Current Affairs – 02nd Mar 2024

Articles Covered

  1. Quality Council Orders
  2. Manipur assembly reaffirms resolution seeking implementation of NRC in state
  3. Maharashtra govt announces revised New Pension Scheme for state staff
  4. India-built airstrip inaugurated in Agaléga, Mauritius: Its strategic significance vis-a-vis Maldives and China
  5. GST collections up 12.54% in February
  6. Cabinet announces International ‘Big Cat’ Alliance
  7. PM-JANMAN
  8. El Nino waning, La Nina to develop in second half of 2024

Quality Council Orders

  • Quality Control Orders (QCO) have been issued for cotton, polyester, and viscose fibres, which are the fundamental raw materials for the bulk of the Indian textile and clothing business.
  • The primary goal of the QCO is to regulate the entry of low-quality and cheaper goods and to ensure that consumers receive quality products.
  • Textile purchasers, whether local or foreign, have created a supply chain throughout the years, and when there are limits due to certification, the value chain is disturbed.

Government Initiatives to promote textile sector

  1. National Technical Textile Mission:It aims to increase domestic technical textile usage while positioning the country as a worldwide champion in the field. It aims to raise the scale of the domestic market to between $40 billion and $50 billion USD by 2024.
  2. Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS):In order to update the textile industry’s technology, the government authorized the “Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS)” in 2015.
  3. Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP):It seeks to assist small and medium-sized textile company proprietors in clustering investments in textile parks by providing financial assistance for the parks’ top-notch infrastructure.
  4. SAMARTH (Scheme for Capacity Building in the Textile Sector):To address the shortage of qualified workers, the government established the SAMARTH Scheme for Capacity Building in the Textile Sector.
  5. North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS):It is an initiative that provides infrastructure, skill building, and marketing help to all areas of the textile business.
  6. Power-Tex India:It includes creative power-loom textile research and development, new markets, branding, funding, and worker welfare initiatives.
  7. Silk Samagra Scheme: It aims to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign silk by improving the quality and output of locally made silk.
  8. ICARE Jute: This 2015 trial project aims to assist jute farmers in overcoming challenges by providing discounted certified seeds and popularizing many recently developed retting technologies under water-restricted circumstances.
  9. PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks:It seeks to centralize the complete textile value chain, from spinning to weaving to processing/dyeing to garment production.

Viscose Staple Fiber (VSF), is a natural and biodegradable fiber which has characteristics that are similar to cotton.

Due to its versatility, VSF is widely used for manufacturing

  1. Apparels
  2. Home textiles
  3. Dress materials
  4. Knitted wear and
  5. Non-woven applications.

Manipur assembly reaffirms resolution seeking implementation of NRC in state

  • “The decision to urge the Government of India to expedite the implementation of the NRC reflects our commitment to ensuring the security and integrity of Manipur. I urge all citizens to support this endeavour as we strive to build a stronger, more prosperous Manipur for generations to come,” he added after the assembly passed the resolution.
  • The Manipur assembly first adopted a resolution to enforce NRC and adopt a population commission on August 6, 2022, following demand from several students and tribal bodies who wanted NRC to detect Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal residents living illegally in the state.

And recently

  • CAA again on horizon, Assam Opposition prepares to raise it as poll issue, CM Sarma says go to SC
  • 16 parties hand over memorandum to President asking Modi govt to stop move to implement CAA, warn of mass agitation otherwise; DGP says any such bandh could entail recovery of crores

NRC

  • The NRC, at its core, is an official record of those who are legal Indian citizens.
  • It contains demographic information on all individuals who meet the criteria for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Act of 1955.
  • The register was created following the 1951 Census of India, and it has not been updated since.
  • The NRC will now be updated to include the names of those persons (or their descendants) who appear in the NRC, 1951, or
  1. in any of the Electoral Rolls up to midnight on March 24, 1971, or
  2. in any of the other admissible documents issued up to midnight on March 24, 1971
  • Legacy Datarefers to all of the names appearing in the NRC, 1951, or any of the Electoral Rolls up to midnight on March 24, 1971.
  • The Registrar General of India will manage this database in collaboration with state chief registrars.
  • It will be updated on a regular basis with the organisations in charge of Aadhaar, ration cards, voting rolls, passports, and driving licences.
  • The Centre has been advocating for NRCs in all states. Nagaland has already begun work on a comparable citizen database called the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants.
  • In addition, the Centre has announced plans for a National Population Register (NPR), which would include demographic and biometric information on residents.

National Register of Citizens – Eligibility Criteria

  • To be eligible for the NRC, a person must meet the following requirements:
  • Any person whose name appeared in the NRC of 1972 or any of the Electoral Rolls up to the midnight of March 24, 1971, as well as their descendants.
  • Persons who have registered themselves with the Foreigners Registration Regional Officer (FRRO)in accordance with Central Government rules and are not considered illegal migrants or foreigners by any authority.
  • Anyone who arrived in Assam on or after January 1, 1966, but before March 25, 1971.
  • People who are original Assamese residents, as well as their children and descendants, who are citizens of India, if their citizenship is proven beyond a reasonable doubt by the registering authority.
  • Persons who can provide any of the documents listed in the list of documents admissible for citizenship issued up to midnight on March 24, 1971.

NRC related to CAA

  • There is no direct link between the CAA and the NRC
  • The Citizenship Amendment Act is intended to assist members of the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian communities who have migrated from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan due to religious persecution, ensuring that they are not treated as illegal immigrants and are granted Indian citizenship.
  • After being enacted by both Houses of Parliament, the Act was approved by the President of India in December 2019.
  • The rules for this Act are still to be drafted, and the Centre has asked the Supreme Court to extend the deadline until 2022.
  • The NRC, on the other hand, is a genuine Indian identifying process.

Maharashtra govt announces revised New Pension Scheme for state staff

Under revision, pension will be 50 per cent of last drawn salary and DA.

  • In a bid to lure state government employees demanding the old pension scheme’s (OPS) reinstatement, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on the budget’ session’s last day Friday, announced the revised National Pension Scheme (NPS) in the Maharashtra Assembly, where market linked risks in the NPS will be borne by the government.
  • As per the new scheme, employees will have the option to get pension of 50 per cent based on their last drawn salary and Dearness Allowance (DA). In addition, employees can get a family pension of 60 per cent of their pension and DA. This will be applicable to state government employees who joined service after November 1, 2005. Friday’s announcement will be optional for those already under the NPS.
  • This will be a one-time option and employees have to opt within the next six months if they choose to remain under the old NPS or the revised one. In February, the state government had issued an order awarding OPSto 26,000 government employees who were chosen before November 2005.

States Reverting from New Pension Scheme to Old Pension Scheme

  1. Recently, states including Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab have opted to move back to the old pension system.
  2. The government is planning to amend the NPS so that employees get an assured 40%-45% of their last drawn salary as a pension.
  3. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government discontinued the OPS in 2004 and introduced the National Pension Scheme (NPS) for government employees.

Features

Old Pension Scheme (OPS)

New Pension Scheme or National Pension System (NPS)

Defined benefits

  1. The government pays the entire pension amount to government employees after retirement.
  2. For example, in the case of OPS, if a government employee’s basic monthly salary at the time of retirement was Rs 10,000, she would be assured of a pension of Rs 5,000.
  1. Employees pay their pension corpus from their salary, with the government matching their contributions.
  2. Employees contribute 10% of their salary (basic + dearness allowance). The government contributes 14% towards the employees’ NPS accounts.

Pension Amount

It guarantees government employees 50% of their final drawn pay plus Dearness Allowance (DA) as a post-retirement income for life.

The pension amount is not fixed.

Eligibility

Applies exclusively to government employees.

  1. NPS permits all Indian citizens (including NRIs) between the ages of 18 and 70 to participate including self-employed and unorganized workers.
  2. Not applicable for armed forces

General Provident Fund (GPF)

It includes a GPF to which every government employee contributes a portion of their salary.

There is no General Provident Fund (GPF) benefit.

Implementation

Implemented and regulated by PFRDA (Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority)

Comparing and Contrasting the Old Pension Scheme and the New Pension Scheme 

Advantages of OPS over NPS/ Disadvantages of NPS:

  1. It ensures a consistent source of incomethroughout an individual’s retirement years.
  2. This is because their pensions are calculated based on their final salary along with the DA.
  3. Thus, their pensions increase whenever the DA is revised semi-annually.The OPS income that the recipient gets is not subject to tax.
  4. The pension of employees increases when the DA is revised semi-annually.
  5. No deductions are made from employees’salaries for pension contributions.
  6. The government bears the costsassociated with pension expenditure.
  7. Advantages of NPS over OPS/ Disadvantages of OPS:
  8. It enables subscribers to choose their preferred fund manager and investment choice, including a 100% government bond option.
  9. The lowering of government retirement obligations.
  10. Greater returns than traditional instruments like the Public Provident Fund (PPF).

the challenges associated with the Old Pension Scheme

Pension liabilities: There continue to be concerns that the OPS will soon become financially unsustainable because there is no means to fund the growing pension liability with the existing tax buoyancy. 

  1. As of 2021-22, state pension liabilities represent 1.2% of GDP.
  2. In the 10 States, pension spending alone amounts to 12.4% of total revenue expenditures (on average from 2017-18 to 2021-22) and it is predicted that the pension outlay will remain between 0.7% and 3% of GSDP through 2030-31.
  3. The NPS replaced the OPS which encouraged early retirement and underutilization of personnel resources.

Demographic changes in the Indian Population: Governments are expected to face increasing pension obligations in the future, driven by factors like rising life expectancy, periodic DA increases, and salary-linked pensions.

  1. The increase in the elderly population and their life span means an increase in liabilities.
  2. The increase is two-fold, as the pensioners’ benefits also increase every year, like the salaries of existing employees, because they are indexed for dearness relief.

Fiscal implications: The government is already heavily burdened with non-discretionary expenditures towards interest payments, salaries, and administrative expenses. 

  1. Indexed pensions for government employees can significantly add to this bill, crowding out productive spending and welfare schemes for the wider population.
  2. According to a recent study by the RBI, the burden of switching back would be roughly 4.5 times that of the NPS, “with the additional burden reaching 0.9 per cent of GDP annually by 2060”.

Impact on social sector expenditure: With India’s median age rising and an older population structure in many states, public education, and healthcare are vital to harnessing the demographic dividend.

  1. This reduces the fiscal resources required to undertake developmental expenditure.
  2. OPS-based recruitment poses expenditure challenges, leading to reduced social sector spending and worsening poverty among the marginalized.

Deepening Intergenerational Equities: It negatively impacts fairness between generations as it places the burden of funding pensions for retirees on future workers through taxes.

  1. Currently, the bottom 50% of the population bears the burden of indirect taxation six times more than their income.
  2. The OPS can be seen as a redistribution mechanism that benefits those who are already in a better financial position.
  3. Government employees receive a minimum pension of ₹9,000 based on the Sixth pay norms.
  4. On the other hand, the social security pension for the poor does not exceed ₹500 in 14 States and is only ₹2,000 in a few other States.
  5. This means that a government employee’s salary is higher than the income of over 90% of the population.
  6. Intergenerational equity refers to fairness or justice in relationships between children, youth, adults, and seniors, particularly in terms of treatment and interactions.

India-built airstrip inaugurated in Agaléga, Mauritius: Its strategic significance vis-a-vis Maldives and China

India has deep strategic stakes in the Indian Ocean. New Delhi has to manage its diplomatic relationships with the governments of island nations in the region while continuously pursuing its strategic interests.

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth of Mauritius jointly inaugurated an airstrip and a jetty that India has built on Agaléga, a two-island Mauritian dependency 1,100 km to the north of Port Louis and 2,500 km southwest of Malé.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth virtually inaugurated an air strip and a jetty to ensure maritime security and connectivity to Mauritius’ Agalega islands.

Agalega Islands

  • Agalega islands lies approximately 650 nautical miles (1,050 km) north of Mauritius.
  • It is a group of two islands with a total area of 26 sq km and a native population of about 300 people.

Significance of Agalega Islands

  1. The development of the Agalega Islands is in the socio-economic and national security interest of Mauritius, and also aligns with India’s maritime vision.
  2. The islands, a dependency of Mauritius, were not developed for many years.
  3. The sustainability and well-being of the islands’ inhabitants presented a challenge, as even the most basic needs required referral to Mauritius.
  4. The near absence of an official government or security presence was a serious vulnerability.
  5. This vulnerability could be converted to strength by developing the islands and creating facilities that could operate ships and aircraft.
  6. Building a jetty and an airstrip was therefore considered imperative by the government of Mauritius.
  7. They chose India as their preferred development partner.

Significance for India

  1. The goodwill and trust between the two countries will be further enhanced.
  2. India will welcome opportunities to further develop these islands in collaboration with Mauritius as the latter deems appropriate.
  3. The joint development of Agalega underscores India’s commitment to the vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
  4. It will indicate to other maritime neighbours that India is a benign and friendly country that respects the sovereignty of independent nations.
  5. India would like to emerge as the preferred development and security partner in the Indian Ocean Region.

GST collections up 12.54% in February

  • Rising GST revenues “demonstrate continued growth momentum and positive performance”, says the Finance Ministry; revenue from domestic transactions rose 13.9%, while goods imports delivered an 8.5% rise
  • Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenues surpassed 68 lakh crore in February, a 12.5% year-on-year increase, coming in as the fourth highest in 79 months since the new tax regime was rolled out in July 2017, highlighting robust growth of the Indian economy, and better tax compliance.

“This growth was driven by a 13.9% rise in GST from domestic transactions and 8.5% increase in GST from import of goods,” the Union finance ministry said in a statement on Friday. Gross revenues in the month of February reflects business transactions of January.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a value-added tax levied on most goods and services sold for domestic consumption. The GST is paid by consumers, but it is remitted to the government by the businesses selling the goods and services.

Main Features of GST

  • Applicable On supply side:GST is applicable on ‘supply’ of goods or services as against the old concept on the manufacture of goods or on sale of goods or on provision of services.
  • Destination based Taxation:GST is based on the principle of destination-based consumption taxation as against the present principle of origin-based taxation.
  • Dual GST:It is a dual GST with the Centre and the States simultaneously levying tax on a common base. GST to be levied by the Centre is called Central GST (CGST) and that to be levied by the States is called State GST (SGST).

Import of goods or services would be treated as inter-state supplies and would be subject to Integrated Goods & Services Tax (IGST) in addition to the applicable customs duties.

  1. GST rates to be mutually decided:CGST, SGST & IGST are levied at rates to be mutually agreed upon by the Centre and the States. The rates are notified on the recommendation of the GST Council.
  2. Multiple Rates:Initially GST was levied at four rates viz. 5%, 12%, 16% and 28%. The schedule or list of items that would fall under these multiple slabs are worked out by the GST council.

Legislative Basis Of GST

  1. In India, GST Bill was first introduced in 2014 as The Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill.
  2. This got an approval in 2016 and was renumbered in the statute by Rajya Sabha as The Constitution (101stAmendment) Act, 2016. Its provisions:
  • Central GST to cover Excise duty, Service tax etc, State GST to cover VAT, luxury tax etc.
  • Integrated GST to cover inter-state trade. IGST per se is not a tax but a system to coordinate state and union taxes.
  • Article 246A –States have power to tax goods and services.

GST Council

  1. Article 279A – GSTCouncil to be formed by the President to administer & govern GST. Its chairman is Union Finance Minister of India with ministers nominated by the state governments as its members.
  2. The council is devised in such a way that the centre will have 1/3rdvoting power and the states have 2/3rd.
  3. The decisions are taken by 3/4th

Goods and Services Tax Council

  • In order to implementGoods and Services Tax (GST), the Constitutional (122nd Amendment) Bill was passed by the PARLIAMENT and by more than 15 states, and thereafter PRESIDENT assent on the 8th of September, 2016.
  • Since then, the GST council has been notified, bringing into existence the Constitutional body to decide issues relating to GST and responsible for providing recommendations to the Union and the State governments on matters related to GST

Objectives of GST Council

The objectives: 

  1. To ensure a smooth implementation of the GST, regulate the goods and services tax regime in India.
  2. To harmonize tax laws across states, to simplify the tax structure, eliminate cascading taxes, and reduce compliance costs.
  3. To monitor all the taxation processes to avoid fraudulent processes.

Constitutional provisions pertaining to the GST Council

GST Council

  • Article 279A (1) of the AMENDED CONSTITUTION, the GST Council has to be constituted by the PRESIDENT within 60 daysof the commencement of Article 279A.
  • Composition of the GST Council
  • Article 279A (2):The Goods and Services Tax Council shall consist of the following members:

Chairperson

  • The Union Finance Minister

Members

  • The Union Minister of State in charge of Revenue or Finance
  • The Minister in charge of Finance or Taxation or any other Minister nominated by each state government

Vice-Chairperson

  • Article 279A (3): The Members of the Goods and Services Tax Council shall choose one member amongst themselves to be the Vice-Chairperson of the Council for such period as they may decide.

Functions

Article 279A (4): The Goods and Services Tax Council shall make recommendations to the Union and the States on

  1. The taxes, cesses, and surcharges levied by the Union, the States, and the local bodies which may be subsumed in the goods and services tax.
  2. The goods and services that may be subjected to, or exempted from, the goods and services tax.
  3. Model Goods and Services Tax Laws, principles of levy, apportionment of Goods and Services Tax levied on supplies in the course ofinter-State trade or commerce under article 269A, and the principles that govern the place of supply.
  4. The threshold limit of turnover below which goods and services may be exempted from goods and services tax.
  5. The rates include floor rates with bands of goods and services tax.
  6. Any special rate or rates for a specified period to raise additional resources during any natural calamity or disaster.
  7. Special provision with respect to the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand; and any other matter relating to the goods and services tax, as the Council may decide.
  • Article 279A (5): The Goods and Services Tax Council shall recommend the date on which the goods and services tax be levied on petroleum crude, high-speed diesel, motor spirit (commonly known as petrol), natural gas, and aviation turbine fuel.
  • Article 279A (8):The Goods and Services Tax Council shall determine the procedure for performing its functions.
  • Article 279A (11): The Goods and Services Tax Council shall establish a mechanism to adjudicate any dispute arising out of the recommendations of the Council or implementation thereof between:
  1. the Government of India and one or more States
  2. the Government of India and any State or States on one side and one or more other States on the other side
  3. two or more States 

Functioning of GST Council

  • Article 279A (7): One-half of the total number of Members of the Goods and Services Tax Council shall constitute the quorum at its meetings.
  • Article 279A (9): Every decision of the Goods and Services Tax Council shall be taken at a meeting, by a majority of not less than three-fourths of the weighted votes of the members present and voting, in accordance with the following principles, namely:
  1. the vote of the Central Government shall have a weightage of one-third of the total votes cast.
  2. the votes of all the State Governments taken together shall have a weightage of two-thirds of the total votes cast in that meeting.

Other provisions

Article 279A (6): While discharging the functions conferred by this article, the Goods and Services Tax Council shall be guided by the need for a harmonized structure of goods and services tax and for the development of a harmonized national market for goods and services.

Article 279A (10):

  1. No act or proceedings of the Goods and Services Tax Council shall be invalid merely by reason of.
  2. Any vacancy in, or any defect in, the constitution of the Council.
  3. Any defect in the appointment of a person as a Member of the Council.
  4. Any procedural irregularity of the Council not affecting the merits of the case.

significant outcomes of the GST Council

GST Council’s decisions have a direct impact on the tax burden of businesses and consumers and on the overall economic environment of the country. Some of the major outcomes of the GST Council include

  1. The GST Council has recommended implementing adual GST model in India, under which both the Central and State Governments levy GST on the supply of goods and services.
  2. The GST Council has classified goods and services intofive tax slabs: 0%, 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%. Some goods and services have also been exempted from GST, while others have been subjected to additional cesses on top of the applicable GST rate.
  3. The GST Council has implemented acomprehensive GST compliance system, including an online portal for filing GST returns and making tax payments.
  4. The GST Council hasreduced the compliance burden on businesses by allowing businesses to avail of input tax credits for GST paid on their purchases and allowing for the composition scheme for small businesses.

Cabinet announces International ‘Big Cat’ Alliance

Modelled on the International Solar Alliance founded in 2015, the IBCA “has been conceived as a multi-country, multi-agency coalition of 96 big cat range countries”, Thakur said.

  • The Union Cabinet Thursday formally announced the establishment of International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) with one-time budgetary support of Rs 150 crore from the central government until 2028.
  • Briefing reporters on the Cabinet decisions, Union Minister said the secretariat of the IBCA will be located in India.
  • The IBCA is an initiative launched by Prime Minister in April 2023 in Mysuru commemorating the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger. The objective of the IBCA is to ensure cooperation for the conservation of seven big cats: lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, snow leopard, jaguar, and puma. Five of these cats, apart from jaguar and puma, are found in India.

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA):

  • It is a proposed mega-global alliancethat will work toward the protection and conservation of the seven major big cats — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar, and cheetah.
  • Membershipto the alliance will be open to 97 ‘range’ countries, which contain the natural habitat of these big cats, as well as other interested nationsinternational organizations, etc.
  • The alliance’s purposeis to provide a platform for the dissemination of information on benchmarked practices, capacity building, resources repository, research and development, awareness creation, etc., on the protection and conservation of big cats.
  • Its major activities will include advocacy,partnership, knowledge e-portal, capacity building, eco-tourism, partnerships between expert groups and finance tapping.
  • After the first five years, which will be supported by India’s ‘total grant assistance’ of $100 million, the IBCA is expected to sustain itself through membership fees, and contributions from bilateraland multilateral institutions and the private sector

Governance Structure:

  • General Assemblyconsisting of all member countries.
  • Council of at least sevenbut not more than 15 member countries elected by the General Assembly for a term of 5 years, and a Secretariat.
  • Upon the recommendation of the Council, the General Assembly will appoint the IBCA Secretary Generalfor a specific term.

PM-JANMAN

Recently, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has brought to light the ambitious Pradhan Mantri-Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) Scheme. Aimed at uplifting PVTGs this initiative carries the potential to address their unique challenges and provide essential infrastructure for a brighter future.

PM-JANMAN Scheme

  1. PM JANMAN is a government scheme that aims to bring tribal communities into the mainstream.
  2. The scheme (comprising Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes) will be implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in collaboration with the State governments and the PVTG communities.
  3. The scheme willconcentrate on 11 critical interventions overseen by 9-line Ministries, ensuring the implementation of existing schemes in villages inhabited by PVTGs.
  4. It encompasses various sectors, including safe housing under the PM AWAS SCHEME access to clean drinking water,improved healthcare, education, nutrition, road and telecommunications connectivity, as well as opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
  • The plan also includes the establishment of VAN DHAN VIKAS KENDRAS fortrading in forest produce,off-grid solar power systems for 1 lakh households, and solar street lights.
  • The scheme is expected to enhance the quality of life and well-being of the PVTGs,by addressing their multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and exclusion,and by recognizing and valuing their unique and valuable contribution to national and global development.

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)

  • In 1973, theDHEBAR COMMISSION  established Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs)as a distinct category, encompassing tribal communities characterized by a declining or stagnant population, the use of pre-agrarian technology, economic backwardness, and low literacy.
  • These groups are identified asless developed among the TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
  • In 2006, the Government of India renamed the PTGs as PVTGs. They reside in remote and inaccessible areas, facing challenges due to poor infrastructure and administrative support.
  • There are 75 PVTG communities spread across 18 States and Union Territories in India.
  1. Odisha has the highest number of PVTGs (15), followed byAndhra Pradesh (12), Bihar and Jharkhand (9), Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (7), Tamil Nadu (6), and Kerala and Gujarat (5 each).
  2. The rest of the communities are spread across Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Tripura, and Manipur.
  3. All four tribal groups in the Andaman and one in the Nicobar Islands are recognized as PVTGs.

Other Initiatives for PVTGs

  • JAN JATIYA GAURAV DIWAS
  • VIKSHIT BAHARAT SANKALP YATRA
  • PM PVTG MISSION

El Nino waning, La Nina to develop in second half of 2024

The pattern typically brings higher precipitation to Australia, Southeast Asia and India and drier weather to grain and oilseed producing regions of the Americas

El Nino and La Nina

El Nino and La Nina are complex weather patterns resulting from variations in ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific Region. They are opposite phases of what is known as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle.

  1. The ENSO cycle describes the fluctuations in temperature between the ocean and atmosphere in the east-central Equatorial Pacific.
  2. El Nino and La Nina episodes typically last nine to 12 months, but some prolonged events may last for years.
  3. El Ninois a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

It is the “warm phase” of a larger phenomenon called the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

  1. It occurs more frequently than La Nina.
  2. La Nina, the “cool phase”of ENSO, is a pattern that describes the unusual cooling of the tropical eastern Pacific.
  3. La Nina events may last between one and three years, unlike El Nino,which usually lasts no more than a year.
  4. Both phenomena tend to peak during the Northern Hemisphere winter.

El Nino

  • El Nino wasfirst recognized by Peruvian fishermenoff the coast of Peru as the appearance of unusually warm water.
  • The Spanish immigrants called it El Nino, meaning “the little boy”in Spanish.
  • El Nino soon came to describe irregular and intense climate changes rather than just the warming of coastal surface waters.
  • The El Nino event isnot a regular cycle,they are not predictable and occur irregularly at two- to seven-year intervals.
  • The climatologists determined that El Nino occurs simultaneously with the Southern Oscillation.
  • The Southern Oscillation is a change in air pressure over the tropical Pacific Ocean.
  • When coastal waters become warmer in the eastern tropical Pacific (El Nino), the atmospheric pressure above the ocean decreases.
  • Climatologists define these linked phenomena as El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

Monitoring El Nino and La Nina

Scientists, governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) collect data about El Nino using a number of technologies such as scientific buoys.

  • A buoy is a type of an object that floats in waterand is used in the middle of the seas as locators or as warning points for the ships.They are generally bright (fluorescent) in colour.
  • These buoys measure ocean and air temperatures, currents, winds, and humidity.
  • The buoys transmit data daily to researchers and forecasters around the world enabling the scientists to more accurately predict El Nino and visualize its development and impact around the globe.
  • The Oceanic Nino Index (ONI)is used to measure deviations from normal sea surface temperatures.

The intensity of El Nino events varies from weak temperature increases (about 4-5° F) with only moderate local effects on weather and climate to very strong increases (14-18° F) associated with worldwide climatic changes.

Oceanic Nino Index (ONI)

The Oceanic Niño Index (ONI), is a measure of the departure from normal sea surface temperature in the east-central Pacific Ocean, is the standard means by which each El Nino episode is determined, gauged, and forecast.

Impact of El Nino

  1. In order to understand the concept of El Nino, it’s important to be familiar with non-El Nino conditions in the Pacific Ocean.
  2. Normally,strong trade winds blow westward across the tropical Pacific, the region of the Pacific Ocean located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
  3. Impact on Ocean:El Nino also impacts ocean temperatures, the speed and strength of ocean currents, the health of coastal fisheries, and local weather from Australia to South America and beyond.
  4. Increased Rainfall:Convection above warmer surface waters brings increased precipitation.
  5. Rainfall increases drastically in South America, contributing to coastal flooding and erosion.
  6. Diseases caused by Floods and Droughts:Diseases thrive in communities devastated by natural hazards such as flood or drought.

El Nino-related flooding is associated with increases in cholera, dengue, and malaria in some parts of the world, while drought can lead to wildfires that create respiratory problems.

Positive impact: It can sometimes have a positive impact too, for example, El Nino reduces the instances of hurricanes in the Atlantic.

In South America: As El Nino brings rain to South America, it brings droughts to Indonesia and Australia.

  1. These droughts threaten the region’s water supplies, as reservoirs dry and rivers carry less water. Agriculture, which depends on water for irrigation, is also threatened.
  2. In Western Pacific:These winds push warm surface water towards the western Pacific, where it borders Asia and Australia.
  3. Due to the warm trade winds, the sea surface is normally about 5 meter higher and4-5° F warmer in Indonesia than Ecuador.
  4. The westward movement of warmer waters causescooler waters to rise up towards the surface on the coasts of Ecuador, Peru, and Chile. This process is known as
  5. Upwelling elevates cold, nutrient-rich water to the euphotic zone, the upper layer of the ocean.

Previous El Nino Events:

  1. El Nino events of 1982-83 and 1997-98were the most intense of the 20th
  2. During the1982-83 event, sea surface temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific were 9-18° F above normal.
  3. The El Nino event of 1997-98was the first El Nino event to be scientifically monitored from beginning to end.
  4. The 1997-98 event produced drought conditions in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Peru and California experienced very heavy rains and severe flooding.
  5. The Midwest experienced record-breaking warm temperatures during a period known as “the year without a winter.”

La Nina

  • La Nina means The Little Girl in Spanish. It is also sometimes called El Viejo, anti-El Nino, or simply “a cold event.”
  • La Nina events represent periods of below-average sea surface temperaturesacross the east-central Equatorial Pacific.
  • It is indicated by sea-surface temperature decreased by more than 0.9℉ for at least five successive three-month seasons.
  • La Nina event is observed when thewater temperature in the Eastern Pacific gets comparatively colder than normal,as a consequence of which, there is a strong high pressure over the eastern equatorial Pacific.

The Conditions of La Nina.

  • La Nina is caused by a build-up ofcooler-than-normal waters in the tropical Pacific,the area of the Pacific Ocean between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
  • La Nina is characterized bylower-than-normal air pressure over the western Pacific.These low-pressure zones contribute to increased rainfall.
  • La Nina events are also associated withrainier-than-normal conditionsover southeastern Africa and northern Brazil.
  • However, strong La Nina events are associated with catastrophic floods in northern Australia.
  • La Nina is also characterized by higher-than-normal pressureover the central and eastern Pacific.
  • This results in decreased cloud production and rainfall in that region.
  • Drier-than-normal conditionsare observed along the west coast of tropical South America, the Gulf Coast of the United States,and the pampas region of southern South America.

Impact of La Nina

  • Europe:In Europe, El Nino reduces the number of autumnal hurricanes.
  • La Nina tends to lead to milder winters in Northern Europe(especially UK) and colder winters in southern/western Europeleading to snow in the Mediterranean region.
  • North America:It is continental North America where most of these conditions are felt. The wider effects include:
  1. Stronger winds along the equatorial region, especially in the Pacific.
  2. Favourable conditions for hurricanes in the Caribbean and central Atlantic area.
  3. Greater instances of tornados in various states of the US.
  4. South America: La Nina causes drought in the South American countries of Peru and Ecuador.
  5. It usually has a positive impact on the fishing industry of western South America.
  6. Western Pacific: In the western Pacific, La Nina increases the potential for landfall in those areas most vulnerable to their effects, and especially into continental Asia and China.
  7. It also leads to heavy floods in Australia.
  8. There are increased temperatures in Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and off the Somalian coast.

La Nina in 2010

  1. The 2010 La Nina event correlates with one of the worst floods in the history of Queensland, Australia.
  2. More than 10,000 people were forced to evacuate, and damage from the disaster was estimated at more than $2 billion.

ENSO and India

  • El Nino:Strong El Nino events contribute to weaker monsoons and even droughts in India Southeast Asia.
  • La Nina:The cold air occupies a larger part of India than the El Nino cold air.
  • In the ‘La Nina year’, rainfall associated with the summer monsoonin Southeast Asia tends to be greater than normal,especially in northwest India and Bangladesh.

This generally benefits the Indian economy, which depends on the monsoon for agriculture and industry.

  1. It usually brings in colder than normal wintersin India.
  2. La Nina influences the Indian subcontinent by piping incold air from Siberia and South China, which interacts with the tropical heating to produce a north-south low-pressure system.
  3. The cold air of La Ninaassociated with this north-south trough tends to extend much further south into India.
  • This is remarkably different from the more northwest-southeast blast of cold air associated with El Nino.
  • The pressure pattern going north-south means lesser impact of western disturbances.
  • The cold temperature can go down as far as Tamil Nadu, but may not affect the North East that much.
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