UPSC Daily Current Affairs- 14th January 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

GS-I

Context

Recently, the Prime Minister of India has paid tributes to Rajmata Jijau on her Jayanti.

About Jijabai Bhonsle (12 January 1598 – 17 June 1674):

• Jijabai was born to Mahalasabai Jadhav and Lakhuji Jadhav of Deulgaon, near Sindkhed, in present-day Maharashtra.
• Jijabai was married at an early age to Shahaji Bhosle.
• She was the mother of Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire.
• She died at Pachad village near Raigad Fort.

Role and Contributions of Jijabai Bhonsle:

• She managed her husband’s Jagir in Pune and developed it.
• Mentored a great person like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
• She taught Shivaji about swarajya and raised him to be a warrior.
• She also renovated Kevareshwar Temple and Tambadi Jogeshwari Temple.

Source: PIB

Context

Lohri is celebrated on the last day of Paush month (12-13 January) In Punjab. Generally, after Lohri farmers start cutting their winter crops.

About Makar Sankrant

• Makar Sankranti is a festival day in the Hindu calendar, in reference to the deity Surya (sun).
• Makar Sankranti is observed according to solar cycles.
• It is held normally on the 14th of January, or a day before or after.
• In certain regions celebrations can go on for even four days and vary a lot in the rituals.
• It marks the – first day of sun’s transit into the Makara (Capricorn), marking the end of the month with the winter solstice and the start of longer days.
• It is also celebrated as a harvest Festival.

Different names of the same festival

• Makar Sankranti – Odisha, Maharashtra-Goa, Andhra-Telengana, Kerala and most of north India
• Paush Parbon –  Bengal
• Pongal – Tamil Nadu
  • Pongal is celebrated with the distribution of new crop “Shankarai Pongal” which is basically rice cooked in milk and jiggery distributed as a Prasadam.
• Bhogali Bihu –  Assam
  • The farmers of Assam celebrate and cherish the efforts of cultivation. It marks the beginning of Assamese New Year. Assamese celebrate Bihu thrice a year, which signify the distinct cycles of farming – Bhogali/Magh Bihu (January), Bohag/Rongali Bihu (April), and Kongali Bihu (October).
• Lohri – Punjab and Jammu
• Maghi – Haryana and Himachal
• Khichdi Parwa –  parts of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh

Source: NewsOnAir

GS-II

Context

A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court is hearing a dispute between the Delhi government and the Central government over the control of services.

• Almost five years ago, another Constitution Bench had ruled in favour of the State government in a similar tussle.

What is the Present Dispute?

• A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court is hearing the dispute between the Delhi government and the Central government.
• The dispute is over matters pertaining to control over the transfers and the overall functioning of administrative services in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.
  • The administrative services include appointments and transfers, in the national capital.

What is a Constitution Bench?

• Article 145(3) deals with the setting up of a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court comprising at least five judges “for the purpose of deciding any case involving a substantial question of law as to the interpretation” of the Constitution.
• This is the second time that a constitutional bench has been set up to decide on issues between the Delhi government and Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor — the Centre’s representative in the capital — in the past four years.

What gave rise to the Dispute?

• Article 239 AA was inserted in the Constitution by the 69^th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1991.
• Based on the recommendations of S Balakrishnan Committee, it gave special status to Delhi.
• It says that the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi will have an Administrator and a Legislative Assembly.
• The Legislative Assembly “shall have power to make laws for the whole or any part of the NCT w.r.t. any of the matters in the State List or Concurrent List in so far as any such matter is applicable to Union territories”.
  • However, the legislative assembly of Delhi cannot legislate on the following three subjects – Police, Public Order, and Land.
• However, in the past few years, governance in the NCT has often been a subject of conflict between the Delhi government and the L-G.

Control over Administrative Services:

• In 2019, a two-judge bench of the SC delivered a split verdict on the aspect of who controls administrative services in Delhi.
• The two-judge bench had recommended that a three-judge bench be set up to decide the issue of control of administrative services.
• Further, in May 2022, a three-judge Bench had referred this case to a larger Bench on the Central government’s plea.
• The three-judge Bench had decided that the question of control over administrative services required “further examination”.

Central & State Government’s Arguments:

• The Central Government has consistently maintained that because Delhi is the national capital and the face of the country, it must have control over administrative services, which include appointments and transfers.
• On the other hand, the Delhi government has argued that in the interest of federalism, the elected representatives must have power over transfers and postings.
  • The government had also contended that the recent amendments to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021, violate the doctrine of basic structure of the Constitution.

What are the Legal Issues before the SC?

• There are two legal issues before the court –
  • The first arises from a reference made by a two-judge Bench in February 2019.
    • While deciding on the distribution of powers between the Delhi government and Centre, left the question of who will have control over the administrative services for consideration by a larger Bench.
  • Second issue is the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act 2021, passed by the Parliament.
    • The Act provided that the term “government” referred to in any law made by the Legislative Assembly of Delhi will imply the Lieutenant Governor (L-G).
    • However, the Delhi government has challenged the constitutional validity of the Act.

Source: Indian Express

Context

According to data released by Chinese customs, the trade between India and China touched an all-time high of $135.98 billion in 2022.

• However, New Delhi's trade deficit with Beijing also crossed, the $100 billion mark for the first time.

India-China Trade Relationship

• China is India's largest trade partner for the year 2022.
• India’s trade deficit concerns with China are two-pronged.
  • The actual size of the deficit.
  • The imbalance has continuously been widening year after year.
• Analysts have seen India’s growing imports from China as both a worry, reflecting continued dependence for a range of key goods, but also, to some extent, as a positive indicator of the Indian economy importing more intermediate goods.

Reasons behind continuously widening Trade Deficit:

• Gap between domestic production and demand
  • India imports goods to fill the gap between domestic production (supply) as well as consumer preferences (demand) for various products.
• Export of raw material while importing finished goods
  • India’s predominant exports have consisted of raw materials like- iron ore, cotton, copper, aluminium and diamonds/ natural gems.
  • However, majority of Chinese exports consists of machinery, power-related equipment, telecom equipment, organic chemicals and fertilisers.
  • This resulted in decline in total value of Indian exports to China.
• Indian pharmaceutical industry is heavily dependent on APIs from China
  • India's $42 billion pharmaceutical industry, imports about 68% of its active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from China.
• Other factors
  • A narrow basket of commodities, mostly primary items, that India exports to China.
  • Market access impediments for most Indian agricultural products and competitive markets, such as IT/ITES, etc.

India cannot completely end its strategic dependence on the import of most crucial products from China. It can, however, diversify this dependence by working with other countries like US, Japan, South Korea etc.

Source: Indian Express

Context

Under the PM SVANidhi scheme loans worth around 4,606 crore rupees have been disbursed to over 45 lakh beneficiaries.

• Has provided a platform for financial inclusion by facilitating the street vendors to carry out digital transactions.
• Has enabled the onboarding of 9,326 street vendors on food delivery platforms.

About the Scheme

• Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs launched a scheme PM Street Vendor’s Atma Nirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) to empower Street Vendors by not only extending loans to them, but also for their holistic development and economic upliftment.
• The scheme intends to facilitate collateral free working capital loans of up to INR10,000/- of one-year tenure, to approximately 50 lakh street vendors, to help resume their businesses in the urban areas, including surrounding peri-urban/rural areas.

The PM SVANidhi scheme offers incentives in the form of:

• Interest subsidy @ 7% per annum on regular repayment of loan
• Cashback upto INR1200/- per annum on undertaking prescribed digital transactions
• Eligibility for enhanced next tranche of loans
• Close to 2 million applications have been received under this scheme, of which 752191 have been sanctioned, and 218751 loans have already been disbursed.

Eligibility Criteria: The PM SVANidhi scheme is available to all street vendors who are engaged in vending in urban areas as on or before March 24, 2020. The eligible vendors are identified as per following criteria:

• Street vendors in possession of Certificate of Vending/Identity Card issued by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
• The vendors, who have been identified in the survey but have not been issued Certificate of Vending/Identity Card; Provisional Certificate of Vending would be generated for such vendors through an IT based Platform.
  • ULBs are encouraged to issue such vendors the permanent Certificate of Vending and Identification Card immediately and positively within a period of one month
• Street Vendors, left out of the ULB led identification survey or who have started vending after completion of the survey and have been issued Letter of Recommendation (LoR) to that effect by the ULB/Town Vending Committee (TVC).
• The vendors of surrounding development/peri-urban/rural areas vending in the geographical limits of the ULBs and have been issued Letter of Recommendation (LoR) to that effect by the ULB/TVC.

About New Extension:

• Extension of lending period till December 2024;
• Introduction of 3rd loan of upto ₹50,000 in addition to 1st & 2nd loans of ₹10,000 and ₹20,000 respectively.
• To extend ‘SVANidhi Se Samriddhi’ component for all beneficiaries of PM SVANidhi scheme across the country.

Source: News on AIR

GS-III

Context

The Association of Man-made Fibre Industry of India (AMFII) has appealed to the Union Finance Ministry to accept the recommendations of the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) on levy of anti-dumping duty (ADD) on imports of Viscose Staple Fibre from Indonesia.

About The Association of Man-made Fibre Industry of India (AMFII)

• The AMFII was set up in 1951 as “The Rayon Manufacturers’ Association”.
• In 1959, its name was changed to “Association of Man-Made Fibre Industry of India” to include all the modern Man-Made Fibres of 20th Century origin thereby expanding its scope and membership.
• Thus, the Membership of the AMFII varied from time to time and included both Synthetic and Cellulosic Man-Made Fibres and Filament Yarn Manufacturers.
• On 29th April 1987, the AMFII was registered as a Private Limited Company under section 25 A of the Companies Act 1956.
• It was also registered under section 12 of the Income Tax Act as an organization for charitable purpose for “advancement of an object of general public utility”.
• The main object of the Association is to help the man-made fibre industry in India to formulate general policy on production and development of the industry.
• The Association also acts as a liaison body on behalf of the industry and communicates with the Chambers of Commerce and other public bodies within and outside India, with a view to promote and protect the man-made fibre industry and trade.
• The Association has its Registered Office in Mumbai.
• It has a Branch Office in New Delhi.

About Viscose Staple Fibre:

• Viscose Staple Fiber (VSF), is a natural and biodegradable fiber which has characteristics that are similar to cotton.
• Due to its versatility, VSF is widely used for manufacturing
  • Apparels
  • Home textiles
  • Dress materials
  • Knitted wear and
  • Non-woven applications.

About Anti-Dumping Duty:

• Anti-dumping is a protectionist tariff, imposed by a domestic government on foreign imports that are at a price lower than the price it normally charges in its own home market.
• Anti-dumping duty is imposed as a remedy to the distortive trade which arises due to the dumping of goods.
• The use of anti-dumping measures as an instrument of fair competition is permitted by the World Trade Organisation.
• Where dumping occurs, the WTO allows the government of the affected country to take legal action against the dumping country as long as there is evidence of genuine material injury to industries in the domestic market.
• The Government must show that dumping took place, the extent of the dumping in terms of costs, and the injury or threat to cause injury to the domestic market.

Source:  The Hindu

Context

Weeding out the invasive tropical American shrub, Lantana camara, appears to alter the composition of bird species in a forest, according to a new study conducted in Central India.

About Lantana Camera:

• Lantana camara (common lantana) is a species of flowering plant within the verbena family (Verbenaceae), native to the American tropics.
• Lantanas arrived in India as a decorative shrub during British colonial period but quickly took over several ecosystems as an invasive plant.
• The shrub can spread on the forest ground, climb over trees a creeper and entangle with other native plants with ease.
• It is a very adaptable species, which can inhabit a wide variety of ecosystems.
• Once it has been introduced into a habitat it spreads rapidly between 45ºN and 45ºS and more than 1,400 metres (4,600 feet) in altitude.

Source:  DownToEarth 

Context

Recently, the Prime Minister Modi flagged off the world’s longest river cruise - MV Ganga Vilas, and laid the foundation of several schemes and inaugurated other projects (including tent city at Varanasi) worth more than ₹1,000 crore for Varanasi. 

What is the importance of waterways?

• India has more than 125 rivers and river streams which can be developed to transport goods and ferry people while also giving impetus to further expanding port-led development.
• Waterways are not just beneficial to the environment but also help in saving money, as the cost of operating waterways is 2.5 times lesser than that of roadways, and one-third lesser when compared to railways.
• Highlighted in the National Logistics Policy 2022, India has the potential to develop a waterway network of thousands of kms. The need is to build a modern multi-modal network of waterways.
• The PM will soon inaugurate Haldia Multi-Modal Terminal (developed under Jal Marg Vikas Project) in West Bengal.
  • It will have a cargo handling capacity of over 3 Million Metric Tonne Per Annum (MMTPA) and the berths are designed to handle vessels up to around 3000 Deadweight tonnage (DWT). 

What is MV Ganga Vilas?

• MV Ganga Vilas is a cruise that will begin its journey from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and travel around 3,200 km in 51 days to reach Dibrugarh in Assam via Bangladesh.
• It will sail across 27 river systems in India and Bangladesh (including Ganga, Hooghly, etc) and will cover 50 tourist spots (like Kashi, Patna Sahib, Bodh Gaya, Vikramshila and the Sundarbans) including World Heritage Sites, National Parks, River Ghats.
• It will pass through major cities like Patna in Bihar, Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Guwahati in Assam.
• While it will be managed by private operators, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), under the Ministry of Shipping, Ports and Waterways, has supported the project.
• The journey of MV Ganga Vilas, will allow tourists to engage on an experiential voyage and immerse themselves in the art, culture, history, and spirituality of India and Bangladesh.
• With this cruise service boost, the huge untapped potential of river cruises will be unlocked and it will herald a new age of river cruise tourism for India and create new employment opportunities.

News Summary with Respect to the Launch Event:

• Main points of the PM's speech at the event
  • This decade of the 21st century is a decade of infrastructure transformation in India. From social (houses, toilets, hospitals) to digital, physical connectivity infrastructure (railways, waterways), all are strong indicators of the rapid growth of India.
  • In 2014, only 5 national waterways were in the country, now there are 111 national waterways in the country and about two dozen are in operation already.
  • Similarly, there has been 3 times increase in cargo transportation via river waterways from 30 lakh metric tonnes 8 years ago.
  • Emphasising the need for training of the staff and skilled workforce, a Skill Development Center has been set up in Guwahati and a new facility is also being constructed in Guwahati for the repairing of ships.
• What is the significance of the event?
  • India is entering into a robust phase of tourism as with a growing global profile, curiosity about India is also increasing and today's event is a reflection of the policies, decisions and direction taken in the country.
  • It will help in making eastern India a growth engine for Developed India, by connecting Haldia multimodal terminal with Varanasi and with India-Bangladesh protocol route and Northeast.
  • This will facilitate business from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal to Bangladesh via Kolkata port.
  • A cruise ship or a cargo ship would not only give a boost to transport and tourism, but the entire industry associated with their service also creates new opportunities.
  • The river of India will give new heights to water power and trade and tourism, which is essential for building a developed India.

Source: Indian Express