26 Jun 2024: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

26 June 2024 CNA
Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
POLITY
1. Lok Sabha to witness rare contest for Speaker’s post
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
POLITY
1. Call for consensus
INTERNAL SECURITY
1. India needs the anchor of a national security strategy
F. Prelims Facts
1. Lack of focus, not finance, behind sluggish Kavach deployment
2. Chinese probe returns to Earth with first samples from far side of the moon
G. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
H. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine

Syllabus: Parliament and State Legislatures—Structure, Functioning, Conduct of Business

Mains: Election process of Speaker and Deputy Speaker

Introduction: Contest for Lok Sabha Speaker’s Post

  • Historical Context: Voting for the Speaker’s post in independent India has been rare, with notable instances in 1952, 1967, and 1976.
  • Rare Contest Emerges: The 18th Lok Sabha will witness a rare contest for the Speaker’s post between BJP’s Om Birla and Congress’s Kodikunnil Suresh.
  • Failure of Consensus: The NDA government and the INDIA bloc could not agree on a consensus candidate despite discussions led by senior leaders from both sides.
  • Opposition’s Move: Opposition parties nominated Kodikunnil Suresh, a Congress leader, against the ruling front’s candidate, Om Birla, highlighting divisions within the house.

Political Maneuvering and Reactions:

  • Sticking to Positions: Meetings between key leaders like Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah from the ruling party and K.C. Venugopal from the Opposition did not yield a compromise.
  • Accusations and Justifications: Congress accused the government of breaking tradition by not supporting an Opposition candidate for the Deputy Speaker’s position, which escalated tensions.

Shifts in Political Alliances and Strategies:

  • Coalition Dynamics: The decision to nominate Kodikunnil Suresh exposed rifts within the INDIA bloc, resolved after consultations between Congress and Trinamool Congress.
  • Issue of Deputy Speaker Post: Opposition leaders emphasized the convention of the Deputy Speaker coming from the Opposition, adding complexity to the political negotiations.

Nut Graf: In a rare parliamentary move, the 18th Lok Sabha faces a contested Speaker’s election between BJP’s Om Birla and Congress’s Kodikunnil Suresh, highlighting failed consensus and deepening political divisions over key procedural roles.

Category: POLITY

1. Call for consensus

Syllabus: GS-2, Parliament and State Legislatures—Structure, Functioning, Conduct of Business

Mains: Function of Parliament 

Introduction of the 18th Lok Sabha:

  • The 18th Lok Sabha commenced with Prime Minister Narendra Modi committing to governance by consensus.
  • The session highlighted ongoing hostilities from the election campaigns, with debates focused on constitutional protections.

Challenges in Achieving Consensus:

  • Early sessions saw disputes between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition INDIA bloc, particularly over the selection of the pro-tem Speaker and the Speaker’s position.
  • The Opposition is willing to support the NDA’s Speaker candidate in exchange for the Deputy Speaker post, which was historically given to the Opposition.

Need for Enhanced Parliamentary Practices:

  • Modi’s call for consensus needs to manifest in meaningful parliamentary actions and interactions.
  • Union Minister Rajnath Singh has initiated dialogues with Opposition leaders, aiming for more frequent engagements.
  • Establishing coalitions and sharing power can enhance the BJP’s authority and should be a focus, considering their current lack of a full majority.

Expectations for the Future:

  • The first session should pave the way for more extensive debates and openness to disagreement, fostering a spirit of cooperation.
  • The behaviour of both the ruling party and the Opposition in coming sessions will be crucial in setting a productive legislative tone.

Nut Graf: As the 18th Lok Sabha commences, Prime Minister Modi pledges consensus governance amidst existing partisan tensions. Effective leadership and opposition collaboration are vital for enhanced parliamentary functioning and the advancement of India’s democratic and legislative processes.

Category: INTERNAL SECURITY

1. India needs the anchor of a national security strategy

Syllabus: GS-3, Role of External State and Non-state Actors in Creating Challenges to Internal Security

Mains: Need for National security strategy

Introduction: Need for a National Security Strategy (NSS)

  • Holistic Approach: India faces complex national security challenges requiring integrated decision-making, beyond ad-hoc measures.
  • Lack of Coordinated Vision: According to the editorial, current decision-making relies on fragmented priorities, hindering effective resource allocation and strategic foresight.
  • Global Strategic Context: Emerging global risks like climate change and geopolitical shifts demand proactive policy frameworks.

Benefits of Implementing an NSS:

  • Strategic Assessment: Conducting periodic reviews to assess threats, including long-term challenges posed by countries like China, fosters preparedness.
  • Long-term Planning: Provides a structured framework for prioritizing defence investments and international engagements.
  • Clarity in Strategic Intent: Helps clarify India’s role as a regional security provider and enhances transparency in foreign policy.

Operational and Coordination Advantages:

  • Synchronisation Across Government: Facilitates coordination among defence and security agencies to achieve unified national security goals.
  • Accountability Mechanism: Establishes transparency and accountability in policy execution, ensuring alignment with public and parliamentary expectations.
  • Enhanced Policy Effectiveness: Guides decision-makers in navigating trade-offs and optimising resource allocation for sustainable national growth.

Path to Global Leadership:

  • Publicly Issued and Political Endorsement: A robust NSS endorsed by the Prime Minister enhances credibility and signals India’s strategic priorities domestically and internationally.
  • Facilitating Long-term Growth: Provides an intellectual framework for sustained strategic leadership, despite bureaucratic challenges, aiming for India’s prominence on the global stage.

Nut Graf: India urgently needs a National Security Strategy (NSS) to unify decision-making, prioritize threats like China, and enhance long-term planning. This strategic framework would ensure coordinated efforts, accountability, and clarity in India’s path to global leadership in security affairs.

F. Prelims Facts

1. Lack of focus, not finance, behind sluggish Kavach deployment

Overview of Kavach Deployment Issues:

  • Current Situation: Kavach, India’s Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, faces slow deployment despite recent railway accidents highlighting its necessity.
  • Financial Feasibility: Cost estimates indicate that implementing Kavach across all Indian Railways’ tracks and engines would require ₹45,000 crore over 10 years, amounting to less than 2% of the Railways’ annual capital expenditure.

Technical Details and Deployment Challenges:

  • System Components: Kavach involves RFID tags on tracks, engine equipment with RFID readers, and radio towers at stations, costing ₹50 lakh per km of track and ₹70 lakh per engine.
  • Deployment Challenges: The current deployment rate is slow; as of now, only 1,465 km of tracks (2% of the total) and 139 engines (less than 1%) are equipped with Kavach due to logistical and technical hurdles.

Recommendations and Future Outlook:

  • Accelerating Deployment: To meet the 10-year deployment target, installation rates need to increase significantly to 6,800 km of tracks and 1,500 engines per year, requiring streamlined processes and increased operational focus.
  • Government Action: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has called for expedited deployment in “mission mode,” emphasizing the need for improved implementation pace rather than additional funding.

2. Chinese probe returns to Earth with first samples from far side of the moon

Introduction:

  • China’s Chang’e 6 probe successfully returned to Earth with rock and soil samples from the far side of the moon.
  • Director Zhang Kejian of the China National Space Administration declared the mission a complete success.
  • The mission aimed to collect samples that could provide insights into geological differences between the moon’s near and far sides.

Also read: Chang’e 5

Geological Significance of Samples:

  • Samples are expected to include 2.5 million-year-old volcanic rock and other materials.
  • Scientists hope these samples will answer questions about geographic disparities between the moon’s two hemispheres.
  • The near side, visible from Earth, contrasts with the far side, which faces outer space and features mountains and impact craters.

Location and Exploration Details:

  • The Chang’e 6 probe landed in the moon’s South Pole-Aitken Basin, a significant impact crater over 4 billion years old.
  • Samples collected from different layers of this basin are expected to reveal traces of various geological events.
  • Previous lunar missions by the U.S. and Soviet Union focused on the near side, making this Chinese mission the first to retrieve samples from the far side of the moon.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements with respect to the Aitken crater:
  1. It is a large lunar impact crater that lies on the near side of the Moon.
  2. It is located on the northern rim of the South Pole-Aitken basin.

Which of these statements is/are incorrect?

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

Answer: a

Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. It lies on the far side of the moon. 

Q2. Consider the following statements with respect to the Remission of Duties 
and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme:
  1. RoDTEP became operational in 2021, replacing the Merchandise Exports from India (MEIS).
  2. The RoDTEP Committee operates within the Department of Revenue.

Which of these statements is/are incorrect?

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

Answer: d

Explanation: Both the statements are correct. 

Q3. Consider the following statements with respect to KAVACH:
  1. It is India’s own automatic train protection system.
  2. It can warn loco pilots if the train is at risk of overshooting the signal at red.
  3. It has the capability of automatically applying the brakes if the loco pilot fails to reduce the speed below a certain limit. 

How many of these statements is/are correct?

  1. Only one
  2. Only two
  3. All three
  4. None
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation: All three statements are correct. 

Q4. Saipan, recently seen in the news, is located in the:
  1. Indian Ocean
  2. Western Pacific Ocean
  3. South China Sea
  4. Mediterranean Sea
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation: Saipan Island is a part of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth, and is located in the Western Pacific Ocean.

Q5. Consider the following statements with respect to the Pro-tem Speaker:
  1. A Pro-tem speaker is chosen for the conduct of the house when the Lok Sabha members have been elected and the vote for the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker has not taken place.
  2. The Constitution does not use the term ‘Pro-tem Speaker’.
  3. The Speaker Pro-tem is appointed by the Prime Minister.

How many of these statements is/are incorrect?

  1. Only one
  2. Only two
  3. All three
  4. None
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation: The Pro-tem speaker is appointed by the President of India.

Comments

Leave a Comment

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published.

*

*