The Hindu Newspaper Analysis 8 December 2022

The Hindu Newspaper Analysis for UPSC

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday raised the policy repo rate by 35 basis points (bps) to 6.25%, downshifting gears from consecutive increases of 50 bps, and scaled down GDP growth hopes for the year to 6.8% from 7%, even as Governor Shaktikanta Das exuded confidence about the economy being resilient and asserted that “the worst of inflation” was behind us.
• A 100 basis points equal one percentage point. The central bank retained its inflation projection for 2022-23 at 6.7%, noting that inflation will ease but stay well above the 6% upper tolerance limit set for the RBI.
• Das vowed to keep an “Arjuna’s eye” on evolving inflation dynamics, even as cooling global prices for crude oil, commodities and other items extend hope of relief.

The Hindu Editorial Today

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed an MoU with Social Alpha, a multistage innovation curation and venture development platform for science and technology start-ups, to launch SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN).
• SpIN is India’s first dedicated platform for innovation, curation, and venture development for the burgeoning space entrepreneurial ecosystem. The space agency said that the tie-up is one-of-a-kind public-private collaboration for start-ups and SMEs in the space industry.
• “This novel partnership is a significant step forward in providing further stimulus to India’s recent space reform policies and will work towards identifying and unleashing the market potential of the most promising space tech innovators and entrepreneurs in India,” the space agency said. It added that SpIN will primarily focus on facilitating space tech entrepreneurs in three distinct innovation categories: Geospatial Technologies and Downstream Applications; Enabling Technologies for Space & Mobility; and Aerospace Materials, Sensors, and Avionics.
• Early last month, the Supreme Court of India upheld the 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, which had introduced 10% reservation for the economically weaker sections (EWS). The EWS quota and the Court judgment that followed have shifted the discussion on the legacy of affirmative action based on caste in India.
• The last two decades of jobless growth and increased economic insecurity have added credence to such demand. However, delegitimising caste as a basis for policy is a monumental mistake with real consequences, given the deepening of wealth inequality on caste lines.
• Contemporary inequalities are not produced in one’s lifetime. The group-based differences in economic and social outcome are not due to differential ambition, ability, and effort. They are inheritances.
• These inherited inequalities — economic, cultural and social capital — are passed on to successive generations.
• The latest survey, the All India Debt & Investment Survey (AIDIS-2019) released in 2021 shows the trend of deepening caste inequality in wealth in India.
• The Gini index is a measure of the distribution of income across a population. · A higher Gini index indicates greater inequality
• The ratio of private wealth to national income increased from 290% in 1980 to 555% in 2020, estimated to be the fastest increase in the world by the World Inequality Report 2022.
• The report is released by Paris-based World Inequality Lab, a global research initiative.
• Can caste-neutral policy arrest this wealth gap?
• The caste wealth gap is not just a product of differences in education, jobs, and income but rather an inequality passed from one generation to the next. Hence, an improvement in education and access to jobs alone will not arrest this gap. Undoing the existing framework of reservation — by substituting caste by economic criteria — will not only reverse the modest gains made so far but also deepen structural inequality.
• December 8 is commemorated as SAARC Charter Day. It was on this day, 37 years ago, that the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), an intergovernmental organisation, was established by Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to promote economic growth in South Asia. Afghanistan acceded to SAARC later. However, SAARC has failed abjectly in accomplishing most of its objectives.
• Since 2014, no SAARC summit has taken place leaving the organisation rudderless, and practically dead.
• But why bother about SAARC? Because South Asia, that is India’s neighbourhood, is important for India’s national interests.
• A new narrative is that in South Asia, India can successfully use the instrument of bilateralism over regionalism to pursue its interests. While bilateralism is undoubtedly important, it can at best complement, not substitute, regional or multilateral efforts.
• So, the next best scenario is to look at other regional instruments such as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral, Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), an intergovernmental organisation established in 1997. BIMSTEC comprises five South Asian nations (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India and Sri Lanka) and two ASEAN countries (Myanmar and Thailand). Importantly, Pakistan is not a BIMSTEC member.

What is BIMSTEC?

• The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a multilateral regional organisation established with the aim of accelerating shared growth and cooperation between littoral and adjacent countries in the Bay of Bengal region.
• It was founded as BIST-EC, in June 1997, with the adoption of the Bangkok Declaration, with Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand as members.
• It became BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation) with the entry of Myanmar in late 1997, And eventually, it was named in its current form, when Nepal and Bhutan became members in 2004.
• The BIMSTEC region hosts 22% of the world population or 1.68 billion people; and the member states have a combined GDP of US$3.697 trillion/per year.
• The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established with the signing of the SAARC Charter in Dhaka on 8 December 1985.
• The idea of regional cooperation in South Asia was first raised in November 1980. After consultations, the foreign secretaries of the seven founding countries—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka—met for the first time in Colombo in April 1981.
  • Afghanistan became the newest member of SAARC at the 13th annual summit in 2005.
  • The Headquarters and Secretariat of the Association are at Kathmandu, Nepal.
• A political party’s spokesman has been arrested for sharing an apparently false claim about the expenditure involved in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Morbi in Gujarat, in November, in the aftermath of the collapse of a bridge that caused nearly 140 deaths.
• It is disconcerting that provisions relating to the inter-State operation of criminal law allow anyone to be held by the police from another State with ease
• Crimes against tourists and other foreign nationals appear to be on the rise in India. Consider several recent cases, and the lessons they suggest. A few days ago, a Kerala session court sentenced two men to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a Latvian tourist in 2018. A 12-year-old Russian girl was raped in a hotel in Goa on April 6 this year. The rapist was an employee of the hotel in which the girl was staying with her mother
• Crime against foreigners not only dents our image globally but could also adversely affect the inflow of foreign tourists, which is a vital source of income for our country.
• Tourism happens to be one of the biggest foreign exchange earners for India and constant effort needs to be made to raise earnings.
• While India’s earnings through tourism was $30.06 billion in 2019, it declined to $6.958 billion in 2020 due to COVID-19 and the resultant restrictions in foreign tourists entering the country. A marginal increase of $8.797 billion was recorded last year.

What the Constitution says on Parliamentary Sessions?

• Article 85 requires that there should not be a gap of more than six months between two sessions of Parliament.
• Please note, the Constitution does not specify when or for how many days Parliament should meet.
• The maximum gap between two sessions of Parliament cannot be more than six months. That means the Parliament should meet at least twice a year.
• A ‘session’ of Parliament is the period between the first sitting of a House and its prorogation.

Who shall convene a session?

• In practice, the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, comprising senior ministers, decides on the dates for parliament’s sitting and it is then conveyed to the president.
• So, the executive, headed by the prime minister, which steers the business to be taken up by parliament will have the power to advise the president to summon the legislature.
• India’s plan to install 500 GW (gigawatt) of renewable energy capacity by 2030 will involve an investment of at least ₹2.44 lakh crore or ₹2.44 trillion, according to a committee constituted by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
• As part of its international climate commitments, India has said that it will source roughly half its energy needs from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. Financing the energy transition of developing countries such as India is among the thorniest geo-political issues, with India having said multiple times at United Nations climate conferences that “trillions of dollars” would be required.
• The transmission plan also includes systems required for transporting 10 GW of off-shore wind-based energy located in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu at an estimated cost of ₹28,000 crore.
• The plan has identified upcoming non-fossil fuel generation centres in the country, including at Fatehgarh, Bhadla and Bikaner in Rajasthan, Khavda in Gujarat, and Anantapur and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.

Central Electricity Authority

• CEA is an organization originally constituted under Section 3(1) of the repealed Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948, since substituted by Section 70 of the Electricity Act, 2003.
• One of its objectives is to formulate National Electricity Plan every five years for optimum utilization of available resources for power generation.
• It works under the Ministry of Power and is located in New Delhi.
• The RBI on Wednesday said it would add a feature in the UPI platform to aid payments where delivery of goods and services happens later, like with e-commerce purchases, hotel bookings or investments.
• “It has… been decided to introduce a single-block-and-multiple-debits functionality in UPI, which will significantly enhance the ease of making payments in e-commerce space and towards investments in securities,” RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das
• A customer could create a payment mandate against a merchant by blocking funds in his/her bank account, which can be debited when needed, he said.
• Such a facility will build greater trust in transactions as merchants will be assured of timely payments, while the funds remain in the customer’s account till actual delivery of goods or services, the Governor added.

About Unified Payments Interface (UPI):

• UPI is a technology that consolidates various bank accounts into a single mobile app (of any participating bank) –
  • Providing an instant real-time payment system,
  • Allowing users to transfer money across multiple bank accounts without revealing details of one’s bank account to the other party.
• It was launched by the NPCI in 2016 in conjunction with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks Association (IBA).

NPCI:

• It is an umbrella organisation incorporated in 2008 as a “Not for Profit” Company under the Companies Act 1956 (now Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013).
• It is an initiative of RBI and IBA under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, for creating infrastructure for the entire Banking system in India for physical as well as electronic payment and settlement systems.
• In August 2014, Parliament passed the Constitution (99th Amendment) Act, along with the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act, which together provided for the creation of an independent commission to appoint judges to the Supreme Court (SC) and High Courts (HC). This commission was to replace the collegium system.
• In early 2015, the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) filed a plea challenging the provisions which had by then become laws. The SCAORA contended in its petition that both the Acts were “unconstitutional” and “invalid”.
• while the collegium system itself does not figure in the Constitution, its legal basis is found in three SC judgments — usually referred to as the ‘Judges Cases’.

Q) With reference to the China-Indian Ocean Region Forum, consider the following statements:

1. It is organised by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA).
2. The forum was “the first high-level official development cooperation forum jointly held by China and countries in the Indian Ocean Region”.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

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

चीन-हिंद महासागर क्षेत्र मंच के संदर्भ में निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार कीजिये:

1. इसका आयोजन चाइना इंटरनेशनल डेवलपमेंट कोऑपरेशन एजेंसी (CIDCA) द्वारा किया जाता है।
2. मंच “चीन और हिंद महासागर क्षेत्र में देशों द्वारा संयुक्त रूप से आयोजित पहला उच्च स्तरीय आधिकारिक विकास सहयोग मंच” था।

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 :

On November 21, China’s top development aid agency convened the first “China-Indian Ocean Region Forum” in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming.

• The meet organised by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA).
• The forum was “the first high-level official development cooperation forum jointly held by China and countries in the Indian Ocean Region”.
• The forum underlines China’s growing strategic interests in a region where its economic footprint has been deepening.
• During the forum, China “proposed to establish a marine disaster prevention and mitigation cooperation mechanism between China and countries in the Indian Ocean region”.
• All parties agreed to strengthen policy coordination, deepen development cooperation, increase resilience to shocks and disasters, and enhance relevant countries’ capacity to obtain economic benefits through use of marine resources such as fisheries, renewable energy, tourism, and shipping in a sustainable way.

Q) With reference to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), consider the following statements:

1. It was established by the Brasilia Declaration.
2. It develops standards for global air transport.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

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

अंतर्राष्ट्रीय नागरिक उड्डयन संगठन (आईसीएओ) के संदर्भ में निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार करें:

1. इसकी स्थापना ब्रासीलिया घोषणा द्वारा की गई थी।
2. यह वैश्विक हवाई परिवहन के लिए मानक विकसित करता 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 :

India is among the top 50 countries with best aviation safety in the latest ICAO rankings

About:

• In the rankings by the ICAO, India is now at the 48th position, a “quantum leap” from the 102nd rank it had in 2018. The rankings are for 187 countries and assessments were done at different points of time.
• Under its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) Continuous Monitoring Approach, an ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) was undertaken from November 9 to 16.
• The rankings are topped by Singapore with a score of 99.69 per cent. It is followed by the UAE at the second position and the Republic of Korea is at the third place.
• With a score of 85.49 per cent each, India and Georgia are at the 48th position. Neighbouring Pakistan is at the 100th spot with a score of 70.39 per cent.

What is ICAO?

• ICAO is funded and directed by 193 national governments to support their diplomacy and cooperation in air transport as signatory states to the Chicago Convention (1944).
  • ‘Chicago Convention’ established the core principles permitting international transport by air, and led to the creation of the specialized agency which has overseen it ever since – the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
• ICAO develops standards for global air transport and assists its 192 Member States in sharing the world’s skies to their socio-economic benefit.
• Headquarters: Montreal, Canada

Q) Consider the following statements:

1. The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Review Committee Report has recommended a debt to GDP ratio of 60% for the general (combined) government by 2023, comprising 40% for the Central Government and 20% for the State Government.
2. The Central Government has domestic liabilities of 21% of GDP as compared to that of 49% of GDP of the State Government.
3. As per the Constitution of India, it is mandatory for a State to take the Central Government’s consent for raising any loan if the former owes any outstanding liabilities to the letter.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार करें:

1. राजकोषीय उत्तरदायित्व और बजट प्रबंधन (एफआरबीएम) समीक्षा समिति की रिपोर्ट ने 2023 तक सामान्य (संयुक्त) सरकार के लिए 60% के जीडीपी अनुपात के ऋण की सिफारिश की है, जिसमें केंद्र सरकार के लिए 40% और राज्य सरकार के लिए 20% शामिल है।
2. राज्य सरकार के सकल घरेलू उत्पाद के 49% की तुलना में केंद्र सरकार के सकल घरेलू उत्पाद का 21% की घरेलू देनदारियां हैं।
3. भारत के संविधान के अनुसार, राज्य के लिए किसी भी ऋण को लेने के लिए केंद्र सरकार की सहमति लेना अनिवार्य है यदि पूर्व में पत्र के लिए कोई बकाया देनदारी है।

ऊपर दिए गए कथनों में से कौन सा/से सही है/हैं?

1. केवल 1
2. केवल 2 और 3
3. केवल 1 और 3
4. 1, 2 और 3

Explanation:

• S1: FRBM review panel had recommended the criterion of debt as a parameter for fiscal responsibility the central share being 40% and state 20%. Also, in terms of domestic liabilities the figures are actually reverse i:e central government 49% and state 21%.
• S3: Art. 293. (3.) A State may not without the consent of the Government of India raise any loan if there is still outstanding any part of a loan which has been made to the State by the Government of India or by its predecessor Government, or in respect of which a guarantee has been given by the Government of India or by its predecessor Government

Q) Consider the following statements:

1. Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) is a payments application and wallet, which allows users to make instant bank transfers.
2. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) charges user for transacting on BHIM.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

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

निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार करें:

1. भारत इंटरफेस फॉर मनी (भीम) एक भुगतान एप्लिकेशन और वॉलेट है, जो उपयोगकर्ताओं को तत्काल बैंक हस्तांतरण करने की अनुमति देता है।
2. भारतीय राष्ट्रीय भुगतान निगम (एनपीसीआई) भीम पर लेनदेन करने के लिए उपयोगकर्ता से शुल्क लेता 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

• S1: BHIM is not a wallet. It is a payments application which allows users to make instant bank transfers.
• S2: NPCI does not charge any user for transacting on BHIM.

Q) Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the National Standards body supported by:

1. Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
2. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
3. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
4. Ministry of Home Affairs

भारतीय मानक ब्यूरो (BIS) द्वारा समर्थित राष्ट्रीय मानक निकाय है:

1. उपभोक्ता मामले, खाद्य और सार्वजनिक वितरण मंत्रालय
2. वाणिज्य और उद्योग मंत्रालय
3. स्वास्थ्य और परिवार कल्याण मंत्रालय
4. गृह मंत्रालय

Explanation:

• Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS): BIS is the National Standard Body of India under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. It was established under the BIS Act 2016.
• Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution is the ex-officio President.
• The main activities are standardization, marking and quality certification of goods.
• BIS is responsible for developing Indian Standards, implementing voluntary and mandatory standards, such as Quality Control Orders, and providing quality assurance to consumers.

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