Daily Prelims Notes 12 July 2023

Daily Prelims Notes

12 July 2023

Table Of Contents

1. Studies highlight the local perception of ecosystem services
2. Leachate spill in Aravalis: activists write to Haryana rights body
3. Arth Ganga Rejuvenation
4. Membership for Global Biofuel Alliance to be opened up on July 22: H S Puri
5. Not tigers, we are being targeted by poachers now: Similipal reserve staff
6. Multidimensional Poverty Index of UNDP
7. Centre told to clarify stand on Places of Worship Act by Oct. 31
8. SC seeks Centre, EC response on delimitation
9. Four more Vande Bharat routes to be launched this month
10. No timetable set for Ukraine’s membership, says NATO chief
11. India decolonizing education model
12. Schedule M to be mandatory for MSME pharma firms soon
13. GST Council for 28% on full face value of casino, online game, horse race bets
14. The vegetable price challenge to easing of retail inflation
15. DPIIT notifies quality control orders for water bottles and lighters

1. Studies highlight the local perception of ecosystem services

Subject : Environment

Section: Ecosystem

Context:

Ecosystem services are conventionally evaluated only by ecological and economic values. Now, two studies investigate what local communities perceive as sociocultural values of ecosystems.

Details:

• Recent studies are proposing adding a new dimension to the conventional evaluation of ecosystem services — sociocultural values or the non-material well-being provided by the ecosystem and the importance assigned to them by the people.
• Determining the socio-cultural values of ecosystem services could support policymaking. Many current policies are observed to be in discordance with community priorities.
• Researchers highlight the need to adequately compensate for the contribution of indigenous people and local communities in nature conservation and resource management.

Study findings:

• The study was done in Eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats.
• Freshwater emerged as one of the most valuable natural commodities in the Himalayan study while non-timber forest produce (NTFP) is most valuable for the Western Ghats study.
• In the Himalayan region, the declining freshwater availability is due to:
  • The unequal distribution of freshwater
  • Unplanned growth in village tourism
  • Poor waste disposal plans, and
  • Road construction around freshwater springs
• The declining trend in accessing forest produce like firewood.

Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location: Shimoga district of Karnataka, India.
• Fauna:
  • The sanctuary is home to species of animals such as white-backed vultures, Indian nightjar, and white-bellied dingo.
  • Some other animal species such as tigers, king cobras, slot bears, leopards, elephants, langurs, and pythons reside in dense forest areas.

Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary:

• The Biligirirangana Hills or Biligirirangan Hills is a hill range situated in south-western Karnataka, at its border with Tamil Nadu (Erode District) in South India.
• The area is called Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary or simply BRT Wildlife Sanctuary.
• It is a protected reserve under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
• Being close to the Eastern Ghats as well as the Western Ghats, the sanctuary has floral and faunal associations with both regions.
• The site was declared a tiger reserve in January 2011 by the Government of Karnataka, a few months after approval from India’s National Tiger Conservation Authority.
• The BR hills are a starting point of the Eastern Ghats and contact the border of the Western Ghats, allowing animals to move between them and facilitating gene flow between populations of species in these areas.
• Thus, this sanctuary serves as an important biological bridge for the biota of the entire Deccan plateau.

What are Ecosystem Services?

• They are “the benefits people derive from ecosystems”. Besides provisioning services or goods like food, wood and other raw materials, plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms provide essential regulating services such as pollination of crops, prevention of soil erosion and water purification, and a vast array of cultural services, like recreation and a sense of place.
• These services can further be classified into:
  • Provisioning services.
  • Regulating services.
  • Support services.
  • Cultural services.

2. Leachate spill in Aravalis: activists write to Haryana rights body

Subject : Environment

Section: Pollution

Context:

• A group of environmental activists has written to the Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) drawing its attention to the alarming levels of toxic pollutants caused by leachate spilling over to the Aravalis from the Bandhwari landfill site in Gurugram.

Details:

• A Haryana State Pollution Control Board laboratory report has been quoted which pointed to the high presence of toxic substances, such as fluoride and chloride, in the Aravalis due to the leachate spill.
• While chloride is harmful for human consumption, the high level of fluoride could damage the bones of humans and animals.
• The leachate collecting in the mining pit was close to the underground aquifers and led to the contamination of groundwater.

Leachate:

• Leachate is a widely used term in the environmental sciences where it has the specific meaning of a liquid that has dissolved or entrained environmentally harmful substances that may then enter the environment. It is most commonly used in the context of landfilling of putrescible or industrial waste.
• In the narrow environmental context, leachate is therefore any liquid material that drains from land or stockpiled material and contains significantly elevated concentrations of undesirable material derived from the material that it has passed through.

Properties of leachate:

• In older landfills and those with no membrane between the waste and the underlying geology, leachate is free to leave the waste and flow directly into the groundwater.
• In such cases, high concentrations of leachate are often found in nearby springs and flushes.
• As leachate first emerges it can be black in colour, anoxic, and possibly effervescent, with dissolved and entrained gases.
• As it becomes oxygenated it tends to turn brown or yellow because of the presence of iron salts in solution and in suspension.
• It also quickly develops a bacterial flora often comprising substantial growths of Sphaerotilus natans.

Leachate treatment process

About Aravallis:

• The Aravalli Range (also spelled Aravali) is a mountain range in Northwestern India.
• It runs approximately 670 km (430 mi) in a southwest direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana and Rajasthan, and ending in Gujarat.
• The highest peak is Guru Shikhar at 1,722 metres (5,650 ft). Guru Shikhar is a peak in the Arbuda Mountains of Rajasthan. It is 15 km from Mount Abu.
• Three major rivers and their tributaries flow from the Aravalli, namely Banas and Sahibi Rivers which are tributaries of Yamuna, as well as the Luni River which flows into the Rann of Kutch.
• The Aravalli Range is arguably the oldest geological feature on Earth, having its origin in the Proterozoic era.
• The Aravalli Range is rich in natural resources and serves as a check to the growth of the western desert.

3. Arth Ganga Rejuvenation

Subject : Environment

Section: Pollution

Namami Gange Programme (NGP):

• Namami Gange is an integrated river rejuvenation programme not just to clean River Ganga but restore its entire riverine ecosystem.
• It is being operated under the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• The program is being implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), and its state counterpart organizations i.e. State Program Management Groups (SPMGs).
• NMCG is the implementation wing of the National Ganga Council (set in 2016; which replaced the National Ganga River Basin Authority – NGRBA).
• It has an Rs. 20,000-crore, centrally-funded, non-lapsable corpus and consists of nearly 288 projects.
• Namami Gange is premised on the five important pillars of –
  • Nirmal Ganga (unpolluted river),
  • Aviral Ganga (unrestricted flow),
  • Jan Ganga (People’s Participation),
  • Gyan Ganga (knowledge and research-based interventions) and
  • Arth Ganga (people-river connect through the bridge of economy).

Efforts made under the NGP:

• 193 projects worth ₹30,797 crore have been sanctioned for Sewage infrastructure.
• Hybrid Annuity Model and One-City-One-Operator approach for enhancing the efficiency of the project.
• Efforts to prevent the flow of industrial effluents and even solid waste into the river.

Arth Ganga:

• Arth Ganga is an initiative that strives to boost the economy and livelihood in the Ganga Basin.
• Arth Ganga is a sustainable economic model conceptualized under Namami Gange Programme to integrate people in the basin with Ganga Rejuvenation.
• Arth Ganga was espoused by the Prime Minister during the first meeting of the National Ganga Council (NGC) in Kanpur in 2019.
• Since January 2022, multi-sectoral interventions in the six key identified verticals are being made under Arth Ganga. These include

1. Zero Budget Natural Farming,
2. Monetization of Reuse of Sludge & Wastewater,
3. Livelihood Generation,
4. Cultural Heritage and Tourism,
5. Public Participation and
6. Institution Building.

• Efforts made under the programme:
  • Promotion of natural farming in the Ganga basin
  • ‘Sahakar Ganga Grams’ are being set up.
  • Ranching of 81 lakh Indian Major Carps, including Rohu fish, 8000 Mahseer and 90000 Hilsa has resulted in considerable improvement in the daily income of the fishermen community.
  • Ministerial collaboration on the promotion of the reuse of treated wastewater.
  • Release of the ‘National Framework for Safe Reuse of Treated Water’ is further strengthening the mechanisms.
• JALAJ:
  • JALAJ is a unique initiative developed to generate livelihood opportunities for local communities through shops, awareness boats (Jalaj Safari), homestays etc.JALAJ has been launched at 40 locations so far.

National Ganga Council:

• The National Ganga Council is chaired by Prime Minister.
• The National Ganga Council is formed under the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA),1986.
• It has been given overall responsibility for the superintendence of pollution prevention and rejuvenation of River Ganga Basin, including Ganga and its tributaries.
• National Mission for Clean Ganga(NMCG) acts as an implementation arm of the National Ganga Council.
• NMCG was established in the year 2011 as a registered society.
• It has a two-tier management structure and comprises of Governing Council and Executive Committee.
• The aims and objectives of NMCG are:
  • To ensure effective control of pollution and rejuvenation of the river Ganga by adopting a river basin approach to promote inter-sectoral coordination for comprehensive planning and management.
  • To maintain minimum ecological flows in the river Ganga with the aim of ensuring water quality and environmentally sustainable development.

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG):

• The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) is implemented by the National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga also known as the National Ganga Council.
• This mission was established on 12th August 2011 under the Societies Registration Act,1860 as a registered society.

Objectives:

• The mission incorporates rehabilitating and boosting the existing STPs (Sewage Treatment Plants) and instant short-term steps to curb pollution at exit points on the riverfront in order to check the inflow of sewage.
• To maintain the continuity of the water flow without changing the natural season variations.
• To restore and maintain the surface flow and groundwater.
• To regenerate and maintain the natural vegetation of the area.
• To conserve and regenerate the aquatic biodiversity as well as the riparian biodiversity of the river Ganga basin.
• To allow participation of the public in the process of protection, rejuvenation and management of the river.

4. Membership for Global Biofuel Alliance to be opened up on July 22: H S Puri

Subject : Environment

Section: Sustainable development

Context:

• The Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA), which is backed by the US, Brazil and India, will be opened up for membership from other countries on July 22 during the G20’s Energy Transition Ministerial Meeting (ETMM) in Goa.

Details:

• India, the US and Brazil account for a total of 85 per cent of the global ethanol production with the US holding 55 per cent share followed by Brazil (27 per cent) and India (3 per cent).

Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA):

• Established by: India, Brazil and the US.
• Aim: To facilitate cooperation and intensify the use of sustainable biofuels, including in the transportation sector.
  • The alliance will place emphasis on strengthening markets, facilitating global biofuels trade, development of concrete policy lesson-sharing and provision of technical support for national biofuels programs worldwide.
  • It will also emphasize the already implemented best practices and success cases.
• The Alliance shall work in collaboration with and complement the relevant existing regional and international agencies as well as initiatives in the bioenergy, bioeconomy, and energy transition fields more broadly including the Clean Energy Ministerial Biofuture Platform, the Mission Innovation Bioenergy initiatives and Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP).

GBA membership:

• Membership to the alliance is also open for interested countries beyond G-20 as well.
• The GBA will also be a competent organisation which will set technical standards for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) business in collaboration with relevant industry bodies.
• The GBA will be having a three-category membership structure bringing together member countries, partner organizations and industries.

Global Bioenergy Partnership(GBEP):

• Founded in: 2006
• Purpose: GBEP brings together public, private and civil society stakeholders in a joint commitment to promote bioenergy for sustainable development.
• Focus areas: The Partnership focuses its activities on three strategic areas: Sustainable Development – Climate Change – Food and Energy Security
• India is one of the observer countries.

What are Biofuels?

• Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an organic matter (living or once living material) in a short period of time (days, weeks, or even months) is considered a biofuel.
• Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.
  • Solid: Wood, dried plant material, and manure
  • Liquid: Bioethanol and Biodiesel
  • Gaseous: Biogas

Classification of biofuels:

History of ethanol blending in India

• Since 2001, India has tested the feasibility of ethanol-blended petrol whereby 5% ethanol blended petrol was supplied to retail outlets.
• In 2002, India launched the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme and began selling 5% ethanol blended petrol in nine States and four Union Territories that was extended to twenty States and four UTs in 2006.
• Until 2013-14, however, the percentage of blending never crossed 1.5%.
• In 2015, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways notified that E5 [blending 5% ethanol with 95% gasoline] petrol and the rubber and plastic components used in gasoline vehicles produced since 2008 be compatible with the E10 fuel.
• In 2019, the Ministry notified the E10 fuel [blending 10% ethanol with 90% gasoline].
• The rubber and plastic components used in petrol vehicles are currently compatible with E10 fuel.
• Standards for E20, E85 and even E100 fuel have already been laid. This includes standards for ethanol blended diesel.
• Since 2020, India has been announcing its intent to achieve 10% blending by the end of 2022 and 20% blending by 2030.
• The Centre has also targeted 5% blending of biodiesel with diesel by 2030.

Effect on Indian Reserves

• India’s net import of petroleum was 185 million tons at a cost of $55 billion in 2020-21.
• Most of the petroleum is used by vehicles and therefore a successful 20% ethanol blending programme could save the country $4 billion per annum, or about ₹30,000 crore.
• India’s current ethanol production capacity consists of 426 crore litres from molasses-based distilleries, and 258 crore litres from grain-based distilleries.
• This is expected to increase to 760 crore litres and 740 crore litres respectively and would suffice to produce 1016 crore litres of ethanol required for EBP and 334 crore litres for other uses.

Effect on engines

• When using E20, there is an estimated loss of 6-7% fuel efficiency for four wheelers which are originally designed for E0 and calibrated for E10, 3-4% for two wheelers designed for E0 and calibrated for E10 and 1-2% for four wheelers designed for E10 and calibrated for E20.

Environmental costs of ethanol blending

• Because ethanol burns more completely than petrol, it avoids emissions such as carbon monoxide.
• However, tests conducted in India have shown that there is no reduction in nitrous oxides, one of the major environmental pollutants.
• For India, sugarcane is the cheapest source of ethanol.
• On average, a ton of sugarcane can produce 100 kg of sugar and 70 litres of ethanol but that would mean 1,600 to 2,000 litres of water to produce 1 kg of sugar, implying that a litre of ethanol from sugar requires about 2,860 litres of water.

5. Not tigers, we are being targeted by poachers now: Similipal reserve staff

Subject : Environment

Section: Protected Areas

About Similipal National Park:

• Simlipal is a tiger reserve in the Mayurbhanj district in the Indian state of Odisha
• It is part of the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve, which includes three protected areas -Similipal Tiger Reserve, Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Simlipal National Park derives its name from the abundance of red silk cotton trees growing in the area.
• The vast terrain of Similipal with wide altitudinal, climatic and topographic variations, criss-crossed by large number of perennial streams, harbours a unique blend of Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats and Sub-Himalayan plant species.
• The floristic composition indicates a connecting link between South Indian and North Eastern Sub-Himalayan Specie
• Forest is predominantly moist mixed deciduous forest with tropical semi-evergreen forest in areas with suitable microclimatic conditions and sporadic patches of dry deciduous forests and grasslands. It forms the largest watershed of northern Odisha.
• It holds the highest tiger population in Odisha, and harbours the only population of melanistic tigers in the world.
• Other carnivores found here are leopard, leopard cat, fishing cat, jungle cat and wolf. The active management of mugger has revived its population on the banks of the rivers Khairi and Deo.
• Similipal Tiger Reserve is also home to the largest population of elephants in Odisha.
• This protected area is part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2009.

About Elephants:

• India is the natural home of the largest population of Asian elephants.It is also found in Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Asian Elephant- Endangered
• Convention of the Migratory species (CMS): Appendix I
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

6. Multidimensional Poverty Index of UNDP

Subject : International Relations

Section: Reports and Indices

Concept :

• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) released the latest update of the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
• The report highlights the remarkable progress made by India in reducing poverty, with 415 million people lifted out of poverty between 2005-06 and 2019-21.

India’s Poverty Reduction Success:

• The incidence of poverty in India declined from 55.1% to 16.4% during the 15-year period.
• In 2005-06, around 645 million people were in multidimensional poverty, which decreased to approximately 370 million in 2015-16 and 230 million in 2019-21.
• India is among 25 countries that successfully halved their global MPI values within 15 years, including Cambodia, China, Congo, Honduras, Indonesia, Morocco, Serbia, and Vietnam.

Global Multidimensional Poverty Index

• The index is a key international resource that measures acute multidimensional poverty across more than 100 developing countries.
• It was first launched in 2010 by the OPHI and the Human Development Report Office of the UNDP.
• The MPI monitors deprivations in 10 indicators spanning health, education and standard of living and includes both incidence as well as intensity of poverty.

MPI Indicators and Dimensions:

• A person is multidimensionally poor if she/he is deprived in one third or more (means 33% or more) of the weighted indicators (out of the ten indicators).
• Those who are deprived in one half or more of the weighted indicators are considered living in extreme multidimensional poverty.

7. Centre told to clarify stand on Places of Worship Act by Oct. 31

Subject : Governance

Concept :

• The Supreme Court on July 11 gave the Centre “sufficient time” till October 31 to clarify its stand on the validity of the Places of Worship Act, which protects the identity and character of religious places as they were on Independence Day.

Places of Worship Act

• It is described as “An Act to prohibit conversion of any place of worship and to provide for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on the 15th day of August 1947, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”
• Exemption
• The disputed site at Ayodhya was exempted from the Act. Due to this exemption, the trial in the Ayodhya case proceeded even after the enforcement of this law.
• Besides the Ayodhya dispute, the Act also exempted:
• Any place of worship which is an ancient and historical monument, or an archaeological site covered by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
• A suit that has been finally settled or disposed of.
• Any dispute that has been settled by the parties or conversion of any place that took place by acquiescence before the Act commenced.
• Penalty
• Section 6 of the Act prescribes a punishment of a maximum of three years imprisonment along with a fine for contravening the provisions of the Act.
• Criticism
• The law has been challenged on the ground that it bars judicial review, which is a basic feature of the Constitution, imposes an “arbitrary irrational retrospective cutoff date,” and abridges the right to religion of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs.

What are its other Provisions?

• Section 3: This section of the Act bars the conversion, in full or part, of a place of worship of any religious denomination into a place of worship of a different religious denomination or even a different segment of the same religious denomination.
• Section 4(1): It declares that the religious character of a place of worship “shall continue to be the same as it existed” on 15th August 1947.
• Section 4(2): It says any suit or legal proceeding with respect to the conversion of the religious character of any place of worship existing on 15th August, 1947, pending before any court, shall abate and no fresh suit or legal proceedings shall be instituted.
• The provision to this subsection saves suits, appeals, and legal proceedings that are pending on the date of commencement of the Act if they pertain to the conversion of the religious character of a place of worship after the cut-off date.
• Section 5: It stipulates that the Act shall not apply to the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, and to any suit, appeal, or proceeding relating to it.

What was the Supreme Court’s view during the Ayodhya Judgment?

• In the 2019 Ayodhya verdict, the Constitution Bench referred to the law and said it manifests the secular values of the Constitution and prohibits retrogression.
• The law is hence a legislative instrument designed to protect the secular features of the Indian polity, which is one of the basic features of the Constitution.

8. SC seeks Centre, EC response on delimitation

Subject : Polity

Concept :

• The Supreme Court on July 11 prima facie disagreed with the legal stand of the Election Commission of India (ECI) that it can only begin the delimitation process in Manipur, Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh after only getting an authorisation from the Centre.

Background:

• In pursuance to the request received from Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India, Election Commission of India decided to initiate the delimitation exercise of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies in the State of Assam as per Section 8A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
• Unlike other States, the ECI, and not the Delimitation Commission, have to conduct the delimitation exercise in these four States.
• In the latest hearing, the SC observed that the Election Commission of India did not require the authorisation of the Government of India to conduct the exercise of delimitation.

Delimitation in NE States

• Section 8A of The Representation of the People Act, 1950 deals with the delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur or Nagaland.
• Section 8A(1) says that, subject to being satisfied that the conditions were conducive, the President can rescind the deferment of the delimitation exercise in the four States and provide for the conduct of delimitation exercise by the Election Commission.
• Section 8A(2) provides that the Election Commission has to start the delimitation process to determine Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies in the four States as soon as the President rescinds the order.
• Within the Constitutional Provisions and RPA 1950, there is no such mandate to take authorization of centre before starting a delimitation exercise.

Provisions supporting Delimitation:

• As mandated under Article 170 of the Constitution, census figures (2001) shall be used for the purpose of readjustment of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies in the State.
• Reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will be provided as per Articles 330 & 332 of the Constitution of India.

For further notes on Delimitation, refer – https://optimizeias.com/delimitation-3/

9. Four more Vande Bharat routes to be launched this month

Subject : Governance

Concept :

• Come the last week of July, the Indian Railways is considering introducing four new Vande Bharat train routes – Delhi to Chandigarh (243 km), Chennai to Tirunelveli (622 km), Gwalior to Bhopal (432 km) and Lucknow to Prayagraj (200 km).
• The new Vande Bharat launches come at a time when Railways is juggling with a two-fold challenge that of attempting to enhance occupancy by lowering passenger fare.

Vande Bharat Trains

• It is an indigenously designed and manufactured semi high speed, self-propelled train that is touted as the next major leap for the Indian Railways in terms of speed and passenger convenience since the introduction of Rajdhani trains.
• The first Vande Bharat was manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, as part of the ‘Make in India’ programme, at a cost of about Rs. 100 crore.
• The Vande Bharat was India’s first attempt at adaptation of the train set technology compared with conventional systems of passenger coaches hauled by separate locomotives.
• The train set configuration, though complex, is faster, easier to maintain, consumes less energy, and has greater flexibility in train operation.
• Currently, two Vande Bharat Expresses are operational —one between New Delhi and Varanasi and the other from New Delhi to Katra.
• The 400 new trains will have “better efficiency” and railways are looking at making several of these trainsets with aluminium instead of steel.
• An aluminium body will make each trainset around 40-80 tonnes lighter than a current Vande Bharat and this will mean lower consumption of energy as well as better speed potential.

Features of the Vande Bharat Trains

• These trains, dubbed as Train 18 during the development phase, operate without a locomotive and are based on a propulsion system called distributed traction power technology, by which each car of the train set is powered.
• Its coaches incorporate passenger amenities including on-board WiFi entertainment, GPS-based passenger information system, CCTVs, automatic doors in all coaches, rotating chairs and bio-vacuum type toilets like in aircraft.
• It can achieve a maximum speed of 160 kmph due to faster acceleration and deceleration, reducing journey time by 25% to 45%.
• It also has an intelligent braking system with power regeneration for better energy efficiency thereby making it cost, energy and environment efficient.

10. No timetable set for Ukraine’s membership, says NATO chief

Subject : International  Relations

Section: International Organizations

Concept :

• Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hit out the 31-member NATO alliance after the members said they would allow Ukraine to join the alliance “when allies agree and conditions are met”.
• Following this statement, Zelenskyy blasted the organization’s failure to set a timetable for his country as “absurd.”
• Although many NATO members have funneled arms and ammunition to Zelenskyy’s forces, there is no consensus among the 31 allies for admitting Ukraine into NATO’s ranks.

NATO membership — Process

• NATO has what it calls an “open door policy” on new members — any European country can request to join, so long as they meet certain criteria and all existing members agree.
• A country does not technically “apply” to join; Article 10 of its founding treaty states that, once a nation has expressed interest, the existing member states “may, by unanimous agreement, invite any other European State in a position to further the principles of this Treaty … to accede.”
• Ratification of new members could take a year, as the legislatures of all 30 current members must approve new applicants.
• Requirements for membership, which include
• having a functioning democratic political system based on a market economy;
• treating minority populations fairly;
• committing to resolve conflicts peacefully;
• the ability and willingness to make a military contribution to NATO operations; and
• Committing to democratic civil-military relations and institutions.

What does NATO membership entail?

• The reason most countries join NATO is because of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which stipulates that all signatories consider an attack on one an attack against all.
• Article 5 has been a cornerstone of the alliance since NATO was founded in 1949 as a counterweight to the Soviet Union.
• The point of the treaty, and Article 5 specifically, was to deter the Soviets from attacking liberal democracies that lacked military strength.
• Article 5 guarantees that the resources of the whole alliance — including the massive US military — can be used to protect any single member nation, such as smaller countries who would be defenseless without their allies. Iceland, for example, has no standing army.

11. India decolonizing education model

Subject : History

Concept :

• Stating that India is now “getting out of the Macaulay model of education and decolonising” it, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday said while India’s foundation lies in the Vedic era, “our goal should remain to become a global benchmark”.

Macaulay’s Minute of Education

• Lord Macaulay arrived in India on June 10, 1834, as a law member of the Governor General’s Executive Council and was appointed President of the Committee of Public Instruction.
• In 1835, he was tasked with settling a dispute between orientalists and Anglicists.
• He presented his famous minutes to the council in February 1835, which Lord Bentik approved, and a resolution was passed in March 1835.

The following points were emphasized by him:

• The main goal of the British government should be to promote European literature and science among Indians, and that “all funds appropriated for the purpose of education would be best spent on English education alone.”
• All existing professors and students at all institutions under the committee’s supervision shall continue to receive stipends, but no stipend shall be given to any students who may subsequently enter any of these institutions.
• No funds from the government were to be spent on the printing of oriental works.
• All funds available to the government would be spent in the future on imparting knowledge of English literature and science to Indians.

12. Schedule M to be mandatory for MSME pharma firms soon

Subject :Schemes

Concept :

• India’s small drugmakers in the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) sector will soon be required to adhere to the good manufacturing practices outlined in Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
• Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced this decision after engaging with industry representatives, emphasizing the need for quality assurance and reducing compliance burdens.
• The move aims to uphold India’s reputation as the world’s pharmacy by ensuring the highest standards in drug manufacturing.

Phase-wise Implementation of Schedule M:

• The adherence to Schedule M practices will be implemented gradually in MSME pharma firms.
• Schedule M guides on Good Manufacturing Practices regarding company premises, quality control system, quality check laboratories, production, cleaning of equipment, housekeeping, cross-contamination, and other related topics.
• Schedule M-I: Deals with the requirements of factory premises for manufacturing of Homeopathic preparations.
• Schedule M-II: Deals with the requirements of premises, plant, and equipment for manufacture of cosmetics.
• Schedule M-III: Deals with the requirements of premises, plant, and equipment for manufacture of Medical devices.

Applicability

• These practices are applicable to all manufacturers of drugs and cosmetics who have their manufacturing facility with a good manufacturing practice facility registration.
• The manufacturing facility should aim to ensure that all personnel concerned with the manufacture know the information necessary to decide whether or not to release a batch of drugs for sale and to create an audit trail for future reference which shall permit investigation of the history of any suspected defective batch.

13. GST Council for 28% on full face value of casino, online game, horse race bets

Subject :Economy

Section: Fiscal Policy

In News: GST Council in its 50th meeting has recommended 28 per cent rate at full face value for online gaming, casinos and horse racing.

Key Points:

• The GST rate of 28 per cent at full face value for online gaming, casinos and horse racing has been recommended by the GST council.
• The GST council had discussion on whether to impose a 28% GST on the face value of bets, gross gaming revenue, or just on platform fees and the council settled on taxing the turnover. Finally total turnover will be used as a base for taxation.
• It was further clarified that a 28 per cent rate will be applicable each time one is buying chips or placing bets.
• Further no differentiation has been made between games of skill or chance. Tax on e-gaming would be imposed without making any differentiation based on if the games require skill or based on chance.
• The decision to tax at 28 per cent was driven by the moral point of view of how gambling can be treated at the same rate as essential goods and services.
• Amendment will be made in the law to include online gaming and horse racing in Schedule III as taxable actionable claims.  A Bill to implement the decision is expected during the forthcoming Monsoon Session.
• It was also noted that the definition of online gaming will be in sync with the definition in the legislation being proposed by the IT Ministry.
• Gaming industry has put forward the view that gamblers and e-gamers or games of skill should not be treated the same. The move is likely to slow the growth and innovation in the gaming industry.

Other key decisions:

• The Council also decided to exempt import of cancer drugs and food for special needs from GST
• Food and beverages in cinema halls are taxed like restaurant service, whether as part of service or independently of cinema exhibition. Cinema ticket and food and beverage supply clubbed together, to be taxed at 18%
• The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) can share information with the GST Network (GSTN) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This was required under FATF (Financial Action Tax Force) mechanism and it will empower tax officials

GST  Council

Goods & Services Tax Council is a constitutional body for making recommendations to the Union and State Government on issues related to Goods and Service Tax.

• As per Article 279A (1) of the amended Constitution, the GST Council has to be constituted by the President within 60 days of the commencement of Article 279A.
• As per Article 279A of the amended Constitution, the GST Council which will be a joint forum of the Centre and the States, shall consist of the following members: –
  • the Union Finance Minister-Chairperson;
  • the Union Minister of State in charge of Revenue or Finance …Member
  • the Minister in charge of Finance or Taxation or any other Minister nominated by each State Government. Members.
• As per Article 279A (4), the Council will make recommendations to the Union and the States on important issues related to GST, like the goods and services that may be subjected or exempted from GST, model GST Laws, principles that govern Place of Supply, threshold limits, GST rates including the floor rates with bands, special rates for raising additional resources during natural calamities/disasters, special provisions for certain States, etc.

14. The vegetable price challenge to easing of retail inflation

Subject :Economy

Section: Inflation

Context:  Food, veg prices may keep retail inflation above 5% for rest of FY 23-24

Key Points:

• Rising prices of vegetables — specifically tomato, onion and potato, known as the ‘TOP’ grouping along with other factors may put an obstacle to easing of retail inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for June.
• The ‘TOP’ vegetables have a combined weight of 2.2 per cent in headline index (CPI-Combined) and 36.5 per cent in the CPI-Vegetables basket (6.04 % out of total 45.86 % weight).
• Vegetables with a weight of 13.2 per cent in the CPI-Food and beverages baskets have historically been one of the major drivers of food inflation, with Food and Beverage itself having a significant weight at 45.86 per cent in the CPI-combined.
• Why the huge impact on volatility of inflation ?
  • The volatility of headline inflation is significantly influenced by tomato, onion, and potato (TOP), despite their relatively small representation in the Consumer Price Index Combined (CPI-C) basket.
  • These vegetables contribute to the overall instability of inflation due to their perishability and susceptibility to weather-related disturbances.
  • Their demand is less elastic (items for which demand does not change much with a price change are less elastic), making them essential commodities for Indian households.
• Why the sudden surge in prices of veggies?
  • The recent increase in vegetable prices can be attributed to factors such as unseasonal rains, crop damage, and supply chain challenges faced by growers.
• Impact of the rise in vegetable inflation?
  • This price rise and its impact on inflation will have a cascading effect. It will lead to reduced purchasing power, changes in consumption patterns, and higher production costs, affecting both businesses and individuals.
  • The substantial price fluctuations not only affect the domestic market but also impact market segments reliant on agricultural exports.
  • As inflation rises and household budgets are affected, overall consumer sentiment may be impacted.
  • People will have less disposable income (economic definition: income left after deduction of tax; general meaning: money left after meeting the essential needs) for purchasing durable goods or spending on services like short leisure travel.
  • This could result in a decline in consumer spending, ultimately hampering economic growth.
  • Additionally, businesses utilizing vegetables in their production processes may experience increased production costs, potentially leading to future price hikes for goods and further reducing consumer spending.
  • Further wages will also increase to meet increased prices if price levels are sustained. Thus completing the ‘wage-price spiral’.

15. DPIIT notifies quality control orders for water bottles and lighters

Subject :Economy

Section: External Sector

Context: Government has notified quality control orders (QCOs) for potable water bottles and flame-producing lighters to enhance public health and safety of consumers.

Key Points:

• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has issued notification for quality control orders for potable water bottles and flame-producing lighters to enhance public health and safety of consumers.
• The stated aim is to build a quality ecosystem in India for the manufacturing of world class products.
• The items need to have mandatory compulsory certification under relevant IS Standards.
• The DPIIT has been developing mandatory QCOs for a wide variety of products to prevent the import of sub-standard products, prevent unfair trade practices, and ensure the safety and well-being of consumers, as well as the environment.
• India has relied on quality control orders (QCO) to curb Chinese imports and boost exports for products of mass consumption, including machinery safety equipment, pressure cookers, toys and air conditioners etc.
• The standards are applicable on both domestic manufacturers and imports.
• India’s QCOs have faced criticism from WTO members as being protectionist and not being compliant with the WTO’s Agreement on Technical Barriers.