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What are e-courts and what reforms are needed?

The E-Court project of India is an ambitious initiative conceived in 2005 and launched in 2006 by the Government of India to computerize the Indian judiciary and make the justice delivery system more efficient, transparent, and accessible to the people.

Under this project, all the courts in the country are being equipped with modern technology, including computers, scanners, printers, and high-speed internet connectivity. The objective is to automate the entire process of case filing, case management, and delivery of judgments.

The E-Court project is being implemented in a phased manner across the country, and as of 2021, over 18,000 courts have been computerized, covering more than 80% of the country's districts. The project has also resulted in the creation of a centralized database of all court cases, which can be accessed by litigants, lawyers, and judges from anywhere in the country.

Recently, the Union budget for 2022-23 has a generous outlay of ₹7,000 crore for the third phase of the e-courts project administered by the e-committee of India’s Supreme Court in partnership with the ministry of law and justice. The Chief Justice, as the chairperson of the e-committee, has acknowledged that these funds will improve the Indian legal system’s efficiency.

Benefits of E-Court project:

  • Easy access to justice: The project enables litigants to file cases and check the status of their cases online, eliminating the need to visit courts physically. This makes the justice delivery system more accessible and saves time and money for litigants.
  • Improved efficiency: The project has streamlined the process of case filing, management, and delivery of judgments, reduced delays and improving the efficiency of the justice delivery system.
  • Transparency: The E-Court project has made the judiciary more transparent by providing litigants with access to real-time information about the progress of their cases and the status of court orders.

Challenges to E-Courts in India

Despite significant progress made in recent years, several challenges still exist. Some of the current challenges to e-courts in India include:

  • Digital Infrastructure: The digital infrastructure in many parts of the country, especially in rural areas, is inadequate to support e-courts. Many areas still lack access to reliable internet connectivity, which is essential for e-filing, video conferencing, and other digital activities.
  • Digital Divide: There is a significant digital divide in the country, with a large section of the population not having access to smartphones, computers, or other digital devices. This makes it challenging for them to access e-courts and participate in digital hearings.
  • Resistance to Change: Many judges and lawyers are resistant to adopting technology in their work, preferring to rely on traditional methods. This can slow down the adoption of e-courts and impede the process of digital transformation.
  • Cybersecurity: With the increase in the use of technology, the risk of cyberattacks and data breaches is also increasing. E-courts need to ensure that they have robust cybersecurity measures in place to protect the sensitive data that is being handled.
  • Accessibility: While e-courts have the potential to make the justice system more accessible, there is still a need to ensure that the technology is accessible to people with disabilities. This includes providing assistive technology and making sure that digital platforms are designed with accessibility in mind.
  • Training and Capacity Building: There is a need for continuous training and capacity building for judges, lawyers, and court staff to ensure that they are familiar with the technology and can use it effectively. This will require a significant investment in training programs and infrastructure.

Reforms needed for E-Courts in India

While the E-Court project in India has made significant progress in modernizing the judiciary and making justice more accessible to the people, there are several reforms that can be implemented to make it more people-friendly. Some of these reforms are:

  • Simplification of legal procedures: While the E-Court project has made it easier to file cases online, the legal procedures in India are still complex and can be intimidating for the common people. Simplification of legal procedures, including the use of plain language and simpler forms, can make the justice delivery system more user-friendly.
  • Training of judges and court staff: Many judges and court staff in India are not adequately trained in the use of technology. Providing them with the necessary training and support can improve their efficiency and help them serve the people better.
  • Expansion of internet connectivity: While the E-Court project requires high-speed internet connectivity, many parts of India still do not have access to reliable internet connectivity. Expanding internet connectivity to remote areas can ensure that people in these areas can access the E-Court services.
  • Provision of legal aid: Many people in India, especially the marginalized sections of society, cannot afford legal representation. Provision of legal aid, including legal assistance and advice, can help these people access justice.
  • Streamlining of the E-Court system: The E-Court system can be further streamlined to make it more user-friendly. This can include the use of mobile applications, chatbots, and other technologies to make the process of filing cases and tracking their status more accessible and efficient.

Overall, the implementation of these reforms can make the E-Court system more people-friendly and ensure that justice is accessible to all, irrespective of their social and economic status.

Waste Management Technologies (SHESHA & RAPID COMPOSTING)

A Start-up Entrepreneurship Workshop was organized by Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) – BARC, DAE Convention Centre.

  • AIC-BARC is established under the ambit of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog to create a start-up eco-system based on spin-off technologies of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
  • AIC-BARC has been set up in line with the “Aatma Nirbhar Bharat”
  • In the workshop, two technologies namely SHESHA (for wet waste management) and Rapid Bio-composting (for dry waste management) were introduced by BARC scientific experts.

SHESHA TECHNOLOGY:

  • SHESHA is a novel, compact helical-shaped waste converter aimed to manage the biodegradable waste generated in small housing societies, restaurants, etc. in-situ, thus allowing decentralized processing of the biodegradable waste. 
  • The system has tremendous potential to process the waste as well as the generation of good quality fuel and manure required for soil applications. 
  • The name Shesha has been given on the basis of the serpentine shape of the digester (its resemblance to the snake Shesha) as well as the Sanskrit name of waste.

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Advantages:

  • Helical-shaped digester made from low-cost PVC pipes.
  • Saving major costs of construction and MS dome required for conventional designs.
  • Suitable for skid mounting on vehicles or wheels required for processing waste from smaller societies/residential complexes.
  • Have inbuilt suitability for biogas recycling for methane enrichment.
  • Suitable for online monitoring of process parameters.

RAPID COMPOSTING TECHNOLOGY

  • ICAR -IISS (Indian Institute of Soil Science) developed this technique in collaboration with ICAR-CIAE, Bhopal and ICAR-NBAIM, Mau.
  • It is based on cellulolytic fungi named Trichoderma koningiopsis isolated from tree bark. 
  • It is safe for the environment and for human handling. 
  • The formulation is capable of composting kitchen waste, agricultural waste, garden waste (dry leaves including coconut leaves) and temple waste. 
  • This method, being completely aerobic in nature, is devoid of foul odour and hence has greater acceptability in society.

STEPS FOR BIO COMPOSTING

  • Collection of biowaste materials
  • Segregation of non-biodegradable materials
  • Waste materials mixed with fresh cow-dung
  • Inoculation with a consortium of organisms
  • All materials mixed together and fed to rapo-compost bioreactor
  • After one month the humified organic manure was allowed for curing
  • Sieved (4 mm sieves) and stored at 25% moisture condition

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Rural Urban Dichotomy

The different nature of rural and urban spaces in the country, ranging on all different dimensions including governance, environment, education, health, infrastructure and development, is the rural-urban dichotomy in principle. It is economic, cultural, social, historical and well as political in nature.

Reasons for Rural-Urban dichotomy

Economically

  • Lack of formal credit institutions in rural areas makes it difficult to invest in capital formation.
    • Lack of industrialisation
    • High seasonal and disguised unemployment
    • Failing APMC regime
    • Concentration of capital in cities
    • Occupational mobility is higher in urban areas
    • Booming startup culture in urban areas

Social reasons

  • Rural Indian society tends to be more patriarchal than urban setup
    • Caste discrimination more rampant in rural areas
    • Girls’ education upto a limited extent in rural areas
    • Urban areas tend to modernise on lines with western culture more frequently
    • Liberal values are promoted in urban settings compared to rural areas

Historical reasons

  • Old cities were establishments of kings, ministers and nobles in medieval times and residences of rich traders, aristocrats and British officers in modern times
    • Urban areas were nodal points of trading and big marketplaces

Need to reduce rural-urban dichotomy

Reducing this dichotomy will result in a ‘rural-urban continuum’ which means the less and almost negligible difference between rural and urban areas. An example is Kerala which has had a high level of this continuum for many years.

  • It would lead to infrastructural development in rural areas.
    • Physical infrastructure will get a boost by integrating rural areas with value supply chains and freight corridors. The Sagarmala project, National Waterways project and Golden Quadrilateral have the potential to bring regions into the mainstream.
    • For financial infrastructure, digital banking needs to be pushed in rural areas, along with penetration of POS and ATMs at the grassroots level.
  • There are 3 crore houses required in rural areas and 1.2 crore houses required in urban areas. Schemes like PM Aawas Yojana and Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC) have given a push in this regard.
  • India’s expenditure on healthcare is just 2.1% of GDP (2021-22 Union Budget). To improve this in both rural and urban areas, PM Jan Arogya Yojana, National Rural/Urban Health Mission, and Rashtriya Bal Swasth Karyakram is underway.
  • Literacy rate in urban areas is 87.7% while that of rural areas is 73.5%. To fill this gap, education is promoted through Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and PM Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI).
  • It will result in economic freedom of the rural population from the evil of informal credit and debt trap. For this RBI has unveiled the Payments Vision 2025 which would lead to better financial inclusion and participation. Centre has also announced a bank recapitalisation scheme by infusing Rs. 15000 Crore in weak PSUs.
  • It will result in a reduction of social evils like caste discrimination and dowry etc.
  • It will lead to a rise in political awareness among the population.

Challenges in achieving rural-urban continuum

  • Lack of infrastructure and investment in rural regions
  • Unwillingness of political leaders to bring about a social change
  • Failure in policy implementation at the rural level
  • Low number of dedicated schemes to achieve the continuum
  • Migration of rural population in cities makes the development of villages more challenging

Way forward

  • Achieving the rural-urban continuum must be one of the key points in policy-making, given the Amritkaal, the 17 SDGs and the global climate crisis. Striving for this continuum will result in multifaceted growth and fulfilment of multidimensional goals.

We must look forward to the German model – where villages are designated sub-sectors of production and services and trained for that, which results in internal as well as external consumption and acts as a capital expenditure multiplier.

GI Tag for Basmati Rice Controversy between India & Pakistan

India will continue to pursue its application for an exclusive Geographical Indication (GI) tag for its basmati rice in the European Union (EU) and not consider any other solution as it could affect the exclusivity of the fragrant rice in other markets, official sources have said.

What is the historical background of the issue?

It all started when India registered its Basmati Rice GI in the European market, which has been countered by Pakistan. An official release by the European Union on September 11, 2020, notified India’s application for getting the geographical indication for its Basmati Rice in the EU market. The release also indicated that in the next three months, any entity, which objects to this application, can oppose it in the EU.

On 7th December 2020, the application received opposition from Pakistan, when its rice association, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) filed a notice with EU authorities. To further strengthen its case of opposition, Pakistan registered its Basmati Rice under its Geographical Indication Act 2020 on January 27, 2021. The case is still pending with no conclusion being reached. 

What is GI tag?

Under the TRIPS agreement, Geographical indication (GI), is defined as an indication of the true geographical origin of products, with reputation, quality, or other characteristics of that product attributable to the origin. Countries issue GI tags to their products under the law, in order to protect the product from imitation and misuse of its registered name. In India, the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act came into force in 2003.

What is the present issue?

Exports of rice are of importance to both India and Pakistan. Pakistan’s Punjab, in which all of its ‘Basmati Rice’ (as claimed by it) production is located, also lies in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. India is the largest supplier of Basmati Rice, exporting 5.5 million tons of Basmati Rice to the world in 2020. Its production is spread across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Western UP and parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan wants to convince India for ‘joint recognition’ as the heritage is shared by both the countries.
EU is trying to put pressure on India to amend its application by including the basmati­ growing areas in Pakistan or submit a new joint application.

Why India is against this?

India cannot accept the EU’s proposal. In August 2020, after the abrogation of Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan published a map showing Jammu as part of its territory. When a joint application is made, the map of both countries will have to be included. This will mean India accepting Jammu to be part of Pakistan.

Further, Pakistan is yet to come up with any definition of basmati. It has no physical standard and has not notified the DNA standard. 

Note: APEDA, is the nodal agency to get GI tag for Indian products.

Climate Insurance

Every year, an estimated 26 million people are pushed into poverty by natural disasters which cause an average of $300 billion in economic losses. 

Quick-disbursing financial protection instruments, such as contingent credit and insurance, can reduce humanitarian impacts and save money by enabling rapid crisis response and relief efforts. In Ethiopia, for example, every $1 secured ahead of time for early drought response can save up to $5 in future costs.  

Over the past 10 years, 26 countries in three regions—Africa, the Pacific, and the Caribbean and Central America—have joined sovereign catastrophe risk pools.

What is climate risk insurance?

Climate risk insurance is a type of insurance designed to mitigate the financial and other risk associated with climate change, especially phenomena like extreme weather.

Merits:

  • Insurance solutions can help bolster early action in the face of a disaster, and speed up recovery to restore livelihoods and rebuild critical infrastructure so that people, communities and economies can rebound.
  • Climate risk insurance can help protect individuals, small businesses or entire countries from permanent damage caused by the impact of extreme weather events.
  • Allows countries which are affected by climate change to become more independent; rather than waiting for months, or even longer for international aid to arrive.
  • High-premiums in high risk areas experiencing increased climate threats, would discourage settlement in those areas.

Global example: In 2015, for example, thanks to the insurance policy it purchased through the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative (PCRAFI), another World Bank-supported risk finance instrument, Vanuatu received $2 million to support recovery just seven days after cyclone Pam devastated the country. While it may not seem like much, the payout was eight times larger than the government’s emergency budget

Issues:

  • Critics of the insurance, say that such insurance places the bulk of the economic burden on communities responsible for the least amount of carbon emissions.
  • For low-income countries, these insurance programmes can be expensive due to the high start-up costs and infrastructure requirements for the data collection.
  • A considerable problem on a micro-level is that weather-related disasters usually affect whole regions or communities at the same time, resulting in a large number of claims simultaneously.

Way ahead?

  • No one size fits all approach: Localized assessments are imperative in order to understand the needs of vulnerable communities and identify how they can be best prepared in the event of a shock like a natural disaster.
  • Climate risk insurance is no stand-alone solution: It must also always be closely linked with preventive risk management strategies, ensuring losses and damages caused by a natural disaster are kept to a minimum.
  • Affordability: To make insurance affordable, the product can be partly – or fully – subsidized by governments or other donors. Regional risk pools can be created.

Transparency about how money is paid out, collaboration with organizations that have deep roots in the communities, alongside ensuring the participation and inclusion of women must be focussed.

Net zero waste from buildings

All upcoming housing societies and commercial complexes in the country will soon have to mandatorily ensure net­ zero waste and have their liquid discharge treated, as part of the Union government’s push for reforming and modernising the sewage disposal system. 

What is the concept of Net Zero Waste?

  • According to ICBC, a Net Zero Waste for Buildings & Built Environment is one which eliminates the diversion of waste being sent to landfills, by a multi-pronged approach - nature-centric design, reducing debris during construction, responsibly handling waste during operation, reusing the waste as much as possible and recycling the remaining waste.
  • A building or a built environment has to demonstrate that the total quantity of waste generated during construction and operation is equal to the quantity of waste reused within the premises and the quantity of waste recycled, so that the net quantity of waste sent to the landfill is ‘Zero’.
image 2

How can we achieve Net Zero?

Step 1. Reducing: Efforts should be made to reduce the waste generation to the maximum extent possible in all the three stages of construction of buildings.

Step 2. Reusing: Various options for reusing the waste as a resource within the building can be explored. Step 3: Recycling: The remaining waste need to be responsibly handled and handed over to authorized recyclers for recycling or disposed in an environment friendly manner

image 3

Key benefits of adopting Net Zero Waste Rating System are as below:

• Increased use of green products & materials, thereby improving resource efficiency and health benefits.

• Reduction in material consumption and thereby reduction in cost of construction.

• Increase in reuse of waste resulting in reduction in procurement of additional materials.

• Reduction in cost associated with waste handling and disposal.

• Opportunity to convert waste to energy or other value-added products.

• Brand image of being environmentally conscious

NAMASTE:

  • National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem
  • Namaste is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) as a joint initiative of the MoSJE and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
  • NAMASTE envisages safety and dignity of sanitation workers in urban India by creating an enabling ecosystem that recognizes sanitation workers as one of the key contributors in operations and maintenance of sanitation infrastructure thereby providing sustainable livelihood and enhancing their occupational safety through capacity building and improved access to safety gear and machines.
  • Five hundred cities (converging with AMRUT cities) will be taken up under this phase of NAMASTE. For providing a safety net to identified SSWs and their families they will be covered under the Ayushyaman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The premium for AB-PMJAY for those identified SSWs families who are not covered earlier shall be borne under NAMASTE.

NAMASTE aims to achieve the following outcomes:

  • Zero fatalities in sanitation work in India
  • All sanitation work is performed by skilled workers
  • No sanitation workers come in direct contact with human faecal matter
  • Sanitation workers are collectivized into SHGs and are empowered to run sanitation enterprises
  • All Sewer and Septic tank sanitation workers (SSWs) have access to alternative livelihoods
  • Strengthened supervisory and monitoring systems at national, state and ULB levels to ensure enforcement and monitoring of safe sanitation work
  • Increased awareness amongst sanitation services seekers (individuals and institutions) to seek services from registered and skilled sanitation workers

Note: In case the workers decide to adopt an alternate livelihood of their choice, skilling support will be provided to these workers. The workers may start a new livelihood project as an individual or as a group interested in same option. However it will not be free and rate of interest will be chargeable on self employment projects including sanitation related projects.

Wheat output and food inflation

Wheat production will not drive food inflation in India. The reason is the world has overcome, if not shrugged off, the effects of the Ukraine war. The supply situation has changed from deficit to, perhaps, surplus in most agri-commodities.

Reasons to support the contention that ‘wheat production will not drive food inflation in India:

  • Grain filling in wheat crop occurs at temperatures up to 35 degrees Celsius. The maximum shouldn’t cross 37 degrees before March-end. Last year, maximum temperatures breached the 35-degrees mark in the northern plains by mid-March and 40 degrees before the month-end. Last year the mercury spiked, leading to a marginal dip in India’s wheat output. This year, record February temperatures raised concerns about the current crop, but so far, the crop looks fine, with maximum temperatures hovering at 30-33 degrees in March.
  • Global prices  of urea and di-ammonium phosphate has fallen from recent peaks is quite steep.
  • The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) food price index hit a historic high of 159.7 points in March 2022, the month that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But since then, the FAO index has fallen every month to touch 129.8 points in February 2023.
  • Wheat prices at the Chicago Board of Trade futures exchange have more than halved since March 2022, and the US Department of Agriculture has projected all-time-high exports of wheat by Russia, Australia, and Kazakhstan.
  • Palm oil prices in Malaysia have also retreated from an unprecedented high in March 2022, and record production and exports are expected of palm oil from Indonesia, soybean from Brazil and sunflower from Russia, alongside increased rapeseed supplies from Canada and the European Union.
  • The decline in international food prices will help ease food inflation pressures in India caused by weather shocks and supply disruptions last year.
  • The world has overcome the effects of the Ukraine war, with the supply situation changing from deficit to surplus.
  • The falling international prices will also enable the Indian government to import wheat and other food items to meet domestic demand, if needed.

Prelims Pointer: Condition for wheat production

Wheat is a staple crop that is grown in many parts of the world. The conditions required for wheat production include:

  • Climate: Wheat requires a temperate climate with moderate rainfall. It grows best in areas with an average temperature of 15-20°C during the growing season and a rainfall of 500-600 mm.
  • Soil: Wheat can grow in a wide range of soils, but it prefers well-drained loamy soils with a pH range of 6.0-7.5. The soil should be rich in organic matter and have adequate nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
  • Sunlight: Wheat requires plenty of sunlight for photosynthesis and growth. It grows best in areas with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
  • Water: Wheat requires adequate moisture throughout its growing season. Irrigation may be necessary in areas with low rainfall or prolonged dry spells.
  • Pests and diseases: Wheat is susceptible to various pests and diseases, including aphids, armyworms, rusts, and smuts. Appropriate measures should be taken to prevent and control these pests and diseases.

Overall, the conditions required for wheat production vary depending on the variety of wheat being grown, the location, and the agricultural practices used. However, the above-mentioned factors are the key requirements for successful wheat production.

Migration in India: Current Issue and Challenges

National Sample Survey (NSS) Multiple Indicator Survey 2020-21 highlights the migration trends of Indians

What is migration?

Migration in India: Current Issue and Challenges

The National Sample Survey defined migrants as those who had ever spent at least six straight months in a village/town/country different from their place of residence, i.e., where they were surveyed.

More on migration:

Migration is the geographic movement of people across a specified boundary various reasons especially social, economic, political reasons. Along with fertility and mortality, migration is a component of the population change.

The term “in migration” and “out migration” are used for migration within a country and are comparable to the terms “immigration” and “emigration” used in international migration.

Patterns of Migration:

Internal migrant flows can be classified on the basis of origin and destination. 

  • Rural to Rural
  • Rural to Urban
  • Urban to Rural
  • Urban to Urban

Factors for migration:

          Push Factors               Pull Factors
-Lack of employment
-Caste Discrimination
-Poor availability of basic amenities e.g., Sanitation, Housing
-Lack of Healthcare and educational facilities
-Natural Disasters e.g., Cyclones, Landslides		-Better job opportunities and wages
-Healthcare facilities e.g., Multi-specialty hospitals
-Urban lifestyle - Liberty and Free society
-Quality education
-Industrial ecosystem
share of Migrants by reason for moving.

Status of Migration in India as per NSS 2020-21 Survey:

  • One in three Urban Indians is a ‘migrant’ – but mostly intra-state.
  • Among migrants, 55% have moved between villages – mostly women moving after marriage.
  • Marriage is a larger driver of migration than jobs for women.
  • Jobs are the biggest reason of migration from men.
  • Himachal Pradesh and Telangana have the highest share of job-related migrants in their total urban male population.
  • Delhi has the highest share of persons (21.3%) who have come from outside its territory.

Issues faced by migrants:

  • Lack of social security and health benefits and poor implementation of minimum safety standards law
  • Lack of portability of state-provided benefits especially food provided through the public distribution system (PDS)
  • Poor implementation of protections under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979 (ISMW Act)
  • Lack of access to affordable housing and basic amenities in urban areas

Steps taken by Government for the welfare of Migrants:

  • e-SHRAM portal, a National Database of the Unorganised Workers has been launched for registration of unorganised workers including migrant workers. The main objective of the e-SHRAM portal is to create a national database of unorganised workers seeded with Aadhaar. It is also to facilitate delivery of Social Security and welfare Schemes to such workers.
  • Jharkhand's first survey of migrants - aims to map the major sectors of engagement for migrants workers, find social security benefits and identify the health hazards.
  • Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) launched in 2015 provide for life & disability cover due to natural or accidental death.
  • Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana caters to the housing needs to eligible beneficiaries.

Way Forward:

A favourable legislative and policy framework is the need of the hour to facilitate orderly, safe, and responsible migration and mobility of people (SDG 10.7).

Open Defecation Free (ODF) and Swachh Bharat Mission

  • Recent Multiple Indicator Survey (MIS) of the government has called into question the Central government’s claim in 2019 that all Indian villages are open defecation free (ODF).
  • As of now, four government surveys/reports released just before or after the announcement, including the latest Multiple Indicator Survey (MIS), have not only disputed the ODF status of most States but also shown persisting levels of poor sanitation in many of them.
  • The three older surveys which disputed the ODF status were:
  • The National Statistical Office (NSO) survey from October 2018,
  • The National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) of 2019­20
  • The National Family Health Survey­5 (NFHS­5) 2019­21.

What is Swachh Bharat Mission?

  • Ministry of Jal shakti launched Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBMG) in 2014. The mission was implemented as nation-wide campaign/Janandolan which aimed at eliminating open defecation in rural areas during the period 2014 to 2019 through mass scale behavior change, construction of household-owned and community-owned toilets and establishing mechanisms for monitoring toilet construction and usage.

Open Defecation Free (ODF) Status

ODF – An area is notified/declared as ODF if, at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating in the open.

ODF + - An area can be notified/declared as SBM ODF+ if at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating or urinating in the open and all community and public toilets are functional and well maintained.

ODF ++ - An area can be declared if it is having ODF+ status and entire faecal sludge/ septage and sewage is safely managed and treated, with no discharging and/or dumping of untreated faecal sludge/septage and sewage in drains, water bodies or open areas.

Challenges to Swachh Bharat Mission:

  • Maintaining ODF status is important after a village, block or district is declared ODF. Generally, it so happens that once it is declared, there is no pressure on the district administration to do any activity because the goal has been achieved.
  • There is more focus on quantity i.e., there is overemphasis on number of toilets being constructed ignoring other parameters.
  • Overreporting of number toilets being constructed, as highlighted by Comptroller and auditor general (CAG) of India.
  • Contradictory claims of government and various other agencies regarding status of open defecation free areas.
  • Monitoring issues, as government’s own data has revealed only 14% of the constructed toilets have gone through the second round of verification.
  • Usage-related challenges include tackling cultural and mind-set issues, providing water in rural areas, addressing the problem of small and dingy toilets, stigma associated with pit-emptying, and making-men use toilets.
  • Despite a ban on manual scavenging, it continues at various places in the country. Unofficial figures reveal presence of 13 lakh manual scavengers; official figures are about two lakhs. The Dalit community is mainly engaged in this work, and not much attention is being paid towards reforming their lives.
  • Sewage treatment remains below the intended levels, untreated sewage in turn becomes an environmental hazard.
  • Availability of water is crucial for optimal and continued utilization of the toilets. Regular supply of water remains a challenge and thus causes discontinuation of the use of the toilets.
  • Caste and religious beliefs stillplay a crucial role in deciding who is going to use the toilets and who will not. It also has an intricate relation in terms of bringing behavioral changes. Thus, as a result still a large number of people still prefer open defecation despite having a operational toilet.

Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Regulations

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), responding to the increase in ESG investing and the demand by investors for information on ESG risks, substantially revised the annual Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) required by the 1,000 largest listed companies in India. 

What are E.S.G regulations?

ESG regulation is any set of requirements on an organization to publicly disclose information about their performance in environmental, social, or governance topics.

How ESG differs from CSR?

India has a robust corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy that mandates that corporations engage in initiatives that contribute to the welfare of society. This mandate was codified into law with the passage of the 2014 and 2021 amendments to the Companies Act of 2013. 

The amendments require companies with a net worth of ₹500 crore or a minimum turnover of ₹1,000 crore or a net profit of ₹5 crore in any given financial year spend at least 2% of their net profit over the preceding three years on CSR activities. The list of qualifying CSR activities is intentionally broad, ranging from supporting the protection of historically important sites to promoting safe drinking water.
 
ESG regulations, on the other hand, differ in process and impact. The U.K. Modern Slavery Act, for example, requires companies with business in the U.K. and with annual sales of more than £36 million to publish the efforts they have taken to identify and analyse the risks of human trafficking, child labour and debt bondage in their supply chain.


ESG disclosures are highly relevant for all stakeholders involved in a business process:

  • Business: ESG disclosures allow companies to identify potential transition risks, self-assess its ability to sustain in the future, and undertake necessary steps to adapt to the likely future changes. At the same time, ESG disclosures help companies in identifying certain opportunities for innovation that might yield high results in the future. They also help companies in reassuring their stakeholders about their values and respect towards responsible business.
  • Investors: ESG disclosures are highly consequential for investors to include climate-related considerations in asset valuation and finance allocation processes; determine the environmental and social impact of a company’s business processes; and assess how climate change could affect a company’s financial stability in the future.
  • Consumers: ESG disclosures aid consumers in identifying responsible businesses.

Evolution of ESG Disclosures in India:

  • The Companies Act, 2013 introduced one of the first ESG disclosure requirements for companies. Section 134(m) mandates companies to include a report by their Board of Directors on conservation of energy, along with annual financial statement. 
  • This requirement is further detailed under Rule 8(3)(A) of the Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014, which mandates the board to provide information regarding conservation of energy.
  • In 2017, SEBI issued a circular on ‘Disclosure Requirements for Issuance and Listing of Green Debt Securities’, to introduce the regulatory framework for issuance of green debt securities in India and enhance investor confidence. These additional disclosure requirements have been prescribed in order to attract the finance reserved for ESG-compliant projects, such as renewable and sustainable energy, clean transportation, sustainable water management, climate change adaption, energy efficiency, sustainable waste management, sustainable land use, and biodiversity conservation.
  • Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has also released the National Voluntary Guidelines for Responsible Financing, laying down broad and general principles towards ‘integrating ESG risk management into Financial Institution’s (FIs) business strategy, decision-making process and operations.’ 
  • In May 2021, SEBI introduced a new framework; Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR): It is aligned with nine principles of National Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct (“NGBRC”) and it will be mandatory for the top 1,000 listed companies to annually disclose ESG-related information from financial year 2022-23.

Way forward

In the end, it can be said that India is gradually moving towards developing regulations around ESG. With the introduction of the BRSR framework, SEBI has joined the group of countries and international organization to have released comprehensive sustainability reporting frameworks.

Though the reporting mandate is presently restricted to the top 1,000 listed companies by market capitalization, the experience with BRR only indicates that a wider range of companies would soon be covered under the BRSR framework.

Renewable Energy in India

As the world’s fastest-growing major economy with rising energy needs, India will account for approximately 25 per cent of the global energy demand growth between 2020-2040, as per BP energy outlook and IEA estimates.

Ensuring energy access, availability and affordability for large population is imperative.

Energy Sector

Energy Sector

The energy sector is fundamental to growth and development. Availability of electricity, petrol, diesel and gas at competitive prices is essential for the efficient functioning of energy user sectors, which include households, transportation, industry, agriculture and the government and comprise nearly the entire economy.

Objectives

  • The government’s on-going energy sector policies aim “to provide access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy”.
  • Reduce imports of oil and gas by 10 per cent by 2022-23.
  • Continue to reduce emission intensity of GDP in a manner that will help India achieve the intended nationally determined contribution (INDC) target of 2030.

The energy sector in India faces a number of challenges, including:

  1. Subsidies and Taxes: A variety of subsidies and taxes distort the energy market and promote the use of inefficient over efficient fuels. They also make Indian exports and domestic production uncompetitive as energy taxes are not under GST and hence, no input credit is given.
  2. Limited domestic energy resources: India is heavily reliant on imports to meet its energy needs. The country has limited domestic reserves of coal, oil, and natural gas, which makes it vulnerable to price fluctuations and supply disruptions.

 For Example, Coal:

  • Demand-supply mismatch in coal leading to imports (25% of domestic requirements).
  • Most of the thermal power plants are operating below their capacity- Plant Load Factor (PLF) is hardly around 56% in 2019-20.
  • Delays in Land acquisition for new mines exploration.
  • outdated technology in mining.

3. Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution

  • Old inefficient plants continue to operate whereas more efficient plants are underutilized.
  • Although legally independent, Regulatory Commissions are unable to fully regulate discoms and fix rational tariffs.
  • State power utilities are not able to invest in system improvements due to their poor financial health.
  • High aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses
  • Unmetered power supply to agriculture provides no incentive to farmers to use electricity efficiently
  • High industrial/commercial tariff and the cross- subsidy regime have affected the competitiveness of the industrial and commercial sectors.

4. Financing constraints: The energy sector in India requires significant investments to modernize its infrastructure and develop new sources of energy. However, financing constraints and a lack of private sector participation have hindered the growth of the sector.

5. Renewable Energy: High energy costs result in reneging on old power purchase agreements (PPAs) and erode their sanctity. This leads to uncertainty regarding power off take and consequently endangers further investments.

6. Policy and regulatory issues: India's energy sector is heavily regulated, and policies and regulations can often be complex and inconsistent. This has led to a lack of clarity and transparency in the sector, which can deter investment and hinder growth.

India has taken several steps to address the challenges faced by the energy sector and promote sustainable energy development.

Steps for sustainable energy development

  1. Renewable energy targets: By 2030, India wants to have 450 GW of renewable energy capacity, including 5 GW of small hydropower, 10 GW of bioenergy, 280 GW of solar, and 140 GW of wind. With 38% of India's total installed capacity being made up of renewable energy as of 2021, the nation has already made significant strides towards achieving this goal.
  2. Energy efficiency initiatives: India has implemented several energy efficiency initiatives, including the National Programme for LED-based Home and Street Lighting, the Perform, Achieve and Trade scheme for energy-intensive industries. These initiatives have helped to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
  3. Coal sector reforms: India has implemented several reforms in the coal sector, including the commercialization of coal mining, the introduction of revenue sharing and production-linked incentives, and the liberalization of the coal sector to allow for greater private sector participation. These reforms are aimed at increasing coal production and reducing India's dependence on imports.
  4. Rural electrification: India has made significant progress in rural electrification, with the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana and the Saubhagya scheme aimed at providing electricity connections to all households in rural areas.
  5. International cooperation: India has engaged in international cooperation to promote sustainable energy development, including through initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance, the International Energy Agency's Clean Energy Transitions Programme, and the US-India Strategic Energy Partnership. These steps have helped India to make significant progress in addressing the challenges faced by the energy sector and promote sustainable energy development.

However, there is still much work to be done to become a $ 26 trillion economy by 2047, ensuring energy security and achieving energy independence.

Same Sex Marriage

Recently, the Centre, in an affidavit in the Supreme Court, has frowned upon same­sex marriage while invoking the “accepted view” that a marriage between a biological man and woman is a “holy union, a sacrament and a sanskar” in India.

Problem faced by LGBTQRIV+ Community:

  1. Family disruption
  2. Lack of understanding and proper communication about sexual orientation and gender identity can lead to fighting and family disruption that can result in an LGBT adolescent being removed from or forced out of the home.
  3. Many LGBT youth are placed in foster care, or end up in juvenile detention or on the streets, because of family conflict related to their LGBT identity.
  4.  These factors increase their risk for abuse and for serious health and mental health problems like, increase attempt to suicide, chances of drug addiction, indulging in criminal activities, etc.
  5. Mental Health Issues
  6. This is caused by lifelong dissonance, deep-rooted stigma, discrimination, and often abuse, that the community experiences. It often leads to extreme distress and poor self-worth, resulting in self-hate and suffering.
  7. Sexual orientation and gender identity are rarely discussed in our social, educational or familial environments, and if ever done, these discussions are stigmatizing.
  8.  It is difficult to find friends and family who understand what the person feels.
  9.   Political parties and religious leaders kept away from the LGBT movement

Victim of Hate Crimes and Violence

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people and those perceived to be LGBT are regularly targeted as victims of hate crimes and violence.

LGBT people experience stigma and discrimination across their life spans, and are targets of sexual and physical assault, harassment, and hate crimes.

Barriers to Health Care

  • A large majority of the psychiatrists in India still consider diverse sexual orientations and gender identities as a disorder and practice ‘correctional therapy’.
  • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are more likely to experience intolerance, discrimination, harassment, and the threat of violence due to their sexual orientation, than those that identify themselves as heterosexual.
  •  In the labor market, a majority of LGBT people continue to hide their sexual orientation or to endure harassment out of fear of losing their job.
  •  Particularly vulnerable are young LGBT people who experience estrangement from family and friendship networks, harassment at school, and invisibility, which can lead in some cases to underachievement at school, school drop-out, mental ill-health, and homelessness.
  • Discrimination not only denies LGBT people equal access to key social goods, such as employment, healthcare, education, and housing, but it also marginalizes them in society and makes them one of the vulnerable groups who are at risk of becoming socially excluded.

Challenges for LGBT Elders

  • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) face a number of particular concerns as they age.
  • They often do not access adequate health care, affordable housing, or other social services that they need due to institutionalized heterosexism.
  • Most LGBT elders do not avail themselves of services on which other seniors thrive.
  • Lack of family support system as enjoyed by other elderly people.

Landmark judgements and related issues

  • In 2000, Law Commission was the first to recommend decriminalizing Section 377.
  • Naz Foundation vs. Govt. of NCT of Delhi (2009): The Delhi High Court decriminalized homosexual acts involving consenting adults. The Court held that Section 377 offended the guarantee of equality enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution, because it creates an unreasonable classification and targets homosexuals as a class. Discrimination is the antithesis of equality and that it is the recognition of equality which will foster the dignity of every individual.
  • Suresh Kumar Koushal Case (2013): Supreme Court overturned the previous judgment by Delhi High Court (2009).

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