What made Centre change its approach from incentivising states to forcing down reforms? - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

What made Centre change its approach from incentivising states to forcing down reforms?.

The Centre is within its rights to enact laws promoting barrier-free trade of farm produce (inter- as well as intra-state) and also dismantling stockholding restrictions. But that can be only after the farmer has sold.

In November 2019, the Fifteenth Finance Commission submitted its interim report, wherein it proposed special “performance based incentives” to states that carried out agriculture sector reforms.

These reforms specifically pertained to their enacting and implementing all features of the Union Agriculture Ministry’s Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017 and Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Services (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2018.

“We recommend that State Governments take preparatory action by securing the passage of these Bills in their respective legislatures in 2020-21 to become eligible to avail the grants awarded by us from 2021-22 onwards,” stated the report.

On February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Union Budget for 2020-21 speech, said that the Centre would “encourage those state governments who undertake implementation” of its model farm reform laws.

Note the tone, tenor and language used: Both the Finance Commission’s report and the Finance Minister’s budget talked about “incentivising” and “encouraging” states to liberalise their agricultural markets by promoting competition and allowing seamless trading of produce. This could be through enacting new or amending their existing APMC (agricultural produce market committee) legislation in line with the Centre’s model acts.

Cut to June 5, which was when the Narendra Modi government promulgated the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, apart from a third Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. All the three Central ordinances were subsequently passed and enacted by Parliament in September.

The mystery question: What happened between February and June for the Modi government to discard its earlier plan of incentivising/encouraging states in favour of the so-called constitutional route of forcing reform via Central legislation?

Before answering this, it is necessary first to examine the very basis of the “constitutional route” that was taken.

Article 246 of the Constitution clearly places “agriculture” in entry 14 and “markets and fairs” in entry 28 of the State List. The Centre has powers to regulate “inter-state trade and commerce” falling in entry 42 of the Union List. A simple reading of these would indicate that laws relating to agricultural produce marketing can only be made by states. The Centre can encourage, incentivise, persuade and cajole states. However, it cannot legislate on its own.

That’s where some creative interpretation of the Constitution has been resorted to. Entry 33 of the Concurrent List covers “trade and commerce” in all foodstuffs, cattle fodder, raw cotton and jute. That includes not just inter-state, but also “trade and commerce within the state”. While intra-state trade in farm produce is ordinarily under entry 26 of the State List, being a Concurrent subject allows the Centre to also enact legislation. Further, in the event of any conflict between the two, the laws made by Parliament shall prevail over those of the states — their APMC Acts in this case.

Such interpretation is not unproblematic, though. To start with, one must ask what constitutes “agriculture”. Agriculture isn’t just about field preparation, sowing seeds, irrigation, applying fertilisers and crop protection chemicals, and harvesting. It encompasses everything that a farmer does, from production and harvesting to the sale of his/her crop.

The act of sale by a farmer — be it at an APMC mandi, private procurement centre, warehouse, silo, cold store, processing plant or even the farm gate — is very much part of agriculture. Such sale amounts to “agricultural marketing”, which is distinct from “trade and commerce”. “Trade” begins only after the farmer has finished with the “marketing” of his/her produce.

The upshot of this is that the Centre is within its rights to enact laws promoting barrier-free trade of farm produce (inter- as well as intra-state) and also dismantling stockholding restrictions. But that can be only after the farmer has sold. While the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act exempting traders and processors from stocking limits passes the test, the same cannot be said of the other two Central farm laws. Regulation of first sale of agricultural produce by farmers — whether in mandis or via contract cultivation arrangements — is a “marketing” responsibility of the states, not the Centre.

That brings back the original question: What really changed after February to prompt the Modi government to go for the “constitutional route”? How did the incentive-based push (for a model agricultural produce “marketing” law to be adopted by states) give way to a shove from above (of a farmer’ produce “trade and commerce” ordinance)?

One popular theory is that the pressure for the sledgehammer approach, even at the cost of violating constitutional federalism principles, came primarily from the likes of Reliance, Adani and Amazon.

Truth be told, there was nothing in the existing APMC Acts preventing corporates from opening purchase centres to source produce from farmers, directly or otherwise. Many states issued unified or single licences allowing them to buy from any APMC mandi. All they had to do was pay the market fee applicable within the particular APMC’s jurisdiction. While charged even for transactions outside its physical mandi premises, it was never such a big deal.

Nor was it the case that billions of dollars were waiting to be invested in India’s agro-processing sector, predicated on the immediate passage of the three reform bills. No such deluge followed Bihar’s scrapping of its APMC Act in 2006. Why are corporates and large feed millers even today reliant on middlemen/aggregators there, when they can well procure corn straight from farmers’ fields?

It leaves the only plausible explanation for the Modi government’s shoving its farm bills through Parliament sans any deliberation or even proper drafting — that too, in the midst of a national pandemic. Remember, it wasn’t just the three agriculture bills, but also the three labour codes subsuming 25 existing laws that got passed in September. Both, together, were packaged as historic and pathbreaking reforms.

The context matters here. COVID-19, coupled with growing global investor interest in diversifying supply chains away from China, was seen as a possibility to convert “challenge into opportunity”. The intent and timing of the reforms may have been to market India as the next great investment destination.

But for now, it is angry farmers, more than eager investors, who are knocking on Delhi’s doors. (Source: The Indian Express)

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What made Centre change its approach from incentivising states to forcing down reforms?.

La Nina influences 2020 as India records above normal rains, harsher winter, reduced heatwave - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

La Nina influences 2020 as India records above normal rains, harsher winter, reduced heatwave.

The year also saw formation of five cyclones in the seas along eastern and western sides. Of the five, four were ‘severe cyclonic storms’ and above.

La Nina seemed to have played a critical role in influencing the country’s weather in 2020 which was a second consecutive year of above normal rainfall with below normal temperatures in the winter and less occurrence of heatwaves.

The year also saw formation of five cyclones in the seas along eastern and western sides. Of the five, four were ‘severe cyclonic storms’ and above.

La Nina conditions played an important factor in having a good monsoon and severe winter conditions in parts of north India. La Nina is associated with the cooling of the Pacific waters -- El Nino is antithesis to it. It is generally observed that a La Nina year also receives good rainfall and winter temperatures are lower than normal.

December to February are peak winter months in the country. The severe cold day conditions in parts of north India that began in December of 2019 also continued in January this year, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General M Mohapatra said.

The trend of cold to severe cold day conditions also continued later in October, November as well December. Several parts of north India recorded below normal temperatures from October to December, he said. On the other hand, the summer also saw few instances of heat waves that affect large portions of the country from April to June, Mohapatra added.

He attributed the low frequency of heatwaves to frequent Western Disturbances -- cyclonic circulation that originates in the Mediterranean Sea, traverses across Central Asia, and brings non-monsoon rains to northwest India during the winters.

This year, the frequency of western disturbances was unusually high and continued even during the summer. 2020 was also the third to record highest precipitation in the last 30 years.

Southwest Monsoon arrived over Kerala on June 1, its normal onset date. The official monsoon season starts from June 1 to September 30. The country received 109 per cent rainfall of the Long Period Average (LPA) with three of four months -- June (118 per cent), August (127 per cent) and September (104 per cent) -- witnessing above normal rainfall, while July recorded (90 per cent) deficient rainfall.

Generally, the country receives maximum rainfall in July and August.

One of the main features of the monsoon was the rainfall in August. The month saw five low pressure areas (cyclonic circulations) that brought large amount of rainfall over central India.

The total number of low pressure days was 28 against the normal of about 15 in August.

It caused two-three spells of riverine floods over Odisha, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, south Gujarat and south Rajasthan.

The IMD said it was a record rainfall in August 2020, when all-India rainfall was 127 per cent of LPA. It was the highest in the last 44 years, after August 1976 (128.4 per cent) of LPA. It was also the fourth-highest in the last 120 years.

Overall, during the monsoon season 2020, a total number of 12 low pressure system formed.

Nineteen states and union territories received normal rainfall this year, while nine states and union territories saw excess rainfall. Bihar, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Lakshadweep islands recorded excess rainfall. Sikkim recorded large excess rainfall.

However, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir recorded deficiency. Ladakh recorded large deficiency. Delhi also received deficient rainfall.

“Considering the recent years since 1990, the all India seasonal rainfall this year was third highest, after 112 per cent of LPA in 1994 and 110 per cent of LPA in 2019.

“It is consecutively for two monsoon years, when India received good rainfall of 9 per cent of the LPA or more. Thus, 2019 and 2020 are the two consecutive above normal monsoon rainfall years, after 1958 (110 per cent of LPA) and 1959 (114 per cent of LPA),” the IMD had said after the end of the monsoon. Southwest Monsoon covered the entire country on June 26 against the normal date of July 8, 12 days before its normal date. The withdrawal was also late. It retreated from west Rajasthan and parts of Punjab on September 28, 11 days after its normal withdrawal date.

Overall, the Northeast Monsoon too has been good so far, Mohapatra said. The Northeast Monsoon brings rains to Tamil Nadu, parts of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka from October to December. “The year 2020 was a good rainfall year. The country also received good rainfall during the winter months. The Southwest Monsoon as well as the Northeast Monsoon was good,” Mohapatra added.

Three of the storms (Amphan, Nivar and Burevi) formed in the Bay of Bengal and the other two (Nisraga and Gati) in the Arabian Sea. Amphan, Nivar and Nisarga hit the Indian coasts as cyclonic storms.

After nearly two decades -- 1999 Super Cyclone of Odisha that killed thousands of people --, the Bay of Bengal saw formation of another super cyclonic storm Amphan in May. However, as it pummelled the West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts as an extremely severe cyclonic storm, its intensity had reduced marginally.

But will a similar weather pattern continue in 2021? Mohapatra said La Nina conditions are likely to prevail for the next six months.

The IMD in its winter forecast for December 2020 and January February 2021 also predicted below normal temperatures in north India.

And how will La Nina affect the Southwest Monsoon and the summer? “It is difficult to predict the weather for the entire year at this point of time. But La Nina is generally associated with good monsoon and below normal temperatures during the winters. We are continuously monitoring the situation,” Mohapatra said. (Source: The Hindustan Times)

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La Nina influences 2020 as India records above normal rains, harsher winter, reduced heatwave.

How Covid lockdown crippled Indian economy - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

How Covid lockdown crippled Indian economy.

As 2020 draws to a close, here is a recap of how the Indian economy fared in a year upended by the coronavirus pandemic.

From contracting by an unprecedented 23.9 per cent to plunging into a technical recession, the trajectory of India’s economy saw a steep decline in 2020—primarily due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The staggering fall in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, which was already in a slowdown before the pandemic, reflected the total suspension of economic activity in the first quarter of this fiscal due to the series of lockdowns to stem the spread of virus.

The April-June quarter figure was not only India’s lowest growth rate since the country started reporting quarterly data in 1996, but also worse than the 21.7 per cent contraction reported by the UK economy in the June quarter—one of the sharpest GDP contraction among the top 20 global economies. To put things in perspective, the Indian economy has recorded an average of 7 per cent GDP growth each year since economic liberalisation in the early 1990s. This year, it is likely to turn turtle and contract by 7 per cent.

Barring agriculture, all other major indicators of growth in the economy were massively impacted. The worst affected sectors were construction (–50%), trade, hotels and other services (–47%), manufacturing (–39%), and mining (–23%). It is pertinent to note that these are the sectors that generate the maximum new jobs in the country. In a scenario where each of these sectors is contracting so sharply — that is, their output and incomes are falling — it would lead to more and more people either losing jobs (decline in employment) or failing to get one (rise in unemployment).

Within the next three months, India entered a technical recession after GDP contracted for the second straight quarter through September. Although the 7.5 per cent contraction in the July-September quarter was a significant improvement over the 23.9 per cent contraction in the preceding quarter, the Indian economy remained one of the worst performers among major economies.

As compared to just one sector adding positive value in the first quarter, three sectors – agriculture, manufacturing and utilities – recorded positive growth in the second quarter. Moreover, in three of the remaining five sectors, the rate of decline decelerated.

With this, the GDP growth rate in April-September, the first half of this financial year, contracted by 15.7 per cent compared with a 4.8 per cent growth during the same period last year. In July-September last year, GDP had grown by 4.4 per cent.

How the Government responded to the biggest crisis since 1979

All anecdotal evidence available, such as hundreds of thousands of stranded migrant workers across the country, suggested that the Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs) were the worst casualty of Covid-19 induced lockdown. Hence, the government laid its primary focus to lift the stressed MSME sector with its relief packages, especially a massive increase in credit guarantees to them. It essentially means that the government has resorted to taking over the credit risk of MSMEs should they want to remain in business. A credit guarantee by the government helps as it assures the bank that its loan will be repaid by the government in case the MSME falters.

The Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India) package, rolled out in several tranches to mitigate the biggest crisis since 1979, reinforced the ‘fiscal conservatism’ ideology of the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi — rather than large cash transfers, the growth philosophy centres around creating an ecosystem that aids domestic demand, incentivises companies to generate jobs and boost production, and simultaneously extends benefits to those in severe distress, be it firms or individuals.

“The headline numbers — stimulus of Rs 29,87,641 crore or 15 per cent of GDP till date — are more for optics,” Iyer reported. “For instance, Sitharaman last month said the government’s contribution to the stimulus imparted so far was 9 per cent of GDP, the balance 6 per cent being attributed to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). She put the size of Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 at Rs 2,65,080 crore. Even if one takes an optimistic account of the extra spend this year, it will add up to just Rs 1,18,200 crore, not even half of what she said. The Rs 1,45,980 crore expenditure in the form of production-linked incentives (PLIs) to 10 new sectors will be over five years, and likely kick in only next financial year.

But even the Rs 1,18,200 crore extra spending this year, by no means, is insignificant: it accounts for 0.6 per cent of GDP,” he continued.

The first package on March 27, the highlight of which was the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, totalled Rs 1.08 lakh crore; the second set of announcements made over five days in May added up another Rs 1.08 lakh crore to the Centre’s fiscal cost; the third package in October had a capital expenditure component of just Rs 37,000 crore. Put together, all Covid-19 relief measures would increase the Centre’s actual fiscal outgo by under 2 per cent of GDP in 2020-21. (Source: The Indian Express)

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How Covid lockdown crippled Indian economy.

India to become 5th largest economy in 2025, 3rd largest by 2030 - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

India to become 5th largest economy in 2025, 3rd largest by 2030.

The CEBR forecasts that the Indian economy will expand by 9 per cent in 2021 and by 7 per cent in 2022.

India, which appears to have been pushed back to being the world’s sixth biggest economy in 2020, will again overtake the UK to become the fifth largest in 2025 and race to the third spot by 2030, a think tank said on Saturday.

India had overtaken the UK in 2019 to become the fifth largest economy in the world but has been relegated to 6th spot in 2020.

“India has been knocked off course somewhat through the impact of the pandemic. As a result, after overtaking the UK in 2019, the UK overtakes India again in this year’s forecasts and stays ahead till “2024 before India takes over again,” the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) said in an annual report published on Saturday.”

The UK appears to have overtaken India again during 2020 as a result of the weakness of the rupee, it said.

The CEBR forecasts that the Indian economy will expand by 9 per cent in 2021 and by 7 per cent in 2022.

“Growth will naturally slow as India becomes more economically developed, with the annual GDP growth expected to sink to 5.8 per cent in 2035.”

“This growth trajectory will see India become the world’s third largest economy by 2030, overtaking the UK in 2025, Germany in 2027 and Japan in 2030,” it said.

The UK-based think tank forecast that China will in 2028 overtake the US to become the world’s biggest economy, five years earlier than previously estimated due to the contrasting recoveries of the two countries from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Japan would remain the world’s third-biggest economy, in dollar terms, until the early 2030s when it would be overtaken by India, pushing Germany down from fourth to fifth.

The CEBR said India’s economy had been losing momentum even ahead of the shock delivered by the COVID-19 crisis.

The rate of GDP growth sank to a more than ten-year low of 4.2 per cent in 2019, down from “6.1 per cent the previous year and around half the 8.3 per cent growth rate recorded in 2016.

“Slowing growth has been a consequence of a confluence of factors including fragility in the banking system, adjustment to reforms and a deceleration of global trade,” it said.

The COVID-19 pandemic, the think tank said, has been a human and an economic catastrophe for India, with more than 140,000 deaths recorded as of the middle of December.

While this is the highest death toll outside of the US in absolute terms, it equates to around 10 deaths per 100,000, which is a significantly lower figure than has been seen in much of Europe and the Americas.

“GDP in Q2 (April-June) 2020 was 23.9 per cent below its 2019 level, indicating that nearly a quarter of the country’s economic activity was wiped out by the drying up of global demand and the collapse of domestic demand that accompanied the series of strict national lockdowns,” it said.

As restrictions were gradually lifted, many parts of the economy were able to spring back into action, although output remains well below pre-pandemic levels.

An important driver of India’s economic recovery thus far has been the agricultural sector, which has been buoyed by a bountiful harvest.

“The pace of the economic recovery will be inextricably linked to the development of the COVID-19 pandemic, both domestically and internationally,” it said.

As the manufacturer of the majority of the world’s vaccines and with a 42-year-old vaccination programme that targets 55 million people each year, India is better placed than many other developing countries to roll out the vaccines successfully and efficiently next year.

“In the medium to long term, reforms such as the 2016 demonetisation and more recently the controversial efforts to liberalise the agricultural sector can deliver economic benefits,” the think tank said.

However, with the majority of the Indian workforce employed in the agricultural sector, the reform process requires a delicate and gradual approach that balances the need for longer-term efficiency gains with the need to support incomes in the short-term.

The government’s stimulus spending in response to the COVID-19 crisis has been significantly more restrained than most other large economies, although the debt to GDP ratio did rise to 89 per cent in 2020.

“The infrastructure bottlenecks that exist in India mean that investment in this area has the potential to unlock significant productivity gains. Therefore, the outlook for the economy going forwards will be closely related to the government’s approach to infrastructure spending,” it added. (Source: The Indian Express)

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India to become 5th largest economy in 2025, 3rd largest by 2030.

Ayushman Bharat PMJAY SEHAT scheme for residents of J-K - Pargnay IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Ayushman Bharat PMJAY SEHAT scheme for residents of J-K.

• The Prime Minister's Office said the scheme will ensure universal health coverage, and focus on providing financial risk protection and ensuring quality and affordable essential health services to all individuals and communities

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) SEHAT scheme via video-conferencing to extend health insurance coverage to all residents of Jammu and Kashmir.

PM Modi also interacted with the beneficiaries of Centre's Ayushman Bharat Yojana.

Scheme will ensure universal health coverage

The Prime Minister's Office said the scheme will ensure universal health coverage, and focus on providing financial risk protection and ensuring quality and affordable essential health services to all individuals and communities.

"The scheme will ensure Universal Health Coverage and focus on providing financial risk protection and ensuring quality and affordable essential health services to all individuals and communities," the PMO said in a statement.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Union Territory's Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, also spoke on the occasion.

The scheme will provide free-of-cost insurance cover to all residents of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, the PMO said, adding that it will extend financial cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family on a floater basis to all residents of the UT.

There is provision for operational extension of the 'Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana' (PM-JAY) to approximately 15 lakh additional families, the PMO statement said, adding that the scheme will operate on insurance mode in convergence with PM-JAY. (Source: Livemint)

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Ayushman Bharat PMJAY SEHAT scheme for residents of J-K.

Tibetan Policy and Support Act Passes in the US Congress - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Tibetan Policy and Support Act Passes in the US Congress.

The Tibetan Policy and Support Act pf 2020, a major bill strengthening U.S. support of Tibet through humanitarian projects and sanctions of Chinese abuses, has cleared the U.S. Congress and will go next to the desk of President Donald Trump for signing into law.

The TPSA will “dramatically upgrade US support for Tibetans in key areas,” the Washington D.C.-based International Campaign for Tibet said in statement following the bill’s passage as part of a spending bill Monday.

It will also present “a direct challenge to China’s continuing repression of the Tibetan people,” ICT said.

Introduced with bipartisan support in the House by Representatives James McGovern and Chris Smith, and by Senators Marco Rubio and Ben Cardin, the legislation will provide funding for Tibetan humanitarian and development assistance projects both inside and outside Tibet until at least 2025.

It will also address water security and climate change issues in Tibet, recognizing the strategic importance of the Tibetan plateau, whose rivers provide sources of water to more than a billion people living downstream in Asia.

The bill also requires China to allow the opening of a U.S. consulate in Tibet’s regional capital Lhasa before any new Chinese consulate can open in the United States.

Finally, it will establish a U.S. policy that the selection of Tibetan religious leaders, including future successors to exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, is a decision to be made only by Tibetans, free from Chinese government interference.

Sanctions targeting Chinese officials attempting to name a new Dalai Lama will be mandated under the Act.

Concerns over the advancing age of the Dalai Lama, now 85, have renewed uncertainties in recent years over his possible successor after he dies, with Beijing claiming the right to name his successor and the Dalai Lama himself saying that any future Dalai Lama will be born outside of China.

The Tibetan Policy and Support Act passed by the Congress also commends Tibetan exile communities around the world for adopting through the CTA “a system of self-governance with democratic institutions to choose their leaders,” with elections in 2011 and again in 2016 deemed free and fair by international observers.

“[But] the Dalai Lama has said that the CTA will cease to exist once a negotiated settlement [with China] has been achieved that allows Tibetans to freely enjoy their culture, religion, and language in Tibet,” the Act points out.

'Significant signal to Beijing'

Reached for comment on Monday, CTA president Sikyong Lobsang Sangay welcomed U.S. acknowledgement of the Central Tibetan Administration and its leaders, calling the move “a significant signal to Beijing,” which had strongly objected to a Nov. 20 visit by Sangay to the White House to meet with administration officials.

Talks on greater autonomy in Tibet held between Chinese officials and envoys of the Dalai Lama stalled in 2010 and were never resumed, noted ICT vice president Bhuchung Tsering.

“Now, the TPSA has strengthened the responsibility and authority of the [State Department’s] U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues to press for the dialogue to begin again,” Tsering said.

In Beijing on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a daily news briefing that Tibet, Taiwan, and Hong Kong "are China's internal affairs that allow no foreign interference."

“We urge the United States to stop meddling in our domestic affairs under those pretexts, refrain from signing the bills or implementing the negative contents and items in them that target China and undercut China's interests, so as to avoid further damaging overall China-U.S. cooperation and bilateral relations,” Wang said.

A formerly independent nation, Tibet was invaded and incorporated into China by force nearly 70 years ago, following which the Dalai Lama and thousands of his followers fled into exile in India and other countries around the world.

The United States has officially recognized Tibet as a part of the People’s Republic of China ever since, but presses in diplomatic exchanges with Beijing for greater autonomy and protections for Tibet’s culture, language, and religion in Tibetan regions of China.

Chinese authorities meanwhile maintain a tight grip on the region, restricting Tibetans’ political activities and peaceful expression of ethnic and religious identity, and subjecting Tibetans to persecution, torture, imprisonment, and extrajudicial killings.

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Tibetan Policy and Support Act Passes in the US Congress.

Pokhran’s ‘firefly bird diverters’ shine to save the Great Indian Bustard - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Pokhran’s ‘firefly bird diverters’ shine to save the Great Indian Bustard.

Flaps placed on power lines can protect the critically threatened large bird species from mortal collision

The Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) along with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) India has come up with a unique initiative — a “firefly bird diverter” for overhead power lines in areas where Great Indian Bustard (GIB) populations are found in the wild. GIB is one of the most critically threatened species in India, with less than 150 birds left in the wild.

A report by the Ministry, submitted to the National Green Tribunal in 2019, pointed out that power lines, especially high-voltage transmission lines with multiple overhead wires, are the most important current threat for GIBs in the Thar region, and are causing unsustainably high mortality in about 15% of their population.

“Firefly bird diverters are flaps installed on power lines. They work as reflectors for bird species like the GIB. Birds can spot them from a distance of about 50 meters and change their path of flight to avoid collision with power lines. Smaller birds can change their direction [swiftly] but for larger bird species, it is difficult because their body weight and other factors,” Anil Kumar, team leader of the GIB project undertaken by WCS India, told The Hindu.

The firefly detectors have been installed along two stretches of approximately 6.5 km, selected between Chacha to Dholiya villages in the Pokhran tehsil after ground surveys and due consultations with the Rajasthan Forest Department. A total of 1,813 firefly bird diverters are being installed in this stretch — a model that has been endorsed by experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission’s (SSC) Bustard Specialist Group.

The diverters are called fireflies because they look like fireflies from a distance, shining on power lines in the night. The selected stretch is opposite the Pokhran Field Firing Range, which offers a safe habitat to a breeding population of GIBs outside the Desert National Park Sanctuary in Jaisalmer.

Kapil Chandrwal, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Desert National Park Sanctuary, said that high-tension wires being a reason for GIB mortality had been proven by different studies. “GIBs are one of the heaviest flying birds in India. Therefore, when they encounter these wires, they are unable to change the direction of their flight. Death is most cases is due to impact with the wires and not due to electrocution,” Mr. Chandrwal added. The diverter will not only save GIB but other species of large birds, including migratory birds.

The Supreme Court of India, in a recent hearing, directed that power lines in GIB landscapes should be placed underground. Experts said that the innovative firefly diverter installation could serve as an alternative means to species conservation. Experts say only two districts in Rajasthan — Jaisalmer and Barmer — have a breeding GIB population in the wild. The bird can also be found in very small numbers in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

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Pokhran’s ‘firefly bird diverters’ shine to save the Great Indian Bustard.

World Bank, Modi government sign USD 500-million pact to develop green, safe highway corridors - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

World Bank, Modi government sign USD 500-million pact to develop green, safe highway corridors.

Under the project, 783 km of highways will be developed in various geographies by integrating eco-friendly and safe technology designs like industrial byproducts, local and marginal materials, as well as other bioengineering solutions.

To build safe and green national highway corridors, the World Bank and the Modi Government recently signed an agreement for a USD 500-million project. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the highway corridors will be developed in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. This big infra project will enhance the capacity of the ministry in mainstreaming safe as well as green technologies, according to a PTI report. Under the Green National Highways Corridors Project, 783 km of highways will be developed in various geographies by integrating eco-friendly and safe technology designs like industrial byproducts, local and marginal materials, as well as other bioengineering solutions. According to the report, this infra project will set new standards in the development of safe motorable roads. Besides the selected stretches in the above-mentioned states will also help improve connectivity and promote economic development. The transport infrastructure’s ultimate objective is to provide seamless connectivity as well as reduce logistics costs. The ministry further stated that many investment programmes have been launched by the Modi government to strengthen and improve logistics performance. Moreover, the Green National Highways Corridors Project will support analytics to map the freight volume as well as movement pattern on the NH network, point out constraints, as well as offer innovative logistics solutions.

According to the ministry, the project will support the government with an in-depth analysis of issues related to gender in the transport sector. Also, the project will help in generating job opportunities for women by training women-led micro-enterprises as well as women collectives to implement green technologies in the corridors of national highways.

In India, the national highways carry nearly 40% of road traffic. However, many sections/stretches of these national highways have weak drainage structures, inadequate capacity and black spots prone to accidents. The infra project will construct new pavements, drainage facilities and bypasses; improve junctions; strengthen and widen existing structures; and introduce road safety features. According to the ministry, it is imperative that the investments in infrastructure are climate-resilient. To this effect, under the project, disaster risk assessment of about 5,000 km of the NH network will be undertaken as well. The loan from the IBRD, worth USD 500-million, has a maturity of 18.5 years including five years’ grace period. (Source: livemint)

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World Bank, Modi government sign USD 500-million pact to develop green, safe highway corridors.

Central govt plans three power gear production zones - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Central govt plans three power gear production zones.

• The states will be selected on the basis of parameters such as manufacturing incentives and the price of land and electricity offered by them

The government plans to set up three large manufacturing zones for power and clean energy equipment by offering companies incentives such as land and electricity at attractive prices, power and new and renewable energy minister Raj Kumar Singh said.

Building these zones is part of India’s campaign to encourage self-reliance and reduce dependence on Chinese power equipment. A list of equipment has been drawn up that the government wants to be manufactured in these zones—one each to be set up in a coastal state, a hill state and a land-locked state.

The Centre has been urging companies and states to procure materials, equipment and technologies from within India, particularly in the strategic power sector, and for which India has sufficient domestic capacity.

“Any danger or threat to the power supply system can have catastrophic effects and has the potential to cripple the country. Therefore, power is a strategic and critical sector," the power ministry said in a July order.

These zones will have a minimum land area of 300 acres each and will be set up through a competitive challenge among states.

The states will be selected on the basis of parameters such as manufacturing incentives and the price of land and electricity offered by them. The Centre will set up common facilities requiring an investment of ₹500 crore each for these zones that are in addition to the government’s production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme.

The move to set up dedicated manufacturing zones is primarily aimed at curbing the use of Chinese-made equipment and attracting firms across power generation, distribution and transmission —both in conventional and green energy spaces.

India imported $2.16 billion worth of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells, panels and modules in 2018-19. And of the ₹71,000 crore of power equipment imports in 2018-19 in the conventional power space, Chinese equipment accounted for nearly one-third or around ₹20,000 crore. The Centre is looking at enabling manufacturing all power sector equipment in India over the next three years.

Data from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics shows that power sector equipment such as transmission line towers, conductors, industrial electronics, capacitors, transformers, cables and insulators and fittings are being imported, although they are all made in India. “The imports are sizeable. There is also a lot of electrical equipment imports," Singh said.

Once a state gets such a manufacturing zone, it will form a special purpose vehicle (SPV). Incentives offered by the states and other benefits such as adequate water supply and road and rail network accessibility in these zones will help cut production costs for firms that move in.

“We have made three groups of states; so, we will set up three manufacturing zones. And these zones will be set up on the basis of fair, transparent and open competition between the states," Singh said and added, “So, whosoever gets the maximum marks, the manufacturing zone shall be located there."

The power ministry is also working on operationalizing a list of approved manufacturers for government-supported schemes, including projects from where electricity distribution companies procure electricity for supply to their consumers. A similar approved list of modules and manufacturers exists for the clean energy sector. (Source: Livemint)

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Central govt plans three power gear production zones.

Navy's indigenous advanced frigate 'Himgiri' makes first contact with water - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Navy's indigenous advanced frigate 'Himgiri' makes first contact with water.

'Himgiri', the first of the three Project 17A ships being built at Kolkata's Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), made her first contact with the waters of Hoogly River on Monday.

Project 17A has upheld India's vision for Atmanirbhar Bharat. P17A ships have been indigenously designed by Directorate of Naval Design (Surface Ship Design Group) - DND (SSG), and are being built at indigenous yards namely Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and GRSE.

General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was the chief guest at the ceremony. In keeping with Naval traditions Smt Madhulika Rawat, spouse of CDS, launched the ship to the chanting of invocations from the Atharva Veda. The ship has taken its name and crest of the second Frigate of the Leander Class of ships, which incidentally was launched 50 years ago in 1970.

"Under the Project 17A programme, a total of seven ships, four at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and three ships at GRSE are being built with enhanced stealth features, advanced indigenous weapon and sensor fit along with several other improvements. The launch of 'Himgiri' has showcased GRSE's commitment towards the building of three state-of-the-art warships of P17A for Indian Navy," said a press communique issued by ministry of defence (Eastern Command).

Over the years, GRSE has emerged as a leading shipyard having built over 100 ships. The yard has scaled up its infrastructure and skill sets to meet new challenges in building of P17A ships. P17A ships are the first gas turbine propulsion and largest combat platforms ever built at GRSE.

According to MoD spokesperson, naval shipbuilding provides a great opportunity to energise India's economy post Covid-19 situation. Project 17A ships are sourcing 80 per cent of the material and equipment required for the project from indigenous vendors and with employment generation for over 2000 Indian firms and MSMEs within the country.

"Modular construction of the ship through outsourcing, and integrated construction methodology are being used to enhance GRSE's productivity for delivery of ship targeted in August 2023," a statement said.

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Navy's indigenous advanced frigate 'Himgiri' makes first contact with water.

5th National Family Health Survey for 17 states, 5 UTs - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

5th National Family Health Survey for 17 states, 5 UTs.

A health ministry release said that this is a globally important data source as it is comparable to Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) Programme of 90 other countries on several key indicators and can be used for cross country comparisons and development indices.

Health minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday released the 5th National Family Health Survey (NFHS) which contains detailed information on population, health and nutrition for India and its states and union territories.

A health ministry release said that this is a globally important data source as it is comparable to Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) Programme of 90 other countries on several key indicators and can be used for cross country comparisons and development indices.

The present NFHS is being conducted on 6.1 lakh sample households, involving household level interviews to collect information on population, health, family planning and nutrition-related indicators.

The results of 17 States and 5 UTs (Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal, Mizoram, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu) have been released Phase-I.

Phase II covering the remaining 12 States and 2 UTs had their fieldwork suspended due to Covid-19, which has been resumed from November and is expected to be completed by May 2021.

Substantial improvement in maternal and child health indicators over NFHS-4 (2015-16) was recorded in the present survey, the release said.

It said the fertility rate has further declined, contraceptive use has increased and unmet need has been reduced in most phase I states.

The survey found considerable improvement in vaccination coverage among children age 12-23 months across all states and UTs.

Women’s empowerment indicators (including women with bank account) also portray considerable progress, the release said.

The minister also chaired an event to mark Universal Health Coverage Day.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that Covid-19 has greatly magnified the need for building resilient health care systems and ensuring their indiscriminate, equitable access to all.

“We must do away with the status quo that got us here and settle for nothing less than strong health systems that protect everyone -- now and in the future. It has been my long-standing belief that India has the ability to deliver to the world, a robust model for providing universal health coverage,” he said.

Lauding the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his conception and implementation of Ayushman Bharat, the minister said that the programme launched in 2018 has completely revolutionized primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare system in the country, with a strong focus on preventive healthcare.

The minister noted that through the two wings of Ayushman Bharat, the Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (PMJAY), the government has been making quality healthcare affordable and accessible for crores of people in the country.

“We have made remarkable progress in operationalizing Ayushman Bharat - Health and Wellness Centers and crossed a major landmark in our journey. With 51,500 centres now functional, more than one-thirds of the target has been met. This has led to improved access to affordable primary healthcare services for more than 25 crore people,” he said.

The minister said that the government’s aim to establish 1.5 lakh such centres by December 2022. “This also includes 12,500 AYUSH Health and Wellness Centers being set up by Ministry of AYUSH.”

The Union health minister noted that more than 1.45 crore cashless treatments have been provided to the poorest citizens under AB-PMJAY and said the programme was a huge source of support and security for millions of families reeling under the stress of serious illness.

The minister also launched some resourceful apps and guidelines for implementing and monitoring various health programmes.

This includes SDG-3 Health Dashboard would enable policymakers and programme implementers to identify key priorities areas that require action and in framing future action plan for achieving Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

He also released a compendium of Health and Wellness Centers Operationalization which provides an overview of the progress and achievement over the last two years in operationalizing Health and Wellness Centers across the country under the Ayushman Bharat program.

The minister lauded primary health care workers who have been at the forefront of the battle against Covid-19 for rising to the unprecedented challenge and for continuing to serve the society selflessly.

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5th National Family Health Survey for 17 states, 5 UTs.

Declare exotic pets, avoid prosecution: how one-time scheme works - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

N.K. Singh calls for a fresh look at the Seventh Schedule.

Cites States’ desire for dialogue forum.

Fifteenth Finance Commission chairman N.K. Singh has called for a fresh look at the Constitution’s Seventh Schedule, which forms the basis for allocating subjects to the Centre and States, and hinted at the need to fill an ‘institutional vacuum’ created by the abolition of the Planning Commission.

Mr. Singh also stressed that a co-ordination mechanism between the Finance Commission and the GST Council had now become an ‘inescapable necessity’ as both were constitutional bodies dealing with revenue and grappling with ‘unsettled questions’.

“The symmetry in the working of the GST Council and the Finance Commission deserves serious consideration,” Mr. Singh said at FICCI’s annual general meeting on Friday.

“The Finance Commissions look at projections of expenditure and revenue, but issues of GST rates exemptions, changes, and implementation of the indirect taxes are entirely within the domain of the GST Council. This leads to unsettled questions on the ways to monitor, scrutinise and optimise revenue outcomes,” Mr. Singh noted.

A month after the Commission submitted its report to the government, following extended consultations with States, Mr. Singh said States were keen to have a different kind of ‘a policy-based consultative forum’ with the Centre beyond the Niti Aayog and the National Development Council.

“With the abolition of the Planning Commission, many economists and policy makers have argued about an institutional vacuum. We need to give serious consideration for a consultative forum for credible policy dialogue between the Centre and the States,” he said.

Rebuilding Trust

Urging a review of both the Seventh Schedule and Article 282 of the Constitution so as to give more flexibility to States in implementing centrally sponsored schemes, Mr. Singh said these issues needed urgent consideration to reinforce trust in fiscal federalism.

“Many have argued that the trust between various forms of government is waning. Are there new seeds of suspicion and mistrust? Are the existing arrangements governing Centre-State relations — legislative, executive and financial — envisaged in the Constitution adequate to meet the aspirations of Indian society?” he asked.

Mr. Singh also seemed to back the idea of linking the grant of fiscal headroom to States meeting specific reform outcomes, a term of reference for the Commission.

“The Union government recently allowed additional 2% borrowing for States in July based on universalisation of ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’, ease of doing business, power distribution and urban local body revenues. Performance and outcome-based flexibility for States undertaking market borrowing adds flexibility. A fiscal range than a fiscal point based on expenditure outcomes may be the need of the hour,” he said. (Source: The Hindu)

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N.K. Singh calls for a fresh look at the Seventh Schedule.

Declare exotic pets, avoid prosecution: how one-time scheme works - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Declare exotic pets, avoid prosecution: how one-time scheme works.

The government has come out with an advisory on a one-time voluntary disclosure scheme that allows owners of exotic live species that have been acquired illegally, or without documents, to declare their stock to the government. Here's how it works

On November 22, the Supreme Court upheld an Allahabad High Court order granting immunity from investigation and prosecution if one declared illegal acquisition or possession of exotic wildlife species between June and December. This was under a new amnesty scheme announced by the Centre. The High Court had said that whoever declares the stock of exotic species and submits to registration under the amnesty scheme, “shall have immunity from any inquiry into the source of licit acquisition or possession of the voluntarily declared stock of exotic species”.

What is the government’s voluntary disclosure scheme?

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has come out with an advisory on a one-time voluntary disclosure scheme that allows owners of exotic live species that have been acquired illegally, or without documents, to declare their stock to the government between June and December 2020. With this scheme, the government aims to address the challenge of zoonotic diseases, develop an inventory of exotic live species for better compliance under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and regulate their import. In its current form, however, the amnesty scheme is just an advisory, not a law.

What kind of exotic wildlife are covered?

The advisory has defined exotic live species as animals named under the Appendices I, II and III of the CITES. It does not include species from the Schedules of the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972. So, a plain reading of the advisory excludes exotic birds from the amnesty scheme.

CITES is an international agreement between governments to ensure that international trade in wild animals, birds and plants does not endanger them. India is a member. Appendices I, II and III of CITES list 5,950 species as protected against over-exploitation through international trade. Many of these animals, such as iguanas, lemurs, civets, albino monkeys, coral snakes, tortoises, are popular as exotic pets in India.

What is the process for disclosure under the scheme?

The disclosure has to be done online through MoEFCC’s Parivesh portal. The owner of the animal(s) will have to declare the stock as on January 1, 2020 to the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) of the concerned state or Union Territory. This will be followed by a physical verification of the animals. The CWLW will have to issue an online certificate of possession of exotic live species within six months of the date of the voluntary disclosure. After the registration, it is mandatory for the owner to allow the CWLW with free access to the exotic species declared on any day for verification.

Apart from this, the CWLW has to be informed about any new acquisition, death or change in possession of the animals within 30 days. The scheme has also specified guidelines for surrender of such animals to a recognised zoo. The owner will also have to provide the details of the species acquired, their numbers, and the address of the facility where they are housed.

How big a problem is illegal trade of exotic animals in India?

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), which enforces anti-smuggling laws, says India has emerged as a big demand centre for exotic birds and animals with an increase in smuggling of endangered species from different parts of the world. Most of this exotic wildlife is imported through Illegal channels and then sold in the domestic market as pets.

“The long international border and air routes are used to source consignments from Bangkok, Malaysia and other top tourist destinations in South East Asia, as well as from Europe from where they are sent to Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Cochin,” said the DRI in its 2019-2020 annual report. In the last one year, the DRI has seized black-and-white ruffed lemur endemic to Madagascar, the endangered hoolock gibbon and palm civet, albino monkeys, crocodiles, pygmy falcons, kookaburras, scarlet macaws, aracaris among several others, the annual report said. (Source: The Indian Express)

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Declare exotic pets, avoid prosecution: how one-time scheme works.

ISRO to launch Cartosat-3, 13 commercial nano satellites on Nov 25-Pragnya Ias Academy-News Analysis

ISRO to launch Cartosat-3, 13 commercial nano satellites on Nov 25.

The Cartosat-3 is a "third generation agile advanced satellite" having high resolution imaging capability, it said, adding that the satellite would be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degree

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) would launch its earth imaging and mapping satellite Cartosat-3 along with 13 commercial nano satellites from the US, on November 25, the space agency said.
The satellites would be launched by India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C47into Sun Synchronous Orbit from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
The launch is tentatively scheduled at 09:28 hrs IST on November 25, 2019 subject to weather conditions, ISRO said.
The Cartosat-3 is a "third generation agile advanced satellite" having high resolution imaging capability, it said, adding that the satellite would be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degree.
PSLV-C47 is the 21st flight of PSLV in 'XL' configuration (with 6 solid strap-on motors).
PSLV-C47 would also carry 13 commercial nano satellites from United States of America as part of commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), Department of Space.
ISRO has said, this would be the 74th launch vehicle mission from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota. (Source:ndtv)


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ISRO to launch Cartosat-3, 13 commercial nano satellites on Nov 25.