Monthly Editorial Consolidation - 1st January to 31st January 2021 - Drishti IAS
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Monthly Editorial Consolidation 1st January to 31st January 2021
Content l Water, Sanitation & Women’s Rights.....................................................................................................................3 l Melting of the Arctic...............................................................................................................................................4 l Human Development Index....................................................................................................................................6 l Governor: An Agent of the Centre?........................................................................................................................7 l Changing World Order, India & UNSC....................................................................................................................9 l Last Mile Challenges To Financial Inclusion......................................................................................................10 l Death Penalty For Sexual Offences.....................................................................................................................11 l Political Crisis in Nepal........................................................................................................................................12 l Covid-19 Vaccine Policy......................................................................................................................................13 l Indian Foreign Policy In 2021..............................................................................................................................15 l Draft National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy ..............................................................................16 l SAARC Revival .....................................................................................................................................................17 l Avian Flu Crisis.....................................................................................................................................................18 l Indian Diaspora....................................................................................................................................................20 l New Whatsapp Policy & Privacy..........................................................................................................................21 l Sustainable Mining ..............................................................................................................................................22 l Tourism Sector In India........................................................................................................................................23 l Female Labor Force Participation In India..........................................................................................................24 l Socio-Economic and Caste Census....................................................................................................................26 l Shadow Entrepreneurship....................................................................................................................................27 l Digital Services Tax..............................................................................................................................................28 l Increasing Inequalities.........................................................................................................................................29 l Monopolistic Practices of Big-Tech Firms.........................................................................................................30 l Youth & Mahatma Gandhi ...................................................................................................................................32
Water, Sanitation ¾ Women’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Needs:
Women have an increased need for water for
& Women’s Rights hydration, sanitation and hygiene during menstruation,
pregnancy, the postnatal period, and caring for sick
This article is based on “Women must be centre-stage
family members or young children.
in water and sanitation” which was published in The
When these basic needs are not met, women and
Hindustan Times on 31/12/2020. It talks about the
interlinkages between water, sanitation & women’s rights. girls are unable to participate equally in society.
¾ Linkage With SDGs: The Sustainable Development
Tags: Indian Society, GS Paper - 2, Role of Women, Issues Related Goals (SDGs) make an essential initial step in connecting
to Women water, sanitation and hygiene (SDG 6) and gender
equality and empowerment (SDG 5) through target 6.2.
The right to water and sanitation is recognised as
Target 6.2 of SDG emphasises ‘access to equitable
fundamental to attaining all other human rights. However,
sanitation and hygiene and women and girls’ needs.
globally, 2.1 billion people do not have access to safe
Further, SDG 10 aims to reduce inequalities
drinking water at home, and 2.3 billion do not have basic
sanitation and 1 billion still practice open defecation. within and between countries. Equal access to
clean water and sanitation is critical to reducing
Amongst this, women are the most vulnerable section.
overall disparities.
Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the
lack of access to essential water, sanitation and hygiene Associated Challenges
facilities.
¾ Lack of Women’s Participation in Decision-making:
Women are largely responsible for household water,
The central role of women and girls in the procurement
sanitation and hygiene management; they bear a dispro-
and management of water, sanitation and hygiene at
portionate burden when these basic services are lacking,
the household level is recognised.
and face health, security and psychological vulnerabilities
However, women’s water, sanitation & hygiene
due to inadequate access and decision-making control.
governance and household decision-making control
Therefore, access to water and sanitation, if delivered over such resources are scarce.
well, empowers women economically and socially. Done
For example, women not being consulted in
poorly, it may undermine women’s position at home and
decisions taken on sanitation-related matters such
in the community.
as the building and using toilets. It also fails to take
Interconnection: Water, into account the prevalent socio-cultural norms.
¾ Lack of Data: Measurement of the burden placed
Sanitation & Hygiene With Women’s Rights
on women and girls, the opportunity costs of these
¾ Women’s Water-Fetching Responsibility: Women burdens, and female empowerment related to water,
and girls are responsible for fetching water in most sanitation and hygiene decision-making and autonomy
households where a drinking water source is off- are limited.
premises.
¾ Lack of Adequate Infrastructure: In many parts of
This practice has implications for women’s health,
India (especially in rural India) water, sanitation and
workloads, and caloric expenditure. hygiene in health-care facilities are far from adequate.
When girls carry water over long distances, the time In schools, the lack of necessary infrastructure,
available to them to pursue education is reduced. privacy, spaces, materials and guidance to manage
Water-fetching responsibilities also add to the menstruation has been associated with harassment,
burden of unpaid domestic work, decrease time sexual exploitation, psychosocial impacts, decreased
towards other income-generating activities, and school attendance rates and drop-out for girls.
affect leisure and nonessential activities.
¾ Sanitation Access and Gender-Based Violence: There Way Forward
is enough evidence of sanitation-related gender-based ¾ Gender-Neutral Approach: There is a need for the
violence, highlighting a range of vulnerabilities women political imperative to recognise that both women
and girls face who are forced to defecate openly. and men’s involvement are integral to sustainable
This leads to the fear of sexual violence that can water, sanitation, and hygiene management.
restrict freedom of movement and affect equal ¾ Policy Framework for Women Leadership: Women’s
opportunities. leadership and decision making power in water
4 EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 www.d rish t i I A S . c o m
and sanitation is critical. Therefore, enabling policy and transformation. Policies on water and sanitation need
frameworks backed by resources, training and political to keep women centre-stage needs and enable them to
will, are vital to developing and sustaining women’s be agents of change.
leadership in the water sector at the local, national This is the time for governments, businesses, NGOs
and global level. and academic institutions to look at how they are
In this context, there is a need to invest in developing investing in women’s leadership in the water, sanitation
the next generation of water, sanitation and hygiene and hygiene sector, from local committees to the
leaders, by collaborating with colleges, water international stage.
utilities and districts, using experiential learning, nnn
internships and interacting with experts.
¾ Sustained Focus on Swachh Bharat Mission: The
rallying call of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) Melting of the Arctic
campaign of “Satyagraha se Swachhagraha” has led
to the significant change in sanitation habits in India. This article is based on “When the Arctic warms, it will
The next SBM phase should envisage finding affect sea levels and precipitation patterns globally”
solutions for sustained behaviour change, addressing which was published in The Indian Express on 02/01/2021.
women and their hygiene needs. It talks about the melting arctic ice and its global impact.
¾ Role of Society: As the women already spend 2.6
Tags: Biodiversity & Environment, GS Paper - 3, Environmental
times more hours than men on unpaid activities,
Pollution & Degradation, Conservation
including caregiving and domestic work.
Citizenry as a part of society to ensure their In the Arctic region, the effects of global warming
involvement in water and sanitation services does can be seen most dramatically, as the area is warming
not further contribute to the burden of unpaid up twice as fast as the worldwide average. The ice cap
work, or decrease the ability to earn an income. in the Arctic is shrinking fast, and the volume of Arctic
¾ Role of SHGs: There are rapidly increasing examples sea ice has declined by as much as 75%.
throughout the country, with women being able to As the Arctic ice melts into the sea, it brings global
push through reforms through the help of support challenges in nature. On the flip side, it opens up the
groups or community-led efforts. Northern Sea Route (NSR), connecting the North Atlantic
Therefore, women SHG should be promoted to to the North Pacific through a short polar arc. Various
take up the cause of water, sanitation and Hygiene. earth observation studies predict that this route could
be ice-free in summer by 2050, if not earlier.
In this context, Jharkhand’s example is worth
emulating. Trained women masons built over 15
lakh toilets in one year and the state was declared
open defecation free (rural) much ahead of the
national cut-off date of October 2, 2019.
Conclusion
As countries work to achieve SDG 10, access to clean
water and sanitation can be a game-changer for prosperity
w w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 5
However, before fully commercialising the NSR, the Loss of ice and melting permafrost spells trouble
global community must access the critical impact of for polar bears, walruses, arctic foxes, snowy owls,
melting arctic and associated challenges. reindeer, and many other species.
The Tundra is already returning to the swamp; the
Impact of Melting Arctic Ice permafrost is thawing, sudden storms are ravaging
¾ Global Climate: The Arctic and Antarctic act like the coastlines, and wildfires are devastating interior
world’s refrigerator. Since they are covered in white Canada and Russia.
snow and ice that reflect heat back into space (Albedo
effect), they balance out other parts of the world Flip-side & NSR
that absorb heat. ¾ The opening of the Arctic, through NSR, presents
The loss of ice and the warming waters will substantial commercial and economic opportunities,
affect sea levels, salinity levels, and current and particularly in shipping, energy, fisheries and mineral
precipitation patterns. resources.
Further, less ice means less reflected heat, meaning The distance from Rotterdam to Yokohama will be
more intense heat waves worldwide. cut by 40% compared to the Suez route.
It will also mean more extreme winters, as the ¾ Oil and natural gas deposits, estimated to be 22%
polar jet stream—a high-pressure wind that circles of the world’s new resources, mostly in the Arctic
the Arctic region—is destabilised by warmer air, ocean, will be open to access and mineral deposits
it can dip south, bringing the bitter cold with it. including 25% of the global reserves of rare earth,
buried in Greenland.
¾ Coastal Communities: Global average sea level has
risen by about 7–8 inches since 1900, and it’s getting Associated Challenges
worse.
¾ NSR, Not So Environmentally & Economically Viable:
Rising seas endanger coastal cities and small
Lack of deep-water ports, a need for ice-breakers,
island nations by exacerbating coastal flooding
shortage of workers trained for polar conditions,
and storm surge.
and high insurance costs add to the difficulties of
The Greenland ice sheet’s glacial melt is a significant exploiting the resources of the Arctic.
predictor of future sea-level rise; if it melts entirely,
Further, mining and deep-sea drilling carry massive
global sea levels could rise 20 feet. costs and environmental risks.
¾ Food Security: Polar vortexes, increased heat waves, ¾ The Arctic, Not A Global Common: Unlike Antarctica,
and unpredictability of weather caused by ice loss the Arctic is not a global common, and there
are already causing significant damage to crops on is no overarching treaty that governs it, only the
which global food systems depend. UN Convention of Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
This instability will continue to mean higher prices
Large parts of it are under the sovereignty of the five
and a growing crisis for the world’s most vulnerable. littoral states — Russia, Canada, Norway, Denmark
¾ Permafrost & Global Warming: Permafrost in the (Greenland) and the US — and exploitation of the
Arctic region (ground that is permanently frozen) stores new resources is well within their rights.
large amounts of methane, which is a greenhouse gas Therefore, the national economic interest may
that contributes to climate change. supersede the global conservation efforts of the
When it gets melted, that methane is released, which Arctic.
in turn will increase the rate of global warming. ¾ Great Game Geo-Politics: Russia, Canada, Norway
As more quickly the arctic ice is lost, more rapidly and Denmark have overlapped claims for extended
permafrost will melt. This will result in a vicious continental shelves, and the right to sea-bed resources.
cycle that may result in a climate catastrophe. However, Russia is the dominant power, with the
¾ Biodiversity Threat: Melting of the Arctic ice puts the longest Arctic coastline, half the Arctic population,
Arctic region’s vibrant biodiversity under serious threat. and a full-fledged strategic policy. It claims that the
Habitat loss and degradation, the absence of year- NSR falls within its territorial waters.
long ice and higher temperatures, are making Arctic On the contrary, the US believes the passage lies
marine life’s survival, plants and birds difficult in international waters.
while encouraging species from lower latitudes China, playing for economic advantage, has pro-
to move north. jected the Polar Silk Road as an extension of the6 EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 www.d rish t i I A S . c o m
BRI, and has invested heavily in ports, energy, Amartya Sen. It was initially launched as an alternative
undersea infrastructure and mining projects. measure to the gross domestic product, as it stresses the
centrality of human development in the growth process.
Role of India India has done a seemingly great job in multiplying
¾ India’s Interest: India’s interests in these developments, it’s economy many folds, but progress on the HDI front
though distant, are not peripheral. has not been very appealing. The last three decades HDI’s
India’s Climate: India’s extensive coastline makes data indicate that India has raised its HDI score at an
us vulnerable to the impact of Arctic warming on annual average rate of mere 1.42%.
ocean currents, weather patterns, fisheries and Therefore, if India has to realise it’s the aspiration of
most importantly, monsoon. becoming a superpower, it must invest to reduce the
Monitoring of Third Pole: Scientific research in
burden of social and economic disadvantage to vulnerable
Arctic developments, in which India has a good sections of its population.
record, will contribute to the understanding of
Progress Made by India
climatic changes in the Third Pole — the Himalayas.
Strategic Need: The strategic implications of an
¾ As the UNDP’s HDR Report 2019 notes, India’s gross
active China in the Arctic, and it’s growing economic national income per capita has more than doubled
and strategic relationship with Russia are self- since 2005, and the number of “multidimensionally
evident and need close monitoring. poor” people fell by more than 271 million in the
decade since 2005-06.
¾ Step To Be Taken: India has observer status in the
¾ Additionally, inequalities in “basic areas” of human
Arctic Council, which is the predominant inter-
development have reduced. For instance, historically
governmental forum for cooperation on the Arctic
marginalised groups are catching up with the rest of
environment and development aspects.
the population in terms of educational attainment.
It is high time that India’s presence on the Arctic
Council should be underpinned by a strategic policy Reasons For India’s Underperformance on HDI
that encompassed economic, environmental,
The 2019 HDI ranks India with a per capita income
scientific and political aspects.
of $6,681 in the 131st position, which is a notch lower
Conclusion than its 130th rank in 2018. The malefic effects of deep-
rooted societal and economic disadvantages account for
The Arctic is an essential system in the global climate a low rank for an economy that is in the global top 6 by
system. So just like the Amazon forest is the lungs of the size. Following factors can be dubbed as reasons for India’s
world, the Arctic is like our circulation system and feeds dismal performance in HDI:
into global climate change everywhere. ¾ Increasing Income Inequalities: Income inequalities
Therefore, it is in humanity’s interest to treat the amplify failings on other HDI indices of human
Arctic melting as a severe global issue and act accordingly. development. Intergenerational income mobility is
nnn lower in countries with high-income inequality.
It manifests at birth and determines access to
quality healthcare, education, and opportunities.
Human Development Index Further, there is an increasing trend in income
inequality. In India, the income growth of the
This article is based on “Three Decades of HDI” which bottom 40% between 2000 and 2018 (58%) was
was published in The Economic & Political Weekly on significantly below the average income growth for
02/01/2021. It talks about India's dismal performance the entire population (122%).
in the Human Development Index. ¾ Gender Inequality: Numbers show female per capita
income in India was only 21.8% of that of males, while
Tags: Social Justice, Gs paper-2, Government Policies & it was more than double at 49% in other developing
Interventions, Education, Gender, Health countries.
The Human Development Index (HDI), which com- The meagre per capita income of females in India
bines indicators of life expectancy, education or access is mainly because of their exclusion from the
to knowledge and income or standard of living, captures labour force.
the level and changes to the quality of life. Only 20.5% of the women in the working-age group
The index is the making of two acclaimed economists were in the labour force, pointing to its dismal
from Pakistan and India, namely Mahbub ul Haq and Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR).w w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 7
methods like outcome budgeting, social auditing and
participatory democracy has been known to yield
positive results.
¾ Gender Empowerment: Government should invest
in Gender equality and women’s empowerment, as
they are integral to human development.
Conclusion
India’s HDI scores can be substantially enhanced if
a politically committed government rolls out inclusive
policies that strengthen public health, education and
nutrition, and end gender discrimination to usher in a
more egalitarian order.
nnn
Governor:
¾ Cumulative Impact: The cumulative impact of An Agent of the Centre?
these factors spills over across generations. It is this This article is based on “Maximum Governor: On
intergenerational cycle which denies opportunities Governor's role” which was published in The Hindu on
to those at the bottom of the pyramid. 05/01/2021. It talks about the controversial position of
the governor as an agent of the central government.
Way Forward
¾ Fair Income Distribution: While the size of economic Tags: Indian Polity, Gs paper-2, Centre-State Relations, Role of
resources is a key factor affecting human development, Governor
the distribution and allocation of these resources Recently, the Governor of Kerala refused to convene
also play a major role in determining the level of a special session of the Kerala Assembly that was intended
human development. to discuss the ongoing farmer protest in New Delhi.
Many global case studies show that high growth This conduct is comparable to the many actions of
accompanied by more effective income distribution governors of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
can help enhance human development, even with etc., that led to unwarranted interference of centre in
moderate social expenditures. states’ politics. These states happen to be ruled by the
For Example, South Korea and Taiwan improved political parties governed by the opposition parties at
income distribution through early land reforms. the centre.
¾ Investing in Social Infrastructure: Universalisation of Such instances portray the negative image of
education and health care could have pulled deprived the state governors as an agent of the centre. The
sections out of the poverty trap. Governor’s office’s misuse to undermine duly elected
Sustaining and improving the quality of life will State governments undermines democratic processes
also depend on policies crafted to handle major and compromises one of the Basic Structure doctrine
emerging challenges such as urbanisation, the elements, i.e. federalism.
housing deficit, access to power, water, education
and health care. Governor: Acting As Agent of Centre & It’s Effect
¾ Streamlining of the Finances: Streamlining the ¾ Source: Article 163 of Indian Constitution states that
traditional approach of generating new sources of the Governor should exercise his functions based on
revenue generation, steps like rationalised targeting the state’s Council of Ministers’ aid and advice, except
of subsidies, judicious use of revenues meant for it is required to exercise his functions at his discretion.
social sector development etc will probably meet the Therefore, Article 163 acts as a source of the
financial requirements needed for improving HDI. discretionary power of the governor.
¾ Good Governance Reforms: Effective performance As the union government nominates the governor,
evaluation of the projects and activities engaged in the combined effect with Article 163 provides the
the social sector development through innovative scope centre meddling in the state’s affairs.8 EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 www.d rish t i I A S . c o m
¾ Nature of Intervention: The present controversies Note:
have been around issues like:
¾ Various Committees on Centre-States Relations
Selecting the Chief Minister,
The Administrative Reforms Commission of 1968,
Determining the timing for proving legislative
The Rajamannar Committee of 1969,
majority,
Committee of Governors of 1971,
Demanding information about day-to-day
The Sarkaria commission of 1988,
administration,
Punchhi Commission, 2007.
Giving assent to bills or reserving bills for the
President, Way Forward
Frequent use of Article 356 for removing state
¾ Governor’s Discretion Should Be Only Her Discretion:
governments run by opposition parties based on
For the smooth functioning of a democratic government,
the governor’s recommendation.
it is equally essential that the governor must act
Commenting adversely on specific policies of the
judiciously, impartially and efficiently while exercising
state government. his discretion and personal judgment.
¾ Effect: The encroachment upon the legislature’s As the Sarkaria Commission put it, the governor’s
powers and the elected government amounts to an task “is to see that a government is formed and
abuse of Governor’s authority as a nominal head not to try to form a government”.
under the Constitution. ¾ Strengthening of Federalism: In order to check misuse
Various wrongdoings of the centre through the of the office of governor, there is a need to strengthen
governor’s office damage India’s essential federal federal setup in India.
structure and the democratic process. In this regard, the Inter-State council and the role
of Rajya Sabha as the chamber of federalism must
Envisaged Role of Governor
be strengthened.
¾ Taking Clues From Constituent Assembly Debates: ¾ Reform the Method of Appointment of Governor: In
On analysing the constituent assembly debates, it can order to end the monopoly of the centre in selecting
be inferred that the constituent assembly envisaged its ‘own man’ as governor, the appointment can be
creating ‘responsible government’ in the states as made from a panel prepared by the state legislature
much as at the centre. and actual appointing authority should be the Inter-
According to Dr. Ambedkar, “I have no doubt in state Council, not the central government.
my mind that discretionary power is in no sense ¾ Code of Conduct for Governor: In order to enable
a negation of responsible government. It is not the governor to successfully discharge his functions
a general clause giving the governor power to under the centre and states governments should
disregard the advice of his ministers in any matter agree on a 'Code of Conduct'.
in which he finds he ought to disregard.”
This 'Code of Conduct' should lay down certain
¾ Taking Clues From Constitution: As the states were 'norms and principles' which should guide the
indeed sovereign within their own domain, the exercise of the governor's 'discretion' and his
discretionary power, beyond the specific situations powers which he is entitled to use and exercise
mentioned in the constitution, does not enable a on his judgment.
governor to override the state government. In this context, the inspiration for such a code can
Therefore, selecting a chief minister of his choice be derived from the various recommendations of
or creating/utilising opportunities for defections to the Sarkaria Commission on centre-states relations.
change the party in power cannot be a governor’s
job. Conclusion
¾ Taking Clues from Various Committees on Centre-States The governor’s role is not merely an agent of the
Relation: In the last few decades, various committees centre sitting in state capitals; he is the lynchpin of India’s
were appointed to understand the governor’s role in federalism and democracy at the state’s level. Therefore,
India’s federal democratic setup. the governor’s role is indispensable for the successful
These committees made extremely valuable working of constitutional democracy, and he must with-
recommendations to make the governor’s office the hold the virtue of impartiality.
“linchpin of the state’s constitutional apparatus.” nnnw w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 9
Changing World responsible for maintaining international peace and
security.
Order, India & UNSC However, the veto powers possessed by the
This article is based on “India’s UNSC opportunity” which UNSC’s five permanent members are used as an
was published in The Indian Express on 05/01/2021. It instrument to shore up their geopolitical interests,
talks about the changing world order and new challenges regardless of the disastrous consequences for the
and how India should leverage its two-year tenure of victims of armed conflict as can be seen in Syria,
Non-Permanent Membership at UNSC. Iraq, etc.
Tags: International Relations, Gs paper-2, Groupings &
Current Challenges For Indian Foreign Policy
Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests, ¾ Aggressive China: At the end of the Cold War,
Effect of Policies & Politics of Countries on India's Interests India ought to strengthen cooperation with China
Since the end of the Cold War, India has entered the on the multilateral front with a view that it would
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the third time. also help generate the conditions for resolving the
However, the current world order is very different from boundary dispute and expand the areas of bilateral
India’s earlier stints in UNSC viz. 1991-92 and 2011-12. cooperation.
The challenge emanating from the current world However, this strategy has been proved counter-
order is whether a peaceful consensus can bring about effective as China now has assumed an aggressive
the redistribution of power between various superpowers. posture towards India. It can be seen in recent
In this context, India should leverage this two-year Galwan Valley Clashes.
tenure as a non-permanent member of UNSC, to promote Moreover, China protects Pakistan from the
national interests and global peace. international pressures that India has sought to
mobilise at various fora.
Changing World Order in the Recent Times
¾ Compromising Non-Alignment: To counter China,
¾ New Cold-War: With the collapse of the Soviet Union India has colluded with like-minded countries, forming
in 1991, the world order turned from being bi-polar Quad grouping (US, India, Japan, Australia).
to unipolar. However, the current world order is
However, this convergence with the US has tarnished
without a systemic equilibrium, which is essential to
India’s image of non-alignment and deteriorated
the maintenance of international stability.
relations with traditional partners like Russia.
This is due to the emergence of a New Cold War
between US & China, which amounts to a struggle Way Forward: Leveraging
for a new distribution of power—political, economic
Non-Permanent Membership
and military.
Moreover, the differences between the US, China
¾ Becoming Part of the Great Game: The UNSC offers
and Russia have become intractable. room for sustained diplomatic interaction between
the major powers, minimising tensions and creating
¾ Retrenchment of US: The prominent feature of the
new opportunities for cooperation.
current world order is the US’s retrenchment from
Much like the US and USSR that cooperated on
global affairs. This can be reflected by the withdrawal
of the US the Paris Climate deal, JCPOA, etc. nuclear proliferation issues at the height of the
Cold War, the US and China could explore potential
This retrenchment has led to a severe blow to
common ground even amidst their broad-based
multilateralism and globalisation.
confrontation.
¾ Indo-Pacific as a New Sub-System: The rise of China
In this context, India can carve out a larger role for
has been redrawing the balance of power in the
South-China Sea. This has led to countries like US, itself amid renewed great power rivalry.
India, Japan, etc., colluding in framing Indo-Pacific Further, as India now joins the UNSC amid a
as a new sub-system in international affairs. continuing military standoff, India can now expose
Indo-Pacific refers to the Indian and the Pacific
the Chinese aggression in the Ladakh region.
Oceans between the east coast of Africa and the ¾ UNSC Reforms: Making the UNSC more “representative”
American west coast and their several littoral has been one of India’s demands since the end of
countries. the Cold War.
¾ Declining Role of UN: The United Nations Security In this context, India should continue its partnership
Council (UNSC) is the UN’s main executive body with G4 (Brazil, Germany and Japan) countries10 EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 www.d rish t i I A S . c o m
to expand the UNSC and become a permanent Last Mile Challenges
member.
¾ Deepening International Collaboration: The engage- To Financial Inclusion
ment with peace and security issues at the UNSC will This article is based on “Not by digital alone” which was
allow India to strengthen its new coalitions such as published in The Indian Express on 06/01/2021. It talks
the Quad. about the last mile challenges to financial inclusion in
Moreover, India could also use the UNSC tenure India.
to deepen collaboration with its European
partners like France and Germany in the security Tags: Indian Economy, GS Paper - 3, Mobilization of resources,
arena. Inclusive Growth, Government Policies & Interventions
India must also sustain an intensive dialogue Being a welfare state, one of the prime objectives of
with Russia on all international issues, notwith- government policy in India has been to enable financial
standing Russia’s worsening problems with the inclusion and to reduce abject poverty through inter-
West and closer ties to China. ventionist public policies. One such approach is the
¾ Engaging With Global South: India needs to revitalise Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) initiative.
its engagement with its traditional partners in Various government programmes such as maternity
the “global south” by articulating their peace and entitlements, student scholarships, and wages for
security concerns in the UNSC. In this context, two MGNREGA workers fall under the DBT initiative where
sub-groups of the global south should be of particular the money is transferred to the respective beneficiaries’
interest.
bank accounts.
Small Island States: The numerous small island
However, the beneficiaries face many hurdles in
states worldwide face existential challenges from
accessing their money. For example, in rural areas,
global warming and rising sea levels.
beneficiaries have to travel miles and wait for several
z They also struggle to exercise control over their
hours to make one banking transaction.
large maritime estates.
These hurdles are broadly referred to as “last mile
z Supporting the sovereignty and survivability
challenges''. These challenges have widened the distance
of the island states is a crucial political task
between the rights holder and their entitlements, which
for India.
must be urgently resolved.
Africa: Nearly half of UNSC meetings, 60% of its
documents, and 70% of its resolutions are about Last Mile Challenges & Their Impact
peace and security in Africa.
¾ Digital Exclusions: A recently published KPMG report
z The continent has three seats in the UNSC
found that India’s Internet usage is the lowest of the
(Kenya, Niger and Tunisia) and there is regular BRICS nations.
consultation between the UNSC and the Peace
Similarly, the Digital Quality of Life (DQL) Index
and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union
2020 reflects the dismal performance of India in
(AU).
digital parameters.
z The UNSC tenure is a good moment for India
to intensify India’s engagement on peace and Moreover, digital illiteracy, innumeracy, and
security issues in Africa at bilateral, regional unfamiliarity with technology hinder the digital
and global levels. product’s full uptake.
¾ Unfamiliarity With DBT: Beneficiaries of DBT do not
Conclusion know what to do when their payments get rejected,
India’s foreign policy approach has also shifted from often due to technical reasons such as incorrect
the reactive to the proactive. That, in turn, should make account numbers and incorrect Aadhaar mapping
India’s new stint at the UNSC more purposeful and with bank accounts.
pragmatic. More importantly, the workers/beneficiaries have
Purposefulness is about tightly integrating its UNSC rarely been consulted regarding their preferred
engagement with India’s broader national goals. Pra- mode of transacting.
gmatism demands adapting to the changed conditions ¾ Breeding of Corruption: The digital exclusion and
at the UNSC and avoiding overly ambitious goals. unfamiliarity of beneficiaries with DBT, has created
nnn new forms of corruption.w w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 11
This was evidenced in the massive scholarship ¾ Promoting Digital Literacy: Digital literacy is the
scam in Jharkhand, where many poor students lynchpin of triggering a revolution in India’s financial
were deprived of their scholarships owing to a inclusion and doorstep delivery models.
nexus of intermediaries, government officials, In this context, Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital
banking correspondents and others. Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) is a step in the
¾ Inadequate Rural Banking: There are just 14.6 bank right direction.
branches per 1 lakh adults in India. It is sparser in
rural India. Conclusion
Moreover, rural banks are short-staffed and tend There is a clear need for a fresh perspective by re-
to get overcrowded. imagining some key aspects of DBT initiative. It requires
Accessing banks in rural areas leads to loss of that all stakeholders, including the government, regulators,
one wage day for the worker. Also, people have service providers, industry bodies, and others, need to
to spend money on transportation to access the catalyse radical changes in the way the ‘last mile’ functions
bank to withdraw their payments/subsidies. at present.
¾ Unsuccessful Banking Correspondent Model: nnn
More than a decade after the first regulations on the
Business Correspondent (BC) Model were issued in
2006, banks and other financial service providers Death Penalty
are struggling to establish a viable and sustainable
business case for branchless banking. For Sexual Offences
¾ Accountability Issue: The lack of accountability and This article is based on “The wrong answer” which was
absence of grievance redressal continue to impact published in The Indian Express on 06/01/2021. It talks
all DBT programmes. about the issues related to the award of the death penalty
for sexual offences.
Way Forward
¾ Expanding Scope of Social Justice: Understanding Tags: Governance, GS Paper - 2, Mobilization of resources,
social justice should be broadened by including the Inclusive Growth, Government Policies & Interventions
right to access own money in a timely and transparent Sexual offences against women and children are one
manner. of the most heinous crimes against humanity. Given this,
Moreover, these rights should be protected through the public has a real and legitimate interest in addressing
strengthening grievance redressal processes and such concerns, leading to the death penalty’s demand
setting accountability norms for all payment to deter sexual offences purportedly.
intermediaries. In this context, on Human Rights Day 2020, the
¾ Providing More Choices: Universalization of Aadhar Maharashtra cabinet approved the Shakti Bill, enlarging
Enabled Payment System will enable Aadhar Enabled the scope of harsher and mandatory sentences — including
Bank Account holders to carry out seamless financial the death penalty — for non-homicidal rape (excluding
transactions. Marital Rape).
¾ Establishing a Code of Conduct for BC Model: Banks The Shakti Bill comes amid the recent legislative trend
should develop standard rules and formulate a code to invoke the death penalty for sexual offences. For
of conduct to develop effective monitoring and instance, the Andhra Pradesh government passed the
supervision of banking correspondents. Disha Bill in 2020 (pending presidential assent), that
Geotagging and GPS mapping of agent locations provides the death penalty for the rape of adult women.
to search agent points will also enable better However, introducing the death penalty diverts
monitoring and supervision. attention from deep-rooted issues & long-term solutions.
¾ Uber Model: There is a need to explore the possibility It suggests that the reason for such crimes is that the
to adopt the “Uber” model to handle cash-in/cash-out punishment is not severe enough.
(CICO), by enabling customers to act as CICO points.
It will reduce dependence on agents and allow
Associated Issues With
them to go beyond CICO. Death Penalty Against Sexual Offences
On the other hand, customers would be able to ¾ May Do More Harm To Victim: Women’s right groups
transact beyond a stationary and limited agent have argued that the death penalty is a knee-jerk and
network. populist solution to counter sexual offences.12 EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 www.d rish t i I A S . c o m
Also, Child-right activists insist that introducing The report stated that it would be a regressive
capital punishment for non-homicidal rape may step to introduce the death sentence in non-
lead rapists to kill their victims to erase testimonial homicidal cases.
evidence.
¾ Death Penalty Won’t Remove Prejudice: Introducing Way Forward
harsher penalties does not remove systemic prejudices ¾ Plugging Gaps in Justice Delivery: The most severe
from the minds of judges and the police. gaps in the justice delivery system are reporting a
Generally, police might refuse to register complaints police complaint. Therefore, the focus of the criminal
or acquit offenders in cases they do not consider justice system needs to shift from sentencing and
“serious” enough to warrant a mandatory minimum. punishment to the stages of reporting, investigation,
and victim-support mechanisms. In this context, the
¾ Lower Rate of Conviction: According to crime data
following measures must be ensured:
from the National Crime Records Bureau, in 93.6%
The victim reports a case without any fear.
of sexual offences, the perpetrators were known to
the victims. Police to conduct a sound investigation.
Therefore, introducing capital punishment would Victim protection throughout the trial.
deter complainants from registering complaints. Making testification as easy and as quick as possible.
¾ Delay in Closure of Justice: The execution of a death Allocation of resources and more robust
sentence comes at the end of multiple stages of implementation of the law than is currently evident.
appeals and avenues of seeking clemency. ¾ Sensitisation At a Broader Level: Despite the ever-
This time extended to the defendant to exhaust all increasing ambit of the death sentence, there has
legal remedies will delay the judicial process’s finality been little effort to address prejudices in society.
and closure—militating against the competing Addressing the prejudices in the society against
interest of ensuring speedy justice. sexual offences requires sensitisation of functionaries
It might also see an increase in instances of instant of the justice system & more importantly society.
retribution, such as the extrajudicial killing of
gang-rape and murder suspects in Hyderabad Conclusion
late in 2019. Instead of merely enhancing punishment, tackling
¾ Regressive Step: The Justice Verma Committee Report crimes against women and children requires broader
that made several recommendations on the laws on social reforms, sustained governance efforts and strength-
sexual offences (after Nirbhya rape case 2012), held ening investigative and reporting mechanisms.
that the death penalty’s deterrent effect is “a myth”. nnn
Other Issues Related to Shakti Bill
¾ The other anti-women assertion in the bill moves
away from the standard of affirmative consent in
Political Crisis in Nepal
cases involving adult victims and offenders. This article is based on “What India should, and shouldn’t,
Significant advocacy from the women’s movement do in Nepal” which was published in The Hindustan Times
led to introducing an affirmative standard on 08/01/2021. It talks about the recent political crisis in
of consent, rooted in unequivocal voluntary Nepal and what India should do.
agreement by women through words, gestures or
any form of verbal or non-verbal communication. Tags: International Relations, GS Paper - 2, India and its
¾ In a sharp departure, the bill stipulates that valid Neighbourhood, Effect of Policies & Politics of Countries on India's
Interests
consent can be presumed from the “conduct of the
parties” and the “circumstances surrounding it”. Recently, Nepal has drifted into a political crisis
following its Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli’s decision
¾ Rape trials continue to be guided by misogynistic
to dissolve Parliament. The Nepalese PM has stated that
notions, expecting survivors to necessarily resist
this decision was on the backdrop of infighting within
the act, suffer injuries and appear visibly distressed.
the ruling Nepalese Communist Party (NCP).
¾ Therefore, the bill’s vaguely worded explanation
As India’s role in the mediation of earlier political
holds dangerous possibilities of expecting survivors
crises in Nepal has led to the development of anti-Indian
to respond only in a particular manner, thus creating
sentiment in Nepal, India has done right by not meddling
the stereotype of an “ideal” victim.
into Nepal’s internal matters.w w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 13
However, India is apprehensive that political instability relations. India is no exception. Therefore, India should
in Nepal will expand space for China to intervene in Nepali recalibrate its ties with Nepal. In this context:
politics and shape a government that is favourable to ¾ Demarking Red Lines: India can improve ties with
China. Nepal by picking up pending controversial issues such
To counter Chinese influence on Nepal, India must as the 1950 treaty, the Kalapani border dispute, and
pay attention to Nepal’s core economic and strategic trade and investment matters.
interests that in the first place pushed Nepal towards However, India should categorically state its position,
China. drawing red lines (security concerns emanating
from China) that Nepal should not cross.
Current Issues in India-Nepal Relations ¾ Economic Measures: On trade and investment issues,
¾ Revision of 1950 Treaty: Nepal has asked for a revision India needs to be more accommodative. Nepal sells
of the 1950 treaty, and India has accepted this. less than $1billion worth of products to India while
However, the issue remains stuck because Nepal importing nearly $8 billion.
does not clarify how to strike a proper balance Even though economies govern trade deficits,
between India’s security concerns and Nepal’s India can and must move to remove structural and
developmental aspirations. procedural impediments to the entry of genuine
¾ Recent Border Issue: The Kalapani border dispute’s Nepali goods into Indian markets.
question has spoiled popular perceptions in Nepal Also, India should encourage Indian investments in
about India. such industries, including hydropower production,
Taking advantage of this, Nepal’s current leadership to boost Nepali exports.
has taken a unilateral decision to draw new maps Completing big development projects such as the
which show Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura Pancheshwar multipurpose project could also be
belongs to Nepal. a breakthrough between the two countries.
As India also claims these positions, this border ¾ Cooperation Between Armies: When it comes to
issue has led to the lowest point in India-Nepal resolving border disputes between the two countries,
relations history. understanding the armies is vital.
¾ Tug of War Between China & India: Nepal’s geo- In 2015, when India’s economic blockade and
strategic location (sandwiched between India & the political leadership of both countries were at
China), has created a tug of war between India and loggerheads, both armies’ leadership played a vital
China over Nepal. role in lifting the talks’ blockade and resumption.
China sees Nepal as a bulwark against the inter- So, robust army diplomacy between the two
national movement targeting China. countries can substantially contribute to improving
For India, Nepal is essential for the region's security, bilateral ties.
acting as a buffer state.
Conclusion
¾ Increasing Chinese Influence: Sino-Nepali economic ties
began to grow in 2015, but in 2018, China’s influence As no significant development in bilateral relations
in Nepal started to gather momentum. appears likely during the prevailing uncertainty, India
Having played an essential role in the NCP’s
must encourage consolidation of a people-driven polity,
formation, China came to wield enormous influence and improve its popular profile. This will only help India
over the NCP government. reclaim its contested strategic space.
It resulted in China ousting India as Nepal’s number
nnn
one investor.
More importantly, Nepal’s foreign policy under
the NCP government became strongly pro-China.
Covid-19 Vaccine Policy
Moreover, this influence can be evidenced by the This article is based on “Devising a vaccine strategy for
fact that China has now stepped up its self-assumed India” which was published in The Hindustan Times on
role as mediator in the ongoing crisis. 07/01/2021. It talks about the challenges and solutions
in the development & distribution of Covid-19 vaccine.
Way Forward
Seeking a friendly regime in the neighbourhood is a Tags: Governance, GS Paper - 2, Health, Government Policies &
recognised norm in the realist world of international Interventions14 EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 www.d rish t i I A S . c o m
Recently, India has approved the Covid-19 vaccines Way Forward
developed by Astra-Zeneca (Covishield) and Bharat ¾ Vaccine Prioritisation: The protective benefit from
Biotech (Covaxin). There are several more vaccines that vaccination is much lower if one has immunity from
will likely be available later in 2021. a prior infection. Hence, the allocation of the vaccine
Although India will not need to vaccinate its entire among the working-age population should consider
population, it would have to vaccinate at least 30-40% two factors:
of the people to develop herd immunity fully. Even at a It may be prudent to screen people for Covid-19
minimum scale, approximately 1 billion doses of Covid-19 antibodies and prioritise vaccination of those
vaccines will be required, given that most vaccines need without antibodies.
a booster dose. Areas closest to herd immunity even without
Moreover, other factors, like allocation, distribution, suppression require the least number of doses
financing, communication, etc., will be impediments to to return to regular economic activity and have
higher returns from vaccination.
Covid-19 vaccination drive. Therefore, deploying a robust
vaccine development & distribution policy will be very ¾ Strengthening Vaccine Supply Chain: Enhancing
Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) system
crucial for India.
will enhance real-time information on vaccine stocks
Associated Challenges and storage temperatures across all country’s cold
chain points.
¾ Allocation: Most nations will vaccinate healthcare ¾ Bridging Human Resource Gap: Engaging medical
workers first. They treat those who are infected with students, phlebotomists, paramedics and pharmacists
Covid-19 and vaccinate the remaining population. can be rapidly and reliably trained to administer
After that, it seems logical to prioritise the elderly, vaccines, will bridge the human resource gap.
who have a higher infection fatality rate. ¾ Hybrid Financing Policy: India will need a hybrid strat-
However, premature death costs a young person egy, where the majority of the population (economi-
more years of life than an older adult. This is a cally challenged) is vaccinated for free publicly while
more significant concern for India, as 80% of its allowing private markets to operate for rich people.
population is below 50. ¾ Effective Communication: A good communication
¾ Distribution: Moving vaccines from companies to strategy that envisages removing myths associated
warehouses will be relatively easy, but moving it with Covid-19 vaccine should be science-led, involve
regular communication, utilise respected community
from warehouses to distributors to end-users will
leaders to widen reach, and clamp down on the spread
be tricky, given the difficulties with cold chains and
of misinformation.
storage facilities.
¾ Need For Vaccine Certification: To resume normalcy
¾ Financing: In the United States, the United Kingdom and allow free movement of people, every country will
and Europe, vaccines are likely to be entirely free and need an internal set of protocols regarding proof of
administered publicly. vaccination that is interoperable with norms elsewhere.
However, given the tight fiscal situation, the Indian In other words, proof of vaccination in India or
government faces the dilemma of whether to Tanzania must be acceptable to Singapore Airlines
finance vaccinations publicly or privately. or Qantas.
¾ Human Resource: Administering 30-40 million This will also require multilateral bodies to play an
immunisations (under regular vaccination drive) a active role in creating frameworks, around which
year is very different from vaccinating 600 million digital platforms can be developed.
people in a year.
Conclusion
Sourcing the trained human resources necessary
India’s Covid-19 vaccine drive will be a monumental
to deliver intramuscular shots, without diverting
mission, not just in terms of vaccinating its own population,
from existing priorities, will not be easy.
but also vaccinating a large part of the world thanks to
¾ Public Confidence: “Optimism bias," as it is called, its position as the world’s leading vaccine producer.
makes vaccination seem unnecessary to them. Addressing the issues associated with the development
Concerning diseases, a lot of people tend to think and distribution of vaccines will augment the effort to
that their risk is low. efficiently get vaccines to hundreds of millions in the
However, this behaviour can prove fatal in battling shortest period of time.
a pandemic like Covid-19 pandemic. nnnw w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 15
Indian Foreign Policy In 2021 — the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan — reflected
the changing landscape in the region.
This article is based on “Reframing India’s foreign policy However, despite the hype surrounding Abraham
priorities” which was published in The Hindu on Accords, the situation remains fluid and has not
12/01/2021. It talks about the current challenges and reduced the risk of a confrontation between Iran
opportunities in pursuit of fulfilling foreign policy objectives. and Israel.
Given the region’s strategic flux, Iran could well be
Tags: International Relations, GS Paper - 2, India and its
tempted to use its nuclear capability to enhance
Neighbourhood, Effect of Policies & Politics of Countries on India's
Interests its position.
This does pose problems for India since both have
Like any other country, India’s foreign policy envisages
to widen its sphere of influence, enhance its role across relations with it.
nations, and make its presence felt like an emerging ¾ Self-Imposed Isolation of India: Currently, India
power. The year 2021 presents a bunch of challenges remains isolated from two important supranational
and opportunities in pursuit of fulfilling foreign policy bodies of which it used to be a founding member, viz.,
objectives. the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the South
For instance, the rise of China and its influence in Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
India’s neighbourhood is a cause of worry for India. Moreover, India has opted out of the Regional
Moreover, concluding the negotiations for an EU-China Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Comprehensive Agreement on Investment debunks the This self-imposed isolation doesn’t synergise with
myth of Chinese isolation after Covid-19 pandemic and India’s aspiration of becoming a global power.
further strengthened China’s position. ¾ Weakening Ties with Neighbors: A more worrying
Moreover, India’s foreign policy decisions like growing concern for Indian foreign policy is weakening ties
convergence with the US have led to weakening its links with the neighbours.
with traditional friends like Russia and Iran. This can be seen from instances like China’s Cheque
Therefore, in shifting the balance of power in the Book Diplomacy vis-a-vis Srilanka, strain in relation
region, India needs to tackle foreign policy challenges with Bangladesh on NRC issue and recent border
and leverage opportunities carefully. controversy with Nepal due to the release of the
new map.
Challenges in Front of India
¾ A Stronger China: China is the only major country Way Forward
that had a positive growth rate at the end of 2020, ¾ Neighbourhood First: Through a series of diplomatic
and its economy is poised to grow even faster in 2021. efforts, India should make valiant efforts to improve
Militarily, China has further strengthened itself relations with some of its neighbours such as
and now seeks to dominate the Indo-Pacific Ocean Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka,
with its announcement of its third aircraft carrier’s In this context, as the world emerges from the
launch in 2021. pandemic, India has a lot to gain from what
In this context, any breakthrough in Sino-Indian could be “vaccine diplomacy” with neighbours
relations is unlikely to occur, and the confrontation in 2021 — supplying vaccines either free or at
between Indian and Chinese armed forces is affordable costs.
expected to continue. ¾ External Aid in Adequate Measure: The current
¾ Growing Russia-China Axis: Russia is beginning to standoff with China has reinforced JL Nehru’s belief
display more significant interest in its periphery’s in 1963 that India needs “external aid in adequate
affairs. Moreover, the sanctions imposed on Russia measure”.
after Crimea's annexation in 2014 has pushed Russia In this context, India will need continuing support
towards a tighter embrace of China. from the US, Japan, Australia, besides European
This seems to signal reduced interest in countries leaders such as France, Germany and the UK.
such as India. India should appreciate European entry into Indo-
Also, India’s closeness to the U.S. has weakened its pacific narrative, as already, France and Germany
links with traditional friends such as Russia and Iran. have come up with their Indo-Pacific strategy.
¾ Changing Middle East Equations: The US-brokered ¾ India at UNSC High Table: As India enters the UN
rapprochement between Israel and four Arab countries Security Council as a non-permanent member for theYou can also read
