Daily Prelims Notes 25 January 2025

Daily Prelims Notes

25 January 2025

Table Of Contents

1. Odisha Tops NITI Aayog’s First Fiscal Health Index
2. Kremlin urges Trump for nuclear disarmament talks
3. Hundreds of migrants arrested as Trump’s deportation drive begins
4. Archaeologists must look for more iron-specific sites in the south
5. At 75, constitutional justice and personal liberty

1. Odisha Tops NITI Aayog’s First Fiscal Health Index

Sub : Eco

Sec : Fiscal Policy

Why in News

• The NITI Aayog has released its inaugural Fiscal Health Index (FHI) Report 2025, which assesses the fiscal health of Indian states for the year 2022-23. The report is significant for understanding states’ fiscal stability, debt sustainability, and developmental expenditure, making it a critical reference for policymakers.

Top-Performing States:

• Odisha leads with a cumulative score of 67.8, followed by Chhattisgarh (55.2) and Goa (53.6).
• These states demonstrated:
  • Higher capital outlay: Up to 4% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).
  • Effective revenue mobilisation: Particularly non-tax revenue.
  • Revenue surplus: Low fiscal deficits.
  • Low interest payments: Constituting up to 7% of revenue receipts.
• Odisha topped both the debt index (99.0) and the debt sustainability index (64.0).

Front-Runners Category:

• States like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka were classified as front-runners due to:
  • High developmental expenditure: Up to 73% of total expenditure.
  • Balanced fiscal management.
  • Improved debt sustainability with a debt-to-GSDP ratio of 24%.

Aspirational States:

• Kerala, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal were categorized as aspirational due to fiscal challenges.
• Issues with Low-Performing States
• Kerala and Punjab: Low-quality expenditure and poor debt sustainability.
• West Bengal: Struggles with revenue mobilisation and debt index challenges.
• Andhra Pradesh: High fiscal deficit levels.
• Haryana: Weak debt profile.

About Fiscal Health Index (FHI):

• The FHI provides a comprehensive assessment of the fiscal health of 18 major Indian states, aiming to guide policy reforms for sustainable and resilient economic growth.
• The FHI evaluates states based on a composite fiscal index comprising five major sub-indices:
  • Quality of Expenditure: Assesses the efficiency and effectiveness of state spending, emphasizing capital expenditure and developmental priorities.
  • Revenue Mobilisation: Evaluates the state’s ability to generate revenue through tax and non-tax sources, reflecting fiscal capacity and effort.
  • Fiscal Prudence: Measures adherence to fiscal discipline, focusing on maintaining fiscal deficits within prescribed limits and ensuring responsible financial management.
  • Debt Index: Analyses the composition and magnitude of state debt, considering factors like debt-to-GSDP ratio and interest payment obligations.
  • Debt Sustainability: Assesses the state’s capacity to manage and repay its debt without compromising fiscal stability, ensuring long-term financial health.
• Data is sourced from credible government records, including reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

2. Kremlin urges Trump for nuclear disarmament talks

Sub: IR

Sec: Int conventions

Context:

• The Kremlin expressed interest in resuming nuclear disarmament talks with the United States, following President Donald Trump’s call for global denuclearization.
• This comes after negotiations between the two countries to reach a new agreement have stalled, especially after Russia withdrew from the New START treaty in 2023 due to escalating tensions over the Ukraine conflict.

Russia’s withdrawal from New START Treaty:

• The New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) was the last remaining arms control agreement between Russia and the United States.
• In 2023, Russia formally withdrew from the treaty, citing the sharp deterioration of relations between the two countries, particularly due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
• Despite the withdrawal, both countries have continued to adhere to the warhead limits outlined in the treaty, which restricts them to a maximum of 1,550 deployed warheads each, until 2026.

New START Treaty:

• It is a treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on measures for the further reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms.
• It entered into force on 5th February, 2011.
• The treaty limits the US and Russia to a maximum of 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers, well below Cold War caps.
• New START has replaced the 1991 START I treaty, which expired December 2009, and superseded the 2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT), which terminated when New START entered into force.
• Its duration was for ten years that is till 2021, but it was extended by five more years till 2026.

3. Hundreds of migrants arrested as Trump’s deportation drive begins

Sub: IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

• The United States has commenced what was described as the “largest massive deportation operation in history,” marking a significant step in President Donald Trump’s campaign to address illegal immigration.
• The United Nations has responded to this, stressing that while countries have the right to control their borders, the right to seek asylum is a universally recognized human right.

Actions on the Southern Border:

• On his first day in office, President Trump declared a “national emergency” at the U.S. southern border and ordered the deployment of additional troops to the region, committed to targeting “criminal aliens” for deportation as part of his broader immigration enforcement strategy.

Undocumented Immigrants in the US:

• The Office of Homeland Security Statistics estimates that there are approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants currently residing in the United States, a key factor influencing the scale and scope of the deportation operation.
• The U.S. has long been a destination for individuals seeking asylum due to violence, political unrest, or persecution in their home countries.

Southern Border:

• The term “southern border” refers to the international border between the United States and Mexico. It extends from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east.
• Many asylum seekers, particularly from Central America, journey to the southern border to apply for refuge.
• One of the most prominent and controversial aspects of Donald Trump’s first presidency was his focus on building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
• While the wall itself was not fully completed as envisioned, the administration did replace or upgrade existing barriers in some areas, and new fencing was constructed in specific high-priority regions.

4. Archaeologists must look for more iron-specific sites in the south

Sub : History

Sec: Ancient India

Introduction

• The Iron Age in India marks a significant phase in the country’s ancient history. Unlike other regions where the Iron Age succeeded the Copper-Bronze Age, the Indian subcontinent showcases a different timeline.
• In northern India, the Chalcolithic or Copper Age dominated, whereas the southern part, particularly Tamil Nadu, has shown evidence of early iron use.

Tamil Nadu’s Discoveries:

• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin suggested that the origins of iron in the state could date back to the early fourth millennium BCE, as per findings by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA).
• The excavations at Sivagalai (2019-2022) pushed the antiquity of iron use to around 3000 BCE, with radiometric validation by institutions like Beta Analytic in the U.S.

Comparison with Previous Discoveries:

• Earlier evidence from the mid-Ganga Valley (Uttar Pradesh) suggested iron technology emerged around 1800 BCE.
• Tamil Nadu’s discoveries challenge this timeline and highlight the need for further investigation into the regional variations of Iron Age development in India.

Implications

• The findings emphasize the need for archaeologists to prioritize iron-specific sites over copper-iron sites.
• Collaboration among states and national bodies like the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is vital for coordinated and reliable research across the southern region.
• The discoveries contribute to understanding India’s ancient technological capabilities and cultural evolution.

Important Iron Age Sites in India

5. At 75, constitutional justice and personal liberty

Sub : Polity

Sec: Constitution

Introduction

• As India marks 75 years of its Constitution, it is imperative to critically examine the ethical and moral dimensions of its core values including liberty.

Liberty and the Constitution

• The Preamble of the Indian Constitution guarantees liberty to all citizens, which includes freedom of thought, expression, belief, faith, and worship
• Article 19 guarantees the freedom of opinion and speech, whereas Article 21 guarantees the right to life and personal liberty.

Historical Context: Dissent and Personal Liberty

• A.K. Gopalan Case (1950): The preventive detention of A.K. Gopalan and the majority judgment of the Supreme Court in this case revealed early constitutional contradictions.
  • The Supreme Court interpreted “personal liberty” narrowly, confining it to “liberty of the body” or freedom from arrest and detention.
  • It held that the term “law” under Article 21 referred only to state-made law, endorsing a limited view of personal liberty.
• Puttaswamy Case (2017): The judgment reinstated Justice Fazl Ali’s dissent, emphasizing personal liberty and privacy as central to constitutional ethics.
  • The court ruled that privacy is a fundamental right that protects a person’s ability to make personal choices and control their life
  • The court ruled that privacy is an integral part of the right to life and personal liberty
• The journey from Gopalan’s detention to Puttaswamy’s privacy right underscores a growing acknowledgment of flaws in past judicial interpretations.

Current Challenges to Personal Liberty

• Proliferation of preventive detention laws, arbitrary arrests, and prolonged custody without trial, especially under anti-terror laws, erodes personal liberty.
• Examples include the Bhima Koregaon case and the anti-CAA protests, where dissenters face indefinite incarceration and systemic suppression.

Judicial Responsibility

• Courts must adopt creative constitutionalism to uphold personal liberty and justice.
• Interventions are needed to address:
  • The lack of urgency in releasing political prisoners.
  • The misuse of colonial-era laws in modern contexts.
• Upholding the Puttaswamy precedent requires embedding dissent and dignity as fundamental constitutional values.

Other Significant Supreme Court Judgments on Liberty in India

• R.C. Cooper v. Union of India (1970)
  • Overturned the narrow interpretation of personal liberty in the Gopalan case.
  • Expanded the scope of personal liberty to include the six fundamental freedoms under Article 19(1).
•  Kharak Singh v. State of Uttar Pradesh (1963)
  • Broadened the understanding of personal liberty to encompass rights under Article 19(1).
  • The court acknowledged that personal liberty is not confined to physical detention but extends to the full spectrum of fundamental rights.
• Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978)
  • Redefined Article 21 to ensure that the right to life and personal liberty includes the right to live with dignity.
  • The court established that any “procedure established by law” under Article 21 must be fair, just, and reasonable, not arbitrary or oppressive.
•  Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation (1985)
  • Recognized the right to livelihood as an integral part of the right to life under Article 21.
  • The court ruled that evicting pavement dwellers without providing alternative arrangements would violate their right to life and personal liberty.