20 Mar 2021: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 20th March 2021:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. ‘State resolutions on Central laws are fine’
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. We’ve high hopes on India at HRC
2. U.S., China spar at Alaska meet
C. GS 3 Related
SECURITY
1. Centre asks HC to stop WhatsApp’s new privacy policy
ECONOMY
1. Auto firms see scrappage policy boosting sector
2. LS passes MMDR amendment Bill
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
POLITY
1. Delhi undermined
F. Prelims Facts
G. Tidbits
1. ‘Advanced nations failing world on climate change’
2. COVID may have doubled poverty in India
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. We’ve high hopes on India at HRC

Context:

A new resolution on Sri Lanka’s human rights record will be put to vote at the UN Human Rights Council.

Details:

• The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said that its hopes are high that India will vote for the UN resolution on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka.
  • TNA remains the largest grouping representing the Tamils of the north and east in Sri Lanka, with 10 MPs in the 225-member House.
• Colombo has sought India’s support at the highest levels to defeat the resolution.

Read more on this topic covered in 19^th March 2021 Comprehensive News Analysis.

2. U.S., China spar at Alaska meet

Context:

U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Adviser’s meet with their Chinese counterparts in Alaska, in the first face-to-face interaction between the Biden administration and China.

Details:

• The Biden administration’s first bilateral engagement with China got off to a rocky start.
• The U.S. side opened with remarks that included references to China’s actions in Tibet, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and accused Beijing of economic coercion.
• The Chinese side questioned the U.S. narrative of China’s role in the world and expressed its own concerns about U.S. actions — domestic and international.
• The U.S side spoke about the rules based-international order, stating that China’s actions threaten the rules-based order that maintains global stability.
• The Chinese side, in a counter-argument, said that the international community were following a UN-led order, not the so-called ‘rules-based’ international order.
• Concerns were raised that the U.S. was wanting to create an advantage for itself going into the talks by imposing sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials.
  • The U.S State Department had announced sanctions on March 16, 2021, in response to Beijing’s move to decrease the proportion of democratically elected lawmakers in Hong Kong’s legislature.

Read more on Biden’s foreign policy approach towards China.

Key takeaways:

• The main takeaway from Alaska is that any reset in ties from the turbulent Trump era is unlikely.
• There are signs of cautious engagement between the two countries.  Both sides are still seeking spaces to work together amid the rancour.
  • Both, for instance, could still agree to cooperate on issues like climate change, the global economic recovery, and Afghanistan.

How would it affect India’s diplomacy?

• There is an emergence of a drawing of battle lines between Washington and its allies on one side, and Beijing and its main ally when it comes to the Indo-Pacific and Eurasia, Russia on the other side.
• This will particularly pose a test for India’s diplomacy.
• It would affect India’s defence supplies from Russia, with the U.S. making it clear that importing Russian equipment like the S-400 missile defence system will attract sanctions as well as the U.S. withholding high-tech exports.
• While India confronts its own problems with China amid the disengagement process along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), it has still made clear it does not want to be part of any alliances.
• India’s balancing act is reflected in India’s varying multilateral engagements, ranging from the Quad to groupings like RIC (Russia-India-China), the BRICS, and the China and Russia-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
• The U.S.-China divide will also mean a tightrope walk for India at the UN Security Council, where it is serving a two-year term as a non-permanent member, as the split between the U.S., the U.K. and France on the one hand and Russia and China on the other grows ever wider, as seen in response to the Myanmar coup.

Category: ECONOMY

1. Auto firms see scrappage policy boosting sector

Context:

Auto majors have welcomed the new vehicle-scrappage policy saying it would encourage people to replace older vehicles, thus boosting demand in the sector.

• The new policy presents a huge business opportunity for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and can significantly cut pollution while bolstering road safety.

This topic has been covered in the 19^th March 2021 Comprehensive News Analysis.

2. LS passes MMDR amendment Bill

Context:

Lok Sabha passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2021.

Provisions:

• The Bill amends the MMDR Act, 1957, which provides a framework for the regulation of the mining sector in India.
• The Bill removes the distinction between captive and non-captive mines and seeks to introduce an index-based mechanism by developing a National Mineral Index (NMI) for statutory payments.
• The National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) would see the functioning of the sector, and will be made an autonomous body.
• The bill shall remove restrictions of end-use for future auctions of mineral mining rights, allow operators of existing captive mines to sell up to 50 per cent of minerals extracted in a year.
• It empowers the central government to conduct an auction of mines if state governments do not conduct auctions in a timely manner.

Details:

• The Coal and Mines Minister stated that the amendments will create jobs and allow private players with enhanced technology into the mining sector.
• The Minister said that the mining sector right now contributes 1.75% to the country’s GDP but the proposed reforms will raise the contribution to 2.5% as it seeks to make a large number of mines available for auctions by resolving legacy issues.
• He said that the amendment will lead to an increase in the production level of minerals and generate employment, increase revenues and ensure private participation in the exploration and mining activities.

Note:

• India produces 95 minerals and has the same potential as South Africa and Australia but the mining sector was under-explored and India still had to import minerals like gold and coal.
• The contribution of the mining sector to the GDP is only 1.75 per cent.
• One per cent growth in the mining sector generates almost 1 lakh (jobs) in direct employment and 5 lakh (jobs) in indirect employment

2. COVID may have doubled poverty in India

What’s in News?

A Pew Research study report that uses World Bank projections of economic growth to estimate the impact of COVID-19 on Indian incomes has been released.

Key Findings:

• India’s middle class may have shrunk by 1/3^rd due to 2020’s pandemic-driven recession, while the number of poor people earning less than ₹150 per day more than doubled.
  • In comparison, Chinese incomes remained relatively unshaken, with just a 2% drop in the middle-class population.
• Meanwhile, the number of people who are poor in India (with incomes of $2 or less a day) is estimated to have increased by 7.5 crores because of the COVID-19 recession.
  • This accounts for nearly 60% of the global increase in poverty.
• It also noted the record spike in MGNREGA participants as proof that the poor were struggling to find work.
• It warned that the situation may actually be worse than estimated.

Q1. Consider the following statements with respect to the National Monsoon Mission:

Q2. Consider the following statements:

Q3. Consider the following statements with respect to Comprehensive National Nutrition 
Survey (CNNS):

Q4. Consider the following statements with respect to Ventilation Index:

Read the previous CNA here.

CNA 20th March 2021:- Download PDF Here