16 Nov 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

B. GS 2 Related

Category: POLITY

1. Persistent Centre-State friction

Syllabus: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Mains: Centre-state relations, issues related to cooperative federalism, fiscal competition, and parallel policies.

Context

Disputes between India’s Centre and States intensify, impacting economic policies. Recent conflicts challenge cooperative federalism, affecting investment, fiscal competition, and policy inefficiencies.

Introduction

• Disputes between the Centre and States over economic policies have a long history in India.
• Recent years have seen an increase in the frequency and intensity of these disputes, leading to persistent frictions in the federal system.

Changing Economic Landscape

• Economic reforms since 1991 have given States more room for investments, but autonomy in public expenditure is constrained by dependence on the Centre for revenue.
• The ‘give and take’ equation has shifted to a more rigid stance, eroding cooperative federalism.

Areas of Conflict

• Disputes extend beyond resource sharing to issues like homogenization of social sector policies, regulatory institutions’ functioning, and central agencies’ powers.
• Apex bodies attempt to influence States, challenging the ideal distribution of policies.

Economic Consequences of Incursions

1. Crowding Out of States
   • The Centre’s expanding span of activities leads to crowding out States in terms of investments, particularly in infrastructure development.
   • PM Gati Shakti and State master plans result in underinvestment by States, impacting regional economies.
   • The Centre’s capex on roads outpaces State spending, leading to a concentration in a few large States.
2. Fiscal Competition
   • Frictions lead to fiscal competition between the Centre and States, affecting welfare provisioning.
   • Enhanced fiscal space for the Centre creates spending power imbalances.
   • States engage in competition with each other and with the Centre, impacting efficiency.
3. Inefficiencies of Parallel Policies
   • Federal abrasions lead to duplication of policies by the Centre and States.
   • Examples of pension reforms with the National Pension System (NPS) and parallel schemes by some States.
   • Trust deficit in the federal system contributes to the emergence of parallel policies, with long-term fiscal consequences.

Interdependence and the Way Forward

• Inevitable interdependence between the Centre and States for implementing laws and policies, particularly in concurrent spheres.
• Preservation of interdependence is crucial for a large, diverse, and developing society.
• There is a need for a balanced approach to ensure cooperative federalism and address persistent frictions.

Nut Graf: Frictions in India’s federal system lead to economic consequences, crowding out state investments, sparking fiscal competition, and resulting in policy inefficiencies, challenging the essence of cooperative federalism.

C. GS 3 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

D. GS 4 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

2. Amal Kumar Raychaudhuri

Syllabus: GS 3- Science and Technology

Prelims: About Amal Kumar Raychaudhuri

Introduction

• Amal Kumar Raychaudhuri, born in Barisal (now in Bangladesh) in 1923, was a renowned Indian physicist with a profound impact on general relativity.
• His birth centenary falls this year.

Breakdown in General Relativity

• General relativity, developed by Albert Einstein in 1916, predicted singularities where gravity could become infinitely strong.
• This opened up the question of whether singularities were anomalies or inherent features of the universe.
• This signalled issues with the model and could have led to the rejection of this theory.

Institutional Hurdles

• Meghnad Saha, the director of the Indian Association of Cultivation of Science (IACS), opposed Raychaudhuri’s pursuit of general relativity.
• General relativity was deemed impractical; Raychaudhuri was instructed to focus on ‘useful’ topics or find another job.
• Despite institutional constraints, Raychaudhuri persisted and delved into the problem of singularities in his spare time.

Raychaudhuri Equation

• Raychaudhuri devised an innovative approach that circumvented mathematical challenges.
• Explored the motion of matter in the curved fabric of spacetime, drawing an analogy with northbound ships converging at the North Pole.
• Discovered an elegant formula known as the Raychaudhuri Equation.
• Described how the volume of matter spread across a region would always decrease in curved spacetime, leading to convergence.

Global Impact

• Raychaudhuri’s equation played a crucial role in the work of physicists Roger Penrose and Stephen Hawking.
• This was central to Hawking’s area theorem, demonstrating that the surface area of a black hole never decreases.

Recognition and Career Challenges

• Raychaudhuri faced a lack of appreciation in India until his work gained recognition in the West.
• His contributions didn’t significantly transform his career, facing challenges such as scuttled promotions and rejections from academic institutions.

Legacy and Inspiration

• Eventually joining Presidency College, Kolkata, Raychaudhuri became a legendary teacher, inspiring future physicists.
• His story emphasises the importance of scientists following their passion and the challenges faced when dictated what to work on.

G. Tidbits

1. PM-PVTG Development Mission

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM-PVTG Development Mission, aiming to uplift Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) who have been deprived of basic amenities.
• The Rs. 24000 crore mission is aimed at the development of the PVTGs. 
• This mission targets 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups across the country.
• As a component of the mission, essential amenities like road and communication networks, electricity, secure housing, potable water, sanitation, enhanced educational access, improved healthcare and nutrition, and sustainable livelihood prospects will be extended to the regions inhabited by these tribal groups. These areas are predominantly remote, dispersed, and difficult to reach.
• Emphasises moving beyond mere counting and classification, focusing on bringing people together.