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SC gives bail to AAPs Vijay Nair: Right to liberty is sacrosanct
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance
Mains Examination: GS-II: Constitution and Polity
What’s the ongoing story- The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party communications in-charge Vijay Nair in the case booked by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
Prerequisites:
— What is Article 21 of the Constitution of India?
— What is the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)?
— Know about the rights provided to arrested persons under the constitution of India.
Key takeaways:
— A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti said the universal proposition of bail being the rule and jail being the exception will be entirely defeated if Vijay Nair is kept in custody as an undertrial for such a long duration for an offence punishable with a maximum of seven years sentence.
— The bench said the right of liberty under Article 21 is sacrosanct and requires it to be respected even in cases where stringent provisions are enacted.
— The bench said in the Manish Sisodia judgement, the court had underlined the right to speedy trial and that fundamental rights cannot be subject to statutory Section 45 of PMLA that places restrictions on bail.
For Your Information:
— Section 45 of the PMLA provides stringent “twin conditions” for bail, requiring an accused to prove that he has not committed an offence under the PMLA (reversing the standard burden of proof in criminal cases) and is not likely to commit any offence while on bail. However, the bench held that these conditions can be “relaxed” if the accused has undergone a long period of incarceration.
— Section 19 of the PMLA gives the ED the power of arrest if the material it possesses gives it reason to believe an individual is guilty of money laundering…The SC detailed the issue in Pankaj Bansal v Union of India (2023). The court said an accused has a fundamental right to be informed of the grounds of arrest under Article 22 of the Constitution of India. Written grounds of arrest must be given “as a matter of course and without exception”, it held. Without this, the arrest would be illegal and invalid.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the different types of bail?
— What are the criticisms of the PMLA?
— How various Supreme Court judgments have defined the ‘Right to Liberty’?
— What initiatives have been taken by the government to tackle the challenge of money laundering?
Post Read Question:
(1) ‘Right to Privacy’ is protected under which Article of the Constitution of India? (UPSC CSE 2021)
(a) Article 15
(b) Article 19
(c) Article 21
(d) Article 29
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
How SC has centred rights of the accused in recent PMLA cases
Explained
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development
Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Government policies and interventions, , Economic Development, Agriculture
What’s the ongoing story- The Union Cabinet on Monday (September 2) approved the Rs 2,817-crore Digital Agriculture Mission for the creation of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in the farm sector.
Prerequisites:
— What is the Digital Agriculture Mission?
— What do you understand by digital public infrastructure?
Key takeaways:
— The mission to create Digital Public Infrastructure in the agriculture sector is similar to the government’s flagship e-governance initiatives in other sectors, which have over the years resulted in digital solutions such as the Aadhaar unique ID, the DigiLocker document folder, the eSign electronic signature service, the unified payments interface (UPI) instant money transfer protocol, and electronic health records.
— Three major components of DPI are envisaged under the Digital Agriculture Mission: AgriStack, Krishi Decision Support System (DSS), and Soil Profile Maps. Each of these DPI components will provide solutions that will allow farmers to access and avail of various services.
— The mission also aims to create a tech-based ecosystem, the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), which will provide accurate estimates of agricultural production.
— A budgetary allocation of Rs 2,817 crore has been made for the Mission, of which Rs 1,940 crore will be provided by the Centre, and the rest by the states and Union Territories (UTs). The Mission will be rolled out across the country over the next two years (until 2025-26).
— Three Pillars of Mission
(i) AgriStack: The farmer-centric DPI AgriStack consists of three foundational agri-sector registries or databases: Farmers’ Registry, Geo-referenced Village Maps, and Crop Sown Registry, all of which will be created and maintained by state/ UT governments.
(ii) Krishi DSS: The Krishi Decision Support System, which was unveiled recently, will create a comprehensive geospatial system to unify remote sensing-based information on crops, soil, weather, and water resources, etc.
(iii) Soil Profile Maps: Under the Mission, detailed Soil Profile Maps (on a 1:10,000 scale) of about 142 million hectares of agricultural land are envisaged to be prepared.
— Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES): This will be a major push to improve the existing crop yield estimation system, and to make the data more robust, addressing concerns that are sometimes raised about the accuracy of India’s agriculture production estimates.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the current status of digitalisation in India?
— How digital integration is going to transform agriculture?
— What are the challenges associated with digitalisation in the agriculture sector?
— What initiatives have been taken by the government to promote digitalisation in agriculture?
Post Read Question:
(2) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017)
The nation-wide ‘Soil Health Card Scheme’ aims at
1. Expanding the cultivable area under irrigation.
2. Enabling the banks to assess the quantum of loans to be granted to farmers on the basis of soil quality.
3. Checking the overuse of fertilizers in farmlands.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Mains
How does e-technology help farmers in production and marketing of agricultural produce? Explain it. (UPSC CSE 2023)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
What India’s new agriculture policy must focus on
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-II, III: Government policies and interventions, Economy
What’s the ongoing story- The Union Cabinet Monday cleared a semiconductor assembly and testing plant being set up by Kaynes Semicon at a cost of Rs 3,300 crore. This is the fifth semiconductor unit, and the fourth assembly unit, to receive Cabinet approval under India’s ambitious Rs 76,000 crore chip manufacturing incentive scheme.
Prerequisites:
— What are semiconductors?
— What are semiconductor fabrication plants?
— How assembly and testing plants are different from fabrication plants?
Key takeaways:
— The plant will be constructed in Sanand, Gujarat. It is understood that the plant was initially to come up in Telangana, but was moved to Gujarat after the government indicated that Sanand was coming up as a cluster for chip assembly plants.
— India has ambitions to become a major chip hub on the lines of the United States, Taiwan and South Korea, and has been courting foreign companies to set up operations in the country.
— Currently, there are more proposals to set up semiconductor units with the government. This includes a Rs 78,000 crore fabrication plant proposed by Israel’s Tower Semiconductor, and a Rs 4,000 crore assembly plant by Zoho.
— Under the new scheme, the government could also offer capital equipment and ecosystem support such as gases, chemicals, and raw materials needed at assembly and testing plants. It could also look at incentivising fabrication of micro-LED displays.
For Your Information:
— The assembly and testing plants are less complex than the semiconductor fabrication plant.
— The first of these three plants was approved in June 2023, and is being built by US-based Micron Technology. Tata is building an assembly plant in Assam to cater to specific clients. The third facility is being built by C G Power and Industrial Solutions of the Murugappa Group, in partnership with Renesas Electronics of Japan.
— India currently has virtually no footprint in manufacturing semiconductor chips… Domestic fabrication plants will boost India’s economic and strategic imperatives, given that chips are used in practically all downstream industries from rockets to power steering in cars to kitchen toasters.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the significance of semiconductors for India?
— India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on semiconductors with which countries?
— What are the initiatives taken by the government to promote the semiconductor industry in India?
Post Read Question:
Prelims
(3) Which one of the following laser types is used in a laser printer? (UPSC CSE 2008)
(a) Dye laser
(b) Gas laser
(c) Semiconductor laser
(d) Excimer laser
Mains
Why India is aiming to become self-sufficient in chip manufacturing? Highlight the government initiatives to strengthen India’s semiconductor ecosystem.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
India plans $15 billion second push for chipmaking. Here’s what to know
How India’s first semiconductor fabrication plant can help plug in to global value chain
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Polity
Mains Examination: GS-II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice
What’s the ongoing story- Flagging the “culture of adjournment” in deciding cases, President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday said that the poor from the villages are still anxious to approach courts as they feel that fighting for justice will make their lives even more difficult, and termed it the ‘Black Coat Syndrome’.
Prerequisites:
— What is adjournment?
— What is the issue of pending cases in the judiciary?
Key takeaways:
— On August 20, 32 years after a case of blackmail and sexual abuse of hundreds of girls came to light in Ajmer, a POCSO court in Ajmer convicted and sentenced six persons to life imprisonment.
— On August 29, Delhi High Court allowed a complainant to withdraw a case after she spoke of the burden of repeatedly having to miss work due to court appearances — a situation the Bench described as “litigation fatigue”.
— These two cases, in two different courts, illustrate the problem that President Droupadi Murmu sought to highlight in her address at the two-day National Conference of the District Judiciary — “Black Coat Syndrome”.
— According to information available on the National Judicial Data Grid, over five crore cases are pending across different levels of the system. Contributing to the challenge are structural issues, such as the large shortfall in the number of judges: At just 15 judges per 10 lakh people, the figure is far less than the 50 judges per 10 lakh recommended by the 120th report of the Law Commission in 1987. Also in short supply are support staff, who are essential to the timely and efficient function of courts.
— If the faith of citizens in courts is to be reaffirmed, a long-term plan is required to comprehensively address the issues that keep cases hanging in limbo for years…
— Reform, however, means addressing the shortcomings of the system without compromising its integrity. A careful balance is needed between speed and due process, between ensuring that cases are cleared and that justice is done.
For Your Information:
— More than five crore cases are pending in various courts across India, with a maximum of over 1.18 core in the subordinate courts of Uttar Pradesh, according to the government’s written reply in the Lok Sabha (2024).
— Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said while 84,045 cases are pending in the Supreme Court, 60,11,678 were pending in the various high courts.
— District and subordinate courts are the biggest contributors, with 4,53,51,913 cases pending with them, according to the minister.
— Meghwal said several reasons lead to the pendency of cases, including the availability of physical infrastructure and supporting court staff, the complexity of facts involved, the nature of evidence, and the cooperation of stakeholders, including the bar, investigation agencies, witnesses and litigants.
— Other factors that lead to delays in the disposal of cases include lack of prescribed time frame by courts for disposal of various kinds of cases, frequent adjournments and lack of adequate arrangement to monitor, track and bunch cases for hearing, the minister added.
Points to Ponder:
— Justice delayed is Justice Denied – ponder over this quote from Essay and Ethics perspective
— What are the problems faced by the judiciary?
— What are the reasons for the large number of pending cases in the Court?
— What are the steps taken by the government to reduce the pendency of cases?
Post Read Question:
Critically examine the Supreme Court’s judgement on ‘National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, 2014’ with reference to the appointment of judges of higher judiciary in India. (UPSC CSE 2017)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Over 5 crore cases pending in courts; max 1.18 crore pending in UP’s lower courts
President Murmu wake-up call to judiciary: Poor afraid of going to courts
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian economy
Mains Examination: GS-I, GS-III: Geography, Economic Development
What’s the ongoing story- A good southwest monsoon — India has received 7.5 per cent above-long period average rainfall in the current season from June, with 9 per cent and 15.3 per cent surplus for July and August respectively — has led the Narendra Modi government to loosen anti-inflationary restrictions on food commodities.
Prerequisites:
— What is a southwest monsoon?
— Read about the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
— Know about the climatic requirements for crops of paddy and sugarcane.
— What is ethanol? How is it produced?
Key takeaways:
— On August 29, the ban on sugar mills to produce ethanol directly from cane juice, syrup or intermediate-stage “B-heavy” molasses, imposed last December, was lifted. Mills/distilleries have also been allowed to use up to 2.3 million tonnes (mt) of rice from the Food Corporation of India’s stocks for ethanol production, after they were barred, since July 2023, from purchasing these in the latter’s open market sale auctions.
— The moves reflect the government’s comfort vis-à-vis the domestic availability of sugar and rice for human consumption as well as bio-fuel production. This comes amid expectations of bountiful monsoon-enabled bumper crops of paddy and sugarcane to be marketed/crushed from October-November.
— But much more needs to be done. The Minister for Consumer Affairs and Food Pralhad Joshi has said that the government is “thinking” of relaxing the prohibition on white non-basmati rice exports, also effective since July 2023.
— The government must, in fact, even dispense with the 20 per cent duty on parboiled non-basmati and $950/tonne minimum export price restrictions on basmati shipments. It should, likewise, permit the resumption of sugar exports.
— Not removing export curbs now would cause unmanageable problems of plenty in rice and sugar down the line.
— Shifting gears in anticipation of evolving supply situations is something the government is least adept at, with its trade policy skewed in favour of consumers and biased against producers. It results in periods of low supply with high prices being followed by that of high supply with low prices — the familiar “cobweb model”, whose effects are accentuated by the clamping of export and stock controls during the former and no action in the latter event.
— While food inflation remains a concern, the government should be equally watchful of price collapses, whether in soyabean or moong. India cannot afford farmers losing interest in cultivating oilseeds and pulses.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the limitations of India’s trade policy?
— What are the top 3 rice and sugarcane-producing states in India?
— What are the issues and challenges associated with rice cultivation?
— What reforms should be introduced to have a balance between consumers and farmers’ interests?
Post Read Question:
(4) With reference to the current trends in the cultivation of sugarcane in India, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2020)
1. A substantial saving in seed material is made when ‘bud chip settlings’ are raised in a nurse, and transplanted in the main field.
2. When direct planting of setts is done, the germination percentage is better with single budded setts as compared to setts with many buds.
3. If bad weather conditions prevail when setts are directly planted, single-budded setts have better survival as compared to large setts
4. Sugarcane can be cultivated using settlings prepared from tissue culture.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 4 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Ethanol distilleries can buy 23 lakh MT rice from FCI: Govt
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution and Rights Issues, etc.
Mains Examination: GS-II: Constitution and Polity; Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes.
What’s the ongoing story- Yogendra Yadav writes— “Every encounter with otherwise liberal and even progressive educated Indians on this issue (caste census) leaves me shocked……. the staggering display of ignorance, prejudice and arrogance on this issue forces me to remember that the opinion-making class in our country is still largely upper caste….Here are the 10 most common half-truths on the caste census.”
Prerequisites:
— What is the caste census?
— Know the history of the census in India.
— What is the objective of the caste census?
— What are the constitutional provisions for the protection of SC and ST?
Key takeaways:
— “India has never had a caste census since 1931.: True, the Census of India has not asked the caste of every respondent after 1931. But the sense of scandal is misplaced. Every decennial census in independent India has always asked the caste question and recorded whether the respondent belongs to the SC or ST category. Not just that, the census also records the exact jati of SCs and STs and publishes jati-wise information on educational and economic indicators of SC and ST.”
— “The caste census is a humongous exercise that might delay the census.: True, extending the caste question to all castes would require modification to the existing proforma used to collect census information. But this is not a big deal. All it would take is to reword Column 8 of the Household Schedule…”
— “We don’t have a ready list of all castes to count, it’s an impossible task.: True, we don’t have an official list of all castes and sub-castes in the General group. But we do have ready lists for nearly three-fourths of our population — SC, ST and OBC. As for General, the census will simply record the exact jati mentioned by the respondent which will be categorised later — just as it does for language and religion.”
— “Caste census is all about a caste-wise headcount of the population size of each caste.:
True, that is the most immediate and publicised finding of a caste census. But the most significant data from the caste census is about the social, economic and educational profile of each caste community at each administrative level…”
— “The caste census is limited to including caste in the decennial census.: True, that’s the most common understanding of the caste census. But a comprehensive caste-wise inventory of assets, facilities, resources, opportunities and representation would require the caste question to be inserted into several other census-like data collection exercises, most of which already ask the caste question in terms of broad categories…”
Points to Ponder:
— What is the socio-economic caste census?
— What is the significance of the caste census?
— What are the advantages and disadvantages of the caste census?
— What are the challenges associated with caste census?
Post Read Question:
Prelims
(5) Which of the following articles of the Constitution of India provides for promotion of educational and economic interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections?
(a) Article 45
(b) Article 47
(c) Article 48
(d) Article 46
Mains
What are the two major legal initiatives by the State since Independence addressing discrimination against Scheduled Tribes (STs). (UPSC CSE 2017)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
A look at the complicated history of caste census
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economy
Mains Examination: GS-III: Economy
What’s the ongoing story- Soumya Kanti Ghosh writes: GDP growth in the first quarter fell short of the RBI’s expectations. At 6.7 per cent, growth is still higher than the decadal average of 6.4 per cent for the first quarter. Economic activities were clearly influenced by seasonal factors and the general elections during that period.
Prerequisites:
— What is the Private final consumption expenditure (PFCE)?
— How is the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) calculated in India?
— What is the Gross Value Added (GVA)?
— What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI)?
Key takeaways:
— Adjusting for inflation, the expenditure heads show traction in private demand and capital formation…
— Adjusting for inflation, the expenditure heads show traction in private demand and capital formation…
— Recent data indicates a moderation in bank credit growth, though credit has increased to industry which is a positive for the economy and has a multiplier effect on employment and growth… The rebalancing of demand from private consumption to investments supported by government capex needs further support.
— Additionally, the idea of banks using their own in-house capability to assess MSMEs for credit eligibility by using tax payments and even tax returns is an innovative idea…
— As 7 per cent plus growth for the current year looks possible, the government should move ahead with the implementation of the nine priorities it had mentioned in the budget in a time-bound manner. These could be bucketed in a list of short and medium term priorities.
— Digitisation of land records in rural areas and linking them to the farmer registry is a move that could potentially benefit 7.4 crore farmers having operative KCC accounts.
— In urban areas, the digitisation of all land records with GIS mapping could supplement the efforts of state governments in terms of updating, maintaining and administering property taxes and going completely faceless and making the process automated.
For Your Information:
— The Economic Survey for 2023-24 stands out from previous economic surveys in that it provides a more realistic picture of the challenges before India’s economic growth. As such, despite India’s GDP growing at more than 8% in FY 2023-24, the survey pegs the GDP growth rate for the current financial year (FY 2024-25) between 6.5% and 7%.
— The Indian economy needs to generate an average of nearly 78.5 lakh jobs annually until 2030 in the non-farm sector to cater to the rising workforce.
— A constant refrain against the government has been the lack of good quality and timely data especially related to employment. In the Survey, the CEA accepted that this was indeed a gap that was holding back a proper analysis.
Points to Ponder:
— How good monsoon impact the CPI?
— Scheme: The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS)
— What is the significance of the Digitisation of land records?
— What are the challenges of the Minimum Support Price (MSP)?
Post Read Question:
(6) In India, which one of the following is responsible for maintaining price stability by controlling inflation? (UPSC CSE 2022)
(a) Department of Consumer Affairs
(b) Expenditure Management Commission
(c) Financial Stability and Development Council
(d) Reserve Bank of India
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Explained: Key takeaways from the 2023-24 Economic Survey
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-III: International Organisations
What’s the ongoing story- Turmoil over China’s push for influence in the South Pacific has overshadowed the region’s most important diplomatic summit after a Pacific island leader apparently pledged to erase an affirmation of Taiwan’s involvement in the meeting from its closing statement, at Beijing’s behest.
Prerequisites:
— Map work: Taiwan, Countries surrounding the South China Sea,
Key takeaways:
— The Pacific Islands Forum — a group of 18 island nations, plus Australia and New Zealand — initially included a reassertion of the standing of self-governing Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, in a public communiqué Friday outlining leaders’ agreements after their weeklong annual meeting. But it was then removed on Saturday.
— Officials at the summit in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, did not explain why the statement had changed. But video posted by a news outlet late on Sunday appeared to show a Pacific leader assuring China’s special envoy to the Pacific, Qian Bo, that the reference to Taiwan would be removed after Qian demanded it in remarks to reporters.
For Your Information:
— Formed in 1971, PIF is an intergovernmental organisation which consists of 18 member states located in the Pacific region. Australia and New Zealand are among the wealthiest and largest countries which are part of the organisation — other member states are Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands etc.
— In recent years, China has deepened its ties with PIF members — observers suggest that this is one of the reasons why PIF’s annual summit has gained wider recognition. The Asian country signed security and policing agreements with the Solomon Islands, in particular, setting off alarm bells in Australia and the US.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC)?
— What is the significance of the Pacific region for India?
Post Read Question:
(7) Consider the following countries:
1. Fiji
2. Papua New Guinea
3. Solomon Islands
4. Vanuatu
5. Tonga
Which of the above-mentioned countries are part of the Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC)?
(a) 1, 2, 4 and 5
(b) 2, 3, 4 and 5
(c) 1, 3 and 5
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
What is the FIPIC summit that PM Modi attended in Papua New Guinea?
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Developing story… |
| CCS approves buying 240 aero engines from HAL for Rs 26,000 crore | The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) Monday approved a proposal to procure 240 aero-engines for the Su-30 MKI aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) at a cost of over Rs 26,000 crore, the Defence Ministry said. Read more: Knowledge nugget of the day: Cabinet Committee on Security |
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PRELIMS ANSWER KEY |
| 1. (c) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4. (c) 5. (d) 6. (d) 7. (d) |
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