19 DECEMBER 2023

Topic 1 : International School of Peace and Happiness

Why in news: A first-of-its-kind school for imparting lessons on humanity and societal happiness will take root in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) of Assam.
 

Key details:

• The foundation of the International School of Peace and Happiness is scheduled to be laid in the first week of January at Bijni in Chirang district of western Assam.
• The project was planned by the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), which administers the BTR.
• Need and significance:
  • The BTR areas have had a history of extremism resulting in ethnic conflicts, especially between the Bodos, the largest plains tribe in the northeast, and migrant Muslims, and between the Bodos and Adivasis.
  • Hundreds were killed and more than 500,000 people were displaced in major communal clashes in 1993, 2008, and 2012.
  • The idea of a school specialising in peace-building and spreading happiness will be beneficial for such a conflict ridden area.
• Aim:
  • The objective was to instil in youth and community leaders the human values for co-existence in a region and country inhabited by people of diverse faiths, cultures, languages, and ethnicity — all interdependent.
  • Such values needed formal schooling through which a team of peace ambassadors can be produced toward resolving conflicts at the micro and macro levels.
• Genesis of the idea:
  • The school of happiness had its genesis in a pilot project called Bodoland Happiness Mission introduced almost a year ago.
  • Some 400 youth and community leaders were chosen to become peace and happiness volunteers after undergoing a few weeks of training at the Bodoland Community Counselling Centres.
  • Each district has one such strategically located centre.Topic 2 : Mahalakshmi scheme

Why in news: The new Mahalakshmi scheme of Telangana government has grown a disquiet among the State’s autorickshaw drivers.
 

Key issues:

• Working women who used to take shared autos for their commute are now availing of free bus rides.
• There has been an increase of about 25% in passenger traffic (buses) on average since the introduction of the scheme.
• Trade unions have urged the Chief Minister to provide a ‘livelihood allowance’ of ₹15,000 per month as they claimed that the Mahalakshmi scheme will bring down female passengers in autos by nearly 40%.
   

About the scheme:

• The Mahalakshmi scheme was announced by the government of Telangana in 2023.
• The Mahalakshmi scheme telangana is aimed at empowering women and improving their financial security. 
• Key features:
  • Financial Assistance
    • Eligible women will receive a monthly financial assistance of Rs. 2500.
  • Free Gas Cylinders
    • Women will receive free LPG gas cylinders for cooking purposes.
  • Free Travel
    • Women will be able to travel for free in TSRTC buses across the state.
  • Conditional Cash Transfer
    • Women will receive conditional cash transfers for education and vocational training.
  • Skill Development
    • Women will be provided with skill development training to enhance their employability.
  • Self-Employment Opportunities
    • Women will be encouraged and supported to start their own businesses.
    • This includes providing them with access to training, loans, and other resources.
  • Health Insurance
    • Women will be provided with free health insurance coverage.
  • Interest-Free Loans
    • Women will be able to take out interest-free loans to start or expand their businesses.
  • Marketing Support
    • Women will be provided with marketing support to help them sell their products and services.
  • Entrepreneurship Development
    • Women will be provided with entrepreneurship development training to help them develop the skills and knowledge they need to run successful businesses.

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Topic 3 : Impact of Article 370 verdict on federalism

Why in news: Recently, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the power of the President to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution, which in August 2019 led to the reorganisation of the State of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) into two Union Territories and denuded it of its special privileges.

How is this debate concerned with federalism?

• Nations are described as ‘federal’ or ‘unitary’, depending on the way in which governance is organised.
• In a unitary set-up, the Centre has plenary powers of administration and legislation, with its constituent units having little autonomy.
• In a federal arrangement, the constituent units are identified on the basis of region or ethnicity, and conferred varying forms of autonomy or some level of administrative and legislative powers.
• As the current political status of J&K — as two Union Territories — is a form of demotion from the sort of autonomy it enjoyed, it becomes an issue concerning federalism.

What did the Centre do in 2019? 

• The abrogation ended the special status conferred to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
• The Centre later moved to reorganise J&K into two Union Territories:
  • Jammu and Kashmir and
  • Ladakh.

What did the Supreme Court (SC) rule on revocation of Article 370?

• The court held the Constitutional order that revoked Article 370 as valid.
• The SC held that Jammu and Kashmir held no internal sovereignty after accession to India.
• There was no prima facie case that the President’s 2019 orders were mala fide (in bad faith) or extraneous exercise of power.
• The court said the reorganisation of the erstwhile state into Union Territories in 2019 was a temporary move.
• It directed the Centre for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and for Legislative Assembly elections to be held by 2024.
• It also recommended that a Truth and Reconciliation Commission should be set up in J&K, for an acknowledgement of the acts of alleged rights violations in the region.
• The observations in the verdict will have a lasting impact on federalism, which is recognised as a basic feature of our Constitution.

Petitioners’ arguments:

• The petitioners had argued that the President while exercising powers under Article 356 of the Constitution cannot take actions with ‘irreversible’ consequences in a State during President’s rule.
• Significant legislative alterations were made to the State during President’s rule such as:
  • the repeal of its special status,
  • the separation of Ladakh, and its conversion into a Union Territory.
    • which meant that the Union government could unilaterally bring about such enduring changes without having to solicit the consent of the State legislature.
• Reasoning of the Supreme Court:
  • Dismissing such contentions, the Court reasoned that challenging the exercise of the President’s power on the ground of irreversibility would open the way for challenging everyday administrative actions which would in effect put the administration in the State at a standstill.
  • It, however, underscored that such exercise of power must have a reasonable nexus to the object of the Presidential Proclamation.
  • It added that the onus was on the person challenging the actions of the President during an emergency to prima facie establish they were a mala fide or extraneous exercise of power.
  • Reliance was also placed on the Supreme Court’s ruling in S. R. Bommai versus Union of India (1994) which defined the ambit of powers that can be exercised during President’s rule.

Can a State be turned into a Union Territory?

• The Court observed that carving out the Union Territory of Ladakh out of J&K was permissible under Article 3 of the Constitution and accordingly upheld the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
• Owing to the assurance given by the Union government that J&K’s statehood would be restored soon, the court did not go into the issue of whether the conversion of J&K into a Union Territory was valid.
• The court pointed out that the views of the State legislature regarding the proposed reorganisation of the State are recommendatory and not binding on Parliament.What is federalism?
• Federalism is a system of government in which the power is divided between a central authority and various constituent units of the country.
• Usually, a federation has two levels of government.
  • One is the government for the entire country that is usually responsible for a few subjects of common national interest.
  • The others are governments at the level of provinces or states that look after much of the day-to-day administering of their state.

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What about the role of the State?

• The Court ruled that the President while exercising powers under Article 370(3) of the Constitution can ‘unilaterally’ notify that Article 370 ceases to exist.
• It further said that there was no requirement for the President to secure the concurrence of the State government in this regard as mandated by the provisos to Article 370(1)(d).
• It was also pointed out that such collaboration between the President and the State government would have been necessary if provisions of the Indian Constitution were to be applied to the State in a manner that would require amendments to the State Constitution.
• However, in this case, the President through Presidential Order [C.O.272] ensured a total application of the Indian Constitution to the State to the effect that the State’s Constitution became inoperative.
   

Asymmetric federalism:

• Asymmetric federalism is based on unequal powers and relationships in political, administrative, and fiscal arrangement spheres between the federal units constituting a federation.

•  The Court pointed out that unlike the Constitution of India, there is a clear absence in J&K’s Constitution of a reference to sovereignty.
• Article 370 was held to be merely a “feature of asymmetric federalism” similar to other provisions in the Constitution such as Articles 371A to 371J — examples of special arrangements for different States.

Why is it said that India has asymmetric federalism?

• The main forms of administrative units in India are the Centre and the States.
• Besides the Centre and the States, the country has Union Territories with a legislature, and Union Territories without a legislature.
• When the Constitution came into force, the variousStates and other administrative units were divided into Parts A, B, C and D.
  • Part A States were the erstwhile provinces,
  • Part B consisted of erstwhile princely states and principalities
  • Part C areas were the erstwhile ‘Chief Commissioner’s Provinces’.
    • They became Union Territories, and some of them initially got legislatures and were later upgraded into States.
    • Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa belong to this category.

Difference between powers of Puducherry and Delhi:

• Between Puducherry and Delhi, there is a notable difference.
• Puducherry has legislative powers on any matter mentioned in the State List or the Concurrent List, insofar as it applies to the Union Territory. Delhi, which has the same field, has three further exceptions: police, land and public order are outside its purview.
• However, Parliament has overriding powers over any law made by the Assembly in the Union Territories.
• Puducherry has one more unique feature that despite being a single administrative unit, the Union Territory is ‘non-contiguous’.
  • That is, its territory is not limited to one extent of land.
• Besides Puducherry and its adjoining areas, it has enclaveslocated within other States:
  • Karaikal (within Tamil Nadu)
  • Yanam (within Andhra Pradesh) and
  • Mahe (within Kerala).
  • Just as the Centre and the States do not have matching powers in all matters, there are some differences in the way some States and other constituent units of the Indian Union relate to the Centre.
  • This creates a notable asymmetry in the way Indian federalism works.Topic 4 : Kashi Tamil Sangamam

Why in news: Prime Minister of India inaugurated the Kashi Tamil Sangamam at Namo Ghat, Varanasi.
 

Key details:

• First held in 2022, the Kashi Tamil Sangamam seeks to celebrate North and South India’s historical and civilisational connections.
• Ancient link between Kashi and Tamilakam:
  • King Parakrama Pandya:
    • Legend has it that King Parakrama Pandya, ruler of the region around Madurai in the 15th century, wanted to build a grand temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
    • He travelled all the way to Kashi to bring back the lingam for his temple.
    • While returning, he stopped to rest under a tree.
    • When he tried to continue his journey, the cow carrying the lingam refused to budge from its spot.
    • Parakrama Pandya understood this to be the Lord’s wish, and installed the lingam there, a place that today is known as Sivakasi.
    • For devotees who could not visit Kashi, the Pandyas also built the Kasi Viswanathar Temple in what is today Tenkasi in southwestern Tamil Nadu.
  • King Adhivir Ram Pandyan:
    • Much later, another king, Adhivir Ram Pandyan, after returning from a pilgrimage to Kashi, constructed another Shiva temple in Tenkasi in the 19th century.
  • Sant Kumara Gurupara:
    • Sant Kumara Gurupara from Thoothukudi district had negotiated with the princely state of Kashi to get a place for the consecration of Kedarghat and Vishvesvaralingam in Varanasi.
    • He also composed Kashi Kalambagam, a collection of grammar poems on Kashi.

The Kashi Tamil Sangamam

• This year, around 1,400 dignitaries from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will visit Varanasi for the event, participating in a number of cultural exchanges and exhibitions.
• It will showcase art, music, handloom, handicrafts, cuisines and other distinctive products from Tamil Nadu and Varanasi.
• The broader objective is to bring the two knowledge and cultural traditions (of the North and South) closer, create an understanding of our shared heritage and deepen the people-to-people bond between the regions.
• The connection between the two centres of knowledge (Kashi and Kanchi) is evident in the similar themes in literature, and the presence of the name Kashi in every village in Tamil Nadu.
• Besides the Kasi Viswanathar temple in Tenkasi, there are hundreds of Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu that bear the name of Kashi.
• People from Rameswaram would take a dip in the Koti teertha (in the temple) before visiting Kashi for darshan and they would bring back (Ganga) water from Kashi for abhiseka at the temple in Rameswaram.Topic 5 : COP-28 and the cities

Why in news: The 28th Conference of Parties (COP-28) in Dubai has also discussed about cities and their future.
 

What was discussed about cities?

• When the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) initiated the COP in 1995, 44% of people lived in cities.
• Currently, 55% of the global population is urban and this is expected to reach 68% by 2050.
• The urban world today consumes nearly 75% of primary energy and is responsible for roughly 70% of CO2 (76% of total GHG) emissions.
• Hence, the desired results of the Paris commitments are not possible without addressing urban issues.
• City representatives have been arguing for multi-level green deal governance and for revising the governance and regulation of energy and climate action.
• Some European city groups have been staunchly advocating for direct actions in cities.
• Various groups argued for formally recognising the role of subnational governments in global climate change negotiations, accelerating and scaling up climate action by working across all levels of governance and sectors, and providing direct financing and technical assistance to cities and regions.
• This will require an ‘out of the box’ imagination as it would mean transgressing the authorities of federal governments.
• The efforts of city governments should be formally recognised in COP decision documents.

What can be done in the Global South?

• The cities of the Global South are far more vulnerable than their western counterparts.
• Issues:
  • The city leaders are hardly empowered,
  • The major employment is in the informal sector,
  • Adaptation is key as most cities are vulnerable to climate induced disasters and
  • The pent up drive to attract investments to cities has further widened the gap between the rich and the poor
  • In most countries, and in India particularly, 40% of the urban population live in slums.
  • Pollution is a major contributor in reducing life expectancies and social and economic inequities are quite inherent in their systems.
• So, to ensure fair participation in climate action plans and to claim loss and damage compensation, etc., there has to be a radical shift in the processes governing the cities.
• One of the ways of achieving progress can be through:
  • creating a climate atlas of these cities,
  • mapping them and
  • identifying hotspots.
• Exclusion in NDCs:
  • During the preparation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans, cities find themselves excluded from the process of climate action plans.
  • There is hardly any representation of city leaders and civil society groups in this process.

Conclusion:

• Some cities like Chennai are spearheading their climate action plan and have decided to meet their zero emission targets by 2050, even before the Indian national government’s stipulated time period of 2070.
• Though this may sound too ambitious, it qualifies the point that cities are at the forefront in reclaiming spaces in meeting climate action plans and hence should get a fair share in planning both mitigation and adaptive strategies.
• COP-28 has brought to fore the crucial question of acknowledging the interconnections, interdependencies and interconnectedness of climate action, social justice and the role of the urban world.

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Topic 6 : Telecom Bill 2023

Why in news: The Telecommunications Bill, 2023 was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union minister for Communications, Electronics & Information Technology recently.
 

About the Telecommunications Bill, 2023:

• The Telecommunications Bill, 2023 amends and consolidates the laws relating to:
  • development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and telecommunication networks;
  • assignment of spectrum; and
  • for matters connected therewith.
• The new Bill seeks to replace the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1950.

Highlights of the Bill:

• National Security:
  • The Bill allows the government to take over telecom services and intercept messages in the interests of national security and in case of emergencies.
  • The Bill says that on the occurrence of any public emergency, including disaster management, or in the interest of public safety, the Central Government or a State Government can:
    • take temporary possession of any telecommunication service or telecommunication network from an authorised entity; or
    • provide for appropriate mechanism to ensure that messages of a user or group of users authorised for response and recovery during public emergency are routed on priority.
  • Under the new Bill, the government can also ask telecommunication services to transmit specific messages.
• Simplification of licensing:
  • The Bill seeks to simplify the current licensing regime for telecom networks by moving towards an authorisation system.
  • Currently, the telecom department issues more than 100 types of licences, registrations, and permissions.
  • The Bill seeks to club many of those in a single authorisation process.
• Voluntary disclosure:
  • A voluntary undertaking mechanism to facilitate voluntary disclosure of inadvertent lapses and to facilitate compliance has been introduced.
  • A tiered structure for settling disputes arising out of breach of terms and conditions involving an adjudicating officer, designated committee of appeals and the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) on top.
• Biometric authentication:
  • Entities have been mandated to carry out biometric authentication of their users as a measure to curb fraud.
  • The provision has raised concerns about the privacy of users.
• Powers of government:
  • The Bill empowers the central and state governments or a specially authorised officer to seek interception, disclosure, and suspension powers in case of a public emergency or interest or safety.
  • Press messages, meant for publication in India and of correspondents accredited to state or central governments, have been exempted from interception, although they can be intercepted for national security reasons.
• Authorisation for telecom-related activities:  
  • Prior authorisation from the central government will be required to:
    • provide telecommunication services,
    • establish, operate, maintain, or expand telecommunications networks, or
    • possess radio equipment.  
  • Existing licences will continue to be valid for the period of their grant, or for five years, where the period is not specified.
• Assignment of spectrum:
  • Spectrum will be assigned by auction, except for specified uses, where it will be allocated on an administrative basis.  These include purposes such as:
    • national security and defence,
    • disaster management,
    • weather forecasting, (iv) transport,
    • satellite services such as DTH and satellite telephony, and
    • BSNL, MTNL, and public broadcasting services.  
  • The central government may re-purpose or re-assign any frequency range.
  •  The central government may permit sharing, trading, leasing, and surrender of spectrum.
• Powers to specify standards:
  • The central government may prescribe standards and assessments for telecom equipment, infrastructure, networks, and services.
• Right of way:  
  • Facility providers may seek a right of way over public or private property to establish telecom infrastructure.
  •  Right of way must be provided on a non-discriminatory and non-exclusive basis to the extent possible.
• Protection of users:
  • The central government may provide for measures to protect users which include:
    • prior consent to receive specified messages such as advertising messages,
    •  creation of Do Not Disturb registers, and
    • a mechanism to allow users to report malware or specified messages.  
  • Entities providing telecom services must establish an online mechanism for registration and redressal of grievances.
• Digital Bharat Nidhi:
  • The Universal Service Obligation Fund has been established under the 1885 Act to provide for telecom services in underserved areas.  
  • The Bill retains this provision, renames the fund as Digital Bharat Nidhi, and also allows its use for research and development.
• Adjudication process:
  • The central government will appoint an adjudicating officer to conduct inquiries and pass orders against civil offences under the Bill.  
  • The officer must be of the rank of joint secretary and above.
  • Orders of the adjudicating officer may be appealed before the Designated Appeals Committee within 30 days.  
  • Appeals against the orders of the Committee, in connection to breach of terms and conditions, may be filed with The Telecommunications Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal within 30 days.

Issues:

• As per the new Bill, telecom services and networks will need authorisation from the government, unless it decides to exempt certain entities in public interest.
• There are concerns that the current definition of telecommunication could be interpreted in a way to potentially open the door for the telecom department to regulate online platforms.
  • The Allocation of Business Rules could stand in the way of that since the telecom department’s remit is limited to regulating the ‘carrier’ layer, that is telecom services, under those rules.Topic 7 : Suspension of Members of Parliament

Why in news: Thirty-three Lok Sabha members and 45 from Rajya Sabha, all belonging to the Opposition INDIA group, were suspended recently.

Why were the MPs suspended?

• The MPs in both Houses were suspended for disrupting Parliamentary proceedings while protesting a Parliament security breach.
• In Lok Sabha, the Opposition demanded a statement from Home Minister.
• In Rajya Sabha, the Opposition raised slogans on the Parliament breach and disrupted proceedings.

Why do MPs disrupt Parliament?

• There is an old tradition, irrespective of which party or alliance is in opposition, of MPs causing a ruckus inside Parliament.
• Over the years, four broad reasons have been identified for disorder in legislatures. These are:
  • the lack of time available to MPs for raising important matters,
  • the unresponsive attitude of the government and retaliatory posture by Treasury benches,
  • deliberate disruption by parties for political or publicity purposes, and
  • the absence of prompt action against MPs disrupting Parliamentary proceedings.

Process of suspension of MPs:

• The Presiding Officer (the Speaker of LS and Chairman of RS) plays the major role in meting out suspensions.
• In Lok Sabha, the Speaker acts in accordance with Rules 373, 374, and 374A of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business.
• In Rajya Sabha, the Chairman acts as per Rules 255 and 256 of the Rules.
• The procedure in both Houses is largely similar.
• The process:
  • First, the presiding officers can direct an MP to withdraw from the House for any disorderly conduct.
  • If that does not work and the said MP continues to disrupt the House proceedings, the presiding officer can “name” the legislator.
  • After that, the House can move a motion to suspend the MP until the end of the session.
• Changes in Lok Sabha rules:
  • While these rules have mostly remained unchanged since 1952, in 2001, the Lok Sabha further empowered the Speaker to deal with “grave and disorderly conduct.”      
  • As per the new rule, an MP named by the Speaker shall automatically stand suspended for a period of five days or the remaining part of the session.
  • This rule removes the need for the House to pass a motion for suspension.
  • The Rajya Sabha has not incorporated this provision in its procedures.

How long can MPs be suspended for?

• Admonition or reprimand:
  • Mild offences are punished by admonition or reprimand, with the latter being the more serious of the two punishments.
• Withdrawal:
  • After this comes the punishment of “withdrawal.”
  • Any Member so ordered to withdraw shall do so forthwith and shall remain absent during the remainder of the day’s sitting.
• Suspension:
  • However, continuing to disregard the Presiding Officer’s directions can invite the punishment of suspension.
  • A member can be suspended, at the maximum, for the remainder of the session only.
  • Moreover, the House, at any point of time, can reinstate a suspended member by passing a motion.
• Expulsion:
  • In cases of extreme misconduct, the House may expel a member to rid the House of persons who are unfit for membership.Topic 8 : Shahi Idgah

Why in news: The Shahi Idgah, a three-domed mosque, in Mathura will be surveyed following the decision of the Allahabad High Court.
 

What does Places of Worship Act say?

• Even as the modalities of the survey are being worked out, the mosque committee maintains that the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 prohibits changing the character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947.
• In 2020, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court to declare Section 4 of the 1991 Act ultra vires, saying that the impugned Act has barred the right and remedy against encroachment made on religious property of Hindus exercising might of power by followers of another faith.
• The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind countered, arguing that the Act prohibits conversion of any place of worship.
• In the the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi verdict, the apex court had held that the Places of Worship Act, imposed a non-derogable obligation towards enforcing our commitment to secularism, under the Constitution.

History of the land:

• The survey has been ordered as the Hindu representatives demand complete ownership of the premises where the Keshava Deva temple was destroyed on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1670.
• The temple had been built in 1618 during the reign of Jahangir by Bir Singh Bundela.
• The temple had been patronised by Aurangzeb’s brother and rival for the Mughal throne, Dara Shukoh.
• Later, in 1815, Raja Patni Mal of Benaras bought the 13.77 acre-land from the East India Company.
• His descendants sold the land to Jugal Kishore Birla, who then set up the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust.
  • It acquired ownership rights over the temple and in 1951, the 13.77 acre-land was placed in the trust, with the condition that the trust property will never be sold or pledged.
• In 1968, an agreement was signed between the Sri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sangh and the Shahi Idgah Masjid Trust.
• As part of the settlement, the temple authority had conceded a portion of the land to the Idgah.
• Now, the temple petitioners want possession of the entire parcel of the land.