DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th November 2024

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – POLITY

Context: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has approved the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMPs) of 10 coastal districts of Kerala.

Background: –

• The plan, prepared in tune with the provisions of the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2019, permits the coastal districts to take advantage of the relaxed Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules and initiate development activities including construction of buildings towards the seaward side.

Key takeaways

• A Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) is a framework designed to regulate and manage activities within coastal areas to balance environmental conservation with sustainable development.
• In India, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) issued the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification in 2019, which mandates the preparation of CZMPs by coastal states and Union Territories.

Key Objectives of CZMPs:

• Environmental Conservation: Protect ecologically sensitive areas such as mangroves, coral reefs, and wildlife habitats.
• Sustainable Development: Promote development activities that do not compromise the health of coastal ecosystems.
• Livelihood Security: Safeguard the interests and traditional rights of coastal communities, including fisherfolk.

Components of a CZMP:

• Demarcation of Coastal Zones: Identification and classification of coastal areas into different zones (e.g., CRZ-I, CRZ-II, CRZ-III, CRZ-IV).
• Regulatory Measures: Establishment of guidelines and restrictions for permissible activities within each zone to prevent environmental degradation.
• Management Strategies: Development of plans for pollution control, disaster management, and conservation of coastal and marine resources.

What does it mean for Kerala?

• Kerala has a coastline of around 590 km and nine of its 14 districts are located on the coast of the Arabian Sea.
• The 2011 Census put the population density of Kerala at 859 persons per square kilometre, which is more than double the national average of 382 people per square kilometre. The coastal areas of the State are marked by a high density of population when compared to other parts of the State.
• The high demographic pressure on land had resulted in rampant violations of the CRZ rules along the coast. The focus of the CRZ 2011 regime, which was in force till the approval of the CZMP, was on the conservation of the coastal ecosystem, which in turn protected the livelihood of millions of fishers and coastal communities.

What are the benefits?

• The approval of the CZMP would directly benefit around 10 lakh people, according to an estimation of the State government as the earlier restrictions for the construction of new houses and repair of existing homes will be relaxed.
• The new regime will see the No Development Zone (NDZ) — the area which has to be left untouched — around the tidal-influenced water bodies reduced.
• For instance, the decision will see 37 village panchayats categorised as CRZ-III A, where the NDZ has been reduced to one-fourth of the earlier regime. The CRZ-III A are densely populated rural areas with a population density of 2,161 per square kilometre as per the 2011 Census. The NDZ in the category is 50 meters from the High Tide Line against 200 meters as specified by CRZ 2011 notification.

What about mangroves?

• Vast tracts of mangrove vegetation would be exposed to exploitation as the 2019 notification has limited the legal protection of government holdings of an extent over 1,000 sq. metre to 50-metre buffer zones.
• The new regime has also taken away the mandatory buffer zone around mangrove vegetation located in private holdings.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – POLITY

Context: In a landmark ruling that has implications on the citizen’s right to hold property, a nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court ruled that not all private property can be deemed “material resource of the community” for redistribution under Article 39(b) of the Constitution.

Background: –

• Falling under Part IV of the Constitution titled “Directive Principles of State Policy” (DPSP), Article 39(b) places an obligation on the state to create policy towards securing “the ownership and control of the material resources of the community are so distributed as best to subserve the common good”.

Key takeaways

• The ruling in the constitutional reference essentially undoes several decades of Supreme Court jurisprudence on the issue.
• A line of judgments holding that both public and private resources fell within the ambit of “material resources of the community” under Article 39(b) stem from a minority opinion by Justice V R Krishna Iyer in State of Karnataka v Shri Ranganatha Reddy (1977).
• A 1982 five-judge constitution bench ruling in the case Sanjeev Coke Manufacturing Company vs Bharat Coking Coal Ltd, had affirmed Justice Iyer’s view.
• The majority opinion of the SC has now disagreed with these judgments. It said Justice Iyer “cast the net wide, holding that all resources which meet material needs are covered by the phrase, and any attempts by the government to nationalize these resources would be within the scope of Article 39(b)”.
• SC added, “In essence, the interpretation of Article 39(b) adopted in these judgments is rooted in a particular economic ideology and the belief that an economic structure which prioritises the acquisition of private property by the state is beneficial for the nation.”
• As per the recent judgement, the text of the provision indicates that not all privately owned resources fall within the ambit of the place. However, privately owned resources are not excluded as a class, and some private resources may be covered.
• The court added that the Ranganath Reddy and Sanjeev Coke judgments “are incorrect to the extent that they hold that all resources of an individual are part of the community, and thus all private property is covered by the phrase material resources of the community”.
• The majority view also cited B R Ambedkar’s view that “if the Constitution laid down a particular form of economic and social organisation, it would amount to taking away the liberty of people to decide the social organisation in which they wish to live”. Citing this, the ruling framed the court’s role “not to lay down economic policy, but to facilitate this intent of the framers to lay down the foundation for an ‘economic democracy’.”
• The SC added: “Indeed, it is this spirit and its all-encompassing nature of the constitution, which has allowed elected governments since independence to pursue economic reforms and policies based on domestic conditions, international requirements, and political exigencies of the time”.
• The majority opinion referred to India’s economic growth trajectory — the mixed economy of the 1950-60s that included heavy industries and import substitution; the shift towards purportedly “socialist reforms” in the late 1960s and 90s, followed by “market-based reforms” in the 1990s or the “liberalisation years”.
• The court said that as participants in a vibrant, multiparty economic democracy, the people of India have voted to power governments which have adopted varied economic and social policies based on the country’s evolving development strategies and challenges.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: The Ministry of Tourism will launch its Chalo India campaign on the sidelines of the ongoing World Travel Mart in London.

Background:

• The foreign tourist footfall to India has been severely hit in the wake of the pandemic and numbers haven’t returned to pre-pandemic levels. Around 6.19 million and 1.52 million foreign tourists arrived in India in 2022 and 2021 respectively, compared to 10.93 million in 2019.

Key takeaways

• The Ministry of Tourism is participating at WTM London, to showcase India’s vibrant cultural diversity and the vast range of tourism products and immersive experiences.

About Chalo India Campaign

• Chalo India is a first-of-its-kind initiative to bring more foreign tourists to India, wherein the government will allow “friends” of diaspora members to get free visas.
• Five foreign nationals nominated by each Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder on a special portal will be eligible for a gratis e-visa (visa granted without fees).
• As the special portal goes live, the OCI cardholders will need to register on the same and key in the details of their nominated friends; they will be assigned a unique code after due verification. The designated friends can then use the special code to avail of a free visa.
• There are about five million OCI card holders, as per government records. While each OCI holder can nominate up to five people, the total number of free e-visas to be granted under the said initiative is one lakh, officials said.
• The UK is the third largest source market for inbound tourists to India. At almost 1.9 million, it also has one of the biggest Indian diaspora.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – POLITY

Context: The Supreme Court in Anjum Qadri and Anr vs Union of India & Ors upheld the constitutionality of the UP Madarsa Act, 2004.

Background: –

• The Allahabad High Court had declared the UP Madarsa Education Board Act “unconstitutional” on March 22 this year

Key takeaways

• The SC did not agree with the High Court’s decision to strike down the Madarsa Act based on secularism as part of the Basic Structure.
• Citing its Indira Nehru Gandhi judgment (1975), the SC categorically held that the doctrine of Basic Structure should be invoked to examine the validity of a constitutional amendment, not an ordinary piece of legislation like the UP Madarsa Act.
• The current judgment authored by CJI Chandrachud held that in testing an ordinary law, courts should look just at legislative competence and consistency with fundamental rights. The judgment, accordingly, observed that an ordinary law cannot be declared unconstitutional for violating the basic structure of the Constitution because concepts such as democracy, federalism and secularism are undefined, and permitting courts to strike down legislation for their violation of such concepts will introduce an element of uncertainty in adjudication.
• Since the Madarsa Act was struck down in the name of secularism, the judgment discussed the concept at length. It relied on the nine-judge bench judgment in S R Bommai v. Union of India (1994), which had held that “secularism is a positive concept of equal treatment of all religions”.
• The SC said in its present verdict that Articles 25 to 30 contain the other facet of secularism, that is, the practice of religious tolerance by the state. It observed that “by recognising and regulating the Madarsa education, the state legislature is taking positive action to safeguard the educational rights of the minorities.”
• The judgment also said, in essence, that secularism is a facet of equality. It rightly observed that substantive equality shall remain an illusion unless the state is positively charged with the duty to provide equal treatment to all persons, irrespective of their religion, faith, or beliefs.
• The Court recalled its leading judgments on Article 30 to explain the extent of state control of minority institutions in the name of regulation. It clarified that the minority character of an institution cannot be annihilated or destroyed. Certainly, minorities do not have a right to aid and affiliation or recognition of degrees. However, at the same time, neither aid nor affiliation nor recognition by the state can come with such conditions that would destroy an institution’s minority character.
• Madarsas are entitled to state protection under Article 26, which gives religious denominations or any section thereof the right to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes. Thus, purely religious institutions can legitimately be established and maintained.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

Context: The Government stated that over 25 million applications have been submitted under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme since its launch. Out of these, more than 2 million applicants have successfully registered, following a thorough three-step verification process.

Background: –

• The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises said that the scheme has garnered remarkable interest

Key takeaways

• The PM Vishwakarma Scheme is a Central Sector initiative launched by the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) on September 17, 2023.
• It aims to provide comprehensive support to traditional artisans and craftspeople, collectively referred to as ‘Vishwakarmas,’ to enhance their skills, tools, and market access.
• The Scheme covers artisans and craftspeople engaged in 18 trades, viz. Carpenter (Suthar/Badhai), Boat Maker, Armourer, Blacksmith (Lohar), Hammer and Tool Kit Maker, Locksmith, Goldsmith (Sonar), Potter (Kumhaar), Sculptor (Moortikar, stone carver), Stone breaker, Cobbler (Charmkar)/ Shoesmith/Footwear artisan, Mason (Rajmistri), Basket/Mat/Broom Maker/Coir Weaver, Doll & Toy Maker (Traditional), Barber (Naai), Garland maker (Malakaar), Washerman (Dhobi), Tailor (Darzi) and Fishing Net Maker.

Key Features of the Scheme:

• Recognition and Certification: Artisans receive a PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card, acknowledging their skills.
• Skill Upgradation: Offers basic training (5-7 days) and advanced training (15 days or more) with a stipend of ₹500 per day to improve artisans’ proficiency.
• Toolkit Incentive: Provides an incentive of up to ₹15,000 in the form of e-vouchers for procuring modern tools at the beginning of basic skill training.
• Credit Support: Facilitates collateral-free loans in two tranches: up to ₹1 lakh in the first tranche and up to ₹2 lakh in the second, with a concessional interest rate of 5%.
• Digital Transactions Incentive: Encourages digital payments by offering incentives to promote financial inclusion among artisans.
• Marketing Support: Marketing support will be provided to the artisans and craftspeople in the form of quality certification, branding, onboarding on e-commerce platforms such as GeM, advertising, publicity and other marketing activities to improve linkage to value chain.

Source: News on AIR

Q1.) Under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme, the government provides support to traditional artisans and craftspeople through which of the following measures?

1. Toolkit incentives for procuring modern tools
2. Collateral-free credit support with a concessional interest rate
3. Marketing support and access to broader markets

Select the correct answer using the code below:

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 2 and 3 only

C) 1 and 3 only

D) 1, 2, and 3

Q2.) The Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) is primarily designed to:

A) Promote tourism in coastal regions by developing infrastructure.

B) Protect coastal zones by regulating activities and categorizing regions into specific zones.

C) Increase fishing opportunities in coastal waters by providing government subsidies.

D) Boost the construction of coastal resorts under the ‘Blue Economy’ initiative.

Q3.) The ‘Chalo India’ campaign, recently launched by the Ministry of Tourism, aims to:

A) Encourage domestic tourism in India by offering travel discounts to Indian citizens.

B) Promote international tourism by offering free e-visas to friends of Indian diaspora members.

C) Focus on eco-tourism in India by establishing new nature reserves.

D) Increase travel to rural India by promoting local arts and crafts.

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  Today’s – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) –  b

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – c