CNA 21 Jan 2023:- Download PDF Here
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. GS 1 Related B. GS 2 Related INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1. We did not wait, did what was right to help Sri Lanka: Jaishankar C. GS 3 Related D. GS 4 Related E. Editorials POLITY 1. Autonomy at the Panchayat Level INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1. India’s G20 Presidency and South Asia F. Prelims Facts G. Tidbits 1. India can lead efforts to find new TB vaccine, says former WHO scientist 2. India, Egypt to hold dialogue on defence ties during Sisi visit 3. Despite economic growth, urban youth find fewer jobs; hiring slows in export-dependent sectors H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
A. GS 1 Related
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B. GS 2 Related
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. We did not wait, did what was right to help Sri Lanka: Jaishankar
Syllabus: India and its neighbourhood- relations
Prelims: India’s Neighbourhood First Policy
Mains: India’s assistance to Sri Lanka at a time of economic crisis
Context: India has become the first of Sri Lanka’s creditors to formally give an assurance to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help the Island nation secure a $2.9 billion bailout.
Background
Image Source: The Hindu
- China, Japan, and India are Sri Lanka’s three largest bilateral lenders and in order to secure a US$ 2.9 billion bailout package from the IMF obtaining financial assurances from these three major creditors is the requisite for Sri Lanka.
- India gave its financial assurances to the IMF on the 16th of January, becoming the first bilateral creditor of Sri Lanka to formally support its crucial debt restructuring programme.
Know more about – Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis
India’s support to Sri Lanka
- India’s External Affairs Minister has said that India did not wait for other bilateral creditors to do what is right for restructuring Sri Lanka’s crisis-hit economy.
- India further has urged Sri Lanka’s other bilateral lenders to also undertake proactive measures to support Sri Lanka’s recovery.
- The Minister further added that the move to help Sri Lanka was in line with India’s principle of “Neighbourhood First Policy” and “not leaving a partner to fend for themselves”.
- India had also extended a 4-billion-dollar assistance package to Sri Lanka in the form of credits and rollovers.
Sri Lanka’s response
- Sri Lanka has expressed gratitude for India’s assurances.
- Further, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister has stated that India’s support during the crisis has helped the country to regain some economic and financial stability.
- Sri Lanka has thanked India for the generous support and the assurances given to the IMF.
Read more about – India-Sri Lanka Relations
Path ahead
- Even in the coming days, India is expected to encourage greater investments in the Sri Lankan economy, especially in key sectors such as energy, tourism and infrastructure.
- Indian External Affairs Minister recognising that energy security is one of Sri Lanka’s most serious challenges stated that solutions devised to address the challenge must also encompass the region as a whole to get the full benefit.
- The Minister further added that Sri Lanka has a huge renewable energy potential and can emerge as an energy hub and Sri Lanka has given in principle approval to a renewable energy framework with India.
- India has also urged for the full implementation of the 13th amendment and early conduct of provincial elections to ensure political stability in the Island country.
Nut graf: India’s assistance to Sri Lanka in the wake of a severe economic crisis in the Island country has reiterated India’s stand on Neighbourhood First Policy and showcased to the world that India is a reliable neighbour and a trustworthy partner.
C. GS 3 Related
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D. GS 4 Related
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E. Editorials
1. Autonomy at the Panchayat Level
Syllabus: Devolution of Powers & Finances to Local Levels & Challenges Therein
Mains: Financial and administrative autonomy to Panchayat Raj Institutions
Context: This article discusses the level of autonomy at the Panchayat Levels.
Introduction:
- A few weeks ago, an up-sarpanch in Telangana committed suicide due to indebtedness.
- The State government’s excessive delay in disbursing bill payments left him with a loan he had taken out to carry out development activities in the village.
- Recently, a few sarpanchs from Telangana resigned from office and voiced their anger at not receiving government funds for nearly a year.
- Sarpanchs alleged that the failure of the State government to release funds in time has forced them to utilise either private resources or borrow large amounts to complete panchayat activities and meet various targets.
- State governments, through the local bureaucracy, continue to exercise considerable discretionary authority and influence over panchayats.
Issues with autonomy:
- Panchayats have three main sources of funds,
- Their own sources of revenue (local taxes, revenue from common property resources, etc.),
- Grants in aid from the Centre and State governments, and
- Discretionary or scheme-based funds.
- Their own sources of revenue (both tax and non-tax) constitute a tiny proportion of overall panchayat funds.
- For instance, in Telangana, less than a quarter of a panchayat’s revenue comes from its own sources of revenue.
- Therefore, gram panchayats remain fiscally dependent on both discretionary and non-discretionary grants from the State and the Centre for everyday activities.
- There are also strict limitations on how panchayats can use the funds allocated to them. State governments often impose spending limits on various expenditures through panchayat funds.
- Moreover, in almost all States, there is a system of double authorisation for spending panchayat funds.
- Apart from sarpanchs, disbursal of payments requires bureaucratic concurrence. The sarpanch and the panchayat secretary, who reports to the Block Development Officer (BDO), must co-sign cheques issued for payments from panchayat funds.
- Sometimes, the presence of MLAs and MPs restrain the functional autonomy of the panchayats.
- Intervention of higher-level politicians and bureaucrats in selecting beneficiaries for government programmes also limits the power of sarpanchs further.
- Sarpanchs also have poor administrative control over local employees.
- In many States, the recruitment and termination of local functionaries reporting to the panchayat, such as village watchmen or sweepers, is conducted at the district or block level.
The shadow of bureaucrats:
- State governments also bind local governments’ through the local bureaucracy.
- Approval for public works projects often requires technical approval (from the engineering department) and administrative approval from local officials, which requires sarpanches paying multiple visits to government offices.
- An inordinate delay in transferring approved funds to panchayat accounts stalls local development.
- Sarpanchs can be dismissed while in office. Gram Panchayat Acts in many States have empowered district-level bureaucrats, mostly district Collectors, to act against sarpanchs for official misconduct.
- For instance, Section 37 of the Telangana Gram Panchayat Act allows District Collectors to suspend and dismiss incumbent sarpanches.
- Collectors can act against sarpanchs for various reasons such as abuse of power, embezzlement, or misconduct, the conditions include mere refusal to “carry out the orders of the District Collector or Government for the proper working of the concerned Gram Panchayat.
- In recent years, Telangana has seen the removal of more than 100 sarpanches from their positions. In one of these instances, the official justification was protest (by abstaining from an official event).
Way Forward:
- Genuine development depends on the grass root level participation of the people. Its institutional support should come from the local self government in a federal system.
- The performance of these institutions, in turn, is rooted in its autonomy, which implies dispersal of functional powers to the lower level.
- State and Union governments shall assign clear and productive revenue items to them, enabling them with capacity to administer and enforce the tax.
- For there to be any real decentralisation, sarpanchs must have administrative or financial authority. The situation in Telangana is a reminder for State governments to re-examine the provisions of their respective Gram Panchayat laws and consider greater devolution of funds, functions, and functionaries to local governments.
Read more on Panchayati Raj
Nut Graf: The powers of local elected officials remain curtailed by State governments and local bureaucrats in multiple ways, thereby diluting the spirit of the constitutional amendments aimed at local empowerment.
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. India’s G20 Presidency and South Asia
Syllabus: Bilateral, Regional & Global Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India’s Interests
Mains: Opportunity and responsibilities on India as G20 President
Context: This article discusses various implications of India’s G20 Presidency on South Asia
Introduction:
- India assumed the G20 presidency on 1 December 2022 at a critical juncture in global affairs. This presidency provides India with the opportunity to steer one of the more effective multilateral forums for global governance.
- India has identified several priorities, i.e. green development, climate finance and LiFE (lifestyle for environment); accelerated, inclusive and resilient growth; accelerating progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); technological transformation and digital public infrastructure; multilateral reforms; and women-led development to address during its presidency
- As the only G20 member from South Asia, India’s G20 leadership is an ideal opportunity for New Delhi to build an effective platform.
Problems that need group action:
- The majority of problems that South Asian countries face are global in nature, transcend national borders, and necessitate group effort.
- South Asian countries are facing one of the worst economic crises right now.
- Inflation in Sri Lanka hit an all-time high of 64.3% in August 2022 as food costs increased 84.6% from the previous year.
- In Pakistan, flood-related losses and damage total more than $30 billion, with an estimated $16 billion in costs for repairs.
- The government of Bangladesh raised fuel prices by more than 50% in response to rising global fossil fuel prices, which resulted in inflation of 7.5% in September 2022.
- South Asia and the developing world are facing other challenges including post-pandemic recovery, a surge in commodity prices following inflationary pressures, and inclement weather induced by climate change.
- Rising debt burdens of South Asian economies also represent a potential crisis that requires urgent attention.
- The majority of South Asian nations produce their energy from fossil fuels.
- Since dollars are short in supply, it has become challenging for countries to keep up with energy production.
- In the post-pandemic and post-war era, one of the most critical global challenges is ensuring equitable economic recovery.
- Developed countries have disproportionate power and influence in determining the rules of engagement on international cooperation, trade, and finance, global governance is historically tilted in their favour.
- This has a negative impact on the ability to provide realistic solutions to constituents such as South Asia to address issues such as development, trade, climate action, energy transition and digital transformation.
Way Forward:
- The discussion of global cooperation needs to go beyond technology transfers and financial aid to cover losses and damages brought on by climate change.
- India’s presidency will have to prioritise the formulation of a robust strategy for a resilient recovery of economic growth and recalibrate the action plan for achieving the 2030 SDG Agenda.
- This can be accomplished by coordinated efforts to maintain the multilateral trading system, provide open supply chains to enable the movement of key commodities, and diversify investment and production.
- For South Asia, it is important that multilateral organisations and development finance institutes supporting economic development and good governance are reformed as these countries are major stakeholders for these global institutes.
- India’s G20 presidency will be essential in establishing an inclusive and sustainable multilateral trading system.
- India should put its attention on improving global governance practices and making sure that fair negotiations result in workable solutions to urgent issues affecting its immediate neighbourhood and beyond.
Read more on India’s G20 Presidency
Nut Graf: The critical challenges confronting humanity today are global in character, not confined by national boundaries, and require collective action. As a G20 President, India has a unique opportunity to lead from the front to address the global food, energy, and financial crises that have been exacerbated by the climatic crisis.
F. Prelims Facts
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G. Tidbits
1. India can lead efforts to find new TB vaccine, says former WHO scientist
- Soumya Swaminathan who was a former chief scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that there exists a need to develop a new vaccine for Tuberculosis (TB) and considering India’s accelerated timeline for the elimination of TB, India should assume a lead role.
- She further said that the BCG Vaccine (Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccine) used against TB was 100 years old and called for developing more advanced vaccines with the help of modern platforms such as the mRNA platform, viral vector, DNA, protein subunit, etc.
- As per the National TB prevalence Survey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and WHO, the TB prevalence in the country was 300 per 1,00,000 despite having the goal of eliminating TB by 2025.
- She also added that the main risk factor for TB in India is undernutrition, especially among the lower economic groups such as tribal communities and people in remote rural areas.
- The former chief scientist at WHO also recommended the initiation of a large-scale active case finding programme using X-rays and ramping up molecular tests in India.
Read more about – Tuberculosis and India’s fight against it
2. India, Egypt to hold dialogue on defence ties during Sisi visit
- India and Egypt are expected to sign around six key agreements during the visit of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi who will be arriving in India and attending the Republic Day celebrations as the chief guest.
- Out of these discussions, the collaborations on security, counter terrorism and defence-related matters are expected to be the prominent ones.
- Further, challenges from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and cyber threats might also be discussed as a part of India-Egypt Joint Working Group on terrorism that is scheduled to meet after the Egyptian President’s visit.
- Apart from dialogues on key sectors such as defence, security and new energy initiatives, the two countries in recent times have been brought closer by Egypt’s pragmatic diplomacy in international organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) where Egypt has maintained a cautious approach while responding to Pakistan’s aggressive campaign in Kashmir.
- Further, the Republic Day parade 2023 will have a contingent of 180 personnel from the Egyptian armed forces which showcases closer military ties between the two countries.
3. Despite economic growth, urban youth find fewer jobs; hiring slows in export-dependent sectors
- According to reports, thousands of Indian workers have lost jobs as the global slowdown hit exports, and the re-entry of over 20 million workers into the job market post pandemic has aggravated the situation.
- As per the data compiled by Mumbai-based think-tank Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), the urban unemployment rate in the country increased to 10.1% in December 2022 despite the total number of jobs in India reaching back to a pre-pandemic level of 410 million.
- Globally, the Indian economy is performing better against the backdrop of fears of a recession in the U.S. and Europe. However, hiring in export-dependent manufacturing sectors such as engineering, textile and software has declined as the companies face a decline in overseas demand.
- According to the data by Naukri.com, hiring in sectors such as IT, software, education and retail has declined by up to 28% in December 2022 as compared to a year earlier.
- Economists opine that the alarming unemployment rate in the country could negatively impact consumer demand, private investments and growth prospects.
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q1. Which of the following statements is/are correct with respect to National Green Tribunal (NGT)? (Level – Moderate)
- The Tribunal’s orders are binding and it has power to grant relief in the form of compensation and damages to affected persons.
- The Tribunal has powers to review its own decisions. If this fails, the decision can be challenged before the Supreme Court within ninety days.
- NGT has not been vested with powers to hear any matter relating to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Options:
- 1 only
- 3 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct, The National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) orders are binding and it has power to grant relief in the form of compensation and damages to affected persons.
- Statement 2 is correct, The National Green Tribunal has powers to review its own decisions. If this fails, the decision can be challenged before the Supreme Court within 90 days.
- Statement 3 is correct, The NGT has the power to hear any matter relating to the following Acts or Statutes:
- The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
- The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977
- The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
- The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
- The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
- The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
- The Biological Diversity Act, 2002
- The NGT thus does not have the powers to hear matters relating to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Q2. With respect to INS Vagir, which of the following statements is/are incorrect? (Level – Easy)
- It is a hydrographic survey ship in the Indian Navy, under the Southern Naval Command.
- It has the distinction of being associated with relief work in the wake of the Gujarat earthquake, Tsunami 2004, as well as Operation Vijay during the Kargil war.
Options:
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both
- None
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is not correct, INS Vagir is the fifth diesel-electric Scorpene-class submarine.
- Six Scorpene-class submarines are being constructed under Project-75 by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd with the help of technology transfer from the Naval Group of France under a $3.75-billion deal signed in October 2005.
- Statement 2 is not correct, The INS Jamuna ship (J16) is a hydrographic survey ship in the Indian Navy, under the Southern Naval Command which has the distinction of being associated with relief work in the wake of the Gujarat earthquake, Tsunami 2004, as well as Operation Vijay during the Kargil war.
Q3. Which amongst the following statements is the best description of Madrid Protocol (Level – Moderate)
- It is the primary international system for facilitating the registration of trademarks in multiple jurisdictions around the world
- It is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
- The objective of the protocol is to protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects of hazardous wastes
- The Treaty establishes a classification for industrial designs.
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: a
Explanation:
- The Madrid Protocol is a convenient and cost-effective solution for registering and managing trademarks worldwide.
- Madrid Protocol is the primary international system for facilitating the registration of trademarks in multiple jurisdictions around the world
- The Madrid Protocol provides the trademark owners the chance of having their trademarks protected in several countries by filing just one application.
Q4. Consider the following statements with respect to Lambanis: (Level – Difficult)
- They were once nomadic tribes who arrived from Afghanistan to India
- They are believed to have assisted the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb to carry goods to the southern part of the country in the 17th century
- The Lambadi Language belongs to Dravidian group of languages and the language does not have a native script
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, Lambanis, or Lambadis or Banjaras, were a nomadic tribal group who arrived from Afghanistan to Rajasthan and are now spread across Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra
- Statement 2 is correct, It is believed that In the 17th century, Lambanis were believed to have been assisted by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb to carry goods to southern India.
- Statement 3 is not correct, Lambanis belong to the Indo-Aryan group of languages and their language does not have a native script.
Q5. In human body, which one of the following hormone regulates blood calcium and phosphate? (Level – Difficult) PYQ (2007)
- Glucagon
- Growth Hormone
- Parathyroid Hormone
- Thyroxin
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
- Parathyroid Hormone is a hormone secreted by the parathyroid gland.
- Parathyroid Hormone regulates the amount of calcium by keeping a balance between calcium in our bones and the extracellular fluid.
- It also regulates the excretion of phosphates through urine.
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- A stable neighborhood is a necessity for a stable nation. Elaborate in the context of Sri Lanka’s ongoing debt crisis. (250 words; 15 marks) (GS -2; International Relations)
- Despite various campaigns and initiatives, the fight against Tuberculosis doesn’t seem to be heading anywhere. Assess the possible reasons. (250 words; 15 marks) (GS-2; Health)
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CNA 21 Jan 2023:- Download PDF Here
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