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General Studies – 2
Topic: The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Reference: Chapter-17 – A Brief History of Modern India by Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum Publishers)
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 as mentioned in Mission-2022 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the reasons for the emergence and popularity of revolutionary activity in India.
Directive word:
Elucidate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Write the origin and nature of revolutionary movement and organisations associated with in India.
Body:
In detail write about the causes for the emergence of revolutionary nationalism. Elaborate on the political failures of leaders with examples which gave impetus to revolutionaries to take up violence.
Write about the violence which was a reaction to the repression of the government. Substantiate with examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude my mentioning the contribution of the revolutionaries.
Introduction
The emergence of revolutionary ideology in India during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century was the result of several internal and external influences working on the minds of the youth. Early phase of revolutionary movement in India was in Bengal, Maharashtra, Punjab, U.P., Orissa, Bihar and Madras provinces, but it predominantly operated in Bengal, Maharashtra and Punjab as these regions were more politically active than other parts of the country.
Body
The major reasons behind rise of revolutionary Nationalism
- Failure of Moderate and extremist congress:While the youth of Bengal might have been incensed at the British arrogance and repression, and the ‘mendicancy’ of the Congress moderates, they were also led to ‘the politics of the bomb’ by the extremists’ failure to give a positive lead to the people’.
- Leadership’s failureto tap revolutionary energies of the youth.
- In December 1908 nine Bengal leaders including the venerable Krishna Kumar Mitra and Ashwini Kumar Dutt were deported. In 1908, the great Bal Gangadhar Tilak was arrested and given the severe sentence of 6 years imprisonment. Chidambaram Pillai in Madras and Hari Sarvottam Rao and others in Andhra were put behind bars.
- This led to leader-lessness and energy of the youths could not be channelised.
- The Fallout of Swadeshi and Boycott Movement was the immediate reason.
- The repressive policies of the British government led people to militant and revolutionary politics.
- The government of East Bengal, in particular, tried to crush the nationalist movement. Official attempted at preventing student participation in the Swadeshi Agitation.
- For instance, the singing of Vande Mataram in public streets in East Bengal was banned. Public meetings were restricted and sometimes forbidden. Laws controlling the press enacted, etc.
- One of the most notorious examples of repressions was the police assault on the peaceful delegates of Bengal provincial conference; Barisal in April 1906. Many of the young volunteer was severely beaten up and the conference itself was forcibly dispersed.
- Nationalism among youth:Most vital factor which contributed to amplify the spirit of nationalism among the countrymen was the ‘economic exploitation’ of Indians by the British Government and the Partition of Bengal.
- g.: Jathindranath Banerjee, Virendra Ghosh of Anushilan Samiti; Barindrakumar Ghosh expressed it through ‘Yugantar’.
Conclusion
Though the revolutionary movement failed it made a valuable contribution to the growth of nationalism in India. The sacrifice and the martyrdom of the revolutionaries did not go waste. It appealed to the masses. Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Surya Sen, Rajguru etc. became household name of the Indian people and aroused patriotism among masses.
Value addition:
Other factors that contributed to revolutionary nationalism:
- Inspired from the individual heroic action on the lines of Irish nationalistsor Russian nihilists.
- For instance, the Kakori conspiracy case (1925), Muzaffarpur tragedy, increasing murder attempts (Mr. Kingsford, Andrew Fraser etc), widespread conspiracies, secret societies etc indicate nihilist ideologies.
- Individual actions gained traction:
- The youth of Bengal found all avenues of peaceful protest and political actions blocked and out of desperation they fell back upon individual heroic action and the cult of the bomb.
- They no longer believed that passive resistance could achieve nationalist aims.
- g.: In December 1907 an attempt was made on the life of the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal and in April 1908, Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki threw a bomb at a carriage which they believed was occupied by Kingsford, the popular judge at Muzaffarpur.
- Ideological appeal of ideas:Freedom through revolution, heroic action, supreme sacrifice, Assassinate unpopular British officials, strike terror in hearts of rulers and arouse people to expel the British with force attracted the new nationalists.
- g.: the Hindustan Republican Association was founded in October 1924 to organize an armed revolution.
- Secret Societies and newspapers further glorified the idea of revolutionary nationalism.
- For instance, in 1904, D. Savarkar had organized the Abhinav Bharat, a secret society of revolutionaries.
- After 1905 several newspapers had begun to advocate revolutionary terrorism. The Sandhya and the Yugantar in Bengal and the Kal in Maharashtra were the most important among them.
- Victory of Japan over Russia:
- This victory proved to be the most potent stimulus to Indian nationalism. This victory led to vanishing of the myth of European superiority.
- Defeat of Italians at Adowa
- In 1896, Ethiopia defeated Italy at the Battle of Adowa. This led to securing sovereignty for Italy.
Impacts of revolutionary Nationalism
- The era of revolutionary terrorism began and very soon secret societies of the revolutionaries came up all over the country.
- g: The Anushilan Samiti, the most famous and long lasting secret society, with its headquarters at Calcutta created revolutionary centres all over India. Their activities took two forms- the assassination of oppressive officials, traitors and informers, and dacoities to raise funds for the purchase of arms, etc.
- It had its impact on the Congress strategy to involve the youths in the short term programme of rural reconstruction.
- Their sacrifices aroused the emotions of the Indian people and thus helped the building up of the national consciousness which certainly contributed to gaining independence.
- Partition of Bengal in 1911 was annulled primarily to curb the danger of revolutionaries.
- Socialist trend was spread by the revolutionary groups and all of them were critical of capitalism.
- For instance, according to Bhagat Singh, it didn’t matter who the exploiter was whether it was British capitalist or Indian capitalist, but wherever exploitation happens the peasants had to struggle against these exploiters.
- Another noteworthy aspect related to revolutionary phase was the large scale participation of women.
- g.: Under Surya Sen, prominent women revolutionaries like Prilata Waddedar, Kalpana Dutt, Santi Ghosh, Suniti Chandheri fought with true nationalist spirit.
- The revolutionary phase helped to an extent in wiping out the communalist tendencies which were widely prevalent during 1920s.
- All the revolutionary parties came up in single voice opposing the communalism and standing for Hindu-Muslim unity. Bhagat Singh in fact was of the opinion that communalism is more dangerous than colonialism.
Topic: The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Chapter-20: India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 as mentioned in Mission-2022 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the contributions of Surya Sen.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Give a brief introduction of Surya Sen and his shift from peaceful agitations to revolutionary nationalism.
Body:
In detail, enumerate the detailed contributions of Surya Sen from mobilising and organising troops to the Chittagong Armoury Raid.
Next, bring out the detailed impact of Surya Sen’s activities on the India’s freedom struggle especially in Bengal. Specially emphasise upon the role of women under Surya sen.
Conclusion:
Write about the legacy of Surya Sen.
Introduction
Surya Sen, a brilliant and inspiring organizer, was an unpretentious, soft-spoken and transparently sincere person. Possessed of immense personal courage, he was deeply humane in his approach. He was a leader among these revolutionaries, a former school teacher fondly known as ‘Master Da’, from Naopoara in Chittagong (in modern-day Bangladesh).
Body
Contribution of Surya Sen towards National movement:
- Inspired by his teacher, Sen joined the Anushilan Samity, a revolutionary organization led by Sarat Chandra Basu. Basu believed in the ideology of violence as the means for ending British rule in India.
- Sen also worked with Chittaranjan Das, another revolutionary who led the Non-Cooperation Movement in Bengal.
- Surya Sen led the Chittagong armoury attack on April 18, 1930. Sen formed a group of young and passionate revolutionary young men like Ganesh Ghosh, Lokenath Bal, Ananta Singh.
- He planned to capture two major British armouries in Chittagong and distribute weapons to other revolutionaries who could then establish an armed unit.
- The group succeeded in dismantling the telephone and telegraph systems to isolate the city. They also broke down the railway links between the city and the rest of Bengal.
- On the night of April 18, one of six groups, led by Ganesh Ghosh, took out the Police Armoury, while the other of 10 members headed by Lokenath Paul captured the Auxiliary Force Armoury, which contained Lewis guns and 303 army rifles.
Impact of Surya Sen’s activities on Indian freedom struggle
- “In the battle for India’s freedom, the Chittagong uprising of 1930 turned the tide, and brought in its wake a rising clamour for immediate Independence,” said Sir Samuel Hoare, British secretary of state for India (1931-35).
- Another official British publication spoke of how his actions “fired the imagination of revolutionary-minded youth” and “recruits poured into the various terrorist groups in a steady stream.”
- “A remarkable aspect of this new phase of the terrorist movement in Bengal was (also) the large-scale participation of young women.
- Under Surya Sen’s leadership, they provided shelter, acted as messengers and custodians of arms, and fought, guns in hand. Pritilata Waddedar died while conducting a raid, while Kalpana Dutt (now Joshi) was arrested and tried along with Surya Sen and given a life sentence,” Bipan Chandra goes onto write.
- His violent methods, despite receiving praise from other leaders of the freedom struggle, also received criticism with suggestions that they were outdated methods of fighting colonial forces.
- Irrespective, it’s the spirit, courage, sacrifice and ideals Sen stood for that has preserved his legacy.
- It would be appropriate to conclude with Sen’s own words to his protégé and fellow freedom fighter Ananda Gupta.
- “A dedicated band of youth must show the path of organized armed struggle in place of individual terrorism. Most of us will have to die in the process, but our sacrifice for such a noble cause will not go in vain,” Sen said.
Conclusion
The Bengal revolutionaries went ahead of northern revolutionaries as they organized collective acts on colonial rule but the aim was same to inspire youth and undermine and demoralize the bureaucracy.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu , The Hindu
Why the question:
During the Monsoon Session, MPs have raised questions about revising the criteria for defining the creamy layer among OBCs.
Key Demand of the question:
To trace the development of the concept of creamy layer and reason if its should be extended to SC/ST communities.
Directive word:
Critically analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a balanced judgment on the topic.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining the creamy layer with respect to identifying a Backward Class for reservation.
Body:
To trace the development of the concept of creamy layer from the beginning up till the present times. Mandal Commission report, Indra Sawhney judgment (1992), Nagaraj case (2006) and Jarnail Singh vs Lachhmi Narain Gupta case (2018).
Next, argue for the need for a creamy layer to reservation among Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes communities. Also, mention the central governments stand and other reasons why creamy layer is not need therefore.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a balanced view regarding creamy layer for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes communities.
Introduction
The expression ‘creamy layer’ first found its mention in the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in the Indra Sawhney vs Union of India case of 1992 (also known as Mandal Commission case), that was delivered by a nine-judge Bench. The Supreme Court recently struck down the Haryana creamy layer notifications as a “flagrant violation” of the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Act 2016. It said Section 5 (2) of the Act required the State to consider social, economic and other factors together to identify and exclude Backward Class members as “creamy layer”.
Body
Evolution of creamy layer concept
- In 1980, the Mandal Commission report recommended to provide 27% reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in jobs.
- In 1990, the V P Singh Government declared such reservation of 27% in government jobs for the OBCs.
- In 1991, the Narasimha Rao Government introduced a change in order to give preference to the poorer sections among the OBCs while granting the 27% quota.
- In the Indra Sawhney judgment (1992), the Supreme Court upheld the government’s move and proclaimed that the advanced sections among the OBCs (i.e., the creamy layer) must be excluded from the list of beneficiaries of reservation. It also held that the concept of creamy layer must be excluded for SCs & STs.
- Though it upheld the government’s decision based on the Mandal Commission report to give 27% reservation to Other Backward Classes, the court found it necessary to identify sections of Backward Classes who were already “highly advanced socially as well as economically and educationally”.
- The court believed that these wealthy, advanced members form the “creamy layer” among them. The judgment directed State governments to identify the “creamy layer” and exclude them from the purview of reservation.
- However, certain States like Kerala did not promptly implement the judgment. This led to a sequel of the Indra Sawhney-II case, reported in 2000.
- Here, the court went to the extent of determining “creamy layer” among Backward Classes.
- The judgment held that persons from the classes who occupied posts in higher services like IAS, IPS and All India Services had reached a higher level of social advancement and economic status, and therefore, were not entitled to be treated as backward.
- Such persons were to be treated as “creamy layer” without any further inquiry. Likewise, people with sufficient income who were in a position to provide employment to others should also be taken to have reached a higher social status and treated as “outside the Backward Class”.
- Other categories included persons with higher agricultural holdings or income from property, etc.
- Thus, a reading of the Indra Sawhney judgments show that social advancement, including education and employment, and not just wealth, was key to identify “creamy layer”.
The need for application of creamy layer to SC/ST communities
- In Jarnail Singh, the court had agreed with its 12-year-old verdict in the M. Nagaraj case that the creamy layer applied to SCs and STs in order to prevent the socially advanced in a backward community or class from eating the whole cake while leaving the weak among them impoverished.
- About 95% members of these communities are at disadvantage
- Supreme Court in Nagraj vs Union of India case ruled that the people belonging for SC &ST should be classified into groups and the creamy layer should be excluded from reservation
- The Attorney-General of India, K.K. Venugopal, said the SC/ST community as a whole still continues to bear the yoke of centuries’ old backwardness.
- In Jarnail Singh, the five-judge Bench led by then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra upheld the 2006 verdict’s reasoning that the creamy layer principle was based on the right to equality.
- The court held that quota benefits should go to the weakest of the weak and not be snatched away by members of the same class who were in the “top creamy layer”.
- Justice Rohinton F. Nariman, who wrote the September 26, 2018 judgment in the Jarnail Singh case, said the creamy layer concept ensured that only the genuinely deserving members of an SC/ST community get reservation benefits.
- The 2018 judgment, while modifying the part in the Nagaraj verdict which required States to show quantifiable data to prove backwardness, rejected the Centre’s argument that Nagaraj had misread the creamy layer concept ushered in by Indra Sawhney by applying it to SCs and STs.
- Studies such as the Lokur Committee had shown that the benefits were not percolating down to genuine beneficiaries.
- Article 14, 15 and 16 ensure fundamental right of equality and social justice to all citizens, including protection of the actual backward and deprived within the SC/STs.
- The intention of the framers of the Constitution ensures that benefits percolate to the right persons.
Arguments against Creamy Layer for SC/ST:
- The government believes that the ‘creamy layer’ will become a ruse to deprive the backward classes of the benefit of reservation.
- Categorisation of SC & ST into creamy and non-creamy layers is taking away the hard fought rights of these groups.
- The provisions for reservations for SC/ST are not for their economical benefits but for their social upliftment.
- Thus, SC/ST reservations are applicable irrespective of the financial status of the beneficiaries.
- Financial stability doesn’t always translate to social stability
Way forward
- To ensure that the most deserving of the backward communities get the benefits, creamy layer concept must be introduced even for SC/ST communities.
- However, there must be an index which captures backwardness based on several parameters rather than just economic criterion.
- The creamy layer of SC&ST community should take up the responsibility to help the backward section join the main-stream of the society, and work for their true development in a peaceful manner.
- Improve the human capital of the SC and ST.
- Voluntary giving up of Reservation for the cause of poorer section of the group —E.g. Son of a Dalit doctor, Dalit Politician, Dalit Businessmen must give way the reserved space for the son of a Dalit landless labourer, or son of an urban wage earner.
- India could learn from the experiences of Malaysian model of economic empowerment and South African policy for Blacks.
Topic: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The e-Committee of the Supreme Court of India recently released its draft vision document for Phase III of the e-Courts project.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the approach that needs to be taken for digitisation of courts.
Directive word:
Comment– here we must express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by writing about e-Courts project of the SC, its aims and objectives.
Body:
Mention the advantages that the digitisation od judiciary brings. Especially with respect disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Next, bring out the concerns associated with e-Courts. Need for performance audits and sandboxing measures to carefully understand and gauge the potential and risks.
Write about additional measures that are required to realise the full potential e-courts
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
Introduction
The Covid-19 pandemic continues to challenge traditional services’ delivery, including access to justice and effective justice delivery. Given the worrying situation in terms of pendency and time taken for resolution of disputes, the pandemic has led to introspection and an immediate pivot to fast-tracking innovation led by technology. Despite some hiccups, the Supreme Court and High Courts have been able to function online. This was made possible by the e-Courts project, monitored by the e-Committee of Honourable Supreme Court.
Body:
Advantages of online dispute resolution to the Indian judiciary:
- The key advantages of establishment of Electronic Courts in India is bringing in a justice serving mechanism that is transparent, efficient, affordable, time saving, protects the interests of witnesses, reduces the backlog of pending cases and most importantly reduces the number of unscrupulous activities.
- Entire information related to a particular case would be available online. It would be available to the attorneys, parties and the general public through the help of internet.
- Registered attorneys can file their case document directly from their home or office. They do not have to worry about postage, traffic congestion or messenger services. They can create a docket sheet and update it immediately, when the documents are filed.
- With the help of internet, the documents of a case can be accessed easily from anywhere at any time.
- E-courts would help in the computerization of work flow management in courts. Thus, it would help to create a better court and case management.
- Video conferencing facilities would be installed in every court complex. Evidence of eyewitness, who are unable to attend the court can be recorded through this method.
- The information would not be misplaced as all the information regarding the case would be carefully recorded and stored. Data keeping would include maintaining the records of e-file minute entries, bail orders, warrants etc.
- In many cases, the witnesses are not able to come to the court and make their statement as the other party is too strong and scares them of the consequences. e-Courts can help in dealing with such cases.
Challenges posed by Phase-III of e-Courts project:
- This 360-degree approach is the main objective of Phase III.
- E-courts in India is an endless and complicating process. The process of e-filing a document is a difficult process. All the evidence cannot be produced in a digital format.
- Hackers are getting stronger with every passing day. The possibility of e-Courts getting hacked in such a case cannot be denied.
- Several individuals and organisations have warned against the zeal of the data collection exercises contemplated by the draft proposal. The “seamless exchange of information” relies on large-scale gathering and sharing of data.
- Targeted Surveillance: there has been a dangerous trend towards creating a 360-degree profile of each person by integrating all of their interactions with government agencies into a unified database.
- No clear explanation has been offered for why the Home Ministry needs access to court data that may have absolutely no relation to criminal law. This process serves no purpose other than profiling and surveillance.
Measures needed:
- It is critical to draw up a well-defined and pre-decided framework as it can help in laying a concrete roadmap and direction to the e-courts scheme of India.
- To achieve this, the government must establish an effective task force consisting of judges, technologists, court administrators, skill developers and system analysts to draw up a blueprint for institutionalizing online access to justice.
- Such a task force must be charged with the responsibility of establishing hardware, software and IT systems for courts; examining application of artificial intelligence benefiting from the data base generated through e-courts projects; establishing appropriate e-filing systems and procedures.
- Creating skill training and recognition for paralegals to understand and to help advocates and others to access the system to file their cases and add to their pleadings and documents as the case moves along.
- Once the blueprint is ready, the High Courts across the country may refer the same to the Rule Committee of the High Court to frame appropriate rules to operationalise the e-court system.
- One aspect that needs to be focused on is the deployment of a robust security system that provides secure access to case information for appropriate parties. The security of e-courts infrastructure and system is of paramount importance.
- Also, user friendly e-courts mechanism, which is simple and easily accessible by the common public will encourage litigants to use such facilities in India.
- The government must also make dedicated efforts in the training of personnel to maintain all the e-data.
- Also, conducting training sessions to familiarize the Judges with the e-courts framework and procedure can give a huge impetus to the successful running of e-courts.
Way forward for Indian litigation and arbitration:
- In India, a significant amount of time is spent in resolving disputes which has been the real bane of the Indian judiciary system.
- The e-courts project, if implemented, would go a long way in saving costs and time for the litigants.
- The present government is taking active steps to establish e-courts all over India. All these government efforts will result in providing quick and cost effective solutions to the litigants.
- The judiciary system in India with the help of e-courts can overcome the challenges and make the service delivery mechanism transparent and cost efficient.
- Further, the e-court project also requires the executive and the judiciary to reaffirm their resolve to support a speedy, efficient and quality justice delivery in the country.
- It is also important to discuss steps required to surmount the various challenges facing the justice system.
Value Addition:
The Supreme Court passed directions for all courts across the country to extensively use video-conferencing for judicial proceedings saying congregation of lawyers and litigants must be suspended to maintain social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to data released by the Supreme Court in the June 2020 newsletter of the e-Committee, 3.27 crore cases are pending before Indian courts, of which 85,000 have been pending for over 30 years.”
e-Courts project as part of virtual judiciary was conceptualized on the basis of the “National Policy and Action Plan for Implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Indian Judiciary – 2005” submitted by eCommittee, Supreme Court of India with a vision to transform the Indian Judiciary by ICT enablement of Courts. The e-Committee of the Supreme Court of India recently released its draft vision document for Phase III of the e-Courts project. Phases I and II had dealt with digitisation of the judiciary, i.e., e-filing, tracking cases online, uploading judgments online, etc.
The latest Vision Document for Phase III of the e-Courts Project seeks to address the judiciary’s digital deprivation. It envisages an infrastructure for the judicial system that is ‘natively digital’ and reflects the effect that the pandemic has had on India’s judicial timeline and thinking.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Live Mint
Why the question:
The Central government has hiked the minimum price that sugar mills must pay to cane farmers by ₹5 a quintal, setting the fair and remunerative price (FRP) at ₹290 a quintal for the 2021-22 sugar season.
Key Demand of the question:
To mention the various way in which minimum price for sugarcane is determine and write about issues in FRP.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Mention the scenario about the Sugarcane and Sugar industry.
Body:
Write in detail about the two mechanisms for determination of minimum price of sugarcane in India – Fair and remunerative price (FRP) and State Advised Prices (SAP).
Write about issues in regards to Fair and remunerative price (FRP). Explain how rise FRP without rise in sugar prices have negatively impacted the sugar Industry.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
Introduction
The Fair and Remunerative Pricing (FRP) is used in sugarcane industry to replace the MSP, it is based on the Rangarajan Committee report of reorganizing the sugarcane industry. The committee found that in the production of sugar, 70% of the input cost is sugarcane. This FRP method is useful in times when the sugar prices are high but the FRP method ask the sugar companies to pay the farmer the MSP for sugar when the sugar and hence sugarcane price is low.
Body
Determination of FRP:
- The pricing of sugarcane is governed by the statutory provisions of the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966 issued under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955.
- Prior to 2009-10 sugar season, the Central Government was fixing the Statutory Minimum Price (SMP) of sugarcane and farmers were entitled to share profits of a sugar mill on 50:50 basis.
- As this sharing of profits remained virtually unimplemented, the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966 was amended in October, 2009 and the concept of SMP was replaced by the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane.
- A new clause ‘reasonable margins for growers of sugarcane on account of risk and profits’ was inserted as an additional factor for working out FRP and this was made effective from the 2009-10 sugar season.
- The Federal/Central Government announces Fair and Remunerative Prices which are determined on the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and are announced by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, which is chaired by Prime Minister.
- The FRP, the minimum price that mills have to pay to cane growers, every year before start of the sugarcane crushing season.
Issues with respect to fair and remunerative price (FRP) of sugarcane:
- FRPs would adversely affect the financial health of the sugar factories in times of low sugar prices where the companies has to pay the MSP even though the sugar prices are low.
- The FRPs are not market-based and are priced at artificially inflated levels by governments.
- This, in turn, puts pressure on the sugar mills who have to purchase the crop from the farmers at these inflated FRPs.
- And while the government has raised ethanol prices dramatically to help sugar mills find an alternative source of demand to pay for the excessively priced sugarcane, once oil prices fall to reasonable levels, oil PSUs won’t be able to afford the ethanol.
Way forward
- Rangarajan committee (2012) proposed decontrol of sugar industry and linking sugarcane prices with market price of sugar to account for this structural imbalance.
- Based on the report, Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) recommended a hybrid approach of fixing sugarcane prices, which involved fair and remunerative price (FRP) or floor price and revenue sharing formula (RSF). Under this approach farmers’ revenue from sugarcane would be higher if the price of sugar and by-products is high.
- This is similar to many other committees formed by the government to recommend the sugar industry decontrol. Committees under Mahajan (1998), Tuteja (2004), Thorat (2009) and Nandakumar (2010) had similar recommendations.
- Ease the market control of government on export and import. The move is to help India (17% of world production) to enable its exports (only 4% of world export), but leaving it all to the market is risky.
- Do away with minimum distance between mills to enable competition.
- The new national policy on biofuels 2018, expands the scope of raw material for ethanol production by allowing use of Sugarcane Juice.
- Policy modifications to increase the ethanol blending vis-à-vis the foreign countries like Australia which has 85% blending. Better prices for ethanol can also help in export of the same.
- To diversify crops and ensure that sugarcane production falls. This requires long-term investment, and the government will have to encourage farmers to cultivate crops like pulses and oilseeds.
- Better irrigation techniques to reduce the water usage.
- Reducing the information asymmetry to improve farmer’s knowledge about the possible output in a year using Bigdata technique.
Value Addition:
Background:
- The fair & remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane has been increased to ₹290 per quintal for 2021-22, which will be based on 10% recovery. If recovery is less than 9.5%, then farmers will be given ₹275 per quintile.
- In FRP, the farmer is paid 70% of the total turnover of the company if only the sugar turnover is considered and 75% of the total turnover if other products like bagasse and molasses etc are also considered.
- The approval is the highest ever FRP, approved for sugarcane farmers and the decision will benefit 5 crore sugarcane farmers & their dependents, as well as 5 lakh workers employed in sugar mills and related ancillary activities
- The CACP is required to pay due regard to the statutory factors listed in the Control Order, which are
- the cost of production of sugarcane;
- the return to the grower from alternative crops and the general trend of prices of agricultural commodities;
- the availability of sugar to the consumers at a fair price;
- the price of sugar;
- the recovery rate of sugar from sugarcane;
- the realization made from sale of by-products viz. molasses, bagasse and press mud or their imputed value (inserted in December, 2008) and;
- reasonable margins for growers of sugarcane on account of risk and profits (inserted in October, 2009).
- States also announce a price called the State Advisory Price (SAP), which is usually higher than the SMP.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
India’s Environment, Forests and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav Minister said Equity and climate justice should be the touchstone of any global climate response.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the concept of climate justice and how it can lead to equity.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by explaining the concept of climate justice.
Body:
Further elaborate upon the various dimensions of the climate justice and what it seeks to achieve.
Next, bring out how impact of climate change will be disproportionate across the north-south divide, income levels, gender, race etc. Mention statistics, facts and figures to substantiate your answer.
Write as to how climate justice can be a way to reduce such disproportionate impact and to achieve climate goals in an equitable way.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward to achieve climate justice.
Introduction
Climate justice can be defined “as a form of environmental justice, climate justice is the fair treatment of all people and the freedom from discrimination in the creation of policies and projects that address climate change as well as the systems that create climate change and perpetuate discrimination.” It is a term used for framing climate change as an ethical and political issue, rather than one that is purely environmental or physical in nature.
Body
Climate change and its impacts on the disadvantaged groups:
- Around the world, people are experiencing both the subtle and stark effects of climate change.
- Gradually shifting weather patterns, rising sea levels and more extreme weather events are devastating evidence of both a rapidly changing climate and an urgent need for solutions.
- While the impacts of climate change affect every country on every continent, they don’t do it equally.
- People already burdened by poverty and oppression often suffer the harshest consequences, while having the least ability to cope. Their struggle to earn a living, feed their families and create stable homes is made more difficult every day the climate crisis continues.
- Low-income communities, people of colour, indigenous people, people with disabilities, older or very young people, women – all can be more susceptible to risks posed by climate impacts like raging storms and floods, increasing wildfire, severe heat, poor air quality, access to food and water, and disappearing shorelines.
- The increased frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events drive people from their homes and jeopardizing food sources and livelihoods. All these effects increase the likelihood of more conflict, hunger and poverty.
- It is a global justice concern that those who suffer most from climate change have done the least to cause it.
The idea of ‘climate justice’ will go a long way in achieving equity in sustainability:
- The concept of climate justice acknowledges that because the world’s richest countries have contributed most to the problem, they have a greater obligation to take action and to do so more quickly.
- Climate justice demands to look beyond the environmental and ecological consequences of climate change and take strong political action to secure the future generations.
- It humanises the effect of climate change and insists on a shift from a discourse on greenhouse gases and melting ice caps into a civil rights movement with the people and communities most vulnerable to climate impacts at its heart.
- Climate Justice links human rights and development to achieve a human-centred approach, safeguarding the rights of the most vulnerable and sharing the burdens and benefits of climate change and its resolution equitably and
- Climate justice is informed by science, responds to science and acknowledges the need for equitable stewardship of the world’s resources.
Measures needed to achieve climate justice:
- Respect and Protect Human Rights
- Support the Right to Development
- Share Benefits and Burdens Equitably
- Recognize the key groups that are differently affected by climate change
- Ensure that decisions on Climate Change are participatory, transparent and accountable
- Highlight gender equality and equity
- Harness the transformative power of education for climate stewardship
- Use effective partnerships to secure climate justice
Way forward:
- Organizations like the Climate Justice Alliance are working to bring race, gender, and class considerations to the centre of the climate action discussion.
- The NAACP is also advocating for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advance clean energy while promoting food justice, transportation equity, and civil rights in emergency planning.
- And the UN and IPCC each continue to place greater emphasis on these issues.
- In order to create climate justice, gender equality must also be brought into the conversation
Conclusion
We now know that climate change is not just an environmental or sustainable development concern involving trade-offs. It requires a civilisational transformation in what we value, the way we live, and how we interact with one another.
Value Addition:
India’s role in ensuring Climate Justice
- India is currently setting up voluntary targets in the international forums to commit itself to the mission to combat climate change. It is also playing a major role in climate change mitigation.
- India’s proactive role in mitigating climate change is due to the domestic compulsion of tackling issues like the need for poverty eradication, food and nutritional security, universalization of health and education, water security, sustainable energy, employment
- India is of the opinion that the developing countries’ need for inclusive growth, sustainable development, poverty eradication and universal access to energy must be made the fundamental differentiation between them and the developed nations.
- Currently, the Conventions recognise that the historical emissions of the developed nations as the basis for differentiation between the developed and developing nations.
- Being a developing nation, India also has come up with many initiatives to make India a carbon neutral economy, especially with schemes such as Mega Solar park, FAME and so on.
General Studies – 4
Topic: ethics – in private and public relationships;
Difficulty level: Moderate
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘abstract Thursdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Key Demand of the question:
Directive:
Justify – When you are asked to justify, you must pass a sound judgement about the truth of the given statement in the question or the topic based on evidence. You must appraise the worth of the statement in question using suitable case studies or/ and examples.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Write about how there is a conflict between private and public relationships during day to day administrative work.
Body:
From the perspective of an administrator further elaborate that having a right is not same as doing the right thing. Mention as to why it is imperative for the administrator to do the right thing. Use examples to substantiate your point.
Bring out the various facets of integrity, impartiality and nonpartisan ship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections that an administrator must consider before taking any actions in case of conflict.
Mention certain principles, theories and benchmarks one can take the right decision especially when faced with a conflict or dilemma.
Conclusion:
Complete by summarizing the need for doing the right thing especially for those who are in power.
Introduction
There is an intimate relationship between private and public life, especially for civil servants. No sharp line can be drawn where private life starts and where public life ends for a Civil Servant . However, when the border when blurred can lead to moral turpitude. It is in these situations; one must know the difference between their right to do something vis-a-vis the right and just thing to do.
Body
Private relationship
- Private relationships (often called as personal relationships) refer to close connections between people, formed by emotional bonds and interactions. E.g. Husband-Wife relation, Father-Son relation etc. Ethics in private relationship deals with which values should guide these relationships.
- The values in private relationships can be love between the family, trust and honesty between siblings, spouses, fidelity in a marriage, respect for elders etc.
Public relationship
- Public relations involve relation between individual in public sphere. Public relationships are more instrumental such as organisational colleagues, politicians, teachers, etc.
- Here the values are integrity, accountability, transparency and so on.
Civil servants are administrators who have a lot of discretionary powers. For instance, the calling of tender for road construction, dam construction and such other infrastructure projects are common. Consider an instance where an officer must select between two contractors who are equally competent with their offer but one of them is a relative of the officer. Naturally, the officer is expected to act in non-partisan manner, but his private and public life will contradict in this situation.
Likewise, in recent times, the Chanda Kocchar case came out in the public and the misdemeanours that took place during her tenure as ICICI CEO. These are the clear cases, where one must know what is the right thing to do, rather than exercising their rights in favour of their kith and kin. The issue of crony capitalism exists for the very reason of lack of ethics in professional life.
Since the boundaries between professional and personal life is shrinking in contemporary lives, it is imperative for civil administrator to cherish same values which forms the ethical basis of civil administration job.
Sometimes in complex and emotional situations, it is very hard to decide what is the right thing to do. It manifests in the decision-making process by civil servants where the decision can impact a huge number of people. The problem arises when they are pressurised under some influence to take immoral decisions or implement unethical policies.
But public servants have an obligation to protect and promote our constitutional ideals enshrined in the preamble, to uphold the rule of law, dispense administrative justice and ensure administrative facilitation. As an elite segment of society, public servants have an important role in informing and even formulating public opinion and perception on various issues.
Conclusion
The public servant should be empathetic as also advised by Mahatma Gandhi’s that if anyone was in doubt if an action was good or not was to put oneself in the situation of the poorest of the poor in the country and see how a particular policy and programme will impact him or her. The right intermingling ethics of private relationship and public relationship from a perspective of civil servant can lead to transparency, good governance and public welfare in society.
