2023 03 03

Table of Contents:

GS Paper 2:

1. How are the CEC and ECs appointed, and what has the Supreme Court order changed?
2. India-Italy elevates ties to strategic partnership

GS Paper 3:

1. India cheers the return of ‘King Coal’ as the industry sees a buoyant future
2. Coral reefs damaged: What’s the big deal?
3. Myanmar teak trade: Highly prized, highly dodgy

Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)

1. Nagaland gets its first women MLAs
2. Ornamental fish aquaculture to help Lakshadweep women

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

1. Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar – history of the place
2. 13th-century temple discovered at Pushpagiri Kshetram in Kadapa district
3. The ancient fortified city of Sisupalgarh 
4. Porter Prize 2023
5. Constitution of Greater Panna Landscape Council (GPLC)
6. SMART-PDS should be implemented in all states/UTs
7. Asia Energy Transition Initiative (AETI)
8. Indian States’ electricity transition Report
9. Does space weather cause flight delays?
10. Aztec hummingbirds, Indian sunbirds

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How are the CEC and ECs appointed, and what has the Supreme Court order changed?

GS Paper 2

Syllabus: Appointment to various Constitutional Posts, Powers, Functions and Responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies

Source: IE

Context: A five-judge Constitution Bench of the SC unanimously ruled that a high-power committee consisting of the PM, the Leader of Opposition in LS and the CJI must pick the CEC and ECs.

How are the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs) currently appointed?

The Election Commission (Conditions of Service of ECs and Transaction of Business) Act 1991:

• An amendment to the above act (in 1993) made the CEC and the ECs equal by giving all three the status of an SC judge, retiring at the age of 65 years/after 6 years (whichever is earlier).
• This means, all three Commissioners now had equal decision-making powers, as both would act unanimously and in case of difference of opinion, the majority view would prevail.

Powers of the Election Commission: as envisaged in the Constitution, by the Supreme Court of India & the Parliament

• Babasaheb Ambedkar: The whole election machinery should be in the hands of a Central Election Commission.
  • He further acknowledges that there is nothing in the Constitution to prevent the nomination of an ineligible person to the position of CEC or another EC.
• Parliament subsequently enacted the RPA 1950 and 1951: To define and enlarge the powers of the Commission.
• The SC (in 1977): The words ‘superintendence, direction and control’ as well as ‘conduct of all elections’ are the broadest terms, not defined by the Constitution.

Reputation of the ECI & the need for reforms

• The Commission has earned public trust by working as an independent and neutral authority.
• This achievement has been made possible as the Commission enjoyed autonomy and its functioning insulated from the interference of the executive and judiciary.
• However, there were growing concerns on that front. For example, the top court noted that the appointment of Arun Goel as EC had been carried out with “lightning speed”.

Recommendations to reform the system:

• Ambedkar noted that the provisions in the American Constitution: check (through the Senate) upon the extravagance of the President in making such appointments.
• The 2nd ARC in 2007 recommended that a collegium headed by the PM be formed to make recommendations to the President regarding appointments of the CEC and ECs.

SC’s observations during its recent verdict:

• The judgment has brought the appointment process on par with that of the CBI Director.
• A CEC (like SC judges) can be removed from office only by way of a parliamentary process. However, no such protection of tenure is available to the ECs (removed by the President if CEC recommends).
• A person weak-kneed before the powerful (executive) cannot be appointed as an EC.
• Fierce independence, neutrality and honesty envisaged in the institution require an end to government monopoly and “exclusive control” over appointments.

Conclusion:

• The judgment recognises the fine distinction between conventional democracy (majority alone matters) and constitutional democracy (Constitution matters).
• The judgment revives the era of judicial activism, ensuring a more independent Election Commission.

Insta Links:

Election Commissioner shouldn’t be a ‘yes-man’: Supreme Court

March 3, 2023 /03 Mar 2023, 3 March CA, Appointment of CEC and ECs, Articles (324-329), GS 2, judicial activism, Part XV (Elections), the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of ECs and Transaction of Business) Act 1991, Today's Article, Today’s article

India and Italy elevate ties to strategic partnership

GS Paper 2

Syllabus: India’s bilateral relations

Source: TH

Context: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is on a visit to India.

In recent years, India-Italy relation has been mired by the MB Enrica Lexie case (In February 2012, two Indian fishermen were killed off the coast of Kerala, India, aboard St. Antony. Two Italian marines were arrested and jailed. This caused diplomatic issues between the two countries.)

Various dimensions of the India-Italy relationship are as follows:

Dimension	Examples
Diplomatic ties	·         India and Italy established diplomatic relations in 1947. ·         India and Italy have elevated their bilateral relationship to the level of strategic partnership ·         2020-2024 Action Plan for bilateral relations
Trade	·         In 2022, bilateral trade has reached $15bn between both the countries ·         Italy is among India’s top 5 trading partners in the EU. ·         The balance of trade has been in India’s favour since the early eighties. ·         India invited Italy to partner in ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ with a focus on the areas of renewable energy, green hydrogen, IT, telecom, and space among others.
Investment	·         Establishment of a ‘Startup Bridge’ between India and Italy (2023) ·         India-Italy Strategic Partnership on Energy Transition announced in 2021 ·         Italian car manufacturer Fiat has been operating in India since 1997 ·         Indian IT company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has a large presence in Italy, with over 2,500 employees in the country.
Cultural ties	·         Settimana della Lingua Italiana nel Mondo (Week of the Italian Language in the World) celebrated the Italian language and culture in India ·         Year-long Festival of India in Italy ‘Srijan’ ·         Indian community in Italy is the third largest community of Indians in Europe after the UK and the Netherlands.
Science	·         Italian space agency (ASI)-ISRO working group in heliophysics
Education	·         Italy is a popular destination for Indian students studying abroad. India and Italy have also signed agreements for academic and research cooperation.
Defence	·         Indian Army played a significant role in the liberation of Italy in the 2nd world war ·         Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation signed in 2023 ·         Organise joint military exercises and training courses on a regular basis ·         India-Italy Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism ·         India also welcomed Italy’s engagement in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and Italy’s new status as a Development Partner of ASEAN

Insta Links:

Shaping a trilateral as Rome looks to the Indo-Pacific

Mains Link:

Elucidate upon the potential of a trilateral relationship between India, Japan & Italy.

Prelims Link:

Region often mentioned in the news: (UPSC 2022)

1. 1. 1. Anatolia                                              Turkey 2. Amhara                                               Ethiopia 3. Cabo Delgado                                     Spain 4. Catalonia                                             Italy

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) Only three pairs

(d) All four pairs

March 3, 2023 /03 Mar 2023, india, India-Italy relations, International Relation, Italy, Today's Article

India cheers the return of ‘King Coal’ as the industry sees a buoyant future

GS Paper 3

Syllabus: Infrastructure (Energy)

Source: TH

Context: After a 3-year pandemic break, the coal industry in India welcomed back its major conference (Coaltrans India conference) with a positive forecast of demand, increased production from new mines and strong demand for imports.

The prosperous future of the coal industry in India:

• Increased output: The production in the first 10 months of FY22 reached 25 million tonnes, up 16% over the same period a year ago.
  • It will jump to around 1.4 billion tonnes per annum by 2030 from around 1 billion tonnes currently.
• Acceleration in Imports: India’s imports (10.19 mt in February) of seaborne thermal coal are likely to accelerate, especially since the government mandated power plants to operate at full capacity as the summer demand peaks.
• Increased imports of coking coal: It is expected that coking coal imports will rise from around 63 mt a year currently to around 100 mt by 2030, given the expected increase in steel production.
• Increased private participation: Private mining companies are expected to make a bigger contribution to domestic output as they start bringing mines to production.

Challenges:

• Can Coal India, the state-controlled miner that accounts for about 80% of the country’s total output, continue to ramp up production?
• India’s commitment to “phase down” coal-fired power generation and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070.
• Will India be able to source sufficient imports at a price that its utilities can afford?

Whether this additional coal the industry expects to produce will actually be needed?

No	Yes
●        India is rapidly rolling out renewable energies ●        The share of renewables was at 27% in 2022 and is expected to rise to at least 40% by 2030 ●        In the 2021-22 FY, some 15.5 GW of renewable capacity was installed, but only 1.4 GW of new coal-fired generation	●        Rising power demands ●        Thermal generation still accounts for 59% of India’s total capacity ●        India is building new (32 GW) coal-fired power plants ●        Each GW of generation requires around 3 million tonnes of coal annually

Conclusion: Overall, it appears the positive mood of India’s coal sector is justified, especially in the short term. But their forecast of enormous growth in output and demand for many years may turn out to be too optimistic.

Insta Links:

India wants energy transition on its own terms – without phasing out coal and with more grants

March 3, 2023 /03 Mar 2023, 3 March CA, Coal vs renewable energy debate, GS 3, The coal industry in India, Today's Article, Today’s article

Coral reefs damaged: What’s the big deal?

GS Paper 3

Syllabus: Environment, Conservation, Pollution

Source: IE

Context: Coral reefs are not looking too healthy as increased ocean temperature caused by climate change is the main cause of coral bleaching events.

Coral reefs:

• These are limestone structures (found in more than 100 countries) built by thousands of tiny coral creatures called polyps and belong to tropical areas.
• The planet has already lost about half of its shallow-water corals in the past three decades.
• At the current rate, up to 90% of them will disappear by the middle of the century.

Significance of reefs:

• Coral reefs (rainforests of the sea) cover less than 0.5% of the earth’s surface, but they have rich biodiversity – home to about 25% of all marine species.
• A vast resource of potential scientific discoveries (pharmaceuticals of tomorrow). For example, the anticancer agent Ara-C is found in sea sponges on a Caribbean reef.
• About one billion people source their food or income directly from reefs.
• Provide shelter and function as nursery grounds for some commercially important fish (grouper and snapper), as well as invertebrates (lobster).
• Flood protection protects coastal communities from storm surges and waves.
• Reduces coastal erosion.
• With climate change triggered extreme weather events, reefs will play an even more important role.

What if reefs are not protected?

• Threats to marine biodiversity.
• Potential food shortages especially when combined with failing crops from climate change.
• Mass migration, as people try to avoid famine and flooding.

Way ahead:

• Local restoration efforts by transplanting coral
• The establishment of marine protected areas which work like national parks
• Stopping run-off from agricultural and effluence
• Controlling climate change, which presents the biggest single threat to the future of coral reefs

Inta Links:

NATURE AND YOU- SAVE CORAL REEFS

Prelims Links: (UPSC 2022)

“Biorock technology” is talked about in which one of the following situations?

1. 1. Restoration of damaged coral reefs
   2. Development of building materials using plant residues
   3. Identification of areas for exploration/extraction of shale gas
   4. Providing salt licks for wild animals in forests/protected areas

Ans: 1

March 3, 2023 /03 Mar 2023, 3 March CA, Coral Bleaching, Coral Reefs, GS 3, Today's Article, Today’s article

Myanmar teak trade: Highly prized, highly dodgy

GS Paper 3

Source: Indian Express

Context: After the military junta took control of Myanmar, the state-owned company, which had exclusive rights over the country’s precious timber and teak trade, also came under the military.

• There was a number of timber auctions since the coup and sales of this “conflict” wood, pro-democracy supporters allege, are a key revenue stream for the military regime.

Importance of Myanmar teak:

• Teak from Myanmar’s deciduous and evergreen forests is considered the most tensile and durable hardwood, resistant to water and termites.
• It is in demand for high-end furniture, veneer and ship decking – much sought-after by the luxury yacht industry.

Illegal harvesting of timber and teak from Myanmar:

• There have been increased instances of illegal trade of Myanmar timber; Global Forest Watch says the country, over the last two decades, has lost forest cover roughly the size of Switzerland.
• International NGO Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) released data, which showed that over 70% of the logs exported from Myanmar between 2000-2013, were illegally harvested.

Global regulations to tackle illegal trade:

• The European Union introduced the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which put the onus on timber merchants to do sufficient due diligence to disallow illegal timber from entering their markets.
• Myanmar itself banned the export of whole logs.

Impact on Indian Traders:

• Following the ban on the export of whole logs, a new regulation came in for only teak in “sizes” to be exported.
• India is looked upon as a leakage country for illegally exporting timber.

Loopholes present:

• Claiming that the price for the timber was paid before the 2021 coup.
• Trade data reveals some Indian companies simply put “Asia” in the column for the origin of the wood, without specifying which country
• In transit passes they signed, traders wrote “imported” in the space for declaring where the teak was purchased from.

Solutions:

• Strengthen enforcement of existing laws
• Increase transparency in the supply chain
• Enhance international cooperation
• Address the demand side of the problem: Illegal logging persists because there is a market for illegal timber.
• Tighten regulations on Indian traders: India needs to strengthen its regulations on the import of timber and crack down on companies that are involved in illegal trade.

March 3, 2023 /03 Mar 2023, ENVIRONMENT, GS3, Myanmar, teak, timber trade, Today's Article

Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)

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Nagaland gets its first women MLAs

Source: TH, TH

Usage: This example can be used to show progress in women’s political empowerment in the North-Eastern states of India.

Ornamental fish aquaculture to help Lakshadweep women

Source: TH

The Lakshadweep islands are introducing community-based ornamental fish aquaculture to empower women and generate income using local resources.

• Technical support from the ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR) helped train 77 women in ornamental fish aquaculture.

Values that can be extracted from the example:

• Empowerment of women through community-based activities.
• Importance of sustainable economic activities in regions with limited resources.
• Use of environment-friendly techniques in aquaculture.
• Collaboration between government agencies and local communities for development.

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Facts for Prelims (FFP)

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Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar – history of the place

Source: The Hindu

Context: After the approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the name of Aurangabad has been changed to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.

Let us look at the history of the place. Such Qns can be asked in prelims.

Historical features of Aurangabad/Sambhaji Nagar	Information
Aurangzeb’s tomb	Aurangzeb is buried in Khuldabad, near Aurangabad in Maharashtra, India
Tomb of Dilras Banu Begum	Built by Aurangzeb in Aurangabad in 1660 for his wife, Bibi ka Maqbara is half the size of the Taj Mahal and covered in burnished stucco. Introduces a new architectural style of the 17th and 18th centuries
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar	Recently rechristened name for Aurangabad -Named after Shivaji’s son who was captured and humiliated by Aurangzeb
Mohammed Bin Tughlaq	Who brought the entire population of Delhi to Daulatabad in 1327 Shifted his capital to Daulatabad resulting in casualties Fort in Daulatabad was the capital of the Yadava dynasty and later became part of the Ahmednagar Sultanate
Ajanta-Ellora caves	Located in Aurangabad Ajanta caves are 30 rock-cut Buddhist monuments from the second century BC Ellora caves are the largest rock-cut Hindu temple with 100 caves dating back to Rashtrakuta and Yadava dynasties Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and predate the Mughal and Maratha periods in Aurangabad’s history

13th-century temple discovered at Pushpagiri Kshetram in Kadapa district

Source: The Hindu

Context: 13th-century Hindu temple ruins have been recently unearthed northeast of the Durga temple, atop a hillock in the Pushpagiri Kshetram of Vallur Mandal in Kadapa district.

• The hillock, also known as Pushpachala, is famous for the chain of temples dedicated to the pantheon of Hindu gods with the river Penna flowing southwest.
• Pushpagiri is referred to as Hari-Hara Kshetra, as there are a number of temples dedicated to both Shiva and Vishnu.

Features of the temple:

• The architectural features of the ruins reveal a style which is contemporary to a temple at Vallur, built by the Kayastha rulers in the 13th Century AD.
• The Kayasthas, including the great Ambadeva, were subordinated to the rulers of the Kakatiya dynasty. They ruled the region with Vallur as the capital.

The ancient fortified city of Sisupalgarh

Source: The Hindu

Context: Land grabbers damaged a portion of the wall of the fortified ancient city of Sisupalgarh, a majestic archaeological heritage that has survived over 2,600 years, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

About Sisupalgarh:

• Sisupalgarh, believed to have been built around the 7th to 6th century BCE, served as the capital of the Kalinga kingdom and was an important centre of trade and commerce during ancient times.
• The urban centre had an area of 1.2 km by 1 km, and it was surrounded by a moat (a deep wide trench around the walls of a castle or fortress that is usually filled with water).
• The water management system of the city was unique. The fortification was carried out in the 4th to 3rd century BCE when King Kharavela took up the repair of the city 2,100 years ago.

The excavation of the Sisupalgarh site was first taken up in 1948, when it was declared a Centrally Protected Monument under the provisions of the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904.

Porter Prize 2023

Source: NEWSONAIR

Context: The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has received the Porter Prize 2023.

• It recognized the Government’s strategy for managing COVID-19,
• Involvement of various stakeholders, especially the involvement of ASHA workers in the industry to create PPE Kits.
• It was also noted, “the idea of vaccine development and vaccine manufacturing and the scale that India achieved, was tremendous.

About Porter Prize: 

Porter Prize is named after award-winning economist Michael E. Porter. He has brought economic theory and strategy concepts to bear on many of the most challenging problems faced by corporations, economies and societies, including market competition and company strategy, economic development, the environment and healthcare.

Constitution of Greater Panna Landscape Council (GPLC)

Source: PIB

Context: As part of the Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) (in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region), a comprehensive Integrated Landscape Management Plan (ILMP) has been prepared for the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity in Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) & surrounding areas.

• To ensure the implementation of the landscape plan, GPLC has been constituted.

Objectives of GPLC:

• Better habitat management esp. for the flagship species viz. tiger, vulture, and gharial in the landscape
• Consolidate the landscape for biodiversity conservation
• Provide species-specific and site-specific monitoring strategies

What is Integrated Landscape Management?

It is a governance strategy that attempts to reconcile the needs of people and the environment and establish more sustainable and equitable multi-functional landscapes. E.g., Sustainable agricultural production, the delivery of ecosystem services, cultural heritage and values, and rural livelihoods.

SMART-PDS should be implemented in all states/UTs

Source: LM

Context: The government has asked all the states/UTs to make efforts to implement SMART-PDS at the earliest

What is SMART-PDS?

SMART-PDS aims to leverage technology to reduce human intervention and promote automation in the PDS supply chain, thereby ensuring timely and targeted delivery of food grains to beneficiaries. The system involves real-time tracking of food grains from the procurement stage to the distribution stage, enabling authorities to monitor and address any issues or bottlenecks in the supply chain.

Components:

• Smart Ration Card
• Fingerprint Template (beneficiaries’ fingerprint template is recorded in these smart ration cards, which records all transactions)

Other Features:

• Full Form Of SMART-PDS: Scheme for Modernization and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
• Successful Implementation: Andhra Pradesh
• Objective: Introduce a transparent and accountable system and reduce human intervention and promote automation in the existing processes.

Asia Energy Transition Initiative (AETI)

Source: DTE

Context: Japan will support India’s clean energy transition by including India in the Asia Energy Transition Initiative (AETI), which supported the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries towards achieving net zero emissions, including financial assistance of $10 billion for renewable energy.

Features under AETI:

Indian States’ electricity transition Report

Source: LM

Context: Karnataka and Gujarat have topped the list of Indian states adopting cleaner energy transition. Whereas, states like Bihar, West Bengal and UP lagged behind in the transition (as per the recent report Indian States’ electricity transition Report)

About the report:

The report provides progress and performance of Indian states on various aspects of the clean electricity transition.

• The report has been released by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA)

What is Electricity Transition?

It refers to the shift from fossil-based power production and consumption to renewable energy sources (RES) like wind and solar.

Four Parameters considered for ranking are:

• Decarbonisation: Evaluate states’ preparedness to shift from fossil-based power to Renewables
• Performance of Power Systemg., Discom’s performance rating, outstanding loans
• Readiness of Power Ecosystemg., Smart metering, feeder segregation
• Policies and Political Commitmentsg., circular economy, battery policy etc.

About IEEFA:

The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) examines issues related to energy markets, trends, and policies.

Does space weather cause flight delays?

Source: DTE

Context: A new study has revealed that Bad space weather can cause safety issues during air travel and result in flight delays.

What is Space Weather?

It describes the conditions in the region of space close to the earth, especially the presence of Solar wind, Coronal Mass ejections, Geomagnetic storms and charged particles emitted by the sun, which can affect human activity and technology.

Aztec hummingbirds, Indian sunbirds

Source: TH

Context: A recent study has found that the loss of a gene (FBP2) in Hummingbirds has made them more efficient at breaking down sugar molecules to use for energy during their fast-hovering flight.

About Aztecs: 

The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521.