Current Affairs – August 18-19-20, 2024

{GS2 – Governance – Civil Services} Lateral Entry Scheme

• Context (TW): Government of India announces largest recruitment of lateral entrants amid ‘acute shortage’ of IAS officers.

• Lateral entry brings experts from outside the government into mid and senior-level positions, bypassing the traditional UPSC exam process.
• This brings domain-specific knowledge and fresh perspectives into the central secretariat for a contract duration of 3 years, extendable up to 5 years.

Historical Context

• Constitution Review Commission (2002): Recommended lateral entry to introduce specialized skills.
• Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2005): Advocated for a transparent, merit-based selection process for lateral entry to improve governance.
• NITI Aayog (2017): Supported lateral entry to address gaps in knowledge and governance.
• Baswan Committee (2016): Emphasized the need for reforms in civil service recruitment and suggested integrating lateral entry to enhance efficiency and bring in diverse expertise.

Arguments in Favor of the Lateral Entry Scheme

• Specialized Skills and Expertise that may not be present within the traditional civil service.
• Addressing Personnel Shortages in critical positions where there is a shortage of qualified IAS officers or specialists. In 2023, there was a shortage of over 1,500 IAS officers, particularly in key sectors like health, education, and infrastructure.
• Improving Governance Efficiency: Economists like Montek Singh Ahluwalia have contributed to effective economic policy formulation and implementation.
• Opportunity for Non-traditional Candidates who possess exceptional skills and qualifications.
• Public-Private Collaboration leading to more effective solutions for public challenges. Lateral entrants like Amitabh Kant have taken the lead for successful PPP initiatives like Make in India.

Arguments Against Lateral Entry Scheme

• Short Tenure: The three-year tenure may be insufficient for meaningful contributions.
• Objectivity and Neutrality: Concerns about potential conflicts of interest and impartiality. Arvind Subramanian’s appointment as Chief Economic Advisor led to debates on whether his policy recommendations might be influenced by international perspectives due to his work with the IMF.
• Impact on the Morale of existing civil servants. E.g., discontent among career bureaucrats for the appointment of Arvind Panagariya as the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog.
• Dilution of Merit-Based Recruitment: Risk of perceived favouritism if the process is not transparent.
• Outsider Syndrome: Potential resistance from traditional bureaucrats.

Way Forward

• Ensure Transparency: The UK Civil Service Fast Stream program recruits individuals at various levels with specialized skills, maintaining a transparent and merit-based selection process.
• Training of Lateral Entrants: Formulate intensive training programs similar to those in Singapore, including government orientation and policy training.
• Clear Expectations and Role Definition: The US Federal Government’s Senior Executive Service provides clear performance indicators and role definitions for senior positions.
• Relaxing Age Barrier: Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Bimal Jalan, both appointed at relatively younger ages have contributed to effective policy formulation.

{GS2 – IR – Middle East} Red Sea Security Crisis

• Context (IE): Amidst Houthi attacks around the Bab-el-mandeb strait in the Red sea, India’s fuel exports to Europe shift entirely via the Cape of Good Hope, around the the Africa.
• The Red Sea route is the shortest to reach Europe from India, accounting for about 12% of global trade and 30% of global container traffic.

• Although trade through the Cape of Good Hope route is much safer, factors like higher risk premiums, voyage time (by around 15-20 days), and freight costs affect freight movements.
• However, Russian exports (crude oil) to India through the Red Sea are unaffected since Russia is perceived as Iran’s ally and Houthis are backed by Iran.

Impact on India’s Fuel Exports

• Reduced Exports to Europe: India’s trade through the Red Sea route constitutes almost 24% of the exports and 14% of the imports of India. Houthi attacks caused a 25% drop in petroleum exports between July-December(2023) and January-June(2024) (Kpler analytics).

Credits: IE

• Shift to Asian Markets: Increased focus on Asia and Australia to offset European decline in trade.

Read More> Importance of Red Sea Route

{GS2 – Polity – IC – Federalism} Karnataka CM vs Governor Issue **

• Context (TH): The Karnataka Governor’s decision to approve prosecuting the Chief Minister for corruption, against the Council of Ministers’ advice, has raised questions about constitutional authority

Legal Provisions and Judicial Precedents

• Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988: Requires Governor’s sanction before prosecuting public servants to ensure legal proceedings are appropriately approved.
• Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Samhitha, 2023: Provides additional regulatory measures for the protection and prosecution of citizens, including public officials.
• 2004 Supreme Court Ruling: Governors must exercise discretion based on facts and circumstances, as failure to do so could undermine the rule of law.

Implications of the Judgment

• Constitutional Authority: Challenges the established practice of the Governor’s compliance with the Council of Ministers’ advice, potentially altering the balance of power.
• Legislative Framework: Raises questions about the effectiveness of Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act 2018, which requires prior approval for probes.
• Political Tension escalates friction between the Governor’s office and the State government.
• Limits of judicial precedents are tested in determining a Governor’s discretion to sanction prosecutions.
• Impacts public trust in the political and judicial systems, reflecting broader concerns about corruption and selective prosecution.
• Highlights the need for clearer guidelines on the Governor’s role in prosecution decisions and the importance of transparent and impartial legal processes.

Read More > Reforms in the Office of Governor, Power of Governor

{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Women} Hema Committee Report

• Context (IE): Justice Hema Committee, appointed following the demands from the Women in Cinema Collective, reveals systemic sexual harrassment against women in the Malayalam film industry.
• Hema Committee is the first committee in the country set up to conduct a comprehensive study of gender issues in the film sector.

Key Findings

• Women face sexual demands, harassment, and abuse at work and in accommodations.
• Ability and eligibility alone may not secure jobs, as sexual demands are often required (casting couch).
• Essential facilities like toilets and changing rooms for women are frequently lacking.
• Safety concerns drive women to bring family members for protection.
• A powerful lobby exists that can influence and control industry outcomes.
• Unauthorized bans and threats of being barred from the industry are common.
• Gender bias, male dominance and disparity in remuneration are significant issues.
• Alcohol and drug use cause misconduct and poor discipline in the industry.
• Women face resistance when seeking technical roles, and unfair contracts to suit individual requirements are prevalent. They fear online harassment if they complain about their experiences.
• The constitution of an internal complaints committee (ICC) would not address all problems faced by women in the industry. Legal recourse is lacking, with insufficient awareness of legal rights.

Read more > Status of Women in the Workforce

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} Restoration of Banni Grasslands

• Context (IE): A recent study assesses the suitability of different areas of the Banni grasslands for sustainable restoration.

Grasslands

• They are found mainly in semiarid and arid regions and includes savannahs, grassy shrublands, and open grasslands and support unique species.
• They provide ecosystem services like carbon storage, climate mitigation, and pollination.
• Currently as much as 49% of grassland areas worldwide are estimated to be experiencing degradation.
• In India, they cover approximately 8 lakh sq. km, about 24% of India’s land area.

Banni Grasslands

• It is the largest grassland in Asia once covering 3,800 sq. km, now shrunk to about 2,600 sq. km.
• It is situated near the Great Rann of Kutch, Gujarat, and comprises both wetlands and grasslands.

Source: Researchgate

• It was given protected status in 1955 under the Indian Forest Act, of 1927, and non-forest activities were restricted in 2019 by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
• Conservation areas include the Desert Wildlife Sanctuary and Chhari Dhand Conservation Reserve.
• It is a salt-tolerant grassland, which means that it can survive and thrive in saline and arid conditions.
• It is formed from sediment deposits by the Indus and other rivers over millennia.
• Vegetation: Sparse, dependent on rainfall, dominated by salt-tolerant forbs and graminoids; traditionally managed by rotational grazing.
• Fauna: Hosts Nilgai, Chinkara, Blackbuck, Wild Boar, Golden Jackal, Indian Hare, Indian Wolf, Caracal, Asiatic Wildcat, Desert Fox, and serves as a breeding ground for Banni buffalo and Kankrej cows.
• Birdlife: Supports more than 350 bird species; and migratory birds during good rainfall years.
• Livestock: Predominantly raised by the Maldhari community, including Banni and Sindhi buffaloes, Kankrej cattle, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, and camels.

Findings of the Study

Threats

• Agricultural Conversion: Increasing pressure from land being converted for agricultural use.
• Tree-Based Plantations: The expansion of tree plantations further threatens grassland ecosystems.
• Invasive Species: Prosopis juliflora are aggressively encroaching, reducing native biodiversity.
• Mega-Development Projects: Disrupt grassland habitats.
• Government Bias: Conservation efforts disproportionately favor forests over grasslands.
• Drought and Salinity: Periodic droughts and rising soil salinity add stress to grassland ecosystems.

Restoration Suitability

• 36% of the land (highly suitable) can be restored by providing adequate water sources through irrigation or rainwater harvesting.
• 28% of the land (suitable) also requires water management but is otherwise fit for restoration.
• In 27% of areas (moderately suitable), restoration is feasible with additional management strategies and 7% (marginally suitable) requires interventions like terracing, fertilization, and protection from erosion and salt intrusion. 2% of the land is not suitable for restoration.

Way Forward

• Implement Rotational Grazing: To prevent overgrazing and promote vegetation recovery.
• Remove Invasive Species: Eradicate invasive species like Prosopis juliflora, similar to the efforts against European buckthorn in North America.
• Improve Water Management: Enhance irrigation and rainwater harvesting, akin to techniques used in Australia’s Outback for sustainable management.
• Strengthen Conservation Policies: Enforce protections against land conversion, inspired by the successful conservation policies in Mongolia’s steppe regions.
• Engage and Educate Communities: Involve local pastoralists in conservation, following community-based management practices like in Kenya’s Maasai Mara (collaboration with the Maasai community to create wildlife corridors).

{GS3 – IE – Industry} Handloom Industry in India **

• Context (TH): The handloom industry in India, once a vibrant sector reflecting the nation’s rich cultural heritage, is now facing a significant decline.

Significance of the Handloom Industry

• Cultural Heritage: The Banarasi saree, Pochampally ikat, and Kanchipuram silk are globally recognised for their intricate designs and craftsmanship.
• Employment Generation: It is the second-largest employment generator after agriculture (4.3 million).
• Sustainable and Eco-Friendly: Handloom weaving uses natural fibres like cotton, silk, and wool, which are biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
• Rural Economy Support: The industry plays a vital role in the rural economy by supporting livelihoods and generating income for families.
• Promoting Gender Equality: Women constitute about 70% of the total handloom workforce.

Challenges Faced by the Handloom Industry

• Competition from Power Looms and Machine-Made Products: The introduction of polyester flags for the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign highlights the preference for cheaper products over handwoven khadi.
• Erosion of the Flag Code’s Original Intent: The Flag Code of India was amended in 2021 to allow machine-made polyester flags, replacing the earlier requirement for hand-spun and hand-woven khadi.
• Lack of Market Access and Branding: Despite global demand for sustainable and fair-trade products, Indian handloom has not been effectively marketed to a global audience.
• GST and Tax Burdens: GST on raw materials like yarn, dyes, and chemicals increases production costs, squeezing the already thin margins of handloom weavers.
• Declining Government Support: Government initiatives like the Vishwakarma Yojana exclude handloom weavers and existing khadi cooperatives lack sufficient support and resources.
• Inadequate Wages and Poor Working Conditions: Handloom weavers earn meagre wages of ₹200-₹250 per day, despite the labour-intensive nature of their work.

Government Initiatives to Support the Handloom Sector

• National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP): Central sector scheme for comprehensive development and self-sustainability of handloom clusters at the block level.
• Handloom Mark Scheme: Brands handloom products, ensuring authenticity and securing a premium market position domestically and internationally
• Yarn Supply Scheme: Ensures regular supply of quality yarn at reasonable prices through NHDC and state governments.
• Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS): Develops mega handloom clusters (15,000+ looms) with funding for technology, product development, and marketing.
• Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS): Provides life and accidental insurance for weavers aged 18-50, offering up to Rs. 2 lakhs for death or disability.

Way Forward

• Restoration of Khadi and Handloom Identity: Khadi should be reinstated as the sole fabric for the national flag, emphasizing its cultural and historical significance.
• Tax Reforms: Exempt handloom products from GST or introduce subsidies on its raw materials.
• Financial Support: Provide easy credit access to handloom weavers through schemes like MUDRA loans.
• Global Branding and Market Expansion: Launch global campaigns to promote Indian handloom as a luxury and sustainable product.
• Strengthening Cooperatives and Local Institutions: Empower handloom weavers to form cooperatives and self-help groups for better bargaining power and market access.

{GS3 – IE – Inclusive Growth} Income Inequality and Corruption

• Context (TH): The Gallup World Poll (GWP) and Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) provide insights into the correlation between income inequality and corruption.

• In India, the top 1% of income earners receive 22.6% of total pre-tax income, compared to 7.3% in 1980.

Correlation Between Income Inequality and Corruption

• Increased Wealth Concentration: The top 1% in India now controls over 40% of the total wealth, leading to increased influence over public policies and decisions, often resulting in corruption.
• Rent-Seeking Behaviour: Greater income inequality drives wealthy investors to exploit public resources for private gain, reflecting broader corruption issues.
• Speculative Investments: High-income individuals engage in speculative investments, exacerbating inequality and creating opportunities for corrupt practices within financial markets.
• Regulatory Capture: As income inequality grows, powerful businesses may exert undue influence over regulatory agencies, leading to biased decision-making and increased corruption.
• Unequal Access to Justice: High-income individuals may have better access to legal resources and favourable judicial outcomes, undermining the fairness of the legal system and fostering corruption.
• Globalization Impact: As global resources become more valuable, regulatory bodies may become more susceptible to corruption, especially in high-stakes areas like infrastructure projects.

Way Forward

• Implement Progressive Taxation to reduce income inequality and fund comprehensive social welfare programs. E.g. Sweden and Norway.
• Enhancing Financial Inclusion: The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has been successful in bringing millions of unbanked individuals into the formal banking system
• Strengthening Labor Rights and Wage Policies: The introduction of minimum wage laws in several U.S. states has helped reduce wage inequality among workers.
• Land Reforms and Redistribution in Kerala lead to reduced economic disparities.
• Strengthen Regulatory Frameworks: The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the United States sets stringent standards for anti-corruption compliance to implement robust internal.
• Promote Transparency and Accountability: India’s Public Procurement Portal (GeM) provides a transparent platform for government procurement, enabling real-time tracking of processes.
• Encourage Civic Engagement: Brazil’s Participatory Budgeting allows citizens to have a direct say in how public funds are allocated, enhancing transparency and accountability in local government spending.

Read more> Income and wealth inequality in India from 1922 to 2023

{GS3 – S&T – ISRO} Earth Observation Satellite-08

• Context (PIB): ISRO’s latest Earth Observation Satellite, ‘EOS-08’, was launched by the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D3 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Shriharikota.

• EOS-08 will operate in a Circular Low Earth Orbit at an altitude of 475 km & has a mission life of 1 year.
• Objectives: Designing and developing a microsatellite, creating payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus, and incorporating new technologies required for future operational satellites.
• Built on the Microsat/IMS-1 bus, it carries three payloads: Electro Optical Infrared Payload (EOIR), Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry payload (GNSS-R), SiC UV Dosimeter.

Applications

• EOIR: Satellite-based surveillance, disaster monitoring, environmental monitoring, fire detection, volcanic activity observation, disaster monitoring.
• GNSS-R: Ocean surface wind analysis, soil moisture assessment, cryosphere studies over the Himalayan region, flood detection, inland water body detection.
• SiC UV Dosimeter: It monitors UV irradiance at the viewport of the Crew Module in the Gaganyaan Mission and serves as a high-dose alarm sensor for gamma radiation.

{Prelims – In News} Operation Parakram

• Context (TH): The former Army Chief General S. Padmanabhan, who led the Army during Operation Parakram, the first full-scale mobilisation since the 1971 Indo-Pak war, passes away.

• Operation Parakram was the code name for India’s military mobilisation in response to the terrorist attack carried out by Jaish-e-Muhammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba on the Indian Parliament in 2001.
• It began after the Cabinet Committee on Security‘s decision and involved a large military deployment along the India-Pakistan border.

{Prelims – In News} Voice of Global South Summit (VOGSS) 2024

• Context (MEA): India hosts the 3rd edition of the Voice of Global South Summit in a virtual format.

• VOGSS is an extension of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas aur Sabka Prayas’ and is underpinned by the philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.
• Theme: “An Empowered Global South for a Sustainable Future,”
• The summit will address global issues like conflicts, food and energy security, and climate change.
• All editions were hosted by India and saw participation of over 100 countries from the Global South.

Read More >VOGSS

{Prelims – Sci – Bio – Diseases} Monkey Pox (Mpox) *

• Context (WHO): WHO Director-General declares Mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).

• It is a rare zoonotic viral disease belonging to the Poxviridae family and the Orthopoxvirus genus, which includes other poxviruses such as smallpox and cowpox virus and has affected over 115 countries.
• Symptoms: Rash, fever, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, back pain, and swollen lymph nodes.

Transmission

• From animal to humans: Eating products made of infected animals, direct contact with body fluids.
• Person to person: Direct contact with rashes or body fluids, infectious skin or lesions, kissing, touching, oral and penetrative vaginal or anal sex.

Variants of Mpox

1. Clade I/Congo Basin clade

• Clade I is largely sporadic and potentially zoonotic with a fatality rate of less than 4%.
• Clade I leads to more severe disease and death than Clade II.

2. Clade Ib

• It was first reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2023 and has been spreading through sex and other types of close contact.
• Children under 15 years is the most affected, constituting 80% of all the deaths with the largest case fatality rate in children aged less than one year.
• It caused unprecedented human-to-human transmission in a short period.

3. Clade II/West African clade

• Clade II was behind the global mpox outbreak in 2022 and is primarily found in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria and surrounding regions.

Treatment

• There is no specific treatment or vaccine available for this infection and is treated with supportive care.
• Three smallpox vaccines (MVA-BN, LC16 and OrthopoxVac) have been approved for prevention.
• Infected persons or animals should be quarantined for 30 days.

Way Forward

• Molecular surveillance, development of indigenous capacity for vaccine manufacturing, raising awareness, improving surveillance and response and avoid contact with wild animals especially those which can spread the disease such as monkeys.

Read more>Monkeypox