UPSC Key | Privilege motion, Anti-conversion law, Arbitration and more

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Front Page

Weapons to VDCs, 75 forest camps: Govt plan to tackle terror in Jammu

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international significance

Mains Examination: GS-III: Internal Security

What’s the ongoing story- Over 75 camps with personnel of the Special Operations Group (SOG) in forest areas; regular training for Village Defence Committees (VDCs) with traditional as well as semi-automatic weapons; and an increased deployment of BSF personnel on the border with a special focus on tunnels – these are some of the key points of a security plan the Centre has prepared for Jammu, The Indian Express has learnt.

Prerequisites: 

— What is insurgency?

— What is the difference between insurgency and terrorism?

— Recent terrorist attack in Jammu

Key takeaways: 

— According to sources, strategic points have been identified to set up SOG camps, where personnel will be deployed from the local police, CRPF and Army. “They will conduct daily patrolling to look for terrorists,” a source said.

— Significantly, it has also been decided to restart regular training for VDCs in using weapons such as the traditional .303 rifles and semi-automatic SLRs. “It also came to light that terrorists are using the personal hotspot connections of villagers to make VoIP (voice over internet protocol) calls to their handlers in Pakistan. Efforts will be made to spread awareness among villagers not to share their internet hotspot or WiFi password with any stranger. Punitive action will be taken if they do,” said a source.

— The BSF guards more than 2,289 kilometres of the International Boundary that runs along Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat in India’s western flank. The Jammu area is vulnerable to cross-border tunnels and its dense forests and mountainous terrain make it an ideal ground for terrorists to launch attacks against civilians and security forces.

For Your Information: 

— Reasi, along with Rajouri and Poonch, was a hotbed of militancy in the 1990s. Subsequently, the three districts in Jammu seemed to have contained the insurgency, until 2021, when terrorists attacked an army patrol in Poonch killing nine soldiers. 

— In the past three years, terror attacks in Rajouri and Poonch have killed 38 soldiers and 11 civilians. The strengthening of the counter-infiltration grid in the Kashmir Valley could be a possible reason for a shift in terrorists’ actions towards these Jammu districts. However, unlike Rajouri and Poonch, Reasi is not close to the LoC. This development poses new security concerns. 

— The Pir Panjal range, which separates Kashmir from Jammu, runs through the three districts. Passes in the range provide seasonal access to PoK and the Pir Panjal’s difficult terrain and dense forests allow the militants escape routes as well as launchpads for the attacks. The Reasi strike testifies to this mode of operation — militants reportedly hiding in a forest ambushed the bus carrying pilgrims.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the various security challenges for India?

— What are the various initiatives taken by the government to counter militancy in Jammu and Kashmir?

— Why is there a rise in terrorist attacks in Jammu?

Post Read Question:

Analyse internal security threats and transborder crimes along Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan borders including Line of Control (LoC). Also, discuss the role played by various security forces in this regard. (UPSC CSE 2020)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Reasi attack: On J-K, India must redraw its red lines

 

The Editorial Page

A Wayanad story

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-I, III: Geography, Disaster Management

What’s the ongoing story- Mukund P Unny and Aathira Vasudevan write: At 6 am, on August 9, 2018, one of us (Unny) received a frantic call from their mother informing that their house in Palakkad is getting flooded and that the water level in the canal adjoining the Kalpathy river is rapidly increasing. Later that day, the shutters of the Malampuzha Dam were opened, further raising the water level in the canal. The flood that ensued sank the family’s car and damaged appliances and furniture, and with it, the ability to enjoy the rain.

Prerequisites: 

— What is landslides?

— What were the focus areas of Madhav Gadgil Committee (2011) and the K Kasturirangan-led High Level Working Group (2013)?

— What is the debate around development vs conservation?

Key takeaways: 

— Kerala is a state whose resilience has been tested time and time again. Monsoons are now welcomed with a great deal of caution and worry. Homes, livelihoods, and a feeling of peace and safety are lost every year. 

— Since 2018, there have been five severe landslides — in Kozhikode, Palakkad, Wayanad and Malappuram districts — in which a total of 160 people have been reported dead. According to the central government data, Kerala faced the highest number of landslides between 2015 and 2022. Out of the 3,782 landslides reported in the country, 2,239 were reported from Kerala.

— Kerala’s annual landslide problem has again put the spotlight on the reports of the Madhav Gadgil Committee (2011) and the K Kasturirangan-led High Level Working Group (2013), as well as the resistance to their recommendations. 

— The areas of Wayanad that have been devastated by the landslide were among those that were recommended to be demarcated as Ecologically Sensitive Areas by the Gadgil Committee. These areas were, in turn, graded into three categories based on their environmental fragility. 

— According to the Gadgil Committee Report, in the Ecologically Sensitive Area-1, no forest land could be changed to non-forest land and agricultural land could not be changed to non-agricultural land. 

— The report also highlighted the importance of involving local communities in any conservation effort and ensuring that their livelihoods are not adversely affected by these policies. 

— It also recommended that tourism in the region be regulated to ensure that it remains environmentally sustainable and does not disrupt the region’s fragile ecological balance.

— The recommendation to prohibit change of land-use subsequently led to a group of farmers protesting in the hilly regions… Both the Gadgil and Kasturirangan Committee reports were also criticised by various sections as being too “environmentally forward” and not being people-centric enough.

— It is said that the only thing natural about a natural disaster is the event itself… In a way, some of the course of the disaster is predictable.

— Wayanad’s story tells us that environmental conservation cannot be a top-down endeavour. Adoption of conservation measures requires the support and participation of the people. This means that the policies must also strive to overcome the binary of environment versus development.

For Your Information: 

— The Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) are areas in which human activities, including construction and industries, are sought to be regulated because of the fragile ecology and special provisions are invoked to protect the environment.

— The first draft notification on Western Ghats that had demarcated over 57,000 sq km across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Goa in 2013 is yet to be notified as consensus has been elusive.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the reasons for landslides?

— How to bring a balance between development and environmental protection?

— What are the threats to western ghats?

— What is the impact of the delay in adopting the Gadgil Committee’s recommendations?

Post Read Question:

Prelims

(1). ‘Gadgil Committee Report’ and ‘Kasturirangan Committee Report’, sometimes seen in the news, are related to (UPSC CSE 2016)

(a) constitutional reforms

(b) Ganga Action Plan

(c) linking of rivers

(d) protection of Western Ghats

Mains

Several committees have suggested measures to protect the Western Ghats, but there has been limited action taken. Discuss the reasons and implications of this inaction.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Wayanad landslides: 2 panels put site in eco-sensitive zone 10 yrs ago, no notification

 

Govt & Politics

For direct seeded rice, zero-tillage wheat, RiceTec & Mahyco form JV

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance and General Science

Mains Examination: GS-III: Agriculture and Science

What’s the ongoing story- Rice and wheat breeding-cum-research in India has traditionally been a virtual public sector monopoly. But now, two private sector seed majors – the Alvin (Texas)-headquartered RiceTec Inc. and Jalna (Maharashtra)-based Mahyco Pvt. Ltd – have come together to form a joint venture (JV) for making the rice-wheat cropping system “more climate-smart and sustainable”.

Prerequisites: 

— Requirements for Rice Cultivation.

— What are the rice-producing states of India?

— Read about the climate-smart agriculture and various methods related to it.

Key takeaways: 

— Paryan Alliance Pvt. Ltd, as the 50:50 JV is called, will focus on technologies for farmers to grow rice by direct seeding (instead of transplanting and flooding of field) and wheat through zero tillage (without burning the leftover stubble from the paddy crop and ploughing the field before sowing).

— These include RiceTec’s proprietary ‘FullPage’ direct seeded rice (DSR) cropping solution and the ‘FreeHit’ zero tillage (ZT) technology that Mahyco has developed in collaboration with Geneshifters LLC, an agri-biotech company at Pullman (Washington), US.

— The rice hybrids of RiceTec/Savannah (‘Sava 134’ and ‘Sava 127’) and Mahyco’s wheat varieties (‘Goal’ and ‘Mukut’) contain a mutated gene, whose altered DNA sequence allows farmers to spray Imazethapyr, a herbicide that can control a range of broadleaf, grassy and sedge weeds.

— Imazethapyr can’t be used on normal rice or wheat, as the chemical does not distinguish between the crop and invasive plants. The mutated gene in the hybrids/varieties bred by Savannah and Mahyco enable their plants to “tolerate” the herbicide’s application, so that it only kills the weeds.

— Traditional rice cultivation is both water- and labour-intensive. It entails preparing nurseries, where the paddy seeds are first raised into young plants that are uprooted and re-planted around 30 days later in the main field. The field in which the seedlings are transplanted is “puddled” or tilled in standing water to churn the soil and make it soft. For the initial three weeks or so after transplanting, farmers have to irrigate every 1-2 days to maintain a water depth of 4-5 cm. This prevents the growth of weeds – such as Echinochloa colona (commonly called jangli chawal) and Cyperus rotundus (motha) – during the crop’s early stage.

— DSR saves roughly 30% water, by dispensing with puddling, transplanting and flooding. It replaces water (a natural herbicide) with Imazethapyr.

For Your Information: 

— Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) refers to the practice of cultivating rice from seeds put in the ground rather than transplanting seedlings from a nursery. It is also known as ‘tar-wattar’ technique.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the issues and challenges associated with the traditional rice cultivation?

— How is DSR different from normal paddy transplantation?

— What are the benefits of DSR?

— What are the challenges with regard to the DSR?

Post Read Question:

(2) Consider the following statements about direct seeding of rice (DSR):

1. DSR is effective against weeds and saves water compared to transplanting.

2. DSR uses less water per irrigation

3. In DSR, water acts as a natural herbicide.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Why direct seeding of rice (DSR) is yet to pick up in Punjab by Anju Agnihotri Chaba

 

Express Network

Import of tur dal from Mozambique resumes after Centre’s intervention

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international significance

Mains Examination: GS-II, III: Government  policies and interventions, Economy

What’s the ongoing story- The shipments of Tur/Pigeon peas from Nacala Port in Mozambique, disrupted by an “anti-India” group, have resumed after the Ministry of Consumer Affairs raised the issue with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian High Commissioner there persuaded the matter with the local authorities, The Indian Express has learnt.

Prerequisites: 

— What is the status of India’s import of dal?

— What are the different types of pulses grown in India?

— Which are the pulses producing states in India?

Key takeaways: 

— India is the world’s largest producer of pulses, but it is still dependent on imports to meet its domestic demand. The country imports about a dozen types of pulses from different countries, in which Mozambique is its main source for Tur/Pigeon pea imports.

— During 2023-24, India imported 7.71 lakh tons of Tur/Pigeon pea, of which one-third (2.64 lakh tons) came from Mozambique. The figure was even higher in 2022-23 when half (4.6 lakh tons) of India’s total Tur/Pigeon pea imports (8.94 lakh tons) were from Mozambique.

— Malawi, the fourth largest Tur/Pigeon peas supplier to India, shipped a quantity of 52,773 tons during the last financial year, recording a drop of 12 per cent as compared to 60,463 tons in the previous year.

— The sources attributed this drop in imports from these two countries during the last year to a “series of hurdles” in Mozambique which had impeded the smooth flow of trade.

— Mozambique had entered into an MoU with India to supply 2 lakh tons of Tur/Pigeon peas till 2025-26.

— As per the pact, India provides assured market access to Mozambique. A similar MoU has been signed with Malawi for supply of 0.50 lakh tons of Tur/Pigeon Pea to India annually.

— India imports about a dozen pulses from different countries. During 2023-24, India’s pulses imports rose to a record high of 47.38 lakh tons, almost double to the level of 24.96 lakh tons in 2022-23.

For Your Information: 

— In April 2024, the consumer price index for cereals was 8.63% higher than that in April 2023.

— The main reason is the El Niño-induced patchy monsoon and winter rain, causing a decline in domestic pulses production from 27.30 million tonnes (mt) in 2021-22 and 26.06 mt in 2022-23 to 23.44 mt in 2023-24, as per the Agriculture Ministry’s estimates.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the initiatives taken by the government to increase pulse production in India? 

— Why is India still dependent on the import of pulses?

— What steps need to be taken by India to ensure self-sufficiency in pulses production?

Post Read Question:

(3) With reference to pulse production in India, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2020)

1. Black gram can be cultivated as both kharif and rabi crop.

2. Green gram alone accounts for nearly half of pulse production.

3. In the last three decades, while the production of kharif pulses has increased, the production of rabi pulses has decreased.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Why dal imports have hit a seven-year high

 

Explained

Anti-conversion law in UP

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: GS-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story- The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, which prohibits religious conversion through “unlawful” means, was passed by the state assembly four years ago. On Tuesday (July 30), the assembly passed an amendment to this Act, making it stricter and more widely enforceable.

Prerequisites: 

— What is the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021?

— Reasons Behind Anti-Conversion Laws

— What are the constitutional provisions with regard to the freedom of religion?

— What is forced religious conversions?

Key takeaways: 

— The Amendment was introduced by the BJP government in UP with the stated aim of protecting certain groups of people, including minors, people with disabilities, women, and persons belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities.

— It says that the penal provisions under the 2021 Act were “not sufficient to prevent and control religious conversion and mass conversion” of persons belonging to these groups.

— The Amendment is also set to resolve certain difficulties that have arisen in the past pertaining to Section 4 of the 2021 Act which allowed “Any aggrieved person, his/her parents, brother, sister, or any other person who is related to him/her by blood, marriage or adoption” to file an FIR for unlawful conversion with the police.

— The Amendment removes restrictions on who can file an FIR, proposes stringent bail conditions similar to those for accused persons in terrorism and money laundering cases, and increases the punishment for unlawful conversion.‘Any person’ can file FIR.’

— The Amendment changes the wording of Section 4 to address the aforementioned “difficulties”. The revised provision states that “any person” can file an FIR related to violation of the 2021 Act in the manner provided under the new law governing criminal procedure, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS).

— Under Section 173 of the BNSS, which deals with the registration of an FIR, information regarding a crime can be given to the officer in charge of a police station “irrespective of the area where the offence is committed”. This means that any individual can approach any police station to file an FIR for alleged crimes under the Act.

Points to Ponder: 

— What Supreme Court of India, said in the Lily Thomas and Sarla Mudgal cases regarding religious conversion?

— What are the societal repercussions of religious conversion?

— What is the procedure in India for religious conversion?

Post Read Question:

How the Indian concept of secularism is different from the western model of secularism? Discuss. (UPSC CSE 2016)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

How Uttar Pradesh’s anti-conversion law governs religious conversion

 

In Parliament 

Congress MP Channi moves privilege motion against PM for sharing ‘expunged’remarks 

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity

Mains Examination: GS-II:  Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

What’s the ongoing story- The Congress on Wednesday moved a Privilege Motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for posting on social media “a portion of remarks which were expunged from the proceedings of the House by the Chair”.

Prerequisites: 

— What are parliamentary privileges?

— What is a privilege motion?

— What is the constitutional provision with regard to the privilege motion?

Key takeaways: 

— The notice for the motion was moved by former Punjab Chief Minister and now Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi under rule 222 which gives a member the power, with the consent of the Speaker, to raise a question involving a breach of privilege either of a member or of the House or of a Committee.

— “As laid down in Practice and Procedure of Parliament by Kaul & Shakdher (7th Edition), it is well established that: ‘The effect in law of an order of the Speaker expunging words, remarks or a portion of the proceedings is as if those words/remarks or that portion of the proceedings had never been spoken. Publication of the expunged words or expressions would amount to a breach of privilege’,” the Jalandhar MP stated.

For Your Information: 

—  Parliamentary privileges are certain rights conferred to the Members of Parliament for conducting the business of the Parliament. There is no codified list of the exact privileges, but it includes the right of free expression in the course of Parliamentary debates and Members of Parliament will not be liable for court proceedings for this.

— If there is a belief that such a privilege has been breached, a motion can be raised by any member.

— The right to raise a question of privilege is based on satisfying two conditions, namely: (i) the question shall be restricted to a specific matter of recent occurrence, and (ii) the matter requires the intervention of the Council.

— The Speaker/RS chairperson is the first level of scrutiny of a privilege motion. Therefore, the Speaker/Chair can decide on the privilege motion himself or herself or refer it to the privileges committee of Parliament.

Points to Ponder: 

— What is the privileges committee of Parliament?

— Parliamentary privileges can be classified into two broad categories. What are those two categories?

— How does Parliament act on breach of privilege?

— What are some of the important judgements related to parliamentary privileges?

Post Read Question:

(4) Consider the following statements:

Statement 1:

A defamation suit cannot be filed for a statement made in the House.

Statement 2:

Members of Parliament are not exempted from legal action for any statement made in the course of their duties.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

(a) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1.

(b) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is not the correct explanation for Statement 1.

(c) Statement 1 is correct Statement 2 is incorrect

(d) Statement 1 is incorrect Statement 2 is correct

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

What is a Privilege Motion and how does the Committee of Privileges in Parliament examine it?

Explained: What constitutes a breach of legislature’s privilege?

 

The Ideas Page

Towards dispute irresolution

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international significance

Mains Examination: GS-II: Government policies and interventions, dispute resolutions

What’s the ongoing story- In an office memorandum dated June 3, the government outlined new guidelines for arbitration and mediation in contracts related to domestic public procurement. While the memorandum ostensibly promotes mediation, it explicitly signals a shift away from arbitration for government undertakings.

Prerequisites: 

— What is arbitration?

— What is the difference between arbitration and meditation?

Key takeaways: 

— This decision will have significant negative repercussions for private litigants, both individuals and companies, for India’s ranking in the “Ease of Doing Business” index, for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and for the legal system as a whole. 

— This decision will put additional pressure on the already overburdened courts, likely causing delays in final outcomes and increasing court interference.

— The landmark 2015 amendments were aimed at establishing India as an international arbitration hub. The energy in the legal market, both domestic and international, was palpable. Until 2018, the market remained upbeat. With minimal judicial interference, India seemed well on its way… Legislatively, the baffling regression of reforms was evident with each subsequent amendment in 2018, 2019, and 2021, culminating in the present setback of the 2024 memorandum.

— Curiously, at the heart of these amendments is the concern that matters are being resolved too quickly. The main objective of the 2015 amendments was to reduce the time taken in courts. It is baffling that the very reform that improved India’s “Ease of Doing Business” ranking would be reversed for being too successful!

— The real issue, which no one is willing to address, is that one party often pays their lawyers poorly which ends up facing a highly qualified team of lawyers on the other side. Arbitrations are not lost because of corrupt arbitrators; they are lost due to bad facts and poor-quality legal representation.

— With the government’s exit from arbitration, the market is fast spiralling towards doom. Large domestic private parties will opt for a foreign seat, leaving smaller disputes between private parties to be arbitrated in India.

— While this paints a bleak picture, there may be a slim ray of hope: An increase in commercial court litigation.

— The increased volume of commercial litigation will also create a demand for skilled trial lawyers adept in litigation, damages, and cross-examination, ultimately strengthening the overall legal ecosystem. All of this will, of course, require substantial investment by the Government of India.

For Your Information: 

— “Arbitration as a method of dispute resolution should not be routinely or automatically included in procurement contracts/ tenders, especially in large contracts,” said a June 3 office memorandum by the Department of Expenditure’s Procurement Policy Division.

— The memorandum has been circulated to all ministries in the government of India, including the departments of public enterprises and financial services, and to all states as well.

— Arbitrations are governed under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 which was enacted as a solution for moving commercial litigation away from overburdened courts.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the major amendments brought in the Arbitration and Conciliation Act?

— What are the challenges of the Indian Arbitration system?

— What are the benefits of arbitration?

— What are the government’s initiatives to promote arbitration?

Post Read Question:

What are the major changes brought in the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 through the recent Ordinance promulgated by the President? How far will it improve India’s dispute resolution mechanism? Discuss. (UPSC CSE 2015)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Finance to states, depts: Use arbitration only in disputes under Rs 10 crore