UPSC Key- February 17, 2023: Know about Raisina Dialogue video, rules for organ donation, one year of Ukraine war, and more

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- A blink-and-miss two-second shot of Iranian women cutting their hair in protest, juxtaposed with an image of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has upset Tehran, forcing their Foreign Minister to cancel his visit to India next month, The Indian Express has learnt. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was due to travel to India for the Raisina dialogue scheduled for March 3 and 4. A promotional video of the Raisina Dialogue was put out about a month ago, announcing the 2023 edition of the event. In the clip, just under two minutes, a two-second shot of Iranian women cutting their hair in protests is shown, along with an image of the Iranian President.

• For your information: The Raisina Dialogue is the flagship think-tank event organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). There are over 20 Foreign Ministers expected to come for the G-20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting on March 1 and 2. Since Raisina Dialogue is scheduled just after the meeting, some are expected to stay back and join the event this year. Some other Foreign Ministers, not from G-20 countries, are coming especially for the Raisina dialogue.

• You should know: Iran has witnessed protests since September last year after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was taken into custody by Iran’s morality police for wearing what authorities called  “inappropriate” headscarf. She later died, drawing allegations of custodial violence.

• How women-led protests in Iran is both out of social and economic frustrations?

• What has been India’s stand on the protests in Iran so far?

• What is Iran’s morality police?

• India and Iran have a long history of diplomatic ups and downs. Comment.

Tidbit: In recent years, ties have developed a strategic dimension because of Afghanistan. India had stopped oil imports from Iran over the threat of sanctions during the Trump administration and imports have still not picked up at earlier levels. While both share concerns on Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, India has been working on developing the Chabahar port project that enables connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Iranian Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian had visited India in June last year, days after the controversial remarks made by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma had sparked outrage in many Muslim-majority countries. After meeting the PM, Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval, Amir-Abdollahian had issued a statement that the two countries agreed on the need to “respect divine religions,” “Islamic sanctities,” and “avoid divisive statements.”

• Two narratives on hijab in India and Iran- Is it about attitude?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Iran’s morality police

📍Narrative on hijab, in Iran and India, frames our attitudes towards minorities

Eased rules for organ donation

Syllabus:

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

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- The Union Health Ministry has done away with the age cap of 65 years for receiving an organ from a dead donor, and guidelines are being revised to allow the elderly to register on waiting lists. Officials said Thursday that while preference will still be given to younger recipients, those above the age of 65 will not be completely barred from the process.

• What is NOTTO (National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation)?

• You should know: Organs from deceased donors accounted for nearly 17.8% of all transplants in 2022 in the country. The number of transplants has increased over the years. The total number of deceased organ transplants climbed from 837 in 2013 to 2,765 in 2022. The total number of organ transplants – with organs from both deceased and living donors – increased from 4,990 in 2013 to 15,561 in 2022, according to data shared by the government. India conducts the third highest number of transplants in the world.

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- The BJP-led Centre has been making an earnest effort to mainstream the country’s tribal communities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday, asserting that tribal welfare was a matter of “personal relations and sentiments for me”. “What was once considered remote, now the government is making efforts to go there and bring the remote and neglected into the mainstream,” the PM said as he inaugurated the Aadi Mahotsav, a mega national tribal festival, at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi.

• For your information: Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman (PM-VIKAS) has been introduced for economic assistance to traditional craftsmen, besides skill development.

• Budget 2023: What measures have been announced for tribal welfare?

• You should know- The Constitution of India does not endeavor to define the term ‘tribe’, however, the term Scheduled Tribe’ was inserted in the Constitution through Article 342 (i).

• What are the basic Safeguards Provided by Indian Constitution for Scheduled Tribes?

•  PYQ: Under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, who shall be the authority to initiate the process for determining the nature and extent of individual or community forest rights or both? (2013)

(a) State Forest Department

(b) District Collector/Deputy Commissioner

(c) Tahsildar/Block Development Officer/Mandal Revenue Officer

(d) Gram Sabha

Under which Schedule of the Constitution of India can the transfer of tribal land to private parties for mining be declared null and void? (2019)

(a) Third Schedule

(b) Fifth Schedule

(c) Ninth Schedule

(d) Twelfth Schedule

• What is the status of tribal communities in India and challenges faced by them?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Budget 2023: What measures have been announced for tribal welfare

EXPLAINED

Moderating CAD

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies III: Economy

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- While data released by the government on Wednesday shows that India’s exports and imports declined by 6.59% and 3.63% respectively in January, there are indications that the current account deficit (CAD) – the difference between exports and imports of goods and services – will moderate despite the global slowdown triggered by the rising inflation and interest rates. The moderation in CAD, expected to be aided by the fall in commodity prices, rising workers remittances and services exports, and abatement of selling pressure by foreign investors, is set to boost sentiment on the investment front, as it will also bring the pressure off the currency.

• You should know: When the value of the goods and services that a country imports exceeds the value of the products it exports, it is called the current account deficit. CAD and the fiscal deficit together make up the twin deficits – the enemies of the stock market and investors.

• For your information:  If the current account – the country’s trade and transactions with other countries – shows surplus, that indicates money is flowing into the country, boosting the foreign exchange reserves and the value of rupee against the dollar. These are factors that will have ramifications on the economy and the stock markets as well as on returns on investments by people.

• How will moderating CAD impact the market?

• For your extra information: The Indian economy is seen growing 6.0-6.8 per cent with a baseline real GDP growth of 6.5 per cent in the next financial year 2023-24 on the back of a rebound in private consumption, higher capital expenditure, near-universal vaccination coverage enabling spending on contact-based services, and strengthening of the balance sheets of the corporates, says the Economic Survey for 2022-23 tabled in Parliament on January 31.

• Inside the story: Will capital flows improve?

While there is a perception in the markets that capital flows could come under some pressure with China’s reopening and any deviations in monetary policy expectations, inflows are expected to increase to the economy on the whole, as foreign investors are unlikely to keep away from India, which is expected to witness one of the highest growth rates among large economies. At a time when the economies of many developed markets are expected to take a hit, the RBI has projected the GDP growth for the next fiscal (FY2024) at 6.4% and the Union Budget has indicated a capital expenditure of Rs 10 lakh crore (over $ 120 billion).

Moreover, with the rise in interest rates in India after the RBI hiked the repo rate by 250 basis points to 6.50%, non-resident Indian deposits, remittances, and FPI investment in debt are expected to rise further. NRI deposits had increased by $3.62 billion to $134.49 billion in the April-November period of 2022, according to RBI data.

Capital flow into India came under pressure in 2022 following the sharp rise in interest rates in the US. While FPIs pulled out Rs121,439 crore in 2022, even in the first six weeks of 2023, the FPI flow has been negative and the equity markets have witnessed a net outflow of Rs32,887 crore till February 16.

While the flow of capital will depend upon the interest rate movements and currency movements vis-a-vis the US dollar, there is optimism among global investors about India.

• What is BoP and its components?

•  PYQ :Consider the following actions which the Government can take: (2011)

1. Devaluing the domestic currency.
2. Reduction in the export subsidy.
3. Adopting suitable policies which attract greater FDI and more funds from FIIs.

Which of the above action/actions can help in reducing the current account deficit?

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 2 and 3

(c) 3 only

(d) 1 and 3

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍India’s current account deficit reveals the need to increase exports

📍Economic Survey lists growth outlook pointers, flags current account deficit challenge

One year of war in Ukraine

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: 

General Studies II:

• Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- Earlier this month, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres sounded a grim prognosis about the prospects for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, which will mark a year on February 24.“The prospects for peace keep diminishing,” he said in a speech to the UN General Assembly on February 6. “The chances of further escalation and bloodshed keep growing.” The world, Guterres said, was heading towards a “wider war”, and “I fear it is doing so with its eyes wide open.” The US-led Western alliance is expecting Russia to launch another big offensive in the coming days. Ukraine fears that a fresh offensive could come as early as on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which collates official civilian casualty numbers, said on February 13 that from February 24, 2022 to February 12, 2023, there were 18,955 civilian casualties in Ukraine: 7,199 killed and 11,756 injured. Of the fatalities, 2,888 were men, 1,941 women, 226 boys, 180 girls, as well as 32 children and 1,932 adults whose sex was not determined. As the war is being fought on Ukrainian territory only, the civilian casualties are entirely in that country. The number of military casualties is not clear yet, but could run into thousands on both sides. The war has displaced over 7.5 million people from Ukraine over the last year.

• Points to ponder: Why is it a war of attrition and why it lacked peace efforts?

FYI: The war has transformed the trans-Atlantic partnership, with Europe accepting America’s leadership of the alliance. It has also strengthened NATO. The Biden Administration is leading the show of support with over $50 billion worth of assistance, helping also with military advice and intelligence backing. With the promise of tanks and a consideration of Ukraine’s request for F16s, Russia sees this as nothing but a proxy war being fought by Ukraine on behalf of the US and the West. For Russia, this is an existential war.

The predictions of a long-drawn-out conflict suggest there is a realisation that Putin may still have several steps of escalation available to him, all well below the nuclear threshold. For the Western alliance, the question that is likely to come up is how long to keep supporting Ukraine and how to keep their unity intact, especially as the danger of an escalation carries the risk of drawing in the NATO, which in turn would immediately lower the nuclear threshold and bring the war to western Europe in unimaginable ways.

• What is the historical background?

• What is NATO and its role in the war?

• Test your memory: Missile systems etc. in news.

• What has been India’s role in the war?

You should know: Delhi, which has maintained a barely nuanced balance between not condemning Russia outright for the invasion and maintaining important relationships with the US and Europe, has patted itself on the back for displaying strategic autonomy at this consequential moment in world geopolitics. But the difficulties of retaining this balance are becoming evident. How?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍How global power dynamics are shifting with the Russia-Ukraine war and what challenges it poses for India

📍Explained: What are India’s stakes in its ties with Ukraine & Russia?

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

Eye on China

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination

General Studies II:

• India and its neighbourhood- relations.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- The government’s decision to allocate a substantial sum of money to improve facilities in places along the Line of Actual Control has come none too soon. Under a “Vibrant Villages” programme, the government will spend Rs 4,800 crore for infrastructure development and to provide livelihood opportunities in the areas bordering China. The plan is to upgrade 633 villages in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Ladakh. Over a third of the allocation will go towards road building in the border areas.

• What is Vibrant Villages Programme?

• How will it be implemented and which institutions will implement it?

• How is it different from Border Area Development Program?

• What is ITBP? When did it come to existence?

• Where is ITBP’s headquarter and what is its role?

• Why is it crucial for India China relations?

• Noteworthy development: The US Congress officially passed the USD 740 billion defence policy bill, which among other things include calling out Chinese aggression against India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The US House of Representatives and the Senate on Tuesday passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included key components of Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi’s resolution language urging the Chinese government to end its military aggression against India along the LAC. Why is US so concerned?

• For your information: The Border Management funds allocated to the Ministry of Home Affairs have seen more than 42 per cent jump to Rs 2,517.02 crore from Rs 1921.39 crore last year. The announcement is important as it comes at a time when China has been not only improving infrastructure along the 3,488-km border with India, but is also building more than 600 “model villages”, which Indian security experts believe can also be used by the Chinese army. Building of these villages has also been mentioned in China’s new land border law that came into force from January 1.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Budget 2022: New scheme to build infra in villages along China border

📍Expert View: Resolving LAC dispute with China needs an honest reassessment

📍Line of Actual Control: Past tense, present uncertain

THE IDEAS PAGE

Empowering the MPs through digital tools

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance 

Mains Examination

General Studies II: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- India’s parliamentary constituencies (PCs) serve a dual role as geographical and administrative policy units headed by democratically elected Members of Parliament (MPs), who are responsible for fulfilling the needs and aspirations of their constituents through impactful policy. For MPs to effectively engage with their constituents, it is imperative to understand and prioritise the issues most impacting their communities. Unfortunately, at present, timely and readily available data on critical issues related to population health and socioeconomic well-being is lacking at the PC level.

• Good fodder for an introduction: Data-based monitoring and governance of populations becoming central to identifying priorities, it is critical that MPs are empowered with appropriate data that relates to the populations they have been elected to serve and are able to effectively liaise with multiple district administrations in a manner that allows them to function effectively, efficiently, and independently without having to solely rely on the district administration which is not in a position to provide accurate data on the PC.

•  What is District Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DDMC)?

Recognising this need for better synergy between district administration and elected representatives, the Ministry of Rural Development issued an order in 2016 to all states and Union Territories to constitute a District Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DDMC), chaired by district MPs and charged with making implementation and monitoring of central schemes more efficiency.

• How can international practices and platforms be useful?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Why we need to build a framework for global digital governance

For any queries and feedback, contact manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com
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