PIB Summary- 28th December, 2021 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Good Governance Index 2021

Why in News?

On the occasion of the Good Governance Day (25th December), the government released the Good Governance Index 2021.

About Good Governance Day

• Good Governance Day is observed in India annually on the twenty-fifth day of December, the birth anniversary of former-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• Good Governance Day was established in 2014 to honor Prime Minister Vajpayee by fostering awareness among the Indian people of accountability in government.
• Below are the characteristics of the Good Governance as shown in the below attached image.

About Good Governance Index (GGI)

• The rankings were launched by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, and the Centre for Good Governance.
• The GGI takes into consideration ten sectors as follows;
  (i) Agriculture and Allied Sectors,
  (ii) Commerce & Industries,
  (iii) Human Resource Development,
  (iv) Public Health,
  (v) Public Infrastructure & Utilities,
  (vi) Economic Governance,
  (vii) Social Welfare & Development,
  (viii) Judicial & Public Security,
  (ix) Environment and
  (x) Citizen-Centric Governance.
• These ten Governance Sectors are measured on total 50 indicators.

Ranking of the States: The Index categorises States and UTs into four categories, i.e.,

• Other States – Group A:
  (i) Gujarat has topped the composite ranking in the Good Governance Index 2021 covering 10 sectors, followed by Maharashtra and Goa.
• Other States – Group B:
  (i) Madhya Pradesh tops the list followed by Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
• North-East and Hill States:
  (i) Himachal Pradesh topped the list followed by Mizoram and Uttarakhand.
• Union Territories:
  (i) Delhi tops the composite rank registering a 14% increase over the GGI 2019 indicators.

Soya Meal As An Essential Commodity

Why in News?

Recently, the government has notified, under the Essential Commodities Act 1955, to declare ‘soya meal’ as an essential commodity up to 30th June, 2022.

About Soybean Meal:

• Soybean meal is the most important protein source used to feed farm animals. It is also used for human consumption in some countries.
• It represents nearly two-thirds of the total world output of protein feedstuffs, including all other major oil meals and fish meals.
• Soybean meal is the by-product of the extraction of soybean oil.

Essential Commodities Act, 1955

• The Essential Commodities Act is an act of Parliament of India which was established to ensure the delivery of certain commodities or products, the supply of which if obstructed owing to hoarding or black marketing would affect the normal life of the people.
• The ECA was enacted in 1955. It has since been used by the Government to regulate the production, supply and distribution of a whole host of commodities it declares ‘essential’ in order to make them available to consumers at fair prices.
• The list of items under the Act include drugs, fertilisers, pulses and edible oils, and petroleum and petroleum products.
• The Centre can include new commodities as and when the need arises, and take them off the list once the situation improves.
• Objective: The ECA 1955 is used to curb inflation by allowing the Centre to enable control by state governments of trade in a wide variety of commodities.
• Implementing Agency: The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, implements the Act.
• Impact: By declaring a commodity as essential, the government can control the production, supply, and distribution of that commodity, and impose a stock limit.

How does addition of Essential Commodities work?

• If the Centre finds that a certain commodity is in short supply and its price is spiking, it can notify stock-holding limits on it for a specified period.
• The States act on this notification to specify limits and take steps to ensure that these are adhered to.
• Anybody trading or dealing in the commodity, be it wholesalers, retailers or even importers are prevented from stockpiling it beyond a certain quantity.
• A State can, however, choose not to impose any restrictions. But once it does, traders have to immediately sell into the market any stocks held beyond the mandated quantity. This improves supplies and brings down prices.
• As not all shopkeepers and traders comply, State agencies conduct raids to get everyone to toe the line and the errant are punished. The excess stocks are auctioned or sold through fair price shops.