey 2022 in the link.

Details:

• India’s GDP is expected to grow by 9.2% in 2021-22 and 8% to 8.5% in 2022-23.
• The 9.2% growth estimate for 2021-22 suggests a recovery above the pre-pandemic level of 2019-20 by 1.3%.

• The recovery is most significant in exports followed by government consumption and gross fixed capital formation.
  • India’s investment to GDP ratio has hit 29.6% in 2021-22, the highest level in seven years.
  • The Economic Survey attributes the increased capital formation in the economy to the government’s policy thrust on increased capex and infrastructure spending.
• Despite an overall recovery in the economy, private consumption and segments such as travel, trade and hotels are yet to fully recover.
  • Private consumption accounts for a large proportion of the GDP.
• The Economic Survey notes India’s macro-economic stability indicators on the external front, fiscal front as well as financial sector health as being well-placed.
  • India has recorded a modest current account deficit of 0.2% in the first half of the current fiscal year and there have been robust capital inflows in the form of foreign investment.
  • The relatively good position of the financial system would help increase the private sector investment which along with the government expenditure can play a critical role in the economic recovery process.
  • The survey estimates that the double-digit wholesale price inflation in recent months will ‘even out’.

Assumptions:

• The Economic Survey while making the advance estimates for the GDP mentions the following caveats for its estimates to hold.
  • No more pandemic related economic disruptions
  • Normal monsoonal rainfall
  • Oil prices will be in the range of $70-$75/barrel
  • Global supply chain disruptions will ease out
  • Orderly withdrawal of global liquidity by major central banks following the fiscal stimulus provided during the pandemic

Concerns:

• The Economic Survey raises concerns over the following aspects.

Inflation pressures:

• The wholesale inflation (WPI) remained above 10% for the ninth consecutive month in December 2021. Retail inflation (CPI) accelerated to a five-month high of 5.6%.

Energy prices:

• The price of crude oil is moving up. It is moving towards the $90/barrel mark.
• The high excise duty has resulted in the retail price of fuel remaining high.

Liquidity woes:

• Expansionary macroeconomic policies were adopted worldwide in response to the crisis brought out by the pandemic. These policies were aimed at stabilising financial conditions and fostering economic recovery. The abundant global liquidity led to emerging economies like India experiencing large capital inflows.
• However, several central banks in both advanced and emerging market economies have begun unwinding from crisis-time policies as warranted by their own growth-inflation dynamics. There is considerable uncertainty at this moment on how the growth-inflation dynamics will pan out in the immediate months. The financial conditions are turning increasingly volatile as a consequence.
• The tightening of global liquidity poses a challenge to economic recovery in India given that it might result in large scale capital outflows.

CEA statement:

• The Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) noted that the sharp contraction after the national lockdown was followed by a sharp revival in the second half of 2020-21 which was followed by disruption again due to the second COVID wave in April 2021 followed by yet another economic recovery. This is being described as a sort of W shaped recovery.
• The CEA attributed the economic recovery post the disruptions to the policies pursued by the government of providing short-term support to vulnerable sectors while keeping in check the medium-term fiscal health and undertaking process as well as supply-side reforms.
• The CEA stated that the growth estimates for 2022-23 would be supported by widespread vaccine coverage, gains from supply-side reforms and easing of regulations, robust export growth, and the availability of fiscal space to increase capital spending.

D. GS 4 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

E. Editorials

Category: HEALTH

1. The case for vaccinating children against COVID-19

Syllabus: Issues relating to Health

Mains: Critical evaluation of the need for vaccinating children against COVID-19

Context: 

India has decided to administer Covid-19 vaccines to children in the age group of 15-18 years in view of the recent global surge of coronavirus infections and detection of the new Omicron variant of the virus.

Which Risk Factors Make Children in India Vulnerable to Severe COVID-19? 

• Heart Diseases: It is estimated that a higher number of children are born with congenital heart defects every year in India. 
• Cases of Cancer: New cases of cancer in children are about 50,000 per year. 
• Neurological Disorders: A huge number of children have neurological disorders. 
• Disability: As per a United Nations estimate, about 7% of children in India are disabled due to various diseases. 
• Obesity: India has the second-highest number of obese children in the world.
• Nephrotic Syndrome: The burden of childhood nephrotic syndrome is high. Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney disorder causing the body to pass too much protein in the urine.
• Sickle Cell Diseases: Sickle cell disease is highly prevalent in tribal children in India. 
• Immune Deficiency Disease: Estimates show that over a million children have primary immune deficiency disease. 

Vaccinating Children Against COVID-19

• Arguments in favour:

1. Vaccination of children is being seen as an enabler for the age group and also the rest of society. 
2. Vaccination has shown efficiency in reducing the rate of transmission and severity of illness. 
3. By vaccinating children we will be able to start schools in full strength and help them lead a normal life.

• Arguments against:

1. Experts believe that children are extremely unlikely to develop complications, severe disease or death due to COVID-19. So the need for vaccination is not severe.
2. Besides, the panic created by any bad outcomes in children’s vaccination can in fact be counter-productive for the entire vaccination process.
3. It does not make sense to vaccinate enormous numbers of children to prevent one rare complication. We should prioritize children who need vaccines the most. 

How vaccination helps prevent post-Covid risks in children?

• Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS):
  • Most of the children develop Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS) four to six weeks after COVID-19.
  • Statistics available in India showed 5% mortality among 800 children hospitalized for MIS; more than half required intensive care. COVID-19 vaccination will be beneficial in tackling Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS).
• Diabetes:
  • Another post-COVID-19 disease in adults and children is diabetes, starting within weeks. Several reports show that the incidence of post-COVID-19 diabetes is higher in children. 
  • India already has a heavy burden of diabetes in children. COVID-19 vaccination will prevent post-COVID-19 diabetes.

Factors to be Considered During Child Vaccination: 

Conclusion: 

William Wordsworth has famously said, “The child is the father of man.” Vaccinating children would help control infection spread and return to normalcy faster.  Administering a safe vaccine as early as possible to children elicits the best immune responses and forms a firm foundation for life-long immunity. All facts considered, rolling out vaccination with vaccine(s) of assured safety is the right way forward.

Category: ECONOMY

1. A hazy picture on employment in India

Syllabus: Issues relating to employment.

Mains: Trends in Employment Pattern in India and need of change in growth model

Context: 

Budget 2022-23 was presented amidst concerns of high levels of unemployment in the country.

National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) Surveys:

• The quinquennial Employment and Unemployment surveys of the National Sample Survey (NSS) are the primary sources of data on various indicators of the labour force at National and State levels.
• The last available data from the Census are from 2011. Similarly, the quinquennial NSSO data on employment and unemployment are available up to 2011-12. 
• Know more about National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).

Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS):

• The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) was designed with two major objectives for the measurement of employment and unemployment. 
• Started in 2017-18 on an annual basis, the PLFS data set is now available for three consecutive years i.e., 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20. 
• Issue with PLFS Data: The PLFS data cannot be used to infer an underlying trend, as they are available only for three years.
• Significance of PLFS Data: They can be used to reveal the effect of various policies and development regimes as well as to understand and shape the employment scenario based on concrete statistics.

PLFS vs NSSO:

• The PLFS is based on a different sampling framework and uses a different analytical approach vis-a-vis NSSO surveys on employment. 
• As a result, the time series data on employment and unemployment available from NSSO surveys are not comparable with PLFS data. 

Trends In Employment Pattern In India: 

1. Worker to population (WPR) ratio: 
   1. PLFS data show an increase in the worker to population (WPR) ratio from 34.7% in 2017-18 to 38.2% in 2019-20. 
   2. This change implies that employment has increased at a much faster rate than the growth in population. 
2. Female WPR ratio:
   1. Female WPR ratio increased from 17.5% to 24% between 2017-18 and 2019-20. 
   2. When this ratio is multiplied by the female population, it shows an annual increase of 17% of women workers. 
3. Male and female worker participation rate
   1. Another positive indication from PLFS data is that the gap between the male and female worker participation rate is narrowing down. 
   2. As against 100 male workers, there were 32 female workers in the workforce in 2017-18. This number increased to 40 in 2019-20. 
4. Unemployment rate in the female labour force
   1. Unemployment rate in the female labour force in rural areas is far lower than the male labour force, whereas the opposite holds true in urban areas. 
5. Unemployment Rate
   1. PLFS data show that the unemployment rate based on principal status plus subsidiary status declined from 6.1% in 2017-18 to 4.8% in 2019-20. 
   2. This shows that the number of jobs increased at a faster rate than the increase in the number of job seekers between 2017-18 and 2019-20. 
6. Sectoral Composition of the workforce
   1. According to PLFS data, the sectoral composition of the workforce shows that 45.6% of the workers in India are engaged in agriculture and allied activities, 30.8% in services and 23.7% in industry. 
   2. No increase in the share of industry and services in total employment. 
   3. Employment in the manufacturing sector showed a meagre increase of 1.8 million in two years.

Way forward: 

• There is an urgent need to generate much more employment in the manufacturing and services sector compared to the number of jobs they have offered in the recent past. 
• India should rethink the strategy of striving for an industry-led growth model and explore a more relevant agri-centric model of economic transformation to create more attractive, more remunerative and more satisfying employment in and around agriculture. This should include –
  • changes in labour laws that discourage industry to adopt labour-intensive production 
  • employment-linked production incentives and; 
  • special assistance for labour-intensive economic activities.

Category: POLITY

1. The supreme failure

Syllabus: Structure, organization and functioning of the Judiciary

Context: 

The huge pendency of cases, including high profile cases in the Supreme Court.

Concerns associated with high Pendency of cases in the Supreme Court

• Pendency of cases: As per the Vidhi Centre comprehensive tracker, there are 25 main cases pending before the five-judge constitution bench and five cases each pending before the seven-judge and nine-judge benches. 
• Interdependent Cases: Related to these pending main cases, there are more than 500 connected cases. These cases cannot be decided till the legal issues in the main cases before the constitutional benches are addressed. 
• Repercussions on the Fundamental Rights: Pending cases relate to significant constitutional and other legal matters that can have serious repercussions on the fundamental rights of ordinary citizens and our core republican values. 
• Eroding respect for the law: The huge pendency of cases erodes respect for law among citizens.

Some of the important cases pending in the Supreme Court are as follows:

• Petitions against Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019: A deluge of petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 are pending for more than two years.
• Petitions against Article 370: Innumerable petitions have been filed challenging the Presidential Order that effectively diluted Article 370 of the Constitution and split Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories. 
• Petitions against reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS): Petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019 are also languishing in the Supreme Court.
• Petition against Demonetisation: A momentous case known as Vivek Narayan Sharma v. Union of India, relating to the legality of demonetisation, has been in the Supreme Court for more than five years. 
• Petition against Electoral bonds: The Supreme Court has failed to accord proper hearing in the last four years to the constitutional challenge to the electoral bonds scheme.

Way Forward: 

The Supreme Court should perform its constitutional duty of being a balancing force against the legislature and executive. The power of judicial review which is critical to democracy should be exercised assiduously.

Recommendations of Law Commission of India 229th Report: The Law Commission of India in its 229th Report recommended models to reduce the workload of the Supreme Court: A Constitution Bench be set up at Delhi to deal with constitutional and other allied issues as aforesaid. Parliament should enact a suitable legislation/Constitutional amendment for this purpose.

 

2. India ranks third globally in forest area gain: Survey

• India has increased its forest area in the past decade and ranks third globally in average annual net gain in forest area from 2010-2020. India annually added an average 2,66,000 hectares of forest area over the period.
• Forests covered 24% of India’s geographical area, accounting for 2% of the world’s total forest area in 2020, the department said.

3. Railways to see ‘very high’ capex over 10 years: Survey

• The Economic Survey notes that in the next 10 years, the railway sector will see a ‘very high level’ of capital expenditure (capex) as capacity growth has to be accelerated such that by 2030 it is ahead of demand.
• The modal share of railways in freight is also likely to rise to 40-45% from the present level of 26-27%.

4. ‘Centre has adopted MSP, but States must facilitate crop shift’

• The agricultural sector continued to be a major driver of the economy in the pandemic era, with the sector’s growth rate rising from 3.6% in 2020-21 to 3.9% in 2021-2022.
• The Economic Survey emphasizes the urgent need for crop diversification in view of the severe water stress in areas where paddy, wheat and sugarcane are grown.
• It also emphasizes the need to increase oilseed production and reduce dependency on imports of cooking oil.
• The survey urged for an increase in funding for agricultural research noting that “every rupee spent on agricultural research and development yields better returns compared to returns on money spent on subsidies or other expenditures on inputs.”

5. Infra push

• According to the Economic Survey, 13,327 km of National Highways or roads were constructed in 2020-21. This marks a significant increase compared to last fiscal.
• The significant upturn in road construction in 2020-21 was due to the increase in public expenditure by 29.5% as compared to the previous year.

6. Social spending

• The combined expenditure of the Centre and the State governments on the social services sector (education, health and other segments) increased during the financial year 2021-22 and stood at ₹71.61 lakh crore. This marks an increase of 9.8% compared to the 2020-21 financial year.

7. India calls for ‘quiet diplomacy’ on Ukraine

• India has called for quiet diplomacy and the peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine tensions through sustained diplomatic efforts.
• India called for the immediate de-escalation of the situation while taking into account the security interests of all countries and called for measures aiming towards securing long term peace in the region as well as securing international peace and security.
• India reiterated support for the July 2020 ceasefire, the 2014 Minsk Agreement and the Normandy Process.
• Apart from close strategic ties with both Russia and Ukraine, India is also concerned about the wellbeing of a large number of its citizens who are residing in Ukraine.
  • More than 20,000 Indian nationals live in Ukraine.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements with regards to the National Commission for Protection
of Child Rights:

1. It is a statutory body under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 under the administrative control of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India.
2. The commission defines a child as a person between the ages of 0 and 18 years.
3. The commission has a chairperson and six members of which at least two should be women.

Choose the correct code:

1. 1 & 2 only
2. 2 & 3 only
3. 1 & 3 only
4. All of the above

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

• The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights is an Indian statutory body established by an Act of Parliament, the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005. It was set up in March 2007.
• The Commission’s mandate is to ensure that all Laws, Policies, Programmes, and Administrative Mechanisms are in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Child is defined as a person in the 0 to 18 years age group.
• The Commission works under the aegis of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• The commission consists of the following members namely:
  • A chairperson who, is a person of eminence and has done outstanding work for promoting the welfare of children; and
  • Six members, out of which at least two are woman, are appointed by the Central Government from amongst persons of eminence, ability, integrity, standing and experience.

Q2. Consider the following statements with regards to the appointment of judges in the 
higher judiciary in India:

1. Collegium is the system of appointment and transfer of judges that has evolved through judgments of the Supreme Court, and not by an Act of Parliament or by a provision of the Constitution.
2. In the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association Vs Union of India, 1993, a nine-judge Constitution Bench devised a specific procedure called ‘Collegium System’ for the appointment and transfer of judges in the higher judiciary.
3. As per the third judges’ case, the sole opinion of the CJI does not constitute the consultation process.

Choose the correct code:

1. 1 & 2 only
2. 2 & 3 only
3. 1 & 3 only
4. All of the above

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

• The Collegium system has evolved through judgments of the Supreme Court and is not backed by an Act of Parliament or by a provision of the Constitution.
• ‘Collegium System’ for the appointment and transfer of judges in the higher judiciary evolved from the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association Vs Union of India, 1993 case judgment.
• As per the SC guidelines in the third judges’ case, the sole, individual opinion of the CJI does not constitute consultation. The CJI can only make a recommendation to appoint a judge of the Supreme Court and to transfer a Chief Justice or puisne judge of a High Court in consultation with the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.

Q3. Which of the following nations is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation 
Treaty (NPT)?

1. Iran
2. Syria
3. South Sudan
4. Afghanistan

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

• The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as the Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT, is an international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.
• South Sudan is not a signatory of the NPT. Other non-signatory countries include India and Pakistan.

Q4. Consider the following statements with respect to the National Clean Air Programme:

1. The NCAP has set a target of reducing key air pollutants PM10 and PM2.5 (ultra-fine particulate matter) by 20-30% by 2024, taking the pollution levels in 2019 as the base year.
2. The NCAP has identified 132 cities as non-attainment cities as they did not meet the national ambient air quality standards for 2011-15 under the National Air Quality Monitoring Program.
3. The NCAP was launched in 2019.

Choose the correct code:

1. 1 & 2 only
2. 2 & 3 only
3. 1 & 3 only
4. All of the above

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

• The NCAP launched in 2019, has set a target of reducing key air pollutants PM10 and PM2.5 (ultra-fine particulate matter) by 20-30% by 2024, taking the pollution levels in 2017 as the base year.

Q5. With reference to the provisions contained in Part IV of the Constitution of India, 
which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. They shall be enforceable by courts.
2. They shall not be enforceable by any court.
3. The principles laid down in this part are to influence the making of laws by the State.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 2 and 3 only

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

• Part IV of the Constitution of India deals with Directive Principles of State Policy.
• ‘Directive Principles of State Policy’ are the constitutional instructions or recommendations to the State in legislative, executive and administrative matters. The Directive Principles resemble the ‘Instrument of Instructions’ enumerated in the Government of India Act of 1935. They seek to establish economic and social democracy in the country.
• The Directive Principles are non-justiciable in nature, that is, they are not legally enforceable by the courts. Therefore, the government (Central, state and local) cannot be compelled to implement them. Nevertheless, the Constitution (Article 37) itself says that these principles are fundamental in the governance of the country and it shall be the duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws.