UPSC Essentials: Quotes of the week

Syllabus-

Prelims: Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains: GS II- Polity

— The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Sunday withdrew an advisory issued by the Aadhaar agency which cautioned people to not share a photocopy of the document with entities such as hotels and cinema halls owing to the possibility of “misuse”. A ministry statement said the advisory was withdrawn because it could be “misinterpreted”.

— The advisory was issued earlier by the regional office of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) in Bengaluru.

— The UIDAI is a statutory authority established on 12th July 2016 by the Government of India under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, following the provisions of the Aadhaar Act 2016. The UIDAI was initially set up by the Government of India in January 2009, as an attached office under the aegis of the Planning Commission. The UIDAI assigns 12-digit unique identification (UID) number (Aadhaar) to all the residents of India.

Point to ponder: How is Aadhar data secured?

2. “Peace in Indian Ocean Region key to global prosperity.” — Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister of India.

Syllabus-

Prelims: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains: GS III:  Various security forces and agencies and their mandate.

— Addressing the three-day 39th Annual Commanders’ Conference of the Indian Coast Guard here on its first day, Singh said that there has been a shift in India’s maritime security needs due to the ever-evolving global situation.

— Rajnath Singh on Monday stressed the need to maintain maritime preparedness in the constantly-changing global scenario as well as create a rule-based, peaceful environment in the Indian Ocean Region which is essential for regional and global prosperity.

— Addressing the three-day 39th Annual Commanders’ Conference of the Indian Coast Guard here on its first day, Singh said that there has been a shift in India’s maritime security needs due to the ever-evolving global situation.

— Speaking about the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific, Singh termed the region as an important aspect of India’s maritime security. “The growing regional and global trade in this region has brought forth new challenges. Geopolitical tensions and a clash of strategic interests have led to traditional security challenges. Terrorism, drug trafficking, and piracy are some non-traditional challenges in front of us today. Being a responsible maritime power, we have a clear interest to create a rule-based, peaceful and stable environment. Such a rule-based environment is essential for both regional and global prosperity. In such a situation, the ICG has a big role to play.”

— Singh stated that India’s geographical location in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is crucial from a strategic and economic point of view. “Our long coastline with deep-water ports, a prosperous Exclusive Economic Zone, and islands at both ends present a unique position…The safety of these sea routes is not only directly connected to our economic interests, but it also establishes India as a Net Security Provider in IOR,” he said.

— The Coast Guard’s role, he said, is not only limited to coastal areas, and called it the protector of India’s national interests and sovereign rights in the territorial seas and Exclusive Economic Zone. “There have been no reports of any breach in coastal security in the last 14 years due to the ICG’s dynamic strategy and its cooperation with the Indian Navy and local administration,” he said.

— Importance of the Indian Ocean for India:

With a coastline of over 7,500 km, India has a natural interest in enhancing maritime security. In the Indian Ocean, three major Sea Lanes Of Communication (SLOCS) play a crucial role in the energy security and economic prosperity
1) SLOC connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean through the Bab al-Mandab.
2) SLOC connecting the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean through the Strait of Hormuz.
3) SLOC connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans through the Straits of Malacca.

Note: The Indian Ocean region transports 75 per cent of the world’s maritime trade and 50 per cent of daily global oil consumption.

Point to ponder: What are some of the initiatives of India in the maritime area?

3. Number of unicorns in India reaches 100, valuation over Rs 25 lakh crore– PM Modi in ‘Mann Ki Baat’

Syllabus-

Prelims: Economy

Mains: GS III- Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

— Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (May 29) praised India’s startup ecosystem as he highlighted that the country has reached a landmark figure of 100 unicorns with a valuation of more than $300 billion.

— Unicorns are privately held, venture-capital backed startups that have reached a value of $1 billion. The valuation of unicorns is not expressly linked to their current financial performance, but largely based on their growth potential as perceived by investors and venture capitalists who have taken part in various funding rounds.

— During his recent ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio address, PM Modi said that a record 44 unicorns were established in India last year during the pandemic. “Not only that, 14 more unicorns were formed anew in three-four months this year. This means that even in this phase of the global pandemic, our startups have been creating wealth and value,” he said.

— According to Invest India, the government’s National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency, “The year 2021, 2020, and 2019 saw the birth of the maximum number of Indian unicorns with 44, 11, and 7 unicorns coming each year, respectively.” It adds that between 2015 and 2021, the country’s startup ecosystem has seen a nine-time increase in the number of investors, and a seven-time increase in the total funding of startups.

Point to ponder: Which are some largest unicorns contributing to the financial ecosystem of the country?

4. “E-Shram needs social security linkages“- Bhupendra Yadav, Union Minister at IE Thinc Migration series.

Syllabus:

Prelims- Polity

Mains- GS II- Social Justice and Governance

— E-Shram Portal aims to register 38 crore unorganised workers such as construction labourers, migrant workforce, street vendors, and domestic workers, among others. The workers will be issued an e-Shram card containing a 12 digit unique number. If a worker is registered on the e-SHRAM portal and meets with an accident, he will be eligible for Rs 2.0 lakh on death or permanent disability and Rs 1.0 lakh on partial disability.

— The formation of e-Shram portal came after the Supreme Court gave direction to the government to complete the registration process of unorganised workers. In this way they can avail the welfare benefits given under various government schemes.

Point to ponder: What is the state of unorganized workers in the country?