[Mission 2023] INSIGHTS DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS + PIB SUMMARY 16 December 2022

GS Paper 2

Syllabus: State Legislature – Structure, organisation, functioning and conduct of business etc

Source: TH

 Direction: The article discusses the controversies surrounding the appointment of Chancellors and VCs at Kerala State Universities.

 Context: The Kerala government has passed the two University Laws (Amendment) Bills to amend laws relating to the governance of 14 State universities and to remove the Governor as the Chancellor of said universities.

Background: Governor vs Government

• The Governor denied assent to the controversial Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Bill and University Laws (Amendment) Bill passed earlier by the State Assembly.
• A Supreme Court order invalidated the Kerala Technological University VC’s appointment.
• Henceforth, the Governor demanded the resignations of 11 other VCs claiming that they were appointed through the same procedure invalidated by the SC.

About the Bills:

• Entrust the government to appoint eminent academicians as Chancellors of various universities, ending the Governor’s watchdog role in university administration.
• Provide provisions to limit the term of the appointed chancellor to 5 years.

Need to amend the University laws:

• The UGC guidelines (partially mandatory for State universities earlier) have been made legally binding for all universities by way of recent SC rulings.
• An executive order issued by the Centre (UGC guidelines), undermines the Assembly’s powers under the Concurrent List of the Constitution.
• The Punchhi Commission on Centre-­State Relations recommended not to entrust the Governor with powers that are not envisaged in the Constitution and which may lead to controversies.

Arguments against the Bill:

• Give the State Government more leeway in appointing its own nominees as VCs.
• It would result in the transfer of power over university administration from the Governor and the UGC to the State Government.
• The State Government’s control over State universities will erode the autonomy they enjoy.

Insta Links:

This unseating of vice-chancellors is faulty

Mains Links:

Q. Whether the Supreme Court Judgement (July 2018) can settle the political tussle between the Lt. Governor and the elected government of Delhi? Examine. (UPSC 2018)

GS Paper 2

Syllabus: International Relations

Source: Economic Times

Context: A parliamentary panel has recommended that the ministry of external affairs (MEA) prepare a policy document on India’s soft power projections amid efforts by China to give a mega push to its soft power.

What is Soft Power?

Power is the ability to affect others to get the outcomes one prefers, and that can be accomplished by coercion, payment, or attraction and persuasion. Soft power is the ability to obtain preferred outcomes by attraction rather than coercion or payment.

Elements of Soft power

Need for soft power:

• Potential in augmenting positive perceptions about a country and its national interests
• Change in other’s attitudes without competition or conflict
• India’s civilizational heritage has an advantage over other countries in soft power: According to Brand Finance’s Global Soft Power Index, India ranks 27th in terms of soft power.

Recommendations of the Committee:

• Prepare a policy document on India’s soft power projection: To delineate India’s soft power toolbox and how it is being projected abroad along with a vision statement for the future
  • Prepare a soft power Matrix
• Comparative analysis of India’s soft power with other similar countries such as China
  • g., China is estimated to spend about $10 billion a year just on its Confucius Institutes and soft power promotion whereas ICCR (Indian Council of Cultural Relations) and other agencies put together spending around (Rs) 300-400 crore.
  • Most of India’s expenditure goes into the establishment and administration
• Get recognition for Ayurveda by adopting the pharmacopoeia of India
• Revamp the focus, structure and functioning of DD India for its global outreach
• Proactive interaction with the Indian Diaspora is an important part of India’s “soft diplomacy” or “diaspora diplomacy”.
  • For example, the Indian Diaspora played a critical role in the fructification of the Indo-US Nuclear deal
  • They help in building its brand internationally through their huge success stories

Insta Links

Sports as soft power

Mains Links:

Q. What is ‘soft power’? Evaluate the prospects & limitations of the Indian diaspora with respect to the role they can play in India’s soft power and cultural diplomacy. (250 Words)

GS Paper 3

Syllabus:  Issues of Buffer Stocks and Food Security

Source: DTE

 Direction: The article covers the reasons behind the fluctuation in the prices of onions in India and steps taken by the government to reduce this fluctuation.

 Context: According to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution report, storage facilities for onions run by the Centre are poor and need an immediate overhaul.

Background:

• Onion prices skyrocketed beyond Rs 150 per kilogram in the winter of 2019 before stabilising.
• As a result, the Centre accorded utmost importance to the reduction of storage loss in onion buffer stocks.
• The percentage of loss on account of prolonged storage of onion in the buffer had been reduced to 26% in 2021-22 from about 28% in 2020-21.

Onion in India – Facts and figures:

• India is the second-largest onion-growing country in the world and the Indian onions are famous for their pungency (sharp smell, and taste) and are available round the year.
• There are 3 sowing seasons for the onion crop in India – Kharif (10%), late Kharif (20%) and Rabi (70%).
• The Rabi onion crop is the mainstay of India and the price of the onion is normally lower during these months due to greater supply.
• In 2020-21, the major onion-producing states are Maharashtra (39%), Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh (17%), Gujarat, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Telangana.
• The major export destinations are Bangladesh, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, UAE, Nepal and Indonesia.
• As India faces frequent onion demand-supply mismatches, resulting in price fluctuations, successfully storing rabi onions and scientific management of onion output in all three seasons is crucial.

Steps to arrest price rise and increase domestic supply:

• Besides production augmentation, there are several policy tools available to arrest the increasing prices such as the –
  • Withdrawal of Merchandise Export Incentive Scheme (MEIS);
  • Building of buffer stock with an aim to intervene in case prices start rising abnormally;
  • Implementation of minimum export price;
  • Opening the export window for a limited period or quantity;
  • Imposition of stock limit on wholesale traders and retailers.

Operation Greens – From TOP to TOTAL:

Objectives of Operation Greens:

• Enhancing value realisation of TOP farmers through –
  • Price stabilisation for producers and consumers
  • Reducing post-harvest losses by creation of appropriate storage capacity
• Increasing food processing capacities and value addition in the TOP value chain.

Findings of the standing panel:

• 51,583 million tonnes (MT) of onion had been damaged due to spoilage in the last three years.
• The price of onions mounted too high during the recent months and such damage reflected poor management on the part of the Department (of Consumer Affairs).
• Onions were traditionally stored in open-ventilated chawls while the development of modern scientific technology was still in the experimental stage.
• It urged the Department to take due care for proper storage of onions so as to refrain from price fluctuation and to prevent black-marketing. This was also to be done keeping in view the vast procurement of onion (~250,000 MT).

Centre’s reply:

• Onions from the buffer are being released in a targeted and calibrated manner to stabilise prices at local as well as national levels.
• To develop technologies for the primary processing, storage and valorisation of onion, the Department has initiated a hackathon.
• The hackathon would cover comprehensive solutions like improvement in the design of Kandha Chawls, pre-harvest care, primary processing such as drying, etc.

Insta Links:

Operation Greens

Mains Links:

Q. Elaborate on the policy taken by the Government of India to meet the challenges of the food processing sector. (UPSC 2019)

GS Paper 3

Syllabus: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Source: TH 

Direction: The article attempts to demonstrate that air pollution is a regional problem that requires regional efforts to control. 

Context: According to a World Bank report, India has six large airsheds, some of them shared with Pakistan, between which air pollutants move. 

Background:

• Persistently hazardous levels of air pollution have caused public health crises in South Asia demanding urgent action.
• Using a modelling approach over South Asia as a whole, the WB report lays out multiple scenarios and costs involved in reducing the region’s exposure to particulate matter (PM). 

Highlights of the report:

• Currently, over 60% of South Asians are exposed to an average of 35 µg/m3 of PM2.5
• In some parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) it spiked to as much as 100 µg/m3 – nearly 20 times the upper limit of 5 µg/m3 recommended by the WHO.
• There are six major airsheds in South Asia.
  • Airshed includes the entire area over which the pollutants disperse due to meteorological and geographical factors.
  • For example, the region of the Indo-Gangetic plain may be considered as one airshed. The region extends from Rawalpindi in Pakistan to Rangpur in northern Bangladesh.

• When the wind direction was predominantly northwest to southeast, 30% of the air pollution in Indian Punjab came from the Punjab Province in Pakistan.
• This means that even if Delhi NCT were to fully implement all air pollution control measures, it wouldn’t keep pollution exposure below 35 µg/m3.

Impact: According to the ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development), PM pollution in the mountains will come down when the glaciers melt and then go into the oceans. 

Significance of the report: It highlights the interdependence in air quality within airsheds in South Asia, which is necessary for pollution control.

Policy measures and cooperation among countries to reduce air pollution:

• Airshed approach: Coordination between airsheds, would cut the average exposure of PM 2.5 and save more than 7,50,000 lives annually.
• Best practice: In ASEAN, Nordic regions and across China, air pollution is tackled in this way.

Indian efforts to curb air pollution

• The National Clean Air Campaign (NCAP) (2019) aims to reduce (40% over 2017 levels by 2025-26) air pollution in 131 of India’s most polluted cities.
• The government of India has set aside $1.7 billion to fight air pollution over the next five years, as per the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission
• Parliament has approved to the establishment of the Commission of Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas.
• The clean air action plan is implemented across the states with guidelines from WB.

Way ahead: Curbing air pollution requires not only tackling its specific sources, but also close coordination across local and national jurisdictional boundaries.

Conclusion: Regional cooperation can help implement cost-effective joint strategies that leverage the interdependent nature of air quality.

Insta Links:

Health as the focus of air pollution policy

Mains Links:

Q. What are the key features of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) initiated by the Government of India? (UPSC 2020)

GS Paper 4

Syllabus: Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers

Source: Indian Express 

Direction: Certain examples and instances from the life of Sardar Patel can add value to your GS4 answers. Do note them down in your notes.

 Context: On Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 72nd death anniversary, let us understand his contribution towards nation-building and certain ethical values from his personal life.

 About Sardar Patel:

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel was an Indian attorney and statesman. He was a dedicated patriot, a great administrator, and a loyal servant of the nation.
• For his fearless approach to consolidating India’s political map, he has been dubbed the “Iron Man of India.” For establishing contemporary All-India Services, he is also known as the “Patron Saint” of India’s civil services.

 Ethical Values from the life of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel:

Political Views:

• As a fiery champion of fundamental rights and liberty, he was convinced that these values were essential prerequisites for the development of an individual and a nation.
• He always raised his voice on issues against exploitation and criticized the high-handedness of authority, the exploitative revenue policy of the Government, and maladministration in the Princely states.
• He was attracted by Gandhian policies of non-violence, spirituality, discipline, and moral strength
• He actively participated in the all-India freedom struggle and in movements against the exploitative policies of the British.

On Secularism:

• Patel was a firm believer in Hindu-Muslim harmony. He said in his presidential address in Karachi in 1931 that as a Hindu, he would give the Muslims a Swadeshi fountain pen and invite them to write down their requests, which he would accept without condition or revision.
• According to him the only way to build Hindu-Muslim unity is via trust and equality

Sardar Patel’s views on China:

• On November 7, 1950, Patel wrote a letter to Nehru detailing his apprehensions about Chinese designs on Tibet and on India itself.
• History has borne out that Patel’s estimate of China was astute and prescient.

Sardar Patel’s vision for civil services:
This we had covered in detail earlier here.