Malnutrition and covid 19
Malnutrition and covid 19 A robust and diverse food supply is an essential part of the health and nutrition response to COVID-19. WHO, together with partners, is providing nutrition and food safety guidance and advice during the COVID-19 pandemic for governments, food businesses, health workers, and the general public, to maintain good health and prevent malnutrition in all its forms. Women, infants, children, and adolescents are at particular risk of malnutrition. Optimizing nutrition early in life—including the 1000 days from conception to a child’s second birthday—ensures the best possible start in life, with long-term benefits. Key facts Malnutrition, in all its forms, includes undernutrition (wasting, stunting, underweight), inadequate vitamins or minerals, overweight, obesity, and resulting diet-related non-communicable diseases. 1.9 billion adults are overweight or obese, while 462 million are underweight. 47 million children under 5 years of age are wasted, 14.3 million are severely wasted and 144 million are stunted, while 38.3 million are overweight or obese. Around 45% of deaths among children under 5 years of age are linked to undernutrition. These mostly occur in low- and middle-income countries. At the same time, in these same countries, rates of childhood overweight and obesity are rising. The developmental, economic, social, and medical impacts of the global burden of malnutrition are serious and lasting, for individuals and their families, for communities and for countries. Causes of Malnutrition: Inadequate Dietary Intake The state of the World’s Children Report 2019 by UNICEF reckons that 69 percent of deaths among children under five years of age can be attributed to malnutrition in India Food & nutrition insecurity Inequity Less food and less nutritious food. Covid 19 and Malnutrition: The nationwide lockdown has disrupted access to essential services. The mid-day meal program, which served as the primary source of supplementary nutrition for millions of school-going children in India suffered, had to be put on hold as schools were closed and states have imposed restrictions on the congregation of more than five persons. Malnutrition and India: As per the report of the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) conducted by UNICEF during 2016-18, the prevalence of severe acute malnutrition among children is 4.9%, which indicates further reduction when compared to the levels reported by NFHS-4 as 7.4%. As per the report of NFHS-4 conducted in 2015-16, 38.4% of children under 5 years of age are stunted indicating a reduction and information from the previous NFHS – 3 conducted in 2005-06, which reported 48% children under 5 years of age as stunted and hence there is an improvement from the previous status. As per the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) conducted by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the rate of stunting among children has further reduced to 34.7%. Global Hunger Index-2019: India ranks 102 out of 117 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2019 Global Nutrition Report-2020: As per the Global Nutrition Report 2020, India is among 88 countries that are likely to miss global nutrition targets by 2025. FAO estimates: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 194.4 million people in India (about 14.5% of the total population) are undernourished. Government Initiatives: POSHAN Abhiyaan. PradhanMantriMatruVandanaYojana Anganwadi Services Scheme for Adolescent Girls under the Umbrella Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS) We need to develop long-term sustainable strategies to address the challenges facing the health and agri-food sectors. Priority should be given to addressing underlying food security and malnutrition challenges. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey.Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. contact us
Contempt of Court
Contempt of Court Contempt of Court refers to the offense of showing disrespect to the dignity or authority of a court. The objective for contempt is stated to be to safeguard the interests of the public if the authority of the Court is denigrated and public confidence in the administration of justice is weakened or eroded. The Supreme Court and High Courts derive their contempt powers from the Constitution. Read Virtual court The Constitution also includes contempt of court as a reasonable restriction to the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19, along with elements like public order and defamation. Separately, Article 129 of the Constitution conferred on the Supreme Court the power to punish contempt of itself. Article 215 conferred a corresponding power on the High Courts. The Contempt of Court Act, 1971, outlines the procedure in relation to investigation and punishment for contempt. The Act divides contempt into civil and criminal contempt. Civil contempt refers to the willful disobedience of an order of any court. Criminal contempt includes any act or publication which: Scandalises the court, Prejudices any judicial proceeding Interferes with the administration of justice in any other manner. ‘Scandalising the Court’ broadly refers to statements or publications which have the effect of undermining public confidence in the judiciary. The punishment for contempt of court is simple imprisonment for a term up to six months and/or a fine of up to ₹. 2,000. There was an impression that the judiciary tended to hide any misconduct among its individual members in the name of protecting the image of the institution. The Act was amended in 2006 to introduce truth as a valid defense if it was in the public interest and was invoked in a bonafide. Read India Russia Relations Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey.Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. contact us
The Plight of Slums
The Plight of Slums Eighty lakh children grow in India’s urban slums, and live a life of poverty, amid squalor and harsh living conditions. The slums and other informal settlements where about 49% of its population resides. This population, accounting for around 46 lakh people, lives in slums that occupy barely 7.5% of the city’s area according to Slum Rehabilitation Authority’s city survey data. Slum: A large part of the country’s population lives in slums. Some slums are legally exiting, whereas the majority ones are illegally thriving in large pockets of the country. The magnitude of the problem can be gauged from the fact that nearly 3.5 crores of citizens of India live in slums and on pavements of metropolitan cities. one citizen out of every twenty five citizens is so afllicted. The slum dwellers are often denied electricity and sanitary facilities on the ground that their occupation is unauthorized. And quite often their huts are razed to the ground and they are evicted by the local authorities without offering them any alternative facility.The plight of these unfortunate evictees comprising women and children is indescribable. The condition of slum dwellers in all parts of the country faces similar apathy and situations, which is not too different from one another. 50-80% of employment is informal in developing cities, from street vendors to minibus drivers to migrant workers. More than 1 billion people live in slums and informal settlements globally. Between 152-216 million (17.4% of urban households) people in India live in dense informal housing, or slums. Highly populated urban residential areas consisting mostly of closely packed, decrepit housing units in a situation of deteriorated or incomplete infrastructure, inhabited primarily by impoverished persons. In Mumbai,While more than 70% of slum dwellers queued up for water delivered by tanker trucks every few days, the amount of water these households could access was far below the World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommendation of 50 liters per day in non-emergency situations World Resources Institute (WRI)’s World Resources Report documented how one slum in Bangalore is 12 times denser than the city average, housing 140,000 people per square kilometer. Dharavi: One of Asia’s largest slums was a Covid-19 hotspot a few weeks ago but has under 100 active cases currently. While the number of infections seems to be in control at the moment the risk of spread continues to remain high within these neighborhoods where unusually high population densities – up to 350 families per hectare against the city average of 38 as per the 2011 Census. Poor drinking water and sanitation facilities mean that social distancing is virtually impossible. Government initiatives: “Smart Cities Mission of 2015 proposed an investment allocation of Rs. 2,039 billion to convert 99 Indian cities into smart cities. Tamil Nadu Housing and Habitat Development Project to support innovations in housing finance and strengthen housing sector institutions in the state. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban. PURA Initiative Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM) Affordable Housing( ‘jahan jhuggi, waha makan’ ) It is important to understand that the vision of a slum-free city needs to be viewed through the lens of inclusive development. Elimination and clearance of slums has to be substituted for up-gradation of living conditions, provision of access to basic services, and participation of the current slum dwellers in policy conception. Read Also Redactive Pricing Audit Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey.Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. contact us
Natural Gas Marketing Reforms
Natural Gas Marketing Reforms The government brought a series of reforms in Gas sector and as a result investment of more than Rs. 70,000 crore is being made in the East coast. To increase the share of gas in the energy mix from the current 6% to about 15% by 2030, India has bolstered its efforts in making the environment favorable to ensure such an increase. Gas production from East coast will contribute to Atmanirbhar Bharat by meeting the increasing energy needs of the country. Natural Gas: Natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuels among the available fossil fuels It is used as a feedstock in the manufacture of fertilizers, plastics, and other commercially important organic chemicals as well as used as a fuel for electricity generation, heating purposes in industrial and commercial units. It is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, but commonly including varying amounts of other higher alkanes, and sometimes a small percentage of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, or helium. Natural gas is also used for cooking in domestic households and a transportation fuel for vehicles. It is a potent greenhouse gas itself when released into the atmosphere, and creates carbon dioxide during oxidation. (Natural Gas Chain (India)) Objective of Natural Gas Marketing Reforms policy: To prescribe the standard procedure to discover the market price of gas to be sold in the market by gas producers, through a transparent and competitive process. Permit Affiliates to participate in the bidding process for the sale of gas and allow marketing freedom to certain Field Development Plans (FDPs) where Production Sharing Contracts already provide pricing freedom. Significance: The policy permitted Affiliate companies to participate in the bidding process in view of the open, transparent, and electronic bidding. This will facilitate and promote more competition in the marketing of gas. However, rebidding will have to be done in case only affiliates participate, and there are no other bidders. The policy will also grant marketing freedom to the Field Development Plans (FDPs) of those Blocks in which Production Sharing Contracts already provide pricing freedom. These reforms in the gas sector will further deepen and spur economic activities in the following areas: The whole eco-system of policies relating to production, infrastructure and marketing of natural gas has been made more transparent with a focus on ease of doing business. These reforms will prove very significant for Atmanirbhar Bharat by encouraging investments in the domestic production of natural gas and reducing import dependence. These reforms will prove to be another milestone in moving towards a gas-based economy by encouraging investments. The increased gas production-consumption will help in the improvement of the environment. These reforms will also help in creating employment opportunities in the gas-consuming sectors including MSMEs. The domestic production will further help in increasing investment in the downstream industries such as City Gas Distribution and related industries. (Region wise gas-based power generation capacity) Increasing domestic gas production has been a key government priority. Further, the plan to achieve ‘One Nation One Gas Grid’ will shift Indian economy towards a gas-based economy. A liquid and well-functioning domestic gas market, as also suggested by the International Energy Agency (IEA), would be a strong pillar for building gas economy in India. Natural Gas Marketing Reforms (Infrastructure addition linked to ICF’s NGG proposal and CBM Blocks) Challenges: Differential Pricing Public Sector Domination Nascent Gas Sector Way Forward: The Government has taken transformative reforms in the upstream sector with a view to making investment easier focusing on ease of doing business. The Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) which is an investor-driven acreage auction process, has increased substantial acreages in the country. Boosting Infrastructure Freeing Gas Markets Deregulation of Pricing Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Global Commons at Threats
Global Commons at Threats Global commons refer to shared resources that cannot be managed within national jurisdictions. The spread of zoonotic diseases like COVID-19; greenhouse gas emissions; biodiversity reduction; overfishing; and the accumulation of plastic waste are some of the problems within the scope of global commons. Global commons Global commons is a term typically used to describe international, supranational, and global resource domains in which common-pool resources are found. International law identifies four global commons as follows: The High Seas The Atmosphere Antarctica Outer Space Significance of Common: Globally India A third of the global population depends on ‘Commons’ for their survival; 65% of the global land area is under ‘Commons’, in different forms. The extent of ‘Common’ land ranges between 48.69 million and 84.2 million hectares, constituting 15-25% of its total geographical area. At least 293,061 million metric tonnes of carbon (MtC) are stored in the collective forestlands of indigenous peoples and local communities. They contribute $5 billion a year to the incomes of poor Indian households The significance of ‘Commons’ in supporting pollination (the cost estimated to be worth $224 billion annually at global levels) cannot be overlooked. Around 77% of India’s livestock is kept in grazing-based or extensive systems and dependent on ‘Commons’ pool resources. 53% of India’s milk and 74% of its meat requirements are met from livestock kept in extensive ‘Common’ systems. Global Commons Alliance: The Earth Commission — A select team of scientists to synthesize the latest research, anticipate tipping points and assess the limits of the entire Earth system. Read the press release: Earth Commission to Identify Risks, Guardrails, and Targets for the Planet. Science-Based Targets Network – A group of international NGOs to turn the science into practical applications for companies and cities to set goals for operating within Earth’s limits. Systems Change – Building new partnerships to transform our food system, green our cities, decarbonize the global energy system, and move towards a circular economy. Earth HQ – A media portal for the planet, to connect people across the globe and share the big picture of how all Earth systems are performing and tracking progress towards solutions. Issues related to Global Commons: Multilateral Negotiations on Climate Change and other global commons over decades have had limited success According to a report by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), biodiversity has been mismanaged so badly that 60% of the lost resources can never be recouped. National Sample Survey Office data show a 1.9% quinquennial rate of decline in the area of ‘Common’ lands, though microstudies show a much more rapid decline of 31-55% over 50 years. (Carbon Emission Projections for India) Challenges: over-exploitation and rapid degradation The opposing and dominant world view of the ‘developmentalism’ is predicated on the value of built infrastructure and requires the constant colonization of open land and resources. Failures will be inevitable if we stimulate local-level experimentation, and higher-level authorities need to provide insurance for those cases. Way Forward: Governing global commons is the defining challenge for current and future generations. To manage our global commons, we need to facilitate and accommodate the self-governance of local commons, but provide safeguards at different levels to avoid exploitation and manage risks. At the local levels, initiatives and solutions could be developed that fit the local context. When expertise is not available, higher-level organizations could facilitate learning from peers in similar conditions. Failures will be inevitable if we stimulate local-level experimentation, and higher-level authorities need to provide insurance for those cases. Read Also Global Energy Transition Index Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey.Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. contact us
Pardoning power of the governor
Pardoning power of the governor The pardoning power of the Governor under Article 161. Power of Governor to grant pardons, etc., and to suspend, remit or commute sentences in certain cases. The Governor of a State shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offense against any law relating to a matter to which the executive power of the State extends. The Governor cannot Pardon a Death Sentence. (The President has the power of Pardon a death Sentence). Even if a state law prescribes the death sentence, the power to grant pardon lies with the President and not the governor. The power of the President to grant pardon extends in cases where the punishment or sentence is by a Court Martial but Article 161 does not provide any such power to the Governor. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Skewed Gender Ratio
Skewed Gender Ratio India’s problem of gender imbalance may be deepening, with virtually all corners of the country now affected by a skewed sex ratio at birth. Various Sex Ratio Report: ‘Status of Sex Ratio at Birth in India’ which mentioned that there has not been any change in the sex ratio at birth in India from 2001-2017–the number of girl children born is much less than what is the general or natural norm. It was brought out by the Indian Association of Parliamentarians for Population and Development (IAPPD). The report estimated that India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) was around 2.2 in the year 2018, which is close to the replacement rate of 2.1. This clearly marks the success of government measures to bring population control. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) State of World Population 2020 held that sex ratio at birth in India is lower than all the countries in the world except China. Reason for Skewed Gender Ratio: Son-Preference Social Practices Counter Effect of Rising in Income Gender Bias Issues Related to Lower Sex ratio at Birth: There are concerns that skewed sex ratios lead to more violence against both men and women, as well as human trafficking. Adverse ratio results in a gross imbalance in the number of men and women and its inevitable impact on marriage systems as well as other harms to women. In India, some villages in Haryana and Punjab have such poor sex ratios that men “import” brides from other States. Gender-imbalance Government Initiatives: Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) Drugs Technical Advisory Board Way Forward: Stringent Enforcement of Law Bringing Behavioural Change Sensitizing Youth Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join Now
Agriculture and Changing Climate
Agriculture and Changing Climate Climate change has created challenges for the agricultural sector – and will continue to do so. Climate change-induced increases in temperatures, rainfall variation and the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are adding to pressures on global agricultural and food systems. IPCC Report The Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5ºC was recently approved by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The report focuses on keeping warming to under 1.5°C as compared to pre-industrial times. The world has already warmed 1°C since pre-industrial times. Hence, limiting warming to 0.5°C from now means the world can keep the ecosystems much as it is now. Adding another 0.5°C on top of that essentially means a different and more challenging Earth for people and species. Action-Plan to tackle Adverse Impact of Global Warming on Food Crops: Global Warming associated with the increase in concentration of green house gases in the atmosphere is one of the reasons for the increase in extreme weather events. Due to global warming agriculture sector is likely to be affected and climate change is expected to impact yields of agriculture crops in a business as usual scenario. Simulation studies using integrated modelling framework showed that rainfed rice yields in India are projected to reduce marginally (<2.5%) in 2050 and 2080 scenarios while irrigated rice yields are projected to reduce by 7% in 2050 and 10% in 2080 scenarios Climate change is projected to reduce wheat yield by 6-25% towards the end of the century with significant spatio-temporal variations. Climate change in 2050 and 2080 scenarios is projected to reduce the kharif maize yields by 18 to 23%. Kharif groundnut yields are projected to be increased by 4-7% in 2050 scenarios where as in 2080 scenario the yield is likely to decline by 5%. Future climates are likely to benefit chickpea with increase in productivity (23-54%). Kharif groundnut yields are projected to be increased by 4-7% in 2050 scenarios where as in 2080 scenario the yield is likely to decline by 5%. Future climates are likely to benefit chickpea with increase in productivity (23-54%). National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) one of the missions under National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) aims to evolve and implement strategies to make Indian agriculture more resilient to the changing climate. National Food Security Mission (NFSM) programme is implemented in the identified districts across the country with the objective of increasing foodgrain production through area expansion and productivity enhancement, restoring soil fertility and productivity at individual farm level and enhancing farm level economy. ICAR has launched a flagship network project National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA). The NICRA aims at strategic research on adaptation and mitigation, demonstration of technologies on farmers’ fields and creating awareness among farmers and other stakeholders to minimize the impacts of global warming on agriculture. Under this project, large number of indigenous genetic resources and improved crop varieties of pulses (black gram, green gram, pigeonpea, chickpea) and cereals (rice and wheat) are screened for major abiotic stresses like drought and heat to identify superior cultivars for large scale adoption in farmer’s fields genetic materials for cultivation at farmers field. In the process number of genetic materials including improved varieties were identified, some of which are already in the farmer’s fields. Besides, location specific NRM technologies are being demonstrated under Technology Demonstration Component of NICRA in 151 climatically vulnerable districts to achieve climate resilient agriculture. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA): i) Area under organic farming, ii) Production of Bio-fertilizers, iii) Precision Irrigation, iv) SRI/ Direct Seeded Rice from Transplantation, v) Crop diversification, vi) Additional Area under plantation in Arable land, vii) Climate Resilient Varieties (CRV) Identified/ Released, viii a) Identification of genotypes of crops with enhanced CO2 fixation potential and less water consumption & Nutrients, viii b) Climate Resilient genotypes with greater adaptation to drought, flood, salinity and high temperature, ix) Coverage of milch animals under ration balancing programme and x) Establishment of bypass protein feed making unit. Climate change challenges: Negatively affect both crop and livestock production systems in most regions Resource problems Water scarcity Pollution Soil degradation Important developments are: India celebrated 2018 as the national year of millets. Moreover, India’s proposal to observe an International Year of Millets in 2023 has been approved by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). ICRISAT which conducts research on six highly nutritious drought-tolerant crops, recently discovered important factors for heat and drought tolerance in chickpea. Government Innitiatives: Soil Health Card Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER). Rainfed Area Development (RAD) National Bamboo Mission (NBM) and Sub-mission on Agro Forestry (SMAF). Prime Minister Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Security in Gig Economy
Security in Gig Economy A gig economy is a free market system in which temporary positions are common and organizations contract with independent workers for short-term engagements. It is also called as “flex economy” or “mobile economy,” Workers perform “gigs,” in which they are employed for a specific task or time. This is done to achieve advantage of cost, quality, and flexibility. Once the task is complete, the worker is free to move on. Global Gig Economy Index report has ranked India among the top 10 countries. The report says there has been an increase in freelancers in India from 11% in 2018 to 52% in 2019, thanks to various initiatives including Startup India and Skill India. Significance of Gig Economy Augmenting Social Services Providing Employment In Urban Areas Enabling Jobs For All Scenario Factors aiding the rise of the gig economy: Seasonal increase in demand of the workers Technology Cost Factor Need for Protection of Platform Workers: International Experience Vulnerability of Debt Trap Arbitrary Action Platform delivery people can claim benefits, but not labour rights(eg:swiggy) New version of labour code : The three new labour codes passed by Parliament recently acknowledge platform and gig workers as new occupational categories in the making Defining gig workers is done in a bid to keep India’s young workforce secure as it embraces ‘new kinds of work’, like delivery, in the digital economy. In the Code on Social Security, 2020, platform workers are now eligible for benefits like maternity benefits, life and disability cover, old age protection, provident fund, employment injury benefits, and so on. Issues in the Security Code: Eligibility does not mean that the benefits are guaranteed. No Fixed Responsibility Labour codes Way Forward: Concerted Efforts Joint Accountability Need For Clarity Offering some basic privacy training or resources Strengthen mobile device security processes and protocols to mitigate the risks associated with many external connections. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join Now
System of Cess In India
System of Cess In India The latest audit of the Union Government’s accounts tabled in Parliament has revealed that about 40% of all the cess collections in 2018-19 have been retained in the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI). Cess Cess is a tax levied for a specific purpose and ought to be used for the same only. A cess is usually imposed additionally when the state or the central government looks to raise funds for specific purposes. The government levies an education cess to generate additional revenue for funding primary, secondary, and higher education. Cess is not a permanent source of revenue for the government, and it is discontinued when the purpose of levying it is fulfilled. It can be levied on both indirect and direct taxes. The government can impose cess for purposes such as disaster relief, generating funds for cleaning rivers, etc. For example, after the Kerala floods in the year 2018, the state government imposed a 1% calamity cess on GST and became the first state to do it. Types of cess in India Education Cess: Education cess was introduced to finance and provide standard quality education to poor people. Health and education cess: Proposed in Budget 2018 by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to meet the education and health needs of rural and rural and Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. Swachh Bharat Cess: Introduced in 2015, a 0.5% Swachh Bharat cess was imposed to fund national campaigns for clearing the roads, streets and infrastructure of India. Krishi Kalyan Cess: This cess was aimed at developing the agricultural economy, and was collected at the rate of 0.5%. Infrastructure Cess: Announced in Union Budget 2016, this cess was charged on the production of vehicles. Issues Related to Cess The report by Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, submitted to the 15th finance panel, points out that the share of cesses and surcharges (a ‘tax on tax’) in gross tax revenue (GTR) increased from 7% and 2%, respectively, in 2012-13 to 11.9% and 6.4%, respectively in 2018-19. States have represented to the 15th Finance Commission that their share in gross tax revenues has fallen on account of the rising component of cesses and surcharges on which they have no rights as per the 80th Amendment to the Constitution, pertaining to Article 270. According to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), while 17 cesses and other levies were subsumed into the GST, 35 levies still remained in force. Tax and Cess Cess is different from taxes such as income tax, GST, and excise duty etc as it is charged over and above the existing taxes. While all taxes go to the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI), cess may initially go to the CFI but has to be used for the purpose for which it was collected. If the cess collected in a particular year goes unspent, it cannot be allocated for other purposes. The amount gets carried over to the next year and can only be used for the cause it was meant for. The central government does not need to share the cess with the state government either partially or in full, unlike some other taxes. The procedure for introducing cess is comparatively simpler than getting the provisions done for introducing taxes, which usually means a change in the law. Cess is also easier to modify and abolish. Way forward Absolute transparency is needed in the management of cess receipts so that Parliament and the people in order to avoid any subterfuge. Transparency and rationalism Abolition Imposition Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join Now
