Khush Rice Varieties

Read more...

Types of Governments

For Prelims: Constitutional Monarchy, Forms of Government, Commonwealth of Nations

For Mains: Constitutional Monarchy, Forms of Government, Commonwealth of Nations

Why in News?

Recently, King Charles III has taken Oath as Head of State in the British Constitutional Monarchy after the demise of Queen Elizabeth II.

• Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s Longest-Reigning Monarch died after 70 years on the throne at the age of 96.

Who was Queen Elizabeth II?

• Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, officially Elizabeth II was born on 21^st April, 1926, London, England.
• Elizabeth was the elder daughter of Prince Albert, duke of York, and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.
• In 1947 Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey.
• Their first child, Prince Charles, was born in 1948.
• She was crowned at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953, in front of 8,500 assembled guests.

What are the Different types of Monarchy?

• Constitutional Monarchy:
  • Constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government.
  • The monarch may be the de facto head of state or a purely ceremonial leader, who only performs the formalities but does not have real power as the Prime Minister.
  • The constitution allocates the rest of the government’s power to the legislature and judiciary.
    • Countries with Constitutional monarchies include England, Belgium, Cambodia, Jordan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Thailand.
• Absolute Monarchy:
  • An absolute monarchy is a form of government in which a single person—usually a king or queen—holds absolute, autocratic power.
  • In absolute monarchies, the succession of power is typically hereditary, with the throne passing among members of a ruling family.
  • In a monarchy, state authority is held by a single family, which passes down the throne from generation to generation.
  • Arising during the Middle Ages, absolute monarchy prevailed in much of western Europe by the 16^th century. Along with France, as epitomized by King Louis XIV, absolute monarchs ruled other European countries, including England, Spain, Prussia, and Austria.
    • Countries with Absolute Monarchies include, Brunei, Eswatini, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Vatican City, United Arab Emirates

What are the Roles and Powers of British Monarchy?

• About:
  • The British Monarchy is a constitutional monarchy, because being the Sovereign is Head of State, the ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected Parliament.
  • The British monarch reigns but does not rule that means in spite of being head of the state he/she does not have Real Power.
  • The monarch has to remain strictly neutral with respect to political matters.
• Roles and Powers:
  • Appointment of Prime Minister and government:
    • The Monarch appoints the Prime Minister who enjoys the majority support of MPs.
    • Once the leader of a party wins general elections, the Head of State invites them to Buckingham Palace to form the government.
    • The discretionary power to appoint or dismiss a Prime Minister no longer lies with the monarch.
  • Opening the Parliament:
    • The Monarch opens the Parliamentary year with the State Opening Ceremony, during which he/she delivers an address about the executive's planned policies and priorities in the House of Lords.
  • Assenting legislation:
    • The sovereign gives his/her Royal Assent to the bills passed in the House of Lords and Commons but that is now essentially a rubber-stamping exercise as the last time a bill denied the Royal Assent was in 1707 by Queen Anne.
  • Commonwealth Realms:
    • The Monarch is also the head of the Commonwealth of Nations, an association which is a product of the erstwhile British empire.
      • It consists of 56 independent nations with a population of 2.4 billion.

What are the other Forms of Governments?

• Democracy:
  • People in democracies can vote for their preferred representatives or political parties during elections and thus citizens can elect members to legislatures such as the Parliament.
  • Democracy refers to governance that is run by, for, and for the people.
    • Countries follow democracy include, India, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, The USA etc.
• Republic:
  • Republics and democracies both provide a political system in which citizens are represented by elected officials who are sworn to protect their interests.
  • In a pure democracy, laws are made directly by the voting majority leaving the rights of the minority largely unprotected.
  • In a republic, laws are made by representatives chosen by the people and must comply with a constitution that specifically protects the rights of the minority from the will of the majority.
    • The United States, Mexico, India, France, Kenya, South Korea, Peru, and Indonesia are only a few to republics.
• Aristocracy:
  • An aristocracy is a government-administered by members of the ruling class, who are generally from affluent families, families with a specific set of ideas, or individuals from a specific location.
  • Aristocracy differs from nobility in that nobility refers to a single lineage ruling, whereas aristocracy refers to a few or more bloodlines ruling, or rulers selected differently.
• Dictatorship:
  • A dictatorship is when a country's government is governed by a single individual who has complete authority over its citizens.
    • Originally, dictators were appointed by the Roman Republic to rule during times of war.
  • A dictator's control in contemporary times is unaffected by laws, constitutions, or other social and political institutions, and can persist for years, if not decades.
    • Many Latin American nations became dictatorships when the Spanish Empire fell apart.
  • Parts of World War II were fought between dictators, and dictators eventually controlled new countries in Asia and Africa. Josef Stalin, Adolf Hitler, and other tyrants are examples.
    • Republic of the Congo, North Korea, Cameron are a few of the Dictating Countries.
• Oligarchy:
  • A government dominated by a small number of influential people is known as an oligarchy. Oligarchy is also considered to be the distorted form of Aristocracy.
  • These individuals may or may not distribute power equitably. Rather than one person making all of the choices or instructing others what to do, as in a dictatorship, a democratic monarchy is one in which everyone makes decisions collectively.
  • Because only a few individuals are allowed to alter things, an oligarchy differs from a real democracy.
  • It is not necessary for an oligarchy to be hereditary or passed down from father to son.
  • An oligarchy is ruled by a group of influential people rather than a single king.
    • In modern times, “oligarchy” is generally applied to China and Iran. China describes itself as a communist “people's republic,” but leadership of the country has been maintained by a select few for several decades.

Source: IE

Tenth Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference

For Prelims: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), No-First-Use Policy, nuclear weapon, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), The Treaty on the Prohibition of nuclear weapons (TPNW), Nuclear Suppliers Group, The Missile Technology Control Regime, Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, The Wassenaar Arrangement.

For Mains: Challenges in the way of Non-Proliferation Treaty, Russia’s disagreement on NPT, India’s Stand on NPT.

Why in News?

Recently, the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference which was held in New York ended without adopting a substantive outcome due to Russia’s objection.

What is the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty?

• About:
  • The NPT is an international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to foster the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and to further the goal of disarmament.
  • The treaty was signed in 1968 and entered into force in 1970. Presently, it has 191 member states.
    • India is not a member.
  • It requires countries to give up any present or future plans to build nuclear weapons in return for access to peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
  • It represents the only binding commitment in a multilateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-weapon States.
  • Nuclear-weapon states parties under the NPT are defined as those that manufactured and exploded a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive devices before 1^st January, 1967.
• India’s Stand:
  • India is one of the only five countries that either did not sign the NPT or signed but withdrew later, thus becoming part of a list that includes Pakistan, Israel, North Korea, and South Sudan.
  • India always considered the NPT as discriminatory and had refused to sign it.
  • India has opposed the international treaties aimed at non-proliferation since they were selectively applicable to the non-nuclear powers and legitimised the monopoly of the five nuclear weapons powers.

What are the Concerns Arising Out of Russia’s Disagreement?

• The occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine as well as the takeover of the Chernobyl nuclear plant, scene of the world's worst nuclear disaster in 1986, renewed global fears of another nuclear emergency.
• The threat of nuclear weapons use today is higher than at any time since the heights of the Cold War and the deteriorated international security environment.
• This NPT conference represents a missed opportunity to strengthen the treaty and global security by agreeing to a specific action plan with benchmarks and timeframes to effectively address the growing dangers of nuclear arms racing and nuclear weapons use.

What are the Other Treaties and Agreements related to Nuclear Weapon?

• The Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, In Outer Space and Under Water, also known as the Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT).
• Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT): India has not signed the CTBT as India is a strong advocate for a time-bound disarmament commitment from nuclear weapon states (NWS) and may use the lack of a commitment as a reason to refrain from signing the CTBT.
• The Treaty on the Prohibition of nuclear weapons (TPNW): It entered into force on 22 January 2021 and India is not a member of this treaty.
• Nuclear Suppliers Group(NSG): India is not a member of the NSG.
• The Missile Technology Control Regime.
• Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation.
• The Wassenaar Arrangement.

Source: DTE

Wikipedia Content Moderation

For Prelims: Wikipedia & Content Moderation, IT Act 2000, IT Rules 2021, Section 69A

For Mains: Regulation of Content on Internet, Power of Government to Regulate Online Content

Why in the News?

Recently, India summoned officials of Wikipedia, in response to a national cricketer’s Wikipedia page being edited with misleading information.

• The Minister of State for Electronics and IT has expressed that no intermediary operating in India can permit this type of misinformation, as it violated the government’s expectation of a safe and trusted internet.
• Content Moderation refers to the process of ensuring user-generated content upholds platform-specific guidelines and rules to establish the suitability of the content for publishing.

What is Wikipedia?

• About:
  • Wikipedia is a free Internet-based encyclopedia, started in 2001, that operates under an open-source management style.
  • It is overseen by the nonprofit “Wikimedia Foundation”.
  • It is maintained by a community of volunteers through open collaboration and a wiki-based editing system.
    • Anyone can contribute to their pool of knowledge by making edits to existing pages for updating or correction and can even add new pages.
• Structure of Wikipedia:
  • The architecture of Wikipedia is that of an intermediary i.e., it hosts content generated by its users.
• Responsibility for Content:
  • Under the majority of laws regulating online content, intermediaries are endowed with immunity from the user generated content they host, provided they maintain some due diligence over their platforms.
  • In previous challenges to the content on wikipedia, it has been ruled that the Wikimedia Foundation does not own the content, and does not have the legal responsibility for it.
    • However, administrators or editors have taken notice of the content concerns arising out of the situation and have made suitable edits.
    • Wikimedia can also “contribute, monitor or delete content” for legal compliance.
      • Therefore, it is arguable that since Wikimedia can exercise such power, it can be held responsible for illegal content being hosted on Wikipedia.

What can the Government do regarding Online Content?

• Section 69A of IT Act 2000:
  • Section 69 (A) of the Information Technology Act confers on the Central and State governments the power to issue directions “to intercept, monitor or decrypt any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource”.
  • Section 69A enables the Centre to ask any agency of the government, or any intermediary, to block access to the public of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored or hosted on any computer resource.
    • The term ‘intermediaries’ includes providers of telecom service, network service, Internet service and web hosting, besides search engines, online payment and auction sites, online marketplaces and cyber cafes.
  • Any such request for blocking access must be based on reasons given in writing
    • In 2020, the government had asked the Wikimedia Foundation to remove a map from one of its pages that incorrectly showed Aksai Chin to be a part of China.
    • In that instance, the government had proposed the use of section 69A, IT Act, 2000 for violating the territorial integrity of India.
• Section 79 of IT Act 2000:
  • Under Section 79 of Information Technology Act 2000, intermediaries can claim the “safe harbour” of not being responsible for the content they host, considering they abide by due diligence requirements under the Act and its Rules.
• IT Rules 2021:
  • As per the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, there are certain categories of information that an intermediary should not allow to be hosted or uploaded on its platform which includes:
    • Information that is “patently false and untrue, and is written or published in any form, with the intent to mislead or harass a person, entity or agency for financial gain or to cause any injury to any person”.
  • In the Context of Wikimedia Foundation:
    • Although Wikimedia Foundation does not own the information hosted on Wikipedia, once Wikimedia Foundation has “actual knowledge” of such content being hosted on its platform, it would be held responsible for the same according to Indian Law.
      • Actual Knowledge means when an intermediary has been notified by either a court order or through an order of the appropriate agency demanding removal of the offending content.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q. In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents? (2017)

1. Service providers
2. Data centres
3. Body corporate

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• According to section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act), the Union Government by notification should appoint an agency named Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERTIn) to serve as the national agency for incident response.
• The Union Government under section 70B of the IT Act, 2000 established and notified rules of CERT-In in 2014. According to Rule 12(1)(a), it is mandatory for service providers, intermediaries, data centers and corporate bodies to report cyber security incidences to CERT-In within a reasonable time of occurrence of the incident. Hence, 1, 2 and 3 are correct.
• Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Source: TH

Urban Employment Guarantee

For Prelims: Unemployment figures of India, Urban Employment Guarantee Schemes, MGNREGA

For Mains: Issue of Unemployment in India, Significance of Urban Employment Guarantee Schemes

Why in News?

Recently, the government of Rajasthan has launched the flagship scheme for Urban Employment, the Indira Gandhi Shehari Rojgar Yojana.

What do we need to know about the Scheme?

• Aim:
  • To provide 100 days of employment to families in urban areas on the lines of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA).
  • The government has allocated Rs 800 crore for the implementation of the scheme.
• Target Population: People in the 18 to 60 age group are eligible for the scheme.
• Employment Opportunities:
  • Water Conservation: The renovation work at Khaniyon ki Baori comes under the water conservation works of the scheme.
  • Convergence: People can be employed in other centre or state level schemes, already having a material component, and which require labour work.
  • Other works include:
    • Environmental conservation such as tree plantation in public places and maintenance of parks.
    • Cleanliness and sanitation-related works such as solid waste management.
    • Heritage conservation and work related to security/fencing/boundary wall/guarding of urban civic bodies and public lands, etc.
• Urban Employment Guarantee Schemes of other States:
  • Kerala:
    • Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme (AUEGS), launched in 2010, aims at enhancing the livelihood security of people in urban areas by guaranteeing hundred days of wage employment in a financial year to an urban household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
  • Himachal Pradesh:
    • Mukhya Mantri Shahri Ajeevika Guarantee Yojna was launched in 2020 to enhance livelihood security in urban areas by providing 120 days of guaranteed wage employment to every household in a financial year.
  • Jharkhand:
    • Mukhyamantri Shramik Yojana was launched in 2020 to enhance livelihood security in Jharkhand State by providing a guaranteed 100 days wage employment in a financial year.

Why are Urban Employment Guarantee Schemes emerging in India?

• Absence of “Guarantee” Schemes:
  • Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY), launched in 1997, provided employment to the unemployed and underemployed urban poor through self-employment and wage employment.
    • In 2013, the SJSRY was replaced by the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM).
  • India has had a history of urban employment schemes, but none of them were employment “guarantee” schemes.
• Urban unemployment Rates:
  • Most unemployment data, be it from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) or the Periodic Labour Force Survey shows that the unemployment rates are typically higher in urban areas.
    • As per August 2022 data (CMIE), unemployment rate in urban India stands at 9.57% (Rural 7.68%).
• Vulnerable Informal Sector:
  • According to the International Labour Organization, of the 535 million labour force in India in 2019, around 398.6 million have poor quality jobs. Further, the lockdown exposed the state of vulnerable employment in urban low-end informal jobs.
  • Vulnerable employment is characterised by inadequate earnings, low productivity and difficult conditions of work that undermine the basic rights of workers.
• Rural Centric Schemes:
  • Most of the government schemes providing relief, be it from the Union government or state, prioritize rural unemployment and poverty like MGNREGA.
  • Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan, launched in 2020, with an allocation of Rs 50,000 crore, to boost employment and livelihood opportunities for migrant workers returning to villages in the wake of the Covid outbreak.

Can UEG Scheme be an Extension of MGNREGA?

• Existing Scheme’s Framework:
  • Currently in India, most UEGs appear to be a mere extension of MGNREGA to the urban areas.
    • Being the UEG in Himachal Pradesh, Odisha or Kerala, one common feature among them is providing employment for a specific number of days during the year to the urban households.
• However, UEGs cannot be mere extension of MGNREGA due to following reasons:
  • Rural unemployment is mostly seasonal.
    • During peak farming season, very few rural people may be unemployed.
    • But there is no such seasonality in urban unemployment.
  • Capacity of the Panchayati Raj Institutions in rural and urban areas.
    • Urban local bodies are poorly funded and have little capacity to provide help.
  • The public works in which the labour is involved are different in rural and urban economies.

Way Forward

• UEG Scheme interventions by the States are a welcome step which give urban residents the right to work and ensure the right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
• Programmes like the Smart Cities Mission and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) have focused more on the development of bigger towns and cities.
  • It is important to re-focus our attention to improving the livelihoods and ecology of urban areas beyond India’s major cities.
• An urban employment guarantee programme not only improves the incomes of workers but also has multiplier effects on the economy.
  • It will boost local demand in small towns, improve public infrastructure and services, spur entrepreneurship, build skills of workers and create a shared sense of public goods.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q. Disguised unemployment generally means (2013)

(a) large number of people remain unemployed
(b) alternative employment is not available
(c) marginal productivity of labour is zero
(d) productivity of workers is low

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• An economy demonstrates disguised unemployment when productivity is low and too many workers are filling too few jobs.
• Marginal productivity refers to the additional output that is gained by addition of one unit of labour.
• Since, in disguised unemployment, more number of labour than required are already engaged in the work, the marginal productivity of labour is zero.
• Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Source: IE

Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan

For Prelims: Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, Tuberculosis (TB), Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

For Mains: Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, Health, Government Policies & Interventions.

Why in News?

Recently, to speed up the country’s fight against tuberculosis (TB) and achieve the target set by the Prime Minister of eliminating the disease by 2025, President launched the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.

What is Tuberculosis?

• About: Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
  • It commonly affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body.
  • It is a treatable and curable disease.
• Transmission: TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air.
• Symptoms: Common symptoms of active lung TB are cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.
• Vaccine: Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is a vaccine for TB disease.
• Statistics:
  • A total of 1.5 million people died from TB and an estimated 10 million people fell ill with tuberculosis (TB) worldwide in 2020.
  • India has the world’s highest tuberculosis (TB) burden, with an estimated 26 lakh people contracting the disease and approximately 4 lakh people dying from the disease every year.
• Challenges for India:
  • Major challenges to control TB in India include poor primary health-care infrastructure in rural areas of many states; unregulated private health care leading to widespread irrational use of first-line and second-line anti-TB drugs; poverty; lack of political will; and, above all, corrupt administration.

What Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan?

• About:
  • It's an initiative of Ministery of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) to accelerate the country’s progress towards TB elimination by 2025.
• Objectives:
  • Provide additional patient support to improve treatment outcomes of TB patients
  • Augment community involvement in meeting India’s commitment to end TB by 2025.
  • Leverage Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.
• Components:
  • Ni-kshay Mitra Initiative: It is to ensure additional diagnostic, nutritional, and vocational support to those on TB treatment.
    • Ni-kshay Mitra (Donor) are those who can support by adopting health facilities (for individual donor), blocks/urban wards/districts/states for accelerating response against TB to complement government efforts.
  • Ni-kshay Digital Portal: It will provide a platform for community support for persons with TB.

What are the other related Initiatives Regarding Tuberculosis?

• Global Efforts:
  • The WHO (World Health Organisation) has launched a joint initiative “Find. Treat. All. #EndTB” with the Global Fund and Stop TB Partnership.
  • WHO also releases the Global Tuberculosis Report.
• India’s Efforts:
  • India’s National TB Elimination Programme is strengthened to meet the goal of ending the TB epidemic by 2025 from the country, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for 2030.
  • National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Tuberculosis Elimination (2017-2025), The Nikshay Ecosystem (National TB information system), Nikshay Poshan Yojana (NPY- financial support), TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign.
  • Currently, two vaccines VPM (Vaccine Projekt Management) 1002 and MIP (Mycobacterium Indicus Pranii) have been developed and identified for TB, and are under Phase-3 clinical trial.
  • Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana: It provides Rs 500 support through direct benefit transfer to the patients.
  • Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission: The government has also focused on utilising technology and creating digital health IDs for TB patients under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission to ensure proper diagnostics and treatment are available.

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims

Q ‘Mission Indradhanush’ launched by the Government of India pertains to (2016)

(a) immunization of children and pregnant women
(b) construction of smart cities across the country
(c) India’s own search for the Earth-like planets in outer space
(d) New Educational Policy

Ans: (a)

• Mission Indradhanush is an immunization scheme launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GoI on 25^th December, 2014.
• Depicting seven colours of the rainbow, it aimed to cover all those children by 2020 who are either unvaccinated, or are partially vaccinated against seven vaccine preventable diseases which include diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B.
• The mission is technically supported by WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International and other donor partners.

Source: IE

Faustian Bargain Vs Principled Position

For Mains: Faustian Bargain Vs Principled Position in Politics

What is a Faustian Bargain?

• About:
  • Its classical definition refers to a pact where someone trades something of supreme moral and spiritual value to them, a core principle which defines their essential being, in return for power, knowledge, or wealth.
  • The idea comes from the German legend of Johann Georg Faust who sold his soul to the devil for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures.
    • This was for a fixed period and it is a tale that has inspired great literature from Christopher Marlowe’s play Doctor Faustus to Goethe’s drama Faust.
    • In this bargain, Faust’s soul gets reclaimed by the devil for eternity when the contract expires. This is a hard bargain.
  • In modern terms, this means a temporary benefit gained for the suspension, or suppression, of one’s conscience. The guilt of the compromise, however, does not go away.
• Examples:
  • The Chief Minister of Delhi too might have made such a bargain when he chose not to condemn the release of the 11 men who were convicted for serious crimes in the Bilkis Bano case while campaigning in Gujarat Election.
  • Perhaps deposed Myanmarese leader Aung San Suu Kyi also made a Faustian bargain when she made a deal with the Myanmarese Generals to come to power despite the atrocities by the army against the Rohingya.
  • The case of former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi can also be considered a Faustian deal with the Government that resulted in his nomination to the Rajya Sabha.
  • Faustian bargain, however distasteful and unethical it may be, be justified by better outcomes measured in utilitarian terms.
    • Mr. Kejriwal may produce a better government in Gujarat and Aung San Suu Kyi’s produced a democratic government in Myanmar.

What is the Principled Position?

• About:
  • In contrast to the Faustian bargain, some politicians prefer not to make compromises believing that it is better to take public positions that are consistent with one’s values rather than adopt a utilitarian calculus of compromise with evil for a future good.
• Examples:
  • Babasaheb Ambedkar resigned in 1951 when he felt Nehru had undermined his position as the Law Minister on the Hindu Code Bill which he wanted to be discussed.
    • His resignation speech is an artistic statement of the principled position.
  • Gandhiji entered into no Faustian bargain, nor did Nelson Mandela or Jawaharlal Nehru or Rabindranath Tagore.

Source: TH

First Disbursement under PLI Scheme

For Prelims: Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, Budget 2022-23.

For Mains: PLI scheme and its Significance.

Why in News?

Recently, the first-ever disbursement has been approved by the empowered Committee in Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for mobile manufacturing under ‘Large-Scale Electronics Manufacturing’ sector.

• Indian company Padget Electronics is the first beneficiary to receive incentive.

What is the PLI Scheme?

• About:
  • The PLI scheme was conceived to scale up domestic manufacturing capability, accompanied by higher import substitution and employment generation.
  • The government has set aside Rs 1.97 lakh crore under the PLI schemes for various sectors and an additional allocation of Rs 19,500 crore was made towards PLI for solar PV modules in Budget 2022-23.
  • Launched in March 2020, the scheme initially targeted three industries:
    • Mobile and allied Component Manufacturing
    • Electrical Component Manufacturing and
    • Medical Devices
• Incentives Under the Scheme:
  • The incentives, calculated on the basis of incremental sales, range from as low as 1% for the electronics and technology products to as high as 20% for the manufacturing of critical key starting drugs and certain drug intermediaries.
  • In some sectors such as advanced chemistry cell batteries, textile products and the drone industry, the incentive to be given will be calculated on the basis of sales, performance and local value addition done over the period of five years.
• Sectors for which the PLI Scheme has been Announced:
  • So far, the government has announced PLI schemes for 14 sectors including automobile and auto components, electronics and IT hardware, telecom, pharmaceuticals, solar modules, metals and mining, textiles and apparel, white goods, drones, and advanced chemistry cell batteries.
• Objectives:
  • The Government introduced this scheme to reduce India’s dependence on China and other foreign countries.
  • It supports the labour-intensive sectors and aims to increase the employment ratio in India.
  • This scheme works to reduce the import bills and boost domestic production.
    • However, PLI Yojana invites foreign companies to set up their units in India and encourages domestic enterprises to expand their production units.

What is PLI scheme for Large-Scale Electronics Manufacturing?

• About:
  • It is mapped to the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY).
  • The PLI scheme on Large-Scale Electronic Manufacturing, which includes manufacturing of mobile phones and manufacturing of specified electronic components, was approved in March 2020, with a total outlay of Rs 38,645 crores.
• Progress So Far:
  • Thirty-two beneficiaries had been approved under the PLI scheme for Large-Scale Electronics Manufacturing, of which 10 (5 global and 5 domestic companies) were approved for mobile manufacturing.
  • This PLI scheme has also generated employment of 28,636.
  • Over the last 3 years, exports have grown by 139%.
• Significance:
  • It is expected to make India a competitive destination for electronics manufacturing.
  • Further, it will give a boost to Atmanirbhar Bharat while creating more global champions.
  • The scheme is expected to bring in additional production to the tune of Rs 10,69,432 crore and generate employment for 7,00,000 people.

Source: PIB

US - Indonesia Military Drill

Why in News?

Recently, the United States and Indonesian militaries had conducted annual joint combat exercises on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island.

• For the first time, participants from other partner nations have also joined amid growing maritime activity by China in the Indo-Pacific region.

What do we need to know about the Joint Military Drill?

• More than 5,000 soldiers from the U.S., Indonesia, Australia, Japan and Singapore participated in this 2022’s exercises.
• The exercises were designed to strengthen interoperability, capability, trust and cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
• The exercises lasted till 14^th August 2022, encompassing army, navy, air force and marine drills.

Which are India’s Exercises with US & Indonesia?

• US:
  • Exercise Yudh Abhyas: It is the largest running joint military training and defence cooperation endeavor between India and the US.
  • Exercise Tiger Triumph (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief exercise): It aims to develop interoperability for conducting HADR operations.
  • Exercise Vajra Prahar (Special Forces’ Exercise): The joint exercise by the Special Forces of both the countries is conducted alternatively between India and the United States.
• Indonesia:
  • Exercise Samudra Shakti (Maritime): In pursuance of India’s Act East Policy, Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’ was conceived in 2018 as a bilateral IN-IDN exercise.
    • The exercise aims to strengthen the bilateral relationship, and enhance mutual understanding and interoperability in maritime operations between the two navies.
  • IND-INDO CORPAT (Maritime Exercise): India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol build up understanding and interoperability between navies and facilitate institution of measures to prevent and suppress Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q. Consider the following in respect of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS): (2017)

1. Inaugural IONS was held in India in 2015 under the chairmanship of the Indian Navy.
2. IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime co-operation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• The ‘Indian Ocean Naval Symposium’ (IONS) is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral States of the Indian Ocean Region by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussion of regionally relevant maritime issues. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• It provides a forum to increase maritime security cooperation, and promote friendly relationships among the member nations.
• The inaugural IONS-2008 was held in New Delhi, India in Feburary, 2008. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy was designated as the Chairman of IONS for the period 2008-10. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Source: PIB