[Mission 2023] INSIGHTS DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS + PIB SUMMARY 3 May 2023

GS Paper 2

Syllabus: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate

Source: TH

 Context: 3 WTO dispute settlement panels have found India’s tariffs (between 7.5 – 20%) on certain ICT products such as mobile phones inconsistent with India’s WTO obligations.

Background:

• One of the central objectives of the WTO is to boost transparency and predictability in the multilateral trading order.
• Hence, WTO member countries are under a legal obligation not to impose tariff rates in excess of the maximum tariff rates committed in their Goods Schedule.

What are the allegations against India?

In the complaints brought by the EU, Japan and Taiwan, the WTO panels concluded that India has violated Article II of the GATT because India’s tariffs breach its Goods Schedule.

India’s argument: The ITA (which it signed in 1997) contains India’s legally binding tariff commitments on ICT products, hence, they are not legally binding.

The WTO panels rejecting India’s argument:

• India’s Goods Schedule (not the ITA) is the source of India’s legal obligations on tariffs.
• The panels also rejected –
  • India’s contention that its commitments under the ITA are ‘static’ – not including products emerged due to technological innovations after the conclusion of the ITA.
  • India’s argument is based on the Vienna Convention on Law of Treaties – an error in a treaty would invalidate a state’s consent.
• Accordingly, the panels have recommended India reduce its tariff rates and make them compatible with its Goods Schedule.

Implications for India:

• Compliance would mean dismantling the high protective tariff wall that India has erected to boost domestic manufacturing of ICT products.
• In case of non-compliance, the EU can unilaterally impose trade sanctions against the losing country.
• Even if the EU does not impose trade sanctions, it might use this ruling as a bargaining tool in the ongoing FTA negotiations with India.

Options available to India:

• The WTO’s Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) provides an opportunity to appeal against the panel ruling.
  • However, the Appellate Body has ceased to exist since 2019 because the US has been blocking the appointment of the body’s members.
• The EU has created an alternative appellate mechanism (under WTO) – the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA). However, India is not a party to this.
• Legally, India will not be required to comply with the panel rulings till its appeal is heard.
• Also, the EU can’t impose trade sanctions on India, because the WTO law does not allow trade sanctions when an appeal is pending.

The Goods Schedules/Harmonized System of Nomenclature (HSN):

• These are based on the World Customs Organisation’s classification system, which catalogues traded products with specific names and numbers.
• Due to the continuous emergence of new products owing to technological innovations, the HSN system is regularly updated to reflect new products, also known as ‘transposition’.

WTO’s IT Agreement (ITA):

• Adopted in 1996, it is an arrangement through which select WTO member countries agree to eliminate duties on IT products.
• However, the commitments under the ITA become binding on a country under Articles II of GATT only if they are incorporated in the Goods Schedule.

Insta Links: WTO panel rules against India

Mains:

1. WTO is an important international institution where decisions are taken to affect countries in a profound manner. What is the mandate of WTO and how binding are their decisions? Critically analyse India’s stand on the latest round of talks on Food security. (UPSC 2014)

GS3

 Syllabus: Economic Liberalization, Trade Agreement

Source: IE

Context: The Secretary General of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states that a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) between India and EFTA will enhance the economic partnership

What is TEPA?

 A trade and Economic Partnership Agreement is a type of economic partnership agreement between countries. TEPA agreements offer flexibility in terms of negotiating terms and conditions, as the parties involved can tailor the agreement to their specific needs and interests.

About EFTA:

Topic	Description
European Free Trade Association (est. 1960; HQ: Geneva) is an intergovernmental organization founded by four European countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland as an alternative to the EU.
Purpose	To promote free trade and economic cooperation among its member states and with other countries
Relationship with EU	EFTA has a close relationship with the EU and has signed several agreements, which allow for the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people between the EFTA countries and the EU
Strength of EFTA countries	The economy of these countries is very strong. They rank among the highest in the world in innovation, competitiveness, wealth creation per inhabitant, life expectancy, and quality of life. EFTA companies are also world leaders in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, machinery manufacturing, R&D-driven technology products, geothermal-related technologies and many more.

Potential Benefits of TEPA between India and EFTA States:

Challenges in Implementing TEPA between India and EFTA Countries:

Conclusion:

To ensure the conclusion of a mutually beneficial TEPA between India and EFTA, outstanding issues should be addressed, areas of mutual benefit identified, and collaboration on skilled labour promoted. Strong political involvement and guidance are necessary for a swift negotiation process.

Mains Links:

1. What is a free trade agreement (FTA)? How are FTAs important for India? What are the various issues that are involved in FTA negotiation? How can the issues be resolved? (250 Words)

Prelims Links:

Consider the following countries: (2018)

1. Australia
2. Canada
3. China
4. India
5. Japan
6. USA

Which of the above are among the ‘free-trade partners’ of ASEAN?

(a) 1, 2, 4 and 5
(b) 3, 4, 5 and 6
(c) 1, 3, 4 and 5
(d) 2, 3, 4 and 6

Ans: C

GS Paper 3

 Syllabus: Environment, Conservation

Source: DTE

Context: According to a new study, efforts to translocate wildlife must incorporate human-related factors, and biological and environmental considerations to realise the desired outcomes.

Wildlife translocation:

• It is the intentional movement of animals for conservation purposes – a technique to mitigate the loss and depletion of endangered species.
• It requires planning, a detailed analysis of the habitat, and consideration of the long-term prospects for the survival of the released animals.
• The ecological, economic, and societal consequences of the release are also taken into account.

Advantages:

• An important conservation tool for restoring threatened and endangered wildlife
• To meet the goal of re-establishing populations in formerly occupied areas.
• Population balancing – shifting from high/overpopulation to low population regions.

 Risks associated:

• Legal and policy issues
• Disease concerns
• Stress to the animal: Translocation, unlike dispersal, is not due to natural or deliberate behaviour.
• Homing: It refers to an animal’s capacity to travel back to its original catch site after translocation.

 The success/failure of translocating wildlife depends on –

• Which species is being shifted;
• Whether it can survive in its new habitat and breed successfully;
• The amount of time and resources being allocated to the process.
• Anthropogenic angle/coexistence with people.

 The failure of a translocation programme can lead to –

• Distrust between stakeholders;
• The loss of resources and
• Even the extinction or extirpation of entire populations or species.

Case of India –

• The ongoing Project Cheetah of the GoI: It has suffered setbacks recently. Two cheetahs (one from South Africa and the other from Namibian) brought to MP’s Kuno National Park from South Africa died of cardiac and renal failure.
• The Gaur Relocation in India (2011): The project saw the first reversal of local extinction in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (MP), with 19 Gaurs coming here from Kanha Tiger Reserves (MP).

Need of the hour – Importance to be given to anthropogenic angle:

• The IUCN Global Re-Introduction Perspective Series identifies the relationship between the inclusion of human dimension objectives in wildlife translocation efforts and programme outcomes.
• Of the six key strategies identified for including human dimension objectives, education was the most common, followed by
  • Engaging locals,
  • Providing economic benefits,
  • Increasing social tolerance,
  • Enforcing regulations and
  • Supplying cultural benefits.

Global efforts – ICTC:

• International Conservation Translocation Conference (ICTC) is a premier conservation translocation science event, linked to the IUCN.
• This helps the government/policymakers to learn from global experts how to best plan and implement conservation translocations.

Conclusion:

 The problem with India’s Project Cheetahs is that the species is being translocated from entirely different countries and ecosystems. Therefore, proper scientific study must be conducted before executing the project.

Insta Links: Cheetah project to bring in 12 big cats from South Africa

NITI Aayog’s Compendium on Best Practices in Social Sector 2023

Source: Niti Aayog

Every day in this section we will be bringing best practices from each section. Today’s best practices will cover ‘EDUCATION’

Initiatives:

  NITI Aayog’s Compendium on Best Practices in Social Sector 2023

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TH

Context: Citing alleged violations under the FRA 2006, the NCST has flagged alleged discrepancies with respect to the forest clearance granted for the GNI Project.

Background:

• The Stage-1 clearance for the project was granted in October 2022, two years after the application was received.
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs shows that the island administration neither recognised nor granted ownership of any forest land to local tribes as per FRA before Stage-I clearance was granted.
• According to the Forest Conservation Rules 2017, any diversion of forest land would first require the District Collector to recognise and vest rights to locals under the FRA.

The justification of the A&N administration:

• The power of notification and de-notification of the land as a Tribal Reserve is solely administered under the A&N Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Act, 1956.
• So there is no claim as such for settlement under the FRA 2006.

The GNI Project:

• It is a ₹72,000-crore mega project piloted by NITI Aayog for the “holistic development” of the Great Nicobar Island (GNI), situated at the southern end of the A&N group of Islands in the Bay of Bengal.
• It is being implemented by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO).
• The plan has four components –
  • A ₹35,000 crore transhipment port at Galathea Bay,
  • A dual-use military-civil international airport,
  • A power plant, and
  • A township

Concerns:

• The project intends to use about114 sq. km of tribal reserve forest land, where the Shompen (a PVTG) and the Nicobarese reside.
• The northern end of the project falls in the biosphere reserve.

Source: TH

Context: Union Law Minister has stated that regional languages should be used in courts in every state.

About the Languages to be Used in Courts in India:

 Source: ET

Context: The Indian government has achieved more than 90% target completion in six out of 14 parameters under the Twenty Point Programme, according to data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

 What is Twenty Point Programme?

The Twenty Point Programme (TPP) (initially launched in 1975, and restructured in 1982, 1986, and 2006) is a package of government programs, with the aim of improving the quality of life in rural areas. The program includes a range of schemes related to poverty alleviation, employment generation, education, health, housing, and environmental protection.

Monitoring: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) monitors the performance of the TPP based on reports received from state governments and central nodal ministries.

 Source: HT

Context: The Indian Army is planning to merge civilian areas at cantonments with municipal corporations and municipalities and designate them as military stations.

What is the plan?

Plan is to carve out the military areas in cantonments and convert them into “exclusive military stations” with the Army exercising “absolute control” over them. The civilian areas, in turn, will be merged with the local municipalities so as to provide them with the benefits of various government schemes.

• The first cantonment to be renamed a military station is Yol in Himachal Pradesh
• Not all cantonments will become military stations as some army and civilian pockets are intertwined.

What are the issues with Cantonments?

Cantonments have strict restrictions on construction, road use, and common area occupation, causing tension between civilians and the military. Civilians face challenges in obtaining home loans and accessing government schemes. Even basic renovations require multiple permissions.

About Cantonment:

 Source: BS

Context: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has put in place a maximum residue limit (MRL) for five pesticides used in tea plantations.

• These pesticides are emamectin, benzoate, fenpyroximate, hexaconazole, propiconazole and quinalphos.

Source: IE

Context: 11 people died due to a gas leak in the Giaspura area of Ludhiana, Punjab.

The reason behind the deaths: According to the air quality sensors used by NDRF, high levels of Hydrogen Sulphide gas, a kind of neurotoxin, have been detected.

What are neurotoxins?

Neurotoxins are poisonous substances which can directly affect the nervous system. They directly attack the respiratory tract of the body, thereby overpowering the oxygen concentration of the body and then the nervous system as well.

What are neurotoxic gases?

• Methane, hydrogen sulphide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are common neurotoxic gases.
• While methane and carbon monoxide are odourless gases, hydrogen sulphide has a pungent odour and in higher concentrations, it can be fatal for humans.

How to remove these gases? To remove gases such as hydrogen sulphide from wastewater, chemical oxidation is done, where oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide are added to the wastewater.