Current Affairs

All (4265)Current Affairs (4243)Mains Practice (77)Mains PYQs by Subjects (40)

Right to Health

Context:

The recently concluded Budget session of the Rajasthan Assembly revived the debate around the Right to Health Bill. The legislation, if passed, will provide mandatory free and affordable medical services in hospitals, clinics and laboratories — both public and privately owned. Rajasthan would be the first State government to establish and protect the legal rights of patients to access equitable healthcare services. The Bill also provides for strengthening the public healthcare system.
Fault lines have emerged around the legislation’s passage. Private hospital doctors object to the Bill citing it is hastily drafted, ignores ground realities and may tighten norms in an already over-regulated field. Civil society groups and activists, however, note that while the Bill needs clarity and could be sharpened to avoid implementation loopholes, it is an important starting point in framing healthcare as a tangible “right” for citizens.

If we look at the syllabus of GS Paper II:

L 2NNNAWHm2mShuf6k0vgH kDve3y2fWydWno83N6s3CB0FDJN igW MtDzAOizySmqz8 2FWC1an8xg OeQIMaicpxJG

uWMqVa0YhCv92Tx7pii17vJJ7Hf9yfjVdrvakNMn0PeWmgPV4pkC P6vwr1PY58r9l2Vrqo hc2LhCH22kvBBLLcZ8tjH6sb0 zDWr7d AEJ qyDJj6MxjpTIrEb0yMrgJZJAR mWNE7

Questions in Mains:

2020. In order to enhance the prospects of social development, sound and adequate health care policies are needed particularly in the fields of geriatric and maternal health care. Discuss.

In Questions like these Rajasthan Bill can be used as a case study.

So we will:

Importance of Health in Indian Context
There are several important health statistics in India, some of which include:
Does the Constitution guarantee a right to health?
What does the Bill say?

Importance of Health in Indian Context:

Health is essential for economic development as a healthy population is more productive and can contribute to the growth of the economy. Poor health can result in increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, and higher healthcare costs, which can negatively impact the economy.
Poor health can contribute to poverty, and poverty can, in turn, lead to poor health outcomes. Access to healthcare services, clean water, and sanitation can help reduce poverty and improve health outcomes.
Health is essential for social development as it is linked to education, gender equity, and social justice. Improved health can lead to better educational outcomes, increased gender equity, and reduced social inequalities.
Health is essential for national security as it can affect the readiness of the armed forces and the ability of the country to respond to public health emergencies.
Health is a key component of sustainable development as it is linked to environmental sustainability, economic development, and social equity.

The current state of health in India is complex and multifaceted. On the one hand, there have been significant improvements in health indicators over the past few decades, such as increased life expectancy, reductions in maternal and child mortality, and improved access to healthcare services.

However, there are still several challenges that need to be addressed, including high rates of malnutrition, a high burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, inadequate healthcare infrastructure in rural areas, and a shortage of healthcare workers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also highlighted the need for increased investments in public health infrastructure, strengthening of healthcare systems, and preparedness for future health emergencies. While progress has been made in addressing some of these challenges, more needs to be done to ensure better health outcomes for all citizens in India.

There are several important health statistics in India, some of which include:

Life expectancy: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the average life expectancy in India is around 69 years.

Infant mortality rate (IMR): As per the National Family Health Survey-4 (2015-16), the infant mortality rate in India is 32 per 1000 live births.

Maternal mortality rate (MMR): The maternal mortality rate in India, as per the latest estimates from the WHO, is 174 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Malnutrition: India has one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world, with 38.4% of children under the age of five being stunted, 21% being wasted, and 35.8% being underweight, as per the Global Nutrition Report 2020.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs): NCDs are responsible for 61% of deaths in India, with cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes being the leading causes, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Health expenditure: According to the National Health Accounts Estimates for India 2017-18, the total health expenditure in India was 3.6% of GDP, with the government contributing 32.3% of the total expenditure.

Doctor-patient ratio: India has a doctor-patient ratio of 1:1456, as per the National Health Profile 2021.

Health insurance coverage: As per the National Health Accounts Estimates for India 2017-18, only 27% of the total health expenditure was covered by health insurance, with out-of-pocket expenditure accounting for the rest.

Does the Constitution guarantee a right to health?

The Indian Constitution does not explicitly talk about a right to health.
A “right to health”, in theory, is derived from the right to life and liberty as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Previously, courts have highlighted the State’s obligation to protect and promote the health of citizens, pointing to Constitutional provisions such as Article 38 (promoting the welfare of people) and Article 47 (which directs the government to meet the nutrition and health requirements of the population).
In Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity v. State of West Bengal (1996), the Supreme Court averred that it is the government’s responsibility to provide medical aid in the interest of bolstering public health.

In this regard, The current legislation tabled in Rajasthan is a welcome step.

What does the Bill say?

The Bill provides rights to patients and healthcare providers, places the obligation on the government to protect these legal rights and mandates the setting up of grievance redressal mechanisms.
The legislation will be a “progressive reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure in seeking, accessing or receiving health care” for patients, the preamble states.
Rajasthan residents will be entitled to free check-ups, drugs, diagnostics, emergency transport and care at all public health institutes, along with affordable surgeries. The Bill frames medical services as a public service rather than a vehicle for making money. If enacted, the Act will have a recurring annual expenditure of Rs. 14.5 crores.
Clause 3 of the Bill lays down 20 rights a State resident will be entitled to — including the right to informed consent, to seek information (in the form of medical records and documents) regarding diagnosis and treatment, to keep this data confidential and private and to receive treatment without discrimination based on caste, class, age, gender, among other markers.
Clause 4 of the Bill shifts the burden of responsibility in providing adequate medical services to the government.
- The government is “obligated” to provide funds, set up institutions and constitute grievance redressal systems.
- They must take the initiative to set up a State Health Authority and district health authorities. Beyond resolving complaints, the authorities would be tasked with planning healthcare services, monitoring services and conducting routine clinical, social and economic audits.
Moreover, the Bill also talks about the safety of healthcare providers and improving public health infrastructure.
Clause 4 mandates that the government develop a Human Resource Policy for Health ensuring the availability and equitable distribution of doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers at all levels of the system across regions.

Hence, recognizing and protecting the right to health is certainly a good step in India, as it has the potential to improve the health outcomes of millions of people in the country.

India faces several health challenges, including high rates of infectious and non-communicable diseases, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and unequal access to healthcare services.

Recognizing the right to health can help address these issues by promoting equitable access to healthcare services, ensuring that healthcare facilities and services are of high quality and available to all, and addressing the social determinants of health such as poverty, education, and access to clean water and sanitation.

Moreover, recognizing the right to health can help strengthen India's healthcare system by making it more responsive to the needs of its citizens.

It can also help hold the government accountable for ensuring that the health needs of its citizens are met, and provide a framework for addressing health disparities and promoting health equity.

Overall, recognizing the right to health is a positive step in India, and can help improve the health outcomes of its citizens and strengthen its healthcare system.

Multilateralism

What is multilateralism?

Multilateralism refers to the coming together of three or more states, in formal or informal institutional settings, to discuss issues of mutual interest and coordinate their policies.

An example of multilateral institution is United Nations (UN) since it has universal membership. All countries, irrespective of their size and power, enjoy equal status in the form of one-country, one vote.

If such a grouping is small in size, it is best referred to as a mini-lateral or plurilateral forum.

One example of a plurilateral forum is BRICS, of which India is a member along with Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa. Another example is G20, a grouping of top 20 economies of the world based on their GDPs (at PPP). Both these are cross-regional forums. Examples of regional multilateral forums are South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), etc

Difference from Multi-alignment

Multi-alignment, on the other hand, refers to the policy of formation of several alliances, not necessarily military, to fulfil national interests ranging from the more tangible security and development related ones to the more intangible ideational ones.

Multi-alignment conveys a sense of engagement and participation and a strong pragmatic outlook aimed not only at a better India but also a better world.

But multilateralism cannot be completely isolated from power politics. The Bretton Woods institutions, for instance, with their contribution-based quotas and weighted voting are standing edifices of realpolitik. Normatively, multilateralism is a counter to unilateralism.

Challenges to Multilateralism

Dominance of West: The postcolonial backlash against the predominance of the West and the rising tide of populism have been profoundly eroding the liberal values underpinning the multilateral system
Crisis in UN: The UN and its manifold agencies have been losing their lustre, criticised for their lack of efficiency, institutional sclerosis and ideological infighting.
Trade Talks: The WTO has failed to conclude the negotiations of the Doha Agenda started in 2001, as bilateralism and protectionism are resurging worldwide, and its dispute settlement system has stalled
Climate: Multilateral efforts to address climate change have made symbolic progress at best.
Digital Space: The governance of the internet is forfeiting its initial aspiration of a borderless knowledge society as a few private companies are hoarding data exponentially and authoritarian states are misusing it as a tool of surveillance and repression.
Rise of Nationalistic politics: Seen in global as well emerging powers. Example: BREXIT or withdrawal of UK from the EU marks a dent to the spirit of multilateralism. The powerful nations are challenging the multilateral world order.
Changing Geopolitics: Rise of China, concretization of Russia China axis, SCO etc. has made West conscious of preserving its hegemony. West sees China as a challenger to US led world order and does not seem to cooperate with China and Russia. At the same time, China and Russia try to counter the west. This competition has led to erosion of spirit of cooperation and collaboration, hurting multilateralism.

Why is it difficult to Reform

Multilateralism is deeply entrenched in global power politics. As a result, any action in reforming multilateral institutions and frameworks automatically transforms into a move that seeks changes in the current distribution of power.
The status quo powers see multilateral reforms as a zero-sum game. For instance, in the context of the Bretton Woods system, the U.S. and Europe believed reform would reduce their influence and dominance. This makes decisions about reform in these institutions, by consensus or voting, hard.
Multilateralism appears at odds with the realities of the emerging multiplex global order. The emerging order seems more multipolar and multi-centred. Such a situation facilitates the formation of new clubs, concerts and coalitions of the like-minded, which makes the reform of older institutions and frameworks more challenging.

What G20 and India can do

G-20 should first focus on setting proper narratives of multilateral reform. G-20 may constitute an engagement group dedicated to bring the narrative to the forefront of global discourse. India should also urge the upcoming chairs of the grouping, Brazil and South Africa, to place multilateral reforms as their presidential priorities
It should be acknowledged that limitations of multilateral cooperation. Competing interests and the dominance of powerful states are there to stay in multilateral platforms. Therefore, while supporting multilateral cooperation, G-20 should continue encouraging mini lateral groupings as a new form of multilateralism and try to transform them into multi-stakeholder partnerships
Creating networks of issue-based mini laterals, particularly in areas related to the governance of the global commons will be helpful in preventing competitive coalitions where other actors play the same game to their advantage, leading to a more fragmented world order.
The group needs to be more inclusive without sacrificing efficiency. For example, including the African Union as a permanent member and the UN Secretary-General and General Assembly President as permanent invitees would be helpful to enhance its legitimacy.
G-20 should put all its efforts into solving one or two pressing global issues and showcase it as the model of new multilateralism. Food, fuel and fertilizer security can be one such issue. On the one hand, it falls under the ‘low politics’ of world politics, so cooperation is more achievable.

INDIA’s STRATEGY OF REFORMING MULTILATERALISM

India’s strategy for reformed multilateralism rests on 5S pillars which includes

1. Samman (Respect)

2. Samvad (Dialogue)

3. Sahyog (Cooperation)

4. Shanti (Peace)

5. Samriddhi (Prosperity)

Moreover, India has to engage with regional groupings in stronger ways though China has a pre-eminent position in the architecture of these organisations. Interdependence in the economy cannot be overlooked, especially for an emerging state like India.
India must continue to pursue institutionalisation of multilateral frameworks irrespective of regional conflicts. On such occasions, one has to look at the possibility of strengthening neighbourhood multilateral frameworks (such as SARRC
India needs to build multilateral trade blocs/economic groupings involving its South Asian neighbours along with Indian Ocean neighbours, while rejuvenating organisations such as BIMSTEC and IOR-ARC.

Thus India should not allow a “recession for multilateralism” in its diplomatic vision as it can be concluded that the multilateral system is merely undergoing a profound mutation and one that might even end up making it more effective and better adapted to the realities of the 21st century.

Chandrayaan 3 likely to be launched in mid 2023: ISRO

Context: As per Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the launch of Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar mission, and the first solar mission Aditya L1 will possibly happen by the middle of 2023.

Chandrayaan-3

Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.
It consists of Lander and Rover configuration. It will be launched by Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM 3) launch vehicle from SDSC, Sriharikota.
The propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration till the 100 km lunar orbit.

Objectives

To demonstrate a Safe and Soft Landing on a specified lunar site
To demonstrate Rover roving on the moon which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility
To conduct in-situ scientific experiments

Several advanced technologies in Chandrayaan

Propulsion module has Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and Polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.
Lander payloads:
- Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) to measure the thermal conductivity and temperature
- Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) for measuring the seismicity around the landing site
- Langmuir Probe (LP) to estimate the plasma density and its variations.
- Laser Retroreflector Array from NASA to understand the dynamics of Moon system.
- Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA)
Rover payloads:
- Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) for deriving the elemental composition in the vicinity of the landing site.

Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2

CHANDRAYAAN 1	CHANDRAYAAN 2
1st Lunar mission of India	Floow-up mission, 1st interplanetary mission
No landing of the surface of the moon	A lander will make a soft landing
the net weight of the spacecraft -1380kgs.	the spacecraft weights approx 3850
Launched by PSLV	Launched by GSLV Mk III
Carried a range of scientific equipment, both Indian and Internation; Mini-Synthetic Aperture Radar (Mini-SAR) found water-ice deposits in craters on the far side of the moon. It carried five ISRO payloads and six payloads from other space agencies including NASA, ESA, and the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency.	It has three modules namely orbiter, Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyan). The main aim is to study the moon's mineral and chemical composition, topology and seismology. It carried 14 payloads; 13 Indian and 1 from NASA.

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)

CONTEXT: An Inter-Ministerial delegation from India led by Department of Commerce participated in the second Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) negotiating round in Bali, Indonesia

Key Developments Summit

During the Bali Round, discussions covered all the four pillars of the IPEF i.e. Trade, Supply Chain resilience, Clean Energy and decarbonisation and Fair Economy (Taxation & Anticorruption)

However India participated in the discussions related to Supply Chain resilience and Fair Economy (Taxation & Anticorruption)

The pillar which deals primarily with trade was not joined by India because the contours of the framework - particularly on commitments required on environment, labour, digital trade and public procurement — are still emerging.

India reiterated its belief that IPEF will deepen the economic engagement and promote inclusive development through enhancement in trade and investment in the region.
On the side-lines of the negotiating round, the Chief Negotiator and the Pillar Leads also held bilateral meetings with IPEF countries and other concerned stakeholders.
Further a representative from National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) also gave a detailed presentation at the Business Forum on Unified Payment Interface (UPI), a successful example of Digital Public infrastructure in India.

ABOUT IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity)

In the backdrop of US withdrawal from the Trans- Pacific Partnership under Donald Trump, there has been concern over the absence of a credible US economic and trade strategy to counter China’s economic influence in the region.

The US President first talked about it at the at the October 2021 East Asia Summit. It has been launched at present Quad summit 2022.

Objective

To “advance resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fairness, and competitiveness” in these economies.

Members and Membership

Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Together, these countries account for 40% of global GDP.

Countries are free to join (or not join) initiatives under any of the stipulated pillars but are expected to adhere to all commitments once they enrol.

Leadership

U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) will be spearheading the trade pillar,
Supply chain resilience, clean energy and decarbonisation, and taxes and anti-corruption measures will fall under the purview of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Areas of cooperation

1. Trade Pillar: To establish “high- standard, inclusive, free, and fair-trade commitments” to fuel economic activity and investments benefitting both workers and consumers.

2. Digital Trade Pillar: Incorporates not just the purchase and sale of goods online but also data flows that enable the operation of global value chains and services, like smart manufacturing, platforms and applications

3. Supply chain resilience Pillar: The framework aspires to secure access to key raw and processed materials, semiconductors, critical minerals and clean energy, tech, particularly for crisis response measures and ensuring business continuity

4. Clean energy, decarbonisation and infrastructure Pillar: In line with the Paris Agreement, provide technical assistance and help mobilize finance, including concessional finance, to improve competitiveness and enhance connectivity by supporting countries in the development of sustainable and durable infrastructure for adopting renewable energy.

5. Tax and anti-corruption Pillar: Aimed at promoting fair competition by enforcing robust tax, anti-money laundering and anti-bribery regimes in line with existing multilateral obligations, standards and agreements to curb tax evasion and corruption in the region.

Benefits

A new US vehicle for economic re- engagement with East Asia and Southeast Asia.
It would help in countering China dominated Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and other regional trade initiatives like Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economic Partnership (DEPA) (A new type of trade agreement to facilitate digital trade and creating a framework for the digital economy, was born out of the common interest of Chile, New Zealand and Singapore) of which US and India are not a party.
Would help U.S. companies that are looking to move away from manufacturing in China.
It is significant that 7 of 10 ASEAN countries and 11 out of 15 of countries that form RCEP took part in the launch.
Signifies first multilateral attempt to boost supply chain resilience to ease global inflationary pressures and mitigate effects of future disruptions, particularly key raw materials, critical minerals, and semiconductors.

Challenges

IPEF is not a traditional trade agreement.
It would include different modules covering “fair and resilient trade, supply chain resilience, infrastructure and decarbonization, and tax and anticorruption.”
Countries would have to sign up to all the components within a module, but do not have to participate in all modules.
The “fair and resilient trade” module will be led by the US Trade Representative and include digital, labour, and environment issues, with some binding commitments.
IPEF will not include market access commitments such as lowering tariff barriers, as the agreement is “more of an administrative arrangement,” and Congressional approval, which is a must for trade agreements, is not mandatory for this.
Critics suggest it would be security, and not economics, which will drive U.S. trade engagement in the region.
Exclusion of U.S. ally Taiwan from the arrangement, despite its willingness to join, exhibits USA’s geopolitical caution to call out China and despite Taiwan being eligible on economic merit.

Concerns for India

US’ preference to allow free and open data flows under digital economy pillar will constrict India’s ability to regulate data for domestic purposes.
India might be reluctant to sync its tax policies with the push for a global tax standard amongst US partners to mitigate tax avoidance and evasion.
Labour Standards and non-Tariff barriers will remain a bone of contention for India.

What is the IPCC synthesis report and what does it say?

Context: Climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and planetary health and there is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said in a report.

The current report synthesises findings from three working groups. It also integrates evidence from three special reports during the sixth assessment cycle.

Key observations

Human activities, principally through emissions of greenhouse gases, have unequivocally caused global warming, with global surface temperature reaching 1.1°C above 1850–1900 in 2011–2020.
Global greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase.
Adaptation planning and implementation has progressed across all sectors and regions, with documented benefits and varying effectiveness. Despite progress, adaptation gaps exist, and will continue to grow at current rates of implementation
Global GHG emissions in 2030 implied by nationally determined contributions (NDCs) announced by October 2021 make it likely that warming will exceed 1.5°C during the 21st century and make it harder to limit warming below 2°C.
Climatic and non-climatic risks will increasingly interact, creating compound and cascading risks that are more complex and difficult to manage.
The report, brings in to sharp focus the losses and damages we are already experiencing and will continue into the future, hitting the most vulnerable people and ecosystems especially hard.

Global greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase IPCC

Implications for India

India’s priority should be to minimise loss and damage in terms of lives, livelihood and biodiversity, and accelerate equitable action and adaptation.
It proposes an approach emphasising ‘climate resilient development’.
As a developing country, India can lower its per capita emissions through energy efficiency policies already being implemented in almost every sector.
It can also decarbonise the energy sector by using cleaner options like solar and renewable energy, she added.

About the IPCC

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.
It was established by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide political leaders with periodic scientific assessments about climate change.
The IPCC has 195 member states that are members of the UN or WMO.
The IPCC has three working groups:
- Working Group I, which addresses with the physical science of climate change;
- Working Group II, which focuses on the impact, adaptation and vulnerability associated with climate change; and
- Working Group III, which deals with the mitigation of climate change.
It also has a Task Force on Greenhouse Gas Inventories that develops methodologies for measuring emissions and removals.
IPCC assessments provide governments, at all levels, with scientific information they can use to develop climate policies.
The UN panel does not itself undertake scientific assessments but only evaluates the state of scientific evidence on various aspects of climate change.

About the Sixth Assessment Cycle

The IPCC publishes comprehensive scientific assessments every six to seven years. The previous one, the Fifth Assessment Report, was completed in 2014 and provided the main scientific input to The Paris Agreement.

At its 41nd Session in February 2015, the IPCC decided to produce a Sixth Assessment Report (AR6).

High-speed internet: How will India develop a 6G network?

Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled a vision document for rollout of 6G communications technology in India by 2030.

More on news: For regular users, 6G could be a huge opportunity. At present, the total annual purchase of smartphones is greater than 16 crore smartphones for about 30 crore Indian households, as per the vision document. This means that every household today is buying smartphones at an average of one phone every 2 years. A similar amount is being spent annually on two-wheelers, suggesting that an average Indian finds a personal smartphone as valuable, and necessary, as a personal vehicle.

Introduction to 6G

6G is the next generation of wireless technology that is currently in the research phase and is expected to be commercialized by 2030.

It is expected to offer faster speeds, higher capacity, and lower latency than the current 5G technology.
It is expected to use higher frequency bands than 5G, including terahertz frequencies, to achieve higher data rates.
6G is also expected to be more energy-efficient than 5G, which will help to reduce the carbon footprint of wireless networks.
6G is expected to enable a wide range of new applications, including augmented reality, virtual reality, and the Internet of Things.

Parameter	4G	5G	6G
Frequency	Below 6 GHz	Below 6 GHz and up to 52 GHz	Up to 1 THz
Speed	Up to 1 Gbps	Up to 10 Gbps	Up to 1 Tbps
Latency	10-30 ms	1-5 ms	< 1 ms
Spectrum Efficiency	2-3 bits/Hz	3-4 bits/Hz	30-40 bits/Hz
Network Coverage	Wide-area coverage	Wide-area and local coverage	Wide-area and local coverage
Use Cases	Mobile broadband, video streaming, online gaming	Augmented reality, virtual reality, autonomous driving, smart cities	Advanced augmented reality, virtual reality, holographic communications, brain-computer interfaces
Energy Efficiency	Moderate	Better than 4G	Significantly better than 5G
Standardization	LTE, WiMax	5G NR	Not yet defined

Energy efficiency of 4G, 5G AND 6G

Energy efficiency refers to the amount of energy required to transmit data wirelessly, and it is an important consideration for mobile network operators due to the increasing demand for mobile data services and the need to reduce carbon footprint.

Here's a comparison of the energy efficiency of 4G, 5G, and 6G:

4G: 4G technology is not very energy efficient. It consumes a relatively high amount of energy due to the use of multiple antennas and high-power transmitters. As a result, 4G networks have a high carbon footprint and are not sustainable in the long term.

5G: 5G technology is more energy efficient than 4G due to the use of advanced antenna systems and improved signal processing techniques. 5G networks can also dynamically adjust their power consumption based on the number of connected devices and the data traffic. This leads to a reduction in energy consumption and a lower carbon footprint.

6G: 6G technology is expected to be even more energy efficient than 5G. It will use advanced signal processing algorithms and will be able to dynamically adjust the frequency and power levels based on the specific requirements of each device. In addition, 6G will use high-frequency bands, such as terahertz frequencies, which require less energy to transmit data. As a result, 6G networks are expected to have a significantly lower carbon footprint than 4G and 5G networks.

Overall, the energy efficiency of wireless networks is improving with each new generation of technology, and 6G is expected to be the most energy-efficient wireless technology to date.

Use cases of 6G

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality: 6G can enable more advanced and immersive AR and VR experiences, including real-time holographic communication and 3D mapping.

Internet of Things (IoT): 6G can support a massive number of connected devices, with ultra-low latency and high reliability, enabling a wide range of IoT applications such as smart cities, smart homes, and smart factories.

Autonomous Vehicles: 6G can enable highly reliable and low-latency communication between vehicles and the infrastructure, making it possible to achieve a fully autonomous transportation system.

Telemedicine: 6G can enable remote medical procedures, such as remote surgery, with ultra-low latency and high reliability, making it possible to provide medical services to patients in remote areas.

Environmental Monitoring: 6G can enable real-time monitoring of the environment, including air quality, water quality, and climate change, with a high level of accuracy and precision.

Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs): 6G can enable the development of advanced BCIs, which can connect the human brain directly to the internet, enabling new forms of communication and control.

Quantum Computing: 6G can enable the development of quantum communication and computing, which can revolutionize the way we store and process data.

Overall, 6G has the potential to enable a wide range of applications that were previously impossible or impractical with existing wireless technologies, and it is expected to be a key enabler of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Concerns related to 6G

High carbon footprint: while 6G promises growth, it will simultaneously have to be balanced with sustainability since most 6G supporting communication devices will be battery-powered and can have a significant carbon footprint, the document said.

Shared use of spectrum: The government will have to explore shared use of spectrum, particularly in the higher frequency bands for 6G.

Captive networks: A reassessment and rationalisation of congested spectrum bands, and adoption of captive networks for Industry 4.0 and enterprise use cases will also have to be done.

What is India’s 6G roadmap?

Support to explorative ideas, risky pathways and proof-of-concept tests. Ideas and concepts that show promise and potential for acceptance by the global peer community will be adequately supported to develop them to completion, establish their use cases and benefits, and create implementational IPs and testbeds leading to commercialisation as part of phase two.

The 6G project will be implemented in two phases, and the government has also appointed an apex council to oversee the project and focus on issues such as standardisation, identification of the spectrum for 6G usage, create an ecosystem for devices and systems, and figure out finances for research and development, among other things.

Exploring opening up a few bands to generate demand (for example 450-470 MHz, 526-612 MHz, 31-31.3 GHz, etc.). This requires initiating a new inter-ministerial process of repurposing several bands like that has been done earlier.

To fund research and innovation on 6G, the vision document on 6G has recommended the creation of a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore to facilitate various funding instruments such as grants, loans, VC fund, fund of funds, etc. for the next 10 years.

To decide on standardisation around 6G and related technologies, the document called for India to take on a greater role in various international bodies such as 3GPP, ITU, IEC, and IEEE.

What is India’s immediate action plan?

The government has set up a Bharat 6G project and appointed an apex council to oversee the project and focus on issues such as standardisation, identification of the spectrum for 6G usage, create an ecosystem for devices and systems, and figure out finances for research and development, among other things.

The apex council will facilitate and finance research and development, design and development of 6G technologies by Indian start-ups, companies, research bodies and universities. It will aim to enable India to become a leading global supplier of intellectual property, products and solutions of affordable 6G telecom solutions and identify priority areas for 6G research based on India’s competitive advantages.

A key focus of the council will be on new technologies such as Terahertz communication, radio interfaces, tactile internet, artificial intelligence for connected intelligence, new encoding methods and waveforms chipsets for 6G devices.

The forecast after a fake news campaign in Tamil Nadu

Recently India witnessed an incidence of spread of fake news and subsequent law and order situation in the state of Tamilnadu. As most of the information in India is consumed through social media sources , fake news and its propagation poses biggest threat to democracy as well as internal security of India.

Regulations abroad

The European Union (EU) – It has come up with the Code of Practice on Disinformation 2022. Some of the strengthened initiatives of the EU Code include transparency in political advertising, empowerment of factcheckers and researchers, tools to ﬂag disinformation, and measures to reduce manipulative behaviour.
The United Kingdom - It has proposed enacting an Online Safety Bill which will expect social media platforms (intermediaries) to actively monitor problematic content.
China - China has some of the strictest laws in the world when it comes to misinformation.
France – It passed a legislation in November 2018; this legislation provides for definition of “Fake News”. The legislation gives authorities the power to remove fake content spread via social media and even block the sites that publish it.
Germany - It Has a law, titled (NetzDG), which forces online platforms to remove “obviously illegal” posts within 24 hours or risk fines of up to €50 million.

Regulations in India

India does not have a robust and exclusive framework for curbing the menace of the fake news.
However government by the use of Section 69A of the Information technology Act, 2000, has granted itself greater power to strike down any unpalatable content.
Government has come up with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 , or IT Rules, 2021 to regulate content by online publishers of news and social media intermediaries.
The recent draft amendments to the IT Rules, 2021, empowers the Press Information Bureau, which functions under the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to ‘ﬂag inaccurate and fake news related to government bodies on social media platforms’ amounts to disinformation.

Supreme Court judgement
In Tehseen S. Poonawalla vs Union of India (2018) case, Supreme Court held that it is duty of central and state governments to take steps for curbing the dissemination of fake/ objectionable content.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (INTERMEDIARY GUIDELINES AND DIGITAL MEDIA ETHICS) RULES, 2021

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics) Rules, 2021 to regulate IT intermediaries such as Twitter, Facebook and digital media outlets. While many IT intermediaries have complied to these rules Twitter has failed to comply with them.

NEED FOR REGULATING IT INTERMEDIARIES

IT intermediaries and social media sites have come to play a prominent role in the globalised era as it provides a forum for citizens across the globe to share information and ideas in real time.
IT intermediaries contend that the information posted by users on them is by citizens and they do not have any liability as the information posted is so large pool of people and from across the globe.
Communications Decency Act of USA gives immunity to social media platforms for content posted on them. In India, the IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules, 2011 gave this immunity to social media platforms.
The present rules update the earlier rules and introduce a soft touch self-regulatory mechanism for use of the social media.

This is justified since:

(a) Similar protection is not available for newspapers, magazines or websites. Social media companies have argued that they do not have editorial control to regulate control. However, social media companies have increasingly carrying out interventions to regulate content. E.g., Banning posts of President Trump of USA.

(b) Freedom of speech under the constitution is subject to reasonable restriction Article 19(2). Thus, social media platforms too can be regulated under the Constitutional scheme.

(c) Due to growing importance of social media platforms, they can be considered as a public utility serving a public function. Hence, some sort RIGHTS & RESERVATIONS of regulation is necessary from security point of view.

(d) To check the misuse and protection of citizens.

(e) Right of the sovereign to regulate communications.

CONCERNS HIGHLIGHTED ON IT RULES

Privacy versus National Security - The rules only make superficial attempts at balancing privacy and security interests as security interests are being given primacy over both civil liberty interests as well as economic interests.
Breaking End-to-end Encryption - The traceability obligation in the new rules is problematic as it would amount to breaking end-to-end encryption provided for all users on platforms such as WhatsApp. This will give greater powers of surveillance to state over personal affairs of citizens and tantamount to interference in right to privacy.
Data Theft & Hacking - Breaking of end-to-end encryption will increase chances of data theft and hacking.
Traceability clause capable of misuse - The rule as it’s currently drafted is vague and this allows the government to use traceability power in a broad way and therefore open to misuse. Thus, to use traceability powers, court must clarify the grounds and circumstances for its use by state authorities.
Guidelines against law on Subordinate Legislation - Ability to issue rules under a statute or law, to frame subordinate legislation, is by its nature a limited and constrained power. The current rules go beyond the realm of Information Technology Act, and thus in the garb of rulemaking, government has rather come up with primary set of legislation.
Rules have created new term in the Parent Act: Executive has created new term “significant social media intermediaries” which has not been defined in the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Limited Purview of IT Act - Regarding digital news and media portals, the purview of the Information Technology Act, 2000, is limited. It only extends to the blocking of websites and intermediary liabilities framework but does not extend to content authors and creators.
Rules have added New Chapter on Registration of Digital News Sites before the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Such provisions are absent in the parent Act.Pressure on Tech Companies - Platforms can also be arm-twisted into building in what’s called weakness by design into their product.

National party tag: Election Commission holds hearings with NCP, CPI, TMC

Context: Election commission is reviewing the status of National parties , which has been accorded to various political partis under the exercise of powers described under The Election Symbols (Reservation And Allotment) Order, 1968.

The Election Symbols (Reservation And Allotment) Order, 1968

Para 6A deals with Conditions for recognition as a State Party ;
Para 6B deals with the Conditions for recognition as a National Party
Para 6C delas with Conditions for continued recognition as a National or State party.

Conditions for recognition as a State Party (6A)

A political party shall be eligible for recognition as a State party in a State, if, and only if, any of the following conditions is fulfilled

At the last general election to the Legislative Assembly of the State, the candidates set up by the party have secured not less than six percent of the total valid votes polled in the State; and, in addition, the party has returned at least two members to the Legislative Assembly of that State at such general election; or
At the last general election to the House of the People from that State, the candidates set up by the party have secured not less than six percent of the total valid votes polled in the State; and, in addition, the party has returned at least one member to the House of the People from that State at such general election; or
At the last general election to the Legislative Assembly of the State, the party has won at least three percent of the total number of seats in the Legislative Assembly, or at least three seats in the Assembly, whichever is more; or
At the last general election to the House of the People from the State, the party has returned at least one member to the House of the People for every 25 members or any fraction thereof allotted to that State;] or
At the last general election to the House of the People from the State, or at the last general election to the Legislative Assembly of the State, the candidates set up by the Party have secured not less than eight percent of the total valid votes polled in the State.

Conditions for recognition as a National Party (6B)

A political party shall be eligible to be recognized as National party, if, and only if, any of the following conditions is fulfilled

The candidates set up by the party, in any four or more States, at the last general election to the House of the People, or to the Legislative Assembly of the State concerned, have secured not less than six percent of the total valid votes polled in each of those States at that general election; and, in addition, it has returned at least four members to the House of the People at the aforesaid last general election from any State or States; or
At the last general election to the House of the People, the party has won at least two percent of the total number of seats in the House of the People, and the party’s candidates have been elected to that House from not less than three States; or
The party is recognized as State party in at least four States.

Conditions for continued recognition as a National or State party (6C)

If a political party is recognised as a State party under paragraph 6A, or as a National party under paragraph 6B, the question whether it shall continue to be so recognised after any subsequent general election to the House of the People or, as the case may be, to the Legislative Assembly of the State concerned, shall be dependent upon the fulfilment by it of the conditions specified in the said paragraphs on the results of that general election.

As per the Election Commission of India at present there are seven political parties which are the status of recognised National Parties.

All India Trinamool Congress
Bahujan Samaj Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Indian National Congress
Nationalist Congress Party

Significance of being recognised as National or State Parties

Apart from those recognised as state or national party , the other parties are simply declared as registered-unrecognised parties.
RPA allows political parties to accept contributions voluntarily offered to it by any person or company other than a government company.
Candidates of registered parties get preference in allotment of election symbols. Other Candidates are identified as independents and do not get preference in symbol allocation.
If a party is recognised as a State Party’, it is entitled for exclusive allotment of its reserved symbol to the candidates set up by it in the State in which it is so recognised.
If a party is recognised as a `National Party’ it is entitled for exclusive allotment of its reserved symbol to the candidates set up by it throughout India.
Recognised `State’ and `National’ parties need only one proposer for filing the nomination and are also entitled for two sets of electoral rolls free of cost at the time of revision of rolls and their candidates get one copy of electoral roll free of cost during General Elections.
They get broadcast/telecast facilities over Akashvani/Doordarshan during general elections.
A recognized National or State party can have a maximum of 40 “Star campaigners” and a registered un-recognised party can nominate a maximum of 20 ‘Star Campaigners”. The travel expenses of star campaigners are not to be accounted for in the election expense accounts of candidates of their party.

Initiatives for sustainable development in the aviation sector and reduce carbon emissions at airports

Context: India's aviation sector has experienced rapid growth in recent years, leading to an increase in carbon emissions from airports. Ministry of Civil Aviation has taken a number of initiatives to promote sustainable development in the aviation sector and reduce carbon emissions at airports.

Emissions from Airports

Airport greenhouse gas emissions fall into three categories: Scope 1 (from sources owned/controlled by airport), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from purchased energy), and Scope 3 (indirect emissions beyond airport's control). Scope 1 accounts for 5% and Scope 2 for 95% of emissions. This has led to increased efforts to make airports more eco-friendly and green.

What is Green Airport?

A green airport refers to an airport that adopts sustainable measures to mitigate its ecological impact and encourage sustainable growth. These airports strive to curtail their carbon footprint, preserve natural resources such as energy and water, and cut down on waste and emissions.

Initiatives by MoCA taken for reduction of Green House Gases(GHG) in airspace

Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA): Due to Flexible Use of Airspace, cumulative reduction in carbon emission of approx. 90,000 tCO2 in addition to cumulative saving of approx.
Implementation of Central Air Traffic Flow Management (C-ATFM): This management technique is helping to manage air traffic flows strategically in the Indian sky. It has helped to ensure reduced delays & holding and optimisation of capacity, leading to reduction in fuel consumption and GHG emissions. India became the 7th country in the world (after USA, Europe, Australia, South Africa, Japan and Brazil) to implement the Air Traffic Flow Control Measures across the country.

Airports Council International - Global Framework

The Airports Council International (ACI) has launched the Airport Carbon Accreditation program, which is a globally recognised carbon management certification program for airports of all sizes, including general aviation and freight-focused airports.

The program helps airports to assess their carbon emissions, develop a carbon management plan, and reduce their carbon footprint. It offers six levels of certification that acknowledge airports' different stages of carbon management and uses internationally recognised methodologies.

The program provides measurable goals, flexibility to account for national or local requirements and helps airports benefit from increased efficiency and lowered energy consumption.

About International Civil Aviation Organization

It is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth.
Its core function is to maintain an administrative and expert bureaucracy to research new air transport policy and standardization innovations.
It defines the protocols for air accident investigation that are followed by transport safety authorities in countries signatory to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.
Its headquarters are located in the Quartier International of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

ICAO’s CORSIA initiative

It is the first global market-based measure for any sector and represents a cooperative approach that moves away from a “patchwork” of national or regional regulatory initiatives.
It offers a harmonized way to reduce emissions from international aviation, minimizing market distortion, while respecting the special circumstances and respective capabilities of ICAO Member States.
CORSIA complements the other elements of the basket of measures by offsetting the amount of CO2 emissions that cannot be reduced through the use of technological improvements, operational improvements, and sustainable aviation fuels with emissions units from the carbon market.

Steps taken by the MoCA for encouraging usage of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

Airlines can either use Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) or offset their emissions by purchasing carbon credits from ICAO approved Emissions Unit Programmes.
To realize the goals of decarbonization of Aviation Sector, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas constituted a Bio-Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) Programme Committee to take forward the Bio-ATF programme in the country to promote use of clean fuels.
SpiceJet, a private Indian carrier, had conducted a demonstration flight with Bombardier Q400 aircraft in August 2018 using bio-fuel blended with ATF (in the ratio of 25:75) in one engine.
As on date, Airbus and Boeing aircraft are capable of flying with up to a 50% blend of SAF. Both the manufacturers aim to enable 100% SAF capability by 2030.
Clean Skies for Tomorrow (CST) is an initiative of World Economic Forum to help the aviation sector move towards net-zero emissions by accelerating the use of sustainable aviation fuels.

Achievements by India

Delhi and Mumbai airports, the top two major airports in the country, have achieved the highest Level 4+ Carbon Accreditation of ACI.
Hyderabad and Bengaluru have also achieved the status of being Carbon Neutral (Level 3+).
Cochin Airport is the first green airport in the world, fully powered by solar energy. (Prelims 2022)
Almost all the major airports have Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) installed at their sites and at remaining airports the STPs are being installed.

Targets

Most of the Airports have given the target of achieving 100% use of Green Energy by 2024 and Net Zero by 2030.
AAI has given targets to achieve 100% Green Energy at its remaining operational airports by 2024.

Conclusion

Tackling carbon emissions from airports requires a coordinated and collaborative effort from all stakeholders, including technological innovation, policy and regulatory frameworks.

With concerted efforts, it is possible to mitigate the environmental impact of air travel while continuing to enjoy its many benefits.

Commission for Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF)

CONTEXT: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday said that it had taken up, with the Commission for Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF), the serious shortcomings and mistakes committed in reaching the “unfounded and perfunctory” decision to remove the Red Notice against fugitive Mehul Choksi. It has initiated measures to get the Interpol notice restored.

About Commission for Control of Interpol’s

The CCF is an independent body that ensures that all personal data processed through INTERPOL’s channels conforms to the rules of the Organization. It is not under the control of the Interpol Secretariat.

Role of the CCF

The Commission has three functions, as defined in Interpol’s Constitution

A supervisory role - under which it monitors the application of the Organization's data protection rules to personal data processed by Interpol

An Advisory role - under it advises the Organization with regard to any operations or projects concerning the processing of personal information

A Processing role - It processes requests for access and deletion to files and applications for revision.

Structure

The CCF comprises seven members appointed for a five-year term, renewable once for an additional term of three years.

Members are appointed because of their expertise, and in such a way as to allow the CCF to carry out its mission completely independently. They are generally lawyers with experience and/or expertise in the following fields:

Data-protection;
International police matters, in particular international police cooperation;
International criminal law;
Human rights;
Senior judicial or prosecutorial role, preferably in international judicial cooperation.

To perform its functions, the Commission directly consults the INTERPOL General Secretariat, National Central Bureaus and other relevant entities.

What are the main principles in INTERPOL’s rules that are applicable to the CCF?

The main principles set out in INTERPOL’s rules are the following:

Respect of fundamental human rights.
Neutrality.
National sovereignty.
Respect of data protection principles - primarily lawfulness and fairness, purpose, accuracy, access, proportionality, security, supervision and sanction, and non-discrimination.

About INTERPOL

Interpol stands for International Criminal Police Organization, an inter-governmental organization. It has 194 member countries and helps police in all of them to work together to make the world a safer place.

In each country, an INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) provides a central point of contact for General Secretariat and other NCBs. An NCB is run by national police officials and usually sits in the government ministry responsible for policing.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is designated as the National Central Bureau of India. INTERPOL Notices are international requests for cooperation or alerts allowing police in member countries to share critical crime-related information.
Notices are published by the General Secretariat at the request of a National Central Bureau and are made available to all our member countries.
Headquarters - LYON, FRANCE

Decision Making: General Assembly takes decisions. Each member country represented has one vote. Decision-making process is made by either a simple or two-thirds majority, depending on the subject matter.

Funding :

There are two main sources of income:

Statutory contributions from our membership: Each of our member countries pays a statutory contribution to INTERPOL each year; it is an obligatory payment. This contribution is based on economic weight.
Voluntary funding for our activities: Most of the voluntary funding comes from government agencies, notably those responsible for policing, but there were also smaller contributions from international and non- governmental organizations, foundations and private entities.

Global Complex for Innovation

Based in Singapore since 2015, the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation is the centre of our activities in cybercrime, research and development, and capacity building. It also provides an Asian base for the Organization in several crime areas.

Interpol Metaverse

Interpol has developed its own virtual reality space to help users train and attend virtual meetings. This new virtual reality space can be only accessed through secure servers. It helps police officers to experience Metaverse, offering them an idea of what crimes could take place and how they could be handled in future.

India’s Performance as the Non-permanent member of UNSC

CONTEXT:India concluded its eighth stint in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) at the end of December 2022. And, by any yardstick, its two-year stint has been unprecedented.

India focused inter alia on maritime security, terrorism, UN peacekeeping, reformed multilateralism and the Global South. India was elected Chair of three important UNSC Committees: the Taliban Sanctions Committee, Libyan Sanctions Committee and Counter-terrorism Committee.

Following were the achievements of India at the end of two year tenure.

On Maritime security

As the head of UNSC meeting on maritime security the presidential Statement issued was the first holistic document on this issue which, for the first time, had a direct reference to UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as international law setting out the legal framework in the context of maritime activities. The statement also called for freedom of navigation, anti-piracy and combating terror and transnational crime at sea.

On Myanmar

In Myanmar the military coup took place. The Permanent-5 (P-5) were pulling in opposing directions while the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) counselled caution. India shares a nearly 1,700 kilometre-long border with Myanmar and it was vital to stop violence, bring in stability and ensure democratic processes went forward. India ensured balanced and comprehensive Council pronouncements, which finally culminated in a resolution on Myanmar

On Afghanistan

In Afghanistan Taliban took over the control. India was able to steer the negotiations which resulted in UNSC Resolution 2593 laying down benchmarks: on stopping cross-border terrorism from Afghan soil, including from proscribed UN terrorist entities in Pakistan; protecting the rights of women, minorities and children; ensuring an inclusive government, and providing humanitarian assistance.

On Terrorism

As Chair of the UNSC Counter-terrorism Committee (CTC), India brought the CTC meeting to India in October 2022. Though India’s attempt to list terrorists under UNSC Resolution 1267 sanctions (along with the U.S.) was thwarted, in a significant development, the proposal to list Abdul Rehman Makki, Deputy Amir/Chief of the Lashkar-e-Taiba was approved by the UNSC.

On Peacekeeping

India launched the UNITE Aware technology platform to strengthen real-time protection of peacekeepers.

India introduced UNSC resolution, calling for accountability for crimes against peacekeepers.

India also gifted two lakh vaccines to all UN peacekeepers.

On Global South

India thwarted a move by the West to wrest climate change from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change-led process and bring it under the ambit of the UNSC, where the P-5 are also major historical polluters. The draft resolution was defeated in the Council when India and Russia voted against. A change in the climate change architecture would have shut out the voice of the Global South, especially Small Island Developing States.

The conclusion under the India’s Presidency was the need for immediate reform of the Council. India’s performance over two years is testimony to why India needs to be at the horseshoe table permanently.

PRELIMS POINTER

About Unite Aware

India, in collaboration with the UN, launched a technology platform to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers who are operating in an increasingly complex and risky environments across the world. For the project India contributed USD 1.64 million.

It is a situational awareness software programme that will utilise modern surveillance technology for real time threat assessments to peacekeepers and help them enhance their security.
This will access live video and satellite imagery, and in very volatile circumstances can also deliver early warnings to peacekeepers. It can also record data on critical incidents and events and follow daily operational activities.
Using the platform, the entire peacekeeping operation can be visualised, coordinated, and monitored on a real time basis.
India has developed the technology platform in partnership with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Operational Support.

Initial roll out

India has partnered with the UN to roll out the UNITE Aware platform initially in four UN Peacekeeping Missions: MINUSMA (Mali), UNMISS (South Sudan), UNFICYP (Cyprus) and AMISOM (Somalia).

About UNSC

United Nations Security Council

Security Council has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for maintenance of international peace and security.
It has 15 Members (5 permanent and 10 non- permanent members). Each Member has one vote.
Elections of Non-Permanent Members of UNSC: Each year the UN General Assembly elects 5 non- permanent members (out of total 10 non-permanent members) for a two-year term. The 10 non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis: Five for African & Asian States; One for Eastern European States; Two for Latin American & Caribbean States; Two for Western European and other States.

A retiring member is not eligible for immediate re-election.

The election is held by a secret ballot and there are no nominations. Non-permanent members of the UNSC are elected by two-thirds majority in UNGA. (India was elected as the non-permanent member of the UN Security Council on January 1, 2021. Term of India as non-permanent member ended on December 31, 2022. India has earlier been a non-permanent member of the Security Council in 1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1991-92 and 2011-12.)
UN Security Council is organised to be able to function as continuous body. Meetings of UNSC are held at the call of the President of UNSC at any time he deems necessary, but that interval between meetings shall not exceed 14 days.
Under the Charter, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions.
PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS: Consist of military, police and civilian personnel, who work to deliver security, political and early peacebuilding support. They are usually led by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and many although not all – peacekeeping operations have a Chapter VII mandate.

In addition, peacekeeping operations, as opposed to other missions, have a military or international police presence in the field.

Fiscal Deficit

Context: The Centre will rein in the fiscal deficit at the targeted 6.4% of the gross domestic product in the current financial year despite some likely variations in revenues and expenditures from the respective revised estimates.

How will the Fiscal Deficit be reigned?

Government is on track to achieve the fiscal deficit target for FY23.
Sustained revenue buoyancy over the last 2 years.
Increasing average monthly gross GST collections.
Modest growth in debt-to-GDP (%) for India will reduce future interest liabilities.
Positive growth-interest rate differential keeps Government debt sustainable.

Challenges in Meeting Fiscal Deficit Targets

Likely shortfall in tax revenues given the large Budget with several spending and revenue collection heads.
Increase in Government’s expenditure: It was increased by Rs 2.42 trillion or 6.14% to Rs 41.87 trillion in the RE from the budget estimate (BE) of Rs 39.44 trillion, to cater to higher revenue expenditure on subsidies, including that on food and fertilisers.

About Fiscal Deficit

Fiscal deficit is the difference between the government's total expenditure and its total receipts excluding borrowing.
Fiscal deficit arises due to either increase in expenditure or shortfall in revenues.
Fiscal deficit can be financed through borrowing from domestic and foreign sources or by printing money. The borrowing can be either from the central bank of the country, or raising money from capital markets by issuing different instruments like treasury bills and bonds

Implications for the economy:

By printing new currency: But printing money in excess of what is justified for the growth of 'real' national income will lead to inflationary trends which will be a burden on the people. If deficit financing is maintained at a steady money level, it may not lead to 'spiral inflation' but will lead to price rise. The price rise can be minimised by either reducing the scale of deficit financing or imposing price control
Borrowings from domestic sources: It consist of market borrowings, small savings of households, state provident funds and term loans from financial institutions. Financing by borrowing can be unsustainable if the interest rate involved exceeds the growth rate of GDP.
Non-productive current expenditure: If the borrowings are high and they are utilised for financing activities which give zero or low returns, the burden of interest payments will be unsustainable. The non-productive current expenditures will give rise to higher revenue deficits
Reducing capital expenditure: If debt service payments form a high proportion of both revenues and expenditures, other activities of the government will suffer. Since expenditures on wages and salaries, defence expenditures, pensions, food subsidies, etc. are all committed expenditures, the main casualty will be capital expenditures in social and infrastructural spheres.
Crowding out private investment: A high fiscal deficit, even if sustainable, will 'crowd out' private investment and adversely affect growth. Such impact on growth of GDP will be more direct and severe if the borrowings lead to unproductive public consumption.
High interest rates: A continued high level of public borrowing will put pressure on the interest rates. In order to finance the government deficit, the central bank (RBI in India) will have to keep the level of reserves high on deposits in commercial banks. This will necessitate banks to have higher margins on their commercial and lending activities thereby subjecting the rest of the economy to high interest rates.

Implications on macroeconomic stability

The effect of fiscal policy on economic growth has for long been a subject of debate in economic theory, empirical research, and economic policymaking.
Rising budget deficit has been considered as one of the main constraints on economic growth in developing economies.
Economists have generally agreed that large and persistent fiscal deficits are inimical to good macroeconomic performance.
As pointed out earlier, such deficits tend to crowd out private investment and increase inflationary potential.
It would also weaken the balance of payments position, make financial sector reforms more difficult and impose a burden of debt on future generations.

Implications on Economy

Though the fiscal deficit financed by domestic borrowing will result in increased government investment at the cost of private investment. But government spending will lead to an increase in aggregate demand and expansion of the economy.
As the economy expands, the private sector and businesses will find it profitable to ramp up production to meet the rising consumer demand.
JM Keynes, the Cambridge economist, advocated deficit spending by the State during the Great Depression of the 1930s as a means of overcoming depression. He argued that in a period of recession, public spending would stimulate aggregate demand for goods and services and counter unemployment and deflation. The government spending or 'pump-priming', as it is referred to, will stimulate private spending, which in turn would lead to economic expansion. This approach was adopted by Franklin Roosevelt, the US President through his 'New Deal' programme to overcome the debilitating effects of the depression of 1930's.
After the Second World War, many of the newly independent countries, including India, which embarked on economic development and were faced with paucity of financial resources, resorted to deficit financing to meet developmental needs.

Need for fiscal prudence

The dilemma faced in promoting economic growth and welfare is whether this is best achieved by the government itself, on the Keynesian approach of spending more than what it earns, or by restraining its expenditure to make space for private investment and market forces.
Profligate spending and slippage in fiscal deficit target will end up in high inflation and retarded growth.
Against this background, adhering to a policy of fiscal prudence and reducing fiscal deficit assumes importance.
The government must strive to keep the deficit under control so as not to hamper growth. Expenditure ought to be within limits to avoid massive deficits leading to debt financing and the crowding-out effect of private investment.
If deficits become unsustainable, it can lead to higher interest liabilities, and the government may well even have to default.

Counter-cyclical measures

In the event of business cycles, with ups and downs affecting the economy, macroeconomic stability will call for a counter-cyclical policy stance, i.e., allow the deficit to go up when growth dips below the desired level, and contain it when growth spikes above the norm.
Most advanced economies and several emerging market economies now target structural deficit, which serves as an automatic counter-cyclical stabiliser. The structural deficit is the deficit consistent with sustainable public debt under conditions of normal growth. The actual deficit is allowed to exceed or fall below this target when growth is too low or too high.
Maintaining fiscal deficit as targeted is crucial for sustained economic growth. Lower fiscal deficit leads to lower interest rates and higher investment and growth. In exceptional circumstances such as the global financial crisis of 2007-08 which led to the 'Great Recession, fiscal stimulus may be required to counter recessionary trends even breaching the deficit target.

India’s Record in Managing Fiscal Deficit

Since the early years of planning in the 1950s, the Government of India adopted deficit financing as a means to mobilise resources necessary for the five-year plans as the levels of outlays were of such an order which could not be met only by taxation and borrowing from the public or external aid.
Also, in the early phase of planning, the private sector was not in a position to provide the necessary investment for industrialisation. Hence the government had to undertake investment in the public sector to develop the core sector of basic and heavy industries. This necessitated resorting to deficit financing.

Economic growth and Fiscal Deficit

Prudent fiscal management requires that revenue receipts not only meet revenue expenditures, but also generate surplus to finance the Plan and other capital and development outlays.
But all through the 1980's, the government revenues fell short of expenditure. The fiscal imbalance persisted and worsened during the 1980's, and the gross fiscal deficit surged to 8% by the end of the decade.
Another disturbing trend was that almost throughout the 1980s, non-development expenditure increased faster than development outlays which meant that long-term development of the country received less priority. The persistent fiscal imbalances accentuated inflationary pressures.
These and the critical foreign exchange position towards the end of 1980s and the early 1990's forced India to launch radical reform measures.
With determined effort at fiscal consolidation, the central government brought down the combined deficit of the Centre and the states by the mid-1990s.
But later, instances such as hikes in salaries of government employees at both the Centre and the states, increase in subsidies, and payments to farmers towards debt relief made the government's task of adhering to fiscal deficit targets challenging.

The FRBM Act and Fiscal prudence

An important step towards ensuring fiscal prudence was the enactment of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act in 2003 which mandates the Central Government to ensure equity in fiscal management and long term macro-economic stability.
The Act streamlined the Budget presentation process and helped to enforce fiscal discipline.
There was a view that instead of fixed fiscal deficit targets, it would be better to have a fiscal deficit 'range' as the target which would give necessary policy space to the government to deal with unforeseen and dynamic situations such as natural calamities or volatile global economic conditions which would have adverse repercussions on the economy.
Committee on FRBM Act: Therefore, in 2016, an Expert Committee, headed by N.K. Singh was set up to review the implementation of the Act. The Committee made the following important recommendations:
- Public debt to GDP ratio should act as the medium-term anchor for fiscal policy. Combined debt-to-GDP ratio of the centre and states should be brought down to 60% by 2023 (40%- Centre, 20%- States).
- Fiscal deficit as the operating target. Fiscal deficit should be reduced from 3.5% (2017) to 2.5% by 2023. This will help achieve the public debt target of 40% for the centre by 2023.
- Formation of Fiscal Council to do fiscal analysis round the year, advise the government on any corrective action needed and advise if conditions exist Justify triggering the 'escape clauses’ for deviating from the fiscal deficit target.
- Escape Clause to accommodate counter cyclical issues: Flexibility in fiscal deficit target (0.5%) to deal with economic instabilities.

Fiscal deficit: The real picture

A key concern is that the fiscal deficit numbers, put out by the government, do not present the true picture of public finances. Though the deficit has been brought down over the years, the government's off-budget borrowings have increased manifold.
There is a problem with budget data because the central government overstates the receipts and understates the expenditures figures. The government borrows funds using off-budget' methods which enable it to finance capital and revenue expenditures while seemingly adhering to deficit targets.
For instance, fertiliser subsidies are cleared through special banking arrangements; irrigation schemes are financed through borrowings by NABARD and power projects through Power Finance Corporation.
Further, instead of paying the food subsidy bill during the current year, the central government carries it over to the following year which creates future liabilities and also adds to interest payment liabilities This leaves the fiscal deficit figures cited in Union budgets questionable.
These aspects have been pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) also.

Conclusion:

Some experts suggest that during a prolonged slowdown in the economy, there is a need for a public expenditure-led booster to revive demand even if it means breaching the fiscal deficit target.
While the need for stimulating growth is paramount, there is a limit to which fiscal deficit may be stretched. The consequences of breaching the deficit target could be severe and it may last over a long period. It will also take longer to bring the debt-GDP ratio to the prescribed limit.
The longer also will be the period during which interest payments claim an unduly large portion of revenue receipt In view of these considerations, it would be prudent to adhere to the path of fiscal discipline and fiscal deficit targets, save in exceptional situations of economic slowdown or recession requiring stimulus, or to meet other unforeseen contingency as pointed out by the Committee on FRBM Act.