The Hindu Editorial Analysis | 27th August ’20 | PDF Download

A shot in the dark | TH

• Pakistan’s so-called “statement” to a special discussion on terrorism.
• The statement, appeared to be an exercise by Pakistan in repeating its allegations against India.
• In the letter, Pakistan’s Ambassador sought to portray Pakistan as a victim of “cross-border terrorism”, and claimed that Pakistan is “responsible” for “decimating” al-Qaeda in the region.
• The statement then went on to list “four types of terrorism” Pakistan confronts.

• Attacks in Pakistan carried out by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

• Pak says that it is funded by an “Indian terror syndicate” based in Afghanistan.

• The second allegation was that India has “hired” mercenaries to carry out attacks, in operations Pakistan claims have been organised by Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former naval officer.
• Next is Pakistan’s contention that policies of the government amount to “Hindutva terrorism”, with specific references to the Citizenship Amendment Act and the Ram temple construction.
• Finally, there is the oft-repeated allegation about Indian government actions in Jammu and Kashmir which it refers to as “state terrorism”.

Sobering assessment

• MPC decided to hold fire on interest rates
• Reason: inflation
• RBI has forecast more pain for the economy.
• For near-term prospects posit a stark picture
  • Demand down – severe shock in private consumption
  • Public finances strained
  • Anaemic appetite for investment among corporates
  • Credit-flow-impeding risk aversion among bankers
• It has blamed Local Lockdowns for slow pace of recovery.
• States too are expected to find their finances so tightly squeezed as to have to cut capital spending.
• It is hard to see the government raising much out of its privatisation efforts.
• Ultimately, as Expenditure Secretary T.V. Somanathan has acknowledged, the Centre may opt to marshal its meagre resources more prudently and wait for the curve of infections to start flattening before committing to any further stimulus spending.

The uncharted territory of outer space

• Outer space has been the arena of some of the most memorable technology demonstrations.
• Russia’s Sputnik and the U.S.’s Apollo 11 were metaphors of geopolitical competition.
• Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan are our national pride.
• Several space events planned well in advance have proceeded amidst the COVID-19 pandemic without much attention.
• The launch of missions to Mars by China and the U.S. along with the UAE’s Mars orbiter
• The first astronaut trip to orbit on a commercial enterprise built by Space X
• The completion of the Chinese ‘BeiDou’ satellite navigation system
• The U.S. Space Command statement that Russia conducted a “non-destructive test of a space-based anti-satellite weapon”
• All portray a trend that outer space is witnessing a welter of new activity.
• Technological changes augur well for the peaceful use of outer space.
• The price tag for reaching low Earth orbit has declined by a factor of 20 in a decade.
  • NASA: $54,500 per kg
  • SpaceX’s Falcon 9: $2,720 per kg
  • In a decade, the cost could be less than $100 per kg.
• Bank of America Report: $350 billion space market today will touch $2.7 trillion by 2050.
  • Space industries are likely to follow a path akin to the software industry.
• When Apple allowed developers to design apps for the iPhone, it unleashed innovations that put more technology in the hands of common people and transformed lives.
• Starlink, the constellation being constructed by SpaceX to provide global Internet access, plans more than 10,000 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit.
• Amazon’s Project Kuiper received U.S. Federal Communications Commission approvals for more than 3,000 micro-satellites.
• In a decade, 80,000 such satellites could be in space compared to less than 3,000 at present.
• Companies such as Planet, Spire Global and Iceye are using orbital vantage points to collect and analyse data to deliver fresh insights in weather forecasting, global logistics, crop harvesting and disaster response.
• Space could prove attractive for high-tech manufacturing too.

Challenges in fulfilling potential

• First, as outer space becomes democratised, commercialised and crowded, the multilateral framework for its governance is becoming obsolescent.
• Space law is a product of a golden age of two decades — the 1960s and 1970s.
• The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 enshrines the idea that space should be “the province of all mankind” and “not subject to national appropriation by claims of sovereignty”.
• The Rescue Agreement, Space Liability Convention, and the Space Registration Convention expanded provisions of the Outer Space Treaty.
• The Moon Treaty of 1979 was not ratified by major space-faring nations.
• Space law does not have a dispute settlement mechanism, is silent on collisions and debris, and offers insufficient guidance on interference with others’ space assets.
• These gaps heighten the potential for conflict in an era of congested orbits and breakneck technological change.
• The legal framework is state-centric, placing responsibility on states alone.
• Some states are providing frameworks for resource recovery through private enterprises based on the notion that this is not expressly forbidden for non-state actors.
• According to NASA, the asteroid named 16 Psyche is so rich in heavy metals that it is worth $10,000 quadrillion.
• Space is the highest ground.
• States are investing in military space systems for communications, navigation, and reconnaissance purposes, so as to ensure operability of a range of capabilities.
• Reliance of militaries on satellite systems means that space assets become potential targets.
• The UN General Assembly passes a resolution on Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space since 1982.
• India has invested enormous resources in its space programme through the Indian Space Research Organisation.
• More importantly, our space assets are crucial for India’s development.
• The proposed involvement of private players and the creation of an autonomous body IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) under the Department of Space for permitting and regulating activities of the private sector are welcome efforts.
• We need a space legislation enabling coherence across technical, legal, commercial, diplomatic and defence goals.
• Our space vision also needs to address global governance, regulatory and arms control issues.

Bringing the Internet to everyone

• We live in times where we can buy or sell anything online.
• Technological giants like Google, Facebook, and TCS have allowed their employees to work from home for the foreseeable future.
• Marginalised and isolated: urban poor – elderly – those in remote areas
• They find themselves unable to get access to health and welfare alerts, critical services, engage in upskilling or learning, or take part in economic activities without potentially exposing themselves to the virus.
• In 2016, the UN General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution that declared Internet access as a human right.
• However this hasn’t translated to affirmative governmental action.
• Internet connectivity has to be ensured in our remotest areas by accelerating the deployment of additional optical fibres, wireless technology, drones and satellites.
• Community access points
• The Punjab government has just started distributing 1.75 lakh free smartphones to its students.

Making agricultural market reforms successful

• Recent reforms in agricultural marketing.
• The removal of restrictions under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA).
• The two new ordinances are expected to enable inter-State trade and promote contract farming.
• However, there are several difficulties.
• ‘time-inconsistency’ problem / the policy credibility problem
• e-NAM
• September 2018, PM-AASHA: to provide an assured price to farmers that ensured a return of at least 50% more than the cost of cultivation.
• In addition to the PM-AASHA programme, two Model Acts were formulated by the Central government in 2017 and 2018 to promote agricultural marketing and contract farming in States.
• Thus evolved the PM-KISAN
• With the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, improving the market functioning received renewed attention.
• E-NAM has been scaled up to cover 415 more markets, farmers have been allowed to sell and transport directly from registered warehouses and Farmer Produce Organisations (FPOs) and app-based transport services have been devised.
• Taking this thrust further, the government announced a slew of reforms on May 15, including the major marketing reforms mentioned above.
• Investors adopting a wait-and-watch approach.
• Centre-State and State-State relations.
• Absence or failure of credit and insurance markets may lead a farmer to depend upon the local input dealer or the middleman to meet his/her farming needs.
• In conclusion, consistency in policy, collaborative approach and complementary reforms are necessary for the success of the recent agricultural market reforms.

NEWS

• India registers over 100 % hike in COVID-19 recoveries in last 25 days
• Phase II clinical trials of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine begin in Chennai & Pune
• Karnataka govt announces commencement of online classes of all colleges from Sep 1
• Safety of students during JEE and NEET 2020 top priority for authorities, says NTA
• GST Council meet underway to discuss compensation to states for loss of revenue
• Ministry of Culture announces 7 new circles of Archaeological Survey of India
• AFT chairperson inaugurates virtual hearings for its regional benches
• Covid positivity rate continues to record decline
• NITI Aayog releases Export Preparedness Index 2020
• DoPPW to integrate e- Pension Payment Order with Digi Locker.

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