11 Jan 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 11 Jan 2023:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
POLITY
1. The stalemate between Telangana and AP
2. The β€˜Union’ government sends out a message of unity and confluence
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Lessons from Russia’s Ukraine war
INDIAN HERITAGE AND CULTURE/INDIAN ECONOMY
1. The beginning of India’s cultural renaissance
INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. Barking up the wrong tree
F. Prelims Facts
1. Paigah Tombs
G. Tidbits
1. DAC gives nod to purchase indigenous defence systems
2. Constitution Bench to take up Section 6A of Citizenship Act for preliminary 
determination
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine

2. The β€˜Union’ government sends out a message of unity and confluence

Syllabus: Constitution of India β€” historical underpinnings, evolution, features, significant provisions and basic structure

Prelims: Facts about Constituent Assembly and the Cabinet Mission Plan

Mains: The debate on the use of the terms β€œUnion government” v/sΒ  β€œCentral government”

Context

The Governor of Tamil Nadu has opposed the use of the Tamil term β€œondriya arasu” for the Union Government.

Background

  • The Governor while responding to a question on the β€œCentral government” versus β€œUnion government” controversy in Tamil Nadu, said that the word β€œondriyam” referred to a sub-district or a sub-divisional level structure in the hierarchy and the usage of the term as a translation of the Union government would β€œbelittle and disrespect” the Union government.
  • The usage of the term ondriya arasu (union government) rather than madhiya arasu (central government) has been controversial in the state of Tamil Nadu.
  • The Tamil Nadu Government in 2021 had decided to avoid the usage of the term β€œCentral government” in its official communications and replace it with β€œUnion government”.

β€œUnion” v/s β€œCentre” – Constitutional provisions

  • Article 1 of the Indian Constitution mentions that β€œIndia, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States”.
  • Further, an analysis of the Indian Constitution reveals that the term β€œCentre” or β€œCentral government” is nowhere mentioned in the 395 Articles in 22 Parts and eight Schedules of the original Constitution.
  • The Constitution only mentions the terms β€œUnion” and the β€œStates” with the executive powers of the Union being exercised by the President who in turn acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.Β 
  • However, the courts, the media and the States often refer to the Union government as the β€œCentre” despite no reference to the term β€œCentral government” in the Constitution.
    • This is because the General Clauses Act, 1897 provides a definition for β€œCentral government”.Β 
    • According to the General Clauses Act, 1897, the β€œCentral government” for all practical purposes is the President after the commencement of the Constitution.Β 

The discussions in the Constituent Assembly about the usage of the term β€œUnion”

  • Jawaharlal Nehru in December 1946 introduced the aims and objectives of the Constituent Assembly and resolved that India would be a Union of territories which are willing to join the β€œIndependent Sovereign Republic”.Β 
    • The focus of the aims and objectives was mainly on the consolidation of various provinces and territories to form a united nation.
  • Several members of the Constituent Assembly felt that the principles of the British Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 should be adopted, which intended to establish a Central government with very limited powers and provide substantial autonomy to provinces.Β 
  • However, the Partition followed by the violence in Kashmir in 1947 made the members of the Constituent Assembly change their approach towards favouring a strong Centre.Β 
  • Considering the possibility of the secession of States from the Union, the framers of the Constitution ensured that the Indian Union is β€œindestructible”.Β 
  • Dr. B.R Ambedkar, who was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee, had said in the Constituent Assembly that the term β€œUnion” was used to negate the right of secession of States by emphasising that β€œIndia shall be a Union of States”.Β 
  • Additionally, Dr. B.R Ambedkar said that through the usage of β€œUnion of States” the Drafting Committee intended to clarify that though India was to be a federation, it was not formed as a result of any agreement and hence, no State has the right to secede from the Union.Β 
    • According to Ambedkar, β€œthe federation is a Union because it is indestructible”.
  • The usage of β€œUnion of States” was criticised by a few members such as Maulana Hasrat Mohani who argued that Ambedkar was changing the very nature of the Constitution.Β 
    • Mohani in his speech in the Assembly in September 1949 had said that the usage of the words β€œUnion of States” would obscure the word β€˜Republic’.Β 
    • He further opined that Ambedkar intended the β€œUnion” to be β€œsomething like the Union proposed by Prince Bismarck in Germany, and after him adopted by Kaiser William and after him by Adolf Hitler”.Β 
    • Mohani also said that Ambedkar wanted all the States to come under one rule.
  • However, Ambedkar had clarified that β€œthe Union” would not be a league of States, united in a loose relationship and the States would not be the agencies of the Union. But instead, both the Union and the States would be created by the Constitution and both would derive their respective authority and powers from the Constitution.Β 
    • According to Ambedkar, β€œthe one is not subordinate to the other in its own field whereas the authority of one is coordinated with that of the other”.

Read more Constituent Assembly debates in the linked article.

Sharing of powers between the Supreme Court and High Courts

  • The sharing of powers between the Union and the States is not just limited to the executive organ of the government as the Constitution has also designed the judiciary in such a way that the Supreme Court would not have superintendence over the High Courts.Β 
  • Despite the Supreme Court having appellate jurisdiction over the High Courts, other courts and tribunals, these courts are not declared as subordinates to the Supreme Court.
  • It is also important to note that High Courts have wider powers to issue prerogative writs in India.

Conclusion

  • The framers of the Indian Constitution have not used the terms β€œCentre” or β€œCentral government” in the Constitution in order to keep away the tendency of centralising powers in one unit.Β 
  • According to the experts, the usage of the terms β€œUnion government” or the β€œGovernment of India ” has a unifying effect because it indicates that the government is of all.Β 

Nut graf: It is said that a sustainable solution to a problem is not to be found in the statute books but in the conscience of men in power. Therefore, the federal structure despite being a basic feature in the Constitution can be protected only if the leaders in power intend to do so.

G. Tidbits

1. DAC gives nod to purchase indigenous defence systems

  • The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by the Defence Minister of India, has provided Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals worth β‚Ή4,276 crores.
  • The capital acquisition proposals include the procurement of helicopter-launched Nag (HELINA) anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), very short-range air defence systems (VSHORAD), BrahMos cruise missile launchers, and fire control systems (FCS) for naval ships.
  • The HELINA and Dhruvastra which are being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are third-generation lock-on-before-launch fire-and-forget ATGMs.
    • HELINA is the Army variant whereas Dhruvastra is the Air Force variant.
  • VSHORAD (Infrared Homing) is a missile system that is also being designed and developed by the DRDO.
    • Very Short Range Air Defense Missiles (VSHORAD) are said to be critical for the defence of major cities or strategically significant locations in the wake of recent developments along the northern borders.
    • Further, the Army has a major requirement for VSHORAD as several attempts to import the systems have not materialised.

2. Constitution Bench to take up Section 6A of Citizenship Act for preliminary determination

  • A Constitution Bench led by the Chief Justice of India will take up Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 for a preliminary determination to decide whether the Section suffers from any β€œconstitutional infirmity”.
  • Section 6A of the Act is a special provision that was added to the 1955 Act due to the signing of the β€œAssam Accord”.
    • Assam Accord is a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signed between the Government of India, the Government of Assam, the All Assam Students’ Union and All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad on August 15, 1985.
    • It brought an end to the Assam Agitation, which started in 1979 with the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) demanding the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants from Assam.
  • As per the provisions of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955:
    • Foreigners who had entered Assam before January 1, 1966, and been β€œordinarily resident” in the State, would have all the rights and obligations of Indian citizens.Β 
    • Foreigners who had entered the State between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971, would have the same rights and obligations except that they would not be able to vote for 10 years.
  • Petitions challenging the β€œdiscriminatory” nature of Section 6A in granting citizenship have been filed and the petitioners argue that the provisions of the Section violate Article 6 of the Constitution, which has fixed the cut-off date for granting citizenship to immigrants at July 19, 1948.

Read about – Citizenship in India

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements about the Prithvi-II missile: (Level - Easy)
  1. It is a short-range ballistic missile.
  2. It is developed in collaboration with Russia.
  3. It has the ability to carry nuclear warheads.

Which of the above statements are correct?

  1. 1 and 2
  2. 2 and 3
  3. 1 and 3
  4. 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, the Prithvi-II missile is a short-range ballistic missile with a range of around 250 km to 350 km.
  • Statement 2 is not correct, Prithvi-II missile is an indigenously developed missile by DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP).
  • Statement 3 is correct, the Prithvi-II missile is a nuclear-capable missile and has been an integral part of India’s nuclear deterrence.Β 
Q2. Which of the following statements is/are correct? (Level - Moderate)
  1. India lies in the Alpine belt of earthquakes.
  2. The Seismic Zonation of India is given by the Geological Survey of India.
  3. The National Centre of Seismology is the Nodal Agency for monitoring earthquake activities in the country.

Options:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. 1 and 2
  4. 1 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, India lies in the Alpine earthquake belt which is one of the most destructive belts of earthquakes.Β 
    • The Alpine-Himalayan seismic belt extends up to the Andaman-Nicobar island region.Β 
  • Statement 2 is not correct, The seismic zoning map of India is prepared by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) based on historical seismicity and strong ground motions.
    • According to the seismic zoning map of India, the country has been divided into four zones namely zone V, IV, III and II.Β 
  • Statement 3 is correct, The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) is the nodal agency of the Government of India for monitoring earthquake activity in the country.
    • NSC is an office under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Q3. Which of the statements are correct? (Level - Easy)
  1. The Montreal Protocol is aimed at reducing the use of CFCs.
  2. The Kyoto Protocol is aimed to reduce the release of Greenhouse gases.
  3. The Kigali Protocol is aimed at reducing the use of Persistent Organic Pollutants.

Options:

  1. 1 and 2
  2. 2 and 3
  3. 1 and 3
  4. 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, The Montreal Protocol was designed to stop the production and import of ozone-depleting substances such as CFCs and reduce their concentration in the atmosphere to help protect the earth’s ozone layer.
  • Statement 2 is correct, The Kyoto Protocol aims to limit and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
  • Statement 3 is not correct, The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol is an international agreement to gradually reduce the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
Q4. Which of the following are measured under the Air Quality Index? (Level - Moderate)
  1. Carbon Dioxide
  2. Sulphur Dioxide
  3. Particulate Matter 2.5
  4. Ozone
  5. Lead
  6. Ammonia

Options:

  1. 1, 2, 3 and 6 only
  2. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 only
  3. 1, 3, 4 and 5 only
  4. All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

  • The Air Quality Index (AQI) is an index for reporting air quality on a daily basis.Β 
  • It is a measure of how air pollution affects one’s health within a short time period.Β 
  • AQI keeps a tab on 8 major air pollutants in the atmosphere namely,
    • Particulate Matter (PM10)
    • Particulate Matter (PM2.5)
    • Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
    • Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
    • Carbon Monoxide (CO)
    • Ozone (O3)
    • Ammonia (NH3)
    • Lead (Pb)
Q5. What is/are the consequence/consequences of a country becoming the member of the 
Nuclear Suppliers Group? (Level - Moderate) (PYQ - 2018)
  1. It will have access to the latest and most efficient nuclear technologies.
  2. It automatically becomes a member of β€œThe Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)”.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a transnational body composed of nuclear supplier countries that aim to control the proliferation of nuclear weapons by curbing the export of nuclear weapons development materials and related technology.Β 
    • By joining NSG, countries will get access to the latest, most efficient nuclear technologies and sophisticated nuclear technology.
  • Statement 2 is not correct, India is not a member of the NSG but wishes to be a part of the NSG. However, since India is not aΒ  member of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), China and Pakistan have objections to its enrollment.

Read the previous CNA here.

CNA 11 Jan 2023:- Download PDF Here

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