03 Nov 2021: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

Nov 3rd, 2021, CNA:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. Set up police complaints bodies: NHRC
C. GS 3 Related
ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
1. COP 26, Glasgow
2. India’s climate commitments are bold, but meeting them will be a challenge, say experts
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
1. Climate pledge
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Trade and climate, the pivot for India-U.S. ties
F. Prelims Facts
1. RBI issues revised PCA framework for banks
G. Tidbits
1. As schools reopen, study warns of deepening divides
2. COVID-19 as a tale of job hardship and marginalisation
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

2. India’s climate commitments are bold, but meeting them will be a challenge, say experts

Context:

  • India has announced an enhanced climate action target for itself at the ongoing 26th COP of the UNFCCC.

For detailed information on this development refer to the following article:

UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis of 2nd November 2021

Details:

  • Some environmental experts have expressed doubts over India’s stiff climate action targets.
    • Achieving net zero by 2070 would require India to peak emissions by 2040, following which emissions will have to start to reduce. Available studies suggest that for a 2070 net zero year and peaking year of 2040, India would have to reduce the emissions intensity (emissions per unit GDP) by 85%. This appears a stiff target as notably, India has so far only been able to reduce its emission intensity by 24% from the 2005 levels.
    • To enable such a steep reduction, the share of non-hydro renewable energy has to increase to 65% from the current 11% and the share of electric cars in passenger sales has to go from current 0.1% to 75% by 2040 while the share of fossil energy in primary energy has to decrease from 73% to 40%. These appear too steep a target given India’s financial and technical resources at present.
  • Some experts have pointed out that while it had become increasingly difficult for India to dodge the calls to announce a net zero date, India, however, should have said that it will reach net zero by 2070, only if other developed countries themselves commit to reaching net zero before 2050 and also offer financial and technological help to developing nations like itself. It should have taken up conditional targets.

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Trade and climate, the pivot for India-U.S. ties

Context:

  • Trade and climate are two areas that are interrelated and will lend strength to the India-U.S. partnership.

Background:

  • India-US relations have become increasingly multi-faceted, covering cooperation in areas such as trade, climate, defence and security, education, science and technology, civil nuclear energy, space technology and applications, environment, and health.
  • Joint efforts will be in creating a free and open Indo-Pacific — one that advances democratic values and confronts autocracies globally and locally.

Areas of convergence:

  • Shared concerns about China provide the U.S.-India partnership a much-needed impetus to overcome the awkward efforts for deeper collaboration.
  • Both countries are collaborating under the “Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership”.
  • The partnership will proceed along two main tracks which will build on and subsume a range of existing processes:
    • the strategic clean energy partnership and the climate action.
    • finance mobilisation dialogue.

Issues:

  • India’s rhetoric of climate justice is likely to be received poorly by the U.S.
  • The US continues to take a hard line in terms of trade and is trying to push and get the maximum advantage that it can get from India.
  • Protectionist tendencies affect both countries’ relations, such as imports from India are subject to increased tariffs in the form of carbon border adjustment mechanisms or “CBAMs”.
  • Climate-inspired trade tensions that might even lead to new trade wars can hardly bolster the strategic partnership.

The interlinks

  • Climate and trade are interrelated in many ways, from commercial dissemination of cutting-edge carbon mitigation and adaptation products and technologies to the carbon emissions that come with the transport of goods and humans from one country to another.
  • If India and the U.S. coordinate in incentivising & sharing climate-related technologies and align approaches for reducing emissions associated with trade, the relationship can be a net positive one.

Solutions:

  • India and the U.S. could find opportunities to align their climate and trade approaches better, starting with a resolution of their disputes in the World Trade Organization (WTO) on solar panels.
  • The two countries could also chart a path that allows trade to flow for transitional energy sources, such as fuel ethanol.
  • India currently bans imports of ethanol, as it seeks to ramp up its own ethanol blend mandates and build a domestic sector.

Conclusion:

  • Thus, concerted action on both the climate and trade fronts is mutually beneficial and will lend additional strength to the foundation of a true partnership for the coming century.

F. Prelims Facts

1. RBI issues revised PCA framework for banks

Prompt Corrective Action Framework:

  • Prompt Corrective Action is a framework under which banks with weak financial metrics are put under watch by the Reserve Bank of India. It aims to check the problem of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) in the Indian banking sector.
  • PCA is intended to help alert the regulator as well as investors and depositors if a bank is heading towards financial stress. PCA helps RBI monitor key performance indicators of banks such as – capital to risk-weighted assets ratio (CRAR), net NPA, Return on Assets (RoA) and Tier 1 Leverage ratio.
  • Certain structured and discretionary actions are initiated in respect of banks hitting such trigger points. Thus the PCA framework allows for a structured early-intervention mechanism.

Context:

  • The RBI has issued a revised Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework.
    • Capital, asset quality and leverage will be the key areas for monitoring in the revised framework.
    • The revised PCA framework will be effective from January 1, 2022.

G. Tidbits

1. As schools reopen, study warns of deepening divides

  • The National Coalition on the Education Emergency report “A Future At Stake — Guidelines and Principles to Resume and Renew Education”, warns that as children return to physical classes after 18 months of school closures, a business as usual approach will lead to a deepening of existing educational inequity.
  • The inequality in accessing online classes has had an adverse impact on the education of the children more so of the children of the rural and urban poor, migrants, minorities, Dalit, Adivasi and other backward communities.
  • The report calls for focus on children’s mental health and also enhanced support for the educational needs of the most disadvantaged.

2. COVID-19 as a tale of job hardship and marginalisation

  • The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region hosts about 23 million migrant workers as per the 2017 estimates of the International Labour Organization. About three-quarters of this migrant workforce hails from the South Asian and South-east Asian countries.
  • Feminisation of the workforce across multiple sectors of the economy has been a growing trend with women accounting for 39% of migrant workers in the GCC (International Labour Organization, 2017). Women migrant workers include those in skilled jobs like nurses and those in the semi-skilled or unskilled category such as domestic workers, care workers, cleaning crew, manufacturing workers, salon staff and salespersons.
  • Most jobs are on temporary contracts and most workers are engaged in low-wage occupations. Such a condition makes these workers vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
  • The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the vulnerabilities of women migrant workers. Many of the semi-skilled and unskilled workers lost their jobs, wages and their accommodation too.
  • Given the plight of Indian women migrant workers in West Asia there is the need for gender-centric, rights-based safeguards.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements with regards to the Defense Acquisition Council and 
choose the correct ones:
  1. It is the highest decision-making body in the Defense Ministry for deciding on new policies and capital acquisitions for the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) and the Indian Coast Guard.
  2. The Chief of Defense Staff is the Chairman of the Council.
  3. It was formed after the Group of Ministers’ recommendations on ‘Reforming the National Security System’, in 2001, post the Kargil War (1999).

Which of these statements are correct?

  1. 1 & 2 only
  2. 2 & 3 only
  3. 1 & 3 only
  4. All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct: The Defence Acquisition Council is the highest decision-making body for deciding on new policies and capital acquisitions for the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) and the Indian Coast Guard.
  • Statement 2 is incorrect: It is chaired by the Defence Minister.
  • Statement 3 is correct: It was formed after the Group of Ministers’ recommendations on ‘Reforming the National Security System’.
Q2. Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), a United States federal 
law, does not impose sanctions on which of the following nations?
  1. Afghanistan
  2. Iran
  3. North Korea
  4. Russia
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • The Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) is a United States Federal Law that has imposed sanctions against Iran, Russia and North Korea.
Q.3 Consider the following statements with regards to Ayushman CAPF scheme:
  1. It will provide healthcare services to the serving and retired CAPF personnel from all seven forces, viz. Assam Rifles, BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, NSG and SSB, and their dependents through the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY IT platform.
  2. A dedicated call centre for support and grievance redressal for CAPF personnel has also been set up.
  3. Under this scheme, any medical expense done by the CAPF personnel will be reimbursed up to the limit of Rs. 5 lakh per family.

Which of these statements are incorrect?

  1. 1 & 2 only
  2. 2 & 3 only
  3. 1 & 3 only
  4. All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is incorrect: The government has extended the Ayushman CAPF healthcare scheme benefits to the personnel of all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), viz.  Assam Rifles, BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, NSG and SSB, and their dependents. It is not extended to retired personnel.
  • Statement 2 is correct.
  • Statement 3 is incorrect: The scheme provides cashless medical cover.
Q.4. Consider the following statements with regards to the recently released guidelines on 
NPAs by the Union Finance Ministry:
  1. Staff accountability need not be examined in the case of NPA accounts with outstanding of up to Rs. 20 lakh.
  2. The accountability exercise, whenever needed, must be completed within 3 months from the date that the account is declared as NPA.
  3. If NPA is caused by external factors such as changes in government policies or natural calamities, it should not attract a staff accountability examination.

Which of these statements are incorrect? 

  1. 1 & 2 only
  2. 2 & 3 only
  3. 1 & 3 only
  4. All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is incorrect: For examining staff accountability, banks may decide on a threshold of Rs 10 lakh or Rs 20 lakh, depending on their business size.
  • Statement 2 is incorrect: Banks will have to complete an accountability exercise within six months from the date an account is classified as NPA.
  • Statement 3 is correct: The guideline says that if NPA is caused by external factors such as a change in government policy, natural calamities, non-release of government subsidy/grant — it should not attract a staff accountability examination.
Q.5. Consider the following statements:
  1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.
  2. The Constitution of India defines and gives details of what constitutes ‘incapacity and proved misbehaviour’ of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India.
  3. The details of the process of impeachment of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India are given in the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.
  4. If the motion for the impeachment of a Judge is taken up for voting, the law requires the motion to be backed by each House of the Parliament and supported by a majority of total membership of that House and by not less than two-thirds of total members of that House present and voting.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 2
  2. 3 only
  3. 3 and 4 only
  4. 1, 3 and 4
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is incorrect: The Speaker may admit or reject the motion.
  • Statement 2 is incorrect: The Constitution of India does not define or provide any detail of what constitutes ‘incapacity and proved misbehaviour’.
  • Statements 3 and 4 are correct.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

  1. Illustrate the key initiatives announced by India during COP26 summit at Glasgow. (250 words; 15 marks)[GS-3, Environment & Ecology]
  2. Examine the plight of Indian migrant workers in West Asia with special emphasis on the challenges faced by women workers. (250 words; 15 marks)[GS-2, International Relations]

Read the previous CNA here.

Nov 3rd, 2021, CNA:- Download PDF Here

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