The Hindu News Paper Analysis | 25th August’ 22

Table of Contents

SC Bench to revisit 2013 verdict on poll promises

‘Why can’t govt. call all-party meet on freebies?’

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will constitute a three-judge Bench to reconsider a 2013 judgment which held that pre-poll promises made by a political party cannot constitute a corrupt practice under the Representation of the People (RP) Act.
The S. Subramaniam Balaji versus Government of Tamil Nadu judgment, based on DMK’s pre-election promise to distribute colour television sets to poor households in Tamil Nadu, said only an individual candidate, not his party, can commit a ‘corrupt practice’ under the RP Act by promising free gifts.

The Representation of the People Act (RPA),1951

It regulates the actual conduct of electionsand by-elections.
It provides administrative machineryfor conducting elections.
It deals with the registration of political parties.
It specifies the qualifications and disqualifications for membershipof the Houses.
It provides provisions to curb corrupt practicesand other offences.
It lays down the procedure for settling doubts and disputes arising out of elections.

ASI seeks dismissal of plea by self-proclaimed royal descendant –

Qutub Minar:

It is a five-storeyed red sandstone tower (72.5 m high) built by Muslim conquerors in the thirteenth century to commemorate their final triumph over the Rajput rulers of Delhi (Qutub means victory), while also serving as a tower from where muezzins (criers) call for prayer at the Quwwatu’l-Islam mosque
Its surrounding contains Alai-Darwaza Gate, the masterpiece of Indo-Muslim art (built in 1311).
The building process of Qutub Minar took about 75 years. Its construction was started by Qutub-ud-din Aibak (1206-1210) in 1193 and finished by Iltutmish (1211-1236).
it was named in honor of Khwaja Qutb-ud-din Bakhtiar Kaki, a saint from Baghdad.
In 1368, it was repaired by the rulers of the day, Muhammad-bin-Tughluq (1325-51) and Firuz Shah Tughluq (1351-88).
Qutub Minar and its monuments were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

It is under the Ministry of Culture.
It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham- the first Director-General of ASI.
Alexander Cunningham is also known as the “Father of Indian Archaeology”.
It is the premier organization for the archaeological research and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation.
It carries out surveys of antiquarian remains, exploration and excavation of archaeological sites, conservation and maintenance of protected monuments
It administers more than 3650 ancient monuments, archaeological sites and remains of national importance.

Researchers want Odisha’s Angul to plan transition to green energy, economy

Researchers have urged policymakers to switch to green energy and economy in Odisha’s Angul – one of India’s largest coal producing districts – before power grade coal reserves are exhausted.
District accounts for 12% of India’s coal production

Heading the G20 and New Delhi’s choices

With geopolitical currents redefining geo-economics, India needs to be ready to emerge as the chief global diplomat.
In about three months, India will assume for the first time the Group of 20 (G20) year-long presidency from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023, culminating with the G20 Summit in India in 2023.
India has hosted large international conferences such as the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in 1983 and the Third India-Africa Forum summit in 2015.
Guided by the triple motivation of promoting India’s national interest, leaving its mark on the G20, and maintaining its primacy as an effective instrument of global governance.
Branding
Second, by a remarkable coincidence, four democracies on the path to becoming powerful economic players — Indonesia, India, Brazil, and South Africa — hold the presidency from December 2021 to November 2025.
Third, another exceptional coincidence is that all three members of IBSA — India, Brazil, and South Africa — will hold the G20 presidency consecutively in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Four, India needs to get ready to emerge as the chief global diplomat.
Full membership of the G20:
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.

Making out a case for the other UBI in India

There are good reasons why Universal Basic Insurance is a better proposition than Universal Basic Income
Social security mainly encompasses food security, health security and income security.
National Food Security Act (NFSA)
Ayushman Bharat Scheme
Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS)
Only about 110 million people in India have private health insurance. Despite these large-scale provisions, about 400 million Indians are not covered under any kind of health insurance.

Keep it simple

The Aadhaar number is not a proof of citizenship and is meant to be issued to residents, while only adult citizens who are resident in India are eligible to vote.
The Internet Freedom Foundation has cited data to show that self-reported errors in the Aadhaar database are higher than those in the electoral database. There is also evidence that Aadhaar-linkage with voter identity cards, as in the Assembly elections in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh recently, for example, led to the arbitrary deletion of eligible voters on a large scale.
The insistence on linking Aadhaar with the voter ID militates against these principles. The ECI should limit itself to utilising existing proofs for voter authentication and Aadhaar declaration should remain voluntary.

The death of Inder Meghwal

The abolition of untouchability (Article 17) was incorporated in Part III of the Indian constitution’s Fundamental Rights section. It places limitations on and outlaws the practice of untouchability, ensuring that it is removed in all forms. Here we will discuss Article 17 and the concept of the abolition of untouchability.
Untouchability is not defined in the Indian Constitution or any act passed by the Indian Parliament.
According to the court, the subject matter of Article 17 is not untouchable in its literal or grammatical sense but the ‘practice as it had developed historically in the country’.
- It refers to the social disabilities imposed on certain classes of persons because of their birth in certain castes. Hence, it does not cover the social boycott of a few individuals or their exclusion from religious services, etc

The Untouchability Offences Act of 1955

This will be a criminal offense for which no pardon will be granted.
If proven, a sentence of six months in prison or a fine of 500 rupees, or both, may be imposed.
If a candidate for Parliament or a state election is found guilty, he/she will be disqualified.

Protection of Civil Liberties Act

The Protection of Civil Liberties Act 1976

The Untouchability Offenses Statute of 1955 was amended by this act.
On proving charges, the sentence was raised to two years in prison or a fine of Rs. 2000, or both.

SC and ST Prevention of Atrocities Act

The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989

Its principal goal is to avoid atrocities by increasing surveillance and collecting permits from upper castes, among other things.
Provides victims with assistance and rehabilitation.
It establishes a special court and a special police force.

Centre voices support for Russia-Ukraine talks –

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO):

SCO is a permanent intergovernmental international organization.
It’s a Eurasian political, economic and military organization aiming to maintain peace, security and stability in the region.
It was created in 2001. The SCO Charter was signed in 2002, and entered into force in 2003.
Prior to the creation of SCO in 2001, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan were members of the Shanghai Five.
Shanghai Five (1996) emerged from a series of border demarcation and demilitarization talks which the four former Soviet republics held with China to ensure stability along the borders.
Following the accession of Uzbekistan to the organization in 2001, the Shanghai Five was renamed the SCO.
India and Pakistan became members in 2017.
On 17th September, 2021, it was announced that Iran would become a full member of the SCO.

Treatment is a service, wellness a charity: PM

Inaugurating Amrita Hospital in Faridabad, he lauds spiritual leaders’ role in easing vaccine hesitancy.
“India is a nation where treatment is a service, wellness is charity, where health and spirituality are related to each other,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi after inaugurating the state-of-the-art Amrita Hospital in Faridabad on Wednesday.
Mata Amritanandamayi
2,600-bed private hospital in Faridabad that is equipped with cutting-edge technology, including a centralised fully-automated laboratory, in what will be a major boost to healthcare infrastructure in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Regional language important in early learning: UGC Chairman

Early initiation into the mother tongue is important for a child’s creative thinking, while English can be learnt at any time in life for use as a communication tool, according to University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman M. Jagadesh Kumar.
The UGC Chairman said that the regulatory body was aiming at preparing 1,500 books in regional languages in the next one year across different disciplines.
The National Education Policy, 2022 lays emphasis on promoting the mother tongue which should be a medium of instruction at least till Class 5 or 8 and after which it should be offered as a language.

SC asks Centre to expand food security coverage

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to increase coverage under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) so that “more and more needy persons and citizens get the benefit” under the 2013 law which entitles rural and urban poor to subsidised foodgrains under the Targeted Public Distribution System.
The coverage under the NFSA is still decided by the population figures of the 2011 census.
“The right to food is a fundamental right available under Article 21 of the Constitution,”
Mr. Bhushan had urged the court to direct the government to use the official population projections published by the Health Ministry to expand the coverage.
The court found the petitioners’ concerns “genuine and justified”.

National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013

Notified on: 10^th September 2013.
Objective: To provide for food and nutritional security in the human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantities of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity.
Coverage: 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population for receiving subsidized foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
- Overall, NFSA caters to 67% of the total population.

Eligibility:

Priority Households to be covered under TPDS, according to guidelines by the State government.
Households covered under existing Antyodaya Anna Yojana.

Provisions:

5 Kgs of foodgrains per person per month at Rs. 3/2/1 per Kg for rice/wheat/coarse grains.
The existing AAY household will continue to receive 35 Kgs of foodgrains per household per month.
Meal and maternity benefit of not less than Rs. 6,000 to pregnant women and lactating mothers during pregnancy and six months after the child birth.
Meals for children upto 14 years of age.
Food security allowance to beneficiaries in case of non-supply of entitled foodgrains or meals.
Setting up of grievance redressal mechanisms at the district and state level.

Provisions:

5 Kgs of foodgrains per person per month at Rs. 3/2/1 per Kg for rice/wheat/coarse grains.
The existing AAY household will continue to receive 35 Kgs of foodgrains per household per month.
Meal and maternity benefit of not less than Rs. 6,000 to pregnant women and lactating mothers during pregnancy and six months after the child birth.
Meals for children upto 14 years of age.
Food security allowance to beneficiaries in case of non-supply of entitled foodgrains or meals.
Setting up of grievance redressal mechanisms at the district and state level.

e-Shram Portal

Launch:
- The portal was launched on August 26, 2021.
Aim:
- with the aim of creating a national database of unorganised workers (NDUW).
Ministry:
- Ministry of Labour & Employment
e-Shram Card:
- Workers will be provided with an e-SHRAM card which will have a 12 digit unique number.
- The details of workers will also be shared by the state government and departments.
Single window:
- This will be a single-point reference to help authorities reach out to and track workers in the informal sector, and offer welfare in times of crisis.
Who all are included:
- The database will include construction workers, migrant workers, gig and platform workers, street vendors, domestic workers, agriculture workers, migrant workers and similar other sub-groups of unorganised workers.

Central teams in Chhattisgarh to probe MGNREGS works

MGNREGA

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), also known as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) is Indian legislation enacted on August 25, 2005.
The MGNREGA provides a legal guarantee for one hundred days of employment in every financial year to adult members of any rural household willing to do public work-related unskilled manual work at the statutory minimum wage.
The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), Govt of India is monitoring the entire implementation of this scheme in association with state governments.
This act was introduced with an aim of improving the purchasing power of the rural people, primarily semi or un-skilled work to people living below poverty line in rural India.
It attempts to bridge the gap between the rich and poor in the country.
Roughly one-third of the stipulated work force must be women.
Adult members of rural households submit their name, age and address with photo to the Gram Panchayat.

Eligibility Criteria

Must be Citizen of India to seek MGNREGA benefits.
Job seeker has completed 18 years of age at the time of application.
The applicant must be part of a local household (i.e. application must be made with local Gram Panchayat).
Applicant must volunteer for unskilled labour.

‘Wind project addition to peak by 2024’

Annual installation of new wind power projects in India will peak by 2024 and likely decline thereafter, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) and MEC+, a consulting firm that specialises in renewable energy.
As part of its transition away from fossil fuels, India has committed to sourcing half its electricity in 2030 from non-fossil fuel sources and installing 60 gigawatt (GW, or 1000 MW) of wind power by 2022.
So far, only 40 GW of wind power capacity has been established.
After 2024, fresh projects are likely to be wind-solar hybrid projects (where both systems are installed on a piece of land to generate power through the day).

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