The Hindu Editorial Analysis | 30th June’20

Table of Contents

Cautious, but firm

26|June|2020 MEA statement: patience in dealing with Beijing is reaching a dead end.
For the first time MEA said that Chinese build-up and clashes with Indian troops had a “larger context”.
Behaviour of PLA in 2020 is a clear shift from the past.
MEA admitted that PLA has built up large armed presence since May 2020.
Responsibility to restore peace and tranquillity along the LAC is with China.

They started it, they should end it.

Every bilateral agreement pertaining to LAC signed by both sides since 1993 has been violated by China.

Military action
International support
Sanctions by banning Chinese products and organisations

The Chinese challenge is here to stay (ToI)

Truth: The Chinese are not going anywhere.
Debates in our country over whether they are 100m out or 200m in is exactly what China wants us to do.
China has no reason to go back.
Article 370, DSDBO road
China wants to scare us to such an extend that next time when we built a road, we think twice.
India needs to take the bull by its horn for a better tomorrow.
Vulnerability of China: for China, even a single death is a loss of face.
India needs to expand the theatre of this conflict.
Harass or interdict Chinese ships in Western Indian Ocean.

the longer the logistical lines for China the better.

China’s modernisation of its Djibouti base or militarisation of Gwadar is still work in progress, that can be retarded further.
Malabar excersise with all four Quad members.

Join the Five Eyes network.
Stop Chinese imports strategically.
Huawei has lost its potentially largest market.
FTAs with the US, EU and Taiwan.

The STARS project needs an overhaul

Atmanirbhar Bharat: produce and deliver local goods and services to our citizens.
World Bank’s STARS project, a $3 billion project to improve education in six Indian States.
STARS has the mistaken understanding that state capability should be built by giving a larger role to non-state actors and by increasing the use of technology.

For effective governance

Administration must be equipped with adequate physical, financial and human resources.
Administrative or governance reforms must give greater discretion to the front-line bureaucracy to address local issues and innovate if required.
Goal must be to improve, not to judge and punish.

A flawed approach

Major vacancies across the education system from District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs), district and block education offices, to teachers in schools, remain unaddressed.
Bank ignores that decentralising decision-making requires the devolution of funds and real decision-making power.
Trust, which implies listening and collaborating across different levels within the administration, is entirely ignored in the World Bank project.
Bank displays yet again an over-reliance on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as a panacea that lacks any backing in evidence.
Measurement is seen as a way to improve performance.

In 24 hours, Palestine faces an existential threat

24-06-2020 UN Secretary General António Guterres told a virtual meeting of the United Nations Security Council that the Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank.
The UN Secretary General’s alarm has been sounded in the context of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reported plan to annex on July 1 around 30% of the Occupied West Bank.
This will include annexation of all the existing (post-1967) settlements in addition to areas surrounding them and access roads.
This, from published accounts, has the approval of the Trump Administration.

International law: annexation is forcible acquisition of territory by one state at the expense of another state.
UN Security Council and the General Assembly: acquisition of territory war or by force is inadmissible.
Ever since the war of June 1967, the Israeli effort has been to procrastinate a settlement and change ground realities.
India has a substantive relationship, reaching strategic dimensions, with Israel. It is mutually beneficial.
India’s amity with the Palestinian people, and its principled support to their cause, predates India’s own independence.
On the global stage, we have invariably supported the UN Security Council and General Assembly Resolutions supportive of the Palestinians.

Grain aplenty and the crisis of hunger

Economic crisis continuing + health system crumbling + unemployment is high
Absolutely essential: food support in the form of free/subsidised grains is made available to all without any disruptions.
PMGKY ₹1.70-lakh crore: 5kg of foodgrains and 1 kg of pulses for free to all those who are beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) for three months.
What is required is a universal Public Distribution System (PDS) to ensure that nobody is excluded.
Ram Vilas Paswan, in a video conference with State food ministers/secretaries on June 18, said that “around 10 States have written to the Ministry to extend the distribution of free food grains under the PMGKAY for three more months”.
One Nation One Ration Card scheme
- A beneficiary can receive ration entitlements as under the NFSA from any fair price shop in the country using her/his Aadhaar number and biometric authentication.
- Portability across States is an important and valid concern
- Network issues, authentication failure, etc.
- The integrated management of PDS (IM-PDS) portal, which gives real time data on transactions under ONOC, shows that for the month of May, there were a total of 378 transactions (3,077 beneficiaries) under ONOC and 479 transactions (3,856 beneficiaries) in June (as on June 29, 2020).
Food stocks along with widespread hunger.
If we include unmilled paddy, foodgrain stock in the Food Corporation of India has now risen to almost 100 million MTs while the buffer stock norms is 41 million MTs.
A universalised PDS giving 10kg of foodgrains per person per month for another four months requires about 47 million tonnes in total, assuming that nearly 85% of the population actually lifts their rations.

NEWS

Unlock -2
- The Centre has issued new guidelines for Unlock -2 to open up more activities in areas outside the Containment Zones.
- The new guidelines will come into effect from tomorrow and the process of phased re-opening of activities has been extended further.
- The lockdown will continue to be implemented strictly in the Containment Zones till the 31st of July this year.
- Under the new guidelines of Unlock -2, Metro Rail service, operation of Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places will not be allowed.
- Similarly, social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural and religious functions and other large congregations will not be permitted.
- Schools, colleges and coaching institutions will remain closed till 31st of July.
- As per the guidelines, night curfew timings are being further relaxed and curfew shall be in force from 10 PM to 5 AM.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 4 PM today
- Home Ministry’s announcement of Unlock 2 guidelines.
- In his Mann Ki Baat address last Sunday, the Prime Minister had urged the people to be more vigilant in the Unlock phase and take more precautions.
Coronavirus in India
- The Government has said a total of three lakh 21 thousand 723 people affected by corona virus have been cured in the country so far.
- In the past 24 hours, 12 thousand and ten people have recovered from Covid-19 and with this the recovery rate has reached 58.67 per cent.
- The Union Home Ministry has said that door to door survey for COVID-19 in Delhi will be done first in the containment zones on priority basis by 6th of July.
India-China
- Indian and Chinese militaries will hold another round of Lieutenant General-level talks today in an attempt to de-escalate tension in eastern Ladakh.
- The meet will also finalise modalities for disengagement of troops from the sensitive region.
- It will be the third round of Lt General-level talks and sources said it will take place in Chushul sector on the Indian side of Line of Actual Control.
- The meeting is scheduled to start at 10:30 AM.
- The Indian delegation at the talks will be headed by 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh while the Chinese side is likely to be led by the Commander of the Tibet Military District.
- The first two meetings had taken place at Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC.
- In the second round of talks on 22nd of June, the two sides arrived at a mutual consensus to disengage from all the friction points in eastern Ladakh.
- Two terrorists have been killed in an encounter that broke out between terrorists and security forces in Anantnag district this morning.
The Government has banned 59 mobile apps which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.
Government has announced the launch of seven-year Floating Rate Savings Bonds, 2020 (Taxable) scheme commencing from 1st July. According to an RBI notification, Floating Rate Savings Bonds will enable a person resident in India or Hindu Undivided Family to invest in a taxable bond, without any monetary ceiling. The interest on the bonds is payable semi-annually on 1st January and 1st July every year. The coupon on 1st January 2021 shall be paid at 7.15 per cent.
The National Fertilizers Limited- NFL has launched five Mobile Soil Testing Labs for testing the soil samples at the doorstep of farmers free of cost.
- It will give further boost to the Soil Testing facility in the country for promoting appropriate use of fertilizers.
- Chairman and Managing Director of NFL V N Datt flagged off one such Mobile Lab from the premises of NFL Corporate Office in Noida.
- These Mobile Labs, loaded with latest soil testing equipment will be used for macro and micro nutrient analysis of soil.
- India’s first human space mission “Gaganyaan” will not be affected by COVID pandemic and preparation are going on in the right direction.
- Dr. Singh informed that even though the training of four Indian astronauts in Russia had to be halted due to the pandemic but the department had kept a contingency cushion period both in the training programme and launch deadline.
All the dailies have reported the unlock 2.0 will retain most curbs but night curfew hours will be eased.
Delhi to set up plasma bank, Launch helpline
Separatist leader Geelani quits Hurriyat Conference
In a big boost to the Indian Air Force’s air power “France will deliver first 6 Rafales by end of July
Infant mortality rate down by 8 points in 5 years