BARRIER REEF WEEKLY CURRENT AFFAIRS - 26 DECEMBER - 31 DECEMBER 2022 - Insights IAS
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FREEZING OF GREAT
BARRIER REEF
26 DECEMBER - 31 DECEMBER 2022
WEEKLY CURRENT AFFAIRS
WWW.INSIGHTSONINDIA.COM
Weekly Current Affairs Magazine
inside • Maharashtra passes Lokayukta Bill that brings CM
under the ambit of the anti-corruption body 14
• The caste census debate to craft reasoned and in-
clusive policies 15
GS 1 • How are disputes between states resolved in India?
16
• What is a ‘bomb cyclone’? 4 • Remote voting for migrant workers 17
• This was the year that said goodbye to hyper global- • Delegated law should not travel beyond the pur-
isation 5 view of the parent act: SC 19
• A brief history of the INC 7 • The National Geospatial Policy, 2022 20
• Rapidly warming Arctic linked to extreme cold • NCW issues memo on prevention of sexual harass-
weather in the US 8 ment22
GS 2 GS 3
• COVID-19: The emerging Omicron sub lineages 9 • Data on polluted rivers 24
• Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics • The dark pattern: How companies are tricking their
(AVGC) Promotion Task Force report 10 users 24
• Draft National Retail Trade Policy 25
• Environment Impact Assessment 26
• Report on Trends and Progress of Banking in India
2021-22 27
• India is all set to go for its first waste-to-hydrogen
project 28
• The Green in our Weaves: Sustainable Cotton Tex-
tiles 29
• No action plan by MoEF&CC to handle plastic waste
finds CAG 31
• The Webb telescope is just getting started 32
• With a large start-up ecosystem, India is a big mar-
ket for cloud services 33
• What lies ahead in 2023 - A new social media,
Metaverse, and more AI? 34
GS 4
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee 36
• ICICI Videocon fraud – An issue of Corporate Ethics
36
• President’s note for IPS probationers 37
Content for Mains
Enrichment
• New tie-ups in Nepal, concern in India 12
• What is the CAG audit report on Assam’s NRC? 12 • Shalini Kumari from Bihar 38
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Weekly Current Affairs Magazine
• Scotland’s new gender recognition Bill 39 • Rules of Origin 53
• Mission Olympics 39 • Green Methanol Production 54
• Story: You Lose but Win 39 • Organic Solar Cells 54
• Guidelines for finance-based ranking of cities 40 • National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL) 54
• Pension scheme for Gig workers 40 • Bimetallic antitumor to manage platinum-resistant
• Stan Lee’s 100th birth anniversary 41 cancers 55
• How India can produce companies like Apple, Goo- • Project ICARUS 55
gle, Pfizer 41 • ‘Stay Safe Online’ Campaign and ‘G20 Digital Inno-
• Punjab renames 56 govt schools with caste tag 41 vation Alliance’ 56
• WAPCOS 56
Facts for Prelims •
•
Brain-eating amoeba
CrCoNi alloy
57
57
• Omega Centauri 58
GS 1 • Five space exploration missions to look out for in
2023 58
• Losar Festival 42 • Mango flowering 59
• Ratnagiri Rock carvings 42 • Project Nilgiri Tahr 59
• ‘PRASAD’ project - Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh 43 • Prahari App 59
• Dhanu Yatra 43 • Tidal disruption event 60
• Veer Bal Diwas (26 December)
th
44 • Cooperative society 61
• Repository of paleoclimatic records of Himalayan • Vibrant Village Programme (VVP) 62
tectonics & geomorphic evolution in Kashmir Valley
44
• Development of Pilgrimage Infrastructure at
Bhadrachalam group of temples and Ramappa Tem-
ple 44
• Sammakka Saralamma Jatara 45
• Land Subsidence 45
GS 2
• Short transfers of cess funds 46
• Portals in News 47
• Malnutrition, NCPCR, JJ Act 47
• Official recognition of Esports 48
• National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) 49
• e-HRMS (Electronic Human Resource Management
System) 2.0 Portal 49
GS 3
• Amrit Bharat Station Scheme 50
• Social stock exchange (SSE) 50
• NASA’s Perseverance 51
• Scientists freeze Great Barrier Reef coral in a world- • Basmati rice 62
first trial 51
• GNB1 Encephalopathy 63
• Antarctica’s Emperor Penguins 52
• Mapping 63
• Polar Bears 52
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Weekly Current Affairs Magazine
GS 1
WHAT IS A ‘BOMB CYCLONE’?
Context:
An intense blizzard/snowstorm/bomb cyclone is
wreaking havoc across the United States and Canada.
Background:
● The air flows from high to low pressure, creating
winds. Storms form when a mass of low-pres-
sure air meets a high-pressure mass.
● Forecasters have dubbed the blizzard a “bomb
cyclone,” describing it as distinct from typical
weather patterns.
● While this type of storm is not uncommon, it is
extremely powerful (as a result of a blast of Arc-
tic air plunging south), with high winds deliver-
ing heavy snow or rain to many regions.
What defines a bomb cyclone? Concept
● Bomb cyclones form when the air near Earth’s Air masses How do they
surface rises quickly in the atmosphere, triggering a and fronts Types of air masses influence the
sudden drop in barometric pressure — at least 24 mil- weather?
libars within 24 hours On the On the
● This quickly increases the pressure difference b a s i s basis of
or gradient, between the two air masses, there- of tem- moisture
fore making the winds stronger. pera-
● This process of rapid intensification is called tures
Bombogenesis.
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Weekly Current Affairs Magazine
• Air masses • Cold air •Conti- • Interaction be-
are enor- mass: nental tween two dif-
mous bod- When air mass- ferent air mass-
ies of air the air es es frequently
that have m a s s • Ocean- generates atmo-
a l m o s t above is ic air spheric instabil-
consistent cooler masses: ity, leading to
physical than the These cyclonic forma-
properties surface a r e tions.
such as tem- it is rel- moist, • According to
perature atively resulting the polar front
and mois- u n - in rain- hypothesis, the
ture. stable fall. The polar front is
• Because of since migra- created at the
the varying t h e tion of meeting point of
densities land is oceanic warm humid air
of nearby warmer air mass- masses from the
air masses, and the es to- tropics and dry Mains Links: Q. Discuss the concept of air mass and
they do not air ris- ward the cold air masses explain its role in macro-climatic changes. (UPSC 2016)
combine es after Indian from the poles
easily. heating, subcon- → low pressure
• As a result, leading tinent is formed near Prelims Links: (UPSC 2015)
distinctive to the causes the polar front Consider the following statements:
weather forma- m o n - resulting in the
t i o n 1. The winds which blow between 30 N and 60
phenome- s o o n formation of an
of Cy- rains in extratropical or S latitudes throughout the year are known as
na known
as fronts clones. India. temperate cy- westerlies.
occur at • Warm clone. 2. The moist air masses that cause winter rains in
the conver- a i r the North Western region of India are part of
gence zone mass: It westerlies.
or boundary occurs
zone of two w h e n Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
air masses. the air (1) 1 only
mass is (2) 2 only
warmer
than the (3) Both 1 and 2
surface (4) Neither 1 nor 2
above it, Ans: 2
contrib-
uting to
atmo-
spheric THIS WAS THE YEAR THAT SAID
stability
and an- GOODBYE TO HYPER GLOBALISA-
ti-cy-
clonic
TION
condi- Context:
tions. Two wars (Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and an economic
war - a geopolitical confrontation between two super-
powers - the US and China) are raging in 2022, which
have undermined the assumption of “hyper-globalisa-
tion”.
Background:
● Though the term “globalisation” refers to the in-
creasing integration of world trade and financial
markets, the term “hyper-globalisation” refers
to the dramatic increase in international trade.
● This occurred for about a decade and a half be-
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Weekly Current Affairs Magazine
ginning in the early 1990s, resulting in unprec- Ricardo gave the concept of “compara-
edented capital and human movement across tive advantage” - each country devotes
borders. its resources to produce goods most
beneficial to each. For example, wine
shall be made in France and Portugal,
Ups and downs in the globalisation era: corn shall be grown in America and Po-
● The first golden age of globalisation (1870 - land, etc.
1914): It saw the world trade in goods surging The entire system of free trade was
from 9% to 16% of global GDP, leading to the founded upon trust and comparative
internationalisation of economic and social life. advantage trumping geopolitics. For ex-
ample, Russia supplied close to 40% of
This led the British journalist Norman the European Union’s total natural gas
Angell (in his book ‘The Great Illusion’) consumption in 2021.
to claim in 1910 that war in the mod-
ern era was an economic impossibility ● The end of the era of hyper-globalisation: It
due to the sheer extent of financial and formally ended in 2022, which has seen not
commercial interdependence between one, but two wars.
countries.
This made conflict as futile for the con-
queror as the conquered. Impact of the end of the era of hyper-globali-
● The era of world wars and the decline in world sation:
trade: ● The greatest collateral damage is to the global
trading order. From production based on com-
In 1914, World War-I broke out and
parative advantage and gains from trade, it’s
World War II began in 1939.
each nation for itself now.
The share of merchandise trade in glob-
al GDP had collapsed to 5.5%, recov- ● For example, India is granting incentives
ering gradually to reach the pre-World amounting to 30-50% of project cost for semi-
War-I levels only towards the late- conductor units manufacturing less-sophisti-
1970s. cated chips that can be used in mobile phones,
● The second golden age of globalisation - The home appliances and cars.
era of “hyper globalisation”: Five years ago, it may not have consid-
ered this to be worth spending taxpay-
Between 1990 and 2008, global trade
er money on.
in goods soared from 15.3% to 25.2% of
the world GDP.
Thomas L Friedman asserted in 1996 Conclusion:
that no two countries with McDonald’s According to the French philosopher Montesquieu
have ever fought a war against each
other. - “Commerce heals the most harmful biases,” and
Hyper-globalisation’s chief protago- “Peace is the inevitable result of trade.” However, re-
nist was China which emerged as the building trust and restoring global trade from the ravag-
“world’s factory” and a “mega-trader.” es of militarism takes time.
China’s estimated share in world mer-
chandise trade has risen from 1.8% in Insta Links: Impact of globalisation on the Indian econ-
1990 to 11.1% in 2012 compared to the omy
US (11.3% to 8.4%).
● Characteristics of a hyper-globalised world:
Mains Links: Q. Are diversity and pluralism in India un-
In such societies, there was the absence der threat due to globalisation? Justify your answer.
of wars and economies largely followed (UPSC 2020)
the laws established by late-18th/
early-19th century economists Adam
Smith and David Ricardo.
According to Smith (in his book ‘Wealth
of Nations’), if a foreign country can
supply a commodity at a lower cost,
then it should be bought.
6 www.insightsonindia.com
Weekly Current Affairs Magazine
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE INC • Third Session: Madras in 1887. President: Syed
Badruddin Tyabji, the first Muslim President.
• Fourth Session: Allahabad in 1888. Presi-
Context: dent: George Yule, the first English President.
The Indian National Congress (INC), India’s largest op- • 1896: Calcutta. President: Rahimtullah Sayani -
position party, marked its 138th foundation day on De- National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ sung for the first time
cember 28. by Rabindranath Tagore.
• 1899: Lucknow. President: Romesh Chandra
How the Congress was founded: Dutt - Demand for permanent fixation of Land revenue
The English bureaucrat Allan Octavian Hume or AO
Hume is credited as the founder of the organization.
On December 28, 1885, 72 social reformers, journalists
and lawyers congregated for the first session of the INC
at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay.
• 1905: Benaras, President: Gopal Krishan Gokha-
le - Formal proclamation of Swadeshi movement against
the government
• 1906: Calcutta, President: Dadabhai Naoroji -
Its objective is often described as providing a “safety Adopted four resolutions on: Swaraj (Self Government),
valve” as the time, through which Indians could air out Boycott Movement, Swadeshi & National Education
their grievances and frustration. • 1907: Surat, President: Rashbihari Ghosh - Split
in Congress- Moderates & Extremist
• 1911: Calcutta, President: B.N. Dhar - First recit-
Struggle for Independence: al of Jan-Gan-Man in Congress session
• The wave of Swadeshi movement swept INC
• 1915: Bombay. President: Sir S.P. Sinha - Consti-
and the members wished to follow the concept
tution of the Congress was altered to admit the dele-
of ‘home rule’ gates from the extremist section
• Finally, by the end of the British Rule, the Con- • 1916: Lucknow. President: A.C. Majumdar - Uni-
gress saw the Quit India Movement, the forma- ty between two factions-Moderates and Extremists of
tion of the Indian National Army Defense Com- Congress
mittee, and the unfortunate Partition of India o Lucknow Pact signed between Congress
and Pakistan and Muslim League to build political
Important INC Sessions: consensus
• First Session: Bombay in 1885. President: W.C. • 1917: Calcutta. President: Annie Besant, First
Bannerjee Woman President of Congress
• Second Session: Calcutta in 1886. Presi- • 1918 (Special session): Bombay. President: Syed
dent: Dadabhai Naoroji Hasan Imam - The session was convened to deliberate
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Weekly Current Affairs Magazine
the contentious Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms Scheme i.e., the Quit India movement, RIN Mutiny & INA trials.
• 1919: Amritsar. President: Motilal Nehru - Con- • The phase of constitutional negotiations such as
gress extended support to Khilafat Movement the Cripps Mission, Wavell Plan and Cabinet Mission.
• 1920 (Special Session): Calcutta. President: Lala • On account of these events during this phase, no
Lajpat Rai - Mahatma Gandhi moved the non-coopera- congress session was held.
tion resolution • 1946: Meerut. President: J.B Kripalani - Last ses-
• 1920: Nagpur. President: C. Vijayaraghavachari- sion before independence
ar - MA Jinnah left the Indian National Congress
• 1922: Gaya. President: C.R. Das - CR Das and Insta Links:
other leaders broke away from INC Foundation of the Indian National Congress
o Formation of Swaraj Party
• 1924: Belgaum. President: M.K. Gandhi - Only
Session presided over by Mahatma Gandhi Prelims Link: UPSC 2016
What was the main reason for the split in the Indian
• 1925: Kanpur. President: Sarojini Naidu, First
Indian Woman President National Congress at Surat in 1907?
• 1927: Madras. President: Dr M.A. Ansari - (a) Introduction of communalism into Indian politics by
Passed a resolution against the boycott of the Simon Lord Minto
Commission (b) Extremists’ lack of faith in the capacity of the mod-
o Adoption of resolution on Purna Swaraj erates to negotiate with the British Government
• 1928: Calcutta. President: Motilal Nehru - For- (c) Foundation of Muslim League
mation of All India Youth Congress (d) Aurobindo Ghosh’s inability to be elected as the
• 1929: Lahore. President: Jawahar Lal Nehru - President of the Indian National Congress
Passed the resolution on ‘Poorna Swaraj.’ Solution: B
o Civil Disobedience movement for com-
plete independence to be launched Mains Link:
• 26 January is to be observed as ‘Independence Q. How different would have been the achievement of
Day’. Indian independence without Mahatma Gandhi? Dis-
• 1931: Karachi. President: Vallabhbhai Patel - cuss. (UPSC 2015)
Resolutions on Fundamental Rights and National Eco-
nomic Programme
o Endorsement of the Gandhi-Irwin pact RAPIDLY WARMING ARCTIC
• Gandhi was nominated to represent INC in
the Second Round Table Conference to be held in Lon- LINKED TO EXTREME COLD
don WEATHER IN THE US
• 1934: Bombay. President: Rajendra Prasad
1936: Lucknow. President: Jawahar Lal Nehru - Push to-
wards socialist ideas by Jawahar Lal Nehru
Context:
In a report published in The Washington Post, scientists
• 1937: Faizpur. President: Jawahar Lal Nehru -
have once again started to discuss if the rising tempera-
First Session to be held in a village
tures of the Arctic are responsible for extremely cold
• 1938: Haripura. President: Subhas Chandra conditions in the US and other areas of the Northern
Bose - National Planning Committee set up under
Hemisphere.
Jawahar Lal Nehru.
• 1939: Tripuri. President: Rajendra Prasad - Sub-
has Chandra Bose was re-elected but had to resign Background:
• Rajendra Prasad was appointed in his place ● A deadly blizzard (bomb cyclone) has gripped
• Subhash Chandra Bose formed Forward Bloc the US, leading to the death of more than 60
• 1940: Ramgarh. President: Abul Kalam Azad - people as of now and the complete disruption
Civil Disobedience movement to be launched at ap- of normal life.
propriate time and circumstances. ● A similar chain of events took place back in 2021
• 1941–45: This Period is marked by events when Texas witnessed a deadly cold storm that
killed 246 people.
8 www.insightsonindia.com
Weekly Current Affairs Magazine
Conclusion: Despite some evidence, the scientific com-
munity still has conflicting opinions about its claim.
Hence, more data is required to determine whether
and where warming is weakening the jet stream.
GS 2
COVID-19: THE EMERGING OMI-
CRON SUB LINEAGES
Context:
Since the initial outbreak in Wuhan (China) in 2019, the
world has seen many waves of COVID-19 infections,
mostly driven by new variants of concern (VOCs) of the
The findings of the study: primary virus - severe acute respiratory syndrome coro-
● The study largely focused on the polar vortex, navirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
which is a mass of cold, low-pressure air that
consistently spins over the Arctic region count-
er-clockwise, just like a hurricane does. Background:
○ Usually, the polar vortex remains strong ● Viruses constantly change through mutation
and compact, meaning the mass of frigid which sometimes result in a new variant of the
air stays at the North Pole. virus. A sub-lineage is a group of genetically
○ But sometimes it weakens (like a wob- similar viruses with a common ancestor.
bling top) and expands to influence the ● The SARS-CoV-2 virus has the potential to evolve
jet stream - an area of fast-moving air by exchanging large fragments of the genome,
high in the atmosphere that surrounds called recombination.
the polar vortex. ● Until recently, China remained successful in con-
○ Once the jet stream is impacted, the taining the spread of the disease owing to its
cold polar air finds its way towards the zealous “zero-COVID” policy.
mid-latitude regions. ● However, with the abrupt lifting of the policy,
● The polar vortex has been expanding more the country is now facing a surge of COVID-19
than twice as frequently in recent years, owing cases as a result of BA.7 - a variant of Omicron.
to the steadily warming Arctic.
● The melting sea ice in the Barents and Kara seas
The SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating in China:
north of Russia and Scandinavia and increasing
● According to the SARS-CoV-2 sequencing data
Siberian snowfall create larger and more ener-
submitted from China to the Global Initiative on
getic atmospheric waves that ultimately stretch
Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) - a globally
the polar vortex
accessible repository of SARS-CoV-2 genome se-
● This has resulted in extreme winter weather in quences, the country has seen -
the US and other places.
○ Delta and its sub-lineages in 2021.
○ Omicron and its sub-lineages (BA.5.2,
Earlier studies: BQ.1.1, BF.7, BF.5, BA.2.75 and the re-
● The debate started in 2012 after research combinant lineage XBB) in 2022.
showed that the warming of the Arctic was re-
Omicron sub-variants under monitoring:
ducing the temperature difference between
● Owing to the large-scale spread of Omicron and
the polar and tropical regions.
its sub-lineages across the world, the World
● This has weakened the jet stream, allowing the Health Organisation (WHO) has added anoth-
southward movement of frigid air. er category of variants referred to as ‘Omicron
sub-variants under monitoring’.
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Weekly Current Affairs Magazine
● Currently, under this category include BA.2.75, tor-based platform.
BA.4.6, XBB, BA.2.3.20 and sub-lineages of BA.5 3. COVAXIN is an inactivated pathogen-based vaccine.
including BF.7 and BQ.1, are being monitored. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Concerns: 1. 1 and 2 only
● An overwhelming increase of cases in a pop- 2. 2 and 3 only
ulous country like China will not only result in 3. 1 and 3 only
tremendous loss of life but will also allow the 4. 1, 2 and 3
virus to mutate, potentially resulting in new
variants. Ans: 2
● Some of the lineages have seen a growth ad- Explanation:
vantage over others in highly vaccinated re- The Serum Institute of India produced a COVID-19 vac-
gions including Europe and the U.S. cine named Covidshield but not using the mRNA plat-
form. It has been prepared using the viral vector plat-
form.
Way ahead:
● Monitor the spread and evolution of these sub
lineages.
● With vaccine immunity diminishing, genomic ANIMATION, VISUAL EFFECTS,
surveillance will be critical to understanding GAMING AND COMICS (AVGC)
Omicron’s ongoing evolution.
PROMOTION TASK FORCE RE-
Variants of concern (VOCs): It is classified by WHO PORT
when it is linked to an increase in transmissibility or
a detrimental change in Covid-19 distribution, an Context:
increase in severity, or a decline in the efficiency of The AVGC Promotion Task Force (Chaired by I&B Secre-
public health efforts. tary Apurva Chandra) report has proposed a national
AVGC-Extended Reality Mission with a budget outlay
to be created for integrated promotion and growth of
the sector.
Background:
● The Union Budget 2022-23 announced the for-
mation of an AVGC Promotion Task Force to re-
alise and develop - local capacity, and local and
Insta Links: The COVID-19 pandemic, food and social- global demand, to widen the scope of the AVGC
izing industry.
● Accordingly, the Ministry of Information and
Mains Links: Q. Explain the rationale behind the Goods Broadcasting (I&B) has established an AVGC
and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act of 2017. Promotion Task Force.
How has COVID-19 impacted the GST compensation ● The Task Force’s Terms of Reference include:
fund and created new federal tensions? (UPSC 2020) ○ Developing a national AVGC policy.
○ Recommend a national curricular
Prelims Links: (UPSC 2022) framework for AVGC-related graduate,
In the context of vaccines manufactured to prevent postgraduate, and doctoral courses.
the COVID-19 pandemic, consider the following state- ○ Collaborate on skilling initiatives with
ments: academic institutions, vocational train-
1. The Serum Institute of India produced a COVID-19 ing centres and industry.
vaccine named Covidshield using an mRNA plat- ○ Increase employment opportunities.
form. ○ Increase exports and recommend incen-
2. The Sputnik V vaccine is manufactured using a vec- tives to attract FDI in the AVGC sector,
etc.
10 www.insightsonindia.comWeekly Current Affairs Magazine
● The Ministry of Electronics and Information ● Leveraging National Education Policy: To devel-
Technology (MeitY) has been appointed as the op creative thinking at the school level. The Min-
nodal ministry for online gaming in India. istry of Education may advise NCERT (National
Council of Educational Research and Training)
to create books focusing on subjects relevant to
About the AVGC sector in India: AVGC.
● Current situation: The AVGC sector in India,
● A University Grants Commission (UGC)-rec-
which may have witnessed 28% growth in 2021,
ognised curriculum: For undergraduate and
contributes about $2.5-3 billion of the estimat-
postgraduate degrees.
ed $260-275 billion worldwide AVGC market
and employs about 1.85 lakh AVGC profession- ● Standardisation of admission tests: For
als. AVGC-related courses.
● Nature (Expanding): India has moved into the ● A framework to protect child rights in the dig-
global Top 5 in the gaming industry and can wit- ital world and promotion of local children’s
ness a growth of 14-16% in the next decade and channels for raising awareness.
by 2023, the number of online gamers is expect-
ed to reach 45 crores. Way ahead:
● Potential: ● Democratising AVGC technologies by promot-
○ To become a $40 billion industry (5% of ing subscription-based pricing models for MS-
the global market) by 2025, with annu- MEs, start-ups and institutions.
al growth of 25-30% and the creation of ● Indigenous technology development through
about 1,60,000 new jobs. incentive schemes and Intellectual Property cre-
○ It has the potential to become the “Cre- ation.
ate in India” and “Brand India” torch- ● Setting up a dedicated production fund for do-
bearer. mestic content creation to promote the coun-
● Challenges: Despite the fact that the AVGC sec- try’s culture and heritage globally.
tor in India is rapidly growing, there remains a
vacuum due to a lack of formal gaming training
courses and legal clarity. Conclusion:
With an eye on the demand for 20 lakh skilled pro-
fessionals in the AVGC sector in this decade, there is
Recommendations of the Task Force: a need to augment skilling initiatives and enhance in-
● Draft national and State policies: For the pro- dustry participation for training purposes and to ensure
motion of the sector. employment opportunities.
● Launch the ‘Create in India’ campaign: With an
exclusive focus on content creation.
● An international AVGC platform: Aimed at at-
tracting foreign direct investment (FDI).
● Co-production treaties and innovation:
○ A Memorandum of Cooperation may be
signed between India and other devel-
oped global AVGC markets for providing
internships to Indian AVGC profession-
als.
○ Establishment of AVGC accelerators
and innovation hubs in academic insti-
tutions.
● National and regional centres of excellence:
For skill development.
○ The skilling and industry outreach for
youth in Tier 2 and 3 towns and villages. Insta Links: Rules regarding online gaming
○ There should be special incentives for
women entrepreneurs in the sector.
11 www.insightsonindia.comWeekly Current Affairs Magazine
NEW TIE-UPS IN NEPAL, CON-
CERN IN INDIA
Context:
Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” was sworn in as Ne-
pal’s new Prime Minister after he switched sides to join
hands with a bitter foe, the former prime minister Khar-
ga Prasad Oli.
Delhi views Oli as pro-China, and the coming together
of Communist forces to form the government is a turn-
ing back of the clock from its point of view. After the
bitterness in ties during Oli’s terms in office from 2015- Insta Link: India Nepal Relations
2016 and 2018-2021, India-Nepal relations improved
after Deuba became PM in 2021.
Prelims Link: UPSC 2016
The issues/reasons for the bilateral relations Q. Consider the following pairs:
slide apart between India and Nepal are:
Community
Territory claims issues at the Lipulekh pass
sometimes
• The Treaty of Sugauli signed by Nepal and the In the affairs of
mentioned in
British East India Company in 1816, defined River Ma- the news
hakali as the western border of Nepal.
• However, India claims that the river be- 1. Kurd Bangladesh
gins in Kalapani as this is where all its tributaries
merge. But Nepal claims that it begins from Lip- 2. Madhesi Nepal
uLekh Pass, the origin of most of its tributaries 3. Rohingya Myanmar
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
The ‘China card’
(a) 1 and 2
Trade agreements carrying vestiges of old rules
(b) 2 only
• India-Nepal trading agreements still carry ves- (c) 2 and 3
tiges of old rules. For example, Nepali traders cannot (d) 3 only
import products from India that are not manufactured
Ans: (c)
in India
Recalibration of ties, for better future India-Nepal re-
lations: Mains Link:
• The boundary dispute should be resolved on Q. The Nepal-India relationship has never been free of
affirmative lines controversy as the perspectives of both sides are yet to
change, in this context discuss the need for recalibrat-
• Sensitizing Towards Nepal: India should engage
ing their ties.
more proactively with Nepal in terms of people-to-peo-
ple engagement, bureaucratic engagement as well as
political interactions.
• Investments from India. WHAT IS THE CAG AUDIT REPORT
ON ASSAM’S NRC?
Context:
The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India (CAG)
have flagged serious concerns in a compliance report
12 www.insightsonindia.comWeekly Current Affairs Magazine
of ‘logistical arrangements for National Register of Cit- Recommendations of the CAG:
izens (NRC) update project in Assam’ tabled in the As- • Penal measures against Wipro Limited for violating
sam Assembly recently. the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act and for
What is the NRC exercise? paying data operators less than minimum wages.
• It contains demographic information on all legal In- • Action against the State Coordinator of National
dian citizens, allowing illegal immigrants to be rec- Registration (SCNR) for excess, irregular and inad-
ognised and deported. missible payments.
• It is mandated under a 2003 amendment to the Citi- • Fixing accountability of the SCNR as the principal
zenship Act of 1955, which specifies the criteria un- employer for not ensuring compliance with the
der which a person obtains Indian citizenship. Minimum Wage Act.
• Until now, such a database has only been main-
tained for Assam. However, India’s Home Minister Related news: EC begins delimitation in Assam
recently stated that the register would be expanded Context: The Election Commission of India (EC) has begun the
to include the entire country. process of delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constitu-
encies in Assam, based on the 2001 Census data.
Legal/constitutional provisions:
Background: ● Article 82: Following each census, the allocation of
• An NRC was first created in 1951 in Assam to iden- Lok Sabha seats to the states, as well as the division
tify those born in India and migrants from erstwhile of each state into territorial constituencies, shall be re-
adjusted by such authority as Parliament may by law
East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. determine.
• In 2013 (on a petition urging the removal of illegal ● Section 8A of the Representation of the People Act,
immigrants’ names from voter lists), the Supreme 1950: It allows for delimitation of Parliamentary and
Court issued directions to the Centre and State to Assembly constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam,
Manipur or Nagaland.
initiate an exercise to update the 1951 register.
● Article 170 (Composition of the Legislative Assem-
• The final list (2019) included those who could es- blies): Census figures (2001) shall be used for the pur-
tablish their Indian citizenship by being residents pose of readjustment of constituencies in the State.
or descendants of people living in Assam before ● Reservation of seats for the SCs/STs will be provided
as per Articles 330 (Lok Sabha) and 332 (State Assem-
March 25, 1971 - the cut-off date for deportation of
blies) of the Constitution.
foreigners as per the Assam Accord of August 1985.
• As many as 19.06 lakh people out of 3.3 crore ap- Delimitation Commission:
plicants were excluded due to a lack of adequate ● Delimitation is the responsibility of a high-level body
documents to prove their citizenship. known as the Delimitation Commission or a Boundary
Commission, whose orders have the force of law and
• The final list was rejected by some stakeholders as
cannot be challenged in court.
faulty, and the process is still on hold because the ● Article 82 of the Indian Constitution provides for the
Registrar General of India (RGI) is yet to notify the establishment of such a commission through a Parlia-
final list. mentary act.
● The orders will come into effect on a date to be deter-
mined by India’s President.
Findings in the CAG report:
• Haphazard development of software for the exer- Need of delimitation in Assam:
cise, making it prone to data tampering. ● Assam currently has 14 Lok Sabha and 126 Assembly
constituencies.
• Undue profits worth crores amassed by the system
● The last delimitation of constituencies in Assam was
integrator (SI) by violating the Minimum Wages Act. done in 1976 on the basis of the 1971 Census.
● In 1971, Assam’s population was 1.46 crore, which in-
creased to 2.66 crore (2001) and to 3.12 crore (2011).
Concerns raised by the CAG:
• The process to update the NRC has seen a five-fold Concerns:
increase in the cost (Rs 1,600 crore) due to time ● Why is the delimitation exercise being done on the ba-
overruns and updates in the software. sis of the 2001 Census, and not the 2011 Census?
• Irregularities in the utilisation of funds including ● Several pressure groups have urged to stop the delimi-
tation till the NRC is final.
excess and inadmissible payment to vendors.
13 www.insightsonindia.comWeekly Current Affairs Magazine
• Selection of members of the Lokayukta: They
will be selected by a panel of the chief minister, deputy
chief minister, Assembly Speaker, Legislative Council
chairperson, Leaders of the Opposition in the Assem-
bly and the Council and a judge appointed by the chief
justice of India or the chief justice of the Bombay High
Court.
o Analysis: There is a heavy bias towards
government nominees in the selection
Insta Links: NRC panel.
• Chairperson: The chairperson of the anti-cor-
ruption body will be led by a person who is the present
MAHARASHTRA PASSES LO- or former chief justice of a High Court. The body will
KAYUKTA BILL THAT BRINGS CM also have judges of the Supreme Court or the Bombay
High Court as its member.
UNDER THE AMBIT OF THE AN- • The number of members: The Lokayukta will
TI-CORRUPTION BODY have a maximum of four members, of whom two will
be from the judiciary.
Context: Good points:
This bill will replace the 1971 Lokayukta Bill • Wider consultations: Discussions were held
with social activist Anna Hazare before bringing the Bill
and a committee had been formed to obtain sugges-
Important provisions of the Maharashtra Bill: tions and objections on the draft Bill.
• Will need assembly approval of two-thirds of
• Provisions against misuse: If in verification, the
the total strength of the Assembly before starting any
case is wrongly filed then there is a provision in the law
inquiry against a minister and the motion to do so has
to take action against that person.
to be placed before the House.
o Analysis: Such Two-third strength may Concerns:
not be possible in most the cases • The Bill was passed without any discussion and
• Transparency and privacy provisions: Any such in the absence of the Opposition.
inquiry shall be held in-camera and if the Lokayukta
comes to the conclusion that the complaint deserves What are Lokpal and Lokayukta?
to be dismissed, the records of the inquiry shall not be The Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013 provided for the
published or made available to anyone. establishment of Lokpal for the Union and Lokayukta
o Analysis: It’s a good provision to ensure for States (as statutory bodies without any constitution-
that public figures are not victimized. al status)
• Exceptions added: Lokayukta will not investi- Aim: “ombudsman” and inquire into allegations of cor-
gate cases involving allegations of corruption against ruption against certain public functionaries and related
the chief minister on matters related to internal securi- matters.
ty or public order • Till 2011 eight attempts were made to pass the
o Analysis: Which matter will be consid- Bill, but all met with failure.
ered related to internal security or pub- • Commission to Review the Working of the Con-
lic order has not been clearly defined stitution (2002) headed by M.N. Venkatachaliah, 1st
• Limited timeline: The trial against the chief min- ARC and 2nd ARC recommended the appointment of
ister, any other Cabinet minister and elected represen- the Lokpal and Lokayukta.
tatives will need to be completed within a year of the
date of complaint
o Analysis: Good provision but many
times investigation and trial take more
than a year.
14 www.insightsonindia.comWeekly Current Affairs Magazine
be held in UP without any reservation for the
OBC, added that the State had not followed the
“triple test formula” as suggested by the Su-
preme Court.
● This comes as the call for a caste census inten-
sifies in India, with several states considering in-
troducing reservations for the Backward Classes
in urban local body elections.
What is the Triple Test Formula to provide OBC reser-
vation in urban local body (ULB) elections? It requires
Insta Links: Lokpal, Lokayukta a state government to -
● Set up a dedicated commission for a rigorous
empirical inquiry into the nature and implica-
Mains Links: tions of backwardness specifically with respect
Q. Lokpal and Lokayukta as the ombudsmen for an- to local bodies;
ti-corruption are underperforming and need reforms to ● Specify the proportion of reservations required
achieve their true potential and ensure accountability for political representation based on the com-
in the administration. Examine. (250 words) mission’s recommendation;
Prelims links ● Ensure total reservations for SC/ST/ OBC groups
do not exceed 50% of the total seats.
THE CASTE CENSUS DEBATE TO
The case of UP:
CRAFT REASONED AND INCLU- ● The Allahabad HC noted that the government’s
SIVE POLICIES enumeration exercise does not provide for in-
quiry into the political representation of the
backward class.
Direction: ● The court stated that the dedicated commission
The article highlights the triple test formula to provide must also ascertain underrepresentation in
OBC reservation in ULBs and discusses the need to have municipal bodies (if any).
a caste-based census.
Similar case: The Patna HC had made a similar point on
Context: distinguishing the social and education backwardness
The judiciary has repeatedly established that caste pop- of a group from its political backwardness.
ulation surveys conducted by the states are insufficient
to provide for political reservation in local body elec-
tions.
Background:
● The Allahabad HC recently dismissed the UP
government’s caste census to count the Oth-
er Backward Class (OBC) population across the
state, ruling that “counting of heads” is insuffi-
The debate on caste census in India:
cient.
Background: The decennial Census currently collects
○ The UP government had ordered (in
2017) a “rapid survey” to count the pop- data only on SCs and STs and fails to provide compre-
ulation of OBCs ward-wise in each mu- hensive data on India’s graded caste hierarchy.
nicipal corporation, municipal council, The 2011 Census:
and panchayat area. ● Though the political leadership agreed to in-
● The HC, while directing that local body elections clude a full caste count in the Census, it later ex-
cluded a caste-wise enumeration in the Census.
15 www.insightsonindia.comWeekly Current Affairs Magazine
● The probable reasons for this exclusion -
○ Caste elites generally believe that caste Conclusion: While counting (or not counting) caste is
no longer matters in shaping opportu- political, the decision should not be reduced to imme-
nities and outcomes in the 21st century. diate political contingencies i.e., the expansion of reser-
○ The exercise may lead to the misuse of vation policies, the caste-based mobilisation by political
public resources. parties, etc.
○ The exercise may be administratively
difficult and cumbersome, jeopardising Insta Links: Caste census
the whole exercise and compromising
the basic integrity of the Census.
● Following the suppression of the caste count in
Census 2011, the bureaucracy reconfigured the
Below Poverty Line survey and renamed it the
2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census. HOW ARE DISPUTES BETWEEN
○ This had little resemblance to the caste STATES RESOLVED IN INDIA?
census and produced unusable caste
data.
Context:
As the border dispute between Maharashtra and Karna-
Need for collecting caste-wise data in the decennial taka (over Belagavi, Karwar and Nipani in North Karna-
Census: taka) is intensifying, the article highlights formal meth-
● To understand the contours of inequality. ods in the Constitution of India to resolve inter-state
● To understand how caste intersects with class, disputes.
gender, and regionality to structure access to
resources.
● The Census has the legal/constitutional stand- Background:
ing, public trust, operational expertise, and ● Often, attempts are made to resolve inter-state
resources to collect, analyse and make public disputes with the cooperation of both sides,
caste data. with the Centre working as a facilitator or a neu-
tral mediator.
● This was followed by Parliament bringing a law
Global practices: Census bureaus in the U.S., Brazil, to alter state boundaries, such as the Bihar-Ut-
and South Africa, etc., with long histories of white su- tar Pradesh (Alteration of Boundaries) Act of
premacy, collect detailed data on race and class to un- 1968 and the Haryana-Uttar Pradesh (Alteration
derstand the current scope of inequality and develop of Boundaries) Act of 1979.
justice-oriented policies.
Concerns:
● Some progressive scholars fear that a caste- Methods available to resolve inter-state dis-
wise count will further entrench caste iden- putes:
tities, as a caste census will require all house- Judicial redressal:
holds to think about, acknowledge, and speak ● Article 131: Supreme Court has the original ju-
about caste identities. risdiction in any dispute between -
● Misuse of the caste data by the political parties. ○ The Government of India and one or
more States; or
Way ahead: ○ The Government of India and any State
● The entire process requires external oversight or States on one side and one or more
(Anti Caste organisations and public intellectu- other States on the other; or
als) if the data are to be usable and to minimise ○ Two or more States,
potential harm. ● If the dispute involves any question (whether of
● A public oversight group should work to ensure law or fact) on which the existence or extent of
that major operational and methodological de- a legal right depends.
cisions align with the data collection’s purpose. ● Exemption: The said jurisdiction shall not ex-
tend to a dispute arising out of any treaty,
16 www.insightsonindia.comWeekly Current Affairs Magazine
agreement, covenant, or engagement, having Mains Links: Q. How far do you think cooperation,
been entered into or executed before the com- competition and confrontation have shaped the na-
mencement of this Constitution. ture of the federation of India? Cite some recent ex-
amples to validate your answer. (UPSC 2020)
Inter-state Council:
• Inter-State and Zonal councils’ role in resolving Prelims Links: (UPSC 2014)
inter-state disputes has been covered in a recent article The power of the Supreme Court of India to decide dis-
which can be accessed through this link. putes between the Centre and the States falls under its
(a) advisory jurisdiction
The Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute: (b) appellate jurisdiction
(c) original jurisdiction
(d) writ jurisdiction
Ans: c
REMOTE VOTING FOR MIGRANT
WORKERS
• When state boundaries were redrawn on linguis-
tic lines as per the States Reorganisation Act of Direction:
1956, Belagavi became part of the erstwhile My- The article covers Multi-Constituency Remote Electron-
sore state. ic Voting Machine (RVM) - need, unique features, the
voting process and issues raised by the EC itself.
• Maharashtra claims that parts of Belagavi, where
Marathi is the dominant language, should remain
in Maharashtra. Context:
• In 1966, the Centre set up the Mahajan Commis- The EC announced that it has developed a prototype for
sion, to resolve the border dispute in Maharash- a Multi-Constituency Remote Electronic Voting Ma-
tra, Karnataka and Kerala. chine (RVM), amid concerns over migration-based dis-
• The Commission recommended that Belgaum enfranchisement, to boost voter turnout and strength-
and 247 villages remain with Karnataka. Maha- en India’s democratic process.
rashtra rejected the report and moved the SC in
2004.
Background - The problem of migration-based
• The union home minister met the Chief Ministers
disenfranchisement:
of both states and asked them to form a six-mem-
● While registered voters do not end up voting
ber team, comprising three ministers from each for a variety of reasons, domestic migration - is
side, to address all boundary issues. driven by marriage, natural disasters, employ-
• However, both states hardened their stance ment, etc.
passing a unanimous resolution to support a legal ● As per the 2011 census, there are nearly 45.36
battle to resolve the dispute. crores (forty-five point three six) migrants in
India (both intra and interstate) - nearly 37% of
Other inter-state disputes in India: There are bor- the country’s population.
der disputes mostly arising out of claims and count- ● These migrants are unable to travel to vote, de-
er-claims over territories between Assam-Meghalaya; nying a large chunk of the population its fran-
Assam-Nagaland; Assam-Mizoram; Assam-Arunachal chise, going against the EC’s motto - “No voter
Pradesh and Maharashtra-Karnataka. left behind”.
● The EC had formed a Committee of Officers on
Domestic Migrants, which recommended (in
Insta Links: The Belagavi border dispute between Ma- 2016) internet voting, proxy voting, early voting
harashtra and Karnataka and postal ballots for migrant workers (rejected
due to concerns like lack of secrecy of the vote,
17 www.insightsonindia.comWeekly Current Affairs Magazine
the lack of sanctity of one person one vote prin- Concerns:
ciple, issues of accessibility, etc.)
● Thus, a technological solution was proposed
which allows voters to vote remotely, in a safe
and controlled environment.
The proposed solution - Remote EVMs:
● RVMs were developed by Bharat Electronics
Limited (BEL) and the Electronics Corporation of
India Limited (ECIL).
● The RVMs are stand-alone, non-networked sys-
tems, allowing voters from multiple constitu-
encies to vote using the same machine. ● The system has issues, some of which the EC has
● They will be set up in remote locations outside itself acknowledged. For example,
the state under similar conditions as current ○ Migrants are not a uniform and defined
polling booths. class, with fluid identities, locations and
situations.
○ As various countries reject EVMs for pa-
per-based ballots, this move may have
the potential to raise further questions
on the sanctity of the electoral process
itself.
○ Remote voting can theoretically pro-
vide an added edge to bigger parties
and richer candidates who can campaign
across the constituency and beyond.
Way ahead:
Unique feature of RVMs: Resolving these issues will require wider consultations
● A single Remote Ballot Unit (RBU): To cater to
with various legal and political stakeholders.
multiple constituencies (as many as 72) by using
a “dynamic ballot display board” instead of the
usually printed paper ballot sheet on EVMs. Conclusion:
● Ballot Unit Overlay Display (BUOD): It will show The EC has invited all recognised eight national and 57
the requisite candidates based on the constitu- state political parties on January 16 to demonstrate the
ency number read on the voter’s Constituency functioning of the RVM and has asked for their written
card, which can be read by a barcode scanning views by January 31.
system.
Insta Links: VVPAT
The voting process:
● After verifying a voter’s identity, their constit- Mains Links:
uency card will be read with a public display
Q. In the light of recent controversy regarding the use
showing the constituency details and candi-
of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), what are the
dates.
challenges before the Election Commission of India
● This will also be displayed privately (on the
to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India?
BUOD in the RVM’s RBU) and the voter will then
(UPSC 2018)
vote and each vote will be stored constituen-
cy-wise in the control unit.
● The voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) Prelims Links: (UPSC 2017)
system is expected to work along the same lines Consider the following statements:
as the new technology. 1. The Election Commission of India is a five-mem-
ber body.
18 www.insightsonindia.comWeekly Current Affairs Magazine
2. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the ● If a rule goes beyond or replaces the rule-mak-
election schedule for the conduct of both gener- ing power conferred by the parent statute, the
al elections and bye-elections. same has to be declared invalid.
3. Election Commission resolves the disputes re- ● Delegated legislation should not travel beyond
lating to splits/mergers of recognised political the purview of the parent Act. If it does, it is ul-
parties. tra vires and cannot be given any effect.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? ● A delegated power to legislate by making rules
1. 1 and 2 only or regulations cannot bring into existence sub-
2. 2 only stantive rights, obligations or disabilities not
contemplated by the provisions of the parent
3. 2 and 3 only
statute.
4. 3 only
● A body making rules or regulations has no in-
Ans: 4 herent power of its own to make rules but de-
rives such power only from the statute.
○ Hence, it has to necessarily function
DELEGATED LAW SHOULD NOT within the purview of the statute.
TRAVEL BEYOND THE PURVIEW
OF THE PARENT ACT: SC The delegated/secondary/subordinate legisla-
tion:
Context: Meaning:
The Supreme Court ruled that delegated legislation, ● It is the law established by the executive using
including rules and regulations enacted by state and the authorities granted to them by the parent
central governments, should supplement rather than act in order to implement and administer the
replace the parliamentary statute from which it derives primary legislation’s requirements.
power. ● Although the concept of delegated legislation
was not mentioned specifically in the Indian
Constitution it can be understood by interpret-
Background: ing Article 312.
● An appeal was filed by the Kerala State Electric- ● This Article gives the right to the Rajya Sabha
ity Board against a State HC judgement uphold- to open a new branch of All India Service with
ing Regulation 153(15) of the Kerala Electricity a majority of two-thirds majority vote and dele-
Supply Code, 2014. gate some powers to the new recruiter - All In-
● Regulation 153(15) of the Code stated that an dia Service.
‘unauthorised additional load’ in the same ● There are many such cases through which dele-
premises and under the same tariff should not gated legislation under the Constitution of India
be counted as ‘unauthorised use of electricity’. can be understood.
The SC’s verdict:
● It reversed the HC decision and held that the
Regulation was inconsistent with Section 126(6)
of the Electricity Act, 2003.
● Section 126 of the 2003 Act was enacted with
a specific purpose to restrict such unauthorised
consumption of electricity.
Observations made by the SC in the above
judgement:
● Overdrawing electricity is harmful to the public Advantages of delegated legislation:
at large, as it affects the efficiency, and effica- ● It saves time for the legislature.
cy of the entire supply system, even increasing ● It can be easily done in consultation with the
voltage fluctuations. parties affected.
● It allows for flexibility.
19 www.insightsonindia.comWeekly Current Affairs Magazine
● Expert legislation. tric policy that seeks to strengthen the geospatial sec-
● Parliament is not always in session. tor to support national development, economic pros-
● Resorted to in case of emergencies. perity and a thriving information economy
● It can be used on an experimental basis. • Aim: The 13-year guideline promotes the coun-
try’s geospatial data industry and develops a national
framework to use such data for improving citizen ser-
Criticism: vices, and more.
● Weakens legislative control over the executive.
• Themes: The policy has divided 14 Geospatial
● The executive has become more powerful and Data Themes to support the development of commer-
has encroached upon the domain of legislature. cial geospatial applications in various sectors e.g., disas-
● The division between law-making and imple- ter management, mining, forestry etc.
mentation gets blurred (against the theory of
• Technology Infrastructure:
separations of power).
o Geospatial Knowledge Infrastructure
● Possible misuse for political gains (legislation to
benefit the ruling party). (GKI):
● Lacks rigorous discussion before law making. The government will establish an
Integrated Data and Information
● Delegated legislation changes with political
Framework by 2030 (to develop
changes resulting in political and administra-
tion instability. GKI)
● Sometimes it is not in conformity with the rule The government will also estab-
of law. lish National Digital Twin (for
high-resolution topographical
survey and mapping by 2035)
Conclusion: • Institutional Infrastructure:
● Delegated legislation is necessary, and is likely
o Geospatial Data Promotion and De-
to increase in volume, in view of the complex
velopment Committee (‘GDPDC’) will
social organisation and vast developmental
be constituted for formulating and
and promotional activities.
implementing guidelines, strategies, and
● Therefore, some safeguards and controls
programs for the promotion of activities
(courts’ jurisdiction should not be limited, uni-
related to the Geospatial sector.
form procedures, etc) are necessary and desir-
able. o Will put in place a legal framework (by
2025) that supports the liberalization of
the geospatial sector, and democratiza-
Mains Links: tion of data for enhanced commercial-
Q. What is Delegated Legislation? Present the contra- ization with value-added services.
dicting views about delegation of power to legislate
while evaluating its pros and cons. (250 words)
Significance of the policy:
• Increased Coverage: Government has opened
THE NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL POLI- its geospatial data and services offered by government
agencies, academic and research institutions, private
CY, 2022 organizations, NGOs, and individuals.
• No prior approval required: Government has
Context: removed the requirement for prior approval, security
After liberalizing the use of geospatial data under the clearance, or other restrictions on the management of
draft geospatial data policy in February 2021, the Min- geospatial data
istry of Science and Technology has notified the Na- o Self-Certification will be sufficient for
tional Geospatial Policy, 2022. adherence to the guidance
• Freehand at Processing of geospatial data:
About the policy: Anyone can process the acquired geospatial data, build
“The National Geospatial Policy, 2022 is a citizen-cen- new applications and solutions using it and use it for
20 www.insightsonindia.comWeekly Current Affairs Magazine
profit (except for defence or security-related data) Vegetation Index).
• Multi-dimensional Applications: E.g., economy, o 4 Rs approach to reduce nutrient losses
sustainable national development initiatives, Agricul- from farming systems (the Right Product,
ture etc. at the right rate, at the right time, and at
the right place)
• Better implementation of Government
schemes such as PM Fasal Bima Yojana and ‘Per Drop
more Crop’: Geospatial data will assist the BFSI (Bank-
ing, Financial Services, and Insurance) segment to un-
derstand the risk better and underwrite loans and in-
surance products.
• Increased Landholding size: Along with the
SWAMITVA scheme, the geospatial data will help in the
pooling of lands by farmers. This will drive wider adop-
tion of Commercial and Precision Farming in India
• Allow development of ecosystem markets:
o E.g., the GIS nitrogen trading tool is
used to assess the effects of the imple-
mentation of conservation practices on
• Focus on ‘local’ relevance: The Policy recogniz- reductions in nitrate leaching and GHG
es the importance of locally available and locally rele- emissions that could be traded in air and
vant Maps and Geospatial Data water quality market.
• Promoting Start-ups: The Policy enables and Allied sectors
supports innovation, creation and incubation of ideas • Fisheries: better geospatial data will drive more
and start-up initiatives in the Geospatial sector targeted and deeper fishing opportunities, thus help-
• Support India’s ‘Blue Economy’: By 2035, the ing in the economic upliftment of fishermen
policy will include mapping of sub-surface infrastruc- o It will help bridge the infrastructure gap
ture in major cities and towns across India, and the de- as envisaged under PM Matsay Sampa-
velopment of accurate bathymetric geospatial data (re- da Yojana
sources and economy of inland waters, and sea surface
• Dairy: Geospatial data can help in better grazing
topography of shallow and deep seas)
grounds for cattle and their management
• Minor Forest Produce: Tribal collection of MFP
Applications of Geospatial data (in the Agricul- and marketing of their products can be advanced using
ture and Allied sector): geolocation data in deep forests
• Drive private participation and competitive- o E.g., MoEF & CC is using LiDAR technolo-
ness in Agritech gy to map out water requirements with-
• Wider Adoption of Precision farming: Precision in the forest
farming combines the power of artificial intelligence o Ridge-to-valley approach: It seeks to de-
(AI), Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and Big tain, divert, store and use available rain-
Data. water using geospatial data
• Wider Adoption of Locational data: While the
global positioning system (GPS) locates precise crop lo-
cations, the global information system (GIS) stores this
data.
o This data later helps in Crop scouting, Soil
sampling, weed location, accurate plant-
ing, and harvesting.
• Better crop forecasting: The previous restriction on
geospatial data had limited use of remote sensing
data maps such as NDVI (Normalized Difference
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