India-Gulf Cooperation Council
India-Gulf Cooperation Council The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as a collective entity has tremendous significance for India. The Gulf constitutes the “immediate” neighbourhood of India separated only by the Arabian Sea. India, therefore, has a vital stake in the stability , security and economic well being of the Gulf. As a group, the GCC has been increasingly determining the economy, political and security policies of its member States. The GCC countries are moving ahead rapidly with their economic integration efforts. The GCC has emerged as a major trading partner of India. It has vast potential as India’s investment partner for the future. The GCC’s substantial oil and gas reserves are of utmost importance for India’s energy needs. The GCC countries are collectively host to a large Indian expatriate community. In short, the GCC offers tremendous potential for cooperation in trade, investment, energy, manpower, etc. Objectives: Coordination, integration and inter-connection between Member States in all fields. Strengthening ties between their peoples. Formulating similar regulations in various fields such as economy, finance, trade, customs, tourism, legislation, administration. Fostering scientific and technical progress in industry, mining, agriculture, water and animal resources. Establishing scientific research centres, setting up joint ventures, and encouraging cooperation of the private sector. Challenges: Indian Workers Want to Return to Arab Countries Cooperation Economic and Commercial Relations: India enjoys traditionally cordial relations and cooperation with the GCC. India’s old, historical ties with GCC States, coupled with increasing imports of oil and gas, growing trade and investment, and presence of approximately 6.5 million Indian workers in the region, are of vital interest to India. India’s economic linkage with the GCC have increased steadily, especially due to growth in oil imports. During 2015-16, India’s exports to GCC were US $ 41.71 billion. The bilateral two-way trade during the period was US$ 97.46 billion, registering a decline of about 27% over the previous year. India’s trade with GCC countries: Countries 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 Import Export Total Import Export Total Import Export Total KSA 36,403.65 12,218.96 48,622.61 28,107.56 11,162.55 39,270.11 20,314.81 6,395.76 26,710.57 UAE 29,019.82 30,520.42 59,540.24 26,139.91 33,028.08 59,167.99 19,424.88 30,321.07 49,745.95 Oman 2,951.18 2,812.27 5,763.45 1,752.24 2,379.44 4,131.68 1,673.00 2,191.09 3,864.09 Kuwait 17,153.55 1,061.14 18,214.69 13,381.97 1,198.89 14,580.86 4,967.81 1,246.37 6,214.18 Qatar 15,707.99 969.06 16,677.05 14,604.71 1,054.98 15,659.69 9,018.53 903.18 9,921.71 Bahrain 563.24 639.36 1,202.60 446.25 472.98 919.23 356.90 654.21 1,011.11 Total 101,799.43 48,221.21 150,020.64 84,432.64 49,296.92 133,729.56 55,755.93 41,711.68 97,467.61 Read Also Gaza Strip Strategic relations: India and GCC share the desire for political stability and security in the region. The common political and security concerns of India and GCC translate into efforts for peace, security and stability in the Gulf region and South Asia. The emerging common security perceptions create further opportunities for GCC-India cooperation in the future The GCC States are going through important changes and transformation; the process of understanding and integration is coming of age. Alongwith it the areas for cooperation are also widening beyond investments, trade & commerce and sharing & development of human resources to security. India-GCC Industrial Conference: The first GCC-India Industrial Conference was held in Mumbai in February 2004, the second was held in Muscat in March 2006, the third was held in Mumbai in May 2007 and the fourth was held at King Abdullah Economic City, Jeddah in November 2015. India- GCC FTA : India and GCC signed a Framework Agreement for enhancing and developing economic cooperation between the two sides in in New Delhi in August 2004. Two rounds of talks for finalizing aspects like tariff rules, rules of origin, etc have been held. The India-GCC FTA is under negotiation. Conclusion: Amid the more apprehensive and inward-looking world, trade wars between U.S and China, pandemic hit the pessimistic world, India and GCC have immense potential to create avenues of growth and stability. A strong layered economic partnership between the two parties would be beneficial for everyone. India-GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA) can provide a boost to the relations. India needs to safeguard its large economic, political and demographic stakes in the region 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
Ayushman Bharat PMJAY
Ayushman Bharat PMJAY Ayushman Bharat, a flagship scheme of Government of India, was launched as recommended by the National Health Policy 2017, to achieve the vision of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This initiative has been designed to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its underlining commitment, which is to “leave no one behind.” Ayushman Bharat is an attempt to move from sectoral and segmented approach of health service delivery to a comprehensive need-based health care service. This scheme aims to undertake path-breaking interventions to holistically address the healthcare system (covering prevention, promotion and ambulatory care) at the primary, secondary and tertiary level. Ayushman Bharat adopts a continuum of care approach, comprising of two inter-related components, which are – Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) 1. Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs) In February 2018, the Government of India announced the creation of 1,50,000 Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) by transforming the existing Sub Centres and Primary Health Centres. These centres are to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) bringing healthcare closer to the homes of people. They cover both, maternal and child health services and non-communicable diseases, including free essential drugs and diagnostic services. Health and Wellness Centers are envisaged to deliver an expanded range of services to address the primary health care needs of the entire population in their area, expanding access, universality and equity close to the community. The emphasis of health promotion and prevention is designed to bring focus on keeping people healthy by engaging and empowering individuals and communities to choose healthy behaviours and make changes that reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases and morbidities. 2. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) The second component under Ayushman Bharat is the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna or PM-JAY. Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is the largest health assurance scheme in the world which aims at providing a health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to over 10.74 crores poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) that form the bottom 40% of the Indian population. The households included are based on the deprivation and occupational criteria of Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011) for rural and urban areas respectively. PM-JAY was earlier known as the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) before being rechristened. It subsumed the then existing Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) which had been launched in 2008. The coverage mentioned under PM-JAY, therefore, also includes families that were covered in RSBY but are not present in the SECC 2011 database. PM-JAY is fully funded by the Government and cost of implementation is shared between the Central and State Governments. Read Also SVAMITVA Scheme Key Features of PM-JAY PM-JAY is the world’s largest health insurance/ assurance scheme fully financed by the government. It provides a cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization across public and private empanelled hospitals in India. Over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable entitled families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) are eligible for these benefits. PM-JAY provides cashless access to health care services for the beneficiary at the point of service, that is, the hospital. PM-JAY envisions to help mitigate catastrophic expenditure on medical treatment which pushes nearly 6 crore Indians into poverty each year. It covers up to 3 days of pre-hospitalization and 15 days post-hospitalization expenses such as diagnostics and medicines. There is no restriction on the family size, age or gender. All pre–existing conditions are covered from day one. Benefits of the scheme are portable across the country i.e. a beneficiary can visit any empanelled public or private hospital in India to avail cashless treatment. Services include approximately 1,393 procedures covering all the costs related to treatment, including but not limited to drugs, supplies, diagnostic services, physician’s fees, room charges, surgeon charges, OT and ICU charges etc. Public hospitals are reimbursed for the healthcare services at par with the private hospitals. Benefit Cover Under PM-JAY Benefit cover under various Government-funded health insurance schemes in India has always been structured on an upper ceiling limit ranging from an annual cover of INR30,000 to INR3,00,000 per family across various States which created a fragmented system. PM-JAY provides cashless cover of up to INR5,00,000 to each eligible family per annum for listed secondary and tertiary care conditions. The cover under the scheme includes all expenses incurred on the following components of the treatment. Medical examination, treatment and consultation Pre-hospitalization Medicine and medical consumables Non-intensive and intensive care services Diagnostic and laboratory investigations Medical implantation services (where necessary) Accommodation benefits Food services Complications arising during treatment Post-hospitalization follow-up care up to 15 days The benefits of INR 5,00,000 are on a family floater basis which means that it can be used by one or all members of the family. The RSBY had a family cap of five members. However, based on learnings from those schemes, PM-JAY has been designed in such a way that there is no cap on family size or age of members. In addition, pre-existing diseases are covered from the very first day. This means that any eligible person suffering from any medical condition before being covered by PM-JAY will now be able to get treatment for all those medical conditions as well under this scheme right from the day they are enrolled. 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
G20 Summit
G20 Summit The G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. It gathers the leaders of the largest economies of the world to discuss financial and socioeconomic issues. The Group of Twenty, or the G20, is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. The G20 brings together the leaders of both developed and developing countries from every continent. Collectively, G20 members represent around 80% of the world’s economic output, two-thirds of the global population and three-quarters of international trade. Throughout the year, representatives from G20 countries gather to discuss financial and socioeconomic issues. How does the G20 Work? The presidency of the G20 rotates between member countries every year. The presidency plays a leading role in setting the agenda and organizing the Leaders’ Summit, which is attended by the G20 Heads of State or Government. At the Summit, the leaders issued a declaration, or communiqué, based on policy discussions at meetings held throughout the year. In the run-up to the Summit, the presidency hosts several meetings featuring Ministers, senior government officials as well as civil society representatives. At the government level, the G20 work is organized around the Finance and Sherpa Tracks, while civil society assembles through Engagement Groups. The Finance Track: Meetings of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, as well as their Deputies, focus on fiscal and monetary policy issues such as the global economy, infrastructure, financial regulation, financial inclusion, international financial architecture, and international taxation. The Sherpa Track: Meetings of Ministers and relevant senior officials, which focus on socioeconomic issues such as agriculture, anti-corruption, climate, digital economy, education, employment, energy, environment, health, tourism, trade, and investment. Engagement Groups: Represent civil society and develop recommendations that are submitted to G20 Leaders for their consideration. Engagement Groups include the Business 20, Youth 20, Labour 20, Think 20, Civil 20, Women 20, Science 20, and Urban 20. Read Also Digital Services Tax G20 Participants The G20 members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union (EU). International Organizations: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations (UN), the World Bank Group (WBG), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). India’s Priorities in G20 Summits Checking tax evasion to fight corruption Choking terror funds Cutting the cost of remittances Market access for key drugs Reforms in the World Trade Organisation to improve its functioning “Full implementation” of the Paris Agreement India and the US discussed various bilateral and global issues including Iran, 5G communications networks, trade and defence ahead of the G-20 Summit. India targeted to become a five-trillion dollar economy in the next five years. Read India Sri Lanka Relations Challenges: Tackling ocean plastic waste To make development sustainable and all-inclusive. Instability and downfall in the global economy. Unilateralism and competitiveness are overshadowing the rule-based multilateral global trade systems. Terrorism is a major challenge. Way Forward Need for a more coordinated effort Need to redefine conversations on globalization. Life-cycle approach o. 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
One Health Approach
One Health Approach One Health is an approach to designing and implementing programs, policies, legislation, and research in which multiple sectors communicate and work together to achieve better public health outcomes. The areas of work in which a One Health approach is particularly relevant to include food safety, the control of zoonoses (diseases that can spread between animals and humans, such as flu, rabies, and Rift Valley Fever), and combatting antibiotic resistance (when bacteria change after being exposed to antibiotics and become more difficult to treat). Why do we need a One Health approach? Many of the same microbes infect animals and humans, as they share the eco-systems they live in. Efforts by just one sector cannot prevent or eliminate the problem. For instance, rabies in humans is effectively prevented only by targeting the animal source of the virus (for example, by vaccinating dogs). Information on influenza viruses circulating in animals is crucial to the selection of viruses for human vaccines for potential influenza pandemics. Drug-resistant microbes can be transmitted between animals and humans through direct contact between animals and humans or through contaminated food, so to effectively contain it, a well-coordinated approach in humans and in animals is required. Read Also Mission Olympic Cell Challenges: Planetary Environmental health may affect human and animal health through contamination, pollution and changing climate conditions that may lead to emergence of new infectious agents. Worldwide, nearly 75 percent of all emerging human infectious diseases in the past three decades originated in animals. The world population is projected to grow from 7 billion in 2011 to 9 billion by 2050. To provide adequate healthcare, food, and water for the growing global population, the health professions, and their related disciplines and institutions, must work together. Human-animal interactions/bonds can beneficially impact the health of both people and animals. Potential Outcomes from the One Health Approach More interdisciplinary programs in education, training, research, and established policy More information sharing related to disease detection, diagnosis, education and research More prevention of diseases, both infectious and chronic Development of new therapies and approaches to treatments Today’s health problems are frequently complex, transboundary, multifactorial, and across species, and if approached from a purely medical, veterinary, or ecological standpoint, it is unlikely that sustainable mitigation strategies will be produced. One Health approaches for an innovative and effective control of both infectious and multifactorial non-communicable diseases. 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
Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2020
Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2020 The Competition Law Review Committee (CLRC) was set up on October 1st, 2018 to review the Competition Act, 2002 (Act) and other incidental rules thereunder. The need for a robust framework due to the growth of newer and disruptive models of business, the CLRC released its report in July 2019. After incorporating certain reforms suggested by the CLRC, the draft Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (Bill) was released in February 2020 for public comments. The Bill contains certain groundbreaking amendments which could completely revamp the competition regime in India. With this background, this article aims to analyze the key changes suggested under the Bill and its impact on the stakeholders at large. The Act mandates that the CCI should comprise of one chairman and six members (all whole-time members). However, in practice, the government had restricted the strength of the CCI to only four members. In light of the same, the Bill proposes that the CCI must comprise of one chairman and six members. The Bill proposes to include an entity regardless of its legal form or status, also including units, divisions and subsidiaries under the purview of an ‘enterprise’. Such an amendment will bring all types of enterprises under CCI thereby making its regulatory mechanism more extensive. The Bill proposes to expand the definition of ‘relevant product market’ to comprise of all products or services wherein the production or supply are regarded as interchangeable or substitutable by a supplier. The Bill has plugged the loopholes which existed under the previous regime in order to establish a robust framework. However, Bill’s stance on the omission of the constitution of a separate NCLAT bench for adjudication of competition cases suggested by the CLRC must be reconsidered since it can reduce the burden of NCLAT. Read Also Justice Verma Committee (JVC) recommendation 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
Atal Tunnel
Atal Tunnel Atal Tunnel is the longest highway tunnel in the World. The 9.02 Km long tunnel connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley throughout the year. Earlier the valley was cut off for about 6 months each year owing to heavy snowfall. The Tunnel is built with ultra-modern specifications in the Pir Panjal range of Himalayas at an altitude of 3000 Mtrs (10,000 Feet) from the Mean Sea Level (MSL). Atal Tunnel – Significance: The tunnel reduces the road distance by 46 Kms between Manali and Leh and the time by about 4 to 5 hours. The 9.02 Km long tunnel connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley throughout the year. Earlier the valley was cut off for about 6 months each year owing to heavy snowfall. The Tunnel is built with ultra-modern specifications in the Pir Panjal range of Himalayas at an altitude of 3000 Mtrs (10,000 Feet) from the Mean Sea Level (MSL). It has state of the art electromechanical systems including semi transverse ventilation, SCADA controlled fire fighting, illumination and monitoring systems. The Tunnel has ample safety features built into it. The South Portal (SP) of Atal Tunnel is located at a distance of 25 Km from Manali at an altitude of 3060 Mtrs, while the North Portal (NP) of the tunnel is located near village Telling, Sissu, in Lahaul Valley at an altitude of 3071 Mtrs. It is horseshoe-shaped, single tube double lane tunnel with a roadway of 8 Mtrs. It has an overhead clearance of 5.525 Mtrs. It is 10.5-meter wide and has a 3.6 x 2.25 Mtrs fireproof emergency egress tunnel built into the main tunnel itself. Atal Tunnel has been designed for a traffic density of 3000 cars per day and 1500 trucks per day with max speed of 80 km/hr. It has a state of the art electromechanical system including semi transverse ventilation system, SCADA controlled firefighting, illumination and monitoring system. key safety features: (a) Tunnel entry barriers at both portals. (b) Telephone connections at every 150 Mtrs for emergency communication. (c) Fire hydrant mechanisms at every 60 Mtrs. (d) Auto incident detection system with CCTV cameras at every 250 Mtrs. (e) Air quality monitoring at every 1 Km. (f) Evacuation lighting / exit signs at every 25 Mtrs. (g) Broadcasting system throughout the tunnel. (h) Fire-rated Dampers at every 50 Mtrs. (i) Cameras at every 60 Mtrs. The historic decision to construct a strategic tunnel below the Rohtang Pass was taken on June 03, 2000, when late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister. The foundation stone for the Access Road to the South Portal of the tunnel was laid on May 26, 2002. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) worked relentlessly to overcome major geological, terrain, and weather challenges that included the most difficult stretch of the 587-meter Seri Nalah Fault Zone. The breakthrough from both ends was achieved on October 15, 2017. The Union Cabinet met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 24th December 2019 and decided to name the Rohtang Tunnel as Atal Tunnel to honor the contribution made by the former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Read Also NIRVIK scheme 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
Lok Virasat
Lok Virasat An online festival of films on folk Art and Paintings Lok Virasat will begin with Bastar – Rhythm of Progress (15 Mins / 1975 / Chandrashekhar Nair), a film depicting the life of tribals and their folk art which are increasingly getting the urban patronage. The other films being streamed include The Kingdom of God (69 Mins / 1987 / Ranbir Roy), on the great Indian heritage of art and culture with focus on various folk art traditions. Bhavai – Fading Memories (38 Mins /2008 / V Packrirsamy), a film on Bhavai – a folk art of Gujarat. Naman – Khele (26 Mins / 2012 / Ashok Rane), a film on the ancient folk art performed in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. Sahi Jata, The Fusion Cult (27 Mins / 2012 / Satyendra Mohanty), a film on the unique fusion of muscle and music in the form of folk art on the back-drop of the ancient Orissa town of Puri. Therukoothu : Dancing For Life (35 Mins / 2016 / Jimmy Luke), a film depicting the age old Tamil folk art. Echoes of the Past (52 Mins / 2016 / Merajur Rahman Baruah), exploring the unique folk art form of Behrupiyas from historical perspective extending to the contemporary state. Folk Paintings of Orissa (9 Mins / 1976 / Bani Doota), a film on the varied and rich folk paintings of Orissa and the dedicated work of folk painters and Kalighat Paintings (16 Mins / 1981 / Punendu Pattrea), presenting a brief history of the unique Kalighat paintings. Warli Paintings (17 Mins / 1985 / V.K.Wankhede), a film about the traditional art evolved by the Warli tribals living in the Thane District in Maharashtra. Madhubani Paintings (14 Mins / 1971 / Debabrata Roy), a film on the famous painting of Madhubani. Patachitra (17 Mins / 1980 / Purnendu Pattrea), a film on the art of scroll painting practiced by village folks across India. Pichwai (26 Mins / 2012 / Pankaj Rishi Kumar), a film that traces the origin of Nathdwara School of painting complete the festival package. Read Also One Nation, One Election 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
Khalistan Movement
Khalistan Movement The Khalistan movement is a Sikh separatist movement seeking to create a homeland for Sikhs by establishing a sovereign state, called Khalistān in the Punjab Region. Such a state existed in Punjab from 1709 to 1849. Objectives of Khalistan Movement: 1- To create independence state- Khalistan. 2- Self Home Rule. 3- Anti-Nationalism. Historical events responsible for Khalistan: 1947 Partition of India –Independence of India was not a joyful event for Sikhs, partition left Sikhs in a lot of discontentment with regard to their traditional lands being lost to Pakistan. The fight for a separate Sikh state owes its origins to the Punjabi Suba Movement. The Akali Dal – a Sikh-dominated political party – sought to create a separate Sikh Suba or Province. When the States Reorganization Commission, constituted to assess the demand for separate states by linguistic groups, made its recommendations, it rejected the Akali Dal’s demand. But after a series of violent protests, the Indira Gandhi government relented in 1966. The state was trifurcated into Punjabi-majority Punjab, Hindi-majority Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Some hilly regions of the state were merged into Himachal Pradesh. However, the Anadpur Sahib resolution reignited the passion of Sikhs and sowed the seeds of the Khalistan movement Causes: The Khalistan movement is a Sikh nationalist movement that wants to create an independent state for Sikh people, via armed struggle or political, inside the current North-Western Republic of India Such a state existed in Punjab from 1709 to 1849. The idea of Khalistan was an idea first created in 1940s, remained idle but was revived by an NRI seeking a separate homeland for Sikhs. In early 1980s, the movement had emerged as a major separatist movement, fed mostly by bias of Indian Government against Punjab in the case of Chandigarh and sharing of Ravi-Beas waters. There was intense political rivalry between Congress Party and the Akali Dal, Akali Dal was gradually gaining ground as the political representative of the Sikh community. Congress leadership of that time tried to divide the Akalis by propping up diverse groups of people within the Akali Dal. Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale led the Khalistan as an extremist movement, he was initially used by Congress to counter Akali Dal but later he was inspired by the Khalistan ideology and turned against Indian government. The movement was fed on arms under the patronage of Pakistan’s ISI who was seeking revenge for creation of Bangladesh. Bhindranwale emerged as the extremist voice of Sikhs, over-ruling the moderate voices of leaders declared himself as the protector and arbiter of Sikh rights and acquired arms. Demands for separate nation-hood for Punjab was carried out through violent protests and killings of high profile persons in Indian government. Read GS 2 Notes India and Its Neighbourhood Causes to fall Khalistan Movement : 1-Operation Blue Star one of the reason because Khalistan movement was headed by a terrorist group. 2-Diaspora of Sikhs community in India. 3-lack of support of the people as it was morally and ethically not viable. 4-.India saw Pakistan and US taking interest in the movement thus movement took an international colour which could compromise India’s territorial integrity. Indo-Canadian relationship: An Indian-origin businessman Jaspal Atwalwas involved in shooting Punjab Minister as part of the Khalistan movement was claimed to be in the Canadian delegation to India. He was formerly associated with the banned Sikh separatists outfit International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), Itseeks to establish a separate country for the Sikhs of India called Khalistan. India declared the ISYF as a terrorist outfit and banned it under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in 2001. The outfit is also banned in Canada, United Kingdom and USA, which have sizeable Sikh populations. The Canadian PMO clarified that Mr. Atwal was not part of official delegation to PM’s visit to India, nor was he invited by the Prime Minister’s Office. It also claimed that as is the case with international trips, individuals sometimes travel on their own to the location of the visit. The irrelevance of the Khalistan movement notwithstanding, agencies such as the Pakistan’s ISI have not stopped trying to foment violence, either directly by funding fringe sections or by linking them with terror groups in Kashmir. Even if the Khalistan movement has been interred, the threat of terror in Kashmir remains well and truly active. https://youtu.be/s5rmYGY4A80 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
Sea Sparkle
Sea Sparkle The bloom of Noctiluca Scintillans, commonly known as “sea sparkle” that the Karnataka coast has been witnessing since about a month, has displaced microscopic algae called diatoms, which form the basis of the marine food chain. This has deprived food for the planktivorous fish, scientists from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Mangaluru, have said. The bioluminescent Noctiluca Scintillans also brightened the sea water during night. The toxic blooms of N. Scintillans were linked to massive fish and marine invertebrate kills. Though the species does not produce a toxin, it was found to accumulate toxic levels of ammonia, which is then excreted into the surrounding waters, possibly acting as the killing agent in blooms. The ammonia makes N. Scintillans unpalatable for most creatures. Only jellyfish and salps were known to prey on it. N. Scintillans grazes on other micro-organisms such as larvae, fish eggs, and diatoms. But the unicellular phytoplankton that live inside it can photosynthesise, turning sunlight into energy. They help their host cell survive even when food was scarce. Thus, N. Scintillans acts as both a plant and an animal. Plankton bloom: Plankton bloom was reported when the density of plankton would be more than 1,00,000 cells per m3. Bioluminescence was the production and emission of light by a living organism and occurs due to a chemical reaction, involving a light-emitting molecule and an enzyme, called luciferin and luciferase. 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
One Nation, One Election
One Nation, One Election The Law Commission submitted a draft report to the government on August 30, 2018, endorsing the proposal. It even recommended changes to the Constitution and the electoral law so as to enable holding simultaneous polls. Simultaneous polls: Currently, elections to the state assemblies and the Lok Sabha are held separately — that is whenever the incumbent government’s five-year term ends or whenever it is dissolved due to various reasons. This applies to both the state legislatures and the Lok Sabha. The terms of Legislative Assemblies and the Lok Sabha may not synchronise with one another. For instance, Rajasthan faced elections in late 2018, whereas Tamil Nadu will go to elections only in 2021. The idea of “One Nation, One Election” envisages a system where elections to all states and the Lok Sabha will have to be held simultaneously. This will involve the restructuring of the Indian election cycle in a manner that elections to the states and the centre synchronise. This would mean that the voters will cast their vote for electing members of the LS and the state assemblies on a single day, at the same time (or in a phased manner as the case may be). What is the background? Post adoption of the Constitution, the elections to Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies were held simultaneously between 1951 till 1967 when the cycle of synchronized elections got disrupted. The first general elections to Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies were held together in 1951-52. That practice continued over three subsequent general elections held in the years- 1957, 1962 and 1967. However, due to the premature dissolution of some Legislative Assemblies in 1968 and 1969, the cycle got disrupted for the first time. In1970, Fourth Lok Sabha was itself dissolved prematurely and fresh elections held in 1971. Thus, First, Second and Third Lok Sabha enjoyed full five year terms. The term of Fifth Lok Sabha was extended till 1977 under Article 352. After that, the Eighth, Tenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Lok Sabha could complete their full five year terms. Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth Lok Sabha was dissolved prematurely. Various State Assemblies also faced similar issues over a period of time. As a result of all such premature dissolutions and extension, the cycle of simultaneous elections has been firmly disrupted The issue of simultaneous elections: Term of House of People and State Legislative Assemblies Premature dissolution of Lok Sabha or State Assemblies Responsibility for conduct of elections to Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies Frequent elections disrupt normal public life Frequent elections perpetuate caste, religion and communal issues across the country Frequent elections adversely impact the focus of governance and policy making Challenges: Operational feasibility / Do-ability Impact to voter behavior Having to face electorate more than once every 5 year enhances the accountability of politicians and keeps them on their toes and Many jobs are created during elections, boosting the economy at the grass-root levels”. One nation one election – advantages Simultaneous polls will reduce enormous costs involved in separate elections. The system will help ruling parties focus on governance instead of being constantly in election mode. Simultaneous polls will boost voter turnout, according to the Law Commission. Conclusion: Elections impact everyone in the entire country – citizens, businesses, administrative machinery, constitutional institutions, political parties, leaders and so on. Eventual implementation of this measure would not only require significant Constitutional and Statutory amendments, it would also require significant consensus amongst the key stakeholders. Without a general consensus and wider acceptance, its intent and efficacy could be compromised. The Constitution does provide sufficient room to make amendments to suit the changing times and needs of the country. This flexibility is not just an enabling tool but in fact a responsibility on Governments to provide the best governance systems, processes and opportunities to its citizens. As a way forward, it is therefore suggested that a focused group of stakeholders comprising constitution and subject matter experts, think tanks, government officials and representatives of various political parties come together and work out appropriate implementation related details. This may include drafting appropriate constitution and statutory amendments, agreeing on a workable framework to facilitate transition to simultaneous elections, developing a stakeholder communication plan etc. As is the case with long-term structural reforms, implementing this measure would also cause some short-term pain. However, this would be a stepping stone towards improved governance and a larger initiation of “electoral reforms” – a desperately needed measure to reboot the Indian polity. 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
