The Hindu Newspaper Analysis 20 February 2023

The Hindu Newspaper Analysis for UPSC

The Hindu Newspaper Analysis 18 February 2023

• In 2022, over 2.25 lakh Indians renounced Indian citizenship, the highest since 2011, according to data from the Ministry of External Affairs. The data reflect how Indians, especially high net-worth individuals (HNIs), are moving westward in search of better opportunities, healthcare, quality of life, and education, among other factors.
• HNIs are those who have wealth of over $1 million or ₹8.2 crore. According to the Henley Global Citizens Report, there were3.47 lakh HNIs in India in December 2021.Of these, 1.49 lakh HNIs were found in just nine cities: Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Gurugram, and Ahmedabad.
• Industry representatives say there has been a surge in requests for residence-through-investment programmes, especially the U.S. EB-5 visa, Portugal Golden Visa, Australian Global Talent Independent Visa, Malta Permanent Residency Programme, and Greece Residence by Investment Programme.
• Key Findings
• In its Migration and Development Brief, the World Bank has said India’s remittance will grow 12 percent from 7.5 percent last year, resulting in $100 billion flow as compared to $89.4 billion in 2021.

 The Hindu Editorial Today

In 2021 the top five remittance recipients (among low- and middle-income countries) in current US dollars were:

• India: 83 billion
• China: 53 billion
• Mexico: 53 billion
• Philippines: 36 billion
• Egypt: 33 billion

• The burgeoning demand for the popular Teja variety of red chilli, famous for its culinary, medicinal and other wide-ranging uses, in the export market is proving to be a boon for the Khammam Agriculture Market, housing Telangana’s second largest chilli market yard, in the district headquarters town of Khammam.
• The Teja variety of red chilli is being exported to China, Bangladesh and a few other south Asian countries from Khammam mainly through the Chennai port.

• The issue is on whether disqualification for conviction is final or whether it can be revoked. This issue can arise whenever a legislator is disqualified.
• The facts are as follows. Mr. Faizal was convicted by the Kavaratti sessions court on January 11 for attempt to murder, and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. On January 13, the Lok Sabha announced that he was disqualified as an MP with effect from the date of conviction. On January 18, the Election Commission of India (ECI) fixed February 27 as the date for by-election to that constituency, with the formal notification to be issued on January 31. Mr. Faizal appealed to the Kerala High Court for a stay on his conviction and sentence, which the High Court suspended on January 25.
• The provision for disqualification is given in Article 102 of the Constitution. It specifies that a person shall be disqualified for contesting elections and being a Member of Parliament under certain conditions. These include holding an office of profit, being of unsound mind or insolvent, or not being a citizen of India. It also authorises Parliament to make law determining conditions of disqualifications.
• The Representation of the People Act, 1951 provides that a person will be disqualified if convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for two years or more. The person is disqualified for the period of imprisonment and a further six years.
• There is an exception for sitting members; they have been provided a period of three months from the date of conviction to appeal; the disqualification will not be applicable until the appeal is decided. The differential treatment of candidates for elections and sitting members was challenged under Article 14 (right to equality).
• In 2013, a two-judge Bench of the Supreme Court again considered whether this exception was constitutionally invalid (Lily Thomas vs Union of India).
• The question is whether the removal of disqualification can be back dated as if it never happened and the election avoided. Or whether the disqualification is removed only from the date of the stay order, and, therefore, the vacated seat be filled only through a by-election.

• India was to have installed 175 GW of renewable energy — from solar, wind, biomass and small hydropower sources — by December 2022, but has only installed 122 GW. Of this, solar power was to have been 100 GW, though only 62 GW has been installed.
• A key bottleneck has been the cost of solar modules (or panels). While India has traditionally relied on Chinese-made components such as polysilicone wafers, necessary to make modules, higher customs duty on them (to make equivalent Indian-manufactured components more competitive) has shrunk supply.
• Apart from module prices, land acquisition has been a major challenge for solar power manufacturers. Despite the Centre commissioning 57 large solar parks with a capacity of 40 GW in recent years, only 10 GW has been operationalised.
• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Uttham Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) scheme
• The PM-KUSUM was launched by the MNRE in 2019, in order to endow installation of off-grid solar pumps in rural areas and reduce dependence on grid, in grid-connected areas.

Components:

• 10,000 MW of decentralized ground-mounted grid-connected renewable power plants.
• Installation 20 lakh solar-powered agriculture pumps
• Converting 15 lakh agriculture pumps, already connected to the grid, into solar.

Objective:

• It aims to enable farmers to set up solar power generation capacity on their arid lands and to sell it to the grid.
• It also seeks to increase the income of farmers by allowing them to sell surplus solar power to the grid.

• The Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud firmly refused the ‘suggestions’ offered by the government in a sealed cover on the formation of a proposed committee to enquire into the Hindenburg report on the Adani Group.
• The “routine” handing over of sealed covers in court by the state, the contents of which are unknown to the other parties, often fighting for life and personal liberty, is eroding public confidence in the ‘open court’ principle of justice administration.
• Sealed cover documents have been received by the apex court in cases such as the Rafale jets’ purchase deal, Assam National Register of Citizens case, Ayodhya title dispute, Gujarat Police ‘fake’ encounter case, Narendra Modi biopic release case, in the sexual harassment case concerning then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, the electoral bonds case, Bhima Koregaon case and the anticipatory bail plea for former union finance minister P. Chidambaram. In these cases, sealed cover had risen to the status of ‘due procedure’.

• Sickle cell anaemia (SCA), a genetic blood disorder, found mention in the Budget this year. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the government will work in “mission mode” to eliminate the condition by 2047. India is the second-worst affected country in terms of predicted births with SCA — i.e. chances of being born with the condition.
• Sickle cell disease (SCD)
• It is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. Red blood carries oxygen to all parts of the body.
• Healthy red blood cells are round, and they move through small blood vessels to carry oxygen to all parts of the body.
• In someone who has SCD, the hemoglobin is abnormal, which causes the red blood cells to become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a “sickle.”
• The sickle cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells.

Can it be treated?

• Sickle cell anaemia is a genetic disorder, making complete “elimination” a challenge that requires major scientific breakthrough.
• The only cure comes in the form of gene therapy and stem cell transplants — both costly and still in developmental stages.
• Blood transfusion, wherein red blood cells are removed from donated blood and given to a patient, is also a trusted treatment in the absence of permanent cures.
• But challenges include a scarcity of donors, fears around safe supply of blood, risk of infection etc.

Q) With reference to ‘Financial Stability and Development Council’, consider the following statements :

1. It is an organ of NITI Aayog.
2. It is headed by the Union Finance Minister.

Which of the above statements is/are Incorrect?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

‘वित्तीय स्थिरता और विकास परिषद’ के संदर्भ में निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार कीजिये:

1. यह नीति आयोग का अंग है।
2. इसकी अध्यक्षता केंद्रीय वित्त मंत्री करते हैं।

उपरोक्त में से कौन सा/से कथन गलत है/हैं?

1. केवल 1
2. केवल 2
3. 1 और 2 दोनों
4. न तो 1 और न ही 2

Explanation:

• Statement 1: With a view to strengthening and institutionalizing the mechanism for maintaining financial stability, enhancing inter-regulatory coordination and promoting financial sector development, the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) was set up by the Government as the apex level forum in December 2010 (much before NITI AAyog was even setup). So, 1 is incorrect.
• Statement 2: The Chairman of the Council is the Finance Minister and its members include the heads of financial sector Regulators (RBI, SEBI, PFRDA, IRDA & FMC) Finance Secretary and/or Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, and Chief Economic Adviser. So, 2 is correct.

Q) A windfall tax is a

1. tax levied on short-term currency transactions to discourage volatility and speculation.
2. higher tax rate on sudden big profits levied on a particular company or industry.
3. tax levied at the time of purchase and sale of securities listed on stock exchanges
4. none of the above

एक अप्रत्याशित कर एक है

1. अस्थिरता और अटकलों को हतोत्साहित करने के लिए अल्पकालिक मुद्रा लेनदेन पर लगाया गया कर।
2. किसी विशेष कंपनी या उद्योग पर लगाए गए अचानक बड़े मुनाफे पर उच्च कर की दर।
3. स्टॉक एक्सचेंजों में सूचीबद्ध प्रतिभूतियों की खरीद और बिक्री के समय लगाया गया कर
4. उपर्युक्त में से कोई नहीं

Explanation:

• Context: India cuts windfall tax on crude oil to Rs 1,900 per tonne from Rs 2,100 per tonne
  • India imposed the windfall profit tax, in July 2022, joining nations that tax supernormal profits of energy companies.
  • Levy was introduced in view of the windfall gains made by the domestic crude producers and refiners due to high global crude and product prices (on account of the Russian-Ukraine war)
• What is the windfall tax?
  • A windfall tax is a higher tax rate on sudden big profits levied on a particular company or industry.

Q) With reference to the National Green Tribunal, consider the following statements:

1. It was established under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.
2. The chairperson of this tribunal is appointed by the President of India.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

नेशनल ग्रीन ट्रिब्यूनल के संदर्भ में निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार कीजिये:

1. इसकी स्थापना नेशनल ग्रीन ट्रिब्यूनल एक्ट 2010 के तहत की गई थी।
2. इस न्यायाधिकरण के अध्यक्ष की नियुक्ति भारत के राष्ट्रपति द्वारा की जाती है।

उपरोक्त कथनों में से कौन-सा/से सही है/हैं?

1. केवल 1
2. केवल 2
3. 1 और 2 दोनों
4. न तो 1 और न ही 2

Explanation :

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently imposed a fine of ₹2,232 crore on the Delhi government for damage caused to the environment due to improper solid and liquid waste management.

• The National Green Tribunal has been established under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.
• The Tribunal comprises the Chairperson, the Judicial Members, and Expert Members.
• They shall hold office for a term of 5 years and are not eligible for reappointment.
• The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
• A Selection Committee shall be formed by the central government to appoint the Judicial Members and Expert Members.

Q) Consider the following statements regarding the Indian Pangolin:

1. Currently, the distribution of Indian pangolin is limited only to Northeast India.
2. It is classified as ‘Vulnerable’ under the IUCN Red List.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

भारतीय पैंगोलिन के संबंध में निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार करें:

1. वर्तमान में, भारतीय पैंगोलिन का वितरण केवल पूर्वोत्तर भारत तक ही सीमित है।
2. इसे IUCN रेड लिस्ट के तहत ‘कमजोर’ के रूप में वर्गीकृत किया गया है।

उपरोक्त कथनों में से कौन-सा/से सही है/हैं?

1. केवल 1
2. केवल 2
3. 1 और 2 दोनों
4. न तो 1 और न ही 2

Key facts about Indian Pangolin:

• The Indian pangolin, also called thick-tailed pangolin and scaly anteater is native to the Indian subcontinent.
• It is one of the eight species of pangolins found.
• They are one of the most trafficked mammals in the world, despite an international ban on their trade.
• Distribution: It lives in India (south of the Himalayas), Bangladesh, Southern Nepal, Sri Lanka, and small parts of Pakistan.

Features:

• Like other pangolins, it has large, overlapping scales on its body, which act as armor.
• It can also curl itself into a ball as self-defense against predators.
• It is an insectivore feeding on ants and termites.
• It is nocturnal and rests in deep burrows during the day.
• Conservation status:
• IUCN Red List: Endangered
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
• CITES: Appendix I

Q) Shinku La tunnel, recently seen in the news, lies in which one of the following States or Union Territories?

1. Jammu and Kashmir
2. Ladakh
3. Arunachal Pradesh
4. Sikkim

हाल ही में खबरों में रही शिंकू ला सुरंग निम्नलिखित में से किस राज्य या केंद्र शासित प्रदेश में स्थित है?

1. जम्मू और कश्मीर
2. लद्दाख
3. अरुणाचल प्रदेश
4. सिक्किम

Explanation :

• The Union Cabinet recently gave its nod for the construction of the Shinku La tunnel to provide all-weather connectivity to the border areas of Ladakh.

About Shinku La tunnel:

• It will be constructed at an altitude of over 16,500 feet on the Nimu-Padam-Darcha road link on the border between Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh.
• The length of the tunnel will be 4.1 km.
• The Border Roads Organization (BRO) will construct the tunnel at a cost of Rs. 1,681.5 crores.
• The traffic movement in the tunnel will not be vulnerable to long-range artillery shelling or missile firings either by China or Pakistan.
• Purpose:
• To provide all-weather connectivity to the border areas of Ladakh.
• To enable swift movement of troops and heavy weaponry to forward areas.

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