09 APRIL 2024

Mangal Pandey

Syllabus: GS1/History and Culture

Context

• Mangal Pandey, was hanged to death by the East India Company on April 8.

About

• Mangal Pandey belonged to the kingdom of Awadh, which supplied large numbers of soldiers of war to the Company’s army.
• He joined the East India Company’s army at the age of 22 as a soldier in the 6th company of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry. 

Annexation of Awadh

• In 1856 Awadh was treacherously annexed by the British. 
• The deposition of the Nawab and the confiscation of the villages of taluqdars during the land revenue settlement of 1856 caused outrage. 

The mutiny and hanging of Mangal Pandey

• Mangal Pandey refused to use the newly introduced Enfield rifle, due to use of  animal fat (beef and pork) in the cartridges.
• This was viewed by the soldiers as a direct assault on their religious beliefs.
• On March 29, 1857, he mutinied and fired at his Senior Sergeant Major. 
• He was overpowered and hanged by the order of a Court Martial at Lal Bagan in Barrackpore. 

The spread of the 1857 revolt and march to Delhi

• Pandey’s action was followed by defiance by the soldiers of the 7th Awadh Regiment.
• On May 11, 1857, a band of Sepoys from Meerut refused to use the new cartridges, killed their European officers and marched to the Red fort.

Legacy of the revolt of 1857

• Pandey’s action changed the nature of British rule in India. 
• The British parliament passed an Act in 1858, transferring all powers of the Company to the Crown. Queen Victoria was declared the Sovereign of British India. 
• The Queen’s Proclamation made by Lord Canning in 1858, to the Princes, Chiefs and people of India, unveiled a new policy of perpetual support for the native Princes, and non-intervention in matters of religious beliefs in India.
• The Queen’s Proclamation was reinforced in 1877 The event came to be known as the Delhi Durbar. Queen Victoria assumed the title of Qaiser-e-Hind.

Source: IE

Earth’s Polar Vortex 

Syllabus: GS1/Geography

Context:

• Recently, the atmospheric scientists have noticed the development of the polar vortex and characterised it as one of the biggest events in the last four decades.

About the Earth’s Polar Vortex:

• It is a large area of low pressure and cold air that surrounds both of the Earth’s poles.
• It exists near the poles throughout the year, but it weakens in summer and strengthens in winter.
  • It is located in the polar stratosphere, above the layer of the atmosphere (the troposphere) where most weather, including the jet stream, occurs.
• The Stratospheric Polar Vortex forms in the winter hemisphere when the Earth’s pole is pointed away from the sun.
• The term ‘vortex’ refers to the counterclockwise flow of air that helps keep the colder air near the Poles.

Impact on Weather Patterns

• It significantly influences winter weather.
• When the Polar Vortex is especially strong, the polar jet stream tends to stay farther north and exhibits a more zonal flow, with less meandering.
• At the surface, it is often associated with an even colder than usual Arctic, and milder-than-usual weather in the mid-latitudes.
• Conversely, when the Polar Vortex weakens, shifts, or splits, the polar jet stream often becomes extremely wavy, allowing warm air to flood into the Arctic and polar air to sink down into the mid-latitudes.
• It can result in extreme cold snaps, snowstorms, and other winter weather events in areas like North America, Europe, and Asia.

Source: India Today

Gulf Cooperation Council’s Vision for Regional Security

GS2/Regional Groupings

Context

• Recently, for the first time since its inception, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announced its ‘Vision for Regional Security’ in Riyadh.

About GCC

• It is a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.
• It was established in 1981.
• It aims to achieve unity among its members based on their common objectives and their similar political and cultural identities, which are rooted in Arab and Islamic cultures. 
• Presidency of the council rotates annually.

Vision for Regional Security of GCC

• Security of the Region: It is based on the principles of shared destiny and indivisible security of the member states, and any threat to one is a threat to all the member States.
  • It aims to preserve regional security and stability, tackle the challenges facing them and settle the disputes through peaceful means. 
• Counter Terrorism: It urges the member states to combat terrorism and extremism, stopping the flow of money to the hands of the terrorists and combat money laundering.
• Maritime Security: It calls for regional and international coordination to ensure maritime security and ensure trade and energy supply routes.
  • As all the GCC countries are key suppliers of energy, any disruption in the sea lines of communication will directly affect their national economies. 
• Peaceful use of Nuclear Energy: As the threat of a nuclear arms race in the region looms large with Iran and Israel having nuclear programmes, the GCC has urged to make the region a Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone (WMDFZ). 
• Comment on Israel-Hamas War: The document has come at a time when the West Asian region is engulfed in a turmoil since the beginning of the Israel–Hamas War in 2023.
  • The vision document makes explicit reference to the Israel–Palestine issue and calls for activating the Arab Peace Initiative.

India’s Relations with GCC

• Strategic Partnership: GCC is a major trade and investment partner for India.  While India has close economic and political ties with all countries, the strategic partnership exists with only Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman. 
• Energy Security: GCC contributes to 35% of India’s oil imports and 70% of gas imports. India is executing the second phase of its Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).  Several GCC countries have expressed their interest in the same.
• Trade and Investment: GCC countries contribute to about one-sixth of India’s total trade.  However, trade and Foreign Direct Investment from GCC is dominated by UAE and Saudi Arabia.
  • India also has a significant trade deficit with the GCC which is driven by India’s dependence on GCC countries for oil and gas imports.  
  • Free trade negotiations between the two parties have also been delayed.
• Defence Relations: India’s defense engagements with these countries are gaining significant momentum.
  • From mere training of security personnel in various military institutes, they have extended ties to other areas, including intelligence sharing, counterterrorism, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and cybersecurity.

Way Ahead

• Realpolitik and strategic interests have been instrumental in bringing India closer to the Gulf countries, with both sides willing to overlook some of their ideological differences lately. 
• In the long run, defense industrial cooperation and technology transfers will likely come to form a pivotal component of their strategic cooperation. 
• The possibility for such an outcome remains high as Gulf states, like India, are also embarking on rapid military industrialization programs and in search of alternative arms vendors. 
• The convergences of interests – political, economic, technological and military-security –  therefore, could pave the way for the furtherance of India’s military diplomacy with the Gulf states.

Source: IDSA

Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2022-23

Syllabus: GS3/Indian Economy

Context

• The National Sample Survey (NSS) Office released the key results of the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2022-23.

About

• The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) under Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has been conducting household surveys on consumption/consumer expenditure at regular intervals as part of its rounds, normally of one-year duration.
• Since 1972, NSSO has been conducting the Consumer Expenditure Survey.
• It  is designed to collect information on consumption of goods and services by the households. 
• The survey aims at generating estimates of household Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) and its distribution separately for the rural and urban sectors of the country, for States and Union Territories, and for different socio-economic groups. 

Methodology Used

• In the present survey, three 3 questionnaires were used, covering:

• Food items;
• Consumables and services items, and;
• Durable goods used.
• The survey had a separate provision for collection of information on the quantity of consumption of the number of items received and consumed by the households free of cost through various social welfare programmes.

Changes in the Methodology

• First, there is change in item coverage with inclusion of new items and merging some of the obsolete items. Overall, the number of items covered has increased from 347 to 405 items.
• Secondly, there have been changes in the questionnaire of the survey.
  • Instead of a single questionnaire as used in earlier surveys, HCES 2022-23 uses four separate questionnaires for food, consumables and services items, and durable goods, apart from a separate questionnaire for canvassing household characteristics to be used in three separate monthly visits in a quarter. 
  • Thus, there have been multiple visits for data collection instead of the usual practice of a single visit in the earlier surveys.

Major Findings

• Rise in Income: The income levels of both the Urban and Rural households have risen since the last survey, with Rural households showing a sharper growth in spending.
• Rise in MPCE: The average Monthly per capita consumption expenditure of both Urban and Rural households has doubled in the 11-year period with both spending less on food items.
  • Of the total expenditure, 46% was spent on food items in Rural households and 39% in Urban homes in 2022-23.

• Spending increased in Rural Households: Household spending increased 2.6 times in Rural areas and 2.5 times in Urban areas since the last survey in 2011-12.
  • The gap between Urban and Rural household consumption has narrowed, and Indian households have been spending more on non-food items.
• Gap Between Rich and Poor: The top 5% of India’s Rural population has 7 times the MPCE of the bottom 5 % rural population.
  • The top 5 % of India’s urban population has 10 times the MPCE of the bottom 5 % Urban population.
• Among the States, the MPCE is the highest in Sikkim for both rural (₹7,731) and urban areas (₹12,105).
  • It is the lowest in Chhattisgarh, where it was ₹2,466 for rural households and ₹4,483 for urban household members.

It can be inferred from the data presented in the survey that:

• The difference between Rural and Urban MPCE has narrowed substantially over the years, implying the success of government policies in improving Rural incomes.
• While the difference is more pronounced at the lower levels, the gap is bigger at the top, reflecting an increase in inequality at higher income levels.
• The poorest Rural households have been able to spend at a much closer level to their Urban Counterparts, implying that government’s policy initiatives for enhancing Rural incomes have worked to an extent.

Source: TH

Regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology; Scientific Innovation and Discovery

Context

• The Artificial Intelligence (AI) space has seen certain developments crucial to its regulation in recent years.

About

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a transformative technology with the potential to fundamentally change the way we work and live.
  • However, it also poses significant risks that necessitate regulation.

Why does AI need to be regulated?

• Potential for Harm: AI systems can cause harm if not properly managed.
  • It includes violation of an individual’s privacy and data rights, discrimination in access to services, or being subject to false or misleading news and information.
• Ethical Concerns: Unethical and improper use of AI systems could impede the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – 2030, weakening ongoing efforts across social, environmental, and economic dimensions.
• Workforce Impact: AI has the potential to disrupt the labour market, especially in developing and least developed countries, making their labour market increasingly vulnerable to the use of such systems.
• Risk Management: Different applications of AI can pose vastly different types of risk, at different levels of severity and on different timescales, depending on the technology and context of deployment.
• Trust and Transparency: AI affects the way we perceive reality, which can generate issues of trust. If we cannot tell the difference between something written by a machine or a human, we will be in a very confusing world.

Different Approaches to AI Regulation

• United Nations Resolution on AI: The United Nations has acknowledged the risks associated with AI systems and the urgent need to promote responsible use.
  • It recognizes that unethical and improper use of AI systems could impede the achievement of the SDGs.
  • It highlights the potential adverse impact of AI on the workforce, particularly in developing and least developed countries.
• European Union’s AI Act: It establishes rules and regulations governing AI systems.
  • It adopts a risk-based approach, categorising systems into four categories: unacceptable, high, limited, and minimal risks.
  • It prescribes guidelines for each category and bans applications that risk citizens’ rights.
• AI Regulation in the UK and China: The UK and China have introduced laws on AI. While the specifics of these regulations vary, they reflect a shared recognition of the need for oversight and control of AI technologies.

AI Regulation in the UK and China: The UK and China have introduced laws on AI. While the specifics of these regulations vary, they reflect a shared recognition of the need for oversight and control of AI technologies.

• AI Mission in India: India has launched the AI mission, reflecting its commitment to harnessing the potential of AI while mitigating its risks.
  • As one of the largest consumer bases and labour forces for technology companies, India’s response to AI regulation will be crucial.

Challenges of Regulating AI

• Rapid Evolution of AI: The field is constantly evolving, making it difficult to write future-proof regulations.
• Balancing Innovation and Safety: Striking a balance between fostering innovation and ensuring safety is a challenge.
• International Cooperation: Effective AI regulation requires international cooperation to avoid a fragmented landscape.
• Defining AI: There’s no universally agreed-upon definition of AI, making it difficult to regulate effectively.

Conclusion and Way Forward

• Regulating AI is a complex task that requires a nuanced understanding of the technology and its implications.

• Regulation is needed to ensure that AI is used for the good of our societies and their sustainable development. It should regulate AI developments and applications so that they conform to the fundamental rights that frame our democratic horizon.
• Governments across the world are grappling with the regulation of AI.
  • The UN, EU, UK, China, and India have all made strides in this direction.
• These efforts to formalise AI regulations at the global level will be critical to various sectors of governance in all other countries.

Source: TH

Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) 

Syllabus: GS1/Society

Context

• The India Employment Report, 2024, released by the Institute for Human Development and the International Labour Organization, points out that key labor market indicators have improved in recent years.

Key Findings

• In India the female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) is very low compared to the male counterparts. 
• In 2023, for male LFPR was 78.5%; and for women LFPR was 37%. 
  • The world women LFPR rate is 49%, according to the World Bank figures. 
• The female LFPR had been steadily declining since 2000 and touched 24.5%  in 2019, before inching up, particularly in rural areas. 
• Status of women employed:
  • The Report shows that it is women who largely account for the increase in self-employment and unpaid family work. 
  • The share of regular work, which steadily increased after 2000, started declining after 2018.

Reason for poor women labor force participation

• Cultural and Social Norms: In traditional societies, gender roles may discourage women from entering or staying in the workforce. Expectations around women’s responsibilities for caregiving and homemaking limit their ability to pursue full-time employment.
• Educational Attainment: Limited access to quality education can be a barrier for women to acquire the necessary skills and qualifications for certain jobs. 
• Unequal Pay: Difference between wage gap, discourage women from entering or staying in the workforce.
• Structural rigidities in India’s manufacturing and service sectors have restricted employment opportunities in the informal sector, where a substantial amount of female workforce is involved. 
• Security Issues: Sexual harassment at Worlplace often hinders women participation in labor force.

Steps taken by Government

• Code on Wages, 2019: It provides that there shall be no discrimination in an establishment among employees on the ground of gender in matters relating to wages by the same employer, in respect of the same work or work of similar nature done by any employee.
• Maternity Benefit Act, 2017: It was enacted to provide improved maternity benefits and promote a healthier work environment for pregnant and nursing women.
• The Code on Occupational Safety, Health And Working Conditions (OSH), 2020: It has proposed tweaks in employment terms and conditions for women workers in the above-ground mines. 
• Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK): It is a national-level organization that provides microfinance services to poor women for various livelihood activities. It supports income-generating projects and promotes women’s economic empowerment.
• National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM): NRLM focuses on creating sustainable self-employment opportunities for rural women. It provides skill training, capacity building, and financial support for women to engage in income-generating activities.
• MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act): It guarantees 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to rural households. Women’s participation in this program is encouraged, and efforts are made to ensure equitable employment opportunities.

Way Ahead

• The increase in labor force participation has come mostly in rural areas and mostly in self-employment, which means largely unpaid work.

• Interventions are needed on both the demand and supply side of the labor market to improve the condition.
  • On the demand side, policies that promote labor intensive sectors (in both manufacturing and relatively higher productivity services) are needed. 
• Public investment in safety and transport is also critical along with  public investment in affordable child and elderly care. 
• All of these types of support can enable women to work outside the home and take advantage of relatively better paying opportunities.

Source: TH