UPSC Key: Impeaching the CEC, Essential Commodities Act invoked, and Patenting heritage crafts

— What are the constitutional provisions related to the Election Commission of India?

— What is the process of selection of CEC?

— How does the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, elaborate the selection of the Chief Election Commissioner?

— How is the Chief Election Commissioner different from the other Election Commissioner?

— How is a CEC removed?

— How does the constitution provide for the independence of constitutional bodies like the Election Commission?

— Know about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

Key Takeaways:

— Initiated by the Trinamool Congress, the Opposition has drafted the impeachment motion against Kumar and is in the process of collecting the required number of signatures from MPs, sources say. One of the grounds against him, as per the sources, will be his “completely biased conduct”.

— The Trinamool has accused the Election Commission of targeting West Bengal during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, in which it deployed micro-observers to review the decisions taken by the statutory authority only in the state.

— As per Article 324 (5) of the Constitution, the “Chief Election Commissioner shall not be removed from his office except in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court.” It also says that Election Commissioners can only be removed on the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner.

— The article also states that this process is “subject to provisions of any law made by Parliament” on the matter. Following that, Parliament passed the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 in December 2023. Section 11 of the Act provides for the resignation and removal process. It sticks to the same process as mentioned in the Constitution.

— “The Chief Election Commissioner shall not be removed from his office except in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court,” it says.

— The process for removing a judge of the Supreme Court is as per Article 124 of the Constitution and the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. Article 124 (4) says that a Supreme Court judge can be removed “by an order of the President passed after an address by each House of Parliament supported by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting has been presented to the President in the same session for such removal on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity.”

— The next clause adds that Parliament may pass a law to regulate the procedure for presenting such an address and investigation and proof of “misbehaviour or incapacity” of a judge.

— As per Section 3 of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, a motion for presenting an address to the President for removal of a judge must be signed by at least 100 members in the case of the Lok Sabha or 50 members in the Rajya Sabha.

— The Speaker of the Lok Sabha or the Chairman of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha can decide to admit or refuse the motion. In the case the motion is accepted, the Speaker or Chairman have to set up a three-member committee to investigate. The members of the committee have to include one judge of the Supreme Court, one Chief Justice of a High Court and a distinguished jurist.

— The report of the committee is then to be submitted to the Speaker or Chairman. In case the committee finds the judge guilty of misbehaviour or suffering from incapacity, the motion will be taken up by the House or Houses in which it is pending, the Act says. If passed, the address to remove the judge is sent to the President.

Do You Know:

— The Part XV of the Constitution of India deals with Elections. It has the following articles (Articles 324–329) to empower the Election Commission and provide insight into the potential roles and functions of the commission.

— Article 324: The superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of the electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all elections to Parliament and the Legislature of every state and of elections to the offices of President and Vice-President.

— Article 325: No individual to be excluded from electoral rolls on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex or any of them.

— Article 326: Adult suffrage shall be the basis for elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States.

— Article 327: Parliament may, according to the provisions of this Constitution, from time to time enact laws with respect to all matters relating to elections to Parliament and Legislative Assemblies of States.

— Article 328: A state’s Legislature may from time to time by law make provision with respect to all matters relating to, or in connection with, the elections to the House or either House of the Legislature.

— Article 329: The article prohibits the courts from becoming involved in electoral matters.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Election Commission of India is one of the greatest gifts of the Constitution

📍Opposition considers motion to remove Chief Election Commissioner: What is the process?

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.

2. Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.

3. Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognised political parties.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 3 only

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Discuss the role of the Election Commission of India in the light of the evolution of the Model Code of Conduct. (UPSC CSE 2022)

Jhumka, Ralph Lauren, and the dangling question of patenting heritage crafts

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination:Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-I, III: Indian heritage and culture, issues relating to intellectual property rights.

What’s the ongoing story: When Ralph Lauren models strutted out in a corporate dandy attire at the Paris Fashion Week wearing jhumkas — Indian half-dome earrings in oxidised metal — it didn’t matter if they were picked up from the Bareilly bazaar, Delhi’s Janpath, or silver jewellers of Jaipur. As the fashion label tagged it as another “authentic vintage accessory” instead of crediting Indian craftsmanship, it seemed a perfunctory nod to heritage and all about cultural misappropriation.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)?

— What are the different types of IPRs?

— What is the difference between “Trademark”, “Copyright” and “Patent”?

— What are the patent criteria in India?

— What does cultural appropriation mean?

— Why is it difficult to protect traditional crafts?

— What are the issues related to Intellectual Property Rights?

— How then can cultural appropriation be prevented or discouraged?

— What are the initiatives taken by the government to provide a strong IPR regime in India?

Key Takeaways:

— Despite the continued backlash on social media, this is not the first time a global fashion house has mimicked Indian motifs and crafts and rebranded them as their own. Recently, Prada did it with Kolhapuri chappals till their makers in Maharashtra wrested their credit. Be it the Louis Vuitton auto-rickshaw bag, Gucci’s kaftan top inspired by our kurti, Dior’s mukaish coat or Dolce and Gabbana’s walnut wood bags inspired by Kashmiri jewellery boxes, brands poached a cultural legacy without collaborating or recognising local artisans.

— The jhumka has endured since 300 BC, with origins that can be traced back to ancient temple sculptures and royal adornment across South India and the Deccan. “This was particularly endorsed by the Chola dynasty,” says Pratiksha Prashant, CEO of Kishandas & Co, a 150-year-old jewellery house from Hyderabad that recreated Chola-era jewellery for the film Ponniyin Selvan 2.

— However, jewellery specialist Preeta Agarwal credits the jhumka’s origins to tribal accessorisation. “Rather than a definitive geography, it could have come from our earliest accessories made of cowries and fruit shells. By the time metallurgy developed and reached its pinnacle in the Chola dynasty, bell-shaped earrings became iconic,” she says.

— Traditional cultural expressions like jhumkas, bandhani, chikankankari, or kolhapuris often fall into a grey area in intellectual property (IP) law, according to IP lawyer Safir Anand. “Copyright protects original works, not centuries-old designs. Design law protects new designs, not traditional ones. Trademarks protect brands, not cultural motifs. So, heritage sits in a legal vacuum. Culture is valuable, but legally under-protected,” says Anand, senior partner and head of Trademarks, Commercial & Contractual IP at Anand and Anand. So, no case can be made out about compensation.

— Since luxury fashion thrives on borrowing aesthetics from around the world, they have been drawing inspirations from the developing world. “That’s why Moroccan embroidery, Mexican textiles, native American beadwork, Indian jewellery and craft have become globalised fashion motifs, often stripped of their cultural narrative,” he adds.

—- Besides, unlike art or academia, fashion has no strong tradition of citation. “That absence of attribution is what fuels cultural appropriation debates. From a policy perspective, heritage gets diluted because craft travels without context. I often say it is de-contextualisation as the design survives but the story does not,” says Anand.

— Global brands could adopt a norm similar to museum attribution. This is the scholarly process of determining the creator, origin, date, and authenticity of an artwork or artifact, often establishing it as the work of a specific artist or culture. This costs nothing but is only a cultural acknowledgement. Brands could co-create with local artisans and validate their originality this way.

— “We must strengthen protection through Geographical Indications (GI) as also craft certification systems. The Government also has a mission focussing on tribal arts, which may go beyond the scope of geography and may focus on community at large. In the same manner, the scope of such a mission could be used for other culturally relevant arts and forms,” says Anand. He even suggests a national heritage law on the lines of the legislation the government is preparing regarding manuscripts.

Do You Know:

— Intellectual property right is the right given to persons over the creations of their minds: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names and images used in commerce. They usually give the creator an exclusive right over the use of his/her creation for a certain period of time.

— According to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, “Patents is a statutory right granted by the respective governments. It gives one exclusive rights and bars others from making, using, selling and importing a product or process, based on the patented invention without one’s prior permission.”

— Patents encourage investment in drug development by offering 20 years of exclusive market access to its holder to recover their R&D investment.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍UPSC Essentials: One word a day- Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

📍Why Kolhapuri chappal makers can only claim credit, not compensation

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(2) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2019)

1. According to the Indian Patents Act, a biological process to create a seed can be patented in India.

2. In India, there is no Intellectual Property Appellate Board.

3. Plant varieties are not eligible to be patented in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

How is the Government of India protecting traditional knowledge of medicine from patenting by pharmaceutical companies. (UPSC CSE 2019)

FRONT

LNG imports hit, essential commodities Act invoked, gas allocation prioritised

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-I, II, III: Geography, Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development.

What’s the ongoing story: With liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies to India hit due to effective halt in shipments through the Strait of Hormuz amid the West Asia conflict, the government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act to divert natural gas to “priority sectors” that are dependent on the fuel.

Key Points to Ponder:

— Know about the US-Israel attack on Iran.

— What is the Essential Commodities Act?

— How do tensions in West Asia affect global energy security?

— How is it affecting India?

— Know the portfolio of India’s crude oil, LPG and LNG imports.

— What are the constituents of the LPG?

— What role does the Essential Commodities Act play in ensuring the availability of essential fuels in India?

— What is the strategic significance of the Strait of Hormuz?

— Know the status of India’s relations with the US, Israel and Iran.

— What diplomatic challenges can India face in balancing its ties with Israel, the US and Iran?

— What are the efforts taken by the government for energy security amidst conflict in west Asia?

— Map work: Locate Iran, Strait of Hormuz, Israel, and other places in the news related to the US-Israel attack on Iran on the map.

Key Takeaways:

—- According to the order, issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), segments that directly impact millions of common consumers—piped natural gas (PNG) for households, compressed natural gas (CNG) for vehicles, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production—will have precedence over other natural gas-consuming sectors.

— According to sources in the government, the order has been issued for supply management given the shortage in LNG supplies from West Asia; the shortage needs to be transferred to some non-priority sectors while diverting gas supplies to high-priority sectors.

— Apart from domestic gas and imported LNG, the natural gas required to meet the demand of these priority sectors will be met “through full or partial curtailment” of gas supplied to some petrochemical manufacturing units, gas-based power plants, and consumers of domestic gas produced from difficult blocks. Natural gas supplies to refineries has been cut to 65% of their average consumption of the past six months.

— The MoPNG order lists four priority categories that shall receive, subject to availability, natural gas in varying quantities based on their average gas consumption levels of the past six months. The top priority category, which will receive 100% of the average gas consumption of the last six months, include domestic PNG, or gas supplied to households, CNG for transportation sector, natural gas used for LPG production, and gas consumed for essential pipeline operations. Apart from being produced from crude oil, LPG is also extracted from natural gas. The second priority category, according to the order, is fertiliser units, which will receive 70% of their average gas consumption of the past six months.

— The third category includes “tea industries, manufacturing and other industrial consumers supplied through the national gas grid”, for which supply will be maintained at 80% of their six-month average consumption. In the fourth category are commercial and industrial consumers of city gas distribution companies; they will get 80% of their past six-months average gas use. Public sector gas major GAIL will be managing the supplies of natural gas for the purpose of this order.

— India depends on LNG imports to meet around half of its natural gas requirement of around 190 million standard cubic metres per day (mscmd), and over 50% of those LNG imports come from countries like Qatar and the UAE through the critical chokepoint of Strait of Hormuz, where maritime traffic has been effectively stopped for 10 days now. According to industry estimates, volumes coming via the Strait account for roughly 30% of India’s overall gas consumption.

— The crisis has hit LNG supplies to India, prompting the government to take emergency measures to ensure continuous supplies to sectors that need them the most. Indian oil and gas companies are also scouting for LNG and LPG cargoes from the spot market and have managed to secure some cargoes, sources indicated.

— LNG and LPG from other source markets continue to come in. In LPG, India’s reliance on West Asia is even more acute; the country depends on imports to meet around 60% of its LPG requirement, over 80% of which comes through the Strait of Hormuz.

— With Iran warning vessels to not transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and even hitting a few vessels that were passing through the waterway, there is an effective halt in maritime traffic through the Strait with most trading houses, insurers, and vessels loath to get involved in the prevailing extremely high-risk environment.

— The Strait of Hormuz—the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea—handles approximately one-fifth of global liquid petroleum consumption and global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade.

— Amid the conflict in West Asia, LPG stocks in India are relatively lower than oil, petrol, and diesel—which are estimated to be sufficient for six-eight weeks—and alternative suppliers are in faraway geographies like North America. The government has taken measures to ensure uninterrupted supplies to households. The minimum waiting period for booking a domestic LPG cylinder refill increased from 21 days to 25 days to prevent hoarding and creation of artificial scarcity in the market.

From the Front Page- “Ripple effects across sectors: From textiles to mining and steel making”

— As the conflict in West Asia pushes up energy and commodity prices, its ripple effects are beginning to spread far beyond oil and gas, with sectors such as textiles, mining and steelmaking in India starting to feel the pressure. The impact is emerging through a chain of second- and third-order effects linked to fuel costs, petrochemicals, feedstock, chemicals, and disruptions in global shipping routes along the Strait of Hormuz.

— A senior industry executive said there is impact across industries. “There are three types of impact. One is raw material supply, which is a shortage in imported raw materials, increase in shipping containers, etc. Second is market impact. After the European Union imposed restrictions like CBAM, a lot of industries started looking to West Asia as a market. That is getting impacted. And third is fuel and feedstock supplies which are related to natural gas and LPG supply,” the industry executive said.

— The textile sector, for instance, is experiencing a complex chain of cost increases across its supply network. Textile processing costs have already risen in the short term due to higher energy prices. Processing activities such as dyeing, bleaching and finishing are energy-intensive, and higher fuel and power costs are beginning to push up operational expenses for manufacturers.

— The effect is also visible in fibres such as polyester, one of the most widely used synthetic fibres in the textile industry. Polyester prices have already risen by around 15% he said, with a further possibility of further increases as it is derived from petrochemical feedstock.

— Steelmakers are also facing cost pressures due to disruptions in the supply of coking coal, a key raw material used in blast furnace-based steel production. Shipment disruptions linked to tensions and uncertainty in global trade routes have led to a surge in coking coal prices, adding to the input costs for steel producers.

— Notably, India’s imports of coking coal have been steadily rising, increasing from 51.20 million tonnes (mt) in 2020–21 to 57.58 mt in 2024–25. Around 95% of the steel sector’s coking coal requirement is met through imports, making the industry highly exposed to global supply disruptions.

From the Editorial Page- “For South Asia, Iran is not a far away conflict”

— Syed Munir Khasru writes- “The West Asia conflict may be unfolding thousands of miles away, but for South Asia, its economic consequences are uncomfortably close. The region’s external stability is deeply intertwined with West Asia through two structural lifelines: Remittances and energy. When instability shakes the Gulf, shockwaves travel quickly across the Indian Ocean, influencing exchange rates, fiscal balances, and inflation across South Asia. The scale of this “dual dependency” can hardly be overemphasised as labour flows outward to the Gulf and energy flows inward to South Asia.”

— “The crisis also underscores the urgency of diversification across South Asia. Expanding renewable energy and diversifying LNG suppliers could reduce exposure to supply disruptions. India has set a target of 500 gigawatts of non-fossil fuel power capacity by 2030, while Bangladesh and Pakistan are gradually increasing investments in solar and wind energy.”

— “Strengthening macroeconomic buffers will be equally important. Although several South Asian central banks have rebuilt foreign exchange reserves after recent global shocks, vulnerabilities remain.”

— “The current crisis is a reminder that South Asia’s economic stability remains closely tied to developments in West Asia. Reducing dependence on imported energy, strengthening reserves, and diversifying supply chains will be critical to building greater resilience against future geopolitical shocks.”

From the Editorial Page- Taking sides in conflict: Delhi’s past record tells a complicated story

— C. Raja Mohan writes- “One of the more surprising elements of the unfolding Indian debate on the war in the Middle East is the concern — if not anguish — that India has “tilted to one side” in the current Gulf war. For a section of the commentariat, the essence of Indian foreign policy is, and ought to be, a refusal to take sides in conflicts between other states.”

— “That idea aligns with the traditional notion of neutrality. In the early decades after Independence, however, Delhi was at pains to argue that its doctrine of non-alignment was not neutrality. India did not avoid taking positions; rather, it claimed the right to form them on the merits of each issue — based on independent judgement rather than bloc loyalty.”

— “In practice, India’s record tells a more complicated story. Delhi has often taken sides — sometimes vehemently, sometimes defensively, and sometimes only implicitly. There have also been moments when India simply flip flopped as governments changed.”

— “It has been relatively easy for India’s political and intellectual establishment to adopt strong moral positions when the offender was the United States or the West. This habit was part of what Shashi Tharoor once described as India’s tradition of offering a “running moral commentary” on world affairs.”

— “India’s moral clarity, however, tended to blur when Moscow transgressed norms that India supported. That ambivalence was visible in Delhi’s muted responses to the Soviet invasions of Hungary (1956), Czechoslovakia (1968), and Afghanistan (1979), as well as to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its occupation of eastern Ukraine after 2022.”

— “Many would call this hypocrisy. Yet double standards are a universal feature of international life. India’s reluctance to criticise Moscow was rooted in the strategic value Delhi attached to the Russian connection in managing its security challenges.”

— “India’s current approach to the unfolding war in the Gulf is shaped by the scale of its stakes in the Arabian Peninsula. India today has roughly $200 billion in trade with the Gulf, depends heavily on the region for energy supplies, and has nearly nine million citizens living and working across the Arab Gulf states. Protecting these interests has become the overriding concern for Delhi in the present crisis. This is not an unreasonable calculation.”

— “Looking ahead, Delhi must operate on the basis of a simple strategic reality: The security and prosperity of India and Arabia are now indivisible. Political support for Arabs was an important principle articulated at the very outset of independent India’s foreign policy. Eight turbulent decades later in the Middle East, it has acquired a new meaning — in the form of a deepening interdependence between India and the Gulf Arab states. The current nightmare in the Gulf will eventually end, but managing India’s deep interdependence with the Arab Gulf will remain one of Delhi’s enduring challenges.”

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍How West Asia conflict has hit India’s rice exports, left thousands of containers stuck at ports

📍Knowledge Nugget | US-Israel war on Iran: 10 must-know tidbits for UPSC Exam

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | How did the Israel-Iran conflict escalate? A look from history to its impact

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:

(3) Which of the statements about the Strait of Hormuz is not correct?

(a) It is a critical region for international oil and gas supplies.

(b) It is a narrow waterway between Bahrain and Qatar.

(c) It connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

(d) Disruption of shipping in this strait can significantly affect global energy prices.

UCC effective answer, we leave it to wisdom of legislature, says SC

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Constitution of India —features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure., Government policies and interventions

What’s the ongoing story: Strongly backing the case for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) yet again, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said it is the “most effective answer” to usher in equality in inheritance laws, rather than the court striking down allegedly discriminatory personal law provisions and causing ambiguities.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the Uniform Civil Code?

— Know about the personal laws in India.

— What are the constitutional provisions related to UCC?

— What are the arguments for and against the implementation of UCC?

— What was the Constituent Assembly debate regarding the adoption of UCC?

— What are the important cases related to UCC?

— What is “Essential Religious Practices” doctrine in Indian constitutional law?

— What are the challenges associated with the implementation of UCC?

— What has the 22nd Law Commission said on UCC?

Key Takeaways:

— “The most effective answer…is the Uniform Civil Code,” Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant presiding over a three-judge bench also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and R Mahadevan said while hearing a plea challenging provisions of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, which the petitioners said discriminated against Muslim women in matters of succession, etc.

— Justice Bagchi added, “Until and unless we can create through our judicial fiat, a equal strata in respect of these asymmetric property rights, including inheritance rights, to strike and declare the personal law as ultra vires will create unnecessary void and in such a situation it may be better to defer to the wisdom of the legislature to bring in one of the fundamental directive principles of state policy, that’s a Uniform Civil Code. And this court has already recommended a UCC for the country.”

— Appearing for the petitioners, Poulomi Pavini Shukla and Nyaya Naari Foundation, Advocate Prashant Bhushan said the provisions discriminate against Muslim women by denying them equal property rights like their male co-religionists.

— Justice Bagchi said that even in Shayara Bano, the judges had taken different approaches. Justice R F Nariman’s view was that the 1937 Act “is statutory recognition of the pre-existing personal law.” Chief Justice J S Khehar, however, “did not agree with that” and held that “even if it is Muslim personal law protected in terms of Narasu Appa Mali case, it will be violative (of Article 14), not being an essential religious practice”.

— Responding to a query from the bench, Bhushan also pointed out that inheritance is not an essential religious practice but a civil right, and the court can intervene. “In any case, we cannot have a situation in this country today after Shayara Bano and various other judgments, which say that Muslim women will not get the same rights as Muslim men. This is a much more secular issue than the issue of talaq, which was a somewhat more religious issue. This is a totally civil rights issue and needs to be settled once and all by a Constitution bench of this court,” he said.

— Justice Mahadevan then referred to the UCC brought in by the Uttarakhand government in 2024.

— Justice Bagchi said the issue “may have multifarious and manifold impact not just with regard to Muslims, but share in Hindu undivided properties under the Hindu Succession Act, on coparcenary rights” and hence a UCC will be a prudent solution.

Do You Know:

— A Uniform Civil Code would provide for one law for the entire country, applicable to all religious communities, in their personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, etc.

— The framers of the Constitution recognised the need for uniform personal laws, but placed it in the Directive Principles of State Policy. Article 44 of the Constitution says that “the State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India”.

— Article 44 is among the Directive Principles of State Policy. Directive Principles are not enforceable by court, but are supposed to inform and guide governance.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍The 360° UPSC Debate: Is Uniform Civil Code ‘unnecessary and undesirable’ or ‘justice for all communities’

📍How the Uniform Civil Code came to be included in the Indian Constitution

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(4) Consider the following provisions under the Directive Principles of State Policy as enshrined in the Constitution of India: (UPSC CSE 2012)

1. Securing for citizens of India a uniform civil code

2. Organising village Panchayats

3. Promoting cottage industries in rural areas

4. Securing for all the workers reasonable leisure and cultural opportunities

Which of the above are the Gandhian Principles that are reflected in the Directive Principles of State Policy?

(a) 1, 2 and 4 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Discuss the possible factors that inhibit India from enacting for its citizens a uniform civil code as provided for in the Directive Principles of State Policy. (UPSC CSE 2015)

Govt eases curbs to allow limited FDI from China, others sharing land border

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: India and its neighborhood- relations, Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: In a move which will allow limited investment flows from China into key manufacturing sectors, the Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved easing of curbs for land-border sharing countries for capital goods, electronic capital goods, electronic components, polysilicon and ingot-wafer for solar cells. However, the investment restrictions for land-border-sharing countries, which were brought into force through the Press Note 3 or PN3 of 2020, have been retained for strategic sectors such as semiconductors, government sources said.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What do you understand by foreign direct investment (FDI)?

— What are the different routes and components of FDI in India?

— What is meant by “beneficial owner” in the context of foreign investments?

— What are the Recent Amendments in the FDI Policy of India?

— What is the difference between FDI and FPI?

— Which are the sectors that fall under the 100% automatic route and government route categories?

— Which sectors are prohibited under FDI? Where does India rank as per FDI inflows?

— How will the revised investment norms improve ease of doing business in India?

— Why did India impose restrictions on investments from countries sharing land borders with India?

— What is the strategic significance of Strait of Hormuz for India?

— What is the significance of FDI for the Indian economy?

— Map work: Locate land-border sharing countries of India.

Key Takeaways:

— The government in its Tuesday’s decision has also decided a threshold level of 10% for automatic approval of the investment into these sectors. Under the revised investment norms, the majority shareholding and control of the investee entity will be with resident Indian citizen(s) and/or resident Indian entity(ies) owned and controlled by resident Indian citizen(s), at all times, an official release of the Cabinet decision stated.

— The government has set a 60-day deadline for processing and deciding investment proposals from the land bordering countries in the specified manufacturing sectors. A Committee of Secretaries (CoS) under the Cabinet Secretary has been given powers to revise the list of specified sectors going ahead.

— The government has also incorporated the definition and criteria for ‘beneficial owner’ for investors from land-border sharing countries, in line with money laundering rules. “The Beneficial Ownership test shall be applied at the level of the investor entity.

— Investors with non-controlling LBC (land bordering countries) Beneficial Ownership of up to 10 per cent shall be permitted under the automatic route as per the applicable sectoral caps, entry routes, attendant conditions. Such investments shall be subject to the reporting of relevant information/details by the investee entity to DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade),” the release said.

— The new guidelines are expected to provide clarity and ease of doing business in India, and facilitate investments which can contribute towards greater FDI inflows, access to new technologies, domestic value addition, expansion of domestic firms and integration with the global supply chain, the release said.

— This comes after a high-level committee chaired by NITI Aayog member Rajiv Gauba had recommended withdrawing curbs on Chinese investments. Separately, the Economic Survey 2023-24 had made the case for attracting investment from Chinese companies to strengthen India’s export competitiveness.

— In Tuesday’s statement, the government said that the applicability of PN3 restrictions to cases where LBC investors were having “only non-strategic, non-controlling interests” was seen as adversely affecting investment flows from investors, including global funds such as private equity and venture capital (PE/VC) funds.

— India had imposed restrictions on investments from China through Press Note 3 in April 2020, making government approval mandatory for investments from countries sharing a land border with India. The move was aimed at preventing opportunistic takeovers during the Covid-19 pandemic and had remained in force amid heightened national security concerns following the Galwan clash later that year.

— The PN3 was primarily meant for Chinese investors as entities of Bangladesh and Pakistan can invest only under the government route, while investments from other bordering countries such as Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan, Afghanistan are very small as a share of India’s total foreign investment inflows.

— The government’s decision on easing the investment curbs comes amid the US-Israel strikes on Iran, which have resulted in a sharp spike in global oil prices, and present a looming threat for economies dependent on crude oil imports. The blockage of the Strait of Hormuz amid these strikes also presents supply-chain risks, the effects of which are already being felt by industries in India. The economic landscape has been turbulent since last year, marked by heightened US tariffs, which were later struck down by the US Supreme Court.

— The government had been considering an incremental approach towards allowing investments from China rather than a sweeping opening up of the Indian economy. India had already eased the business visa process for Chinese workers, and the government is now examining whether some could also be relaxed. There had been some signs that India was slowly but surely allowing Chinese companies to partner with Indian entities, especially in the electronics sector.

— Parallel diplomatic efforts have also sought to stabilise the broader relationship. Last year, New Delhi and Beijing agreed on a series of measures to repair ties: resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra; restoration of direct flights; issuance of visas for journalists and think-tank researchers, and the sharing of trans-border river data.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍UPSC Essentials: One Word A Day- FDI

📍Survey flags drying up of FDI/FII flow, Re stability

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(5) Consider the following: (UPSC CSE 2021)

1. Foreign currency convertible bonds

2. Foreign institutional investment with certain conditions

3. Global depository receipts

4. Non-resident external deposits

Which of the above can be included in Foreign Direct Investments?

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 3 only

(c) 2 and 4

(d) 1 and 4

POLITICS

Cabinet clears Rs 1.51 lakh cr for Jal Jeevan with digital mapping

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story: Months after the Centre launched a crackdown on widespread irregularities in the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), its showpiece rural drinking water scheme, the Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved an additional allocation of Rs 1.51 lakh crore for the initiative till 2028 — with digital mapping to ensure “transparency and accountability”.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What does the Constitution of India say on water?

— Water is part of the which list under the seventh Schedule of the Indian constitution?

— Know about the Jal Jeevan Mission in detail.

— How is the finance for this scheme distributed between the Center and the state?

— What are the challenges related to JJM?

— How will digital monitoring improve transparency and accountability in JJM?

— What measures should be taken for improving fund utilization capacity especially in schemes like Jal Jeevan Mission?

— What are the other schemes related to water?

Key Takeaways:

— Union I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters that the scheme will have an overall outlay of Rs 8.70 lakh crore till 2028. Of this amount, the Centre’s outlay will now be Rs 3.59 lakh crore, including Rs 2.08 lakh crore allocated in 2019.

— Taking to X later, PM Narendra Modi said that the decision “marks a major step towards ensuring sustainable and reliable tap water supply for rural households”. “It shifts the focus from only infrastructure creation to citizen-centric service delivery supported by str­ong local governance and digital monitoring. The move will str­engthen water security, improve health outcomes and empower rural communities, especially our Nari Shakti,” he posted.

— According to an official statement, a uniform national digital framework called “Sujalam Bharat” will also be set up to digitally map the supply system “from source to tap”. Besides, in the second phase, separate MoUs will be signed with states within three months to ensure structural reforms.

— The Cabinet’s approval comes more than a year after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the extension of the scheme till 2028 with “an enhanced total outlay” while presenting the Union Budget last year.

— The amount, however, is much lower than what was initially sought by Jal Shakti Ministry, the nodal ministry responsible for implementing JJM.

— Launched in August 2019, JJM initially aimed to deliver 55 litres per capita per day of drinking water to all rural households by 2024.

— Under the new digital framework, the official statement said, “every village shall be assigned a unique Sujal Gaon/ Service Area ID, digitally mapping the complete drinking water supply system from source to tap”.

— “For ensuring transparency and accountability”, Gram Panchayats and Village Water & Sanitation Committees will be involved “in the commissioning and formal handover of schemes,” it said. “A Gram Panchayat shall certify completion of works and declare itself ‘Har Ghar Jal’ only upon confirmation that adequate in-village operation and maintenance mechanisms have been established by the State Government,” the statement said.

Do You Know:

— Entry 17, State List (List II), Seventh Schedule of Indian constitution says, “Water, that is to say, water supplies, irrigation and canals, drainage and embankments, water storage and water power subject to the provisions of entry 56 of List I.” It means that states have the authority to legislate on water-related issues such as irrigation, water supply, canals, and embankments within their territory.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Knowledge Nugget | Why Jal Jeevan Mission is must-read for UPSC Exam – From scheme to constitutional context

📍Many challenges of Jal Jeevan Mission: Decentralisation is the only way ahead

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:

(6) Consider the following statements:

1. The Jal Jeevan Mission was launched in 2022.

2. Water is a matter included in the State list in the seventh schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Previous year UPSC mains Question Covering similar theme:

What is water stress? How and why does it differ regionally in India? (UPSC CSE 2019)

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PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (d) 2. (c) 3. (b) 4. (b) 5. (b) 6. (b)

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