CNA 17th July 2021:- Download PDF Here
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. GS 1 Related B. GS 2 Related POLITY AND GOVERNANCE 1. Bail orders will be sent instantly to jail authorities: SC 2. Centre notifies purview of Krishna, Godavari Boards 3. ‘No work on Mekedatu sans CWMA nod’ C. GS 3 Related SECURITY 1. ‘Be aware of underwater domain’ D. GS 4 Related E. Editorials POLITY AND GOVERNANCE 1. India needs a renewed health-care system 2. An irrational draft population control Bill that must go 3. Overdue review F. Prelims Facts G. Tidbits 1. China starts long-awaited carbon trading scheme 2. Russia slams U.S.’s ‘hasty’ Afghan pullout H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
A. GS 1 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
B. GS 2 Related
Category: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. Bail orders will be sent instantly to jail authorities: SC
Context:
The Chief Justice of India has announced FASTER scheme to cut delays in release from jail.
Background:
- In the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court has made concerted moves to decongest prisons.
- The court turned a humanitarian eye to the over four lakh prison population trapped inside overcrowded jails as a surging second wave led to huge loss of lives.
- Earlier, a Bench led by Chief Justice Ramana had ordered the police to limit arrests during the pandemic to prevent overcrowding in jails.
- The bench also urged courts to not order detention in a mechanical manner in cases involving the punishment of less or up to seven years’ imprisonment.
- It had ordered High-Powered Committees constituted in most States and Union Territories to screen prisoners and release them on interim bail.
- The court had also taken into consideration the plight of prisoners too scared to return home, though eligible for release on interim bail or parole.
- In such cases, the court ordered proper medical facilities, immediate treatment and regular tests for both inmates and jail staff.
FASTER Scheme:
- The new scheme is called ‘FASTER’ or ‘Fast and Secure Transmission of Electronic Records’.
- Through this, the Supreme Court would instantly, directly, securely and electronically transmit bail and other orders to jail authorities, district courts and High Courts.
2. Centre notifies purview of Krishna, Godavari Boards
Context:
The Centre has notified the purview of Krishna and Godavari River Management Boards (KRMB and GRMB) transferring the operation of all projects, including hydel generation, in the two river basins in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to the boards.
Details:
- The Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) issued the gazette notification bringing 35 projects and their components in the Krishna Basin and Godavari Basin in the two States under the boards’ purview.
Significance:
- The notification assumes significance in the backdrop of the escalation in the dispute between the two States over project works and hydel generation at Srisailam, Nagarjunasagar and Pulichintala reservoirs.
- It gives the river management boards more teeth to administer, regulate, operate and maintain projects.
- This empowers the boards to supervise the operation of headworks of barrages, dams, reservoirs, regulating structures, water transmission lines and powerhouses at the projects.
- This move is expected to bring about the much-needed neutrality on water resources matters between the two states.
Note:
- KRMB and GRMB were constituted under the provision of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
- The River Boards Act provides for the establishment of river boards by the Central government for the regulation and development of inter-state river and river valleys.
Inter-State River Water Disputes:
- Article 262 of the Constitution provides for the adjudication of inter-state water disputes.
- Under this, Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute or complaint with respect to the use, distribution and control of waters of any inter-state river and river valley.
- Parliament may also provide that neither the Supreme Court nor any other court is to exercise jurisdiction in respect of any such dispute or complaint.
3. ‘No work on Mekedatu sans CWMA nod’
Context:
The Centre has given its assurance that Karnataka will not be allowed to carry out any construction on the Mekedatu dam project on the Cauvery river until its Detailed Project Report (DPR) is approved by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).
Issue:
- The Mekedatu dam project is envisaged on the Cauvery river.
- The project aims to build a reservoir across Cauvery at Mekedatu which will help store and supply water for drinking purposes for the Bengaluru city while also proposing to develop around 400 megawatts (MW) of hydroelectric power.
- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has closed proceedings against the Mekedatu dam project based on allegations of violations of environmental norms in the construction of the dam.
- Also, there are differences between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the proposed project.
Read more on the row over the Mekedatu Project covered in July 11th, 2021 CNA.
C. GS 3 Related
1. ‘Be aware of underwater domain’
What’s in News?
Chief of the Naval Staff has highlighted that for India, with regard to naval operations, underwater domain awareness (UDA) was one of the most critical areas.
Underwater domain awareness:
- Underwater domain awareness (UDA) is the aspect of maritime domain awareness.
- It focusses on the underwater sector, including, from a security perspective, sea lines of communication (SLOC), coastal waters and varied maritime assets with reference to hostile intent and the proliferation of submarine and mine capabilities intended to limit access to the seas and littoral waters.
- It is a concept that addresses the aspect of a nation’s ability to monitor all the developments in the underwater region and possibly prevent events.
Details:
- To exploit the potential of unmanned technologies and platforms, the Navy has approved an unmanned road map.
- The economic activities driven by the river, like inland water transport, fishing, underwater resource exploration and exploitation, etc., can be efficiently managed with effective UDA.
- The security apparatus responsible for providing a secure atmosphere that can minimise subversive activities both by external and internal elements can be enhanced with UDA.
- Effective disaster management is possible with enhanced UDA. With better awareness, the loss of life and property can be minimised.
Concern:
The discovery of ‘Chinese-origin’ autonomous underwater gliders in the Indonesian waters indicate the extent to which underwater technologies are being harnessed for military advantage by China.
D. GS 4 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
E. Editorials
Category: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. India needs a renewed health-care system
Context:
Following the recent cabinet shuffle, India has got a new Union Health Minister.
The article talks about the need for rebuilding trust in public health through a renewed healthcare system in the country that lays its focus on the core lessons learnt from the pandemic as well as ensures widespread positive impacts extending much beyond the COVID-19 situation.
The availability of functional public health systems is of utmost importance. This can be illustrated through a case study.
- Maharashtra and Kerala currently have the highest number of COVID-19 cases in India.
- Their economic situation is similar as their per capita Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is similar.
- However, their COVID-19 case fatality rates are hugely different —0.48% for Kerala and 2.04% for Maharashtra.
- The primary reason for such divergence is likely to be the huge differences in the effectiveness of public health systems.
- Kerala has per capita two and a half times more government doctors, and an equally higher proportion of government hospital beds when compared to Maharashtra.
- Besides, Kerala allocates per capita over one and half times higher funds on public health every year.
- Despite Maharashtra having a large private healthcare sector, its weak public health system has proved to be a critical deficiency.
Robust government healthcare services in Kerala have translated into:
- More effective outreach
- Timely testing
- Early case detection and more rational treatment for COVID patients
What should be the new focus?
Attention to National Health Mission:
- A programme that requires the immediate attention of the Health Minister is the National Health Mission (NHM).
- Since 2017-18, Union government allocations for the NHM have declined in real terms, resulting in inadequate support to States for core activities such as immunisation.
- These systemic gaps affect the delivery of COVID-19 vaccination.
Doubling the Healthcare budget allocation:
- Furthermore, the condition of the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) remains pathetic.
- Central allocation for the NUHM is ₹1,000 crore, which amounts to less than ₹2 per month per urban Indian.
- As per the Parliamentary Standing Committee recommendations, the Government must allocate ₹1.6-lakh crore for public health during the current year for reaching National Health Policy targets.
- Doubling the present central health Budget could enable major strengthening of health services in rural and urban areas across the country.
Private sector regulation:
- There is a need to regulate rates and standards of care in the private sector.
- Massive hospital bills have caused untold distress even among the middle class.
- COVID-19 care costs ₹1 lakh to ₹3 lakh per week in large private hospitals.
- Panic due to drug shortages was significantly linked with major overuse of medicine by unregulated private hospitals (Eg: Remdesivir).
- Learning from stark market failures during the COVID-19 pandemic, comprehensive regulation of private health care must be a critical agenda for the new Health Minister.
Implement Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act (CEA):
- The central government must on priority take necessary steps to promote the implementation of the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act (CEA).
- CEA was passed in 2010 and is presently applicable to 11 States across India.
- This Act is not effectively implemented due to a major delay in notification of central minimum standards, and failure to develop the central framework for the regulation of rates.
Stop further Privatisation of Healthcare:
- NITI Aayog has recently published the document, ‘Investment Opportunities in India’s Healthcare Sector’ promoting further privatisation of health care.
- With proposals for handing over public hospitals to private operators, public health services that were hitherto free of cost, would begin to be charged for.
- This can prove to be detrimental in the current situation considering that India already has one of the most privatised health systems in the world.
- The Health Minister must assert his authority to stop further privatisation, which might benefit healthcare corporates and be damaging for ordinary people.
Conclusion:
Neglect of public health systems can mean large-scale, avoidable losses of lives; hence, public health services must be upgraded rapidly and massively as a topmost priority. Building people’s trust in public health systems is important as it would help in overcoming vaccination hesitancy while strengthening the promotion of healthy behaviours necessary to deal with the pandemic.
2. An irrational draft population control Bill that must go
Context:
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister launched the State’s population policy for 2021-2030.
This issue has been covered in July 14th, 2021 CNA.
Context:
Chief Justice of India NV Ramana has questioned the relevance of the controversial sedition law. He has asked the Attorney General to examine the petition for striking down Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code which criminalises the offence of sedition.
This issue has been covered in July 16th, 2021 CNA.
F. Prelims Facts
Nothing here for today!!!
G. Tidbits
1. China starts long-awaited carbon trading scheme
What’s in News?
China has introduced the emissions trading system.
- The much-awaited scheme would act as a key tool in its quest to drive down climate change-causing greenhouse gases and go carbon neutral by 2060.
- China has hailed it as the foundation for what would become the world’s biggest carbon trading market, forcing thousands of Chinese companies to cut their pollution or face deep economic hits.
- The scheme will set pollution caps for big-power businesses for the first time, and allows firms to buy the right to pollute from others with a lower carbon footprint.
Note:
- China is the world’s biggest carbon emitter and seeking to take a global leadership role in the climate crisis.
- China’s coal, cement and steel production have all gone up as the government pours in billions of dollars to energy-intensive sectors to boost growth after the pandemic.
- However, analysts say it is not a quick climate fix and could take years before China changes course.
2. Russia slams U.S.’s ‘hasty’ Afghan pullout
What’s in News?
Russia has blamed the hasty withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops for a rapid deterioration in Afghanistan’s security.
Details:
- Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan have capitalised on the last stages of the withdrawal of foreign troops to launch offensives.
- They have captured a swath of districts and border crossings, and encircling provincial capitals.
- This indicates huge uncertainty around the future of the political and military situation in Afghanistan.
- Russia hosted Taliban representatives in Moscow recently, where the insurgent group claimed to have control over some 85% of Afghanistan.
- The world is concerned about the potential for instability reaching neighbouring Central Asian countries. Russia has warned of instability spreading to neighbouring countries.
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q1. With reference to Dowry, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- The Dowry Prohibition Act applies to persons of all religions in India.
- The Dowry Prohibition Act prohibits both the giving and receiving of a dowry.
Options:
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both
- None
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
- In this act, ‘dowry’ means any property or valuable security given or agreed to be given either directly or indirectly:
- by one party to a marriage to the other party to the marriage; or
- by the parents of either party to a marriage or by any other person, to either party to the marriage or to any other person; at or before or any time after the marriage in connection with the marriage of said parties but does not include dower or mahr in the case of persons to whom the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) applies.
- The Dowry Prohibition Act prohibits the giving or taking of the dowry.
Q2. Which of the following authorities/institutions fall under the definition of 'Public Authority' in the Right to Information act?
- Office of Attorney General
- Securities and Exchange Board of India
- Non-Government 0rganisations (NGOs)
- Office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI)
Options:
- 1, 2 and 3 only
- 2 and 4 only
- 1 and 4 only
- 1, 2, 3 and 4
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation:
- The Delhi High Court has clarified that the office of the attorney general would not be a public authority within the ambit of the Right to Information Act (RTI).
- “Public authority” means any authority or body or institution of self-government established or constituted—
- by or under the Constitution;
- by any other law made by Parliament;
- by any other law made by State Legislature;
- by notification issued or order made by the appropriate Government, and includes any—
- body owned, controlled or substantially financed;
- non-Government organisation substantially financed,
- directly or indirectly by funds provided by the appropriate Government;
- Therefore only those NGOs substantially financed by the Government come under the ambit of Public Authority, not all.
Q3. Consider the following statements:
- Only elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies can vote in a Rajya Sabha election.
- Vacancies that arise due to resignation, death or disqualification are filled up through by-polls after which those elected serve out the remainder of their predecessor’s term.
- The Rajya Sabha polls have a system of open ballot.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Explanation:
- Lok Sabha members are elected directly by the voters, Rajya Sabha members are elected indirectly by the people, that is, by the MLAs.
- Every Rajya Sabha MP has a tenure of six years.
- The election held to fill a vacancy arising otherwise than by retirement of a member on the expiration of his term of office is called ‘Bye-election’. A member elected in a bye-election remains member for the remainder of the term of the member who had resigned or died or disqualified to be member of the House under the Tenth Schedule.
- Article 80(4) of the Constitution of India provides that members of Rajya Sabha shall be elected by the elected members of State Legislative Assemblies through the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
Q4. Which of the following statements is/are correct about Bio-Toilets?
- Bio toilets use anaerobic bacteria for converting human waste to gas.
- Bacteria can decompose plastic and cloth materials dumped into toilets.
Options:
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both
- None
Q5. Both Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Foreign Institutional Investor (FII) are related to investment in a country. Which one of the following statements best represents an important difference between the two? (PYQ- 2011)
- FII helps bring better management skills and technology, while FDI only brings in capital
- FII helps in increasing capital availability in general, while FDI only targets specific sectors
- FDI flows only into the secondary market while FII targets primary market
- FII is considered to be more stable than FDI
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- India urgently needs a renewed healthcare system. Discuss. (250 words; 15 marks) [GS-2, Governance]
- In case of a conflict between ‘Right to Religion’ and ‘Right to Life’, what should prevail? Examine. (250 words; 15 marks)[GS-2, Polity and Governance]
Read the previous CNA here.
CNA 17th July 2021:- Download PDF Here
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