08 Feb 2022: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
C. GS 3 Related
ECONOMY
1. RBI’s digital currency plans
DEFENCE AND INTERNAL SECURITY
1. The BrahMos deal and India’s defence exports
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Notes for India as the digital trade juggernaut rolls on
ECONOMY
1. A self-reliant pharma industry
HEALTH
1. A dose of science in the vaccination strategy
F. Prelims Facts
1. Universalise maternity benefit scheme, say activists
G. Tidbits
1. Coast under pressure
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

A. GS 1 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

B. GS 2 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

D. GS 4 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

E. Editorials

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Notes for India as the digital trade juggernaut rolls on

Syllabus: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. 

Prelims: Joint Statement Initiative (JSI)

Mains:  Significance of Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) and  India and South Africa resistance against JSI.

Context:

This article evaluates the significance of the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) and the resistance of India and South Africa against JSI.

What is the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI)?

• Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) can be broadly defined as a plurilateral negotiating tool initiated by a group of WTO Members who start negotiations on certain issues without adhering to the rule of consensus decision-making. 
• These negotiations are primarily driven by like-minded developed country Members, although there is also some participation from developing countries. 
• JSI Members seek to tap into opportunities in sectors with limited WTO jurisprudence (i.e., e-commerce, investment). 

Background of  Joint Statement Initiative (JSI)

• At the 11th Ministerial Conference in December 2017, like-minded groups of members issued joint statements on advancing discussions on e-commerce, multilateral framework on investment facilitation, MSMEs, etc.
• In 2020, new initiatives were launched on trade and environmental sustainability and on plastics pollution and environmentally sustainable plastics trade. 
• In 2021, members of the Joint Initiative on Services Domestic Regulation concluded negotiations.

Joint Statement Initiative on e-commerce: The first Joint Statement on Electronic Commerce was released at the 11th Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires in 2017.  It aims to ‘initiate exploratory work together toward future WTO negotiations on trade-related aspects of electronic commerce.’

Why are India and South Africa against the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI)?

• India and South Africa fear being arm-twisted into accepting global rules that could escalate domestic policymaking and economic growth. 
• India and South Africa argue that the moratorium imposes significant costs on developing countries as they are unable to benefit from the revenue customs duties would bring.
• India and South Africa have rightly pointed out that the JSI contravenes the WTO’s consensus-based framework, where every member has a voice and vote regardless of economic standing. 
• India and South Africa’s positioning strikes questions on how to balance the sovereign right of states to shape domestic policy with international obligations that would enable them to reap the benefits of a global trading system.

What are the Concerns with the Free Flow of Data across Borders?

• Several countries, both within and outside the JSI, have imposed data localisation mandates that compel corporations to store and process data within territorial borders. 
• The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on data protection has recommended stringent localisation measures for sensitive personal data and critical personal data in India’s data protection legislation. 
• However, for nations and industries in the developed world looking to access new digital markets, these restrictions impose unnecessary compliance costs. Developed countries believe that JSI hampers innovation, whereas developing countries believe it is essential for algorithmic transparency and fairness.

Recommendations for India:

• Data sovereignty is championed as a means of resisting ‘data colonialism’, the exploitative economic practices and intensive lobbying of Silicon Valley companies. 
• Policymaking for India’s digital economy is at a critical juncture. 
• Surveillance reform, personal data protection, algorithmic governance, and non-personal data regulation must be galvanized through evidenced insights, and work for individuals, communities, and aspiring local businesses.
• India can consider the example of the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) between Singapore, Chile, and New Zealand.
• India can push for a framework where countries can pick and choose modules with which they wish to comply. 
• These combinations can be amassed incrementally as emerging economies such as India work through domestic regulations.

Conclusion: 

Despite its failings, the WTO plays a critical role in global governance and is vital to India’s strategic interests. India should consider compromising on their multilateralization goal in order to form JSIs and safeguard the trust of developing countries in the system. Negotiating without surrendering domestic policy-making holds the key to India’s digital future.

Category: ECONOMY

1. A self-reliant pharma industry

Syllabus: Issues relating to mobilization of resources.

Mains: Significance of the PLI Scheme for Pharmaceuticals and ways to make the pharma industry in India self-reliant.

Category: HEALTH

1. A dose of science in the vaccination strategy

Syllabus: Issues relating to Health

Mains: Recent developments and impacts on India’s vaccination strategy

Context: 

This article underlines the need for a vaccination strategy for India and the factors to be considered while preparing the Vaccination Strategy.

Recent Developments with respect to ‘precaution shots’ or the ‘third dose’ of COVID-19 

• First, two COVID-19 vaccines have received ‘conditional market authorization’. 
• Second, phase three clinical trials which include the booster dose of a nasal COVID-19 candidate vaccine have been approved. 
• Third, the Omicron wave has largely swept through the country. 
• Fourth, ₹5,000 crore has been allocated for COVID-19 vaccines in the Union Budget 2022-23.

What do these new developments mean for the COVID-19 vaccination and booster dose strategy in India? 

• Market Authorisation:
  • The Covishield and Covaxin COVID-19 vaccines have received ‘conditional’ market authorisation. 
  • As both COVID vaccines meet the standard of safety by showing potential benefits of the vaccine, they have now been upgraded to ‘conditional market authorisation’. 
  • Know more about the Conditional Market Authorization for COVID 19 Vaccines in PIB dated Jan 27, 2022.
• Nasal vaccine
  • In the nasal approach, the vaccine dose is given via the nose, rather than orally or through the arm. 
  • As the target is to deliver a dose that goes right into the respiratory pathways, the vaccine is either injected through a specific nasal spray or through aerosol delivery. 
• Benefits of nasal vaccine
  • Ease of administration without a needle and syringe.
  • Role in reducing transmission.
  • Useful for children.
  • Availability of vaccines to ensure wider availability and address vaccine inequity.
• Sandwich immunity: 
  • As an Omicron wave is sweeping through India, the country is at a stage that can be termed ‘sandwich immunity’.
  • ‘Sandwich immunity’ is a hybrid immunity supplemented by another layer of natural infection.
  • Know more about the Need and Science behind the Booster Shots in Jan 2, 2022.

Factors to be considered for Efficient Vaccination Strategy: 

• First, the local situation matters a lot: The context of India is very different from that in other countries. Therefore, the data used by the other countries in deciding on vaccine effectiveness and boosters cannot, and should not, be used for India. 
• Second, the success of any vaccination programme depends on citizen participation: The unscientific and misinformed public discourse has been an ongoing challenge in India’s COVID-19 pandemic response. Therefore, governments at all levels need to step up transparent and timely science communication around vaccines and through trustworthy sources.
• Third, identify vaccine and vaccination-specific policy questions: Analyse the COVID-19 disease and vaccine data and link them with clinical outcomes to assess the effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 variants. This needs to be supplemented by conducting primary research for the policy questions.

Conclusion: 

The COVID-19 vaccination and booster doses strategy should be determined by keeping context in the backdrop and being solely informed by emerging scientific and epidemiological evidence. Alongside, rather than being solely focused on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters we, as a society, need to come to a consensus and prepare a road map to ‘live with SARS-CoV-2’.

G. Tidbits

1. Coast under pressure

• According to a study led by researchers at the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, around 15 percent of coastal areas around the world remain vulnerable to pressures caused by human activity.
• Coastal regions containing seagrasses, savannah, and coral reefs had the highest levels of human pressure compared to other coastal ecosystems.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements with regards to Ordinance making powers of 
the Governor:

1. The Governor can promulgate an ordinance when the Legislative Assembly is not in session in case of the unicameral legislature or when both Legislative assembly and council are not in session in case of a bicameral legislature.
2. His power to promulgate ordinances is one of the discretionary powers given to the Governor.
3. President’s instructions on the state ordinance are required if a bill containing the same provisions would have required the previous sanction of the President for its introduction into the state legislature.

Choose the correct code:

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

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

• Article 213 of the Indian Constitution envisages the power of the Governor to promulgate Ordinances during recess of Legislature.
• The power to promulgate ordinances is not a discretionary power of the Governor. Governor can promulgate ordinances only on the advice of the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers.

Q2. Consider the following statements with regards to Anticipatory Bail:

1. It is a direction issued to release a person on Bail even before the person is arrested.
2. It is issued only by the High Court and Supreme Court.
3. An application for anticipatory Bail can be filed in cases of both bailable and non-bailable offences.

Choose the correct code:

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 & 3 only
4. 2 & 3 only

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

• Anticipatory bail is a direction to release a person on bail, issued even before the person is arrested. It is only issued by the Sessions Court and High Court.
• An application for anticipatory bail can be filed in cases of non-bailable offences.

Q3. Consider the following statements with regards to Pradhan Mantri Matru 
Vandana Yojana:

1. PMMVY is a maternity benefit programme being implemented in all districts of the country with effect from 1st January 2017.
2. Cash benefits are provided to pregnant women in their bank account directly to meet enhanced nutritional needs and partially compensate for wage loss.
3. It is a centrally sponsored scheme being executed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

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:

• Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is a Maternity Benefit Programme that is implemented in all the districts of the country in accordance with the provision of the National Food Security Act, 2013.
• The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana launched in 2017, provides ₹5,000 for the birth of the first child to partially compensate a woman for the loss of wages. It is combined with another scheme, Janani Suraksha Yojana, under which nearly ₹1,000 is given for an institutional birth. So in total, a woman gets ₹6,000.
• The amount is given in three instalments upon meeting certain conditions. Cash benefits are provided to pregnant women in their bank account directly.
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme being executed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Q4. The Supreme Court recently stated, “The grant of ____________ is to break the monotony of 
imprisonment and to enable the convict to maintain continuity with family life and 
integration with society. Although _________ can be claimed without a reason, the prisoner 
does not have an absolute legal right to claim __________. The grant of __________ must be 
balanced against the public interest and can be refused to certain categories of prisoners.” 

What was the Supreme Court referring to?

1. Parole
2. Furlough
3. Bail
4. Anticipatory Bail

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

• A prison furlough is when a prisoner is allowed to leave prison and then return. Furloughs are, in effect, temporary releases from the physical custody of the state prison system. At the end of the furlough, the person must return to prison.
• The grant of furlough is to break the monotony of imprisonment and to enable the convict to maintain continuity with family life and integration with society. Notably, while a furlough can be claimed without a reason, the prisoner does not have an absolute legal right.

Q5. Along with the Budget, the Finance Minister also places other documents before the 
Parliament which include ‘The Macro Economic Framework Statement’. The aforesaid document 
is presented because this is mandated by

1. Long standing parliamentary convention
2. Article 112 and Article 110(1) of the Constitution of India
3. Article 113 of the Constitution of India
4. Provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

• Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) became an Act in 2003. The objective of the Act is to ensure inter-generational equity in fiscal management, long-run macroeconomic stability, better coordination between fiscal and monetary policy, and transparency in the fiscal operation of the Government.
• FRBM Act provides a legal institutional framework for fiscal consolidation. The Act also requires the government to lay before the parliament three policy statements in each financial year namely:
  • Medium Term Fiscal Policy Statement;
  • Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement and
  • Macroeconomic Framework Policy Statement.