DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 15th August 2024

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – POLITY

Context: The Opposition has demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the Hindenburg Research allegations against Sebi chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch.

Background:-

• Citing documents from whistleblowers, Hindenburg claimed that Sebi chief and her husband had made investments, dating back to 2015, in offshore funds in Bermuda and Mauritius linked to entities allegedly used by the Adani Group to manipulate financial markets.

About Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC)

• Formation and Composition:
  • A JPC is an ad hoc body comprising members from both Houses of Parliament, roughly in proportion to party strengths in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
  • Lok Sabha’s representation is usually double that of Rajya Sabha.
  • Acts as a mini Parliament, tasked with scrutinizing specific matters within a specific timeframe.
• Setup Process:
  • Joint committees are established by a motion passed in one House and agreed to by the other.
  • Parliament decides on the details of membership and subjects for a JPC.
• Powers and Functions:
  • Can access documents and examine officials from any concerned ministry or institution.
  • Members can submit dissenting notes if they disagree with the majority.
  • The government decides whether to act on JPC recommendations. The government may launch investigations on the basis of a JPC report.
  • Government, in any case, must report on the follow-up action taken based on the committee’s recommendations.
  • Based on the government’s action, the JPC submits an ‘Action Taken Report’ to Parliament, which can be discussed, allowing the Opposition to question the government.
• Significance for Opposition:
  • Provides access to all details of an alleged scams.
  • Ensures the issue remains in the public eye, creating political pressure on the government.
• Notable Financial Investigations by JPC
  • 2G Spectrum Scam (2013):
    • The JPC report absolved PM Manmohan Singh, stating he was misled by the Department of Telecommunications.
    • Criticized by the opposition, which rejected the report as a cover-up.
    • Disagreed with the CAG’s calculation of revenue loss, citing policy consistency.
  • Share Market Scam (2001):
    • Involved Ketan Parekh and the Madhavpura Mercantile Cooperative Bank (MMCB).
    • Parekh accused of using MMCB funds to manipulate share prices.
    • The JPC recommended sweeping changes in stock market regulations; however, they were not fully implemented.
  • Securities & Banking Transactions (1992):
    • Focused on Harshad Mehta’s diversion of funds, causing a major financial scandal.
    • Led to significant legal action, including the CBI filing 72 charges and Mehta’s conviction.
    • JPC recommendations were not fully implemented.
  • Other Investigations:
    • The Bofors scam JPC and the VVIP AgustaWestland chopper scam JPC (2013) were significant, though the latter didn’t proceed due to the BJP’s non-participation.

Source: Indian Express

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – ECONOMY

Context: According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey, the unemployment rate declined from 6 per cent in 2017-18 to 3.2 percent in 2022-23.

Background:

• Unemployment, especially youth unemployment, has emerged as a major concern for the Indian economy.

Measuring employment and unemployment

• Economists divide the population into labour force and not in labour force.
  • Labour Force: Includes working-age individuals (e.g., 15-60 years).
  • Non-Labour Force: Includes children and retired/old-age population.
• Within the labour force, the population is divided into employed and unemployed.
  • Labour Force Categories:
    • Employed: Individuals with work.
    • Unemployed: Individuals willing to work but unable to find jobs.
  • Key Economic Indicators:
    • Labour Force Participation Rate: Ratio of the labour force to the adult population.
    • Unemployment Rate: Percentage of the labour force that is unemployed.
  • Surveys in India:
    • The National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) conducted quinquennial (once in five years) surveys on employment & unemployment since 1972. These surveys had a large time lag and there was a need for a higher frequency survey and timely response by the government to address unemployment.
    • Since 2017-18, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) releases quarterly and annual surveys through the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).
  • PLFS Findings:
    • 2017-18: Overall unemployment rate at 6%, youth unemployment (ages 15-29) at 18%.
    • 2022-23: Overall unemployment rate at 3.2%, youth unemployment at 10%.
    • Rural-Urban Divide: Rural youth unemployment at 8%, urban youth unemployment at 15.7%.
    • Male youth unemployment: 9.7%, female youth unemployment: 10%.
    • Male labour force participation increased slightly from 55.5% to 56.2% over the same period.
    • Female labour force participation increased from 17% (2017-18) to 27.8% (2022-23). The lower representation of females in the labour force is also a major problem for the Indian economy.
  • Types of Unemployment
    • Frictional Unemployment: Temporary and occurs as workers search for jobs that match their skills.Frictional unemployment is inevitable and less concerning.
    • Structural Unemployment: Occurs when the supply of jobs is less than the demand.

Addressing Structural Unemployment

• Economic Shifts:
  • Agriculture’s share in GDP has decreased from 60% (1951) to 15% today, but employment in agriculture remains high. Agriculture suffers from disguised unemployment where more people are employed than required as opportunities are not available in other sectors.
  • Growth sectors like industry and services have not created proportional employment opportunities,  showing the structural unemployment problem in India.
  • Structural unemployment needs to be addressed on both demand and supply fronts. While there is a need to create a supply of more jobs in growth sectors, there is also a need to work on demand factors by improving education and skill-sets of labour enabling them to work in the higher growth sectors.
• Government Initiatives:
  • Union Budget 2024 prioritizes ‘Employment & Skilling’ with three key schemes targeting formal sector employment and manufacturing.
  • Focus on upgrading Industrial Training Institutes, providing skill loans, and facilitating internships with top companies.
  • Female Labour Force Participation: Government to develop hostels and creches for working women and organize women-specific skilling programs.
• India has struggled with structural unemployment for years. New policies have been introduced, but their success depends on effective implementation.

Source: Indian Express

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – HISTORY

Context: As the country celebrates its independence, lets have a look at histories significant moments including partition.

Background:

• The partition led to massive population exchanges, communal violence, and a humanitarian crisis, as millions of Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs found themselves on the wrong side of the newly drawn borders

India’s Role in World War II and Its Path to Independence

• India’s Strategic Importance:
  • During World War II, India was vital to British defence in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
  • British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, a staunch imperialist, aimed to leverage India’s resources while maintaining strict control. However, within his War Cabinet, there was a division, with Sir Stafford Cripps representing the Labour Party’s more progressive stance, which favoured India’s independence.
• Cripps Mission (1942):
  • Sent to India offering post-war dominion status with conditions, including the possibility of provinces seceding – implicitly recognising the Muslim League’s demand for Pakistan.
  • Congress rejected the offer, leading to a breakdown in British-Indian relations.
• Impact of World War II:
  • Japan’s advances in Southeast Asia undermined British prestige.
  • International pressure, especially from the U.S., pushed Britain towards decolonisation.
  • Britain’s economic weakening and political pressure led to a shift in policy. The Labour government (1945) leaned towards Indian independence but was cautious about full control relinquishment.
• The Hindu-Muslim Divide:
  • The process of partition in India was fundamentally driven by the deepening Hindu-Muslim divide.
  • The Lahore Resolution (1940) by the Muslim League marked the demand for a separate nation, positioning Jinnah as the leader of Indian Muslims.
  • Jinnah’s rejection of the Cripps proposal underscored his demand for Muslim self-determination.
  • As the Congress launched the Quit India Movement, the British found allies in Jinnah and the Muslim League.
  • Churchill used Hindu-Muslim tensions to justify British rule.
• Political Negotiations and Failures:
  • Throughout the 1940s, Congress made several attempts to address Muslim demands through high-level negotiations.
  • Rajaji Formula (1944): Proposed a plebiscite in Muslim-majority districts to decide on joining Pakistan; rejected by Jinnah.
  • Simla Conference (1945): In 1945, Viceroy Lord Wavell attempted to form a coalition government with Congress and the Muslim League. Simla Conference, convened to discuss the formation of an all-Indian executive council, failed because Jinnah insisted on the Muslim League’s exclusive right to nominate Muslim members. Congress rejected this demand.
• Rise of the Muslim League:
  • The Muslim League expanded its support base beyond the aristocracy to include professionals and religious leaders.
  • 1946 Elections, seen as a plebiscite for Pakistan, the Muslim League won decisively in Muslim-majority provinces.
  • The Congress also secured a popular mandate, winning majorities in most provinces except Bengal, Sind, and Punjab.
  • 1946 elections marginalised other political parties, including the Communist Party, Hindu Mahasabha, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s All India Scheduled Castes Federation.
  • The election results were interpreted as a popular endorsement of the Muslim League’s demand for Pakistan, and set the stage for the eventual partition.
• Shift in British Policy:
  • British PM Clement Attlee recognized the untenable nature of continued British rule in India. He cited several factors: the lack of sufficient administrative machinery, military commitments elsewhere, opposition within the Labour Party, questionable loyalty among Indian troops, and the reluctance of British forces to serve in India.
  • The Cabinet Mission (1946) was sent to negotiate the terms of Independence. The proposal of the Mission rejected the idea of a sovereign Pakistan, but offered a compromise in the form of a loose federal structure with groupings of provinces. This structure would allow provinces to opt out of groups after 10 years but not from the Union. The Mission’s goal was to grant independence, either within or outside the British Commonwealth, based on the Indian people’s choice.
  • While the Muslim League insisted on the formation of Pakistan, Congress demanded complete independence for a united India.
  • The Mission’s failure to secure a consensus further hastened the inevitability of partition, as the political situation in India became increasingly volatile.
• Mountbatten Plan : The Plan, announced on June 3, 1947, outlined several key points.
  • The legislative assemblies of Punjab and Bengal were to meet in separate groups of Hindus and Muslims to vote on partition. If a simple majority in either group voted in favour of partition, the respective provinces would be divided.
  • In the event of partition, two dominions and two constituent assemblies would be established.
  • Sindh was allowed to make its own decision, and referendums were to be held in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) and the Sylhet district of Bengal to determine their fate.
  • The Mountbatten Plan essentially conceded the Muslim League’s demand for Pakistan while attempting to retain as much unity as possible.
• Indian Independence Act (1947):
  • On July 5, 1947, the British Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act, based on the Mountbatten Plan, and it received royal assent on July 18, 1947. The Act was implemented on August 15, 1947.
  • Created two independent dominions, India and Pakistan.Each dominion was to have a Governor-General responsible for the effective operation of the Act. The Constituent Assembly of each dominion was to exercise legislative powers. Until a new constitution was adopted by each dominion, the governments were to function according to the Government of India Act, 1935.

Source: Indian Express

 Syllabus

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: The Minister for Minority Affairs recently launched the Jiyo Parsi Scheme portal.

Background:

• This portal aims to address the declining population of the Parsi community in India by providing financial assistance for medical treatments, childcare, and support for dependent elderly through a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.

Key takeaways:

• The Jiyo Parsi Scheme was initiated by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in 2013 to address the declining population of the Parsi community in India.
• Parsis (Zoroastrians) are among the six religious communities notified as minority communities by the Union Government, along with Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains.
• The Jiyo Parsi Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme, meaning it is fully funded by the central government.

Objectives

• Stabilize Population: Arrest the declining trend of the Parsi population through structured interventions.
• Increase Birth Rate: Encourage Parsi couples to have more children.

Components

• Advocacy Component: Includes workshops and advertisement campaigns to create awareness.
• Health of the Community Component: Covers childcare and creche support, assistance to the elderly, etc.
• Medical Component: Provides financial assistance for the detection and treatment of infertility and fertility treatments.

Financial Assistance

• The scheme offers cash assistance to encourage Parsi couples to have children, applicable to all couples irrespective of their financial status.
• It has resulted in 214 births over five years through assisted reproductive techniques (ART).

Source: PIB

 Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: Recently, the Union Minister for Jal Shakti launched the Version 2.0 of the ‘FloodWatch India’ mobile application.

Background:

• FloodWatch India was developed by the Central Water Commission (CWC).

About FloodWatch India App

• The FloodWatch India app was first introduced by the Central Water Commission (CWC) on August 17, 2023.

App Features

• Real-time Flood Information: Provides flood situation updates and forecasts up to 7 days in advance.
• User-Friendly Interface: Available in readable and audio formats in English and Hindi.
• Real-time Monitoring: Users can check up-to-date flood situations across the country.
• Data Sources: Utilizes near real-time river flow data from various sources.
• Location-Based Forecasts: Offers flood forecasts at the nearest location, accessible from the Home Page.
• State-wise/Basin-wise Forecasts: Provides flood forecasts (up to 24 hours) or advisories (up to 7 days) by selecting specific stations, states, or basins.
• Advanced Technologies: Uses satellite data analysis, mathematical modeling, and real-time monitoring for accurate forecasts.

New Features in FloodWatch India 2.0

• Expanded Monitoring: Includes information from an additional 392 flood monitoring stations, totalling 592 stations.
• Reservoir Information: Provides data on the storage positions of 150 major reservoirs, aiding in understanding potential downstream flood situations.

Source: DECCAN HERALD

Q1.) With reference to the Jiyo Parsi Scheme, consider the following statements:

1. The Jiyo Parsi Scheme was initiated by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in 2013 to address the declining population of the Parsi community in India.
2. The Jiyo Parsi Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme.
3. The scheme offers cash assistance to encourage Parsi couples to have children, applicable to all couples irrespective of their financial status.

How many of the above given statements are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q2.) With reference to the FloodWatch India mobile application, consider the following statements:

1. It was developed by the Central Water Commission.
2. It provides flood situation updates and forecasts up to 7 days in advance.
3. It is available in readable and audio formats in English and Hindi.

How many of the statements given above are not correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q3.) Consider the following statements about Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC)

1. A JPC is an ad hoc body comprising members from both Houses of Parliament, roughly in proportion to party strengths in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
2. Joint committees are established by a motion passed in one House and agreed to by the other.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  15th August 2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) –  d

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – a