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2023 07 24

Table of Contents:

GS Paper 2:

  • India’s great power ambitions and dilemmas
  • Global Report on the Food Crises (GRFC) 2023 and Global Parliamentary Pact

GS Paper 3:

  • Parliamentary Panel on Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill 2023

Content for Mains Enrichment

  • Swachhata Chronicles: Transformative Tales from India
  • JJM Digital Academy

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

  • Adjournment motion
  • Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA)
  • Why Mizoram is often hit by livestock diseases
  • J&K’s trout farming
  • India’s First Cannabis Medicine Project
  • Satellite network portal site

Mapping

  • Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh)
  • Cambodia

India’s great power ambitions and dilemmas

GS Paper 2

Syllabus: International Relations

Source: TH

Context: The article discusses the dilemmas India faces in pursuing its great power ambitions. Some argue that India should prioritize uplifting its people above the poverty line and improving governance before venturing into global power politics. However, the article emphasizes that India’s rise as a great power will have global consequences and should not be ignored.

Options available before India:

  • To become a great power asserting its growing power internationally to address global issues, or
  • To focus on its people – eliminating poverty, improving governance, etc. – before venturing into making a better world.

Tracking India’s journey:

  • India of 1991:
    • A weak, poor country with a foreign exchange reserve of $5.8 billion and a nominal GDP of $270.11 billion.
    • The collapse of India’s trusted partner (the Soviet Union) and strained relations with the US.
    • The likelihood of an India-Pakistan conflict persisted despite efforts to diffuse nuclear war concerns, and violence in Kashmir was at an all-time high.
  • India of 2023:
    • The reforms (LPG) initiated after the 1991 economic crisis led to higher GDP growth (the world’s 5th largest economy and its nominal GDP could soon touch $4 trillion), forex ~$600 billion and a significant reduction in poverty.
    • India has one of the largest militaries in the world with over a hundred nuclear weapons.
    • Conflict with China (not Pakistan) worries India.
    • There is a general sense of foreign policy optimism. The US is now one of India’s closest friends, and New Delhi enjoys strong relationships with several powerful states around the world.

The role played by India in world politics:

  • India is one of the pivotal swing powers of the contemporary international system, strategically located and often playing both sides with great skills.
    • For example, in the ongoing Ukraine war, both the West (US) and Russian Federation want India to be on their side.
    • However, India, without taking any sides, is mediating between Ukraine and Russia to bring an end to the war.
  • It’s a bridge between the north and south and east and west, indirectly indicating that it is a major ‘pole’ in world politics.

Strength of India:

  • It uses the language of mediation in global crises.
  • The country’s national power has increased dramatically, making it a force with system-shaping capabilities and intentions.

Challenges faced by India (domestic):

  • Poverty
  • GDP per capita was $1,947 in 2021 (Bangladesh – $2,227 – 40th largest military in the world)
  • Infrastructural and governance issues. For example, a few days of rain brings the national capital to a standstill.
  • Regional, caste, ethnic and religious divisions.

The argument:

  • GDP and military strength do not equal the well-being of a country’s citizens.
  • The gross material power that a state can exert in its foreign and security policy is not comparable to the standard of living of its citizens.

Case of India: India’s domestic challenges will continue to distract the attention of its political leaders from attending to global problems – debt restructuring, climate change, global trade or non-proliferation.

Way ahead for India:

  • Even while India’s domestic shortcomings will continue to limit its capacity to affect the world order, it must engage and shape the world order.
  • It will help India to meet its foreign policy objectives which would have a significant impact on its economic growth, security environment and geopolitical and geo-economic interests.

Conclusion: India’s capacity to influence world politics must also be a reflection of its domestic situation, and its participation in international affairs must also be motivated by the needs of its citizens.

Insta Links:

Perspective- India’s Defence Prowess

Mains Links:

What are the parameters that define great power? Can India be considered an emerging great power? Discuss.

July 24, 2023 /24 Jul 2023, 24 July CA, GS 2, India’s great power ambitions, Major pole in world politics, Swing power, Today's Article, Today’s article

Global Report on the Food Crises (GRFC) 2023 and Global Parliamentary Pact

GS Paper 2

Syllabus: Government policies and interventions

Source: TH

Context: The Global Report on the Food Crises (GRFC) 2023 released recently estimated that between 691 million and 783 million people in the world suffered from hunger in 2022 ( showing levels far higher than pre-pandemic 2019)

Read the description of GRFC: Here

What is food security?

Food security is defined (from the World Food Summit of 1996) thus: “When all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active, and healthy life”.

The report highlights that:

  • Global hunger remains high
  • The prevalence of undernourishment is far above pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels
  • Stunting and child wasting have declined
  • Childhood obesity has shown a non-significant increase
  • The number of people unable to afford a healthy diet remains substantial (about 3 billion people)
  • The cost of a healthy diet has increased globally
  • A comparison of food insecurity among rural, peri-urban and urban populations reveals that global food insecurity is lower in urban areas.
  • A significant number of people will be chronically undernourished by 2030

What are the key drivers of food insecurity?

  • Economic downturns in major economies
  • Pandemic-related disruptions in 2020 led to job losses and reduced incomes for many people
  • Ukraine war
  • Flawed governmental policies
  • Increasing urbanisation that drives changes through the agrifood systems

Solutions recommended by the report:
Solutions Recommendations
Identify vulnerable population groups Through informed decision-making and effective action through targeted policies and programs
Promote sound nutrition Make nutrition a priority in government policy, supported by civil society and the private sector
Support healthier food outlets Enable access to healthy diets
Encourage fresh and minimally processed food sales Provide policy incentives for shops to sell more fresh and minimally processed foods
Improve street food safety and quality Address infrastructure and regulatory gaps to enhance nutritional safety and quality
Build rural infrastructure Develop quality rural and feeder roads to connect remote farms and enterprises to main road networks
Support linkages between small farms and enterprises Invest in warehousing, cold storage, electrification, digital tools, and water supply
Leverage local governments Involve local governments in implementing policies for affordable and available healthy diets

Related news:

Global Parliamentary Pact

Source: DTE,

Global parliamentarians have formed a new multilateral body to address the issues of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in the agrifood system.

At the Global Parliamentary Summit against Hunger and Malnutrition in Chile, parliamentarians from 64 countries signed the Global Parliamentary Pact, committing to push for reforms in the agrifood system to make food sustainable and accessible to all.

Features of the Pact:

  • The pact includes drafting legislation for food equity and budgetary support
  • Aim: The initiative aims to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals of zero poverty, hunger, and malnutrition by 2030
  • Political Support: The pact lends political support to policies concerning agrifood system reform, including drafting legislation for equitable food distribution and providing budgetary support.
  • Progress Reporting: Parliamentarians pledged to report progress on various reforms, ensuring accountability in achieving the goals.
  • Legislative Impact: The pact has led to the processing and approval of 35 laws covering various aspects, such as family farming, responsible investment in agriculture, gender equality, and food loss and waste.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization facilitates the parliamentary initiative on agrifood systems, with 45 national, regional, and sub-regional parliamentary networks committing to it.

What is the Agrifood system?

The agrifood system refers to the entire process of producing, processing, distributing, and consuming food, including all the activities and actors involved in the food supply chain. It encompasses agricultural production, food processing, transportation, storage, retail, and consumption.

Insta Links:

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023

Mains Links:

Examine the various threats to India’s food security. Suggest measures in order to have sufficient production and proper distribution of food grains amidst rising geopolitical tensions. (15M)

July 24, 2023 /24 Jul 2023, Agrifood system, food security, Global Parliamentary Pact, Global Report on the Food Crises (GRFC) 2023, Today's Article

Parliamentary Panel on Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill 2023

GS Paper 3

Syllabus: Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

Source: HT

Context: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has backed the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill 2023.

About the Bill:

  • It was introduced in the Lok Sabha (March 2023) and was referred to the Standing Committee on Defence by the Speaker.
  • It seeks to empower the Union government to –
    • Notify the setting up of inter-services organisations, including joint services commands, and
    • Give powers to heads of such organisations to act against personnel from any of the three services to ensure discipline and effective discharge of duties.

Salient features of the Bill:

  • Inter-services Organisation (ISO):
    • The central government may constitute a Joint Services Command.
    • Existing ISOs (A&N Command, Defence Space Agency, NDA) will be deemed to have been constituted under the Bill.
  • Superintendence and Command/Control of ISOs:
    • The superintendence of an ISO will be vested in the central government.
    • While command and control over the personnel serving in or attached to such an Organisation will be vested in the Commander-in-Chief or the Officer-in-Command of an ISO.
  • Eligibility to be appointed as the Commander-in-Chief or Officer-in-Command:
    • A General Officer of the regular Army (above the rank of Brigadier),
    • A Flag Officer of the Navy (rank of Admiral of the Fleet, Admiral, Vice-Admiral, or Rear-Admiral), or
    • An Air Officer of the Air Force (above the rank of group captain).
  • Commanding Officer: A Commanding Officer –
    • Will be in command of a unit, ship, or establishment and perform duties assigned by the Commander-in-Chief or Officer-in-Command of the ISO.
    • Will be empowered to initiate all disciplinary or administrative actions over the personnel appointed, deputed, posted, or attached to that ISO.

Significance of the Bill: The bill is crucial because theaterisation, a long-overdue military reform that will make the best use of the military’s resources to fight future wars, is currently under debate.

Problems in the current system:

  • The personnel in an ISO are currently governed by the respective laws of the three services – the Army Act 1950, the Air Force Act 1950, and the Navy Act 1957.
  • When it comes to tri-services matters, the current legal framework has its limitations because officials from one service are not permitted to exert disciplinary/ administrative actions over members of another service.
  • For instance, a three-star general heading a joint command cannot act against air force or navy personnel serving under him.
  • As a consequence, the personnel serving in ISOs need to be reverted to their parent service units for any disciplinary/ administrative action.
  • This is not only time-consuming but also has financial implications relating to the movement of the personnel.

The panel’s recommendations:

  • The bill be passed without any amendments and be enacted as a statute to promote tri-services integration and jointmanship in ISOs.
  • The proposed law will improve the functioning of ISOs as they will be able to work with greater independence.
  • The bill will enable expeditious disposal of cases, thereby affecting the standard of discipline.

Insta Links:

Theatre commands

Mains Links:

What are Integrated Theatre Commands? Discuss the prospects and challenges faced in the implementation of integrated theatre commands for India. (250 words)

July 24, 2023 /24 Jul 2023, 24 July CA, Control and Discipline) Bill 2023, GS 3, The Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Theatre commands/ Theaterisation, Today's Article, Today’s article

Swachhata Chronicles: Transformative Tales from India

Content for Mains Enrichment

Source: PIB

Context: The Union Minister of Jal Shakti released a compendium titled “Swachhata Chronicles: Transformative Tales from India” at the National Conference of Rural WASH Partners Forum.

The compendium showcases 75 ODF Plus Best Practices of States/UTs, highlighting innovations, measures to overcome barriers, awareness-raising efforts, and special campaigns in various ODF Plus activities under the SBM-G Phase-II.

Some of the examples are:
Criteria Example
Innovations In Odisha, community participation and leadership at the Block level ensured the ODF Plus Model village status of Jitikar Suanlo village in Bhingarpur GP of Khordha District.
Displaying live models of ODF Plus assets in Shravasti District, Uttar Pradesh, helped in effectively managing solid and liquid waste, leading to ODF Plus status.
Overcoming Barriers Tamil Nadu tackled significant solid waste management challenges in peri-urban panchayats of Madurai through an innovative mass cleaning initiative, Namma Ooru Superu campaign.
Raising Awareness Children from government schools in Fatehpur District, Uttar Pradesh, used a magazine called the WASH Vaani to promote positive WASH behaviour in rural areas.
Special Campaigns Gujarat’s Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar campaign involved regular beach cleaning to protect the environment.

July 24, 2023 /24 Jul 2023, ODF, Swachhata Chronicles: Transformative Tales from India, Today's Article

JJM Digital Academy

Source: PIB

Context: The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation has established the Jal Jeevan Mission Digital Academy. The academy aims to build the capacity of water and sanitation personnel through digital technology and innovative training methods.

The academy will also serve as a repository of knowledge-sharing sessions and best practices from national and state governments, UN agencies, and civil society organizations.

Usage: the example can be used in governance questions related to water.

July 24, 2023 /24 Jul 2023, JJM Digital Academy, Today's Article

Adjournment motion

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: IE

Context: During the Monsoon Session, Congress MPs moved adjournment motions in the Lok Sabha to take up urgent discussion on alleged sexual assault in Manipur.

About the motion:

July 24, 2023 /24 Jul 2023, Adjournment motion, Today's Article

Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA)

Source: LM

Context: India and Australia have formed a joint working group to explore the possibility of a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) that would facilitate Indian whiskey makers’ access to the Australian market.

  • Currently, Australian rules require whiskey to be matured for two years before being labelled as such, which poses a disadvantage for Indian liquor exporters who do not have a similar requirement.
  • Indian companies argue that spirits mature more quickly in India’s warmer climate, and the two-year maturation rule restricts their access to a market with a significant Indian population and growth potential.

What is mutual recognition agreement (MRA)?

A Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) is a formal agreement between two or more countries or trading partners. It allows them to recognize and accept each other’s standards, regulations, and conformity assessment procedures for specific products or services.

  • By doing so, MRAs aim to facilitate trade and market access by reducing redundant testing, certification, and inspection requirements.

The formation of the group comes after Australia got duty-free access for its high-end wines under the Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (ECTA), between India and Australia.

July 24, 2023 /24 Jul 2023, mutual recognition agreement (MRA), Today's Article

Why Mizoram is often hit by livestock diseases

Source: TH

Context: Mizoram has been facing multiple disease outbreaks affecting its livestock and wildlife.

  • Recently, over 200 goats died from PPR (peste des petits ruminants) or goat plague in two villages of Serchhip district.
  • In the same district, more than 1,000 pigs had died of African swine fever in the pas
  • Additionally, there have been localized outbreaks of FMD (foot-and-mouth disease) in Siaha district, affecting mithuns (semi-wild bovines locally known as ‘gayal’).
  • In the past, the state has also witnessed the death of Himalayan serows due to sarcoptic mange, a skin disease caused by mites.

The vulnerability of both domestic and wild animals in Mizoram to fatal diseases is attributed to the possibility of infected animals coming in from across the long international and interstate borders of the state.

  • Mizoram shares borders with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Assam, Manipur, and Tripura, leading to large-scale imports of animals and poultry, which increase the risk of diseases entering the state.
  • The lack of proper quarantine and disease-checking procedures for animals procured from neighbouring areas, such as the Cachar district in Assam, has also contributed to the spread of diseases in Mizoram.
  • The Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department faces challenges in tackling animal diseases due to a shortage of veterinarians and the absence of an epidemiologist.

July 24, 2023 /24 Jul 2023, Diseases, GS3, health, Mizoram is often hit by livestock diseases, SCIENCE, Today's Article

J&K’s trout farming

Source: TH

Context: Introduced in the early 1900s, trout fish has become a staple on the Valley’s menu, and an increasing number of farmers are now eyeing opportunities to export trout to meet European demand.

  • The favourable water and climatic conditions in Kashmir, similar to Europe, attracted small farmers initially, and now educated unemployed youth are joining the sector.

The demand for trout is high, leading to solid profits for farmers, and the government offers subsidies to support the establishment of trout farms. However, climate change poses a potential threat to the industry, as the fish require specific conditions to thrive.

Despite this challenge, the government is taking measures to combat climate change’s impact by offering subsidies to set up Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) for trout farming.

July 24, 2023 /24 Jul 2023, ENVIRONMENT, GS3, J&K’s trout farming, Species in news, Today's Article

India’s First Cannabis Medicine Project

Source: PIB

Context: Jammu is set to lead India’s first Cannabis Medicine Project, a collaboration between CSIR-IIIM Jammu and a Canadian firm under PPP.

Aim:

  • The project aims to harness the potential of cannabis for medical purposes, particularly in treating neuropathies, cancer, and epilepsy.
  • To address drug abuse awareness in J&K and Punjab
  • Emphasizing the medicinal benefits of cannabis.

Significance:

  • The cannabis research project holds promise for discovering therapeutic properties of the plant, previously known for abuse, and obtaining regulatory approvals for clinical studies and drug development.
  • It will foster investment opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir
  • The project will boost CSIR-IIIM’s reputation as a prestigious scientific research institute in India

About Cannabis:

Cannabis (also called marijuana ), a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant, has been used for recreational and medicinal purposes for centuries. In India, possession of prohibited drugs is an offence, but medical use is allowed. Cannabis-based medical treatment utilizes compounds like THC and CBD to manage conditions like chronic pain, nausea, muscle spasms, and epilepsy, interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system.

July 24, 2023 /24 Jul 2023, Cannabis Medicine Project, Today's Article

Satellite network portal site

Source: IE

Context: The Gujarat government’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) has signed a memorandum of understanding with One Web India Communications Pvt Ltd to establish a ‘satellite network portal site’ in Mehsana, Gujarat.

  • This site will serve as a signal and data downlink and uplink terminal for satellite communication. One Web’s satellite constellation operates in low Earth orbit (LEO), providing high-speed and low-latency communication.
  • The project requires civil infrastructure work, regulatory approvals from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), and spectrum allocation from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

The decision to set up the SNP in Gujarat was based on geographical and business interests, with Gujarat’s long coastline making it suitable for maritime sector coverage. The state’s favourable business climate and policies also influenced the decision.

One Web is a UK-based company, but India’s Bharti Enterprises is a major investor and shareholder, and they are partnering with Hughes Communications India Pvt Ltd (HCIPL), a joint venture between Hughes and Bharti Airtel Limited, to sell end-user services in India.

July 24, 2023 /24 Jul 2023, GS3, Satellite network portal site, SCIENCE, Today's Article

Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh)

Mapping:

Source: PIB

Context: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation laid the foundation stone of a 108 feet tall statue of Lord Shri Ram in Mantralayam, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. The statue aims to spread the message of Sanatan Dharma to the world and strengthen the Vaishnava tradition.

The project is located in the historic village of Mantralayam ( situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River), known for the temple of Raghavendra Swamy.

July 24, 2023 /24 Jul 2023, Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh), Today's Article

Cambodia

Source: IE

Cambodia’s election, held on Sunday, is expected to be won by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, extending their long-term hold on power. The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) was dissolved in 2018, leaving no strong rival to the CPP.

Cambodia is a Southeast Asian nation whose landscape spans low-lying plains, the Mekong Delta, mountains and the Gulf of Thailand coastline. In the country’s northwest are the ruins of Angkor Wat, a massive stone temple complex built during the Khmer Empire.

July 24, 2023 /24 Jul 2023, Cambodia, Today's Article