06 Feb 2021: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 6th Feb 2021:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. J&K restores 4G mobile Internet
2. Registered unrecognised parties double in last 10 years
C. GS 3 Related
SECURITY
1. ‘No blanket nod given for surveillance’ 
ECONOMY
1. PSUs playing a role in farm sector will not be sold 
2. RBI reiterates growth-supportive stance
3. Retail investors to be able to buy G­Secs directly: RBI
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. A prisoner’s tragedy, a nation’s shame
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Terminal declined
F. Tidbits
G. Prelims Facts
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

A. GS 1 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

B. GS 2 Related

Category: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. J&K restores 4G mobile Internet

Context:

The Jammu and Kashmir administration restored high-speed mobile Internet.

Background:

• The internet services were shut by the government since August 5, 2019, when the Centre ended the state’s special status.

Read more on this topic covered in 11^th January 2020 Comprehensive News Analysis.

Details:

• Keeping in view the advice of a special committee and upon careful review of the overall security situation, the Home Department revoked the restrictions on mobile data services and fixed line Internet.
• Prepaid SIM card holders will also be provided services only after verification as per the norms applicable.

2. Registered unrecognised parties double in last 10 years

Context:

According to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), registered unrecognised parties doubled in the last 10 years.

Key findings:

• The contribution reports of only 3.39% of the total registered unrecognised political parties are available in the public domain for 2018-19, while the reports of only 3.56% of such parties for 2017-18 are uploaded on the respective State Chief Electoral Officers’ websites.
• The number of these parties increased two-fold in the last 10 years.
  • From 1,112 in 2010 to 2,301 in 2019.
  • The figure spiked disproportionately during the year of parliamentary election.
• The contribution reports of none of the registered unrecognised political parties of 25 States/UTs including Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, etc. are available on the respective State CEO websites for 2018-19. For 2017-18, contribution reports of parties of 21 states/UTs are not available.
  • The findings point to a violation of the ECI guidelines.

Details:

• There are 2,360 political parties registered with the Election Commission of India and 2,301 or 50% of them are unrecognised.

Registered Unrecognised Parties:

• Registered unrecognised parties are those that are:
  • Either newly registered parties (or)
  • Those which have not secured enough percentage of votes in Assembly or General Elections to become a State party (or)
  • Those which have never contested in elections since being registered
• Such parties don’t enjoy all the benefits extended to the recognised parties.

C. GS 3 Related

Category: SECURITY

1. ‘No blanket nod given for surveillance’

The Centre has denied granting blanket permission to any agency for interception or monitoring of any messages or information under its surveillance programmes such as the Centralised Monitoring System, the Network Traffic Analysis, and the National Intelligence Grid.

• An affidavit was filed by the Ministry of Home Affairs before the Delhi High Court in response to a petition seeking to constitute a permanent, independent oversight body for reviewing lawful interception and monitoring orders or warrants under the provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act and the Information Technology Act.
• The affidavit said that there is no blanket permission to any agency for interception or monitoring or decryption.
• It also said that permission from the competent authority (Union Home Secretary) is required, as per due process of law and rules in each case.
• The ministry said that the existing safeguards of oversight by a high-level committee chaired by Cabinet Secretary at the Central level and chaired by Chief Secretary at the State level, are adequate and provide effective supervision.

Centralised Monitoring System:

• The Centralised Monitoring System is a centralized telephone interception provisioning system installed by the Centre for Development of Telematics, an Indian Government owned telecommunications technology development centre.
• It is operated by Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring Cells.

Network Traffic Analysis:

• NETRA (Network Traffic Analysis) is a software network developed by the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, a DRDO laboratory.
• It is used by the Intelligence Bureau, and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), to intercept and analyse internet traffic using pre-defined filters.

National Intelligence Grid:

• The National Intelligence Grid or NATGRID is the integrated intelligence grid connecting databases of core security agencies of the Government of India.
• It collects comprehensive patterns of intelligence that can be readily accessed by intelligence agencies.

Category: ECONOMY

1. PSUs playing a role in farm sector will not be sold

Context:

The government has listed the firms that will stay outside the purview of divestment.

Details:

• The policy has specified four strategic sectors where ‘bare minimum’ public sector presence will be retained as per Finance Minister’s Budget speech.
• However, an annexure to the policy has listed out types of public sector entities that will remain outside its ambit.
• NITI Aayog would be in charge of recommending the firms in strategic sectors that should be retained, considered for privatisation or merger or ‘subsidiarisation’ with another public sector firm, or simply closed.
• DIPAM would move a proposal for obtaining ‘in-principle’ from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for strategic disinvestment of a specific PSE from time to time, on a case-to-case-basis.
• The timing for specific transactions will, however, be contingent on the considerations of appropriate sequencing, sectoral trends, administrative feasibility, investors’ interests, etc.

Outside purview of divestment:

• Public sector firms engaged in activities allied to the farm sector, such as provision of seeds to farmers, or procurement and distribution of food for the public distribution system, will not be up for sale under the new disinvestment policy announced in the Budget.
• Excluded are central public sector enterprises concerned with:
  • assisting farmers in getting access to seeds;
  • promoting innovation in agriculture;
  • procurement and distribution of food for the public distribution system.

2. RBI reiterates growth-supportive stance

Context:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said it would retain an accommodative policy stance into the next financial year to help revive growth on a durable basis even as it held interest rates and vowed to ensure inflation remains within the target.

Details:

• The RBI has announced that it would gradually restore the Cash Reserve Ratio.
  • The CRR had been cut to 4 % in two phases to address the pandemic’s fallout, as part of a ‘normalisation process’.
• RBI’s upper tolerance threshold of 6% was breached for six consecutive months through November 2020.
  • However, CPI inflation had eased to 4.6% in December 2020.
  • Core inflation, excluding food and fuel, however, remained elevated in December 2020 with only a marginal moderation.

Note:

• The MPC also estimated real GDP growth at 10.5% in 2021-22, slightly lower than the 11% projected in the Economic Survey and the International Monetary Fund’s forecast of 11.5%.

3. Retail investors to be able to buy G­Secs directly: RBI

Context:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said it would allow retail investors to open gilt accounts with the central bank to invest in government securities directly and without the help of intermediaries.

Details:

• It is proposed to provide retail investors with online access to the government securities market — both primary and secondary — directly through the Reserve Bank (Retail Direct).
• Government securities or G-Secs are securities issued by the RBI on behalf of the Government of India to meet the latter’s borrowing programme for financing fiscal deficit.

Significance:

• Allowing retail participation in the G-Sec market is a bold step towards the financialisation of a vast pool of domestic savings and could be a game-changer.
• This will broaden the investor base.
• It would provide retail investors with enhanced access to participate in the government securities market.
• This is a major structural reform placing India among select few countries which have similar facilities.
• This measure together with HTM [hold to maturity] relaxation, will facilitate the smooth completion of the government borrowing programme in 2021-22.

D. GS 4 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Terminal declined

Context:

Sri Lanka recently backed out of an agreement with India and Japan to develop the East Container Terminal (ECT) at the Colombo Port.

Significance of the project:

• The project, worth an estimated $500-$700 million, was a key marker for infrastructure investment in the island nation where Chinese projects are most prominent.
• More than two-thirds of trans-shipment at this port is tied to India, making it an important trade and connectivity link.
• As a joint venture for India and Japan to invest in, the project was also expected to showcase how two Indo-Pacific partners, and also Quad members, could provide South Asia with viable, transparent and sustainable alternatives for financing and development.

India’s Reaction:

• Both Japan and India have expressed their deep disappointment with the decision.
• India has said it continues to engage Sri Lanka on the ECT issue, although it remains cold to Colombo’s alternative offer of developing the West Container Terminal.
• Over the past year, India has invested much time and resources to India-Sri Lanka ties, including a new credit line, currency swap agreement, and COVID-19 assistance and vaccines.
• India has also set much store by its partnership with Japan, which could be a template for similar projects, as a counter to China’s BRI.

Conclusion:

• There is much at stake for all three countries to derail the partnership.
• It is in the best interest of all the three parties, but primarily Colombo’s, to find a compromise formula to salvage a deal that has far-reaching consequences for the region.

Read more on the topic in February 3rd, 2021 CNA.

Q1. Consider the following statements with respect to Start-up India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS):

Q2. Consider the following statements with respect to ‘e-CHARAK’:

Q3. Consider the following statements with respect to Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata (HSS)
 Yojana:

Q4. Consider the following statements with respect to registered unrecognised political 
parties:

Read the previous CNA here.

CNA 6th Feb 2021:- Download PDF Here