Daily Prelims Notes 17 October 2022

Daily Prelims Notes

17 October 2022

Table Of Contents

1. World Food Day
2. Millets as smart crop
3. Scheduled Castes panel cannot initiate inquiry on unsubstantiated complaints
4. Banking sector
5. Why is inflation systemic now?
6. Digital banks
7. What is ‘meat’ from plants and is ‘just like’ meat vegetarian?
8. Securing India’s cyberspace from quantum techniques
9. Climate of uncertainty
10. Pasmanda Muslim
11. Child Marriage
12. Court vs Court
13. China’s ‘Wolf Warrior’ Diplomacy
14. Hampi, Khajuraho on list for G20 culture track

1. World Food Day

Subject : Social Issue

Context : This year’s World Food Day (October 16) should be a reminder to ensure that the most vulnerable people within our communities have easy access to safe and nutritious food and to end hunger by 2030.

Concept :

World Food Day

• Every year on October 16 in observance of the date the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations was established in 1945, World Food Day is marked.
• The main objectives are to combat world hunger and work toward its eradication.
• The theme for World Food Day 2022 is Leave NO ONE behind.

Hunger Hotspot Outlook Report

• Recently, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) released a report named Hunger Hotspots – October 22 – January 23.
• According to the recently published Report , up to 205 million people are expected to face acute food insecurity and to be in need of urgent assistance (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above or equivalent) in 45 countries.
• Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen remain at the highest alert level,which require the most urgent attention.
• Significant food security schemes in India

National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013:

• It legally entitled up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System.
• Foodgrains under NFSA were to be made available at subsidized prices of Rs. 3/2/1 per kg for rice, wheat and coarse grains respectively
• The eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above is mandated to be the head of the household for the purpose of issuing ration cards under the Act.
• AntyodayaAnna Yojana: It constitute the poorest of-the-poor, are entitled to receive 35 kg of foodgrains per household per month.

PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY):

• It aimed at providing each person who is covered under the National Food Security Act 2013 with an additional 5 kg grains (wheat or rice) for free, in addition to the 5 kg of subsidised foodgrain already provided through the Public Distribution System (PDS).

PM Poshan Scheme

• In September 2021, the Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman or PM-POSHAN for providing one hot cooked meal in Government and Government-aided schools with the financial outlay of Rs 1.31 trillion.
• The scheme replaced the national programme for mid-day meal in schools or Mid-day Meal Scheme.
• It has been launched for an initial period of five years (2021-22 to 2025-26).

Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS)-1975

• The Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) Scheme is a flagship programme of GOI for providing for supplementary nutrition, immunization and pre-school education to the children.
• ICDS is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented by state governments and union territories.
• The scheme is universal covering all the districts of the country.
• The Scheme has been renamed as AnganwadiServices.
• The ICDS Scheme offers a package of six services, viz. Supplementary Nutrition, Pre-school non-formal education, Nutrition & health education, Immunization, Health check-up and Referral services.

Beneficiaries

• Children in the age group of 0-6 years
• Pregnant women and
• Lactating mothers.

Foodand Agriculture Organization

• FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
• It is one of the UN food aid organisations based in Rome (Italy).
• Its sister bodies are the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

World Food Programme

• It is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience.
• It was awarded, Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for its efforts to combat hunger
• It was founded in 1961 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) with its headquarters in Rome, Italy.
• WFP focuses on emergency assistance as well as rehabilitation and development aid.

2. Millets as smart crop

Subjects: Geography

Context: Millets have received renewed attention as crops that are good for nutrition, health, and the planet.

Know about Millets: https://optimizeias.com/millets-2/

• As climate-smart crops, they are hardierthan other cereals. Since they need fewer inputs,they are less extractive for the soil and can revivesoil health. Additionally, their genetic diversityensures that agrobiodiversity is preserved.
• India has led the global conversation on reviving millet production for better lives,nutrition, and the environment, including at the UN General Assembly, where it appealed to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
• It is the world’s leading producer of millets,producing around 41% of total production The national government is also implementing a Sub-Mission on Nutri-Cereals(Millets) as part of the National Food SecurityMission.
• State-level missions in Odisha, MadhyaPradesh, and Andhra Pradesh are a testament to India’s resolve to revive these indigenous crops.
• Millet conservation and promotion contribute to addressing food security, improved nutrition,and sustainable agriculture, which aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda.
• Millet production has been proven to enhance biodiversity and increase yields for small holder farmers, including rural women.
• The International Fund for AgriculturalDevelopment’s (IFAD’s) Tejaswini programme with Madhya Pradesh showed that growingmillets meant a nearly 10 times increase in income (₹1,800 per month in 2013-14 to ₹16,277 in 2020-21), with better food security because milletcrops were not impacted by excessive rainfall.
• A study by the FAO on millets in India emphasises strengthening value chains forenhancing nutritional benefits and increasing farmers’ incomes.
• Millets play important role in rainfed region of the country which contributes to 60 percent of the total area. The minor millets are rich source of nutrients and minerals and resistant to drought and stress in rainfed farming. Millets are adapted to a wide range of ecological conditions and are often grown on skeletal soils that are less than 15 cm deep. It does not demand rich soils for their survival and growth

Production:

Madhya Pradesh has highest area under small millets (32.4%) followed by Chhattisgarh (19.5%), Uttarakhand (8%), Maharashtra (7.8%), Gujarat (5.3%) and Tamil Nadu (3.9%).Uttrakhand has highest productivity of 1174 Kg/ ha followed by Tamil Nadu (1067 Kg/ha) and Gujarat (1056 Kg/ha). State-wise average area, production and yield estimates of small millets are given in table 5. Karnataka has the highest area and production of finger millet followed by Tamil Nadu. Karnataka itself occupied around 66 per cent of total production and other statesare very minimal production in India. But Tamil Nadu state has recorded highest productivity (2464 Kg/ha) of finger millet followed by Karnataka (1782 Kg/ha) which is above the national average yield (1580 Kg/ha). As far as compound growth rate is concern negative growth in all states including Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Area under finger millet and minor millets are losing its area to cereal crops and commercial crops even though they have higher nutritive value and are resistant to pest and disease and drought

Production pattern

Over the last five decades area under minor millet and finger millet have decreased drastically from 1955-56 to 2013-14 (table no 4). In case of minor millet almost eight fold reduction in area decreased from 53.35 lakh ha in 1955-56 to 6.82 lakh ha in 2013-14. Further the production of minor millet recorded four fold decreases during these periods.

Reasons:

• The marginal increase in yield of minor millets was seen but this is very minimal as compared to other cropsproduction were the tradeoff between rice and wheat with minor millet.
• Whereas finger millet, one fold decrease in area and there is not as much as decrease in production due to yield almost doubled in these period i.e from 800 kg/ha to 1661 in 2013-14.
• Poor policy support for coarse cereals on the one hand favorable policies for the cultivation of oilseeds such as sunflower and soybeans and cash crops such as cotton on the other hand became more profitable, driven by yield increases and higher prices spurred by growing consumer demand (Status paper on coarse cereals, Directorate of Millets Development, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation).
• Easy availability of rice and wheat on subsidized rate through PDS, social status attached to fine cereals, the penetration of diversified value-added products from rice and wheat and the ease of preparation and short cooking time for them have resulted in their increased consumption

Consumption pattern

Assam (18.82 kg/hsh/m) andBihar (18.69 kg/hsh/m) states were highest consumption of small millets was found in all India and rural areas. Other state are consuming less than the 10 kg/household/month which is lower than that of Assam and Bihar

3. Scheduled Castes panel cannot initiate inquiry on unsubstantiated complaints

Subject : Constitutional Organisations

Context : The Delhi High Court has recently ruled that the National Commission for Scheduled Castes cannot initiate an inquiry based on any “specious complaint and unsubstantiated allegations” made by a person belonging to a Scheduled Castes.

Concept :

• NCSC is a constitutional body that works to safeguard the interests of the scheduled castes (SC) in India.
• Article 338 of the constitution of India deals with this commission:
• It provides for a National Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes with duties to investigate and monitor all matters relating to safeguards provided for them, to inquire into specific complaints and to participate and advise on the planning process of their socio-economic development etc.

Its history –

Special Officer:

• Initially, the constitution provided for the appointment of a Special Officer under Article 338.
• The special officer was designated as the Commissioner for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

65th Amendment, 1990:

• It replaced the one-member system with a multi-member National Commission for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
• The Constitution (65th Amendment) Act 1990, amended Article 338 of the Constitution.

89th Amendment, 2003:

• By this amendment, the erstwhile National Commission for SC and ST was replaced by two separate Commissions from the year 2004 which were: National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)- under Article 338-A.

Structure –

• Chairperson
• Vice-chairperson.
• Three other members.
• They are appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.

Functions –

• Monitoring and investigating all issues concerning the safeguards provided for the SCs under the constitution.
• Enquiring into complaints relating to the deprivation of the rights and safeguards of the SCs.
• Taking part in and advising the central or state governments with respect to the planning of socio-economic development of the SCs.
• Regular reporting to the President of the country on the implementation of these safeguards.
• Recommending steps to be taken to further the socio-economic development and other welfare activities of the SCs.
• Any other function with respect to the welfare, protection, development and advancement of the SC community.

Constitutional Provisions For Upliftment of the Schedule Caste –

• Article 15(4) refers to the special provisions for their advancement.
• Article 16(4A) speaks of “reservation in matters of promotion to any class or classes of posts in the services under the State in favour of SCs/STs, which are not adequately represented in the services under the State’.
• Article 17 abolishes Untouchability.
• Article 46 requires the State ‘to promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and, in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and to protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.
• Article 335 provides that the claims of the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes shall be taken into consideration, consistently with the maintenance of efficiency of administration, in the making of appointments to services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union or of a State.
• Article 330 and Article 332 of the Constitution respectively provide for reservation of seats in favour of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the House of the People and in the legislative assemblies of the States.
• Under Part IX relating to the Panchayats and Part IXA of the Constitution relating to the Municipalities, reservation for SC and ST in local bodies has been envisaged and provided.

4. Banking sector

Subject :Economy

Context:

The Nobel in Economics has been awarded to Bernanke, Diamond and Dybvig for their “research on banks and financial crises” undertaken in the early 1980s which have formed the foundations of what constitutes most modern banking research.

Details:

• Diamond and Dybvig  postulated theoretical models on banks’ role in an economy and what makes them vulnerable to ‘runs’ on their deposits.
• Depositors want any-time access to their savings while banks don’t keep the money idle but lend it onwards to borrowers for longer tenures.
  • This tenure mismatch in banks’ asset-liability profiles increases the risk of simultaneous withdrawal rush and bank run.
• It provided solutions such as deposit insurance or a ‘lender of last resort’ policy that governments can consider to avoid such failures.

Concept:

Banks’ asset-liability profiles 

• A balance sheet is an accounting tool that lists assets and liabilities.
• Every scheduled bank is required to furnish in the prescribed form  to the Reserve Bank of India on a fortnightly basis on reporting Fridays and Last Fridays of the month statement showing its liabilities and assets in India in terms of Section 42(2) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
• This return provides up-to-date information on deposits, advances and investments etc of banks.

5. Why is inflation systemic now?

Subject : Economy

Context:

Since May, the Reserve Bank of India has raised the repo rate by 190 basis points yet it hasn’t checked credit growth so far making inflation systemic .

Concept:

Systemic Inflation

• It  implies higher prices for general goods and services over a longer and sustained period of time.
• The nature of the forces behind the inflation are more systemic (permanent and structural) than transient.
• It generally involves higher core inflation, which is the inflation of items excluding food, fuel, light items, and petrol, diesel and other fuels for vehicles.

Causes:

• Rise in commodity prices- other than food and fuel i.e. the Core inflation– typically rises and falls more gradually than inflation in food and fuel.
• Wage price spiral-high inflation that has seeped into wage inflation as people have demanded higher wages to compensate for higher prices which in turn further increase demand and inflation.
• Rising inflation expectation-mainly due to sustained buoyancy in commodity prices
• Global issues-supply shocks, large swings in capital flows and global spillovers from financial market volatility.
• Structural changes– changes in labour laws, industrial policies leading to supply shortages.It also include increased import demand and commodity-specific demand–supply imbalances.
• Rise in non food credit growth-it includes credit to various sectors of the economy (Agriculture, Industry, and Services) and also in the form of personal loans.
  • The food credit indicates the lending made by banks to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) mainly for procuring foodgrains. It is a small share of the total bank credit.

6. Digital banks

Subject :Economy

Context:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated 75 digital banking units to the nation.

Details:

• The Union Budget for 2022-23 proposed to set up 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) in 75 districts of the country by Scheduled Commercial Banks.
• It would further financial inclusion and improve banking experience for the citizens.
• Both ICICI Bank and HDFC have announced plans to set up DBUs.
  • The  DBUs will have 2 distinct features – a Self-service Zone and a Digital Assistance Zone.

Concept:

What? 

A digital banking unit is a specialised fixed point business unit or hub housing certain minimum digital infrastructure for delivering digital banking products and services as well as servicing existing financial products and services digitally in self-service mode at any time.

By whom?

Commercial banks (other than regional rural banks, payment banks and local area banks) with past digital banking experience are permitted to open DBUs in tier 1 to tier 6 centres, unless otherwise specifically restricted, without having the need to take permission from the RBI in each case.

Services offered?

• DBU must offer certain minimum digital banking products and services– both liabilities and assets side of the balance sheet of the digital banking segment.
• Digitally value-added services to conventional products.
  • saving bank accounts under various schemes,  current accounts, fixed deposit  and recurring deposit accounts,
  • digital kits for customers, mobile banking and Internet banking,
  • debit cards, credit cards, and mass transit system cards,
  • digital kits for merchants,
  • UPI QR codes, BHIM Aadhaar and point of sale (PoS).
  • making applications for and onboarding customers for identified retail, MSME or schematic loans.
    • end-to-end digital processing of such loans, starting from online application to disbursal and identified government-sponsored schemes that are covered under the national portal.
  • Other services-balance-check, printing passbooks, transfer of funds, investment in fixed deposits, loan applications, stop-payment instructions for cheques issued, tax and bill payment and nominations.

How different from Neo-banks?

• Fintechs operating as neobanks offer digital banking services but they do so in partnership with non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).
• Examples- Jupiter, Fi Money, Niyo, Razorpay X.

7. What is ‘meat’ from plants and is ‘just like’ meat vegetarian?

Subject: Science and Technology

Context-

• Last week, meat and seafood retailer Licious forayed into the marketing of “mock” chicken and mutton under a new ‘UnCrave’ brand.
• Also, various celebrities like M.S. Dhoni, Actor couple Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh, former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma are investing, promoting and shifting to plant-based meat products.
• Companies and Startups in this segment are- ShakaHarry,  California-based Beyond Meat and alternative protein startup, Blue Tribe among others.

Plant-based meat-

• “Plant-based” refers to products that bio-mimic or replicate meat, seafood, eggs, and milk derived from animals — by looking, smelling, and tasting like them.
• Beyond Meat’s patties, apart from using coconut oil to copy the melty beef fat of a real hamburger, apparently even bleed as they cook — the “blood” coming from a beetroot juice-based liquid.

How are these made?

• Animal meat contains protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water, just like plants.
• This biochemical similarity allows for finding analogues in the plant kingdom or making them through mechanical, chemical, or biological treatment of such ingredients.
• The challenge lies in replicating muscle tissue that plants don’t have.
• The unique spatial arrangement of proteins in these tissues is what creates the distinct texture of animal meat.
• That’s why plant-based mutton samosas, kebabs or keema, having a simpler texture, are easier to make than larger whole cuts of animal meat such as chicken breasts and pork chops.
• As for plant-based dairy, the main products are milk from oats, almond, soyabean, coconut, and rice.
• Among these, oat milk is considered the closest to regular milk in taste and texture.
• It is also thicker and creamier, as oats absorb more water than nuts or rice during soaking, and more of the grain gets strained for incorporation into the final product.
• Oat milk players include the Swedish company Oatlyand the Bengaluru-headquartered Alt Co.

How big is the industry?

• According to the Good Foods Institute at Washington DC, retail sales of plant-based animal product alternatives in the US stood at $7.4 billion in 2021.
• The industry has grown from $4.8 billion in 2018.
• Sales of plant-based meat — which also has other big names like Impossible Foods and the Kellogg Company-owned MorningStar Farms — were flat in 2021, with even milk growing at only 4%.

What is the scope in India?

• Probably not much, at least in dairy.
• Most Indians take naturally to milk, which is a classic “superior food”.
• Both milk (which includes ghee, curd, butter, ice-cream and other dairy products) and, to a lesser extent, meat (which includes fish and prawn) are superior foods — unlike cereals and sugar, whose share in the value of consumption reduces with increasing incomes, making them “inferior foods”.

8. Securing India’s cyberspace from quantum techniques

Subject : Science and Technology

Context-

• Last month, there were reports that the Indian Army is developing cryptographic techniques to make its networks resistant to attacks by systems with quantum capabilities.
• This step builds on last year’s initiative to establish a quantum computing laboratory at the military engineering institute in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.

Need for quantum technology in defence-

• The traditional encryption models are at risk so the deployment of “quantum-resistant” systems has become a necessity.
• Quantum cyberattacks can potentially breach any hardened target, opening a significant vulnerability for existing digital infrastructure.
• Hack proofing these systems will require considerable investments.
• Cyber risks arising from quantum computing are accentuated by the lead taken by some nations in this sector.
• For example, the US National Quantum Initiative Act has already allocated $1.2 billion for research in defence-related quantum technology.
• China hosts two of the world’s fastest quantum computers.

Where India stands-

• In February 2022, a joint team of the Defence Research and Development Organisation and IIT-Delhi successfully demonstrated a QKD link between two cities in UP — Prayagraj and Vindhyachal— located 100 kilometres apart.
• China’s quantum advances expand the spectre of quantum cyberattacks against India’s digital infrastructure, which already faces a barrage of attacks from Chinese state-sponsored hackers.
• India’s dependence on foreign, particularly Chinese hardware, is an additional vulnerability.

India’s cyberspace resilience-

• In 2019, the Centre declared quantum technology a “mission of national importance”.
• The Union Budget 2020-21 had proposed to spend Rs 8,000 crore on the newly launched National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications.
• Currently, India has very few capabilities in developing advanced systems capable of withstanding quantum cyberattacks.
• India must consider procuring the United States National Security Agency’s (NSA) Suite B Cryptography Quantum-Resistant Suite as its official encryption mechanism.
• This can then facilitate India’s official transition to quantum-resistant algorithms.
• India shall look forward to join Open Quantum Safe project — a global initiative started in 2016 for prototyping and integrating quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms.
• Quantum Key Distribution (QKDs) over long distances, especially connecting military outposts for sensitive communications, can be prioritised to ensure secure communications whilst protecting key intelligence from potential quantum cyberattacks.

National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications (NM-QTA) –

• The NM-QTA, also called the National Quantum Mission, was announced with an outlay of Rs.8000 crore for five years in the Budget 2020.
• Implemented by- Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
• The focus areas for the mission will be addressing national priorities through:
  • Fundamental science
  • Translation
  • Technology development
• Quantum principles will be used to engineer solutions to problems in the field of communications, computing, chemistry, sensing, cryptography, mechanics, imaging among others.

Applications of quantum computing and technology include those in the domains of aerospace engineering, simulations, weather prediction, cybersecurity, securing communications and financial transactions, education, health, agriculture, advanced manufacturing, etc.

9. Climate of uncertainty

Subject :Environment

Context-

• CLIMATE CHANGE IS altering weather patterns, directly impacting 55 per cent of the country’s inflation basket.
• There are implications for incomes and the twin deficits too.

Take the current year, for example- 

• A debilitating heatwave in March led to rise in wheat prices by 19 per cent, despite the ban on export of wheat.
• Even though the season ended with rains that were 6 per cent above normal for the country as a whole, there were large regional and inter-temporal variations, especially in eastern India.
• A delayed withdrawal of monsoon and uncharacteristically heavy rains in October are threatening to damage crops ahead of the harvest season.
• Vegetable prices have begun to rise and early estimates suggest that rice production could be 6 per cent below last year.
• All of this could stoke inflation expectations at a time when India’s inflation is well above the central bank’s target range.

And it’s not just about2022.

• Decade-old rainfall trends are changing.
• Reservoir levels matter much more than rains for India’s food production and inflation, as reservoirs not only capture contemporaneous rains, but also store water from previous rain episodes. We find that reservoir patterns are changing too.
• With insufficient moisture, sowing patterns have become far more volatile, creating inflationary pressures for food crops, even if temporarily.

Food inflation trends-

• Long-held seasonality patterns in food prices are changing. Looking at the last, decade, food prices used to rise gently each month between April and October every year.
• Repeating the study for only the last three years suggests that the rise in food prices in the April to October period is not as uniform as before.
• Rather it is bunched up as sharp increases across fewer months, making food price changes more volatile.
• This new trend is most pronounced for cereal prices.
• Similarly, in the past vegetable prices used to fall in the December to February period.
• This was popularly known as the winter disinflation, with an implicit message to the central bank not to get carried away by the rise in vegetable prices over the summer months; rather to look through it and wait for the winter disinflation in order to get a clearer sense of where food inflation really is.
• Now vegetable prices, too, are displaying changing seasonality patterns.
• The disinflation that was spread out over the December to February months now starts later and is concentrated in January and February.
• It’s no surprise that vegetable prices remain the most volatile component of the food basket.

And it’s not just food-

• Fuel inflation is impacted too.
• To assess the changing demand for energy due to climate change, we model oil demand with the usual drivers like GDP growth, the ratio of manufacturing to services, and domestic oil prices.
• Our regression is economically and statistically significant. But what is most interesting for us is the on- economic drivers of energy demand.

Climate change and energy demand-

• It is worth clarifying here that climate change can impact energy demand in several ways.
• In the first instance, episodes like a heatwave in March,or a colder-than-normal winter, raise demand for energy.
• Second, as the world transition to renewables, there is likely to be a transition period during which fossil fuel-derived power is disincentivised before renewables reach their full potential.
• This period could be marked by volatile energy prices.

Inflation forcasting-

• Together ,food and fuel make up 55 per cent of India’s CPI basket.
• With such a large weight of food and fuel, inflation in India has always been susceptible to supply shocks.
• And now weather-related surprises are on the rise, making India’s Inflation Patterns Even Harder to predict than before.
• It is therefore no surprise that inflation forecasting errors are on the rise.
• This, then, raises the challenge for the central bank. With inflation volatility rising, it will become more challenging over time to anchor inflation expectations at desired levels.
• In some situations, this may require larger rate hikes inorder to remain close to the inflation target, which, inturn, would slow GDP growth.
• The RBI may have to experiment with new techniques. For instance, raising rates earlier rather than later in the cycle, as a way of keeping inflation contained without too much cumulative tightening (a kind of early mover advantage).

Way forward-

• And we’re only just getting started. Climate change is likely to impact other aspects of the economy too.
• Volatile rains can hurt farm incomes, and climate change-led increases in energy demand can widen the trade deficit, by raising coal imports, for instance.

India may eventually need a coordinated institutional framework tying together the different parts of policy making in order to navigate the increasing volatility triggered by climate change and energy transition.

10. Pasmanda Muslim

Subject :Polity

Context:

• INA first-of-its-kind conference of Pasmanda Muslims was organised in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh by the state BJP’s minority wing.
• Many prominent Pasmanda Muslim where honoured.

Who are Pasmanda Muslim:

• Pasmanda is a Persian word that means the ‘ones left behind’. The word is used to describe the depressed classes among Muslims who have been deliberately or consciously excluded from the fruits of power and privilege.
• Backward, Dalit, and tribal Muslims use the word Pasmanda as an umbrella identity to flag caste-based discrimination within the community.
• The term Pasmanda Muslim was first used in 1998 by Ali Anwar Ansari , who founded the Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz.
• Today 85% of the total population of Muslims in the country is known as Pasmanda.
• It is believed that the so-called untouchable Hindu converts are categorised as Pasmanda.

A caste system in minorities

• The caste system is applicable to Asian Muslims in the same way as it is applicable in Indian society.
• Among the South Asian Muslims including those living in India, 15% are considered upper class or upper caste, called
• The remaining 85% Muslims known as Arzal and Ajlaf are considered to be Dalit and backward. Arzal means degraded.
• Ashrafs claim to be the descendants of Muslims from the Islamic homelands of Arabia, Persia, Turkey, Afghanistan (Syeds, Sheikhs, Mughals and Pathans), or of upper-caste converts from Hinduism.
• Ajlafs are the middle-caste converts who were involved in occupations that are considered ritually “clean” likemomins or julahas (weavers), darzis or idiris (tailors), and rayeens or kunjaras (vegetable sellers).
• The Arzals have traditionally been beyond the pale, and were first recorded only in the 1901 census.They belong to the lowest, “untouchable” castes like the halalkhors, helas, lalbegis or bhangis (scavengers), dhobis (washermen), nais or hajjams (barbers), chiks (butchers), and faqirs (beggars).

What is the Constitutional status of those muslims?

• The Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order, 1950, had restricted Scheduled Caste (SC) status to Hindus, keeping Dalit from other religions out of its ambit.
• The order was later amended in 1956 and 1990 to include Sikhs and Buddhists.
• The implementation of the report of the Mandal Commissionbrought the non-Ashrafs, Ajlafs, and Arzals, under the OBC category.
• The National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities, known as the Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission, acknowledged that the caste system impacted all religious communities in India, including Muslims.
• The report of the Rajinder Sachar Committee, formed in 2005 to study the social, economic and educational condition of Indian Muslims, stated that there is  three groups among Muslims:
• Those without any social disabilities, the Ashrafs;
• Those equivalent to Hindu OBCs, the Ajlafs,
• Those equivalent to Hindu SCs, the Arzals.
• Those who are referred to as Muslim OBCs combine Ajlafs and Arzals

What are the demands of Pasmanda Muslims:

• Conducting a caste census.
• Restructuring of existing reservation categories, and
• State support for artisans, craftspersons, and agricultural labourers, who are among the most impoverished of Indian Muslims.
• Pasmanda outfits demanded that Dalit Muslims should be included in the SC list, and the OBC quota should be redesigned to create an Extremely Backward Castes (EBCs) category at the central and state levels for both most backward Hindus and Muslims.

11. Child Marriage

Subject :Polity

What is Child Marriage:

• According to Indian laws Child marriage is a marriage where either the woman is below age of 18years or the man is below the age of  21 years.

Some Findings about Child Marriage: 

• NFHS-5 data of 2019-20 reported an underage marriage to about 23%, which is still a substantial number considering the existing stringent rules.
• Further, NFHS-5 data revealed that 7% of girls aged between 15-18 were pregnant.
• West Bengal(42%) has the highest prevalence of child marriage followed by Bihar and Tripura (40% each).
• According to an estimate by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) , each year at least 1.5 million girls under 18 get married in India, which makes it home to the largest number of child brides in the world.

The Legislative Protection

• Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929: It restricts the practice of child marriage.
• Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006: It was enacted to address and fix the shortcomings of the Child Marriage Restraint Act.The act envisages preventing child marriage with punishments of rigorous imprisonment for two years and/ or fine of Rs. 1 lakh
• Special Marriage Act, 1954 and Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006: These prescribe 18 and 21 years as the minimum age of consent for marriage for women and men respectively.
• Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Act, 2015: Powers to safeguard the best interests of India’s children. For this purpose, Child Protection Committees, Child Protection Units and CWCs have been formed and are functioning at the district level.

Measures to Prevent Child Marriages

• Committee by the Ministry for Women and Child Development: To examine matters pertaining to age of motherhood, imperatives of lowering Maternal Mortality Ratio and the improvement of nutritional levels among women.
• District Child Protection Unit : Responsible for identification and rescues children in need of care and protection.
• District Child Protection Committee: These are headed by the Chairperson of the Zilla Parishad and are nodal organisations at the district level to review and monitor the work related to ensuring child rights.
• Section 16 of the PCMA Act,2006 authorises the State Government to appoint an officer or officers to be known as the ‘Child Marriage Prohibition Officers.
• The Central Government  undertakes awareness drives, media campaigns and outreach programmes from time to time to highlight the various issues about this evil practice.
• The Central Government has introduced CHILDLINE with short code 1098, a 24X7 telephone emergency outreach service for children in crisis.
• Through the Sabla programme of Women and Child Ministry, adolescent girls in the age group of 11 to 18 years are imparted training with regard to legal rights of women which also includes the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

12. Court vs Court

Subject :Polity

Context:

• Recently SC ordered suspending Bombay HC’s acquittal of GN Saibaba Case.
• The order was stayed at an emergency hearing on Saturday, one day after the former professor and five others had been acquitted for having Maoist links.

What is GN Saibaba Case:

• GN Saibaba, who is 90% disabled, and five others were convicted by a trial court in 2017 for allegedly having links to the banned Communist Party of India (Maoists) and a frontal organisation, the Revolutionary Democratic Front. 
• Five of them were sentenced to life imprisonment, while one was sentenced to ten years imprisonment.

What was the High Court judgment :

• The High court had two core findings.
• The first was that cognisance was taken by the trial court without sanction being granted by the sanctioning authority as required by the Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA) under section 45(1).
• The second important issue of law that the High Court has dealt with was section 45 (2) of UAPA which requires an exhaustive review of the prosecution evidence by an authority independent of the prosecution.
• The Bombay High Court found that the proceedings in these trials were null and void as they did not have a valid sanction Under Section 45 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Why Supreme Court suspended the order:

• The bench of Justices MR Shah and Bela Trivedi heard the matter.
• The bench stated that the High Court had not entered into the merits of the case and had not dealt with the facts of the case and found the accused not guilty. Rather, it only discharged all the accused on the ground that the sanction was not valid.
• The court said that the accused persons had been convicted of a “very serious” crime “against the sovereignty and integrity of the country”.
• It said that the accused could apply for bail and listed the matter for the next hearing on December 8.

13. China’s ‘Wolf Warrior’ Diplomacy

Subject: IR

Context:

• The ongoing National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, China has taken a tough approach in its international dealings, employing a style that has come to be known as “wolf warrior” diplomacy.

What is ‘Wolf Warrior’ Diplomacy:

• It is a term that gained popularity during Xi  Presidency .
• “Wolf warrior diplomacy” is a tactic of the Chinese government to extend its ideology beyond China and counter the West and defend itself.
• It is an unofficial term for the more aggressive and confrontational style of communication that Chinese diplomats have taken to in the last decade.
• A 2015 Chinese action film, titled ‘Wolf Warrior’, and its sequel have served as the inspiration for the term.
• ‘Wolf Warrior’ Diplomacy reinforces a presumed transition of Chinese diplomacy from conservative, passive, and low-key to assertive, proactive, and high-profile.

What is the need for wolf warrior diplomacy:

• The change in strategy has been attributed to many reasons, such as:
• Xi’s more authoritarian tendencies as compared to earlier leaders
• Deteriorating US-China relations under former US President Donald Trump and
• Coronavirus pandemic-related accusations in China.

Indian experience:

• The new ‘wolf warrior diplomacy’ confronts head-on any criticism of China in the public sphere.
• Delhi has been at the receiving end for a while especially during the recent crises of Doklam and Ladakh.

How successful has this approach been on the whole:

• The wolf-warrior diplomacy is already hurting China’s foreign policy,since it has generated pushback from many reliable partners.
• China’s soft power has become weak globally and has further damaged China’s global image.

Wolf warrior tactics, combined with great military assertiveness on the China-India border, has ended up pushing India much closer to the U.S.

14. Hampi, Khajuraho on list for G20 culture track

Subject : Art and Culture

Context: AS PART of India’s G20 Presidency between December 2022 and November 2023, the Government is planning to host five key meetings focusing on the “culture track” at Khajuraho, Bhubaneswar, Hampi and Agra,

Hampi Chariot

• The chariot inside the temple complex is a shrine dedicated to Garuda, but the sculpture of Garuda is now missing.
• The Hampi chariot is one among the three famous stone chariots in India, the other two being in Konark, Odisha, and Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu.
• The delicately carved chariot at Hampi reflects skill of temple architecture under the patronage of Vijayanagararulers who reigned from 14th to 17th century CE.

About Vijaynagar Empire

• Vijayanagara or “city of victory” was the name of both a city and an empire.
• The empire was founded in the fourteenth century (1336 AD) by Harihara and Bukka of Sangama dynasty.
• They made Hampi as the capital city. In 1986, Hampi was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
• It stretched from the river Krishna in the north to the extreme south of the peninsula.
• Vijayanagar Empire was ruled by four important dynasties and they are:
  • Sangama
  • Saluva
  • Tuluva
  • Aravidu
• Krishnadevaraya (ruled 1509-29) of the Tuluva dynasty was the most famous ruler of Vijayanagar. His rule was characterised by expansion and consolidation.
• He is credited with building some fine temples and adding impressive gopurams to many important south Indian temples. He also founded a suburban township near Vijayanagar called Nagalapuram after his mother.
• He composed a work on statecraft in Telugu known as the Amuktamalyada.