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Mar 02, 2022
HOW INDIA IS TRYING TO TACKLE CHINA’S MILITARY CHALLENGE
Recently, Finance Minister’s budget allotted 5.25 lakh crore to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), a hike of 10%, and an emphasis on self-reliance in defence manufacturing. It has also demonstrated the Indian government’s long-term view of the China threat through two crucial steps: reinforcing greater budgetary support for the Indian Navy and the border infrastructure.
Military Challenges between India and China
National Logistics Portal
About G20
Janaushadhi Diwas
IPCC
Heritage Cities
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights
About "Disturbed Area"
The Electronic Bill Processing System
National Startup Awards
Military Challenges between India and China
- Both countries have serious problems to resolve, such as the border, water-sharing, regional cooperation, etc.
- The trust deficit created by both the sides has decimated the robustness of bilateral relationships. The animosity and hostilities grew during the decade of 1959 - 1976, which saw the bad patch in the relationship during the war in 1962.
- China’s connection with Pakistan through Belt and Road Initiative arising situation for India of Two-Front War.
- China has also outpaced India in the much-needed modernisation of its armed forces and better defence organisation.
- Its unflinching and blind support for Pakistan, including in the military and nuclear matters, shows that China is only using Pakistan as a pawn against India.
- It interferes in South Asia and in the Indian Ocean region to compete with India’s interests. It also makes threatening moves on its borders with India from time to time.
- India has stepped up its naval activities, including increased patrols in the Indian Ocean.
- India’s growing Indo-Pacific ambitions have brought a greater naval presence and engagement with the region.
- With a fleet of about 130 ships and submarines, one-third in size of the PLA Navy, the strain on the Indian Navy is immense.
- This is accentuated by delays in shipbuilding and induction, which have substantially affected the pace of naval modernisation.
- The government has increased the capital allocation for naval modernisation.
- India’s public sector shipyards are manufacturing 48 ships and submarines, making the Indian Navy the most indigenized of the three services.
- India has its current border infrastructure push with border roads, strategic railway lines, and Advance Landing Grounds (airfields in areas closer to the LAC).
- The Border Roads Organization (BRO), the primary agency to construct border roads along the LAC, has received a substantial hike annually. This sustained enhanced allocation has ensured that the BRO has completed many long-pending projects, including the Atal Tunnel in Rohtang and Umling La pass in Ladakh.
- The “Vibrant Villages Programme” that will focus on developing remote villages on the LAC. The development activities under this programme will include constructing infrastructure, housing, tourist centres, road connectivity projects, provisioning for renewable energy, expanding access to satellite television, and support for livelihood generation.
- The crucial component is the HAL LCA or Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s Light Combat Aircraft, otherwise known as the Tejas.
- The Tejas aircraft that India will produce will dovetail with the Sukhoi Su30 MKI - the Russian-made warbird that rules the skies in terms of close-range combat and forms the vanguard of the Indian Air Force.
- The Rafale squadron act as game changer, is now a key component of India’s firepower in the skies, being capable of a range of operations.
- The DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Agency, or ADA, is developing what is known as the AMCA - or Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft.
- The Indian air force has submitted a request for information to international suppliers for an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) with low radar cross-section, high service ceiling, an expected range of 500 nm (925 km) and the capability to carry precision-guided weapons in an internal weapons bay.
- The judicious use of self-reliance, grounded in self-confidence, where India engages with the world without insecurity, forms alliances, and leverages democracy and a skilled workforce, is the path through which the China challenge can be addressed.
- These initiatives will yield the desired outcome only if India sustains them with the required budgetary support. While the government has to bear the cost of naval modernisation, it can engage the private sector to defray the border development costs by potentially through the corporate social responsibility framework.
National Logistics Portal
- A National Logistics Portal is being developed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to ensure ease of trading in the international and domestic markets. The portal will link all the stakeholders of EXIM, domestic trade and movement and all trade activities on a single platform.
- Department of Commerce will create a portal which will be a single window online market place for trade and will connect business, create opportunities and bring together various ministries, departments and the private sector.
- Stakeholders like traders, manufacturers, logistics service providers, infrastructure providers, financial services, Government departments and groups and associations will all be on one platform.
- India’s logistics sector is highly defragmented and the aim is to reduce the logistics cost from the present 14% of GDP to less than 10% by 2022.
- As per the Economic Survey 2017-18, the Indian logistics sector provides livelihood to more than 22 million people and improving the sector will facilitate 10 % decrease in indirect logistics cost leading to the growth of 5 to 8% in exports.
- The portal will be implemented in phases and will fulfil the commitment of the Government of India to enhance trade competitiveness, create jobs, boost India’s performance in global rankings and pave the way for India to become a logistics hub.
- ULIP aims at paperless/only electronic data transfer regime leading to reduction in compliances, creating the environment for boosting the confidence of the users and stakeholders for using the NLP/ ULIP by ensuring data authenticity, standardization of procedures and harmonization of processes for seamless trade thereby enhancing ease of doing business for all.
- ULIP will provide real time monitoring of cargo movement while ensuring data confidentiality with end-to-end encryption, comprehensive reduction in logistic cost resulting in competitive costing. All can be achieved through IT intervention like ULIP, which will further create new jobs and job roles.
- The architecture of ULIP is having three layers of Integration, Governance and Presentation, highlighted the benefits to the stakeholders and asked for more synergy among the existing integrated stakeholders and invite the others to extract maximum benefits from this integration.
- ULIP shall enable start-ups and private organizations to build the presentation layer, encompassing various use-cases to serve the service, trade and logistics service providers.
- As authorization, compliance and clearance are some of the critical activities of Logistics; the integration with data points of ministries shall enable a holistic view and interlink the handshaking points.
- To enable the private players, logistics service providers, and industries to utilize the data available with ULIP and at the same time share their data (transportation, dispatch, delivery, etc.) with ULIP, thereby streamlining the processes to bring better efficiency through data exchange.
- To enable a single digitized document reference number for all the documentation processes in a single platform.
- It will drastically reduce logistics costs and make Indian goods competitive.
- It will reduce logistics cost and time, assisting just-in-time inventory management, and in eliminating tedious documentation.
- This will integrate information available from various ministries and government agencies across the entire value chain.
- It will also serve as a nationwide single-window logistics platform for end-to-end visibility for efficient movement of goods.
- The platform can be utilised by various government and private agencies, service providers, industry bodies, enterprises and startups to enable exchange of information on a real-time basis, ranging from cost to availability of containers and vacancy at ports, among other critical information.
- Various authentication and e-locker services of the Centre such as Aadhaar, PAN, GSTN and Digi-locker will also be integrated into the platform for faster clearances.
- It will be an open and secure delivery platform, there will be scalability, security and accountability for data exchange.
- A private sector will then be able to clearly find out whether they should use road, rail, which container depot, logistics hub, ports and the time framework for sending their goods.
- There will be unified documentation and all data will be available on a real time basis.
About G20
- The Group of Twenty (G20), an informal gathering of a collection of twenty of the world’s largest economies formed in 1999, was conceived as a bloc that would bring together the most important industrialized and developing economies to discuss international economic and financial stability.
- The G20 comprises nineteen countries with some of the world’s largest economies, as well as the European Union (EU). The countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States. Spain is invited as a permanent guest.
- The G20 is a leading global forum for international economic cooperation, comprising key advanced and emerging economies.
- The G20 is not a permanent institution with headquarters, offices, or staff.
- The nations of the G20 account for around 80 percent of global economic output, nearly 75 percent of global exports, and about 60 percent of the world’s population.
- Each year, the G20 convenes under a different member through its rotating presidency and secretariat.
- The G20 presidency undertakes a wide range of activities to help members discuss and coordinate policy on matters of common interest.
- The G20 initially focused largely on broad macroeconomic policy, but it has expanded its ambit. The 2018 summit in Argentina focused on fair and sustainable development, while the previous summit in Germany drilled down on issues including corruption, money laundering, and international tax havens.
- At the Rome summit, G20 leaders also endorsed an agreement among nearly 140 countries to overhaul the system of international corporate taxation. The agreement—the culmination of a years-long process led by the G20 and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)—includes a 15 percent minimum tax as well as new rules to redistribute some tax revenue from big multinational companies.
- The G20 leaders committed to the key goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, but for the first time, they identified sustainable and responsible consumption and production as “critical enablers” in achieving the goal.
- The G20 presidency undertakes a wide range of activities to help members discuss and coordinate policy on matters of common interest.
- The shift in focus in recent years to the Global South is illustrative of the growing influence of emerging economies like India in directing international development cooperation and strengthening multilateralism.
- India’s ambitious foray into the global economy, with its human capital and entrepreneurship, has underlined its leadership among the emerging and developing economies.
- India’s vital role in global economic governance has fostered its active participation in the G20 process.
- India has been active in the G20 processes in the Sherpas and Finance Track.
- Its support for global cooperation, inclusive development, economic stability, and sustainable growth is in line with its national goals and the values espoused by other leaders of the G20.
- The India-Australia partnership is underpinned by shared pluralistic democratic values, common interests, and strong bilateral relations.
- Both countries hold long-standing people-to-people ties, trade relations, and strategic partnerships.
- In 2021, the India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission relaunched the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement and aims to conclude the negotiations in 2022.
- In 2020, the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen ties and agreed to elevate the bilateral Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
- India and Australia have maintained their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.
- India recognises the importance of its growing partnership with Australia and is keen to develop its cooperation at the G20.
- An outcome of the June 2020 virtual bilateral summit between Indian and Australian counterparts was to work together on international economic issues through the G20.
- As India enters the G20 Troika—consisting of the current, previous, and incoming presidencies—and prepares to assume the presidency in 2023, this report examines five areas of collaboration between India and Australia at the G20: reforming multilateral institutions; global financial stability; Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); digital economy and governance; and illicit capital flows.
Janaushadhi Diwas
- It will be a weeklong celebration starting today i.e., from 1st March to 7th March 2021. Jan Aushadhi kendras today conducted Health Check-up Camps across the country.
- These health check-up camps included Blood Pressure checkup, Sugar level checkup, free doctor consultation, free medicine distribution, etc. at various Jan Aushadhi kendras.
- More than 1000 health check-up camps at different places were organized across the country. The general public who visited these health camps were also informed and educated about the price, benefits and quality of the medicines being sold at Jan Aushadhi kendras.
- The Government has set a target to increase the number of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) to 10,500 by the end of March 2025.
- New medicines and nutraceutical products like protein powder, malt-based food supplements, protein bar, immunity bar, sanitizer, masks, glucometer, oximeter, etc. have been launched.
- This will generate awareness about the usage of generic medicines and benefits of Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana.
- Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) is a campaign launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals to provide quality medicines at affordable prices to the masses.
- PMBJP stores have been set up to provide generic drugs, which are available at lesser prices but are equivalent in quality and efficacy as expensive branded drugs.
- It was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in November 2008 under the name Jan Aushadi Campaign. Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) is the implementation agency for PMBJP.
- To bring down the healthcare budget of every citizen of India through providing Quality generic Medicines at Affordable Prices.
- Create awareness among the public regarding generic medicines.
- Create demand for generic medicines through medical practitioners.
- Create awareness through education and awareness program that high price need not be synonymous with high quality.
- Provide all the commonly used generic medicines covering all the therapeutic groups.
- Provide all the related health care products too under the scheme.
- Making quality medicines available at affordable prices for all, particularly the poor and disadvantaged, through exclusive outlets "Jan Aushadhi Medical Store", so as to reduce out of pocket expenses in healthcare.
- Generic drugs contain the same active ingredients, in the very same strength, as brand-name drugs.
- When a medicine is first developed, the pharmaceutical company that discovers and markets it receives a patent on its new drug.
- The patent usually lasts for 20 years, to give the originating company a chance to recoup its research investment. After the patent expires, a generic version of the drug may become available.
- Generics are marketed under the drug’s chemical, or "generic," name and meet the same FDA quality and effectiveness standards as the original.
- It contains the same active ingredient;
- It is identical in strength,
- It has the same dosage form, and route of administration;
- It has the same indications, dosing, and labelling;
- It provides the same efficacy and safety profile to patients ("bioequivalent")
- Generic medicines have to be safe and effective to be approved by the FDA.
- The FDA also requires generic drug manufacturers to meet the same batch-to-batch requirements for strength, purity, and quality as the original manufacturer; and
- Generic Drugs follow the same strict "Good Manufacturing Practices" rules.
- Some brand-name manufacturers charge customers higher prices in the United States than they do in other countries, where drug prices are regulated.
- Drug research is costly, and patent protection gives brand-name manufacturers at least 20 years to recover those costs — costs that generic manufacturers do not have.
- Brand-name manufacturers collectively spend billions of dollars in marketing new drugs to doctors and the public; they send their representatives to visit with doctors in their offices; and they pay for physicians’ trips to meetings and conferences to talk about their drugs with other doctors. Generic manufacturers rarely spend money on advertising and marketing — another important way they keep their costs down.
IPCC
- The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution, in December 1988, on the subject and endorsed the UNEP/WMO proposal for the setting up of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
- It was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide the governments of the world with a clear scientific view of what is happening to the world’s climate.
- The Secretariat coordinates all the IPCC work and liaises with Governments. The secretariat is supported by WMO and UNEP and hosted at WMO headquarters in Geneva.
- It is open to all member countries of the United Nations (UN) and WMO. Currently 195 countries are members of the IPCC.
- The initial task for the IPCC as outlined in the UN General Assembly Resolution 1988 was to prepare a comprehensive review and recommendations with respect to the state of knowledge of the science of climate change; social and economic impact of climate change, and possible response strategies and elements for inclusion in a possible future international convention on climate.
- The IPCC is a scientific body. It reviews and assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic information produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change.
- It does not conduct any research nor does it monitor climate related data or parameters. Thousands of scientists from all over the world contribute to the work of the IPCC on a voluntary basis.
- Review is an essential part of the IPCC process, to ensure an objective and complete assessment of current information.
- Governments participate in the review process and the plenary Sessions, where main decisions about the IPCC work programme are taken and reports are accepted, adopted and approved.
- By endorsing the IPCC reports, governments acknowledge the authority of their scientific content. The work of the organization is therefore policy-relevant and yet policy-neutral, never policy-prescriptive.
- It has also responded to the need of the UNFCCC for information on scientific and technical matters through Special Reports, Technical Papers and Methodology Reports.
- It has also produced methodologies and guidelines to help Parties to the UNFCCC prepare their national greenhouse gas inventories.
- In accordance with its mandate and as reaffirmed in various decisions by the Panel, the IPCC prepares at regular intervals comprehensive Assessment Reports of scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant for the understanding of human induced climate change, potential impacts of climate change and options for mitigation and adaptation.
- Cities — which house more than half of the world’s population — are at the highest risk from climate change.
- Globally, about 3.3-3.6 billion people are highly vulnerable to climate change.
- Climate impacts do not distinguish between borders but the poorest are hit the hardest.
- Low-income populations face the largest gap in adaptation action, in terms of what is happening versus what is needed.
- Projected adverse impacts as well as related losses and damage escalate with every increment of global warming.
- Up to 14 per cent of species face a very high risk of extinction at global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius (°C) over pre-industrial levels.
- The risk increases to 29 per cent at 3°C and 39 per cent at 4°C of global warming.
- Some climate change-driven losses, such as the extinction of species, are irreversible. These include the retreat of glaciers and thawing of permafrost, particularly in the Arctic region.
- If global average temperature rise temporarily crosses the 1.5°C — known as the “overshoot” scenario — critical and fragile ecosystems will be lost, even if temperatures are brought down. This will be disastrous for biodiversity.
- Climate change has conclusively affected the physical and mental health of people around the world.
- Human society will increasingly face heat stress, water scarcity, threats to food security and flood risks as the crisis worsens.
- At 2°C of warming, people in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Small Island Developing States will face severe food shortages and malnutrition.
- In the case of some regions and population groups, the limits to adaptation may have been reached.
- This is particularly for people living in the low-lying areas of Australasia and Small Islands, smallholder farmers in central and south America, Africa, Europe and Asia.
- The Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra River basins, which provide water to the most densely populated areas of south Asia, will see an increase in river ‘runoff’ by 2050 and 2100.
- The run-off in the Brahmaputra, Ganga and Meghna is projected to increase by 16 per cent, 33 per cent and 40 per cent respectively under the climate change scenarios by the end of the century.
- The increase in run-off in the upper Ganga and Brahmaputra would be due to a rise in precipitation, while in the Indus, it would be due to accelerated melting snow.
- Increase in extreme precipitation events is likely to cause more flash flood events in the future. In the case of Indus, increasing temperature trend in the future may lead to accelerated snow and ice melting which may increase the frequency and intensity of floods in the downstream areas.
- The Bengal tiger, Hoolock Gibbon and snow leopard will be greatly affected due to changing climate in south Asia.
- Climate change will have little impact on the habitats of the Asian elephant, but would cause the extinction of the Hoolock gibbon in Bangladesh by 2070.
- Under different scenarios, future climate change could reduce the extent of a suitable habitat for giant pandas, the moose, black muntjac, the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey in China, Persian leopard in Iran, Bengal tiger and four tree snail species in Thailand.
- Upward shift in elevation of bioclimatic zones, decreases in area of the highest elevation zones, large expansion of the lower tropical and sub-tropical zones can be expected by the year 2050 throughout the transboundary Kailash Sacred Landscape of China, India and Nepal, and likely within the Himalayan region more generally.
- Future climate change would also reduce suitable habitat of protected plants including two threatened medicinal plants — Fritillaria cirrhosa (yellow Himalayan fritillary) and Lilium nepalense (the lily of Nepal) — in Nepal and a valuable threatened tree species from the mahogany family — Dysoxylum binectariferum — in Bangladesh.
- Climate change will promote the invasion of six mostly serious invasive plant species in Nepal. It would also promote the growth of eleven invasive plant species in the western Himalayas and the Giant African Snail in India.
- Projected sea-level rise, related aquatic salinisation and alteration in fish species composition may have a negative impact on poor households in southwest coastal Bangladesh.
- Droughts ate into over 454 million hectares (ha) of cropland, which forms three-quarters of the global harvested area, during 1983-2009. Extreme weather led to cereal production loss of 9-10 per cent (1964-2007).
- In India, rice production may decrease 30 per cent instead of 10 per cent if global warming over pre-industrial levels rises to 4°C from 1°C, the IPCC analysis found. Maize production will decrease 70 per cent instead of 25 per cent.
- Yield losses were higher by about 7 per cent during recent droughts (1985-2007) due to greater damage (reduced harvested area) compared to losses from earlier droughts from 1964-1984. Losses in high-income countries were around 8-11 per cent higher than in low-income countries.
- From 2006-2016, droughts contributed to food insecurity and malnutrition in northern, eastern and southern Africa, Asia and the Pacific. In 36 per cent of these nations, severe droughts occurred and undernourishment rose.
- The report highlighted the impact of drought on food security but also cautioned that overall irrigation water demand would increase by 2080.
- Fisheries, aquaculture and crop production, particularly in south and southeast Asia, may decline as a result of climate change.
- Changes in crop, farming systems and crop areas in almost all regions, with negative implications on food security.
- Strengthening of health systems can reduce impacts of infectious diseases and heat stress, and should be combined with disease surveillance, early warning systems, and improved access to potable water.
- Agroforestry
- Conservation, protection and restoration of natural forests
- Planting of diverse tree species to withstand climate impacts.
- Food security can be enhanced by adopting stress-tolerant crops and livestock, promoting community-based adaptation that is locally driven as well as respecting local and indigenous knowledge systems, the report added. All of this brings co-benefits for nutrition, health and wellbeing.
- Cities can use nature-based engineering approaches like establishing parks, green corridors, and urban agriculture. And expanded social safety nets will help with disaster management.
- The cumulative scientific evidence is unequivocal: Climate change is a threat to human well-being and planetary health. Any further delay in concerted anticipatory global action on adaptation and mitigation will miss a brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all. Holding global temperature rise to below 1.5°C could reduce projected losses.
- To reap further benefits from adaptation, other constraints need to be overcome such as poor governance, climate literacy and access to finance. Current global financial flows for climate action are insufficient. They are mostly targeted at emissions reductions, with a small proportion going towards adaptation. As climate impacts worsen, economic growth will slow down and thus reduce the availability of financial resources for vulnerable regions.
Heritage Cities
- A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance.
- A World Heritage Site is a place or environment of “great significance” or meaning to mankind.
- It may be a living urban city or a rural settlement, a natural landscape such as an underground cave, forest or ocean, an archaeological site such as a buried goldmine or a geological phenomenon.
- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are important places of cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1945.
- India accepted the convention on 14 November 1977, making its sites eligible for inclusion on the list.
- The first sites to be in scripted were Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Agra Fort, and Taj Mahal, of which all were inscribed in the 1983 session of the World Heritage Committee.
- The latest site to be inscribed is Dholavira, Gujarat in 2021. As of July 2021, 19 of the 36 States and union territories of India are home to the World Heritage Sites, with Maharashtra having highest number of sites (5).
- At present, there are 40 World Heritage Sites located in India. Out of these, 32 are cultural, 7 are natural, and 1 is mixed (meeting both cultural and natural criteria), as determined by the organization's selection criteria. India has the sixth largest number of sites in the world.
- Criteria for Cultural Sites
- Represents a masterpiece of human creative genius.
- Exhibits an important interchange of human values over a span of time, or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental art, town-planning or landscape design.
- Bears a unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilisation which is living or which has disappeared.
- An outstanding example of a type of building, architectural, or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates a significant stage in human history.
- An outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use or sea use, which is representative of a culture or human-interaction with the environment, especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.
- It is directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance.
- Criteria for Natural Sites
- Contains superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.
- An outstanding example representing major stages of the Earth’s history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features.
- An outstanding example represents the significance of on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems, and communities of plants and animals.
- Contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal values from the point of view of science or conservation.
- Once a site is declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it is accepted as prima facie evidence that such a site is culturally sensitive and warrants legal protection pursuant to the Law of War under the Geneva Convention, its Articles, Protocols and Customs, together with the other treaties including the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and the International Law.
- Protection of Cultural Objects and Places of Worship: Without prejudice to the provisions of the ‘Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict of 14 May 1954’ and of other relevant international instruments, it is prohibited:
- to commit any act of hostility directed towards historic monuments, works of art or places of worship which constitute the cultural or spiritual heritage of people;
- to use such objects in support of the military effort;
- to make such objects the object of reprisals.
- The Indian Constitution casts a responsibility on the State to protect and conserve heritage.
- Article 49 states, “It shall be the obligation of the State to protect every monument or place or object of artistic or historic interest, (declared by or under law made by Parliament) to be of national importance, from spoilation, disfigurement, destruction, removal, disposal or export, as the case may be.”
- Article 51 A (f) widens the responsibility and directs every citizen to contribute to heritage preservation. It states: “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture."
- Article 51 A (g) "to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures.”
- Brings international attention to the need for the preservation and conservation of the site.
- Brings tourism to the site ensuring economic benefits.
- UNESCO provides funds for restoration, preservation, and training, if required.
- Promotes close ties with the United Nations and provides them with prestige and support.
- Enables access to global project management resources.
- Facilitates creating partnerships between government, the private sector, and NGOs to achieve conservation goals.
- Site becomes protected under the Geneva Convention against destruction or misuse during wartime.
- The burden of preserving heritage is enormous and raises questions of variety, selection, volume, and finance and reconciling heritage conservation with future development, amongst others.
- A broader urban geographical context that integrates the multi-layering of cultural and natural values was overlooked.
- Within architecture, there is an overemphasis on physical characteristics of design, construction, or form.
- Long list of properties and lack of adequate financial and administrative machinery. Indian ULBs are financially fragile and are generally not aided for the conservation of heritage by either the state or the Centre.
- Cities would be subject to the risk of human or animal trespassing, unmonitored, uncontrolled or unrestricted access, or threat from local administrative negligence.
- The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 provides for the preservation of ancient and historical monuments, archaeological sites and remains of national importance. It stipulates the regulation of archaeological excavations, the protection of sculptures, carvings, and other like objects.
- The National Monument Authority is charged with the grading and classifying of protected monuments and areas.
- A further step that the country took for heritage was when it became a signatory to UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention for the protection of global and national heritage. Besides, most states have also enacted heritage laws.
- The country has nationally protected monuments numbering around 3,650 that are looked after by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), functioning under the Ministry of Culture and state-protected monuments that are administered by the directorates of state archaeology.
- To further expand the effort towards heritage conservation, some major Indian cities have also stepped in to make their own contribution.
- They have prepared City Heritage Lists that comprise such heritage sites that neither figure as national heritage nor fall in the category of state heritage.
- Cities have also framed their own regulations with state approval for the conservation of local heritage. Mumbai was the first city to come up with such a list in the mid-1990s.
- The first fact for cities to realise is that all of heritage cannot be preserved. The heritage piece must have an extraordinary significance in some way (beauty, pride, architecture) that would recommend its conservation. Such a recommending heritage listing does not seem to always be kept in mind at the local level.
- In most city heritage lists, there is an overwhelming emphasis on built heritage and architecture. A proper balance amongst other varieties of heritage ought to be observed.
- As a guide, one could use the philosophy underpinning the UNESCO’s World Heritage List (WHL). It divides its heritage selection into cultural, natural, and mixed sites.
- Cultural heritage comprises historical buildings and archaeological sites, sculpture, and painting.
- Natural heritage includes sites of exceptional natural beauty, exceptional biodiversity, habitats for rare and endangered animals and plants and such things of rare natural significance.
- Mixed heritage sites contain elements of both natural and cultural significance and the WHL maintains a rough ratio of 3 to 1 for the sites.
- Selective, rather than mass preservation is called for. Only the best examples need to be preserved since a particular kind of architecture prevailed historically during a period leading to numerous structures of the same architectural type. An identical view needs to be taken in regard to precincts.
- Due care needs to be exercised while stepping beyond public heritage sites and getting into listing of private properties. One needs to remember that such a listing encroaches on the rights of private people or families and restricts them from the full use of their property. The grant of Heritage TDR (transfer of development rights) as an incentive to the owners has been attempted by some cities.
- Conserving and governing heritage must come out of its own municipal resources. While heritage has great significance, there are other and more onerous responsibilities of municipal bodies that fall into the category of obligatory duties. All effort needs to be made to see that ULBs do not pile up unfunded mandate upon themselves.
- As a guide, one could use the philosophy underpinning the UNESCO’s World Heritage List (WHL). It divides its heritage selection into cultural, natural, and mixed sites.
- Under The Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Declaration of National Importance) 1951Act, all the monuments of historical importance and archeological sites, which were earlier covered under the ‘Ancient Monument Preservation Act’ were re-declared as objects of national importance. In 1951, around 450 monuments and archeological sites were added to the original list of 1904.
- This Act had some loopholes and to bring parity to the preservation of archeological affluence of India; a revised version titled ‘The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958’ was passed in 1958. This version of the Act was specially enacted, keeping in mind the need to preserve physical artefacts like sculptures, carvings and other such objects.
- The recent amendment to this Act was made in 2010 and it was titled The Ancient Monument and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amended and Validation) Act, 2010. The main provisions of this Act are:
- The Central Government has the power to declare any monument or archaeological site of ancient and medieval times as a repository of national importance.
- The Director General will have the authority from the Central Government to presume the guardianship, purchase or lease of any such site or monument and ensure its preservation and maintenance.
- The Act also provides the Government and Director General with the power to acquire antiquities for their preservation; control the movement of the objects; demand compensation or levy penalties for damage to land, object, monument, etc.
- The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is directly under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture and it is the foremost institution for archaeological researches conducted across India. Its focus is on the preservation of physical and tangible heritage that is accumulated in ancient monuments and archaeological sites.
- The provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, guide ASI. Another major legislation that directs the working of the ASI is the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972. As per this Act, ASI is to prevent illegal export of Indian antiquities.
- ASI employs many trained archaeologists, architects, conservators, epigraphists, etc. They have other institutions under their aegis like the Museums, Excavation branches, Epigraphy branches, Building Survey Projects, Horticulture branch, Temple Survey Projects, etc.
- One of the more specialized and one in a kind project by the ASI is their Underwater Archaeology Wing. The ASI also has several diplomas and degrees for studying archaeology from the Institute of Archaeology, New Delhi.
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights
- The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is an Indian statutory body established by an Act of Parliament, the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005. The Commission works under the aegis of Ministry of Women and Child Development, GoI.
- The commission consists of the following members namely
- A chairperson who is a person of eminence and has done outstanding work for promoting the welfare of children;
- Six members, out of which at least two are woman, from the following fields, is appointed by the Central Government from amongst person of eminence, ability, integrity, standing and experience in, -
- Education;
- Child health, care, welfare or child development;
- Juvenile justice or care of neglected or marginalized children or children with disabilities;
- Elimination of child labour or children in distress;
- Child psychology or sociology;
- Laws relating to children.
- The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) emphasises the principle of universality and inviolability of child rights and recognises the tone of urgency in all the child related policies of the country.
- For the Commission, protection of all children in the 0 to 18 years of age group is of equal importance. Thus, policies define priority actions for the most vulnerable children. This includes focusing on regions that are backward or on communities or children under certain circumstances, and so on.
- The NCPCR believes that while in addressing only some children, there could be a fallacy of exclusion of many vulnerable children who may not fall under the defined or targeted categories.
- In its translation into practice, the task of reaching out to all children gets compromised and a societal tolerance of violation of child rights continues.
- This would in fact have an impact on the program for the targeted population as well. Therefore, it considers that it is only in building a larger atmosphere in favour of protection of children's rights that children who are targeted become visible and gain confidence to access their entitlements.
- For the Commission, every right the child enjoys is seen as mutually-reinforcing and interdependent. Therefore, the issue of gradation of rights does not arise.
- A child enjoying all her rights at her 18th year is dependent on access to all her entitlements from the time she is born. Thus, policies interventions assume significance at all stages. For the Commission, all the rights of children are of equal importance.
- Examine and review the safeguards provided by or under any law for the time being in force for the protection of child rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation.
- Present to be central government, annually and at such other intervals, as the commission may deem fit, reports upon working of those safeguards.
- Inquire into violation of child rights and recommend initiation of proceedings in such cases.
- Examine all factors that inhibit the enjoyment of rights of children affected by terrorism, communal violence, riots, natural disaster, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, trafficking, maltreatment, torture and exploitation, pornography and prostitution and recommend appropriate remedial measures.
- Look into matters relating to children in need of special care and protection, including children in distress, marginalised and disadvantaged children, children in conflict with law, juveniles, children without family and children of prisoners and recommend appropriate remedial measures.
- Study treaties and other international instruments and undertake periodic review of existing policies, programmes, and other activities on child rights and make recommendations for their effective implementation in the best interest of children.
- Undertake and promote research in the field of child rights.
- Spread child rights literacy among various sections of society and promote awareness of the safeguards available for protection of these rights through publications, media, seminars and other available means.
- Inspect or cause to be inspected any juvenile custodial home or any other place of residence or institution meant for children, under the control of the Central Government or any State Government or any other authority including any institution run by a social organization, where children are detained or lodged for the purpose of treatment, reformation or protection and take up with these authorities for remedial action, if found necessary.
- Inquire into complaints and take Suo moto notice of matters related to:
- Deprivation and violation of child rights.
- Non implementation of laws providing for protection and development of children.
- Non-compliance of policy decisions, guidelines or instructions aimed at mitigating hardships to and ensuring welfare of the children and to provide relief to such children or take up the issues arising out of such matters with appropriate authorities
- Such other functions as it may consider necessary for the promotion of child rights and any other matter incidental to the above functions.
About "Disturbed Area"
- ‘Disturbed Area’ means an area which is for the time being declared by notification under section 3 to be a disturbed area’.
- Powers to declare areas to be disturbed areas –
- If, in relation to any state or Union Territory to which this act extends, the Governor of that State or the administrator of that Union Territory or the Central Government, in either case, if of the opinion that the whole or any part of such State of Union territory, as the case may be, is in such a disturbed or dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary, the Governor of that State or the Administrator of that Union Territory or the Central Government, as the case may be , may by notification in the Official Gazette, declare the whole or such part of such State or Union territory to be a disturbed area.
- According to the Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1976 once declared 'disturbed', the area has to maintain status quo for a minimum of 6 months.
- Assam has in recent times seen a large number of insurgent groups coming over ground.
- Last year the government inked accord with Bodo militant outfits. Recently the pact was inked with Karbi militant outfits.
- Militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom - Independent (Ulfa-I) unilaterally declared a ceasefire.
- A section of Security forces engaged in counter insurgency operation in Assam favours continuation of AFSPA in the entire Assam.
- Mizoram used to be a district of Assam as Lushai hills before being carved out as a separate union territory and later, becoming another state in 1987.
- Because of its history, the district's borders did not really matter for locals for a long time. Mizoram shares a border with the districts Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj which comes under Barak valley region of Assam.
- Over time, the two states started having different perceptions about where demarcation should be.
- While Mizoram wants it to be along an Inner Line Permit notified in 1875 to protect tribals from outside influence, which Mizos feel is part of their historical homeland, Assam wants it to be demarcated according to district boundaries drawn up much later.
- Meghalaya has identified close to a dozen areas on which it has a dispute with Assam about the state's borders.
- The chief ministers of the two states, Himanta Biswa Sarma and Megahalya's Conrad Sangma, recently held the first-ever meeting on inter-state border dispute.
- Both the states have agreed to individually assess the claims for all 12 areas flagged by Meghalaya in the past.
- A second round of discussion between the two state CMs will be held next month in August.
- On the question of the role the Union Government is playing in redressing the inter-State border dispute in the country, minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai said, “The approach of the Central Government has consistently been that inter-state disputes can be resolved only with the cooperation of the State Governments concerned and that the Central Government acts only as a facilitator for amicable settlement of the dispute in the spirit of mutual understanding.”
- The border dispute between the two states has been going on since the formation of Nagaland in 1963. The two states lay claim to Merapani, a small village next to the plains of Assam's Golaghat district. There have been reports of violent clashes in the region since the 1960s.
- Assam shares an 804.10 km inter-state boundary with Arunachal Pradesh. The state of Arunachal Pradesh, created in 1987, claims Somel land that traditionally belonged to its residents has been given to Assam.
- A tripartite committee had recommended that certain territories be transferred from Assam to Arunachal. The two states have since been battling it out in the Supreme court of India over the issue. Some incidents of local violence have been reported from the borders.
- The agitation for the creation of a separate Bodoland state resulted in an agreement between the Indian Government, the Assam state government and the Bodo Liberation Tigers Force.
- According to the agreement made on 10 February 2003, the Bodoland Territorial Council, an entity subordinate to the government of Assam, was created to govern four districts covering 3082 Bodo Kachari-majority villages in Assam.
- Demographic wise, the Indigenous Bodo tribe constitutes half of the region's population, along with the region have also significant large number of other ethnic minorities which includes: Assamese, Koch Rajbangshi, Garo, Rabha tribe, Adivasis, Nepalis, Tea tribes, Bengalis, Biharis, Marwaris and Muslims.
- Karbi Anglong is one of the 35 districts of Assam. Karbi Anglong was previously known as Mikir Hills. It was part of the Excluded Areas and Partially Excluded Areas (the present North East India) in British India.
- The British Indian government had never included this area under their government's jurisdiction. Thereby, no government development work or activity was done, nor any tax levied from the hills including Karbi Anglong.
- The first memorandum for a Karbi homeland was presented to Governor Reid on 28 October 1940 by Semsonsing Ingti and Khorsing Terang at Mohongdijua. The Karbi leaders were then a part of the All-Party Hill Leaders' Conference (APHLC) which was formed on 6 July 1960.
- The movement again gained momentum when the Karbi Anglong District Council passed a resolution demanding a Separate State in 1981. Then again from 1986 through the leadership of Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC), demanded Autonomous statehood of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao under Article 244(A).
- The demand for a separate state turned violent on 31 July 2013 when student demonstrators set government buildings on fire. Following the incident, the elected leaders of Karbi Anglong jointly submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India demanding a separate State. Demographic wise, more than half of the Karbi Anglong population is made up of Indigenous Karbi tribe with significant migrants from other parts of India.
- Assam has been a major site of migration since the Partition of the subcontinent, with the first wave being composed largely of Bengali Hindu refugees arriving during and shortly after the establishment of India and Pakistan (current day Bangladesh was originally part of Pakistan, known as East Pakistan) in 1947–1951.
- Beginning in 1979, the indigenous people of Assam demanded the illegal migrants who had emigrated from Bangladesh to Assam to be detected and deported. The movement led by All Assam Students Union began non-violently with satyagraha, boycotts, picketing, and courting arrests.
- The movement finally ended after its leaders signed an agreement I.e., Assam Accord with the central government on August 15, 1985.Under the provisions of this accord, anyone who entered the state illegally between January 1966 and March 1971 was allowed to remain but was disenfranchised for 10 years, while those who entered after1971 faced expulsion.
- A November 1985 amendment to the Indian citizenship law allows non-citizens who entered Assam between 1961 and 1971 to have all the rights of citizenship except the right to vote for a period of 10 years.
- The 1991 census made the changing demographics of border districts more visible. Since 2010, the Indian Government has undertaken the updating of the National Register of Citizens for Assam, and in 2018 the 32.2 million residents of Assam were subject to a review of their citizenship.
- In August 2019, India released the names of the 2 million residents of Assam that had been determined to be non-citizens and whose names had therefore been struck off the Register of Citizens, depriving them of rights and making them subject to action, and potentially leaving some of them stateless, and the government has begun deporting non-citizens, while detaining 1,000 others that same year.
- In February 2020, the Assam Minority Development Board announced plans to segregate illegal Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants from the indigenous Muslims of the state, though some have expressed problems in identifying an indigenous Muslim person. According to the board, there are 1.4 crore Muslims in the state, of which 1 crore are of Bangladeshi origin.
- Under Article 371-B, the President is empowered to provide for the creation of a committee of the Assam Legislative Assembly consisting of the members elected from the Tribal Areas of the state and such other members as he may specify.
- The British had promulgated Armed Force Special Powers Ordinance in 1942 to suppress the Quit India Movement.
- On the lines of this Ordinance, Government of India promulgated 4 ordinances in 1947 to deal with the Internal Security Issues arising due to partition in Bengal, Assam, East Bengal, and United Provinces. These ordinances which later became Acts were repealed in 1957.
- In 1958, AFSPA was enacted to deal with the growing insurgency in Assam and Manipur, later it was expanded to all seven north-eastern states.
- Later on, the Act was extended to Punjab and Chandigarh via a separate Act in 1983. This act was withdrawn in 1997.
- In 1990, it was applied to Jammu and Kashmir.
- Governor of the State and Central Government can declare any part or full state as "Disturbed Area", if it is in their opinion, necessary to prevent terrorist activity or any such activity that might disrupt the sovereignty of India, cause insult to National Flag, Anthem and Constitution.
- Moveable and immoveable properties can be taken by armed forces.
- It gives special powers to army officers in the disturbed area to shoot (even to kill) any individual who violates the law and is suspected to violate the law.
- Army officers can fire at anyone carrying anything that may be used as a weapon with only such a warning as he may consider necessary.
- The army may arrest anybody without a warrant and carry out searches without consent.
- Once a person is taken into custody, he or she has to be handed over to the nearest police station as soon as possible. [This time is not specified.]
- Once AFSPA is implemented, no prosecutions shall be instituted except with the previous sanction of Central Government in respect of anything done or perpetuated to be done under this act.
The Electronic Bill Processing System
- e-Bill system will be implemented across all Central Ministries and Departments.
- It will be a further step to enhance transparency, efficiency, and a faceless- paperless payment system.
- Suppliers and contractors will now be able to submit their claim online which will be trackable in real-time basis.
- It is in line with the Centre’s Digital India programme.
- The new initiative is likely to not just give a major boost to e-governance initiatives and will further strengthen ease of doing business and Digital India eco-system.
- Electronic billing (eBilling) is a method of sending and paying bills electronically, rather than through paper billing processes.
- Billing electronically makes it easy for customers to receive bills online, via email, or in machine-readable data formats.
- The eBilling process is fast, efficient, and streamlined for customers and businesses alike, which is why electronic billing is more suitable for modern accounts payable teams.
- This e-Billing and e-payment portal usually allows the payer to access copies of their e-bills and manage or update information.
- E-billing is a fundamental component of modern finance and is leveraged by both accounts payable (AP) and accounts receivable (AR) departments to help automate workflows and reduce reliance on paper-intensive processes.
- It will enhance transparency and efficiency.
- Time-savings and efficiency
- Allows employees to focus on less monotonous and more strategic activities
- Error reduction
- Provides a system of record (SOR)
- System integration
- It helps with single-window clearance.
- Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) index is a ranking system established by the World Bank Group wherein the ‘higher rankings’ (a lower numerical value) indicate better, usually simpler, regulations for businesses and stronger protections of property rights.
- The Ease of Doing Business Score shows an economy’s absolute position relative to the best regulatory performance, whereas the ease of doing business ranking is an indication of an economy’s position relative to that of other economies.
- In India, these indicators relate to business regulations for small and medium sized firms located in Delhi and Mumbai based on standardized case scenarios.
- The Overall Rank of India in the Doing Business Report 2015 was 142 out of 190 economies. This has improved to 63rd Position in the Doing Business Report 2020 released in October 2019.
- The research presents data for 190 economies and aggregates information from 10 areas of business regulation:
- Starting a Business of all
- Dealing with Construction Permits
- Getting Electricity
- Registering Property
- Getting Credit
- Protecting Minority Investors
- Paying Taxes
- Trading across Borders
- Enforcing Contracts
- Resolving Insolvency
National Startup Awards
- The National Startup Awards by Startup India seek to recognize and reward outstanding startups and ecosystem enablers building innovative products or solutions and scalable enterprises.
- These annual awards recognise solutions that with high potential of employment generation or wealth creation, demonstrating measurable social impact.
- Actions taken so far have fostered an innovation driven entrepreneurial culture with firm roots across the length and breadth of the country. The results are visible across all fields of human endeavours and all sectors of economy.
- The recognised entities will benefit from such recognition, not only in terms of being able to attract more business, financing, partnerships, and talent, but also enable them to serve as a role model for other entities, and to inspire them to be purposeful and responsible about their socio-economic impact.
- In line with Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Awards will acknowledge startups and enablers who have been instrumental in revolutionizing the development story of India.
- The 17 sectors include Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Construction, Drinking Water, Education and Skill Development, Energy, Enterprise Technology, Environment, and FinTech.
- A cash prize of 5 lakh rupees will be awarded to each winning startup.
- The winners and runners-up will also be given opportunities to present their solutions to relevant public authorities and corporates for potential pilot projects and work orders and pitching opportunities with investors. They will also be given priority for participation in various national and international startup events.
- A cash prize of 15 lakh rupees each will be awarded to one winning incubator and one winning accelerator.
- Startup India is a flagship initiative of the Government of India, intended to build a strong ecosystem that is conducive for the growth of startup businesses, to drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities.
- The campaign was first announced by Indian Prime Minister during his speech in 15 August 2015.
- The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is mandated to coordinate implementation of Startup India initiative with other Government Departments.
- Apart from DPIIT, the initiatives under Startup India are driven primarily by five Government Departments viz. Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department of Bio-technology (DBT), Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and NITI Aayog.
- The Government through this initiative aims to empower startups to grow through innovation and design.
- Several programs have been undertaken since the launch of the initiative on 16th of January, 2016 by Hon’ble Prime Minister, to contribute to his vision of transforming India into a country of job creators instead of job seekers. Indian Prime Minister announced "India will celebrate January 16 as ‘National Start-up Day".
- These programs have catalyzed the startup culture, with startups getting recognized through the Startup India initiative and many entrepreneurs availing the benefits of starting their own business in India.
- The action plan of this initiative is focusing on three areas:
- Simplification and Handholding.
- Funding Support and Incentives.
- Industry-Academia Partnership and Incubation.
- A startup defined as an entity that is headquartered in India, which was opened less than 10 years ago, and has an annual turnover less than ?100 crore (US$13 million).
- Under this initiative, the government has already launched the I-MADE program, to help Indian entrepreneurs build 10 lakh (1 million) mobile app start-ups, and the MUDRA Bank's scheme (Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana), an initiative which aims to provide micro-finance, low-interest rate loans to entrepreneurs from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Initial capital of Rs. 20,000 crores (equivalent to Rs. 240 billion or US$3.2 billion in 2020) has been allocated for this scheme.
POSTED ON 02-03-2022 BY ADMIN
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