EDITORIALS & ARTICLES
23rd March 2021
Gandhi Peace Prize
Recently, the Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2019 and 2020 has been announced by the Ministry of Culture.
- The Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2019 is being conferred on (Late) His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman.
- The Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2020 is being conferred on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
- The recent awardees include Vivekananda Kendra, India (2015); Akshaya Patra Foundation, India and Sulabh International (Jointly, for 2016); Ekal Abhiyan Trust, India (2017) and Shri Yohei Sasakawa, Japan (2018).
Gandhi Peace Prize
- It is an annual award instituted by Government of India since 1995 i.e. the 125th Birth Anniversary commemoration year of Mahatma Gandhi.
- The award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or sex.
- It will be given to individuals, associations, institutions or organizations who have worked selflessly for peace, non-violence and amelioration of human sufferings.
- The contributions made during ten years immediately preceding the nomination are considered.
- The Jury for Gandhi Peace Prize is chaired by Prime Minister and comprises of two ex-officio members, namely the Chief Justice of India and Leader of the single largest Opposition Party in Lok Sabha.
- The two eminent members are also part of the Jury i.e. Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and Founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organization.
- The award carries an amount of Rs. 1 crore, a citation, a plaque andan exquisite traditional handicraft/ handloom item.
Operation Thiruvallur
Recently, the troops of Southern Command, Pune have launched “Operation Thiruvallur”.
Operation Thiruvallur
- It is being undertaken under the aegis of “Aid to Civil Authorities”.
- It involves the safe disposal of nearly 10 tonnes of unexploded ordnance which had possibly been collected inadvertently by some factories located in the general area of SIPCOT Industrial Estate in Gummidipoondi in Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu.
- It is an Indian army's massive effort to ensure and enhance security of citizens.
- It is a classic demonstration of joint coordination and planning undertaken between the Army and Tamil Nadu State Government.
- The operation has been specifically approved by Ministry of Defence on the request of Tamil Nadu government.
- It is being launched in continuance of Southern Command’s efforts to contribute directly towards security and well-being of people.
Significance of Operation Thiruvallur
- The aim of the operation is to ensure a safe environment for all citizens in and around Gummidipoondi.
- It involves segregation & disposal of unexploded ordnance from a metal scrap dump, now covered with undergrowth.
Khelo India Scheme
Recently, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has decided to extend Khelo India scheme from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
- The Ministry has furnished an Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) memorandum to the Ministry of Finance for extension/continuation of the Khelo India Scheme from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
- An amount of ₹ 8750 crore has been estimated as financial implication of the new Khelo India Scheme (2021-22 to 2025-26) in the EFC memorandum.
- An amount of ₹ 657.71 crore has been allocated in the Budget Estimate (B.E.) for the year 2021-22 under the Khelo India Scheme.
- The first Khelo India Games were held in 2018.
Features of Khelo India Scheme
- It is a National Programme for Development of Sports launched in 2017-18.
- It came into existence by merging three existing schemes namely:
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan – To provide infrastructure in rural areas and to encourage sporting culture in the country through competitions
- Urban Infrastructure Scheme – To provide quality sports infrastructure in urban areas so as to provide facilities for talent to hone their skills
- National Sports Talent Search – To identify young talent
- Financial Assistance: The talented players identified in priority sports disciplines at various levels by the High-Powered Committee will be provided annual financial assistance of INR 5 lakh per annum for 8 years.
- Eligibility: The age limit set for application in this scheme is 10 to 18 years.
- It draws inspiration in respect of organization of competitions from Khel Mahakumbh which is organized annually by Government of Gujarat.
Objectives of Khelo India Scheme
- Mass participation of youth in annual sports competitions through a structured competition;
- Identification of talent;
- Guidance and nurturing of the talent through existing sports academies and new set up either by the central Government or State Government or in PPP mode; and
- Creation of Sports Infrastructure at Tehsil, District, State levels, etc.
Significance of Khelo India Scheme
- It has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework for all sports played in our country.
- It aims to establish India as a great sporting nation.
- Under this program, about 20 million children of the age group of 10 to 18 years will be included in the National Physical Fitness Campaign.
- It aims to promote mass participation in sports and achieve effective implementation.
- The programme takes care to develop sports infrastructure in both rural and urban areas and provides for not only identification of talent but guiding and nurturing of the talent.
- It aims at the impact of the entire sports ecosystem, community sports, including infrastructure, coaching for excellence, talent identification, competition structure as well as the sports economy.
Eagle Shark
Recently, the scientists have discovered a new species of Eagle Shark.
- It is an ancient winged shark which fed on plankton eons before the emergence of giant manta rays.
- The species, Aquilolamna milarcae, which lived around 93 million years ago, was discovered in the north east of Mexico.
- The name ‘Aquilolamna’ translates into “eagle shark” given it had slender pectoral fins, which “mainly acted as an effective stabilizer”.
- It displays many features similar to modern manta rays, notably long, slender fins and a mouth seemingly adapted to filter-feeding.
- It is now the second known plankton eating fish discovered from the last epoch when dinosaurs still stalked the Earth.
- The first category of large plankton feeders in the Cretaceous period was a group of large bony fish known as pachycormidae.
- Pachycormidae died out in the extinction event following the Chicxulub meteor strike 66 million years ago.
- The eagle sharks were little by little replaced by manta rays and devil rays, which developed at the beginning of the Tertiary period" after the extinction.
- It measured around 1.65 metres (5.4 feet) in length and has a fin span of 1.9 metres (6.3 feet).
Key Highlights of the study
- The researchers have highlighted that the "bizarre" creature probably swam very slowly and was unlikely to have been able to hunt for food.
- The report further notes that Aquilolamna lived in the open ocean at a time when it was populated with marine reptiles and squid relatives with large shells called ammonites.
- Aquilolamna is indeed a perfect example of an extinct creature revealing an unexpected new morphology.
- It strongly suggests that other outstanding body shapes and morphological adaptations may have existed through the evolutionary history of sharks.
- Aquilolamna is not the only strange shark and many unique sharks of all shapes and size have swum the Earth’s oceans.
Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991
Recently, the Supreme Court has asked the Centre to respond to a plea challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.
Provisions of Places of Worship Act, 1991
- It seeks to maintain the “religious character” of places of worship as it was in 1947, except in the case of Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.
- It is an Act to prohibit conversion of any place of worship.
- It aims to provide for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on the 15th day of August, 1947.
- The sections 3 and 4 of the Act declare that the religious character of a place of worship shall continue to be the same as it was on August 15, 1947.
- It says that no person shall convert any place of worship of any religious denomination into one of a different denomination or section.
- The section 4(2) says that all suits, appeals or other proceedings regarding converting the character of a place of worship, that were pending on August 15, 1947, will stand abated when the Act commences.
- It also called that no fresh proceedings can be filed.
- The legal proceedings can be initiated with respect to the conversion of the religious character of any place of worship after the commencement of the Act if the change of status took place after the cut-off date of August 15, 1947.
Viewpoint of Places of Worship Act, 1991 on Ayodhya
- The Section 5 says that the act does not to apply to Ram Janma Bhumi Babri Masjid.
- Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the place or place of worship commonly known as Ram Janma Bhumi-Babri Masjid situated in Ayodhya in the State of Uttar Pradesh.
Exemption under Places of Worship Act, 1991
- Any place of worship that is an ancient and historical monument or an archaeological site, or is covered by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958;
- A suit that has been finally settled or disposed of; and
- Any dispute that has been settled by the parties or conversion of any place that took place by acquiescence before the Act commenced.
Viewpoint of Supreme Court on Places of Worship Act, 1991
- In the 2019 Ayodhya verdict, the Constitution Bench referred to the law and said it manifests the secular values of the Constitution and strictly prohibits retrogression.
- The apex court has highlighted that the law addresses itself to the State as much as to every citizen of the nation.
- Its norms bind those who govern the affairs of the nation at every level and it implements the Fundamental Duties under Article 51A and are positive mandates to every citizen as well.
- The State enforced a constitutional commitment and operationalized its constitutional obligations to uphold the equality of all religions and secularism which is a part of the basic structure of the Constitution.
Why is the law under challenge?
- The leaders have challenged the law on the ground that violates secularism.
- It has been argued that the cut-off date of August 15, 1947 is “arbitrary, irrational and retrospective”.
- It is considered that the law prohibits Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs from approaching courts to “re-claim” their places of worship which were “invaded” and “encroached” upon by “fundamentalist barbaric invaders”.
- It is argued that the Centre has no power to legislate on “pilgrimages” or “burial grounds” which is under the state list.
- The criticism against the law is that the cut-off is the date of Independence, which means that status quo determined by a colonial power is considered final.
Philippines accuse China of ‘incursion’ in disputed sea
Recently, the Philippines have accused China of “incursion” after more than 200 militia boats were spotted near a disputed reef in the South China Sea.
- In 2019, the Philippines had complained against hundreds of Chinese ships which it said were seen near Pag-asa Island.
- In August 2020, the Philippines had accused China of illegally occupying its maritime territory amid fresh row over the disputed Scarborough shoal which China had seized from the Philippines in 2012 after a standoff.
Key Highlights
- The Philippine coast guard detected the boats “in line formation” at the boomerang-shaped Whitsun Reef.
- China is involved in the ongoing dispute with several nations including Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei over islands in the South China Sea.
- An international tribunal had earlier invalidated China's claim to 90 per cent of the South China Sea.
- The Chinese fishing fleets have long been suspected of being utilised as maritime militias to help assert Beijing’s territorial claims.
- The Philippines have claimed that these vessels are violating its maritime rights in the Whitsun reef.
- They fear that these ships could engage in possible overfishing, destruction of the marine environment as well as pose risks to safety of navigation.
Whitsun Reef
- It is a boomerang-shaped, shallow coral region.
- It is called as Julian Felipe by Philippines.
- It is situated at the northeast extreme limit of the Union Banks in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea.
- It is the largest reef of the Union Banks.
- It is located about 175 nautical miles (324km) west of Bataraza town in the western Philippine province of Palawan.
- It is well within the country’s exclusive economic zone, over which the Philippines “enjoys the exclusive right to exploit or conserve any resources”.
CPWD to Lay Three Roads on the China Border in Ladakh
Recently, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has floated tenders worth a total of ₹212.99 crore for laying and maintenance of three high altitude roads on the India-China border in Ladakh.
- The projects are titled as "roads to Indo China Border” from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police bases at Shilung La, Nyakmikle and Hena.
- The work is situated in Leh District of Union Territory of Ladakh near International Border.
- The document provided that all the three roads would be single lane projects as per the relevant specifications of National Highways.
- The single-lane road project of 10.22 km length till the Shilung La base was estimated to take 42 months and cost ₹93.80 crore.
- The Nyakmikle road project was estimated to cost ₹55.37 crore and take 30 months for construction of the 9.29 km stretch.
- The 7.64 km Hena project till the ITBP post was estimated to cost ₹63.82 crore and take up to 30 months to construct.
Shilung La
- It is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.808m (15,774ft) above the sea level.
- It is located in the Chang-Chemno mountain range.
- It is situated in Leh district of Ladakh.
Central Public Works Department (CPWD)
- It came into existence in 1854 when Lord Dalhousie established a central agency for execution of public works.
- It is headed by DG who is also the Principal Technical Advisor to the Government of India.
- It has PAN India presence and has ability to undertake construction of complex projects even in difficult terrain and maintenance in post construction stage.
- It envisages a lead role for itself in the execution, maintenance and standardization of the built environment in India.
Pabbi Anti-terror 2021
Recently, the decision to hold the joint exercise "Pabbi-Antiterror-2021" was announced during the 36th meeting of the Council of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Pabbi Anti-terror 2021
- It is a joint anti-terror exercise which will include India, Pakistan, China and other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
- It aims to improve cooperation between the competent authorities of the SCO member states in identifying and suppressing channels that finance terrorist activities.
- It would be the first time that Indian forces will travel to Pakistan for any military exercise.
What is Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS)?
- It is a permanent organ of the SCO, headquartered in Tashkent.
- It serves to promote cooperation of member states against terrorism, separatism and extremism.
What is National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC)?
- It imparts specialised pre-induction training to Pakistan Army units earmarked for Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and SWAT.
- It also offers counter terrorism training services to law enforcement agencies including Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy, Defence Services Guards, Strategic Plans Division, Punjab Rangers, among others.
- It was set up in 2014 by then Pakistan Army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
- It is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation established in 2001.
- It was formed in Shanghai (China) by Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
- The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Charter was signed during the St. Petersburg SCO Heads of State meeting in 2002 and came into force in 2003.
- In 2017 Astana, the status of a full member of the Organization was granted to India and Pakistan.
- The organisation has two permanent bodies i.e. the SCO Secretariat based in Beijing and the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) based in Tashkent.
- The SCO comprises eight member states, namely India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
- The SCO counts four observer states, namely Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia.
- The SCO has six dialogue partners, namely Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey and Sri Lanka.
Mizoram’s bond with people fleeing Myanmar
Recently, the Mizoram Chief Minister has written to the Prime Minister of India could not turn a blind eye to the “humanitarian crisis unfolding in front of us in our own backyard”.
- Despite the Centre’s reluctance, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga held a virtual meeting with Myanmar Foreign Minister-in-exile Zin Mar Aung of the National League for Democracy.
- The Centre is against the accommodation of the people fleeing Myanmar in light of the recent military coup and the crackdown on protesters.
- The Home Ministry has written to the governments of Border States Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as the Assam Rifles, asking them to identify Myanmar nationals fleeing the coup and deport them.
- Mizoram has been reluctant to send back Myanmarese and sought that they be provided political asylum by the Centre.
Geography along the Mizoram-Myanmar border
- The Chin Hills, or the Indo-Chin hill ranges as they are often called, is a mountainous region in north-western Myanmar.
- It is a heavily- forested mountain region which was the home of numerous tribes that fall under the Zo umbrella.
- The Zo people include all the tribes that come under the Chin-Kuki-Mizo ethnic group spread across Myanmar, India and Bangladesh.
- It includes a host of tribes, sub-tribes and clans such as Chin, Kuki, Mizo, Zomi, Paitei, Hmar, Lushei, Ralte, Pawi, Lai, Mara, Gangte, Thadou etc.
Who are the Chin communities?
- The Myanmar areas bordering Mizoram are inhabited by Chin communities.
- They are believed to have originated in China.
- The Chin communities are ethnically Mizo brethren with whom Mizoram have been having close contact throughout all these years even before India became independent.
- They have migrated through Tibet to settle in Myanmar, and speak a group of the Tibeto-Burman languages.
Bond between Chin people in India and Myanmar
- The Chin people in India and Myanmar consider themselves “one people’’ despite past conflicts: the Indo-Chin people.
- Mizoram is predominantly Christian, as are the Chin people of Buddhist-majority Myanmar.
- Mizoram officials refer to the refugees’ status as a Christian minority people in seeking asylum for them, and also the fear of persecution by the junta.
- Rih Dil in Chin state, Myanmar, is a cultural and spiritual lake for the Mizos, deeply revered in folklore, shaping pre-Christian belief of traditional Mizo views of life after death.
Porosity of Mizoram-Myanmar Border
- The Mizoram-Myanmar border is porous as Myanmar residents have been crossing this open border for decades.
- In the early 20th century, Mizos from Champhai district and elsewhere migrated to Myanmar, setting up villages in the Kalay-Kabaw valley.
- Many Mizo families also migrated to Myanmar in 1966 and 1986, when the Mizo National Front sought secession from India, to escape counter-insurgency operations from the Indian government.
- In 1988, a crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Myanmar drove Chin refugees across the Tiau River to Champhai district in India and has since been integrated into Mizo society.
Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar
- It allows locals on either side to go up to 16 km on the other side and stay up to 14 days.
- In border trade, Mizoram depends to a large extent on Myanmar for many essential commodities including beef, pork, good quality rice, fruits, and household utensils.
- Mizoram sends across items scarce in Myanmar such as medicines or fertilisers.
- India’s Look East, Act East policy and greater interactions on the border have strengthened an already strong connection between the people on either side of the border.
India’s stand on refugees seeking asylum
- India is not a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Convention and 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees.
- It does not currently have a national law on refugees.
- In 2011, the Centre circulated to all states and Union Territories a Standard Operating Procedure to deal with foreign nationals who claimed to be refugees.
- An illegal immigrant can be a foreign national who enters India on valid travel documents and stays beyond their validity, or a foreign national who enters without valid travel documents.
- The long-term visa (LTV) can be recommended by states or union territories to the Ministry of Home Affairs on grounds of well-founded fears of persecution on account of race, religion, sex, nationality, and ethnic identity, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.
- The LTV-holders are allowed to take up private-sector employment and enroll in any academic institution.
RBI panel to screen new bank licences
Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up a five-member committee for evaluating applications for universal banks and small finance banks.
- An internal working group of the RBI, last year, proposed an overhaul of the licensing policy for private banks.
- It suggested allowing large corporate and industrial houses to float banks in India after suitable amendments to the Banking Regulation Act.
- The RBI has not yet approved or rejected the recommendations of the working group.
- The former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan and ex-Deputy Governor Viral Acharya have criticised the proposal to allow corporate houses to float banking entities.
Key Highlights
- The committee is headed by former RBI Deputy Governor Shyamala Gopinath.
- The other members of the Standing External Advisory Committee (SEAC) include:
- RBI Central Board Director Revathy Iyer,
- National Payments Corporation of India Chairman B Mahapatra,
- Former Canara Bank Chairman T N Manoharan and
- Former Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Chairman Hemant Contractor
- The tenure of Standing External Advisory Committee (SEAC) will be for three years.
Purpose of the Standing External Advisory Committee (SEAC
- The RBI had earlier said it will screen applications for both the types of lenders to ensure their prima facie eligibility and the applications will go to SEAC.
- The panel’s recommendations will go to another screening committee, comprising the governor of the RBI and deputy governors.
- The central board of the RBI will take the decision for in-principle approval.
- The validity of the in-principle approval will be 18 months and it would thereafter lapse automatically.
- The rejected applicants can also appeal against the decision within a month of receiving the communication from the RBI.
Guidelines on on-tap licensing of universal bank
- It was issued in 2016.
- It provides that the resident individuals and professionals having 10 years of experience in banking and finance at a senior level are also eligible to promote universal banks.
- The large industrial houses are excluded as eligible entities but are permitted to invest in the banks up to 10 per cent.
- A non-operative financial holding company (NOFHC) has been made non-mandatory in case of promoters being individuals or standalone promoting/converting entities who/which do not have other group entities.
- Not less than 51 per cent of total paid-up equity capital of the NOFHC should be owned by the promoter/ promoter group, instead being wholly owned by the promoter group.
- The RBI guidelines say existing specialised activities have been permitted to be continued from a separate entity proposed to be held under the NOFHC.
- It is subject to prior approval from the RBI and subject to it being ensured that similar activities are not conducted through the bank as well.
- The initial minimum paid-up voting equity capital for a bank will Rs 500 crore and thereafter, the bank should have a minimum net worth of Rs 500 crore at all times.
- The promoters or the NOFHC should hold a minimum of 40 per cent of the paid-up voting equity capital of the bank, which should be locked-in for five years from the date of commencement of business of the bank.
- The promoter group shareholding shall be brought down to 15 per cent within a period of 15 years from the date of commencement of business of the bank.
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