20th June 2021
Election Petition
Recently, the West Bengal Chief Minister has filed an election petition in the Calcutta High Court challenging the Assembly election result of Nandigram constituency.
- Election Petition:
- The Election Commission’s role ends with the declaration of results, after that, an election petition is the only legal remedy available to a voter or a candidate who believes there has been malpractice in an election.
- Such a person can challenge the result through an election petition submitted to the High Court of the state in which the constituency is located.
- Such a petition has to be filed within 45 days from the date of the poll results; nothing is entertained by courts after that.
- Although the Representative of the People Act (RP Act) of 1951 suggests that the High Court should try to conclude the trial within six months, it usually drags on for much longer, even years.
- Grounds on which Election Petition be Filed (Section 100 of the RP Act):
- On the day of the election, the winning candidate was not qualified to contest.
- The winning candidate, his poll agent or any other person with the consent of the winning candidate has indulged in a corrupt practice.
- Improper acceptance of the nomination of the winning candidate or improper rejection of a nomination.
- Malpractice in the counting process, which includes improper reception, refusal or rejection of any vote, or the reception of any vote which is void.
- Non-compliance with the provisions of the Constitution or the RP Act or any rules or orders made under the RP Act.
- If Verdict is in favour of the Petitioner (Section 84 of the RP Act):
- The petitioner may ask that the results of all or the winning candidates may be declared void.
- In addition to that, the petitioner may also ask the court to declare her (in case the petition is filed by a candidate) or any other candidate as the winner or duly elected.
- So the verdict on an election petition, if found in favour of the petitioner, may result in a fresh election or the court announcing a new winner.
- History of Election Results Declared Void:
- The most famous being the Allahabad High Court verdict of 1975 which set aside Indira Gandhi’s election from Rae Bareli constituency, four years earlier, on grounds of corrupt practice.
Provisions under RP Act 1951
- It regulates the actual conduct of elections and by-elections.
- It provides administrative machinery for conducting elections.
- It deals with the registration of political parties.
- Section 123 of the RP Act has a detailed list of what amounts to corrupt practice, including bribery, use of force or coercion, appeal to vote or refrain from voting on grounds of religion, race, community, and language.
- It specifies the qualifications and disqualifications for membership of the Houses.
- It provides provisions to curb corrupt practices and other offences.
- It lays down the procedure for settling doubts and disputes arising out of elections.
EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences
Recently, a resolution was adopted by the European Parliament, urging the European Union (EU) Commission to consider the temporary withdrawal of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status given to Sri Lanka.
- Sri Lanka regained the GSP +, or the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences in 2017.
- The EU is Sri Lanka’s second-largest trading partner after China and its second main export destination.
- The Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) is a set of EU rules allowing exporters from developing countries to pay less or no duties on their exports to the European Union.
- It helps developing countries to alleviate poverty and create jobs based on international values and principles, including labour and human rights.
- The EU’s GSP is widely recognised as the most progressive in terms of coverage and benefits.
- Types:
- Standard GSP:
- For low and lower-middle income countries. This means a partial or full removal of customs duties on two thirds of tariff lines.
- Developing countries are automatically granted GSP if they are classified as having an income level below "upper middle income" by the World Bank and do not benefit from another arrangement (like a Free Trade Agreement) granting them preferential access to the EU market.
- Beneficiaries: Bangladesh, Cambodia and Myanmar.
- GSP+:
- The special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance.
- It slashes these same tariffs (that under standard GSP) to 0% for vulnerable low and lower-middle income countries that implement international conventions related to human rights, labour rights, protection of the environment and good governance.
- Beneficiaries: Armenia, Bolivia, Cabo Verde, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, The Philippines and Sri Lanka.
- EBA (Everything But Arms):
- The special arrangement for least developed countries, providing them with duty-free, quota-free access for all products except arms and ammunition.
- Monitoring Beneficiaries:
- The EU continuously monitors and reviews GSP+ beneficiary countries’ effective implementation of the international conventions on human rights, labour rights, environmental protection, and good governance.
- This monitoring includes exchanges of information, dialogue and visits and involves various stakeholders, including civil society.
Generalised System of Preferences
- Generalized System of Preferences is an umbrella that comprises the bulk of preferential schemes granted by industrialized nations to developing countries.
- It involves reduced Most Favored Nations (MFN) Tariffs or duty-free entry of eligible products exported by beneficiary countries to the markets of donor countries.
- The idea of granting developing countries preferential tariff rates in the markets of industrialized countries was originally presented at the first United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) conference in 1964.
- The GSP was adopted at UNCTAD in New Delhi in 1968 and was instituted in 1971.
- There are currently 13 national GSP schemes notified to the UNCTAD secretariat.
- Countries which Grant Generalized System of Preferences:
- Australia, Belarus, Canada, EU, Iceland, Japan, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Norway, Russian Federation, Switzerland, Turkey and the United States of America.
- In 2019, US terminated India’s designation as a beneficiary developing nation under its GSP trade programme. This was done after determining that India has not assured the US that it will provide “equitable and reasonable access” to its markets.
- Benefits:
- Improves Growth:
- Improves Economic growth and development in the developing world by helping beneficiary countries to increase and diversify their trade with the developed nations.
- Provides Employment:
- Moving GSP imports from the docks to consumers, farmers, and manufacturers supports tens of thousands of jobs in the developed nation.
- Boosts Company Competitiveness:
- It is boosted by the GSP as it reduces costs of imported inputs used by companies to manufacture goods.
- Promotes Global Values:
- It promotes Global values by supporting beneficiary countries in affording worker rights to their people, enforcing intellectual property rights, and supporting the rule of law.
UNCTAD
- It is a permanent intergovernmental body established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1964. It is headquartered at Geneva in Switzerland.
- It supports developing countries to access the benefits of a globalized economy more fairly and effectively.
- It has 194 member nations. India is a member.
- Some of the reports published by it are:
- Trade and Development Report
- Investment Trends Monitor Report
- World Investment Report
- The Least Developed Countries Report
- Information and Economy Report
- Technology and Innovation Report
- Commodities and Development Report
Most Favored Nations (MFN)
- As per the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade MFN principle, each of the WTO member countries should “treat all the other members equally as ‘most-favoured’ trading partners.”
- According to the WTO, though the term ‘MFN’ “suggests special treatment, it actually means nondiscrimination.”
Revised Subsidy for Electric Vehicles
Recently, the central government has decided to increase the subsidy by 50% on electric two-wheelers under the FAME-II (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) scheme in view of the adoption of eco-friendly vehicles.
- New Modification:
- The Centre has made a partial modification of the FAME-II, including increasing the demand incentive for electric two-wheelers to Rs. 15,000 per KWh from an earlier uniform subsidy of Rs 10,000 per KWh for all EVs, including plug-in hybrids and strong hybrids except buses.
- The government has also capped incentives for electric two-wheelers at 40% of the cost of vehicles, up from 20% earlier.
- Significance:
- It will bring down the prices of electric two-wheelers nearer to the IC (internal combustion engine) vehicles and remove one of the biggest blocks of the high sticker price of electric two-wheelers.
- Together with the other important factors like extremely low running cost, low maintenance and zero emission, such price levels will surely spur a substantial demand for electric two-wheelers.
- FAME-II:
- Background:
- FAME India is a part of the National Electric Mobility Mission (NEMM) Plan. Main thrust of FAME is to encourage electric vehicles by providing subsidies.
- NEMM intends to allow hybrid and electric vehicles to become the first choice for the purchasers so that these vehicles can replace the conventional vehicles and thus reduce liquid fuel consumption in the country from the automobile sector.
- Two Phases of the Scheme:
- Phase I: Started in 2015 and was completed on 31st March, 2019
- Phase II: Started from April, 2019, will be completed by 31st March, 2022.
- The scheme covers Hybrid & Electric technologies like Mild Hybrid, Strong Hybrid, Plug in Hybrid & Battery Electric Vehicles.
- Monitoring Authority: Department of Heavy Industries, the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
- Fame India Scheme has four focus areas:
- Technology development
- Demand Creation
- Pilot Projects
- Charging Infrastructure
- Under this scheme, demand incentives will be availed by buyers (end users/consumers) upfront at the point of purchase and the same shall be reimbursed by the manufacturers from Department of Heavy Industries, on a monthly basis.
- Salient Features of FAME II:
- Emphasis on electrification of the public transportation that includes shared transport.
- Aims to support, through subsidies, approximately 7000 e-Buses, 5 lakh e-3 Wheelers, 55000 e-4 Wheeler Passenger Cars and 10 lakh e-2 Wheelers.
- In the 3-Wheel (W) and 4-Wheel (W) segment incentives will be applicable mainly to vehicles used for public transport or registered for commercial purposes.
- In the 2-Wheel (W) segment, the focus will be on the private vehicles.
- To encourage advanced technologies, the benefits of incentives will be extended to only those vehicles which are fitted with advanced batteries like a Lithium Ion battery and other new technology batteries.
- Proposes for the establishment of charging infrastructure, whereby about 2700 charging stations will be established in metros, other million plus cities, smart cities and cities of Hilly states across the country so that there will be availability of at least one charging station in a grid of 3 km x 3 km.
- Establishment of Charging stations are also proposed on major highways connecting major city clusters.
- Concerns:
- The adoption of electric vehicles depends on several factors, including robust charging infrastructure, easy financing and adequate performance in real-world conditions. These require considerable government intervention and planning, especially with the sector in its nascent stages.
- E-rickshaw drivers also depend on unsafe, sometimes illegal, sources of power to charge their vehicles. Charging is done in unsafe conditions, which poses a danger to both the driver and the commuter.
Road ahead
- Such initiatives coupled with a mass awareness campaign by the government and easy terms financing by public sector banks will bring us closer to the target of 30% of the two-wheeler market becoming electric in five years.
- The government’s continued support to drive adoption of EVs, with a keen focus on locally built electric two-wheelers will make India the manufacturing hub of EVs.
- Establishing the right coordination among three pillars of the EV industry i.e.,urban planning, transportation and power sectors will assist in systematic adoption of EVs.
‘Southern Ocean’ as the world’s fifth ocean
Recently, on the occasion of World Ocean Day (8th June), the National Geographic magazine has recognised the ‘Southern Ocean’ as the world’s fifth ocean.
- The International Hydrographic Organization too had recognised ‘Southern Ocean’ as a distinct body of water surrounding Antarctica in 1937 but had repealed the same in 1953.
- Other four Oceans are: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic Oceans.International Hydrographic Organization
- IHO is an intergovernmental consultative and technical organization that was established in 1921 to support the safety of navigation and the protection of the marine environment.
- India is also a member of IHO.
- Most of the waters that surround Antarctica out to 60 degrees south latitude, excluding the Drake Passage and Scotia Sea, constitute the newly acknowledged Southern Ocean.
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- The Southern Ocean is the only ocean ‘to touch three other oceans (Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Ocean) and to completely embrace a continent rather than being embraced by them’.
- It is also defined by its Antarctic Circumpolar Current that was formed 34 million years ago. The current flows from west to east around Antarctica.
- Antarctic Circumpolar Current:
- ACC is the only current in the global ocean to close upon itself in a circumpolar loop.
- This trait makes the ACC the most important current in the Earth’s climate system because it links the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans and is the primary means of inter-basin exchange of heat, carbon dioxide, chemicals, biology and other tracers.
- The ACC is created by the combined effects of strong westerly winds across the Southern Ocean, and the big change in surface temperatures between the Equator and the poles.
- Ocean density increases as water gets colder and as it gets more salty. The warm, salty surface waters of the subtropics are much lighter than the cold, fresher waters close to Antarctica.
- The depth of constant density levels slopes up towards Antarctica. The westerly winds make this slope steeper, and the ACC rides eastward along it, faster where the slope is steeper, and weaker where it’s flatter.
- Significance of Recognition:
- Step towards conservation of World’s Oceans, focusing public awareness onto a region in particular needing a conservation spotlight.
- In addition to the rapid warming of the Southern Ocean due to global warming, industrial fishing on species like krill and Patagonian toothfish had been a concern for decades. It hoped to draw attention to these issues.
47th G7 Summit
Recently, the Indian Prime Minister addressed the 47th G7 Summit 2021 through video conferencing.
- Earlier, the Finance Ministers from the G7 nations reached a landmark accord setting a Global Minimum Corporate Tax Rate (GMCTR).
- Apart from India, Australia and South Korea were also invited to participate in the proceedings of the summit as “guest countries”.
- This year’s summit was hosted by the UK. The last G-7 summit was in France in 2019, with last year’s event in the US canceled due to the pandemic.
Group of Seven (G7)
- It is an intergovernmental organisation that was formed in 1975.
- The bloc meets annually to discuss issues of common interest like global economic governance, international security and energy policy.
- The G7 countries are the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US.
- All the G7 countries and India are a part of G20.
- The G7 does not have a formal constitution or a fixed headquarters. The decisions taken by leaders during annual summits are non-binding.
- Build Back Better for the World Project:
- It is aimed squarely at competing with China’s trillion-dollar Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, which has been widely criticised for saddling small countries with unmanageable debt but has included even G7 member Italy since launching in 2013.
- It will collectively catalyse hundreds of billions of infrastructure investment for low- and middle-income countries (in Asia and Africa) and offer a values-driven, high-standard and transparent partnership with G7.
- Democracies 11:
- Signed off on a joint statement (Democracies 11) by G-7 and guest countries on “open societies” that reaffirm and encourage the values of freedom of expression, both online and offline, as a freedom that safeguards democracy and helps people live free from fear and oppression.
- The statement also refers to politically motivated internet shutdowns as one of the threats to freedom and democracy.
- While the statement is directed at China and Russia, India has been under scrutiny over Internet curbs in Jammu and Kashmir even as the Government is locked in a face-off over its New IT rules 2021 with tech giants.
- Democracies 11 is facing threats to freedom and democracy from rising authoritarianism, electoral interference, corruption, economic coercion, manipulation of information, including disinformation, online harms and cyber attacks, politically motivated internet shutdowns, human rights violations and abuses, terrorism and violent extremism.
- Carbis Bay Declaration:
- The G7 signed the Carbis Bay Declaration. It is aimed at preventing future pandemics.
- The G7 also pledged over 1 billion coronavirus vaccine doses for poorer nations with half of that coming from the United States and 100 million from Britain.
- 11 billion doses are needed to vaccinate at least 70% of the world’s population by mid-2022.
- The doses would come both directly and through the international COVAX program.
- Climate Change:
- Renewed a pledge to raise their contributions to meet an overdue spending pledge of USD 100 billion a year to help poorer countries cut carbon emissions.
- Promised to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
- Pledged to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
- Against China:
- The G-7 statement which was not signed by India and other outreach countries hit out at China on “human rights and fundamental freedoms” in Xinjiang (Uyghur Muslims) and Hong Kong, and the unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the South China Sea.
- It also called for a transparent and timely World Health Organization’s Covid origins study in China.
- India had also called for the same in a statement during the World Health Assembly.
- India’s Stand:
- India is a natural ally for the G7 countries in defending the shared values from a host of threats stemming from authoritarianism, terrorism and violent extremism, disinformation and economic coercion.
- Expressed concerns that open societies are particularly vulnerable to disinformation and cyber-attacks.
- It sought the support of the grouping to lift patent protections for Covid-19 vaccines.
- Planet’s atmosphere, biodiversity and oceans cannot be protected by countries acting in silos, and called for collective action on climate change.
- India is the only G-20 country on track to meet its Paris commitments.
- Developing countries need better access to climate finance, and called for a holistic approach towards climate change that covers mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer, climate financing, equity, climate justice and lifestyle change.
- Highlighted the revolutionary impact of digital technologies on social inclusion and empowerment in India through applications such as Aadhaar, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and JAM (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar- Mobile) trinity.
Beed Model of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
Recently, the Maharashtra Government asked the Prime Minister for state-wide implementation of the ‘Beed model’ of the crop insurance scheme Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY). Beed is a district of Maharashtra located in the drought-prone Marathwada region.
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- 80-110 Formula: This model is also called 80-110 Formula.
- Under this plan, the insurer’s potential losses are restricted.
- The insurance firm does not have to entertain claims above 110% of the gross premium. The state government has to bear the cost of compensation above 110% of the premium collected to insulate the insurer from losses (bridge amount).
- However, if the compensation is less than the premium collected, the insurance company would keep 20% of the amount as handling charges and reimburse the rest to the state government (premium surplus).
- Reason for Implementing this Model:
- Benefits to States:
- Another Source of Fund: In most years, the claims-to-premium ratio is low. In the Beed model, the profit of the insurance company is expected to reduce and the state government would access another source of funds.
- Reduce the Burden of Financing PMFBY: The reimbursed amount can lead to lower budgetary provision for PMFBY by the state for the following year, or help in financing the paying the bridge amount in case of a year of crop loss.
- Flaws in PMFBY:
- Fiscally-stressed states have over the years dissented to footing the premium bill for the PMFBY, resulting in insurers not honouring the farmers’ claims on time.
- In 2020, far-below-normal monsoon rainfalls in central Maharashtra’s Beed district dissuaded insurers from covering farmers in the district under the PMFBY for kharif 2020.
- Challenges:
- Questions remain on how the state government is going to raise the excess amount, and how the reimbursed amount would be administered.
- For farmers, this model does not seem to have any direct benefit.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
- PMFBY was launched in 2016.
- It provides a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop thus helping in stabilising the income of the farmers.
- Scope: All food & oilseed crops and annual commercial/horticultural crops for which past yield data is available.
- Premium: The prescribed premium is 2% to be paid by farmers for all Kharif crops and 1.5% for all rabi crops. In the case of annual commercial and horticultural crops, the premium is 5%.
- Premium cost over and above the farmer share is equally subsidized by States and GoI.
- However, GoI shared 90% of the premium subsidy for North Eastern States to promote the uptake in the region.
- PMFBY 2.0 (PMFBY was revamped in the 2020 Kharif Season):
- Completely Voluntary: Prior to 2020, the scheme was optional for farmers who did not have loans pending, but mandatory for loanee farmers. Since 2020, it has been optional for all farmers.
- Limit to Central Subsidy: The Cabinet decided to cap the Centre’s premium subsidy under the scheme for premium rates up to 30% for unirrigated areas/crops and 25% for irrigated areas/crops.
- More Flexibility to States: The government has given the flexibility to states/UTs to implement PMFBY and given them the option to select any number of additional risk covers/features.
- Investing in ICE Activities: Insurance companies have to spend 0.5% of the total premium collected on information, education and communication (IEC) activities.
- Use of Technology under PMFBY:
- Crop Insurance App:
- Provides for easy enrollment of farmers.
- Facilitate easier reporting of crop loss within 72 hours of occurrence of any event.
- Latest Technological Tools: To assess crop losses, satellite imagery, remote-sensing technology, drones, artificial intelligence and machine learning are used.
- PMFBY Portal: For integration of land records.
- Performance of the Scheme:
- The Scheme covers over 5.5 crore farmer applications on average per year.
- Aadhar seeding (linking Aadhaar through Internet banking portals) has helped in speedy claim settlement directly into the farmer accounts.
- One notable example is mid-season adversity claims of nearly Rs. 30 crore in Rajasthan during Rabi 2019-20 Locust attack.
Atlantic Charter
Recently, the US' President and UK’s Prime Minister signed a new version of the 80-year old Atlantic Charter.
- Atlantic Charter (1941):
- The Atlantic Charter was a joint declaration released by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill on 14th August, 1941 (during World War II) following a meeting of the two heads of government in Newfoundland.
- The Atlantic Charter was subsequently incorporated by reference in the Declaration of the United Nations in 1942.
- World War II was a conflict that involved virtually every part of the world during the years 1939–45.
- The principal belligerents were:
- Axis powers: Germany, Italy, and Japan.
- Allies: France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and, to a lesser extent, China.
- The Atlantic Charter provided a broad statement of US and British war aims such as:
- They desired no territorial changes without the free assent of the peoples concerned.
- They respected every people’s right to choose its own form of government and wanted sovereign rights and self-government restored to those forcibly deprived of them.
- They would try to promote equal access for all states to trade and to raw materials.
- They hoped to promote worldwide collaboration so as to improve labour standards, economic progress, and social security.
- The destruction of “Nazi tyranny,” (Germany) they would look for a peace under which all nations could live safely within their boundaries, without fear or want.
- Under such a peace the seas should be free.
- Pending a general security through renunciation of force, potential aggressors must be disarmed.
- New Atlantic Charter (2021):
- The new charter, a 604-word declaration, is an effort to stake out a grand vision for global relationships in the 21st century, just as the original was a declaration of a Western commitment to democracy and territorial integrity just months before the US entered World War II.
- It is a statement of principles, a promise that the UK and the US would meet the challenges of their age together. It calls for both countries to adhere to the rules-based international order.
- The new charter focuses on climate change and the need to protect biodiversity. With references to emerging technologies, cyberspace and sustainable global development.
- It calls on Western allies to oppose interference through disinformation or other malign influences, including in elections.
- It ranks the threats to democratic nations in a technological era.
- It vows that as long as there are nuclear weapons, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) will remain a nuclear alliance.
- Opportunity for India:
- The old Atlantic Charter alienated Indian nationalism from the West but the new Charter and the rebooting of western institutions should facilitate a productive phase of India’s cooperation with the US and its allies.
- In 1941, the UK insisted that the principle of self-determination highlighted in the charter did not apply to India.
- However, the presence of India and South Africa along with Australia and South Korea (as guests) at the G-7 summit 2021 is a recognition of the urgent imperative to widen the basis of the West in dealing with global challenges.
- The current Anglo-American effort to institutionalise western consultations with India is a long overdue correction.
- Indian Prime Minister, who is remotely joining the discussions at the G-7 summit (2021), has an opportunity to signal a commitment to both address perceptions about shrinking democratic freedoms within India and offer substantive collaboration with the western democracies on global issues.
India's Ethanol Roadmap
The central government has released an expert committee report on the Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India by 2025.
- The roadmap proposes a gradual rollout of ethanol-blended fuel to achieve E10 fuel supply by April 2022 and phased rollout of E20 from April 2023 to April 2025.
- The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG) had instituted an Expert Group to study the issues such as pricing of ethanol, matching pace of the automobile industry to manufacture vehicles with new engines with the supply of ethanol, pricing of such vehicles, fuel efficiency of different engines etc.
- Ethanol Blending:
- Ethanol is one of the principal biofuels, which is naturally produced by the fermentation of sugars by yeasts or via petrochemical processes such as ethylene hydration.
- Blending Target:
- The Government of India has advanced the target for 20% ethanol blending in petrol (also called E20) to 2025 from 2030.
- Currently, 8.5% of ethanol is blended with petrol in India.
- Objectives of Ethanol Blending:
- Energy Security:
- Increased use of ethanol can help reduce the oil import bill. India’s net import cost stands at USD 551 billion in 2020-21.
- The E20 program can save the country USD 4 billion (Rs 30,000 crore) per annum.
- Incentives for Farmers:
- The oil companies procure ethanol from farmers that benefits the sugarcane farmers.
- Further, the government plans to encourage use of water-saving crops, such as maize, to produce ethanol, and production of ethanol from non-food feedstock.
- Impact on Emission:
- Use of ethanol-blended petrol decreases emissions such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
- The unregulated carbonyl emissions, such as acetaldehyde emission were, however, higher with E10 and E20 compared to normal petrol. However, these emissions were relatively lower.
- Recommendations:
- Notifying Ethanol Blending Roadmap: MoP&NG should immediately notify the plan for pan-India availability of E10 fuel by April, 2022 and its continued availability thereafter until 2025 for older vehicles, and launch of E20 in the country in phases from April, 2023 onwards so as to make E20 available by April, 2025.
- Augmenting Infrastructure for Oil Marketing Companies: OMCs will need to prepare for the projected requirement of ethanol storage, handling, blending and dispensing infrastructure.
- Expediting Regulatory Clearances: Currently, ethanol production plants/distilleries fall under the “Red category” and require environmental clearance under the Air and Water Acts for new and expansion projects.
- This often takes a long time leading to delays.
- While several steps have been taken to expedite Environment Clearances (EC) under the Environment Protection Act there are few areas of concern which if addressed, will facilitate early setting up of ethanol distillation capacities in the country.
- Incentivising Ethanol Blended Vehicle: Globally, vehicles compliant with higher ethanol blends are provided with tax benefits.
- A similar approach may be followed so that the cost increase due to E20 compatible design may be absorbed to a certain extent, as is being done in some states for promoting Electric Vehicles.
- Pricing of Ethanol Blended Gasoline: For better acceptability of higher ethanol blends in the country, retail price of such fuels should be lower than normal petrol to compensate for the reduction in calorific value and incentivize switching to the blended fuel.
- Tax breaks on ethanol as a fuel may be considered by the government.
Initiatives Already Taken
- The National Policy on Biofuels–2018, provides an indicative target of 20% ethanol blending under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme by 2030.
- The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has mandated stickers on vehicles mentioning their E20, E85 or E100 compatibility.
- This will pave the way for flex fuel vehicles.
- Flex fuel engines can run any ratio of blended petrol from E20 to E100.
- E100 pilot project: It has been inaugurated in Pune.
- TVS Apache two-wheelers are designed to run on E80 or pure ethanol (E100).
- Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, 2019: The scheme aims to create an ecosystem for setting up commercial projects and boost Research and Development in the 2G Ethanol sector.
- GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) DHAN Scheme, 2018: The scheme aims to positively impact village cleanliness and generate wealth and energy from cattle and organic waste.
- It also aims at creating new rural livelihood opportunities and enhancing income for farmers and other rural people.
- Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched this initiative that will enable collection and conversion of used cooking oil to biodiesel.
Global Liveability Index: EIU
Auckland (New Zealand) has topped the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Liveability Index of 140 cities around the world.
- Global Liveability Index:
- The index takes into account more than 30 qualitative and quantitative factors spanning five broad categories: stability (25%), healthcare (20%), culture and environment (25%), education (10%), and infrastructure (20%).
- Due to the pandemic, the EIU added new indicators such as stress on health-care resources as well as restrictions around local sporting events, theatres, music concerts, restaurants and schools.
- Each factor in a city is rated as acceptable, tolerable, uncomfortable, undesirable or intolerable.
- General Scenario:
- Overall, the Covid-19 pandemic caused liveability to decline - as cities experienced lockdowns and significant strains on their healthcare system. This led to an unprecedented level of change in the rankings, with many of the cities that were previously ranked as the most liveable tumbling.
- Austria's Vienna, number one in both 2018 and 2019, has completely dropped out of the top 10 after being heavily affected by Covid-19, and now ranks 12.
- Auckland rose to the top of the ranking owing to its successful approach in containing the Covid-19 pandemic, which allowed its society to remain open and the city to score strongly on a number of metrics including education, culture and environment.
- Damascus remains the world's least liveable city, as the effects of the civil war in Syria continue to take their toll.
- Most of the previous ten least liveable cities remain in the bottom ten this year, including Dhaka (Bangladesh) and Karachi (Pakistan) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.
- However, there is a strong contingent of cities in the APAC region at the top of the rankings, with Osaka, Adelaide, Tokyo and Wellington rounding out the top five.
- Apart from cities in New Zealand, Australia and Japan, other cities in the Asia-Pacific region such as Taipei (Taiwan) (33rd) and Singapore (34th) have also performed well.
- Top 3 Liveable Cities:
- Auckland (New Zealand), Osaka (Japan), Adelaide (Australia).
- Bottom 3 Liveable Cities:
- Damascus (Syria), Lagos (Nigeria), Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea).
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