DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 20th August 2022

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Syllabus

• Prelims – Government Schemes
• Mains – GS 2 (Governance); GS 3 (Development)

In News: Prime Minister congratulated the Goa government for becoming the first state to be Har Ghar Jal certified, which means every household in the state had a piped water connection.

• Union Territories of Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu had achieved the feat as well.

Jal Jeevan Mission

Launched in 2019, it envisages supply of 55 litres of water per person per day to every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024.

• JJM looks to create a jan andolan for water, thereby making it everyone’s priority.
• It comes under Jal Shakti Ministry.
• The mission ensures functionality of existing water supply systems and water connections, water quality monitoring and testing as well as sustainable agriculture.
• It also ensures conjunctive use of conserved water; drinking water source augmentation, drinking water supply system, grey water treatment and its reuse.

Features:

• JJM focuses on integrated demand and supply-side management of water at the local level.
• Creation of local infrastructure for source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, like rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and management of household wastewater for reuse, is undertaken in convergence with other government programmes/schemes.
• The Mission is based on a community approach to water and includes extensive Information, Education and Communication as a key component of the mission.

Implementation:

• Paani Samitis plan, implement, manage, operate and maintain village water supply systems.
• These consist of 10-15 members, with at least 50% women members and other members from Self-Help Groups, Accredited Social and Health Workers, Anganwadi teachers, etc.
• The committees prepare a one-time village action plan, merging all available village resources.
• The plan is approved in a Gram Sabha before implementation.

Funding Pattern:

• The fund sharing pattern between the Centre and states is 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States, 50:50 for other states, and 100% for Union Territories.

The following components are supported under JJM

• Efforts should be made to source funds from different sources/ programmes and convergence is the key.
• Development of in-village piped water supply infrastructure to provide tap water connection to every rural household.
• Development of reliable drinking water sources and/ or augmentation of existing sources to provide long-term sustainability of water supply system.
• Wherever necessary, bulk water transfer, treatment plants and distribution network to cater to every rural household
• Technological interventions for removal of contaminants where water quality is an issue
• Retrofitting of completed and ongoing schemes to provide FHTCs at minimum service level of 55 lpcd;
• Greywater management
• Support activities, i.e. HRD, training, development of utilities, water quality laboratories, water quality testing & surveillance, R&D, knowledge centre, capacity building of communities, etc.
• Any other unforeseen challenges/ issues emerging due to natural disasters/ calamities which affect the goal of FHTC to every household by 2024.

Source: Indian Express

Previous Year Question

Q.1) Which of the following are the objectives of ‘National Nutrition Mission’? (2017)

1. To create awareness relating to malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers.
2. To reduce the incidence of anemia among young children, adolescent girls and women.
3. To promote the consumption of millets, coarse cereals and unpolished rice.
4. To promote the consumption of poultry eggs.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1, 2 and 3 only
3. 1, 2 and 4 only
4. 3 and 4 only

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Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Affairs

In News: In line with the World health Organisation’s (WHO’s) global strategy on “Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030”, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued draft guidelines to improve the working conditions of all categories of nurses in all healthcare institutions across India.

The Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030

• In May 2014, the 67^th World Health Assembly, adopted this resolution as a follow-up of the Recife Political Declaration on Human Resources for Health.
• Member States requested the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop and submit a new global strategy for human resources for health (HRH) for consideration by the 69^th World Health Assembly.
• The Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030 is primarily aimed at planners and policy-makers of Member States.
• However, its contents are of value to all relevant stakeholders in the health workforce area.
• Which includes public and private sector employers, professional associations, education and training institutions, labour unions, bilateral and multilateral development partners, international organizations, and civil society
• This framework identifies the health worker competencies needed to provide quality, integrated, people-centred, health-promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care services
• This provides key principles required for effective interprofessional collaborative practice, including recommendations for policy and governance structures, health system infrastructures, and education programmes and opportunities.

Source: Business-standard.com

Previous Year Question

Q.1) Consider the following pairs: (2020)

International agreement/set-up        Subject

1. Alma-Ata Declaration – Healthcare of the people
2. Hague Convention – Biological and chemical weapons
3. Talanoa Dialogue – Global climate change
4. Under2 Coalition – Child rights

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 4 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 2, 3 and 4 only

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Syllabus

• Prelims – Government Schemes

Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2022-23

• Recently Government of India, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, decided to issue Sovereign Gold Bonds in tranches for 2022-23.
• The SGB scheme was launched in November 2015 with an objective to reduce the demand for physical gold and shift a part of the domestic savings – used for the purchase of gold – into financial savings.
• The Gold Bonds are issued as Government of India Stock under the Government Securities (GS) Act, 2006.
• These are issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on behalf of the Government of India.
• Bonds are sold through Commercial banks, Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL), designated post offices and recognised stock exchanges, National Stock Exchange of India Limited and Bombay Stock Exchange, either directly or through agents.
• The bonds are restricted for sale to resident individuals, Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), trusts, universities and charitable institutions.
• Issue Price: Gold bond prices are linked to the price of gold of 999 purity (24 carats) published by India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA), Mumbai.
• A fixed rate of 2.5% per annum is applicable on the scheme, payable semi-annually.
• The interest on Gold Bonds shall be taxable as per the provision of Income Tax Act, 1961.

Investment Limit:

• Minimum permissible investment is 1 gram of gold.
• Gold bonds can be purchased in the multiples of one unit, up to certain thresholds for different investors.
• The upper limit for retail (individual) investors and HUFs is 4 kilograms (4,000 units) each per financial year. For trusts and similar entities, an upper limit of 20 kilograms per financial year is applicable.

Term

• The gold bonds come with a maturity period of eight years, with an option to exit the investment after the first five years.
• Bonds can be used as collateral for loans.
• The capital gains tax arising on redemption of SGB to an individual has been exempted.

Source: Pib.Gov

Previous Year Question

Q.1) What is/are the purpose/purposes of Government’s ‘Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme’ and ‘Gold Monetization Scheme’? (2016)

1. To bring the idle gold lying with Indian households into the economy.
2. To promote FDI in the gold and jewellery sector.
3. To reduce India’s dependence on gold imports.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Q.2) With reference to the Indian economy, what are the advantages of “Inflation-Indexed Bonds (IIBs)”? (2022)

1. Government can reduce the coupon rates on its borrowing by way of IIBs.
2. IIBs provide protection to the investors from uncertainty regarding inflation.
3. The interest received as well as capital gains on IIBs are not taxable.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

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Syllabus

• Mains – GS 2 (Governance); GS 4 (Ethics)

Context: The CBI and Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) are investigating allegations that the Delhi excise department that allowed a waiver of Rs 144.36 crore to the liquor cartel on the tendered licence fee, and that funds were ‘diverted to public servants’.

• The CBI has named 15 individuals in its FIR filed in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.
• then Delhi Excise Commissioner and two other senior excise department officials were instrumental in recommending and taking decisions pertaining to excise policy for the year 2021-22 without approval of competent authority with an intention to extend undue favours to the licencees post tender.

Corruption in India

“Just as it is impossible not to taste the honey that finds itself in the tip of the tongue, so it is impossible for a government assistant not to eat up, at least a bit of King’s revenue.” – Kautilya

Corruption is dishonest behavior by those in positions of power. It starts with the tendency of using public office for some personal benefit. Moreover, it is unfortunate that corruption has, for many, become a matter of habit. It is so deeply entrenched that corruption is now considered a social norm. Hence, corruption implies the failure of ethics.

Status of corruption in India

• India ranks 85^th rank in corruption perception index of 2021.
• Country’s score has remained stagnant over the past decade, some of the mechanisms that could help reign in corruption are weakening.
• CPI highlighted that unfair and opaque political financing, undue influence in decision-making and lobbying by powerful corporate interest groups, has resulted in stagnation or decline in the control of corruption.

Causes of corruption

Legacy issues

• Rampant poverty and empty coffers of the government at the dawn of independence leading to chronic low salaries of the government officials
• Pre liberalization license permit raj catered by Monopolies and restrictive trade practices facilitated the corruption.
• The lack of economic freedom led to abuse of the system.
• Necessities of development overshadowed vigilance procedures.

Political system

• Use of black money in elections to win at any cost creates the need for the recovery of that cost through malpractices.
• Election funding is not transparent making it prone to the usage of black money and funding based on quid pro quo.
• It leads to crony capitalism, an unholy nexus between politicians and corporates.
• Criminalization of politics- when the rule-breakers become rule makers, the casualty is the rule of law.

Economic structure

• Low levels of formalization (merely 10%) of the economy breed black money.
• Stringent compliance rules for entry and exit for businesses result in bribery.
• Unequal distribution of wealth – Transparency International data suggests that corruption is directly proportionate to the economic gap in a nation.

Legal lacunae

• Archaic laws like IPC 1860 don’t capture the complexities of administration and lead to the escape of wrongdoers.
• Lacunae in the Lokpal act and delays in the appointments both at the state and central levels
• Dilution of the RTI act and political misuse of CBI and other agencies.

Administrative lacunae

• Loopholes give discretionary powers to the officials making working prone to corruption.
• Lack of resources, funding, infrastructure and manpower in the vigilance institutions.
• Lack of incorporation of standard practices by organizations like Banks, sports organizations which results in multi-billion-rupee scams.
• g. Punjab National Bank scam, commonwealth scam.

Judicial delays

• Lack of protection to good Samaritans
• Targeting of upright and non-corrupt officials and rewards to corrupt officials
• Near non-existent whistleblowers protection

Social problems

• The mindset of the citizenry that doesn’t look at the problems seriously and even accepts it as a necessary part of the system.
• Increasing consumerism in the new middle class that is ready to bribe to get things done.
• Failure of social morality, education system to inculcate the values

Impacts of corruption

Hindrances to developmental process

• Loss of wealth due to corruption and siphoning away of taxpayers’ money leave little to spend in the social sector.
• Corruption in the social sectors like PDS, health and education schemes lead to demographic disadvantage.

Economic loss

• Undermines ease of doing business.
• Corruption in the public services sector carries high risks for conducting good businesses.
• Companies are likely to unwanted red tapes, petty corruption, bribes for finalizing any procedures or deals.
• Wrong allocation policies result in undervaluation of resources like Coal blocks, Hydrocarbon projects, Spectrum allocation. Eg. 2G scam, Coalgate.
• This mismanagement of resources leads to environmental degradation and exploitation.
• Corruption of financial sector officials like Banks, the stock market erodes the strength of the economy. E.g. PNB scam, PMC scam, Harshad Mehta scandal

Social sector losses

• Corruption in government projects targeting poor and vulnerable section of the society increases the economic gap between the rich and the poor
• The corrupt system denies the poor a chance to improve their status rendering them eternally poor

Legal Framework for Fighting Corruption:

• Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 provides for penalties in relation to corruption by public servants and also for those who are involved in the abetment of an act of corruption.
• Amendment of 2018 criminalised both bribe-taking by public servants as well as bribe giving by any person.
• The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 aims to prevent instances of money laundering and prohibits use of the ‘proceeds of crime’ in India.
• The Companies Act, 2013 provides for corporate governance and prevention of corruption and fraud in the corporate sector.
• The term ‘fraud’ has been given a broad definition and is a criminal offence under the Companies Act.
• The Indian Penal Code, 1860 sets out provisions which can be interpreted to cover bribery and fraud matters, including offences relating to criminal breach of trust and cheating.
• The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 regulates the acceptance and use of foreign contributions and hospitality by individuals and corporations.

Regulatory Framework:

• The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 provides for an establishment of an ombudsman for the central and state governments (Lokpal and Lokayuktas, respectively).
• These bodies are required to act independently from the government and have been empowered to investigate allegations of corruption against public servants, which include the prime minister and other ministers.
• The Central Vigilance Commission is mandate is to oversee the vigilance administration and to advise and assist the executive in matters relating to corruption.

Way forward

There is a need for windfall reforms in each and every section of the system to fight the menace. Every aspect of governance must be improved for efficiency, economy, and effectiveness.

Electoral reforms

• Imposing limits on the overall expenditure of the political parties.
• Making state funding of elections a reality.
• Empowering ECI by giving legal force to MCC and making paid news a criminal offence.
• Strengthening of autonomous institutions
• Protecting the autonomy of CIC-giving him/her a constitutional status
• Eliminate overlapping of jurisdiction- e.g. Lokpal and CBI

Administrative reforms

• Establishing the Civil Service Board to curb the excessive political control over the administration.
• Conducting periodic sensitivity training for the civil servants.
• Simplifying the disciplinary proceedings and strengthening preventive vigilance within the departments to ensure corrupt civil servant do not occupy the sensitive position.
• Police and judicial reforms– implementation of Prakash Singh recommendations.

Governance reforms

• e-gov apart from advancing the good governance objectives of accountability and transparency also seeks to reduce the manual interface between state and citizen thus preventing the incidences of bribery
• Drives like Digital India projects like Government e-Marketplace must be implemented.
• Enactment of the right to service act. E.g. Rajasthan social accountability bill

Economic reforms

• Negating legal lacunae in banking, stock market legislations.
• Improving corporate governance by implementing corporate governance committee reports
• Formalization of the economy

Social sector improvements

• Awareness of citizenry by training them in RTI act, Citizens charter, social audits.
• Increasing democratization of the masses.
• Curriculum reforms to inculcate values even in higher education by which youngsters acquire high standards of ethical mindset.

Integrity, transparency, and fight against corruption have to be part of the culture. They must be thought of as fundamental values of the society we live in. In India, some recent anti-corruption initiatives have been taken. For example, various Supreme Court’s ruling in pursuit of curbing criminalization of politics, many e-governance initiatives will improve transparency and accountability. These measures are indeed steps in the right direction, but bringing behavioural change in society will act as the most potent weapon against corruption.

Source: Indian Express

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Syllabus

• Mains – GS 2 (International Relations)

In News: The External Affairs Minister attended the ninth India-Thailand joint commission meeting.

India-Thailand

• India’s bilateral relations with Thailand are rooted in history, age-old social and cultural interactions, and extensive people to people contacts.
• The classical Sanskrit and Pali texts from India carry references of the region using various names such as Kathakosha, Suvarnabhumi (the land of God) or Suvarnadvipa (the golden island).
• A French scholar named George Coedes coined the term ‘Farther India’ to refer to those states that experienced “the civilising activity of India’. Geographically, it refers to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and the Malay states.
• In the past two decades, with regular political exchanges, growing trade and investment, India’s ties with Thailand have now evolved into a comprehensive partnership. India’s ‘Act East’ policy has been complemented by Thailand’s ‘Act West’ policy in bringing the two countries closer

India’s religious links to Thailand

• The most important influence of India on Southeast Asia was in the field of religion and how Shivaism, Vaishnavism, Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, and later Sinhalese Buddhism came to be practised in the region.
• The Mon kings of Dvaravati and the Khmers had patronised Buddhism and built several Buddhist edifices, but at the same time had also adopted Brahmanical customs and practises.
• Apart from the popular Brahmanical deitiesof Ganesh, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, those that are largely absent in Indian socio-religious landscape, such as Indra are also worshiped in Thailand.
• Although there is no archaeological evidence of the story of Rama in Thailand, but the Ayutthaya in Central Thailand, which emerged in the 10th century CE, is derived from Ayodhya, birthplace of Lord Rama.

Cultural Cooperation:

• The nationalist historian RC Majumdar, for instance, noted that “the Hindu colonists brought with them the whole framework of their culture and civilisation and this was transplanted in its entirety among the people who had not emerged from their primitive barbarism”.
• Many local languages in the region, including Thai, Malay, and Javanese contain words of Sanskrit, Pali and Dravidian origin in significant proportions. The Thai language is written in script derived from Southern Indian Pallava alphabet.
• The Thai language translation of the Constitution of India was launched by the President of the National Assembly and Speaker of the House of Representatives of Thailand in March 2021 at an event organised by the Embassy under the banner of India@75.

Indian Diaspora in Thailand:

• There are an estimated 250,000 people of Indian origin in Thailand, many of them having lived in the country for several generations.

Economic & Commercial Partnership:

• The bilateral trade and investment between our countries is robust and growing.
• Our bilateral trade was US$ 12.12 billion in 2019 and it reached US$ 9.76 billion in 2020 despite the pandemic situation.

Connectivity:

• The number of Thai tourists to India was close to 160,000 (mainly to Buddhist pilgrimage sites).
• India and Thailand are closely cooperating on improving regional connectivity through initiatives such as India- Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, Asian Highway Network (under UNESCAP), BTILS under BIMSTEC framework.

Defence Cooperation:

• Since 2015, India is participating in Ex-Cobra Gold, the largest Asia Pacific Military exercise as ‘Observer Plus’s category.
• Bilateral exercises are held annually between the armed forces of both countries.
• Exercise MAITREE (Army).
• Exercise SIAM BHARAT (Air Force).

Multilateral Forum Cooperation

• Both countries are important regional partners linking South and Southeast Asia.
• They cooperate closely in the ASEAN, East Asia Summit (EAS), Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi- Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) groupings , Mekong Gang Cooperation (MGC), and Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD),

The Indo-Thai relation today is not just looked upon from the angle of socio-cultural ties. Since the relation in today’s context has become very comprehensive in its scope. This bilateral engagement has the potential to foster growth not only restricted to the two nations but for the entire region.

This is very much evident given the fact that cooperation in the areas of security, economic, and connectivity being interconnected, would also have the same level of impact on the neighbouring States and the region.

Source: Indian Express

Q.1) Consider the following statements about Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2022-23

1. These are issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on behalf of the Government of India.
2. The bonds are restricted for sale to resident individuals and charitable institutions only.
3. The interest on Gold Bonds shall be taxable as per the provision of Income Tax Act, 1961.
4. Bonds cannot be used as collateral for loans.

Choose the incorrect statements:

1. 2 and 3
2. 2, 3 and 4
3. 2 and 4
4. 3 and 4

Q.2) Which of the following legislation was passed during the tenure of Lord Curzon?

1. Indian Official Secrets Amendment Act, 1904
2. Calcutta Municipal Amendment Act
3. Indian Universities Act, 1904

Choose the correct code:

1. 1 and 2
2. 2 and 3
3. 1 and 3
4. 1, 2 and 3

Q.3) Consider the following statements

1. Jal Jeevan Mission envisages supply of 55 litres of water per person per day to every rural household by 2024.
2. Paani Samitis plan and implement village water supply systems.
3. The plan prepared by Paani Samitis has to be approved in a Gram Sabha before implementation.

Choose the correct statements:

1. 1 only
2. 1 and 2
3. 2 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’20th August 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.

Q.1) – b

Q.2) – d

Q.3) – a