CNA 18 Jan 2023:- Download PDF Here
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. GS 1 Related HISTORY 1. Subhas Chandra Bose B. GS 2 Related INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1. UNSC sanctions committee blacklists Lashkar’s Makki C. GS 3 Related D. GS 4 Related E. Editorials INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1. The illogical rejection of the idea of South Asia INDIAN ECONOMY 1. A case for reassigning GST to States F. Prelims Facts G. Tidbits 1. India, Russia begin manufacturing of AK-203 assault rifles in U.P.’s Amethi 2. India plans ‘buffers’ in proposed Arunachal hydropower project to counter ‘China threat’ 3. News marked false by PIB to be taken down: draft rule H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
A. GS 1 Related
Syllabus: Modern Indian history – significant personalities
Prelims: Facts about Subhas Chandra Bose
Mains: Contributions of Subhas Chandra Bose to the Indian freedom struggle
Context
In the wake of the 126th birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose on the 23rd of January, this article tries to analyse various books to understand the fiery nationalist and enigma that was Netaji through his political, social and moral commitments.
Read more here – Netaji’s Subhas Chandra Bose Role in Indian Freedom Struggle
B. GS 2 Related
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. UNSC sanctions committee blacklists Lashkar’s Makki
Syllabus: Important International institutions, agencies and fora – their structure, mandate
Prelims: About UNSC’s 1267 Sanctions Committee
Mains: The listing of Makki under the blacklist, “technical hold” by China, India’s response and the way forward for India
Context
The UN Security Council’s (UNSC) ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee has placed a key fundraiser and planner of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist outfit named Abdul Rehman Makki, on its sanctions list.
UNSC’s 1267 Sanctions Committee
Read about – United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Sanctions imposed on individuals who are designated as terrorists by UNSC
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Background of the issue
- Abdul Rahman Makki is the brother-in-law of LeT chief Hafiz Saeed who is also convicted as the mastermind of the Mumbai 26/11 attacks.
- Makki is wanted for a number of cases of terrorism and terror financing in India and has been designated a wanted terrorist by the government.
- The proposal to list Makki under the UNSC sanctions regime was issued to UNSC’s 1267 Committee members under a “no-objection procedure” on June 1st (2022) with a deadline of 16th June.
- However, China waited until the last day to raise objections to the listing and placed a “technical hold” on the proposal.
- Abdul Rehman Makki has now been placed under the sanctions list by the UNSC’s 1267 Sanctions Committee as China withdrew its “technical hold” that it had imposed in June 2022.
China’s technical hold
Image Source: The Hindu
- During its tenure at the UNSC, India has proposed the designation of five terriers under the sanctions list by the ISIL and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee.
- The list of such terrorists includes Abdul Rehman Makki (LeT), Abdul Rauf Asghar (Jaish-e-Mohammed), Sajid Mir (LeT), Shahid Mahmood (LeT), and Talha Saeed (LeT).
- However, China has imposed a “technical hold” on all the proposals to list all these five individuals under the sanctions list, while all the other 14 members of the UNSC supported the listing.
- India had regarded China’s decision to place a “technical hold” as “regrettable” and “extremely unfortunate”.
- India also accused China of following double standards in its claims of combating terrorism.
Views of the UNSC’s 1267 Sanctions Committee
- The Committee has said that the main reason for placing Abdul Rehman Makki under the blacklist was his and other LET/JuD operatives’ involvement in fundraising, recruiting and radicalising youth to violence and planning attacks in India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
- The committee also considered Makki’s involvement in terror attacks such as the Red Fort attack (December 22, 2000), the Rampur attack (January 1, 2008), the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the attack in Gurez (August 7, 2018) to add him to the list of globally sanctioned individuals.
- The Committee also added that Makki was the head of political affairs for the LeT and is also a member of JuD’s Markazi (central) team and Daawati (proselytization) teams.
- The JuD or Jamaat-ul-Dawa is the parent body of the LeT.
Analysis of the listing
- India has welcomed the designation of Abdur Rehman Makki as a sanctioned terrorist by the UNSC.
- Experts believe that China’s move to allow the listing is a win for India.
- Further, this is the first ever instance where a listing proposal by India (co-sponsored) has been allowed to go through and it is also the first time a terrorist has been listed mainly for his involvement in the attacks in India, especially in Kashmir.
Way forward for India
- Pakistan has still not held several terrorists accountable for their involvement in major attacks such as the IC-814 Kandahar hijacking (1999), the Mumbai attacks (26/11), Pathankot (2016) and Pulwama (2019) attacks.
- Hence, it is important for India to persevere in its task of keeping the spotlight on such terrorists in order to prosecute them.
- Experts opine that the designation of Makki under the blacklist is the result of behind-the-scenes negotiations between India-China at a time when their relationship is going through a turbulent phase due to the LAC standoff.
- The listing of the four other terrorists proposed by India will be a test of diplomacy and the relationship between India and China.
Nut graf: India is aware that the listing of terrorists under the UNSC sanction list, who are subject to an assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo, is only the first step towards bringing them to justice. In this context, it is important for India to continue its efforts to put pressure on Pakistan by pursuing Coercive Diplomacy to hold such individuals accountable.
C. GS 3 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
D. GS 4 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
E. Editorials
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. The illogical rejection of the idea of South Asia
Syllabus: GS-2, Regional grouping involving India and affecting India’s interest.
Mains: Importance of regional grouping for South Asia.
Details:
- According to a World Bank study, approximately 2 million people die prematurely in South Asia each year due to air pollution. On the basis of particulate matter concentration, 9 out of the world’s top 10 cities worst affected by air pollution belong to South Asia.
- The pollution, regardless of where it originates from, also impacts the once-pristine tourist destinations of the region.
- It was found that the average PM2.5 concentration (from 2018 to 2020) in Bhutan was three times the prescribed limit by the World Health Organization. Similarly, in the Maldives in the middle of January 2023, visibility was reduced by 60% due to smog. The Maldives Meteorological Service cited that it was because of the “winds from the Himalayan foothills”.
- It is evident from success stories in different parts of the world, like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), European alpine countries, and China, that the solution to the air pollution problem lies in a “whole of the region” approach rather than country-specific solutions.
- The report recommends that India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and all other South Asian nations should begin talks for the cooperative management of the six air sheds the region is made up of.
- The lack of such a mechanism shows the rejection of the idea of South Asia seeing itself as one geographical unit.
- It should be noted that all the members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) were part of a Group of 77 countries that negotiated a breakthrough at COP27 at Sharm el-Sheikh.
Also read: Air Pollutants – Classification, Sources and Impacts
Other Issues:
- The climate crisis is not the only issue where South Asia has failed to build a platform. In fact, each and every geopolitical challenge pushes the region to work together. For instance,
- The Ukraine War increased the prices of energy, fertilizers, grains, etc.
- The global economic recession.
- Variants of COVID-19 virus.
- Terrorism arising from Afghanistan, particularly after the Taliban takeover.
- Issues arising from Russia’s invasion and NATO’s sanctions like trade bans, weapon stockpiling, etc.
- A united South Asia would have positioned itself as an energy “cartel” commanding a better price for the region. It should be remembered that besides crude dependencies, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan together buy more than 50% of their liquefied natural gas through the spot market. This shows the vulnerability of the region to global energy trends.
- India and Pakistan, the major opponents of an integrated South Asia, use previous disputes as the reason to stall South Asian summits like SAARC and block trade and connectivity.
- Pakistan has made Kashmir a “sticking point” for any engagement with India.
- And, India refuses to hold talks on the account of Pakistan’s support to terrorists.
- India and Pakistan have not held bilateral or regional talks on terrorism, despite the fact that they have discussed it at the UN and SCO. They have also exchanged teams as a part of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS).
- Pakistan’s refusal to talk with India will be detrimental to itself, as it will miss out on the South Asia Energy grid through BBIN grouping (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal) and probably Sri Lanka.
Need for Regionalisation:
- Due to increasing polarization, climate crisis, and the growing scarcity of resources, countries across the world are finding their moorings in regionalization.
- Regional trade in the present scenario comprises more than half of global trading. Regional agreements like the European Union, Eurasian Economic Union, United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), MERCOSUR, the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are some of the successful examples.
- However, South Asia, extending from the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south lacks a strong regional forum.
Way Ahead:
- India should convene or participate in a regional dialogue discussing the impact of the Ukraine war. It can also include the regional agenda in its G-20 narrative.
- Similar opportunities for regional cooperation in the health sector can also be grabbed. It can deliberate on matters like copyright waivers on medical products.
- Important agendas like health, energy, women’s rights, security, and terrorism should be held in the region even without the participation of the top leadership of India and Pakistan.
Also read: South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)
Nut Graf: In the changing global world order, regional cooperation is the most logical principle. However, South Asia lacks a robust regional group that can provide advantages to the region in various aspects. The need of the hour is to overlook the regional fissures and concentrate on common problems like trade, connectivity, and climate crisis through a cooperative approach.
1. A case for reassigning GST to States
Syllabus: GS-3, Indian Economy and issues related to planning and mobilization of resources.
Mains: Vertical Fiscal Imbalance and measures to address it.
Prelims: Vertical Fiscal Imbalance.
Details:
- The vertical fiscal imbalance (VFI) arises between the Union and State governments when the Union has more tax powers than the States and the State governments are assigned with more expenditure responsibilities. It is the responsibility of the Finance Commission to correct this imbalance.
- In the context of Goods and Service Tax (GST), the Union and State governments concurrently levy GST on commodities with 50% as Central GST (CGST) and 50% as State GST (SGST). There is also an Integrated GST (IGST) on inter-State trade so that 50% of it goes to the final destination state.
- States do not have the power to unilaterally change the tax.
Also read: Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill Explained
Vertical Fiscal Imbalance:
- In simple terms, VFI equals ‘one minus the ratio of the State’s own revenue to own expenditure’.
- If the VFI ratio is zero, it implies that States have enough revenue to meet their own expenditure. In this case, there is no need for financial transfers.
- VFI for all the States together can also be calculated. Some of the findings are:
- VFI showed an increasing trend in the last three Finance Commissions (2005-06 to 2020-21).
- The ratio was 0.530 from 2015-16 to 2020-21. This implies that only 47% of the States’ own expenditure was financed by their own revenue.
- State revenue structure was transformed and they became more dependent on the Union Government. The four major changes that took place in this period were:
- The divisible taxes of the Union government increased from two to all the Union taxes. It enlarged the revenue base to be shared with the States.
- Fiscal responsibility law was implemented to limit the fiscal deficits of the States.
- The planning commission was dissolved which led to the withdrawal of Plan grants.
- GST was introduced in 2017.
For information on the GST Council, read here: Goods and Services Tax Council
Way Forward:
- In order to correct the VFI, it is advised to reassign the tax powers between the States and the Centre.
- Currently, the Union government has exclusive power to levy excise duty on petroleum products, and the States have exclusive power to levy excise duty and sales tax on liquor. It is recommended that the CGST and the excise duty on petroleum products should be assigned to the States. The following measures can be taken in this regard:
- All commodities along with petroleum products should be brought under GST.
- The Central government should continue to collect IGST to settle revenue on a destination basis, as it will strengthen harmonization.
- GST Council should continue to determine tax. But, the Union should not be given the veto power.
- Moreover, commodity taxation should be transferred to State List II of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution but with the condition of maintaining the harmonization of commodity taxation.
- The above measures will have the following consequences:
- Assignment of excise duty on petroleum products to the States will expedite the integration of taxes on petroleum products into GST.
- Though it will reduce the tax potential of the States, higher buoyancy of GST will compensate for this revenue loss.
- It will also increase the own tax revenue of the States. It will consequently improve the accountability of the States on fiscal matters.
- The VFI will also come down and there will be no need for assigning shares in Central taxes and grants in aid.
- It should also be noted that the unequal tax base with unequal expenditure requirements between the States creates a horizontal fiscal imbalance among the States. To address this issue of horizontal fiscal inequality, the Union government should use equalization transfers.
Also read: Taxation in India
Nut Graf: In order to address the issue of Vertical Fiscal Imbalance, the Goods and Service tax should be reassigned between the Union and the State governments. It will not only increase the expenditure of the states from its own tax revenue but will also improve the accountability of the state in fiscal matters.
F. Prelims Facts
Nothing here for today!!!
G. Tidbits
1. India, Russia begin manufacturing of AK-203 assault rifles in U.P.’s Amethi
- Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) which is a joint venture between India and Russia, has started producing AK-203 Kalashnikov assault rifles at Korwa in Uttar Pradesh.
- The IRRPL was established in 2019 jointly by the erstwhile OFB [now Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL) and Munitions India Limited (MIL)] of India and Rosoboronexport and Kalashnikov of Russia.
- The IRRPL venture aims to ensure 100% localisation of the production of AK-203 rifles in India.
- The Korwa Ordnance Factory in Amethi has produced the first batch of 7.62 mm Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles and it will be delivered soon to the Indian Army.
- The use of Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles marks the entry of high-quality, convenient and modern small arms into India’s defence and law enforcement agencies.
2. India plans ‘buffers’ in proposed Arunachal hydropower project to counter ‘China threat’
- The design of a hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang district is being influenced by the concerns over China’s proposed 60,000 MW hydropower in Medog in Tibet.
- The concerns are that the 60,000 MW dam in Medog might reduce the natural flow of the Brahmaputra, which might impact India during lean patches, or could also trigger “artificial floods” in India.
- The Brahmaputra river which is known as Yarlung Tsangpo in China is a transborder river that originates in the Mansarovar lake near Mount Kailash in Tibet.
- Brahmaputra river accounts for close to 30% of freshwater resources and 40% of India’s hydropower potential and diverting its flow can impact agriculture in states such as Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
- The proposed hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang district is an 11,000 MW project and is said to be five times the size of the largest such projects in India.
- The key objective of the construction of the project is to manage flooding in the Brahmaputra, however, there are also strategic aspects attached to the project.
- Furthermore, the National HydroPower Corporation (NHPC) is expected to commission the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydro Electric Project which is the largest of its kind in terms of installed capacity in India.
3. News marked false by PIB to be taken down: draft rule
- According to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s proposed draft, the social media platforms would be mandated to take down content that has been “fact-checked” by the Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) fact-check unit and has been flagged as false.
- As per Rule 3(1)(b)(v) of the amended version of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the social media platforms should make reasonable efforts to ensure that the users of the platform do not post content that has been identified as fake or false by the fact check unit at the PIB or any other agency authorised by the Central Government for fact-checking.
- The fact check unit of the PIB has played an active role in exposing various baseless news that is being circulated on social media platforms like WhatsApp and Twitter.
- The fact check unit has also issued denials on behalf of the government in response to news reports by online publications and newspapers alike in the past.
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q1. Consider the following statements regarding elections in India: (Level – Medium)
- EVMs started being used on a larger scale in 1992 and since 2000, have been used in all Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections.
- The use of VVPATs has become universal in elections since mid-2017.
- The ECI sends the EVM software to two foreign chipmakers (in the U.S. and Japan) to burn into the CPU and the manufactured chips are then sent to India for assembly into machines by the two PSUs (BEL and ECIL).
Choose the correct code:
- 1 & 2 only
- 2 & 3 only
- 1 & 3 only
- All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct, EVMs started being used on a larger scale in 1992 and since 2000, have been used in all Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections.
- Statement 2 is correct, The ECI along with two PSUs developed the Voter Verified Paper Trail Audit (VVPAT) machine to have a paper trail in the voting process.
- The use of VVPATs has become universal in elections since mid-2017.
- Statement 3 is correct, The ECI sends the EVM software to two foreign chipmakers (in the U.S. and Japan) to burn into the CPU and the manufactured chips are then sent to India for assembly into machines by the two PSUs (BEL and ECIL).
- This means that the manufacturers cannot read back the contents of the software to ensure its integrity is intact.
Q2. Consider the following statements with respect to CoP (Conference of Parties): (Level – Medium)
- The government of the host country holds the presidency of the COP for one year, till the conference is concluded.
- While the COP president does have an influential role, the final decisions are always taken by consensus.
- The COP meets in Paris, the seat of the secretariat, unless a Party offers to host the session.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: a
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct, The government of the host country holds the presidency of the COP for one year, till the conference is concluded and the host country usually names one of its ministers as the president.
- Statement 2 is correct, While the COP president does have an influential role, the final decisions are always taken by consensus. Thus the COP president or the host country cannot force or impose any decision on others.
- Statement 3 is not correct, The COP meets in Bonn, the seat of the secretariat, unless a Party offers to host the session.
Q3. Which of the following is the most apt description of recession? (Level – Easy)
- It involves the overall output in an economy contracting for at least two consecutive years
- It involves the overall output in an economy contracting for at least two consecutive quarters
- It involves the overall output in an economy contracting for at least four consecutive quarters
- None of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation:
- There is no official definition of recession, but generally, recession refers to a period of decline in economic activity.
- Recession can be practically defined as a situation which involves overall output in an economy for at least two consecutive quarters, along with job losses and a reduction in overall demand.
Q4. Consider the following statements with regard to the New Pension System (NPS) and the Old Pension Scheme (OPS): (Level – Easy)
- Under the OPS, retired employees received 50 per cent of their last drawn salary as monthly pensions.
- NPS is mandatory for central government employees joining services on or after January 1, 2004, and almost all state governments have adopted it for their employees.
- NPS, regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), is a contributory pension scheme under which employees contribute 10 percent of their salary (Basic + Dearness Allowance).
Choose the correct code:
- 1 & 2 only
- 2 & 3 only
- 1 & 3 only
- All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct, Under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), retired employees received 50% of their last drawn salary as monthly pensions.
- Statement 2 is correct, New Pension System (NPS) is mandatory for central government employees joining services on or after January 1, 2004, and almost all state governments have adopted it for their employees.
- Statement 3 is correct, NPS is regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) and is a contributory pension scheme under which employees contribute 10% of their salary (Basic + Dearness Allowance).
Q5. What are the advantages of fertigation in agriculture? (Level – Medium) [PYQ (2020)]
- Controlling the alkalinity of irrigation water is possible.
- Efficient application of Rock Phosphate and all other phosphatic fertilizers is possible.
- Increased availability of nutrients to plants is possible.
- Reduction in the leaching of chemical nutrients is possible.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- 1, 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 4 only
- 1, 3 and 4 only
- 2, 3 and 4 only
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
- Fertigation involves mixing water-soluble fertilizers and delivering them through drip irrigation.
- Advantages of fertigation include:
- Fertigation can synchronize nutrient supply and crop nutrient requirement.
- Enhances water-use efficiency, nutrient-use efficiency, and yield.
- Reduces nutrient losses via leaching, ammonia volatilization, denitrification and weed pressure.
- However, when an element forms a precipitate with another substance commonly found in irrigation water, it is not advisable to use this method.
- Phosphorus and anhydrous ammonia may form a precipitate in water with high calcium and magnesium content. So they are not used in fertigation.
Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- Examine India’s diplomatic efforts at the UN to counter Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. (10 marks, 150 words) [GS-2, IR]
- South Asia has failed to achieve regional integration primarily due to the nature of India-Pakistan relations. Examine in detail how this affects regional cooperation in South Asia on vital issues. (15 marks, 250 words) [GS-2, IR]
Read the previous CNA here.
CNA 18 Jan 2023:- Download PDF Here
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