Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Why in News?

• Recently, EU members have agreed to implement a minimum tax rate of 15% on big businesses in accordance with Pillar 2 of the global tax agreement framed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2021.
• In 2021,136 countries including India had agreed on a plan to redistribute tax rights across jurisdictions and enforce a minimum tax rate of 15% on large multinational corporations.

 What is Global Minimum Tax?

• A Global Minimum Tax (GMT) applies a standard minimum tax rate to a defined corporate income base
• The OECD developed a proposal featuring a corporate minimum tax of 15% on foreign profits of large multinationals, which would give countries new annual tax revenues of USD 150 billion.
• The framework of GMT aims to discourage nations from tax competition through lower tax rates that result in corporate profit shifting and tax base erosion.

 What are the Key Points of the Plan?

• Two Pillar Plan:
  • Pillar 1:
    • 25% of profits of the largest and most profitable Multinational Enterprise (MNEs) above a set profit margin would be reallocated to the market jurisdictions where the MNE’s users and customers are located.
    • It also provides for a simplified and streamlined approach to the application of the arm’s length principle to in-country baseline marketing and distribution activities.
    • It includes features to ensure dispute prevention and dispute resolution in order to address any risk of double taxation, but with an elective mechanism for some low-capacity countries.
    • It also entails the removal and standstill of Digital Services Taxes (DST) and similar relevant measures, to prevent harmful trade disputes.
  • Pillar 2:
    • It provides a minimum 15% tax on corporate profit, putting a floor on tax competition.
    • This will apply to multinational groups with annual global revenues of over750 million euros. Governments across the world will impose additional taxes on the foreign profits of MNEs headquartered in their jurisdiction at least to the agreed minimum rate.
  • This means that if a company’s earnings go untaxed or lightly taxed in one of the tax havens, their home country would impose a top-up tax that would bring the effective rate to 15%.
  • Objectives:
    • It aims to ensure that big businesses with global operations do not benefit by domiciling themselves in tax havens in order to save on taxes.
    • The minimum tax and other provisions aim to put an end to decades of tax competition between governments to attract foreign investment.

 What is the Significance of the Move?

• End of Race to the Bottom:
  • It tries to put an end to the “race to the bottom” which has made it harder for governments to shore up the revenues required to fund their rising spending budgets.
    • A race to the bottom refers to heightened competition between nations, states, or companies, where product quality or rational economic decisions are sacrificed in order to gain a competitive advantage or reduction in product manufacturing costs.
  • Stopping Financial Diversion to Tax Havens:
    • Increasingly, income from intangible sources such as drug patents, software and royalties on intellectual property has migrated to Tax Havens, allowing companies to avoid paying higher taxes in their traditional home countries.
  • Mobilising Financial Resources:
    • With budgets strained after the Covid-19 crisis, many governments want more than ever to discourage multinationals from shifting profits – and tax revenues – to low-tax countries regardless of where their sales are made.
  • Global Tax Reforms: Since the inception of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) programme, the proposal for GMT is another positive step towards global taxation reforms.
    • BEPS refers to tax avoidance strategies that exploit gaps and mismatches in tax rules to artificially shift profits to low or no-tax locations. OECD has issued 15 Action Items to address this.
  • Counters Global Inequality:
    • The minimum tax proposal is particularly relevant at a time when the fiscal state of governments across the world has deteriorated as seen in the worsening of public debt metrics.
  • It is believed that the plan will also help counter rising global inequality by making it tougher for large businesses to pay low taxes by availing the services of tax havens.

 What are the Issues?

• Threat of tax Competition:
  • It is considered the threat of tax competition that keeps a check on governments which would otherwise tax their citizens heavily to fund profligate spending programs.
• Impending Sovereignty:
  • It impinges on the right of the sovereign to decide a nation’s tax policy.
  • A global minimum rate would essentially take away a tool country use to push policies that suit them.
• Question of Efficacy:
  • The deal has also been criticized for lacking teeth: Groups such as Oxfam said the deal would not put an end to tax havens.

What is the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development?

• The OECD is an intergovernmental economic organisation, founded to stimulate economic progress and world trade.
• Founded:
• Headquarters: Paris, France.
• Total Members: 36.
• India is not a member, but a key economic partner.

Way Forward

• Since the OECD’s plan essentially tries to form a global tax cartel, it will always face the risk of losing out to low-tax jurisdictions outside the cartel and cheating by members within the cartel.
• After all, countries both within and outside the cartel will have the incentive to boost investments and economic growth within their respective jurisdictions by offering lower tax rates to businesses.
• This is a structural problem that will persist as long as the global tax cartel continues to exist.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Why in News?

• Recently, at the 15^thConference of Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity “Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework” (GBF) was adopted.
• GBF includes 4 goals and 23 targets for achievement by 2030.
• The U.N. biodiversity conference concluded in Canada’s Montreal.
• The first part of COP 15 took place in Kunming, China and reinforced the commitment to address the biodiversity crisis and the Kunming Declaration was adopted by over 100 countries

What are the Key Targets of the GBF?

• 30×30 Deal:
  • Restore 30% degraded ecosystems globally (on land and sea) by 2030
  • Conserve and manage 30% areas(terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine) by 2030
• Stop the extinction of known species, and by 2050reduce tenfold the extinction risk and rate of all species (including unknown)
• Reduce risk from pesticides by at least 50% by 2030
• Reduce nutrients lost to the environment by at least 50% by 2030
• Reduce pollution risks and negative impacts of pollution from all sources by 2030 to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity and ecosystem functions
• Reduce global footprint of consumption by 2030, including through significantly reducing overconsumption and waste generation and halving food waste
• Sustainably manage areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry and substantially increase agroecology and other biodiversity-friendly practices
• Tackle climate change through nature-based solutions
• Reduce the rate of introduction and establishment of invasive alien species by at least 50% by 2030
• Secure the safe, legal and sustainable use and trade of wild species by 2030
• Green up urban spaces

What are the Other Major Outcomes of COP15?

• Money for Nature:
  • Signatories aim to ensure USD200 billion per year is channelled to conservation initiatives, from public and private sources.
  • Wealthier countries should contribute at least USD20 billions of this every year by 2025, and at least USD30 billion a year by 2030.
• Big Companies Report Impacts on Biodiversity:
  • Companies should analyse and report how their operations affect and are affected by biodiversity issues.
  • The parties agreed to large companies and financial institutions being subject to “requirements” to make disclosures regarding their operations, supply chains and portfolios.
• Harmful Subsidies:
  • Countries committed to identify subsidies that deplete biodiversity by 2025,and then eliminate, phase out or reform them.
  • They agreed to slash those incentives by at least USD500 billion a year by 2030 and increase incentives that are positive for conservation.
• Monitoring and reporting progress:
  • All the agreed aims will be supported by processes to monitor progress in the future, in a bid to prevent this agreement meeting the same fate as similar targets that were agreed in Aichi, Japan, in 2010, and never met.
  • National action plans will be set and reviewed, following a similar format used for greenhouse gas emissions under U.N.-led efforts to curb climate change. Some observers objected to the lack of a deadline for countries to submit these plans.

How India Presented its Demands at the Conference?

• India called for an urgent need to create a new and dedicated fund to help developing countries successfully implement a post-2020 global framework to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.
  • So far, the Global Environment Facility which caters to multiple conventions, including the UNFCCC and UN Convention to Combat Desertification, remains the only source of funding for biodiversity conservation.
• India also said that conservation of biodiversity must also be based on ‘Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities’ (CBDR) as climate change also impacts nature.
• According to India, developing countries bear most of the burden of implementing the targets for conserving biodiversity and, therefore, require adequate funding and technology transfer.

What is the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)?

• CBD is a legally binding treaty to conserve biodiversity that has been in force since 1993 and has been ratified by 196 nations.
• It sets out guidelines for countries to protect biodiversity, ensure sustainable use, and promote fair and equitable benefit sharing.
• It aims at achieving a historic deal to halt and reverse biodiversity loss on par with the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
• The CBD Secretariat is based in Montreal, Canada.
• The Parties (Countries) under CBD, meet at regular intervals and these meetings are called Conference of Parties (COP).
• In 2000, a supplementary agreement to the Convention known as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was adopted. It came into force on 11^th September 2003.
  • The Protocol seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.
• The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) was adopted in 2010 in Nagoya, Japan at COP10. It entered into force on 12^th October 2014.
  • It not only applies to genetic resources that are covered by the CBD, and to the benefits arising from their utilization but also covers traditional knowledge (TK) associated with genetic resources that are covered by the CBD and the benefits arising from its utilization.
• The COP-10 also adopted a ten-year framework for action by all countries to save biodiversity. Officially known as “Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020”, it provided a set of 20 ambitious yet achievable targets collectively known as the Aichi Targets for biodiversity.
• India enacted Biological Diversity Act in 2002 for giving effect to the provisions of the CBD.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Why in News?

• Recently, the Union Government has reported that there has been an 80% decline in civilian deaths and 6,000 militants have surrendered in North East India since 2014.

What are the Key Peace Developments in North East India?

• Important Agreements:

• Assam-Meghalaya Inter State Boundary Agreement, 2022:

• The agreement is for a closure in six disputed sectors that were taken up for resolution in the first phase.
• While Assam will get 18.51 sq. km of the disputed areas, Meghalaya will get the remaining 18.28 sq.km.

• Karbi Anglong Agreement, 2021:

• Karbi Anglong Agreement is a tripartite agreement among five insurgent groups of Assam, the Centre and the state government.
• 5 militant organizations(KLNLF, PDCK, UPLA, KPLT and KLF) laid down arms and more than 1000 of their armed cadres have given up violence and joined the mainstream of society.

• Bodo Accord, 2020:

• The central government, the Assam government and the Bodo groups, including all factions of the militant National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), signed the Bodo Accord to redraw and rename the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) as the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), in Assam.

• Bru-Reang Agreement, 2020:

• Bru or Reang is a community indigenous to Northeast India, living mostly in Tripura, Mizoram and Assam. In Tripura, they are recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.
• The Centre, the governments of Mizoram and Tripura and leaders of Bru organisations signed the quadripartite agreement, Bru-Reang Agreement in January (2020).
• Under the pact, the Home Ministry has committed to incur the whole expenditure of settlement in Tripura.

• NLFT-Tripura Agreement, 2019:

• National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT)has been banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 since 1997 and has been involved in violence, operating from their camps across the international border.
• NLFT Agreement 2019resulted in the surrender of 88 cadres with 44 weapons.

• Roll Back of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA):

• Government withdrew AFSPA from a large part of the Northeast, including the whole of Tripura and Meghalaya.
• In Arunachal Pradesh, AFSPA remains in force in only 3 districts.

What is the Significance of North East for India?

• Strategic Significance:

• North-East India is the gateway to South-East Asia and beyond. It is India’s land-bridge to Myanmar.
• India’s Act East Policy places the north eastern states on the territorial frontier of India’s eastward engagement.

• Cultural Significance:

• North East India is one of the most culturally diverse areas of the world. It is home to over 200 tribes. Popular festivals include the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland, Pang Lhabsol of Sikkim, etc.
• North-east India is a Dowry-Free Zone.
• The rich tapestry of cultures of Northeast is reflected in its highly developed Folk dance forms like Bihu (Assam).
• Manipur has a tradition of worshipping nature in sacred groves, called UmangLai.

• Economic Significance:

• Economically, the Region is rich in natural resources of “TOT” (Tea, Oil, and Timber).
• It is a veritable powerhouse with a potential of 50000 MW of hydroelectric power and an abundant reserve of fossil fuels.

• Ecological Significance:

• North East is a part of Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. It represents one of the highest avian and plant biodiversity of the Indian subcontinent.
• This area has the prestige of having all the bear species present in India.

What are the Government’s Other Initiatives for the North East?

• Infrastructure:

• Bharatmala Pariyojana
• Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN

• Connectivity:

• Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Project
• India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway

• Tourism:

• Swadesh Darshan Scheme

• Other:

• Digital North East Vision 2022
• National Bamboo Mission

Question For practice

The North-East region of India has been infested with insurgency for a very long time. Analyze the major reasons for the survival of armed insurgency in this region.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 4

Why in News?

• In Lok Sabha, the Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change outlined the various measures taken to counter black carbon.
• Under the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Geosphere Biosphere Programme, the ISRO operates a network of aerosol observatories and black carbon mass concentration is one of the parameters being measured.

 What is Black Carbon?

• About: Black Carbon (BC) is a short-lived pollutant that is the second-largest contributor to warming the planet behind carbon dioxide (CO₂).

• Unlike other greenhouse gas emissions, BC is quickly washed out and can be eliminated from the atmosphere if emissions stop.
• Unlike historical carbon emissions it is also a localised source with greater local impact.
• Black carbon is a kind of an aerosol.

• General Impacts: Among aerosols (such as brown carbon, sulphates), Black Carbon has been recognized as the second most important anthropogenic agent for climate change and the primary marker to understand the adverse effects caused by air pollution.

• Black carbon absorbs solar energy, it warms the atmosphere. When it falls to earth with precipitation, it darkens the surface of snow and ice, reducing their albedo (the reflecting power of a surface), warming the snow, and hastening melting.

• Emission: It gets emitted from gas and diesel engines, coal-fired power plants, and other sources that burn fossil fuel. It comprises a significant portion of particulate matter or PM, which is an air pollutant.

What are the Various Measures taken?

• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana:

• Under this initiative, the government is promoting use of cleaner household cooking fuels.

• BS VI Emission Norms:

• Leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI norms for fuel and vehicles from 1^st April, 2020.

• Introducing Cleaner Fuels:

• Introduction of cleaner / alternate fuels like gaseous fuel (CNG, LPG etc.), ethanol blending.

• SATAT Scheme:

• A new initiative, “Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT),has been launched to set up 5000 Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) production plants and make CBG available in the market for use.

• Managing Crop Residue:

• Agricultural machines and equipment for in-situ crop residue management in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi are promoted under the Central Sector Scheme on Promoting Agricultural Mechanization for in-situ Crop Residue Management with 50% subsidy to individual farmers and 80% subsidy to the establishment of Custom Hiring Centres.

• National Clean Air Programme:

• The Central Government is implementing the National Clean Air Programme as a long-term, time-bound, national-level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive manner.
• The Centre has set a new target of a 40% reduction in particulate matter concentration in cities covered under the scheme by 2026, updating the earlier goal of 20 to 30% reduction by 2024.

• City specific Clean Air Action Plans:

• The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has identified 131 cities based on ambient air quality levels exceeding national ambient air quality standards, and cities with a million plus population.
• City specific Clean Air Action Plans have been prepared and rolled out for implementation in these cities.
• These plans define time bound targets to control city specific air polluting sources (soil & road dust, vehicles, domestic fuel, municipal solid waste burning, construction material and industries, etc.).

• FAME Scheme:

• Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) phase-2 scheme has been rolled out.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Why in news?

• The Parliament has passed the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 in order to establish Carbon Markets  in India and specify a Carbon Trading Scheme.
• The Bill amends the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.

What is the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022?

• About:

• The Bill empowers the Centre to specify a carbon credits trading scheme.
• Under the Bill, the central government or an authorised agency will issue carbon credit certificates to companies or even individuals registered and compliant with the scheme.

• These carbon credit certificates will be tradeable in nature. Other persons would be able to buy carbon credit certificates on a voluntary basis.
• Concerns:

• Bill does not provide clarity on the mechanism to be used for the trading of carbon credit certificates— whether it will be like the cap-and-trade schemes or use another method— and who will regulate such trading.
• It is not specified, which is the right ministry to bring in a scheme of this nature,

• While carbon market schemes in other jurisdictions like the U.S., United Kingdom, and Switzerland are framed by their environment ministries, the Indian Bill was tabled by the power ministry instead of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

• The Bill does not specify whether certificates under already existing schemes would also be interchangeable with carbon credit certificates and tradeable for reducing carbon emissions.

• Two types of tradeable certificates are already issued in India— Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and Energy Savings Certificates (ESCs).
• These are issued when companies use renewable energy or save energy, which are also activities which reduce carbon emissions.

What are Carbon Markets?

• About:

• Carbon markets are a tool for putting a price on carbon emissions. It allows the trade of carbon credits with the overall objective of bringing down emissions.
• These markets create incentives to reduce emissions or improve energy efficiency.

• For example, an industrial unit which outperforms the emission standards stands to gain credits.
• Another unit which is struggling to attain the prescribed standards can buy these credits and show compliance to these standards. The unit that did better on the standards earns money by selling credits, while the buying unit is able to fulfill its operating obligations.

• It establishes trading systems where carbon credits or allowances can be bought and sold.

• A carbon credit is a kind of tradable permit that, per United Nations standards, equals one tonne of carbon dioxide removed, reduced, or sequestered from the atmosphere.
• Carbon allowances or caps, meanwhile, are determined by countries or governments according to their emission reduction targets.

• Article 6 of the Paris Agreement provides for the use of international carbon markets by countries to fulfill their NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions).

• NDCs are climate commitments by countries setting targets to achieve net-zero emissions.

Types of Carbon Markets:

• Compliance Markets:

• Compliance markets are set up by policies at the national, regional, and/or international level and are officially regulated.

• Today, compliance markets mostly operate under a principle called ‘cap-and-trade”, most popular in the European Union (EU).
• Under the EU’s emissions trading system (ETS) launched in 2005, member countries set a cap or limit for emissions in different sectors, such as power, oil, manufacturing, agriculture, and waste management. This cap is determined as per the climate targets of countries and is lowered successively to reduce emissions.

• Entities in this sector are issued annual allowances or permits by governments equal to the emissions they can generate.
• If companies produce emissions beyond the capped amount, they have to purchase additional permits. This makes up the ‘trade’ part of cap-and-trade.
• The market price of carbon gets determined by market forces when purchasers and sellers trade in emissions allowances.

• Voluntary Markets:

• Voluntary markets are those in which emitters— corporations, private individuals, and others— buy carbon credits to offset the emission of one tonne of CO₂ or equivalent greenhouse gases.
• Such carbon credits are created by activities which reduce CO₂ from the air, such as afforestation.
• In this market, a corporation looking to compensate for its unavoidable GHG emissions purchases carbon credits from an entity engaged in projects that reduce, remove, capture, or avoid emissions.

• For Instance, in the aviation sector, airlines may purchase carbon credits to offset the carbon footprints of the flights they operate. In voluntary markets, credits are verified by private firms as per popular standards. There are also traders and online registries where climate projects are listed and certified credits can be bought.

• Status of Global Carbon Markets:

• In 2021, the value of global markets for tradeable carbon allowances or permits grew by 164% to a record 760 billion euros (USD 851 billion), according to an analysis by Refinitiv.
• The EU’s ETS contributed the most to this increase, accounting for 90% of the global value at 683 billion euros.
• As for voluntary carbon markets, their current global value is comparatively smaller at USD 2 billion.
• The World Bank estimates that trading in carbon credits could reduce the cost of implementing NDCs by more than half — by as much as USD 250 billion by 2030.

What are the Challenges to Carbon Markets?

• Poor Market Transparency:

• The UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) points out serious concerns pertaining to carbon markets- ranging from double counting of greenhouse gas reductions and quality and authenticity of climate projects that generate credits to poor market transparency.

• Greenwashing:

• Companies may buy credits, simply offsetting carbon footprints instead of reducing their overall emissions or investing in clean technologies.

• May Increase Net Emission through ETS:

• As for regulated or compliance markets, ETSs (Emissions Trading System) may not automatically reinforce climate mitigation instruments.
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) points out that including high emission-generating sectors under trading schemes to offset their emissions by buying allowances may increase emissions on net and provide no automatic mechanism for prioritizing cost-effective projects in the offsetting sector.

What is the Related Indian Initiative?

Clean Development Mechanism:

• In India, the clean development mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol provided a primary carbon market for the players.

 Way Forward

• In order to keep global warming within 2°C, ideally no more than 1.5°C, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions need to be reduced by 25 to 50% over this decade. Nearly 170 countries have submitted their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) so far as part of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which they have agreed to update every five years.
• The UNDP emphasises that for carbon markets to be successful, “emission reductions and removals must be real and aligned with the country’s NDCs”.
• There must be “transparency in the institutional and financial infrastructure for carbon market transactions”.

Question For Practice

Discuss global warming and mention its effects on the global climate. Explain the control measures to bring down the level of greenhouse gases which cause global warming, in the light of the Kyoto Protocol, 1997.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

• Recently, a girl was attacked with an acid-like substance in Delhi by three assailants. The incident has brought back to focus the heinous crime of acid attacks and the easy availability of corrosive substances.

Acid Attacks in India: What’s the Scenario?

• According to the data of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), there were 150 such cases recorded in 2019, 105 in 2020 and 102 in 2021.
• West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh consistently record the highest number of such cases generally accounting for nearly 50% of all cases in the country year on year.
• The charge sheeting rate of acid attacks stood at 83%and the conviction rate at 54% in 2019.

• In 2020, the figures stood at 86% and 72% respectively. In 2021, the figures were recorded to be 89% and 20% respectively.
• In 2015, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)issued an advisory to all states to ensure speedy justice in cases of acid attacks by expediting prosecution.

What is the Law on Acid Attacks in India?

• Indian Penal Code: Until 2013, acid attacks were not treated as separate crimes. However, following amendments carried out in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), acid attacks were put under a separate section (326A) of the IPC and made punishable with a minimum imprisonment of 10 years which is extendable to life along with a fine.
• Denial of Treatment: The law also has provisions for punishment for denial of treatment to victims or police officers refusing to register an FIR or record any piece of evidence.
• Denial of treatment (by both public and private hospitals) can lead to imprisonment of up to one year and dereliction of duty by a police officer is punishable by imprisonment of up to two years.

What is the Law on the Regulation of Acid Sales?

• The Poisons Act, 1919:In 2013, the Supreme Court took cognizance of acid attacks and passed an order on the regulation of sales of corrosive substances.

• Based on the order, the MHA issued an advisory to all states on how to regulate acid sales and framed the Model Poisons Possession and Sale Rules, 2013 under The Poisons Act, 1919.
• As a result, states were asked to frame their own rules based on model rules, as the matter fell under the purview of states.

• Maintenance of the Data: Over-the-counter sale (without a valid prescription) of acid was not allowed unless the seller maintains a logbook/register recording the sale of acid.

• This logbook was to also contain the details of the person to whom acid is sold, the quantity sold, the address of the person, and also specify the reason for procuring acid.
• Age Restriction & Documentation: The sale is also to be made only upon presentation of a photo ID containing his address issued by the government. The buyer must also prove he/she is above 18 years of age.
• Confiscation of Acid Stocks: Sellers are also required to declare all stocks of acid with the concerned Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) within 15 days and in case of undeclared stock of acid. The SDM can confiscate the stock and suitably impose a fine of up to Rs 50,000 for a breach of any of the directions.
• A Record-Keeping Requirement: As per the rules, educational institutions, research laboratories, hospitals, government departments and the departments of Public Sector Undertakings, which are required to keep and store acid, to maintain a register of usage of acid and file the same with the concerned SDM.
• Accountability: As per the rules, a person shall be made accountable for the possession and safe keeping of acid in their premises. The acid shall be stored under the supervision of this person and there shall be compulsory checking of the students/ personnel leaving the laboratories/place of storage where acid is used.

What is the Compensation and Care for the Acid-attack Victims?

• Compensation: Acid attack victims are paid compensation of at least Rs. 3 lakhs by the concerned State Government/Union Territory as the aftercare and rehabilitation cost.
• Free of Cost Treatment: States are supposed to ensure that treatment provided to acid attack victims in any hospital, public or private, is free of cost. The cost incurred on treatment is not to be included in the Rs 1 lakh compensation given to the victim.
• Reservation of Beds: Acid attack victims need to undergo a series of plastic surgeries and hence 1-2 beds at private hospitals could be reserved for the treatment of acid attack victims.
• Social Integration Programs: States should also extend social integration programs to the victims for which Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) could be funded to exclusively look after their rehabilitative requirements.

What can be the Way Forward?

• A Promise to Leave No One Behind: Violence against women continues to be an obstacle to achieving equality, development, peace as well as to the fulfillment of women and girls’ human rights.

• All in all, the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – to leave no one behind – cannot be fulfilled without putting an end to violence against women and girls.

• Holistic Approach: Crime against women cannot be resolved in a court of law alone. A holistic approach & changing the entire ecosystem is what is required.
• Participation: All the stakeholders need to get their act together, including Law makers, police officers, forensic dept, prosecutors, judiciary, medical & health dept, NGOs, rehabilitation centers.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2Why in News?

• Recently, Kerala Assembly passes University Laws (amendment) Bills to amend laws relating to the governance of State universities and remove the Governoras the Chancellor of State universities.

 What is the Background?

• The Governor and the State Government of Kerala had been at loggerheads for months now.
• It got worse when the Governor denied assent to the controversial Lok Ayukta (Amendment) and University Laws (Amendment) Bills earlier passed by the State Assembly.
• The worsening relationship between the State Government and governor reached a tipping point with the Supreme Court order invalidating APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) Vice-Chancellor’s (VC) appointment on the grounds that it violated University Grants Commission (UGC)
• Following this, the governor had sought the resignations of 11 other VCs on the ground that the government had appointed them through the same process deemed unlawful by the Supreme Court.

What are the University Laws (Amendment) Bills?

• The proposed legislation will amend the statutes of 14 universities established by legislative Acts in Kerala and remove the Governor as the Chancellor of those universities.
• The Bills will supplant the Governor and give the government power to appoint eminent academicians as Chancellors of various universities, thus ending the Governor’s watchdog role in university administration.
• The Bills also provide provision to limit the term of the appointed chancellor to five years . However , it also says that the serving chancellor can be reappointed for another term.

What stands in Favour and Against the Proposition?

• Favour

• Earlier UGC Guidelines used to be mandatory for Central universities and “partially mandatory and partially directive” for State universities, had been made legally binding for all universities by way of recent rulings by the Supreme Court.
• Such precedence pointed towards a scenario in which the legislative powers of the Assembly on all subjects on the Concurrent List (of the Constitution) could be undermined through a subordinate legislation or an executive order issued by the Centre.
• It is said that the bill was brought in order to avoid legal tangles in future.

• Against:

• If Chancellors were appointed by the Government, they would be indebted to the ruling front, thus leading to the erosion of Universities’ autonomy.
• It may facilitate appointment of people close to the ruling front.

• This will lead to a scenario in which the governor can appoint only those who are close to the government.

What is the Procedure for Appointing a Vice-Chancellor under UGC rules?

• According to the UGC Regulations, 2018, the VC of a university, in general, is appointed by the Visitor/Chancellor, from a panel of three to five names recommended by the duly constituted Search cum Selection Committee.
• A visitor is empowered to call for a set of fresh names in case of dissatisfaction with the given panel.
• In Indian universities, the President of India is the ex-officio Visitor of all the Central Universities and the Governor of the respective states is the Chancellor of all the state universities.
• Necessarily this system is not uniform in all the universities. As far as the procedures adopted by different states are concerned, they vary.

What are the Governor’s and President’s Powers related Universities?

State Universities:

• While as Governor he functions with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, as Chancellor he acts independently of the Council of Ministers and takes his own decisions on all University matters.

Central Universities:

• Under the Central Universities Act, 2009, and other statutes, the President of India shall be the Visitor of a central university.
• With their role limited to presiding over convocations, Chancellors in central universities are titular heads, who are appointed by the President in his capacity as Visitor.
• The Vice Chancellor too are appointed by the Visitor from panels of names picked by search and selection committees formed by the Union government.
• The Act adds that the President, as Visitor, shall have the right to authorise inspections of academic and non-academic aspects of the universities and also to institute

Way Forward

• Anandakrishnan Committee, set up by the Kerala State Higher Education Council in 2009, recommended that universities should have complete autonomy in academic and administrative matters.
• It is advisable to create statutory structures that would distance the Governor and Minister for Higher Education from the day-to-day administration of the universities.
• It is also recommended to immediately incorporate UGC Regulations, 2010 in the
• As recommended by the Punchhi Commission on Centre-State Relations, the Governor should not be burdened with positions and powers that are not specified in the Constitution and may cause controversy or public criticism.
• Governments should devise alternative means of protecting university autonomy so that ruling parties do not exercise undue influence on the functioning of universities.

Question For Practice

Discuss the essential conditions for exercise of the legislative powers by the Governor. Discuss the legality of re-promulgation of ordinances by the Governor without placing them before the Legislature. (UPSC 2022)

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

• Recently, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) has said that the Supreme Court will not have a vacation bench when it breaks for its annual winter vacation.
• While this judicial schedule has its origins in colonial practices, it has come under criticism for quite some time now.

What are Court Vacations?

• About:

• The Supreme Court has 193 working days a year for its judicial functioning, while the High Court’s function for approximately 210 days, and trial courts for 245 days.
• High Courts have the power to structure their calendars according to the service rules.
• The Supreme Court takes two long vacations each year, the summer and winter breaks, but is technically not fully closed during these periods.

• Vacation Bench:

• A Vacation Bench of the Supreme Court is a special bench constituted by the CJI.
• Litigants can still approach the Supreme Court and, if the court decides that the plea is an “urgent matter”, the Vacation Bench hears the case on its merits.
• Cases such as bail, eviction, etc. often find precedence in listing before vacation benches.

• It is not uncommon for courts to hear important cases during vacation.
• In 2015, a five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court heard the challenge to the constitutional amendment setting up theNational Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) during the summer vacation.
• In 2017,a Constitution Bench held a six-day hearing in the case challenging the practice of triple talaq during summer vacation.

• Legal Provisions:

• Under Rule 6 of Order II of The Supreme Court rules, 2013, the CJI has nominated the Division Benches for hearing of urgent miscellaneous matters and regular hearing matters during the summer vacation for the period.
• The rule reads that CJI may appoint one or more Judges to hear during summer vacation or winter holidays all matters of an urgent nature which under these rules may be heard by a Judge sitting singly.
• And, whenever necessary, he may likewise appoint a Division Court for the hearing of urgent cases during the vacation which require to be heard by a Bench of Judges.

What are the Issues with Court Vacations?

• Not Convenient for Justice Seekers:

• The long vacation which the courts obtain is not very convenient for justice-seekers.

• Not good Optics in Light of Pendency:

• Extended frequent vacations are not good optics, especially in the light of mounting pendency of cases and the slow pace of judicial proceedings.
• For an ordinary litigant, the vacation means further unavoidable delays in listing cases.

• Incongruous with European Practices:

• The summer break perhaps began because European judges of the Federal Court of India found Indian summers too hot — and took the winter break for Christmas.

Way Forward

• The issue cannot be resolved until a “new system” on the appointment of judges is evolved
• In 2000, the Justice Malimath Committee, set up to recommend reforms in the criminal justice system, suggested that the period of vacation should be reduced by 21 days, keeping in mind the long pendency of cases. It suggested that the Supreme Court work for 206 days, and High Courts for 231 days every year.
• In its 230^threport, the Law Commission of India in 2009 called for reform in this system, considering the staggering arrears, vacations in the higher judiciary must be curtailed by at least 10 to 15 days and the court working hours should be extended by at least half an hour.
• In 2014, when the Supreme Court notified its new Rules, it said that the period of summer vacation shall not exceed seven weeks from the earlier 10-week period.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Why in News?

Recently, the World Bank released a report titled ‘Striving for Clean Air: Air Pollution and Public Health in South Asia’.

• The report details how persisting with policies currently being implemented (largely since 2018) will yield results but not to the desired level.

What are the Highlights of the Report?

• Airsheds:

• Six large airsheds exist in South Asia, where the air quality in one can affect the air quality in another. They are:

• West/Central Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP)that included Punjab (Pakistan), Punjab (India), Haryana, part of Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh.
• Central/Eastern IGP: Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bangladesh
• Middle India: Odisha/Chhattisgarh
• Middle India: Eastern Gujarat/Western Maharashtra
• Northern/Central Indus River Plain: Pakistan, part of Afghanistan; and
• Southern Indus Plain and further west: South Pakistan, Western Afghanistan extending into Eastern Iran.

• When the wind direction was predominantly northwest to the southeast, 30% of the air pollution in Indian Punjab came from the Punjab Province in Pakistan and, on average, 30% of the air pollution in the largest cities of Bangladesh (Dhaka, Chittagong, and Khulna) originated in India. In some years, substantial pollution flowed in the other direction across borders.

• Exposure to PM 2.5:

• Currently over 60% of South Asians are exposed to an average 35 µg/m3 of PM2.5 annually.
• In some parts of the IGP it spiked to as much as 100 µg/m³ – nearly 20 times the upper limit of 5 µg/m³ recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

• Dominant Sources of Air Pollution:

• Large industries, power plants and vehicles are dominant sources of air pollution around the world, but in South Asia, other sources make substantial additional contributions.
• These include combustion of solid fuels for cooking and heating, emissions from small industries such as brick kilns, burning of municipal and agricultural waste, and cremation.

What are the Suggestions?

• Reducing Airsheds:

• Governmental measures can reduce particulate matter, but significant reductions in airsheds require coordinated policies across the airsheds.

• If Delhi National Capital Territory were to fully implement all air pollution control measures by 2030 while other parts of South Asia continued to follow current policies, it wouldn’t keep pollution exposure below 35 µg/m3.
• However, if other parts of South Asia also adopted all feasible measures it would bring pollution below that number.

• Changing Approach:

• South Asian countries including India need to change their approach in order to improve air quality and reduce pollutants to levels considered acceptable by the WHO.

• Close Coordination Required:
• Curbing air pollution requires not only tackling its specific sources, but also close coordination across local and national jurisdictional boundaries.
• Regional cooperation can help implement cost-effective joint strategies that leverage the interdependent nature of air quality.
• The most cost-effective one, which calls for full coordination between airsheds, would cut the average exposure of PM 2.5 in South Asia to 30 µg/m³ at a cost of USD 278 million per

What is Airsheds?

• The World Bank defines an airshed as a common geographic area where pollutants get trapped, creating similar air quality for everyone.

Question For Practice – Describe the key points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). How are these different from its last update in 2005? What changes in India’s National Clean Air Programme are required to achieve revised standards?

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Ko Kaam Karyakram (PMKKK)has been named as Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) Scheme by the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
• What are the Key Points of the Scheme?
• About:

• It is a Central-Sector Scheme, which focuses on the skilling, entrepreneurship and leadership training requirements of the minority and artisan communities across the country.
• This is an integrated scheme that converges five erstwhile schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs viz,

• Seekho aur Kamao:

This is a placement linked skill development scheme for minorities aiming to upgrade the skills of minority youth in various modern/traditional skills depending upon their qualification, present economic trends and market potential

• USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills & Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development):It aims to promote and preserve the rich heritage of the traditional arts & crafts of the minority communities.
• Hamari Dharohar: It has been formulated to preserve rich heritage of minority communities of India.
• Nai Roshni: It is a Leadership Development Programme for women belonging to minority communities in the age group of 18 to 65 years. It was started in 2012-13.
• Nai Manzil: The scheme aims to benefit the youth (both men & women) belonging to six notified minority communities of 17-35 years of age, who do not have formal school leaving certificate.

• The scheme has been approved by the Cabinet for the period of 15^th Finance Commission.

• Components:

• Skill and Training
• Leadership and Entrepreneurship
• Education
• Infrastructure Development

• Objectives:

• PM VIKAS aims to improve the livelihoods of the minorities, particularly the artisan communities, using the components of skill development, education, women leadership & entrepreneurship.
• These components complement each other in the ultimate objective of the scheme to increase the incomes of the beneficiaries and provide support by facilitating credit and market linkages.

What are the Other Schemes Related to the Minority?

• Pradhan mantri Jan Vikas Karykram : The programme aims to develop socio-economic and basic amenities assets like school, college, polytechnic, girls’ hostel, ITI, skill development centre etc for the minority communities.
• Begum Hazrat Mahal Girls Scholarships : Scholarships for economically backward girls belonging to the six notified Minority communities.
• Gharib Nawaz Employment Scheme : It was launched so that short-term job-oriented skill development courses may be provided to minorities’ youth in order to enable them for skill based employment.
• Hunar Haat : Launched to provide market and employment and employment opportunities to master artisans, craftsmen and traditional culinary experts.