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Indian Institute of Astrophysics researchers develop low-cost star sensor

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have developed a low-cost star sensor for astronomy and CubeSat and other small satellite missions in the future.

About the star-sensor:

The star sensor named Starberry-Sense can help small CubeSat class satellite missions find their orientation in space.
Based on commercial/off-the-shelf components, this star sensor costs less than 10% of those available in the market. The brain of the instrument is a single-board Linux computer called Raspberry Pi.

Star-sensor:

The star sensor is essentially a celestial compass. Any satellite needs to know where it is pointed in space, and the instrument used for this purpose is called a star sensor.

The position of stars in the sky is fixed relative to each other and can be used as a stable reference frame to calculate the orientation of a satellite in orbit. This is done by correctly identifying the stars in the sky towards which the star sensor is pointed.

‘herSTART’

What is herSTART?

It is a platform to encourage women entrepreneurs.

Purpose:

e-certificate to all participants
Mentorship and guidance and networking support
Up to 2 years of incubation support at GUSEC
Access to government grants (a monthly allowance of ₹20,000 for up to one year for women-led Startups) and funds
Dedicated co-working space for women
Up to $1000k in cloud credits
Single window startup support
Technology Resources

Launched by: Government of India

Protection of the ecology of western ghats

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Environment Ministry to file its counter-affidavit to a petition filed by a minor, M. Kaviya, a resident of Nilgiris, seeking judicial intervention to protect the Western Ghats from destruction.

Several environmental activists and NGOs such as the Goa Foundation and Peaceful Society, Bandora, from across six Western Ghats States have joined hands with Ms Kaviya to seek judicial intervention to reinstate the recommendations of the Dr Madhav Gadgil led Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel’s report.

Intergenerational Inequality

Ms Kaviya and seven other children have sought “justice in terms of intergenerational equity”, saying that unbridled “development” in the ancient mountain system would leave their generation without a future or a livelihood.

They have sought an “effective, sustainable and credible conservation regime for the Western Ghats, its diverse ecosystems and ecologically sensitive zones”.

Importance of western ghat

Goa Foundation said the petition concerned a total land area of 1,29,037 sq. km. While 50 million people were directly dependent on the Western Ghats and its ecology, another 200 million were indirectly dependent. The future of the entire southern India was intimately linked with the healthy survival of the Western Ghats.

Gadgil committee recommendations: It recommended variable protection to 100% area of western ghats i.e., Protected areas, ESZ1, ESZ2, ESZ3.

ESZ1 almost all developmental activities to be restricted in it.

It asked for a bottom-up approach rather than a top-down approach to planning.

It also asked for decentralisation and more powers to local authorities.

It recommended constituting a statutory body Western Ghat Ecology Authority under EPA 1986 at central and state levels.

Problems with the Gadgil report:

Its recommendations were not realistic in nature as it limits the developmental need of the country

Hence government constituted a new committee under Kasturi Rangan and it recommended (2013):

Only 37% area of the western ghats is under ESA.

Highly polluting industries should be banned by ESA.

No thermal power is allowed and hydropower projects are allowed only after a detailed study.

Mining in ESA areas should be phased out within the next five years or at the time of the expiry of the mining lease, whichever is earlier.

But this report has many lacunas;

It gave more power to bureaucrats as compared to local bodies.

Many fear that farmers would get evicted if the Kasturi Rangan Committee report is implemented. Under this report, the mining and quarry lobbies are expected to flourish. When these lobbies and tourism flourish, it will be disastrous to the environment.

The panel used remote sensing and aerial survey methods for zonal demarcation of land in the western ghats it led to the inclusion of ecologically non-sensitive areas under ESA and left out many ecologically sensitive areas.

Due to erroneous recommendations of the Kasturi Rangan report, people turned violent due to fear of their eviction if their village fall under the purview of ESA (123 villages were under ESA as per Kasturi Rangan report), hence Kerala’s CM (Oommen Chandy) appointed another committee to study the Kasturi Rangan Report.

Recommendations of Oommen Chandy report:

It recommended stopping land acquisition proceedings according to the Kasturi Rangan committee report.

Exclusion of inhabited regions and plantations from the purview of ecologically sensitive areas while the Kasturi Rangan report had said 123 villages fall under ESA purview.

MoEF recently came out with the order barring mining in ecologically fragile areas (EFA not to be confused with ESA), setting up of thermal power plants and restricting buildings to less than 20,000 sq. ft in 123 villages mentioned in the Kasturi Rangan report.

Maharashtra, U.P. among 7 States to get textile parks

Centre has selected sites to set up new textile parks, a year and a half after the PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) scheme was announced.

More about News:

The Indian government has selected sites in seven states to establish new textile parks under the PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel scheme. The parks will offer state-of-the-art infrastructure for the textile sector and generate investment and jobs. The initiative will be a model of the government's 'Make in India' and 'Make for the World' policies, and is expected to attract INR70,000 crore ($9.3bn) of investment and provide jobs for 20 lakh (2 million) people. The parks will offer a complete textiles value chain, from spinning to garment manufacturing, all in one location. To provide extra benefits to the master developer and investor units, the facilitation of convergence with other Government of India schemes will also be ensured.

About PM MITRA Scheme:

PM MITRA (Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel) Scheme was launched in 2021 by Ministry of Textiles to strengthen the Indian textile industry with a total outlay of ₹4,445 crore for five years.
The aim is to develop integrated large scale and modern industrial infrastructure facility for entire value-chain of the textile industry.
It is inspired by 5F Vision i.e. Farm to fibre; fibre to factory; factory to fashion; fashion to foreign.
Scope: Setup 7 (PM MITRA) Parks in Greenfield/Brownfield sites in partnership with the willing State Governments.
Incentives to MITRA Parks:
For a Greenfield PM MITRA park, Development Capital Support will be 30% of the Project Cost, with a cap of ₹500 Cr.
For Brownfield sites, Development Capital Support @30% of project cost of balance infrastructure with a cap of Rs. 200 Crore.
A Competitive Incentive Support (CIS) up to ₹300 crore per park to the units in PM MITRA Park shall also be provided to incentivise speedy implementation.
PM MITRA park will be developed by a Special Purpose Vehicle which will be owned by State Government and Government of India in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Mode. SPV will focus on expanding the PM MITRA Park, Skill Development of workers and other Welfare measures.

Significance of PM MITRA Scheme:

It will enhance the competitiveness of the textiles industry, by helping it in achieving economies of scale and will create huge job opportunities for millions of people and it will help Indian companies to emerge as Global Champions.
It will further help in reducing the logistics cost by developing large scale integrated value chain.
World-class industrial infrastructure would attract cutting age technology and boost FDI and local investment in the textiles sector.
It is envisaged to help India in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9 (“Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”).

The PM MITRA will serve as a unique model to foster collaboration between the Central and State governments to enhance investment, encourage innovation, generate employment prospects, and ultimately establish India as a global hub for textile manufacturing and exports.

Zojila Pass

In record 68 days, the BRO has opened the Zojila Pass. The snow clearance operations- Project Beacon and Project Vijayak were undertaken.

Zojila Pass

Located in the Greater Himalayan Range.
Acts as a gateway between Union Territories- Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir.
The pass connects the Kashmir Valley to its west with the Dras and Suru valleys to its northeast and the Indus valley further east.
It is the second-highest pass after Fotu La.
History: At the time of the Indo-Pakistani War in 1947, this pass was seized by the Pakistani raiders in 1948 while they were in the wake of capturing Ladakh. On 1st November, the pass was captured by Indian forces under Operation Bison.
The Beacon Force unit and the Vijayak Force unit of the BRO are responsible for the clearing and maintenance of the road during winter.
Note: Zoji La tunnel- The project was approved by the government in 2018. Construction was inaugurated by Prime Minister in May 2018. When completed, it will be the longest bidirectional tunnel in Asia.

Border Roads Organisation

The BRO was constituted in 1960.
To secure India's borders and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and north-east states of the country.
It is a road construction executive force in India that provides support to the Indian Armed Forces. It is an integral part of Army.
Motto: “Shramena Sarvam Sadhyam” (Everything is achievable through hardwork)
In order to ensure coordination and expeditious execution of projects, the Government of India set up the Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) with the Prime Minister as Chairman of the board and with the Defence Minister as Deputy chairman.
Brought under the Ministry of Defence in 2015.
Officers are selected through the Indian Engineering Services (IES) Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Role of the BRO

In Peace: Develop & Maintain the Operational Road Infrastructure of General Staff in the Border Areas. Contribute to the Socio-Economic Development of the Border States.
In War: To Develop & Maintain Roads to Keep Line of Control through in Original Sectors and Re-Deployed Sectors. To Execute additional Tasks as laid down by the Govt Contributing to the War Effort.
Project Beacon and Vijayak- To ensure connectivity for strategic requirements of Defence forces and also local people and management of road infrastructure.

Pennaiyar River water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka

The time limit fixed by the Supreme Court to constitute an Inter-state river water dispute tribunal for the dispute over Pennaiyar River has expired. The settlement could not be achieved through talks.

Context

The Supreme Court's deadline for setting up a tribunal to hear the Inter-State River water dispute over the Pennaiyar River has passed. Negotiations were unsuccessful in reaching a settlement.
Tamil Nadu filed a lawsuit in 2018 against Karnataka's construction of check dams on the river.
The Karnataka government is intending to build a dam on the Markandeya River, which is the major tributary of Pennaiyar River.
Tamil Nadu has thus called for the creation of an Inter-State River Dispute Tribunal.

About Pennaiyar/ Ponnaiyar River

Pennaiyar River is also known as Thenpannai.
Origin: Originates on the eastern slope of Nandidurg Mountain which is located in the Chennakaseva Hills of Karnataka and then it flows through Karnataka to enter Tamil Nadu to finally enter the Bay of Bengal.
As per the Central Water Commission’s Basin Report, Pennaiyar Basin is the second largest interstate East flowing river basin among the 12 basins lying between Pennar and Cauvery basins.
77% drainage basin of the river lies in Tamil Nadu.
Bounded By: Basin of the river is bounded on the North-West and South by various ranges of the Eastern Ghats like the Velikonda Range, the Nagari hills, the Javadu hills, the Shevaroy hills, the Chitteri hills and the Kalrayan hills.
Rocks found in the river Basin:
Archaean rocks- Pyroxene granulites, Quartzite, Ferruginous Quartzite, Amphibolites, Gneiss and Hornblende biotite gneiss with younger intrusive of Pegmatite and Dolerite in the central and western parts.
Cretaceous formations- argillaceous, calcareous sandstone with clay and limestone.
Tertiary formation- sandstones and the formation of river alluvium and coastal alluvium.
Soil types found in its basin: Inceptisols, Alfisols, Entisols and Vertisols.
Pennaiyar river basin lies within the tropical monsoon zone: 1) Monsoon period- June to December and 2) Non-monsoon period- from January to May.
Some tributaries of the river: Markandanadhi, Kambainallur, Pambar, Vaniyar, Kallar, Valayar Odai, Pambanar, Aliyar, Musukundanadhi and Thurinjalar.

Concerns of Tamil Nadu

No exclusive ownership: The flowing water from an Inter-State River is a national asset. Tamil Nadu informed the Supreme Court that Karnataka had no right to exclusively decide on how to use the Pennaiyar's waters.
Karnataka moved forward with the project in a sou-motu manner without disclosing the specifics of its new schemes or projects or obtaining the lower riparian state's consent, which constitutes an infringement on the rights of inhabitants. Any constructions by Karnataka will block natural flows to downstream.
A river also contains its tributaries and streams: The 1892 agreement governs and controls the Markandeyanadhi, which has catchment areas in both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Inter-State Water Disputes Act Violation:Building reservoirs in one of the tributaries of the Pennaiyar River is a breach of the Act.

Arguments by Karnataka:

Karnataka has questioned the maintainability of the suit as well as Tamil Nadu's application. At a cost of Rs 240 crores, Karnataka has been granted permission to construct the dam over the Markandeya River in order to hold 500 million cubic metres of water.
It argued that since 75–80% of the project had already been finished, it should be permitted to finish the remaining 20%. The Karnataka government argued that neither the conditions of the 1892 nor 1933 accords had been broken.
- According to the 1933 agreement, Tamil Nadu does not need to provide its permission before building a dam to supply drinking water.
- If there would be no irrigation under the agreement of 1892, the Madras Government's approval will not be necessary for the building of any anicut.
According to the Karnataka Government, Tamil Nadu makes up 75% of the river basin's catchment area, hence the dam built over the Markandeya River won't have much impact on the lower riparian State-Tamil Nadu.
Since drinking water is given the greatest priority under the National Water Policy of 2002, the Karnataka government argued that it should be permitted to proceed with the project.

Inter State River Water Dispute Act

Constitutional Provisions on adjudicating river water disputes

Article 262 of Constitution provides for adjudication of inter-state water disputes. It makes two provisions:
Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute with respect to the use, distribution and control of waters of any inter-state river.
Parliament may also provide that neither the Supreme Court nor any other court is to exercise jurisdiction in respect of any such disputes.

Water under constitution

Water is included in Entry 17 of State List under 7thSchedule. It can be subject to Centre’s arbitration if, and only if, it involves a clear case of conflict or dispute as mentioned under Entry 56 of Union List.
Entry 56 of Union List relates to regulation and development of Inter-state rivers and river valleys to the extent to which such regulation and development under control of the Union is declared by Parliament by law.
Based on Article 262, Parliament has enacted Inter-State River Water Disputes Act (1956) & River Boards Act (1956).

Salient Features

Interstate River Water Disputes Act, 1956 to resolve water dispute through (adjudication by the Tribunal) that would arise in use, control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley. The Award of the tribunal is final and binding after its publication in the official gazette of central government with having same force as the order or decree of the Supreme Court.
Constitution of Tribunal: When any request under section 3 is received from any State Government in respect of any water dispute and the Central Government is of opinion that the water dispute cannot be settled by negotiations, the Central Government shall, within a period not exceeding one year from the date of receipt of such request, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute a Water Disputes Tribunal for the adjudication of the water dispute
Scheme based on Tribunal’s Decisions: Central Government may by notification in Official Gazette, frame a scheme to give effect to decision of Tribunal.

Current River Water Dispute

Mahadayi river- Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Mahanadi river- Odisha and Chhattisgarh
Vansadhara Water dispute- Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
Krishna Water Disputes- Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal Project- Haryana and Punjab

Related PYQ:

Gandikota canyon of South India was created by which one of the following rivers?

A Cauvery
B Manjira
C Pennar
D Tungabhadra

Show Answer

The correct answer is C.

National Champions and Infrastructure

What are National Champions:

National champions refer to private corporations that, although technically operating as private businesses, have been granted a dominant position in the national economy through government policies.

These corporations are expected to not only pursue profit but also to promote the nation's interests, and the government implements policies that favour them.

This approach is employed by several governments, with some sectors like defence receiving more attention than others.

However, the policy's unfair advantage over competitors in the market promotes economic nationalism within the country and global dominance abroad, contradicting the principles of a free market.

Importance of Infrastructure:

Infrastructure in emerging economies has taken on aspects of a magic bullet. Infrastructure has seemingly become both a demonstration good and a necessity.

It simultaneously works as a:
- National aspiration good
- Barometer of national progress
- Mechanism for job creation
- Vehicle for crowding in private investment.

Constraints on infrastructure provision:

It needs to be built to a minimum scale, which makes it expensive to finance and maintain.

It often has a public good component which makes the social value of infrastructure higher than its private value to individual users. Hence, private investors tend to find such investments relatively unprofitable.

Approach to Finance Infrastructure Projects:

The traditional approach - through tax revenues or government borrowing.
- Risks of vicious trap in traditional approach:
  - Poorer economies generate less tax revenue, which limits infrastructure investment.
  - This reduces returns to private investment with further spinoffs that affect the growth of the economy and keep the country poor.
  - Attempting to break the cycle by increasing public borrowing domestically tends to crowd out private investment.

Newer approach - incentivise private sector participation by providing targeted subsidies for infrastructure investments.
- India introduced the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model in early 2000s.
- The arrangement entailed the government facilitating acquisitions of land and primary commodities, as well as access to credit from public sector banks for infrastructure projects.
- Armed with these implicit and explicit subsidies, the private sector got to construct and run the projects for a designated period of time.
- Risks with PPP model:
  - The PPP model ended in an avalanche of non-performing assets with public sector banks, private sector bankruptcies, accusations of widespread corruption, and a change in government in 2014.

“National Champions” Model in India:

Modification of the PPP approach - “National Champions” model - where the government picks a few large conglomerates to implement its development priorities by assigning the bulk of the infrastructure provisioning for roads, ports, airports, energy, and communications to them.

Three new aspects to the national champions model.
- Firstly, infrastructure ventures usually require a significant amount of time before they begin to produce modest returns. In order to motivate investments in such undertakings, it's necessary to give control of already established projects with robust cash flows to these champions. This strategy enables conglomerates to attain their desired overall returns while still retaining less profitable ventures.
- Secondly, when the champions are publicly linked with the national development policy of the government, they gain a competitive edge in securing both domestic and foreign contracts. This association also ensures a dependable cash flow for them.
- Thirdly, National champions having access to cash-rich projects can utilise these projects as collateral to borrow from external credit markets, resulting in decreased financial costs for their other projects. Moreover, it also enables domestic savings to be allocated towards private investment. This innovative approach is a smart solution.

Problems associated with the “national champions” model:
- First, the direct connection between these large corporations and government policies can lead to the perception that they are "too big to fail," which in turn can result in market frenzy, delayed identification of problems, and the spreading of sector-specific issues to the wider economy, as exemplified by the recent difficulties faced by the Adani groups.
- Second, such an environment of market concentration can often have negative consequences for efficiency and productivity on a national level.
- Third, when it takes longer for projects to generate substantial cash flows, there may be a greater reliance on state support to provide access to additional capital, which carries the risk of turning the country into an industrial oligarchy.
- Fourth, the appearance of an uneven playing field with regards to market access and selective regulatory leniency can discourage foreign investors, which would be a significant setback for India.

Way Forward:

A deeper issue is with regard to the proposition that infrastructure provision is the solution to India’s growth aspirations. The prevailing thinking is that once the ports, roads, power, etc. are in place, private investment will follow.

India is at an inflection point in its development path. It has bet on a development model based on a domestic demand-driven production structure, powered by soft and hard infrastructure that is heavily concentrated in a few hands.

Calcutta HC Sets Aside Reappointment Of Vice-Chancellors

In the case of Anupam Bera v State of West Bengal, Division Bench of Calcutta High Court has set aside the West Bengal Education Department’s decision to appoint or re-appoint Vice-Chancellors from 24 state universities based on the amendments made in the West Bengal Universities Act in 2012 and 2014. The High Court held that the appointments made were “unsustainable and without the authority of law. Let us understand the laws pertaining to appointment of Vice-Chancellors by the Governor, whether Governor’s power of appointing Vice-Chancellors are discretionary power and also important recommendations of Sarkaria and Punchhi Commission’s Report.

PIL Filed by College Teachers

Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by a forum of college teachers alleging that appointments were made in violation of University Grants Commission Regulations 2018 and the appointment were not approved by the then Governor of West Bengal who is also the Chancellor of State Universities according to the State University legislations.

The controversy regarding appointment of Vice-Chancellors are not new and have also been witnessed in the state of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

It was because of the constrained relation between Governor and Chief Minister in West- Bengal, the government earlier decided to make its Chief Minister the chancellor of its state-run universities by amending the State Universities Act.

Decision of the Calcutta High Court

Appointment Made Without Governor’s Approval - The Court further held that the appointments were made without the approval of the Governor who is the ex-officio Chancellor of the State-aided universities as per the State Universities Act of West Bengal. The appointments were done during the regime of former West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar who had not given his approval to the order of the state higher education department for appointment of Vice-Chancellors.

Power Cannot be Usurped by State - Once the power to reappoint or extend the tenure is vested with the Chancellor (who is the Governor), it cannot be usurped by the State. And if the state government extends the tenure of VCs, it has to show the laws under which it is doing so.

The provisions of UGC Regulations, 2018 will prevail over the conflicting provisions of the concerned State Universities Act, relating to appointment of Vice-Chancellor. Some of the Vice-Chancellors did not fulfill the minimum eligibility criteria of 10 years’ experience as professor in the university or 10 years’ experience in a reputed research and/or academic administrative organisation, as prescribed in the UGC regulation.

Search Committee not formed as per UGC Regulations 2018 - Search Committee formed by the state government for selection of Vice Chancellors of State/Private Universities did not have one member nominated by the Chairman of University Grants Commission. This violated the UGC Regulations of 2018.

Directions to State - Amendments made in the West Bengal Universities Act in 2012 and 2014 to the extent they are repugnant to the UGC Regulations, 2018 relating to appointment of Vice-Chancellor cannot be sustained and the State is directed to consider making suitable amendments in the concerned Acts to bring them in conformity with the UGC Regulations, 2018 preferably within a period of six months.

University Grants Commission has been constituted under The University Grants Commission Act, 1956. The UGC has the unique distinction of being the only grant-giving agency in the country which has been vested with two responsibilities: that of providing funds and that of coordination, determination and maintenance of standards in institutions of higher education. UGC Mandate includes: Promoting and coordinating university education. Determining and maintaining standards of teaching, examination and research in universities. Framing regulations on minimum standards of education. Monitoring developments in the field of collegiate and university education; disbursing grants to the universities and colleges. Serving as a vital link between the Union and state governments and institutions of higher learning. Advising the Central and State governments on the measures necessary for improvement of university education.

State Universities Act

Constitution of India is silent on the role of Governor as Chancellors of State Universities.

State Universities Act passed by respective state governments generally appoints Governor as the Chancellor of state universities by virtue of Governor’s office.

For example, Uttar Pradesh State Universities Act, 1973 or West Bengal State Universities Act, 2007 appoints Governor as the Chancellors of all state universities.

Thus, Chancellors hold statutory powers.

The Chancellor, by virtue of his office is a Head of the University and vested with the following powers:

Appoints the Vice-Chancellors.

Presides over the Convocation of the State Universities.

Appoints nominees on various bodies like Senate, Syndicate, Board of Management, Selection Committee or Academic Council of the State Universities.

Grant leave or institute disciplinary action and award penalties.

Power to hear representation of the employees and students.

Power to take final decisions on election disputes with regard to the representation in different bodies of the universities and managing committees of its colleges.

Power to nominate experts in the appointment of teachers of various categories in the university.

Convenes review meetings of Vice-Chancellors and concerned ministries.

Reasons to Replace Governor as Chancellor of all State Universities

Governor while acting as Chancellor of State Universities takes decision without the aid and advise of Council of Minister. This discretionary based decision has become one of the major reasons of dispute.

Continuous disputes on the appointment of Vice-Chancellors of state universities.

Such disputes have resulted in strained relations between the appointed Governor and elected Chief Minister.

The dispute has politicized the appointment of vice-chancellors across state universities.

Concern Expressed by Sarkaria Commission’s Report

State University Acts generally provide that the Governor by virtue of his office, shall be the Chancellor or head of the University concerned and endowed with various powers such as appointment of vice-Chancellor.

The question is whether the Governor's functions as Chancellor of a University fall within the purview of Article 163(1).

This would imply that a Governor is bound to act on the aid and advice of his Council of Ministers in the discharge of his functions as Chancellor except in so far as he is required by the statute to exercise any of the functions in his discretion.

There have been instances where, in selecting Vice-Chancellors, Governors as Chancellors have acted in their discretion, over-ruling the advice of the Council of Ministers.

First Instance -The question first arose when the Governor of Bombay had to nominate members of the Senate of the University of Poona in consultation with the Vice-Chancellor. The Attorney-General for India reportedly held that, as Chancellor, the Governor was not bound to act on the aid and advice of his Ministers. The position was later accepted by Pandit G.B. Pant as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh when a question arose about the role of the Governor as Chancellor of Universities in that States.

Different Views of State Governments –According to one, Chancellor of a University (the Governor) is not bound to accept the advice of his Ministry. Yet another State Government has sought to make a distinction between the statutory functions of the Governor as Chancellor which can be challenged in a court of law, while the action taken by him in his capacity as Governor, which cannot be so challenged.

First ARC’s View -In its report on “State Administration” First ARC recommended that the functions assigned to a Governor by statute (e.g. those of Chancellor of the University) should be exercised by him in his discretion. The Governor may consult the Chief Minister if he so wishes, but he should not be bound by the latter's advice. The Commission surmised that the idea underlying the assignment of certain functions to the Governors by statute was to insulate them from political influence.

CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS Article 154 - Executive power of State—(1) The executive power of the State shall be vested in the Governor and shall be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with this Constitution. Article163 - Council of Ministers to aid and advise Governor—(1) There shall be a Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor in the exercise of his functions, except in so far as he is by or under this Constitution required to exercise his functions or any of them in his discretion. Article 361 - Protection of President and Governors and Rajpramukhs—(1) The President, or the Governor or Rajpramukh of a State, shall not be answerable to any court for the exercise and performance of the powers and duties of his office or for any act done or purporting to be done by him in the exercise and performance of those powers and duties.

Reasons for Sarkaria Commission’s Recommendations:

The Commission bifurcated Governor’s Role, Powers & Duties into two categories:

Powers & Functions conferred on the Governor in his capacity as Governor constitute one such category. Such functions pertain to the office of the Governor, as provided for in Article 154(1) and are to be exercised by him on ministerial advice in accordance with Article 163(1). Further, by virtue of Article 361(1), the Governor enjoys personal immunity from answerability to any court for the exercise by him of such functions.

The other category of functions are those which a statute may confer on the Governor, not in his capacity as Governor but in a different capacity such as, for instance, the Chancellor of a University. Here, the Governor functions in pursuance of a statute in relation to the affairs of the University—not as Governor but as Chancellor, (irrespective of the fact that he holds the office in the University in an ex-officio capacity). Even though the governor is the chancellor by virtue of his office and would cease to be the Chancellor on ceasing to be Governor, it does not necessarily follow that the functions assigned to him as Chancellor of the University are to be performed by him in his capacity as the Governor. It has been held that the immunity given to the Governor, under Article 361(1) does not extend to the exercise of powers and duties falling under this category.

The statutory functions of the Chancellor do not fall within the purview of Article 154(1) and cannot be regarded as 'business of the Government of the State' under Article 166(3), the reason being that the office of Chancellor is distinct from that of the Governor.

The office of Chancellor, even though held by the Governor under a statute in an ex-officio capacity cannot be equated with the state. The former, being an officer of the University, is not obliged to seek the advice of the State Government in the matter of exercise of his functions such as the appointment of Vice-Chancellor under Article 163(1).The same view has been taken by the Andhra Pradesh High Court in M. Kiran Babu Vs. Government of Andhra Pradesh.

Governor as Chancellor must act based on the state law -The Governor, in his capacity as Chancellor of a University, may possibly be required by the University's statute (e.g. the Calcutta and the Burdwan University Acts) to consult a Minister mentioned in such statute on specified matters. In such cases, the Governor may be well advised to consult the Minister on other important matters also. In either case, there is no legal obligation for him to necessarily act on any advice received by him.

Punchhi Commission’s View

The Governor should not be burdened with positions and powers which are not envisaged by the Constitution and which may expose the office to controversies or public criticism.

This will allow the Governor to discharge the Constitutional obligations fairly and impartially.

Conferring statutory powers on the Governor by State Legislatures have that potential and should be avoided.

Making the Governor the Chancellor of the Universities and thereby conferring powers on him which may have had some relevance historically, has ceased with change of times and circumstances.

The Council of Ministers will naturally be interested in regulating University education and there is no need to perpetuate a situation where there would be a clash of functions and powers.

The Commission recommended that the Governor should not be assigned functions casually under any Statute and his role should be confined to the Constitutional provisions only.

Defence Acquisition Council approves purchase of weapons worth over Rs. 70,000 crores

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Thursday accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals estimated at ₹70,500 crore

The AoN has been accorded for capital acquisitions under ‘Buy Indian-IDDM’ (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)

Note: An Acceptance of Necessity is accorded by the Defence Ministry for a particular weapon system or equipment at the beginning of the procurement process.

Out of the total proposals, Indian Navy proposals constitute more than ₹56,000 crore, which largely includes indigenous BrahMos cruise missiles, Shakti Electronic Warfare (EW) systems, Utility Helicopters-Maritime among others.

A Long Range Stand-Off Weapon (LRSOW) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to be designed and developed indigenously and integrated on SU-30 MKI fighters

The indigenous 155mm/52-Calibre Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) along with High Mobility Vehicles (HMVs) and Gun Towing Vehicles (GTVs) for the Army.

Buy Indian-IDDM’ (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)

It has been introduced in DPP-2016 (Defence Procurement Policy) to promote indigenous design and development of defence equipment. This category has been accorded top most priority for procurement of capital equipment. Besides this, preference is being given to ‘Buy (Indian)’ and ‘Buy and Make (Indian)’ categories of capital acquisition over ‘Buy (Global)’ & ‘Buy & Make (Global)’ categories.

Buy (Indian-IDDM) 'Buy (Indian-IDDM)' category refers to the procurement of products from an Indian vendor meeting one of the two conditions:

Products that have been indigenously designed, developed and manufactured with a minimum of 40% Indigenous Content (IC) on cost basis of the total contract value

Products having 60% IC on cost basis of the total contract value, which may not have been designed and developed indigenously.

ABOUT DEFENCE ACQUISITION COUNCIL

It was formed after the recommendations were made by Group of Ministers on Reforming the national Security system in 2001, which was setup post Kargil war.

DEFENCE ACQUISITIONS COUNCIL (DAC)

A Defence Acquisitions Council has been created as an overarching structure with the following composition:-

Chairman: Defence Minister

Members: Minister of state for defence

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)

Chief of Army Staff (COAS)

Chief of Naval Staff (CNS)

Chief of Air Staff (CAS)

Defence Secretary

Secretary of Defence Production

Secretary Defence R and D

Director of General Acquisition

FUNCTIONS The DAC will perform the following functions:

(a) Give ‘in principle’ approval to Capital acquisitions in the Long Term Perspective Plan (LTPP) covering a 15-year time span at the beginning of a Five Year Plan period.

(b) Give ‘in principle’ acceptance of necessity to each Capital acquisition project for incorporation in the forthcoming Five Year Plan

The approval will involve the identification of Either –

‘Buy’ Projects (outright purchase)

‘Buy and Make’ projects (purchase followed by licensed production/ indigenous development)

‘Make’ Projects (indigenous production and R&D)

The approval in principle should be seen as first step in the process of ‘acceptance of necessity’ by the concerned Administrative Wing in Ministry of Defence.

Reaper drone down in Black Sea

The Biden administration released a video of a Russian fighter jet dumping fuel on a US Airforce surveillance drone as the US sought to hold Russia responsible for the collision that led to the drone’s crash into the Black Sea without escalating already fraught tensions with the Kremlin.

What is the MQ-9 Reaper?

The MQ-9 Reaper is a large unmanned aircraft manufactured by military contractor, General Atomics. It is remotely operated by a two-person team, consisting of a pilot and an aircrew member who operates sensors and guides weapons.

The primary use is as “an intelligence-collection asset”, while also highlighting its “unique capability to perform” precision strikes against “high-value and time-sensitive targets”

Which countries use Reaper drones?

The US is by far the largest purchaser of Reaper drones. UK has accelerated its use of Reaper drones over the last decade.

France, Italy, Spain, India, Japan and the Netherlands all also operate Reaper drones.

Elephant Whisperers & Kattunayakan Tribe

The Movie Elephant Whisperers tells the story of a couple (Bomman & Bellie) who adopts two orphan elephant babies and rears them. The mother of the elephant babies died after being electrocuted.

The couple live in the Tamil Nadu's Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and National Park.

Theppakadu Elephant Camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is the oldest elephant camp in Asia and was established 105 years back.

Situated on the banks of river Moyar, it presently has 28 elephants. A dedicated bunch of Mahouts is providing training and care to these elephants.

Both Bomman and Bellie come from Kattunayakan tribe, the traditional forest dwellers of Mudumalai forests.

About Kattunayakan Tribe

Kattunayakan tribe also known as Jennu Kurumbas are scheduled tribes found in south Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala & Andhra Pradesh.

Kattunayakan means king of jungles in Tamil and Malayalam.

They are considered to be one of the earliest inhabitants of Western Ghats and are engaged in the collection and gathering of forest produce, mainly wild honey and wax.

They are classified as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in Tamil Nadu & Kerala.

About Mudumalai Tiger Reserve

Mudumalai National Park is a national park and tiger reserve located in Nilgiri Mountains in Tamil Nadu. This national park is part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

Moyar river passes through this national park.

The Reserve has tall grasses, commonly referred to as “Elephant Grass”, Bamboo of the giant variety, valuable timber species like Teak, Rosewood, etc,.

There are several species of endemic flora. Such a varied habitat is inhabited by a variety of animals which include Tiger, Elephant, Indian Gaur, Panther, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer, Common Langur, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Wild Dog, Mangoose, Jungle Cat, Hyena, among others.

Productivity of Parliament

Why is productivity of the parliament important?

The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in the country and is responsible for enacting laws and overseeing the functioning of the government. The roles of Parliament in India include:

Law making: The primary function of Parliament is to make laws. Bills are introduced in either house of Parliament, debated and discussed, and finally passed as Acts of Parliament.

Scrutiny of Government: Parliament has the power to hold the government accountable by asking questions, seeking clarifications, and conducting debates on government policies and actions.

Budgetary Control: Parliament has the power to approve or reject the government's budget proposals and to scrutinize government spending.

Oversight of Executive: Parliament has the power to investigate and examine the functioning of the executive branch of the government and its various agencies.

Electoral Functions: Parliament has the power to decide on the qualifications and disqualifications of members, conduct elections to fill vacancies, and determine the electoral boundaries.

Constitutional Functions: Parliament has the power to amend the Constitution, approve the proclamation of emergency, and to impeach the President, Vice-President, and other high officials.

Overall, the roles of Parliament in India are essential for maintaining the democratic system of the country and ensuring that the government is accountable to the people.

How do we know that the productivity is declining?

There are a few possible indicators that have been used to suggest that parliamentary productivity is declining in India. Here are a few examples:

Number of bills passed: According to data from the PRS Legislative Research, the number of bills passed by the Lok Sabha (the lower house of India's parliament) has declined in recent years. In the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-2019), a total of 205 bills were passed, compared to 248 bills in the previous Lok Sabha (2009-2014). In the current 17th Lok Sabha (2019-present), only 17 bills have been passed so far.

Question Hour: One important aspect of parliamentary productivity is the ability of MPs to ask questions of the government during Question Hour. However, Question Hour has been disrupted in recent years, with MPs often protesting and preventing the House from functioning. According to an analysis by IndiaSpend, the 16th Lok Sabha lost 29% of its scheduled time due to disruptions, while the current 17th Lok Sabha has lost 48% of its scheduled time so far.

Private Members' Bills: Private Members' Bills are bills introduced by MPs who are not part of the government. They are often seen as a way for backbenchers to contribute to the legislative process. However, the number of Private Members' Bills being introduced and passed in parliament has declined in recent years. According to data from PRS Legislative Research, only two Private Members' Bills were passed in the 16th Lok Sabha, compared to 14 in the previous Lok Sabha.

It should be noted that these statistics are just a few possible indicators of parliamentary productivity, and there may be other factors at play as well. Additionally, it is important to consider the context in which these numbers are being presented, as well as any potential biases in the data sources used.

Parliament has been sitting for lesser number of day and passing lesser bills

What is causing such a decline?

There are several reasons behind the declining parliamentary productivity in India.

One of the primary factors is the increasing polarization and confrontational politics, leading to frequent disruptions in the House. MPs often engage in protests, sloganeering, and walkouts, which prevent the smooth functioning of parliament. This has resulted in the loss of valuable time and resources, hindering the legislative process.

Another reason is the lack of adequate preparation and deliberation before introducing bills in parliament. The government often rushes to pass bills without thorough discussions, leading to inadequate scrutiny and oversight. This has resulted in poorly drafted legislation, causing delays, and controversies, ultimately reducing the productivity of parliament.

Moreover, the absence of a robust committee system has also contributed to the declining productivity of parliament. Committees play a crucial role in scrutinizing bills, conducting in-depth research, and engaging in consultations with stakeholders, which help in drafting effective legislation. However, the committee system in India is weak, resulting in the bypassing of committees and inadequate scrutiny of bills.

Furthermore, the Indian parliament lacks diversity, with a significant underrepresentation of marginalized groups, including women and religious minorities. This has resulted in the exclusion of diverse voices and perspectives, leading to the passing of legislation that does not reflect the needs and aspirations of all sections of society.

In conclusion, several factors contribute to the declining parliamentary productivity in India, including political polarization, lack of adequate preparation, weak committee system, and lack of diversity. Addressing these issues is crucial to ensure effective governance and strengthen the democratic process in India.

Way forward:

There are several ways to increase parliamentary productivity in India. Firstly, there needs to be a greater focus on constructive and consensus-based politics, where members from different parties work together towards common goals. This would reduce disruptions in the House and allow parliament to function more efficiently.

Secondly, there needs to be better preparation and scrutiny of bills before they are introduced in parliament. This can be achieved by establishing a robust committee system that engages in in-depth research and consultations with stakeholders. Such a system would ensure that bills are well-drafted, scrutinized thoroughly, and adequately debated in parliament, leading to more effective legislation.

Thirdly, the Indian parliament needs to focus on increasing diversity and representation, particularly of marginalized groups such as women, Dalits, and religious minorities. This would ensure that the voices of all sections of society are heard, and legislation reflects their needs and aspirations.

Moreover, parliament should leverage technology to improve productivity, such as using electronic voting systems, enabling remote attendance for members, and enhancing digital communication channels. This would enable parliament to function more efficiently, reduce disruptions, and save valuable time and resources.

Finally, there should be a focus on capacity-building and training for parliamentarians, particularly in areas such as legislative drafting, public speaking, and committee work. This would enable MPs to be more effective in their roles, contributing to better legislative outcomes and increased productivity.

In conclusion, increasing parliamentary productivity in India requires a multi-faceted approach, including constructive and consensus-based politics, better preparation and scrutiny of bills, greater diversity and representation, leveraging technology, and capacity-building for parliamentarians. By adopting these measures, India can strengthen its democratic institutions and ensure effective governance for all its citizens.