17 Jan 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 17 Jan 2023:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
POLITY
1. The Delhi CM-LG stalemate continues
GOVERNANCE
1. Why is Kerala opposing the new Electricity Rules?
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. Time to streamline the Provident Fund pension scheme
F. Prelims Facts
1. Mission Shukrayaan I
G. Tidbits
1. Exports drop by 12.2% in a year on slow demand
2. U.K.-EU in talks to reach deal on Northern Ireland trade
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine

Category: GOVERNANCE

1. Why is Kerala opposing the new Electricity Rules?

Syllabus: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Prelims: The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022

Mains: Key features of Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2022 and the concerns associated with it

Context

The Kerala government has raised its objections over the provisions of the Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2022.

Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2022

  • The Union Ministry of Power issued the gazette notification on the Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2022 on 27th December 2022.
  • The Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2022 aims to amend the Electricity Rules of 2005.
  • The key amendments in the Rules include:
    • Inclusion of surcharge payable by consumers seeking open access
    • Timely recovery of power purchase costs by the distribution licensee
    • Implementation of Uniform Renewable Energy Tariff for the central pool
  • Rule 14 required the state electricity regulatory commissions to specify a price adjustment formula for automatically passing on the costs through the consumer tariff on a monthly basis. 
    • According to the new Rules, the fuel and power purchase adjustment surcharges would be calculated and charged to the consumers, automatically, without the need for going through the regulatory approval process, on a monthly basis based on the formula specified by the state electricity regulatory commissions.

Kerala Government’s stand

  • The Kerala Government has raised concerns over Rule 14 which allows distribution companies (Discoms) to automatically recover the expenses arising out of variations in fuel price and power purchase costs from the consumers, on a monthly basis.
  • According to the Kerala Government, the freedom extended to Discoms to automatically charge the costs through the electricity bill is detrimental to the interests of the consumer. 
    • The state government opines that the consumers would be subjected to unfair frequent price fluctuations.
  • Kerala Government has also said that the crucial role played by the State Electricity Commissions in fixing the surcharge would get diluted due to the implementation of the new Rules.

The role of a regulator

  • Until the introduction of the new Rules, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) used to file pleas before the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission on a quarterly basis in order to collect the thermal fuel surcharge. 
  • As Kerala produces only about 30% of its electricity demand within the state, the power purchase expenditure particularly during the summer months would usually be high.
  • The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission then used to decide on the KSEB’s pleas through public hearings. 
  • The Kerala government believes that diluting such a procedure would also dilute the existing prudent check and would make the general public bear the burden.

Path ahead

  • The Electricity Minister of Kerala has said that his department will be seeking legal opinion in order to enforce the rules in such a way that the consumers are not burdened.
  • The Minister has instructed the Power Department to check if the potential tariff fluctuations caused due to the new rules can be balanced by reducing tariffs during the extended monsoon months in the state when power purchase levels are on the lower side due to higher power generation in the form of hydroelectricity.
  • The Minister further has recommended keeping the power purchase costs minimal in the remaining months to prevent burdening the consumers. 
  • However, experts feel that such safeguards would only work in cases where a State-run entity such as the KSEB is in power and believe that the real concern arises when private players take up electricity distribution.

Also read: Sansad TV Perspective: The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022

Nut graf: The State Government of Kerala has raised concerns over Rule 14 of the new Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2022. According to the state government, the enforcement of the rules will burden the consumers of the state-run electricity boards.

F. Prelims Facts

1. Mission Shukrayaan I

Syllabus: GS-3; Science and Technology; Awareness in the field of Space

Prelims: Shukrayaan I Mission and other missions to Venus

Context

P. Sreekumar, who is a Professor and advisor at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has said that ISRO has not yet received approval from the Union government for the Shukrayaan I mission which might result in the postponement of the mission to 2031.

Shukrayaan I mission

  • Shukrayaan I is ISRO’s Venus mission.
  • The mission was expected to be launched in December 2024.
  • Shukrayaan I will be an orbiter mission and its payloads include a high-resolution synthetic aperture radar and a ground-penetrating radar. 
  • The key objective of the Shukrayaan I mission is to study Venus’s geological and volcanic activity, emissions on the ground, wind speed, cloud cover, and other planetary characteristics from an elliptical orbit.
  • Optimal launch windows from earth to Venus occur once every 19 months. However, even better optimal windows, which can further reduce the amount of fuel required at lift-off, come around every eight years.
  • According to experts, both NASA (VERITAS) and the European Space Agency (EnVision) have planned Venus missions for 2031.
  • A few other space missions to Venus include:
    • By the U.S. – Mariner series (1962-1974), Pioneer Venus 1 and Pioneer Venus 2 (1978), and Magellan in 1989.
    • By Russia – Venera series of spacecraft (1967-1983), Vegas 1 and 2 in 1985
    • By Japan – Akatsuki spacecraft (2015)
    • By European Space Agency – Venus Express (2005)

Also read – CNA May 7 2022: ISRO’s unique goal for Venus mission

G. Tidbits

1. Exports drop by 12.2% in a year on slow demand

Widening Trade Deficit Dec 2022

Image source: The Hindu

  • India exported goods worth $34.48 billion in December 2022, which accounts for a 7.75% increase as compared to November’s $32 billion figure. However, there has been a significant decline of 12.2% in the export of goods as compared to 2021 figures. 
    • Further, imports have also contracted 3.5% to $58.2 billion as compared to $60.33 billion in 2021.
  • According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the global growth forecasts indicate a slump in global economic activity and trade and according to the Global Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index report (January 2023), new export orders have contracted for the 10th successive month in December.
  • Further, shipments in about 19 out of 30 major exporting sectors such as cotton yarn and handlooms (-40.4%), handicrafts (-36.9%), petroleum products (-26.9%), plastic and linoleum (-26.23%), gems and jewellery (-15.2%) have also shrunk in December.
  • Engineering goods exports, which have been a key component of India’s exports in recent years, also declined by about 12% in December 2022.

2. U.K.-EU in talks to reach deal on Northern Ireland trade

  • In order to tackle an impasse created on account of Brexit, the leaders of Britain and the European Union are looking to negotiate an agreement on goods trade in Northern Ireland (NI).
  • Leaders recently reached an agreement in which the UK would grant the EU real-time access to trade data across the Irish Sea, which separates Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.
  • The 2019 trading ‘protocol’ allows Northern Ireland to continue in the EU Single Market, thereby avoiding a customs border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which is part of the EU. 
    • As a result, goods arriving from Great Britain (i.e., the rest of the UK) are checked at the ports in Northern Ireland, creating a politically unjustifiable situation for the UK.
    • However, Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) withdrew from the power-sharing agreement over the protocol which has left the region without a functioning executive since February 2022.
    • This issue had significant implications beyond the EU and the British Prime Minister had told the U.S. President that an agreement would be reached on the  Northern Ireland protocol, by April 10 on the 25th anniversary of the Northern Ireland peace treaty (Good Friday Agreement).

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements with regard to the Agnipath scheme: (Level–Easy)
  1. It is only for personnel below officer ranks (those who do not join the forces as commissioned officers).
  2. Upon the completion of the 4-years of service, a one-time ‘Seva Nidhi’ package of Rs 11.71 lakhs will be paid to the Agniveers that will include their accrued interest thereon.
  3. In case of death during service, there is no separate payout apart from pay for the unserved tenure.

Choose the correct code:

  1. 1 & 2 only
  2. 2 & 3 only
  3. 1 & 3 only
  4. All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, Under the Agnipath scheme, around 45,000 to 50,000 soldiers will be recruited annually, and it is only for personnel below officer ranks (those who do not join the forces as commissioned officers).
  • Statement 2 is correct, Under the “Seva Nidhi” package, which is exempt from Income Tax, Agniveers will receive about 11 lakh – 12 lakh upon the completion of the 4 years of service which includes the government’s contribution as well as interest accrued. 
  • Statement 3 is not correct, Agniveers will also get a Rs 48 lakhs life insurance cover for the four years and in case of death, the payout will be over Rs 1 crore, including pay for the unserved tenure.
Q2. Consider the following statements with respect to the Memorandum of Procedure for 
appointment of judges to the higher judiciary in India: (Level – Easy)
  1. The MoP is the official playbook agreed upon by the government and the judiciary on the appointment of judges.
  2. Since the collegium system evolved through a series of rulings by the Supreme Court, and is not based on legislation, the MoP is the bedrock of the process of appointments.
  3. The MoP was sought to be re-negotiated after the SC on October 16, 2015, struck down the constitutional amendment that had brought in the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, The Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) is the official playbook agreed upon by the government and the judiciary on the appointment of judges. 
    • The MoP is a crucial document that governs the collegium system of appointing judges.
  • Statement 2 is correct, Since the collegium system evolved through a series of rulings by the Supreme Court, and is not based on legislation, the MoP is the bedrock of the process of appointments
  • Statement 3 is correct, The MoP was sought to be re-negotiated after the Supreme Court on October 16, 2015, struck down the constitutional amendment that had brought in the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC).
Q3. Consider the following statements with respect to Exoplanets: (Level – Medium)
  1. Exoplanets are planets that orbit other stars and are beyond our solar system.
  2. Discovering exoplanets is quite tough as they are small and hard to spot around their bright host stars.
  3. When a planet is at a distance that enables it to have liquid water, it is said to be in the “Goldilocks zone”.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, Exoplanets are those planets beyond our solar system. Most of these Exoplanets orbit other stars and the free-floating exoplanets are called rogue planets.
  • Statement 2 is correct, Discovering exoplanets is difficult and involves complex procedures as they are small and hard to spot around their bright host stars.
    • According to NASA, scientists rely on indirect methods, such as the transit method, which is “measuring the dimming of a star that happens to have a planet pass in front of it”.
  • Statement 3 is correct, When a planet is at the right distance from the Sun/star that enables it to have liquid water, it is said to be in the “Goldilocks zone”.
    • If an exoplanet is very close to the star, it might be too hot to sustain liquid water and if it is too far, it might only have frozen water. 
Q4. Which of the following statements is not correct with regard to the 13th amendment 
of the Sri Lankan Constitution? (Level – Easy)
  1. It is an outcome of the Indo-Lanka Accord of July 1987, signed by Indian President R. Venkataraman and Lankan President J.R. Jayawardene, in an attempt to resolve the ethnic conflict and civil war.
  2. The 13th Amendment, which led to the creation of Provincial Councils, assured a power-sharing arrangement to enable all nine provinces in the country, including Sinhala majority areas, to self-govern.
  3. Subjects such as education, health, agriculture, housing, land and police are devolved to the provincial administrations.
  4. In particular, the provisions relating to police and land have never been implemented.
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • The 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution was an outcome of the Indo-Lanka Accord of July 1987 which was signed between the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the then Sri Lankan President J R Jayewardene in an effort to put an end to the Sri Lankan civil war. 
  • The 13th Amendment led to the creation of Provincial Councils, assuring a power-sharing arrangement to enable all nine provinces in the country, including Sinhala majority areas, to self-govern. 
  • Subjects such as education, health, agriculture, housing, land and police were devolved to the provincial administrations.
  • However, due to the restrictions on financial powers and overriding powers accorded to the President, the provincial administrations have failed to make much progress and especially the provisions relating to police and land have never been implemented.
Q5. Which one of the following is a filter feeder? (Level – Difficult) PYQ (2021)
  1. Catfish
  2. Octopus
  3. Oyster
  4. Pelican
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • Filter feeding, in zoology, is a form of food procurement in which food particles or small organisms are randomly strained from water.
  • Oysters like other shellfish have unique filter-feeding ability, in the sense, they take in water through their gills, which then filters it for nutrients like suspended fragments of plankton, while automatically draining out the rest of the water.

Read the previous CNA here.

CNA 17 Jan 2023:- Download PDF Here

IAS General Studies Notes Links
Indian Political Map 2021 IAS Mains Paper

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