Current Affairs – 04th Mar 2024
Articles Covered:
- Pakistan National Day to be celebrated in Delhi: Lahore Resolution, which it marks
- The long road to reforming India’s political party system
- Secretary Shri Vivek Bharadwaj to inaugurate a Two-Day Regional Conference on the Strengthening of Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act on 4th – 5th March 2024 at Ranchi, Jharkhand
- Grey Zone Warfare
- Global Resource Outlook
- National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation (NUCFDC): Empowering Urban Cooperative Banks
- Cuttack Rupa Tarakasi, Banglar muslin get GI tag
Pakistan National Day to be celebrated in Delhi: Lahore Resolution, which it marks
What was the Lahore Resolution, and why is its anniversary Pakistan’s National Day? How is it observed in New Delhi? We explain.
Pakistan to hold its National Day celebrations in New Delhi after a four-year gap.
- Pakistan National Day is observed on March 23, the day the Lahore Resolution was adopted in 1940 by the Muslim League
- The celebration is an attempt to restart its low-key and low-risk engagement with India by the new Pakistan government.
Significance of March 23:
Republic Day: On March 23 1956, Pakistan officially adopted its first Constitution transforming the Dominion of Pakistan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The Lahore Resolution of 1940:
- Adoption: The Lahore Resolution was written and prepared by Muhammad Zafarullah Khan was a formal political statement adopted by the All-India Muslim League during its general session in Lahore from March 22 to March 24, 1940
- Objective: It formally called for an independent state for India’s Muslims with Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s famous speech asserting the demand for two separate countries, one for Hindus and one for Muslims going forward.
All-India Muslim League (AIML):
- Formation: It was founded on 30 December 1906 in Dhaka, Bangladeshduring the annual meeting of the All-India Muslim Education Conference in 1906.
- The proposal wasforwarded by the Nawab of Dhaka, Khwaja Salimullah to create a political party solely to protect the interests of Muslims in British India and seconded by Hakim Ajmal Khan.
- Founding Members: Khwaja Salimullah, Vikar-ul-Mulk, Syed Amir Ali, Syed Nabiullah, Khan Bahadur Ghulam and Mustafa Chowdhury.
- Muhammad Ali Jinnah joined the league in 1913.
Importance: The party spearheaded the movement for the formation of a seperate nation for the Muslims since 1935 and achieved its objective with the formation of Pakistan
Demands:
- For Muslim Majority Areas: The areas where there is Muslims Majority (North-Western and Eastern Zones of India) should be grouped to constitute “Independent States” in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign.
- For Muslim Minority regions of India:An adequate, effective and mandatory constitutional safeguards shall be provided for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in consultation with the Muslim League.
Response:
- The Lahore Resolution was criticised by many Indian Muslims, like Abul Kalam Azad and the Deoband ulema led by Husain Ahmad Madani, who advocated for a united India.
- TheAll-India Azad Muslim Conference gathered in Delhi in April 1940 to voice its support for an independent and united India, in response to the Lahore Resolution.
The long road to reforming India’s political party system
Recent political events make one doubt the perceived need and utility of India’s anti-defection law
With the general election 2024 inching closer, the spate of political defections across the country is no cause for surprise. In Bihar, MLAs from the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal have moved to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while the elections to the Rajya Sabha that were held recently saw cross-voting in favour of the BJP in Himachal Pradesh. The MLAs concerned have now been disqualified under the anti-defection law. In the Andhra Pradesh Assembly too there have been disqualifications under this law.
- However, an adjudicatory development from more than a fortnight ago makes one doubt the perceived need and utility of India’s anti-defection law. On February 15, 2024, the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker delivered his verdict on the split in 2023 within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). No MLA from either faction of the NCP was disqualified, and the Ajit Pawar faction was recognised as being the “real” NCP.
Anti-Defection Law
- Defection refers to switching political allegiance, particularly when a member of a political party leaves the party and joins another party or becomes independent.
- ANTI DEFECTION LAW-was enacted in 1985through the 52nd amendment act-1985 as part of the Tenth Scheduleof the CONSTITUTION OF INDIA. Anti-defection laws aim to prevent or discourage defection by imposing penalties on politicians who switch parties or otherwise violate party discipline.
- These laws may be designed to ensure thatpoliticians are held accountableto the voters who elected them and to maintain the stability and cohesion of political parties.
- In some countries, anti-defection laws allow political parties to expel members who defect, while in others, they may disqualify defectors from holding public office or impose other penalties.
Grounds for Defection:
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Exceptions to the anti-defection law:
A member will not be disqualified if:
- His or her original political party merges with another party, and he or she and at least two-thirds of the members of the original party agree to the merger.
- Under the 91st CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT the exemption from disqualification if one-third of the members form a separate group (the rule prior to the amendment) was removed.
- He or she or any other member of his or her party has not accepted the merger and opts to function as a separate group.
- He or she makes a split from his or her original party, but does not join any other party.
Important provisions of the Anti-Defection Law
The provisions of the anti-defection law of India, as set out in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India, are as follows:
Disqualification: A member of a House belonging to any political party becomes disqualified for being a member of the House,
- if he voluntarily gives up his membership of such a political party; or
- if he votes or abstains from voting in such House contrary to any direction issued by his political party without obtaining prior permission of such party and such act has not been condoned by the party within 15 days.
- Independent Members:An independent member of a House becomes disqualified from remaining a member of the House if he joins any political party after such an election.
- Nominated Members: A nominated member of a House becomes disqualified for being a member of the House if he joins any political party after the expiry of six months from the date he takes his seat in the House.
- Exceptions:The above disqualification on the ground of defection does not apply in the following two cases:
- Merger:If a member goes out of his party due to a merger of the party with another party. A merger takes place when two-thirds of the members of the party have agreed to such a merger.
- Presiding Officer: If a member, after being elected as the presiding officer of the House, voluntarily gives up the membership of his party or rejoins it after he ceases to hold that office. This exemption has been provided in view of the dignity and impartiality of this office.
- Deciding Authority: The Speaker of the House or the Chairman of the Legislative Council, as the case may be, has the authority to decide on questions relating to defection, and his or her decision is final and cannot be challenged in any court.
- Rule-Making Power: The presiding officer of a House is empowered to make rules to give effect to the provisions of the Tenth Schedule. According to the rules made so, the presiding officer can take up a defection case only when he receives a complaint from a member of the House.
- Role of Whip: The whip is responsible for communicating the party’s position to its members and ensuring they vote in line with that position. In the case of a member defying the whip and voting against the party’s official position, they may be subject to disciplinary action under the anti-defection law.
Views of some Committees on Anti-Defection Law
Dinesh Goswami Committee on Electoral Reforms (1990)
- Disqualification should be limited to cases where (a) a member voluntarily gives up the membership of his political party, (b) a member abstains from voting, or votes contrary to the party whip in a motion of vote of confidence or motion of no-confidence.
- The issue of disqualification should be decided by the President/ Governor on the advice of the Election Commission.
Law Commission (170th Report, 1999)
- Provisions which exempt splits and mergers from disqualification to be deleted.
- Pre-poll electoral fronts should be treated as political parties under anti-defection law.
- Political parties should limit issuance of whips to instances only when the government is in danger.
Election Commission
- Decisions under the Tenth Schedule should be made by the President/ Governor on the binding advice of the Election Commission.
Constitution Review Commission (2002)
Defectors should be barred from holding public office or any remunerative political post for the duration of the remaining term.
The vote cast by a defector to topple a government should be treated as invalid.
Recommendations:
- On Presiding Officer:Various expert committees have recommended that rather than the Presiding Officer, the decision to disqualify a member should be made by the President (in case of MPs) or the Governor (in case of MLAs) on the advice of the Election Commission.
- Similar to Office of Profit: This would be similar to the process followed for disqualification in case the person holds an office of profit (i.e. the person holds an office under the central or state government which carries a remuneration, and has not been excluded in a list made by the legislature).
Secretary Shri Vivek Bharadwaj to inaugurate a Two-Day Regional Conference on the Strengthening of Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act on 4th – 5th March 2024 at Ranchi, Jharkhand
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is committed to ensure that the benefits of PESA Act reach its target beneficiaries in line with the true spirit of the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA Act). This Conference marks the second in the series, representing the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to promote the effective adoption and implementation of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act 1996 (PESA). With the participation of State Departments of Panchayati Raj, Tribal Development, Forest, Revenue and Excise from Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Telangana, the Regional Conference on PESA aims to evaluate the progress of these States in the implementation of PESA and foster a shared outlook on its impact at the grassroots level. In addition to governmental bodies, several Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)/ Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working towards the empowerment of Scheduled Tribes have been invited to contribute to the discourse.
PESA Act 1996, and why was it enacted
The Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act 1996 was brought in as a response to the long-standing demands of the tribal communities in India for greater autonomy and control over their own affairs.
- PESA Act was enacted on 24 December 1996 to enable tribal self-rule in 5TH SCHEDULE AREAS areas. The Act extended the provisions of Panchayats to the tribal areas of Fifth Schedule states.
- Historically, the tribal communities in India have been marginalized and excluded from the mainstream political and economic systems and have faced numerous challenges such as displacement, loss of land and resources, and cultural erosion.
- The PESA act drew inspiration from the provisions of the 73rdand 74th amendments of the INDIAN CONSTITUTION. It aimed to provide greater autonomy to the Scheduled areas, which are predominantly tribal in nature, and protect their rights over land and forest.
- The PESA Act gives special powers to the Gram Sabhasin Scheduled Areas, especially for managing natural resources. The main rationale behind the Act is to preserve the tribal population from exploitation with the active involvement of the Gram Sabha.
Significant provisions of the PESA Act
The (PESA) is a law that applies to the Scheduled Areas of India, which are areas notified by the PRESIDENT as predominantly inhabited by tribal communities. Some of the major provisions of the PESA Act are as follows:
- Gram Sabha:The PESA Act establishes the Gram Sabha, a forum for the participation of the community in the development process. The Gram Sabha is responsible for the identification of development projects, the preparation of development plans, and the implementation of these plans.
- Village-level institutions:The Act provides for establishing village-level institutions to carry out development activities and provide basic services to the community. These institutions include the GRAM PANCHAYAT the Gram Sabha, and the PANCHAYAT SAMITI
- Powers and functions:The PESA legislation gives the Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat significant powers and functions in relation to the management of natural resources, the protection of the environment, and the regulation of economic activities.
- Consultation: According to the Act requires that the Gram Sabha be consulted before any development projects or activities are undertaken in the Scheduled Areas.
- Funds:The Act allows transferring funds to the Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat to enable them to perform their functions.
- Land: The Act provides for the protection of the land rights of the tribal communities in the Scheduled Areas and requires that their consent be obtained before any land is acquired or transferred.
- Cultural and social practices: The Act protects the cultural and social practices of the tribal communities in the Scheduled Areas and prohibits any interference in these practices.
Outcome s of the PESA Act
Since its inception, the PESA Act has made several achievements in empowering tribal communities and promoting their participation in the development process. Some of them are as follows:
- Empowerment of tribal communities: The Act has contributed to the empowerment of tribalcommunities by giving them a greater say in the development process through the Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat.
- Protection of land rights:It requires that the consent of the Gram Sabha be obtained before any land is acquired or transferred, which has helped to prevent the exploitation of tribal communities by outsiders.
- Preservation of cultural and social practices: The PESA Act has contributed to the preservation of the cultural and social practices of tribal communities in the Scheduled Areas to protect the traditions and way of life of tribal communities.
- Promotion of decentralization:The Act has promoted decentralization by giving more powers and functions to the Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat.
- Improved access to basic services:The PESA Act has contributed to the improvement of access to basic services, such as education, healthcare, and drinking water, in the Scheduled Areas.
limitations of the PESA Act
Despite its goals, the PESA Act has faced several challenges in its implementation. Some of these challenges are as follows:
- Limited coverage:Tribal communities in non-scheduled areas of the country are not covered by the Act and do not have access to its provisions.
- Lack of awareness:Many tribal communities in the Scheduled Areas are not aware of the rights and entitlements of the PESA Act.
- Limited resources: Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat often do not have sufficient resources to carry out their functions effectively.
- Lack of trained personnel:Many Gram Sabhas and Gram Panchayats lack trained personnel to carry out their functions effectively.
- Political interference:requires that the Gram Sabha be consulted, but the decisions of the Gram Sabha are often not respected and are subject to political interference.
- Conflicts with other laws:The PESA Act can sometimes be in conflict with other laws, such as the Forest Rights Act and the Wildlife Protection Act, which can hinder its implementation.
Grey Zone Warfare
In commentaries on China and Taiwan, ‘grey zone warfare’ crops up in descriptions of Chinese actions around the island that it claims as its own.
Grey Zone Warfare
- Grey zone warfare generally means a middle, unclear space that exists between direct conflict and peace in international relations.
- It can be broadly defined as the exploitation of operational space between peace and war to change the status quo through the use of coercive actions which remain below a threshold that, in most cases, would prompt a conventional military response.
- Activities characterised as grey zone warfare methods range from the use of proxies for kinetic action or change of territorial status quo through coercion to non-kinetic subversive actions such as cyberattacks, economic coercion, disinformation campaign, election meddling, and more recently, weaponisation of migrants.
- There are typical aspects that tend to be present in most grey zone warfare activities.
- The first is that grey zone elements remain below the threshold that would justify a military response, often through the use of non-military tools.
- The second common characteristic of grey zone activities is that they unfold gradually over time rather than involving bold, all-encompassing actions to achieve objectives in one step.
- The third characteristic, which applies to some but not all the activities in this sphere, is a lack of attributability. Most grey zone campaigns involve actions, whereby the aggressor aims for plausible deniability of its action.
- In cases where grey zone actions are open and attributable, they are justified using extensive legal and political arguments. In addition, aggressors also recruit other countries to their point of view.
- Grey zone campaigns target specific vulnerabilities in the targeted countries.
Global Resource Outlook
Global Resource Outlook 2024 was launched on the final day of the Sixth United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA-6) at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
Global Resource Outlook
- It is the flagship report of the International Resource Panel of the United Nations Environment Programme.
- This year’s report sheds light on how resources are essential to the effective implementation of the agenda 2030 and multilateral environmental agreements to tackle the triple planetary crisis.
- It brings together the best available data, modelling and assessments from 180 countries, seven world regions and four income groups, to analyse trends, impacts and distributional effects of resource use.
Highlights of the report
- It presents a stark picture of global inequality, where low-income countries consume six times less materials compared to wealthy countries, despite generating 10 times less climate impacts.
- Global production and consumption of material resources has grown more than three times over the last 50 years, growing at an average of more than 2.3 per cent a year, despite the increase being the main driver of the triple planetary crisis.
- The consumption and use of resources is largely driven by demand in upper income countries.
- The extraction and processing of material resources — including fossil fuels, minerals, non-metallic minerals and biomass — accounts for over 55 per cent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 40 per cent of particulate matter poisoning the environment.
- The extraction and processing of agricultural crops and forestry products accounts for 90 per cent of land-related biodiversity loss and water stress and a third of GHG emissions.
- The extraction and processing of fossil fuels, metals and non-metallic minerals including sand, gravel and clay account for 35 per cent of global emissions.
- Despite this, resource exploitation could increase by almost 60 per cent from 2020 levels by 2060 — from 100 to 160 billion tonnes.
National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation (NUCFDC): Empowering Urban Cooperative Banks
Operational Status
- Regulatory Approval:Certified by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as a Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC), NUCFDC operates as the umbrella organization for the urban cooperative banking sector.
- Additional Role:Granted the status of a Self-Regulatory Organisation (SRO) for the sector, highlighting its regulatory responsibilities.
Financial Objectives
- Capital Raising: Aims to accumulate a capital base of Rs.300 crores to support and uplift Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs).
- Utilization:Capital to be utilized for assisting UCBs, fostering a shared technology platform, enhancing services, and reducing operational costs.
Enhancing UCB Services
- Technology Platform: NUCFDC plans to establish a shared technology platform benefiting UCBs, enabling expanded service offerings and cost reduction.
- Comprehensive Support:Offers liquidity, capital support, fund management, consultancy services, and facilitates dialogue between banks and regulators.
Significance
- Inclusive Economic Development:Aligns with the vision of inclusive and comprehensive economic development, fostering the establishment of UCBs in every city.
- National Goals:Contributes to ‘Sahakar se Samriddhi’ and ‘Aatma Nirbhar’ Bharat, modernizing and strengthening UCBs in India.
- Depositor Confidence:Acts as a security shield for small banks, bolstering the confidence of depositors and ensuring financial stability.
Cooperative Banks
- Co-operative banks are financial entities established on a co-operative basis and belonging to their members. This means that the customers of a co-operative bank are also its owners.
- Cooperative Banks continue to be important and the ideal organisations even in the changing economic environment, as participation and inclusion are central to poverty reduction.
Important Details with respect to Urban Cooperative Banks
- Co-operative banks in India are registered under the State’s Cooperative Societies Act.
- The Co-operative banks are also regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and governed by the Banking Regulations Act 1949 and Banking Laws (Co-operative Societies) Act, 1955.
- The Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) is in control of management elections and many administrative issues as well as auditing, and the RBI brought them under the Banking Regulation Act as applicable to cooperative societies.
- Urban cooperative banks have been under the radar of the RBI, but because of dual regulation either of them did not have as much control over these banks in terms of supersession of boards or removal of directors.
Structure of co-operative banks in India
- Broadly, co-operative banks in India are divided into two categories – urban and rural.
- Rural cooperative credit institutions could either be short-term or long-term in nature.
- Short-term cooperative credit institutions are further sub-divided into State Co-operative Banks, District Central Co-operative Banks, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies.
- Long-term institutions are either State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (SCARDBs) or Primary Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (PCARDBs).
Importance of Cooperative Banks
- The cooperative banking system has to play a critical role in promoting rural finance and is especially suited to Indian conditions.
- Various advantages of cooperative credit institutions are given below:
- Alternative Credit Source: The main objective of the cooperative credit movement is to provide an effective alternative to the traditional defective credit system of the village moneylender.
- Cheap Rural Credit:Cooperative credit system has cheapened the rural credit by charging comparatively low-interest rates, and has broken the money lender’s monopoly.
- Productive Borrowing: The cultivators used to borrow for consumption and other unproductive purposes. But, now, they mostly borrow for productive purposes.
- Encouragement to Saving and Investment:Instead of hoarding money the rural people tend to deposit their savings in cooperative or other banking institutions.
- Improvement in Farming Methods:Cooperative credit is available for purchasing improved seeds, chemical fertilizers, modern implements, etc.
- Financial Inclusion:They have played a significant role in the financial inclusion of unbanked rural masses. They provide cheap credit to the masses in rural areas.
Cuttack Rupa Tarakasi, Banglar muslin get GI tag
Narasapur crochet lace products and Kutch rogan craft are among those given the Geographical Indication tag
The famous Cuttack Rupa Tarakasi (Silver Filigree) has been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai.
- Narasapur crochet lace products and Kutch rogan craftare among those given the Geographical Indication tag
- The application for this was filed by the Odisha State Cooperative Handicrafts Corporation Limited and was facilitated by the Department of Textile and Handicrafts, Government of Odisha.
- Filigree has been traditionally associated with fine craftsmanship and luxurious design in classical jewelry.
Various products to get GI tag:
Crochet lace work
- TheBanglar muslin is one of the popular traditional handloom craft of Bengal.
- Narsapur in West Godavari region of Andhra Pradeshis known for crochet skills, and has received global acclaim for its intricate craftsmanship.
Ratlam Riyawan Lahsun (Garlic):
- It is a variety named after Riyawan village in Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh also bagged the GI tag.
Ambaji White Marble:
- Ambaji Superior White Marble is an Indian marble stone of pure white Color with light grey veins. This rock is quarried in marble mines of Gujrat (India).
- It is formed when limestone is re-crystallised under the earth’s crust due to intense pressure and heat.
Tripura Risa Textile:
- The traditional Tripuri female attire comprises three parts — risa, rignai and rikutu.
- Risa is a handwoven cloth used as a female upper garment, and also as headgear, a stole, or a present to express respect.
- As an upper garment, it is wrapped around the torso twice.
Hyderabad Lac Bangles:
- The lac bangles of Hyderabad have been registered with the Registrar of Geographical Indications, Chennai.
This is the second GI tag for a Hyderabad product after haleem.
Majuli Mask of Assam:
- Majuli mask of Assam are made in different variety and sizes as they are mainly divided into different categories —‘Mukha bhaona’ face mask covers the face, ‘Lotokoi’ hanging mask which is bigger in size extends to the chest and, ‘Cho Mukha’ huge mask is a head and body mask.
Assam Majuli Manuscript Paintings:
- Assam Majuli Manuscript Paintings illustrated numerous stories and chapters taken from the great Hindu epics Ramayana, Mahabharata and above all subjects from the Bhagavata Purana.
GI tags:
- It is an insignia on products having a unique geographical origin and evolution over centuries with regard to its special quality or reputed attributes.
- It is a mark of authenticity and ensures that registered authorized users or at least those residing inside the geographic territory are allowed to use the popular product names.
- GI tag in India is governed by Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999. It is issued by the Geographical Indications Registry (Chennai).
- GI is a tag on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess certain qualities due to that origin and are safeguarded by legalities such as by the World Intellectual Property Organisation.
- The registration of a geographical indication is valid for a period of 10 years
- It can be renewed from time to time for a further period of 10 years each.