05 February 2024 CNA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. GS 1 Related B. GS 2 Related POLITY 1. On Uttarakhand’s Uniform Civil Code C. GS 3 Related D. GS 4 Related E. Editorials ECONOMY 1. A sunshine initiative INTERNATIONAL RELATION 1. Unending woes SOCIAL ISSUES 1. Micro-credentials, the next chapter in higher education POLITY 1. Panchayats earn only 1% of their revenue through taxes F. Prelims Facts 1. US Strikes 2. Ergosphere G. Tidbits 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. On Uttarakhand’s Uniform Civil Code
Syllabus: Indian Constitution- Historical Underpinnings, Evolution, Features, Amendments, Significant Provisions and Basic Structure.
Mains: Uniform Civil code
Introduction:
The proposal for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand has reignited a longstanding debate in India, stirring discussions on legal, social, and political fronts.
Historical Background:
The idea of a UCC traces back to Article 44 of the Indian Constitution, emphasizing the need for a unified set of laws governing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance. However, its implementation has been fraught with challenges, reflecting diverse opinions and concerns.
Perspective in its favor:
It is argued that a UCC can foster gender equality, eradicate discriminatory practices embedded in personal laws, and promote national integration. The move by the Uttarakhand government reflects a commitment to reform and modernize legal frameworks, aligning with constitutional principles of justice and equality.
Challenges and Controversies:
Opposition to the UCC stems from apprehensions regarding its impact on religious diversity and minority rights. Critics express concerns about potential dilution of cultural identities and fear imposition of majority norms on minority communities. The need for consensus-building and respect for pluralism remains central to addressing these challenges.
Uttarakhand’s Approach:
The Uttarakhand government’s initiative to formulate a UCC underscores proactive governance and responsiveness to electoral promises. The proposed UCC aims to address gender disparities, eliminate regressive practices, and uphold constitutional values of equality and justice.
Conclusion:
As Uttarakhand charts its course towards a UCC, the journey embodies a complex interplay of legal, social, and political dynamics. The state’s deliberations offer valuable insights into the nuanced discourse surrounding personal laws and the quest for equitable legal frameworks in a diverse society. Moving forward, dialogue, inclusivity, and sensitivity to diverse perspectives will be pivotal in shaping the trajectory of the UCC debate nationwide.
Nut graf: The proposal for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand reignites India’s longstanding debate, reflecting constitutional principles of justice and equality while grappling with challenges of religious diversity and minority rights. Uttarakhand’s initiative embodies proactive governance, aiming to address gender disparities and uphold constitutional values amid complex legal, social, and political dynamics.
C. GS 3 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
D. GS 4 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
E. Editorials
Category: ECONOMY
Syllabus: Infrastructure: Energy
Mains: Role of Sunshine Initiative in increasing the adoption of renewable
Introduction: Overview of the Sunshine Initiative:
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a plan to provide power to one crore households through rooftop solar panels in the interim Budget.
- The goal is to help households save ₹15,000 annually, particularly targeting those with a monthly electricity consumption of less than 300 units.
Subsidy and Financing Structure:
- Households meeting the criteria can install a mid-sized solar system (1-2 kilowatt) with the government covering the expenses.
- The current subsidy for rooftop solar systems is 40%, and under the proposed policy, it will increase to 60%. The remaining cost will be financed by a private developer affiliated with a public sector enterprise linked to the Power Ministry.
Mechanism for Quality Assurance and Service Reliability:
- The proposed policy aims to ensure quality installation and reliable service by involving private developers connected to the Power Ministry.
- The introduction of ‘net-metering’ allows households to sell surplus electricity back to the grid, helping to offset the loan.
Central Government’s Role vs. State Discoms:
- A significant shift from previous policies is that the central government, rather than State power distribution companies (discoms), will be leading the solarization initiative.
- The move is crucial as many discoms, facing financial challenges, have shown little incentive to transition high-consumption customers to decentralized solutions like rooftop solar.
Conclusion and Considerations for Success:
- It is being emphasized the importance of involving households in the move towards decarbonized power.
- Despite the positive initiative, there’s a need to ensure flexibility and accommodation to States to address challenges and increase the success rate of the program.
Nut Graf: The Sunshine Initiative aims to provide solar power to one crore households, with increased subsidies and private financing. It marks a shift as the central government takes the lead, emphasizing the need for flexibility and state collaboration for successful implementation.
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Syllabus: India and its Neighborhood- Relations.
Mains: Fisherman issue between India and Sri Lanka and way forward
Context :
- Recent incidents of arrests and attacks on Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy raise serious concerns.
- Numbers show a significant increase, with 69 fishermen arrested this year compared to 240 in the entire previous year.
Impact of Bottom Trawling:
- Sri Lankan authorities attribute their actions to protests from Northern province fishermen against Tamil Nadu fishermen.
- Bottom trawling, a banned practice since July 2017, continues to be a contentious issue, affecting Sri Lankan Tamil fishers’ livelihood.
Broken Promises and Incentives:
- Despite promises to end bottom trawling in the Palk Bay, Indian fishermen still engage in this destructive practice.
- The Blue Revolution Scheme, aimed at incentivizing deep-sea fishing, has not effectively curbed bottom trawler activities.
Legal and Practical Challenges:
- The Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulation Act restricts mechanized fishing boats to operate beyond three nautical miles from the coast.
- The proximity between Dhanushkodi and the International Maritime Boundary Line (nine nautical miles) results in inevitable breaches.
Diplomatic Inconsistencies and Unfulfilled Agreements:
- Diplomatic interventions and agreements, such as the Joint Working Group on Fisheries, have not yielded consistent results.
- The Joint Working Group has only had five sittings, the last one being in 2022, revealing a lack of sustained commitment to resolving the issue.
Conclusion:
- Urgent and tangible actions are necessary to encourage deep-sea fishing, discourage bottom trawling, and address the issue with compassion through periodic talks.
- Failure to resolve these issues could lead to continued peril for Indian fishermen in the Palk Bay.
Nut Graf: Escalating tensions between Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen in the Palk Bay, exacerbated by bottom trawling disputes, demand urgent attention. Unfulfilled promises, legal challenges, and diplomatic inconsistencies hinder resolution, posing ongoing risks for Indian fishermen.
Category: SOCIAL ISSUES
1. Micro-credentials, the next chapter in higher education
Syllabus: Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Mains: Potential and opportunities of Micro-Credentials in Indian higher education system
Introduction:
- Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in India are urged to take a proactive role in enhancing employability by addressing the gap between academic knowledge and real-world skills.
- Micro-credentials are emerging as a disruptive solution due to their flexibility, accessibility, and the changing trend of prioritizing skills over degrees in hiring practices.
About Micro-Credentials:
- Micro-credentials are short-duration learning activities with specific learning outcomes validated through a reliable assessment process.
- They are offered in various modes (online, physical, or hybrid) and at different levels (beginning, intermediate, or advanced).
- Unlike traditional degrees, micro-credentials provide ‘just-in-time’ skills and are suitable for life-long learners and working professionals.
Key Players and Offerings:
- Various organizations like Atingi, Alison.com, Coursera, edX, and industry giants like Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, and PwC are actively involved in offering micro-credentials.
- Many universities globally, including those in Australia, Canada, Europe, the UK, and the US, have embraced micro-credentials, and the trend is expected to grow.
Credit System and Quality Benchmarking:
- While traditional degrees use ‘credits’ associated with time spent in classrooms, micro-credentials associate credits with the notional hours required to acquire a defined competency.
- Quality benchmarking and regulation are essential to ensure consistent learning outcomes and easy endorsement in the workplace and higher education institutes.
Adoption in India and the National Credit Framework (NCrF):
- India has introduced the NCrF, specifying learning outcomes and corresponding credits for student progression.
- Micro-credentials, being portable and stackable on digital platforms like the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), align well with the NCrF, providing opportunities for integration with regular degree programs.
Fostering Trust and Partnership with Industry:
- To ensure the authenticity of skills acquired through micro-credentials, alignment with higher education standards, reliable assessment methods, and HEI involvement are crucial.
- Indian HEIs are encouraged to partner with industries, leveraging the NCrF to develop credit-based micro-credentials as part of regular degree programs.
Potential Impact and Future Considerations:
- As the NCrF is implemented, HEIs in India should consider micro-credentials as a strategic element in their institutional objectives.
- Broader discussions are needed to explore the potential impact and additional value that micro-credentials can bring to the tertiary education system.
- Harmonizing micro-credentials with existing academic programs through clear validation metrics is essential for effective integration.
Nut Graf: Micro-credentials are reshaping higher education in India, addressing the employability gap by offering just-in-time skills. With global participation from industry giants and universities, their integration with the National Credit Framework presents an opportunity for transformative change in Indian Higher Education Institutes.
Category: POLITY
1. Panchayats earn only 1% of their revenue through taxes
Syllabus: Devolution of Powers and Finances up to Local Levels and Challenges Therein
Mains: Issue of revenue generation by Panchayats and possible solutions
Introduction: Revenue Composition of Panchayats
- Only 1% of panchayats’ revenue is generated through taxes, with the majority sourced from grants provided by the Centre and States.
- Specifically, 80% of the revenue comes from Central government grants, while 15% is derived from State government grants.
- Panchayats operate at three levels: gram sabhas, panchayat samithis, and zila parishads, with responsibilities ranging from agriculture to healthcare.
Challenges and Interference:
- Due to heavy reliance on external funding, panchayats often face interference from higher tiers of the government system.
- Instances of protests by panchayat heads, use of private funds, and delays in fund disbursement by State governments highlight the challenges faced by these local bodies.
RBI’s Recommendations for Decentralization:
- The Reserve Bank of India’s 2022-23 report on Panchayati Raj Institutions suggests promoting greater decentralization to empower local leaders and officials.
- The report emphasizes the need for reducing dependence on Central and State funds to enhance the autonomy of panchayats.
Revenue Breakdown for 2022-23:
- In the fiscal year 2022-23, panchayats recorded a total revenue of ₹35,354 crore.
- Only ₹737 crore was generated through taxes, while ₹1,494 crore came from non-tax revenue. The bulk of the revenue (₹32,847 crore) was obtained through grants from the Central and State governments.
Regional Disparities and State-wise Analysis:
- Wide variations exist among states in terms of average revenue earned per panchayat.
- Kerala and West Bengal lead with over ₹60 lakh and ₹57 lakh average revenue per panchayat, respectively.
- Some states, like Andhra Pradesh and Haryana, show low average revenues, forming only a minuscule share of the respective State’s revenue.
Nut Graf: Panchayats in India face a funding crisis, with only 1% of revenue from taxes. Heavy reliance on Central and State grants leads to interference, prompting calls for decentralization and empowering local leaders, as highlighted in a recent Reserve Bank of India report.
F. Prelims Facts
1. US Strikes
Context: Iran issued a stern warning to the United States after concerns arose about potential targeting of two cargo ships in West Asia, believed to serve as forward operating bases for Iranian commandos.
Issue:
- The warning followed a significant airstrike campaign launched by the United States and the United Kingdom against Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
- Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree emphasized that these attacks would not deter Yemeni forces from supporting Palestinians against Zionist occupation.
- In response, U.S. cautioned the Houthis, warning of further consequences if they did not halt their illegal attacks on international shipping and naval vessels.
Significance: The cargo ships, Behshad and Saviz, suspected of being Iranian spy outposts, have loitered in the Red Sea off Yemen for years, prompting heightened concerns over regional stability.
2. Ergosphere
Context: Rotating black holes, scientifically termed Kerr black holes, exhibit a fascinating feature called the ergosphere, situated outside their outer event horizon.
About:
- These cosmic entities originate from the gravitational collapse of massive stars when they exhaust their nuclear fuel, leading to a core implosion that forms a black hole.
- At the heart of a black hole lies a gravitational singularity, where the laws of general relativity break down.
- The event horizon encircles this singularity, marking a boundary beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape.
- Adjacent to the event horizon lies the ergosphere, a region where objects can enter and exit if they achieve velocities close to the speed of light.
- Named after the Greek word “ergon” meaning “work,” the ergosphere allows the extraction of matter and energy.
Significance:
Some scientists propose leveraging the ergosphere to accelerate objects along the black hole’s rotation, facilitating their exit at increased speeds while the black hole loses angular momentum.
G. Tidbits
Nothing here for today!!!
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q1. Consider the following statements:
- QUAD is a quadrilateral security dialogue between India, USA, South Korea and Japan.
- Exercise Malabar is a naval exercise involving the QUAD nations. Australia rejoined the exercise in 2020.
Which of these statement(s) is /are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- 1 & 2
- None of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation:
The QUAD, or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, consists of four countries: India, the United States, Japan, and Australia. South Korea is not part of the QUAD.
Exercise Malabar is a naval exercise that originally involved India, the United States, and Japan. Australia rejoined Exercise Malabar in 2020.
Q2. FAME II , a scheme launched by the Government of India is related to which of the following?
- Promoting the adoption of solar energy
- Giving a boost to the development of Electric Vehicles
- Development of entrepreneurs in rural areas by providing them the required skills and economic support
- Increasing Mangrove cover along the coastline and on salt pan lands in India
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation: FAME II, launched by the Government of India, is related to giving a boost to the development of Electric Vehicles (EVs). It is a scheme aimed at promoting the adoption and manufacturing of electric and hybrid vehicles in the country. FAME II provides financial incentives and subsidies to support the production and purchase of EVs, thereby encouraging their widespread adoption and reducing dependence on fossil fuels in the transportation sector.
Q3. Consider the following statements:
- Gaganyaan mission, will be India’s first human-manned space flight carrying Indian astronauts into space.
- The NISAR Mission is a joint effort between the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
- The purpose of NISAR is to launch a powerful satellite that will observe the Earth’s dynamic surfaces, including ice masses, land, and vegetation.
Which of these statement(s) is /are correct?
- 1 & 2
- 2 & 3
- 1 & 3
- All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation: The correct answer is option (c) 1 & 3.
The Gaganyaan mission is India’s first human-manned space flight program, aiming to carry Indian astronauts into space.
The NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) Mission is a joint effort between NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and ISRO, not the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) Mission, aims to deploy a robust satellite equipped with a synthetic aperture radar to monitor Earth’s dynamic surfaces, encompassing ice masses, land, and vegetation.
Q4. Consider the following statements:
- Deepor Beel is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Assam, and is the State’s only Ramsar site.
- Assam shares its international border with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Which of these statement(s) is /are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 & 2
- None of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: a
Explanation:
Deepor Beel is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Assam, and it is also the State’s only Ramsar site. Ramsar sites are designated wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
The second statement is incorrect. Assam shares its international border with Bhutan, China, and Bangladesh, not Nepal.
Q5. Local self-government can be best explained as an exercise in
- Federalism
- Democratic decentralization
- Administrative delegation
- Direct democracy
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation:
Local self-government is best explained as an exercise in democratic decentralization. It involves the transfer of power, authority, and responsibilities from the central government to local authorities or bodies elected by the people. This decentralization allows for greater participation of citizens in decision-making processes that directly affect their communities, contributing to the principles of democracy and local autonomy.
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- Is Uniform Civil code the need of the hour and what are the challenges in it’s implementation ? (10 marks, 150 words) [GS-2, Indian Polity]
- Panchayati Raj Institutions have many limitations which is not allowing them to achieve their full potential. Critically Analyze. (15 marks, 250 words) [GS-2, Indian Polity]
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