08 Mar 2020: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

A. GS 1 Related

Category: SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Workplace safety still an issue: survey

Context:

The survey by the Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI), and Gender at Work.

Details:

• The online survey was conducted to assess whether and how effectively media houses in India responded to the issue of sexual harassment at the workplace.
• The survey had 456 participants, including journalists, journalism educators, trainers and researchers. Most respondents were based in metropolitan centres such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune.
• The survey findings were compiled in the report titled ‘creating safe workplaces: prevention and redressal of sexual harassment in media houses in India’.

Concerns:

• The report notes that around 36% of the respondents have experienced sexual harassment at the workplace. Of the respondents who experienced such harassment at work, 53% did not report it for lack of awareness of the existing mechanism or fear of reprisal.
• Worryingly, over 70% of respondents who had approached the Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) to report sexual harassment at the workplace were not completely satisfied with the outcome.
• A higher level of sexual harassment was reported from organizations which did not have a mechanism to deal with sexual harassment. 47% was the reported number. This points towards the fact that ICC though has its flaws, has a deterring effect.
• The report also found that a large percentage of respondents had never attended a training workshop on sexual harassment, as required by The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, of 2013.

Conclusion:

• The results of the survey underscore the need to undertake steps to increase awareness among the employees and address the lacunae’s in the existing framework to bring about a change in the work culture in workplaces.

B. GS 2 Related

Category: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. ECI unveils road map for revamp

Context:

• Recommendations proposed by the working groups set up by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Background:

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) had set up working groups in June 2019, to come up with recommendations for revamping of the electoral process which could add value to the process.
• The nine working groups, comprising ECI officials and State Chief Electoral Officers, had presented their draft recommendations recently.
• The ECI has published 25 of the main recommendations and has invited comments or suggestions from the public.

Details:

• Some of the major recommendations being considered by the ECI includes the following.

E-voter cards:

• One of the major proposals is the issuance of electronic versions of the voter ID card for the convenience of voters.
  • A Voter ID Card, also known as the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) is a photo identity card that is issued by the Election Commission of India to all individuals who are eligible to vote.

Ease of voter service:

• Since multiple numbers of forms create confusion and affect the efficiency in the process. There is the recommendation to replace all the forms for various voter services, including registration of new voter and change of address, with a unified and simplified form for all services to voters.

Registration of new voter:

• Another recommendation is to start online registration facilities at the school or college-level for all prospective voters at 17 years of age, so they can be enrolled in the electoral roll as soon as they become eligible at 18.
• The ECI also recommended four cut-off dates in a year to enrol as a voter. Currently, January 1 is the qualifying date so those who turn 18 after that date are not eligible to vote the whole year. The ECI has proposed January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 as the qualifying dates.
• These measures would help enhance young citizen’s participation in the electoral process.

New voting methods:

• Given the fact that approximately 30% of electors are not able to participate in elections for various reasons, the ECI is exploring the possibility and feasibility of different voting methods which remains secure and safe to ease and improve the electoral participation.
• The Election Commission of India (ECI) is considering new voting methods,
• One of the recommendations includes an Aadhaar-linked remote voting system on which IIT-Madras was working on.
• The ECI has already implemented one-way online transfer of postal ballots for service personnel and has implemented the same for the whole country in 2019.

Silence period:

• Given the difficulties involved in regulating social media, the working group was asked to come up with recommendations to regulate social media platforms to ensure strict adherence to the provision of silence period before polling.
• The working group have come up with recommendations as part of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) to impose a silence period of 48 hours before polling on social media and print media.

Other recommendations:

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is also considering capping the campaign expenditure of political parties.

Category: AGRICULTURE

1. Assess crop damage due to hailstorm, U.P. Minister tells officers

Background:

• Untimely hailstorm and rains have damaged 70% of the crops in Uttar Pradesh.

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY):

• The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)was launched in 2016.
• PMFBY aims to provide a comprehensive insurance cover against the failure of the crop thus helping in stabilizing the income of the farmers.
• The scheme is implemented by empanelled general insurance companies. The scheme is being administered by the Ministry of Agriculture.
• The Scheme covers all Food & Oilseeds crops and Annual Commercial/Horticultural Crops for which past yield data is available and for which requisite number of Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) are being conducted under General Crop Estimation Survey (GCES).
• Following stages of the crop risks leading to crop loss are covered under the Scheme:
  • Prevented Sowing/Planting/Germination Risk:
  • Standing Crop (Sowing to Harvesting): Losses due to non-preventable risks, viz. Drought, Dry spell, Flood, Inundation, widespread Pests and Disease attack, Landslides, Fire due to natural causes, Lightning, Storm, Hailstorm and Cyclone.
  • Post-Harvest Losses: Coverage is available only up to a maximum period of two weeks from harvesting, against specific perils of Hailstorm, Cyclone, Cyclonic rains and Unseasonal rains
  • Localized Calamities: Loss/damage to notified insured crops resulting from the occurrence of identified localized risks of Hailstorm, Landslide, Inundation, Cloud burst and Natural fire due to lightening affecting isolated farms in the notified area.
  • Add-on coverage for crop loss due to attack by wild animals.

For more information, please refer to Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

Details:

• Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister has directed officials to undertake a survey to ascertain the extent of losses in crops due to the recent hailstorm and rain in the State.
• Instructions have also been given to insurance companies to ascertain the extent of loss, and pay for the damages caused to farmers.

Category: ECONOMY

1. Why did Yes Bank have to be bailed out?

Background

For more information on this, please read 07 March 2020 Comprehensive News Analysis.

What will be the likely impact on depositors?

While deposit withdrawals have been capped at ₹50,000, there are exceptions under which a higher amount can be withdrawn, with the permission of the RBI. The RBI can allow a customer to withdraw more than ₹50,000 under the following conditions:

• in connection with the medical treatment of the depositor or any person actually dependent on the depositor;
• towards the cost of higher education of the depositor or any person actually dependent on him for education in India or outside India;
• to pay obligatory expenses in connection with marriage or other ceremonies of the depositor or his/her children or of any other person actually dependent upon depositor;
• Or any other unavoidable emergency.

The total withdrawal should, however, not exceed ₹5 lakh or the actual balance in the account, whichever is lower.

Deposit Insurance

• Deposits are insured under the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC).
• Account holders with Yes Bank are insured for up to Rs 5 lakh by the DICGC.
• Budget 2020 increased insurance coverage of deposits with scheduled banks from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh

What kind of deposits are covered?

• DICGC covers all deposits such as savings, fixed, current, recurring and so on except for the following deposits:
  • Deposits of foreign governments;
  • Deposits of Central/State Governments;
  • Inter-bank deposits;
  • Deposits of the State Land Development Banks with the State co-operative bank;
  • Any amount due on account of and deposit received outside India

What is the way forward?

• The RBI has come up with a draft reconstruction plan for Yes Bank which proposes that depositors’ funds would be protected.
• The employees would also have the same service conditions, including remuneration, at least for one year.
• However, in the case of key managerial personnel, the new board would be empowered to take a call.

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Idlib (Testing the power of personal touch)

What’s so important about Idlib?

• It is a city in northwestern Syria
• Idlib is strategically important to the government of Syria. It borders Turkey to the north and connects highways running south from the city of Aleppo to the capital Damascus, and west to the Mediterranean city of Latakia.

Who controls the province?

• The province – along with parts of Hama, Latakia and Aleppo – is the last stronghold of the rebel and jihadist groups that have been trying to overthrow President Assad since 2011.
  • The opposition once controlled large parts of the country, but the Syrian army has retaken most of the territory over the past five years with the help of Russian air power and Iran-backed militiamen.
  • Now, the army wants to “liberate” Idlib.
• Idlib has been controlled by a number of rival factions, rather than a single group. But the dominant force is the al-Qaeda-linked jihadist alliance, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Why did Syrian government forces target Idlib now?

• In 2017, Russia and Turkey agreed to de-escalation in Idlib and the province is out of the control of the Syrian government.
• When Syrian government forces overtook three other de-escalation zones elsewhere in Syria, Turkey approached Russia in 2018 with a proposal to establish a demilitarized zone in Idlib, in what came to be known as the Sochi accord.
• Turkey also proposed that it would disarm the Sunni militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and remove it from the area, and agreed to reopen the crucial M4 and M5 highways.
• However, the situation escalated when Turkey failed to deal with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham according to the terms of the proposal with Russia.
  • Turkey supports the Syrian rebels, while Russia backs the Syrian government’s campaign to retake the area.

What is currently happening in Idlib?

• Fighting has intensified in Idlib in the last few weeks as a result of massive displacement, running into over half a million people.
• The forces of Syrian president Bashar Al Assad backed by Russian air-power has ramped up airstrikes in Idlib.

Idlib’s importance can be corroborated by two factors.

• One, that it essentially determines the faith and future of the Syrian Civil War.
• Second, that it is currently the biggest contention point between Syria and its neighbor Turkey.

Why is Idlib important for Turkey?

• Idlib’s proximity to the Turkish border makes it not only important for the Syrian government, but also a cause of concern for Turkey.
• Since the war started in Syria, thousands of displaced Syrians have sought refuge in Turkey over the years.
• According to the latest known figures, Turkey presently hosts some 3.6 million refugees and is feeling the socio-economic and political strain of their presence in the country.
• More conflict in Idlib would only serve to displace more people, pushing them towards the Turkish border. Turkey has been witnessing a surge in hostility among its citizens towards refugees and a fresh wave of refugees will only exacerbate the situation.

What is the issue between Turkey and Russia?

• More than two dozen Turkish soldiers were killed in an air strike by Syrian government forces.
• The deaths mark a serious escalation in the direct conflict between Turkish and Russia-backed Syrian forces that has been waged since early February 2020.
• As crisis soared in Syria’s Idlib and the possibility of a direct confrontation between Russia and Turkey was rising, the leaders of both the countries Mr. Putin and Mr. Erdogan agreed to implement a ceasefire in Syria’s rebel-held Idlib.
• Both sides also agreed to establish a secure corridor along the strategically important M4 highway.

Conclusion

• The unpredictability in the region may have been suspended temporarily, but Syria remains on the brink.

F. Prelims Facts

Nothing here for today!!!

G. Tidbits

1. Women achievers to win accolades

• The ‘Nari Shakti’ awards are given annually to individuals, groups and institutions in recognition of their exceptional work towards the cause of women’s empowerment, especially for the vulnerable and marginalized.
• The awards are given away by the President of India every year on 8 March, International Women’s Day at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
• The award was instituted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

2. Victoria Memorial Hall to display a rare miniature of Rani Padmini

• The Victoria Memorial Hall (VMH) will display a unique Rajput miniature painting of Rani Padmini (Padmavati) of Chittor to mark International Women’s Day.
• The Bharat Mata painting is by the renowned artist Abanindranath Tagore.

3. SC, ST student enrolment in PhD programmes remains low in IITs

• The recent data presented in the Rajya Sabha, notes that enrolment of students from marginalised communities, mainly the Scheduled Castes (SC) and the Scheduled Tribes (ST), being very low in PhD programmes in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) from 2015 to 2019.
  • Of the 25,007 PhD scholars admitted in the 23 IITs over the five years, only 9.1% were from the SC communities and 2.1% from the STs. This is lower than the 15% seats reserved for the SC and 7.5% for the ST.

Q1. Which of the following statements are correct with respect to 
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition 
and Redressal) Act, of 2013?

Q2. Which of the following statements are correct?

3. Which of the following statements are correct?

4. Which of the following statements are incorrect?