Current Affairs 15th March 2024 for UPSC Prelims Exam

Citizenship (Amendment) Act

• The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rules were notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), four years after the act was passed by Parliament.
• The CAA expedites citizenship for six non-Muslim communities — Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, Christian, and Jain — from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
• The CAA is contested in the Supreme Court, with fresh pleas seeking to stay the implementation of the newly notified rules.

Provisions and Exemptions

• Amendment to Citizenship Act, 1955: A new proviso was added to Section 2(1)(b) to define “illegal migrants,” making specific undocumented immigrants eligible for citizenship.
• Exemptions for Tribal Areas: Tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura are excluded from the CAA, with Inner Line Permit (ILP) required for entry.
• Procedural Changes in Citizenship Granting:
  • Passport and Visa Requirements: The rules now waive the requirement of a “valid passport” or Indian visa for citizenship applications from the specified communities.
  • Alternative Documentation: “Any document” indicating ancestry from the specified countries or a certificate from an elected local body member can now suffice for proving nationality.

Concerns and Potential Impacts

• Impact on Muslims: The combination of the CAA with the proposed National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC) could disproportionately affect Muslims, as non-Muslims may use the CAA to secure citizenship if excluded from the NRIC.
  • The 2021 Assam NRIC left over 19 lakh people out of the citizenship register.
• Constitutionality Challenge: Petitioners argue that it violates Article 14 of the Constitution by using religion as a basis for citizenship.
• Assam Accord (Section 6A) Subversion Claims: Petitioners claim that the CAA undermines the 1985 Assam Accord, which sets March 24, 1971, as the cut-off for recognizing foreigners without a religious distinction.
  • Verdict on Section 6A: The CJI-led Constitution Bench has reserved its verdict on Section 6A’s validity, with historical and humanitarian implications being considered.

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Paytm – Third Party Application Provider

Context: Paytm has received approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to operate as a third-party application provider (TPAP) for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services.

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• This authorization allows Paytm to offer UPI payment solutions directly to users, including those through mobile wallets, other merchant apps, or any platform utilising UPI for payments.
• Previously, all UPI transactions through Paytm were processed through Paytm Payments Bank (PPB), an associate company of One97 Communications Ltd, which owns Paytm.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) restricted Paytm Payments Bank from onboarding new customers due to concerns over its process of verifying customer credentials and managing risks.
• Following the RBI’s restrictions, PPB had to address these concerns.
• With the RBI’s mandate, no new TPAP will be permitted unless they comply with the regulatory requirements for UPI payment services.
• Paytm’s approval by the NPCI to operate as a TPAP will enable the use of its technology by other banks for UPI services.
• One97 Communications, advised by NPCI, must complete the migration of its existing UPI user base to the new TPAP service, adhering to the provided regulations and timelines.

About NPCI

• Function: Umbrella organisation operating retail payment and settlement systems in India.
• Origin: Established by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) under Payment and Settlement Systems Act (2007).
• Structure:
  • Not-for-profit company under Section 8 of Companies Act (2013).
  • Promoted by ten major banks (SBI, PNB, Citibank, etc.).
  • Regulatory board with nominees from RBI and core promoter banks.
  • Headquarters in Mumbai.
• Focus:
  • Innovation in retail payment systems using technology.
  • Increased efficiency and wider reach of payment solutions.
  • Payment Systems Operated:
  • National Financial Switch (NFS)
  • Immediate Payment Service (IMPS)
  • Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AEPS)
  • National Automated Clearing House (NACH)
• Services Offered:
  • Bharat Bill Payment Interface (BBPI): Single platform for bill payments.
  • Immediate Payment Service (IMPS): 24/7 instant fund transfer service.
  • RuPay: Affordable debit, credit, and prepaid cards. Over 300 million were issued in India.
  • USSD Services: Mobile banking without the internet or smartphone is required.
  • BHIM: UPI-based app for making payments using VPA or mobile number.
  • Unified Payments Interface (UPI): Smartphone-based fund transfer directly between bank accounts.

Examples and Case Studies for Value Addition

Population And Associated Issues: The recent report by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation noted that the annual number of global under-5 deaths in 2022 declined by more than half.

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