TOPIC: GS 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment.
Overseeing oversight
What is the news?
India’s small savings instruments witnessed unprecedented overnight volatility in rates this week. On this week , the Budget division in the Department of Economic Affairs revised downwards the interest rates payable on small savings instruments for the AprilJune 2021 quarter, by 40 basis points (0.4%) to 110 basis points (1.1%). Later Orders issued by oversight shall be withdrawn
Technical Aspect of concept
- The return on the most popular PPF scheme was pegged at 6.4%, the lowest level in 46 years.
- The government had refrained from decreasing these rates for the last three quarters after effecting a similarly sharp cut in Q1 of 202021, when the PPF interest was pruned from 7.9% to 7.1%.
Policy Insight
- It is difficult to believe that the mistake is on the bureaucracy’s part
- It simply executed the stated policy decision to link small savings rates to the interest paid on government securities of a comparable tenur every quarter.
- So it must deduce the mistake is on the political executive’s part on the timing and implications of executing the required decision as per the extant policy
Consequences on part of economy
- The government, that has brazened it out on Opposition jibes about rising unemployment, high inflation along with soaring fuel prices, could ill afford to yield a fresh talking point — the squeezing of the middle class and senior citizens, even as they brace up for the fresh tax on provident fund incomes.
Instance of posthaste policy ad hocism
- This rollback is not the first instance of posthaste policy ad hocism, but it may make the government’s 12.05lakh crore borrowing plan for the year harder as the central bank has been complaining of high small savings rates as a deterrent to lower interest rates.
- Another instance is the mysterious practice of oil companies freezing pump prices during electoral campaigns, even though oil prices are deregulated.
Way forward
There must be need for resource specification in order to address the economic consequences and that impact on the citizens in the country. It must be carefully dealt with broader suggestions from economist.
Mains question
The drastic cut in small savings rates have diversified impact on various sector of economy . Examine
TOPIC: GS 2 Separation of Powers between various organs Dispute Redressal Mechanisms and Institutions.
Enactment of the Places of Worship Act, 1991 in its current format damages the liberty of belief, faith and worship to all
What is the news?
Section 3 of the Act bans the conversion of a place of worship or even a section of it into a place of worship of a different religious denomination or of a different segment of the same religious denomination.
- The disputed site at Ayodhya is exempted from the Act. Due to this exemption, the trial in the Ayodhya case proceeded even after the enforcement of this law.
- The pith and substance of the Act of 1991 is that it is ultra vires the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution since it bars the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and furthermore nullifies the Fundamental Right(s) guaranteed by the Constitution of India as elucidated in Article 32 of “enforcement of fundamental rights” which cannot be suspended except as otherwise stated in the Constitution.
- Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, the Supreme Court has the power to issue writs appropriate for enforcement of all the Fundamental rights conferred by Part III of the Constitution.
- Constitutional scheme and the jurisdiction conferred on the Supreme Court under Article 32 and on the High Courts under Article 226 of the Constitution that “the power of judicial review being an integral part of the basic structure of the Constitution, no Act of Parliament can exclude or curtail the powers of the Constitutional Courts with regard to the enforcement of fundamental rights”.
- The Preamble in the Constitution gives prominent importance to liberty of belief, faith and worship to all citizens, and the same sought to be weakened and effectively nullified or severely damaged by the enactment of the Act of 1991 in its current format.
- The concepts of faith, belief and worship are the foundations of Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India.
Way forward
Hence, by the doctrine of casus omissus, the Supreme Court can in an appropriate case before it order that the number of exceptions in Section 5 of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, be three as an alternative solution. The Supreme Court under Article 142 of the Constitution can pass any order to carry out for doing complete justice being in the public interest, while upholding the Constitution of India.
Mains question
Enactment of the Places of Worship Act, 1991 in its current format damages the liberty of belief, faith and worship to all. Analyze
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/an-act-of-colourable-legislation/article34218227.ece
PRELIMS PUNCHERS
1.One country two system
One country, two systems” is a constitutional principle of the People’s Republic of China describing the governance of Hong Kong and Macau since they became Special Administrative Regions (SARs) of China in 1997 and 1999 respectively.
It was formulated in the early 1980s by Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping during negotiations with the United Kingdom over Hong Kong. He suggested that there would be only one China, but that these regions could retain their own economic and administrative systems, while the rest of Mainland China uses the socialism with Chinese characteristics system. Under the principle, each of the two regions could continue to have its own governmental system, legal, economic and financial affairs, including trade relations with foreign countries, all of which are independent from those of the Mainland. The PRC has also proposed to apply the principle in the unification it aims for with Taiwan.
- United Nations Institute for Training and Research
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is a dedicated training arm of the United Nations system. UNITAR provides training and capacity development activities to assist mainly developing countries with special attention to Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and other groups and communities who are most vulnerable, including those in conflict situations.
The idea of a United Nations training and research institute was mentioned for the first time in a 1962 resolution of the UN General Assembly. UNITAR was founded in 1963, following the recommendation of the UN Economic and Social Council to the General Assembly, which commissioned the UN Secretary-General with the establishment of a United Nations Institute for Training and Research as an autonomous body within the UN system
- Kish Island
Kish, is in Persian Gulf Islands, especially the islands in the Strait of Hormuz, is located on a narrow strip of tropical vegetation in the Northern Hemisphere, with the Persian plateau to the north and the Arabian Peninsula to the south. In addition to its special geographic and climatic attributes, Kish, like other nearby islands, such as Forur, Hendurabi, Shatuar, and Lavan, and even Qeshm, is under the sway of the semi-equatorial climate dominating this band of vegetation. Along Kish’s coast are coral reefs and many other small islands. The island is positioned along the 1,359 km long Iranian coastline north of the Persian Gulf, at the first quarter from the Hormuz entrance to the Persian Gulf.
- National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)
The Central Government launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a long-term, time-bound, national level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive manner with targets to achieve 20% to 30% reduction in Particulate Matter concentrations by 2024 keeping 2017 as the base year for the comparison of concentration. Under NCAP, 122 non-attainment cities have been identified across the country based on the Air Quality data from 2014-2018. A list of Smart Cities under the Smart Cities Mission, which are non-attainment cities under National Clean Air Program (NCAP)
Air quality of cities is monitored by State Pollution Control Boards which publishes their results from time to time. Some Smart Cities have established Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs) which are also connected to Air Quality Monitors (AQMs) for effective monitoring.
- PM –KUSUM
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) Scheme for farmers for installation of solar pumps and grid connected solar and other renewable power plants in the country.
PM-KUSUM Scheme has three Components:
Component-A for Setting up of 10,000 MW of Decentralized Grid Connected Renewable Energy Power Plants on barren land. Component-B for Installation of 17.50 Lakh stand-alone solar agriculture pumps. Component-C for Solarisation of 10 Lakh Grid Connected Agriculture Pumps. The government will provide 60% subsidy to the farmers and 30% of the cost will be given by the government in the form of loan. Farmers will only have to pay 10% of the total cost of the project.
Prelims question
- Consider the following statement regarding National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)
a .Its targets to achieve 20% to 30% reduction in Particulate Matter concentrations by 2025
- Under NCAP, 122 non-attainment cities have been identified across the country based on the Air Quality data from 2014-2018
Select the correct statement using code given below.
(a). 1only (b) 2 only
(c).Both (d). None of above
Answer: B
The Central Government launched National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a long-term, time-bound, national level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive manner with targets to achieve 20% to 30% reduction in Particulate Matter concentrations by 2024 keeping 2017 as the base year for the comparison of concentration. Under NCAP, 122 non-attainment cities have been identified across the country based on the Air Quality data from 2014-2018. A list of Smart Cities under the Smart Cities Mission, which are non-attainment cities under National Clean Air Program (NCAP)
Air quality of cities is monitored by State Pollution Control Boards which publishes their results from time to time. Some Smart Cities have established Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs) which are also connected to Air Quality Monitors (AQMs) for effective monitoring.
Qn 2.Consider the following statement regarding PM –KUSUM
1.Ministry of Agriculture has launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM)
- The government will provide 50 subsidy to the farmers and 30% of the cost will be given by the government in the form of loan. Farmers will only have to pay 20 of the total cost of the project.
Select the correct statement using code given below.
(a). 1only (b) 2 only
(c).Both (d). None of above
Answer: D
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) Scheme for farmers for installation of solar pumps and grid connected solar and other renewable power plants in the country.
PM-KUSUM Scheme has three Components:
Component-A for Setting up of 10,000 MW of Decentralized Grid Connected Renewable Energy Power Plants on barren land. Component-B for Installation of 17.50 Lakh stand-alone solar agriculture pumps. Component-C for Solarisation of 10 Lakh Grid Connected Agriculture Pumps. The government will provide 60% subsidy to the farmers and 30% of the cost will be given by the government in the form of loan. Farmers will only have to pay 10% of the total cost of the project