UPSC Daily Current Affairs- 24th July 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

GS-I

Why in News?

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has commenced a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

• It aims to ascertain whether the mosque was constructed atop a pre-existing Hindu temple, a matter that has been a subject of contention.
• The mosque is not an ASI-protected site, and the ASI has no role in its maintenance or upkeep.

Updates till date

(A) Varanasi Court’s Order

• Discovery during Previous Survey: During a court-mandated survey in May 2022, a structure claimed to be a “Shivling” by the Hindu side and a “fountain” by the Muslim side was found in a sealed section, which remained inaccessible since a previous Supreme Court order.
• Exclusion from Survey: The court directed the ASI to exclude the sealed section from the survey while emphasizing the necessity of a scientific investigation to establish the historical facts.

(B) Supreme Court’s Ruling

• Protection Order: Earlier, the Supreme Court ordered the protection of the area around the claimed “Shivling” discovered during a video survey of the complex.
• Mosque Management’s Argument: The mosque management contended that the structure in question is part of the water fountain mechanism at the ‘wazukhana’, the reservoir where devotees perform ablutions before offering namaz.
• Legal Implications: Lawyers representing the mosque cited the Place of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which prohibits altering the character of any place of worship from its status on August 15, 1947. However, this Act does not apply to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid legal dispute.

History of the Gyanvapi Mosque

• Construction: The Gyanvapi Mosque was constructed in 1669 during the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who ordered the demolition of the existing Vishweshwar temple and its replacement with a mosque.
• Temple Elements Incorporated: The plinth of the original temple was left intact, serving as the mosque’s courtyard, while one wall was spared and turned into the qibla wall, facing Mecca. Evidence of the temple’s materials can still be seen in the mosque’s construction.
• Name Origin: The mosque’s name is derived from an adjoining well known as the Gyanvapi or Well of Knowledge.
• Current Temple: The present Kashi Vishwanath Temple was built in the 18th century, adjacent to the Gyanvapi Mosque, becoming a significant Hindu religious centre over the years.

Longstanding Claims and Legal Framework

• Claims of Hindu Worship: Many Hindus believe that the original deity of the Vishweshwar temple was hidden inside the Gyanvapi well during Aurangzeb’s raid. This belief has fueled the desire to perform puja and rituals at the site.
• Places of Worship Act: The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, stipulates that the nature of all places of worship, except for the one in Ayodhya, should be maintained as it was on August 15, 1947. It aims to preserve the character of religious sites and prevents legal challenges to pre-existing structures.
• Conflicting Claims: The case involved arguments from both sides, with the temple worshipers claiming that the mosque was built on the site of an older temple, while another side pleaded that it was built on Wakf premises.

Issue in the Limelight

• Archaeological Survey: In April 2021, a Fast Track Court Civil Judge ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a comprehensive physical survey of the complex. The survey aimed to determine the structural relationship between the two religious structures.
• Critique of the Cut-off Date: Worshippers argue that the cut-off date of August 15, 1947, prohibiting claims to religious sites, is arbitrary and denies Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs the right to “reclaim” their places of worship.
• Opposition to the Law: Some groups have opposed the Places of Worship Act since its introduction, contending that the Centre lacks the authority to legislate on pilgrimage or burial grounds, which fall under the state list.

Source: Indian Express

Why in News?

MHWs have engulfed regions like the north-east Pacific, southern Indian Ocean, the Atlantic, and the Mediterranean, as reported by Mercator Ocean International.

• In April, the ocean’s surface temperature peaked at 21.1 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous record set in 2016.

What are Marine Heat Waves (MHWs)?

• While we often associate heatwaves with the atmosphere, they can also occur in the ocean, known as Marine Heatwaves (MHWs).
• These prolonged periods of excessively warm ocean temperatures can have significant consequences for marine ecosystems and industries.
• MHWs can happen in both summer and winter, with “winter warm-spells” affecting specific regions and species.

How are MHWs measured?

• Threshold Criteria: A marine heatwave is characterized by seawater temperatures exceeding a seasonally-varying threshold (often the 90th percentile) for at least 5 consecutive days.
• Continuity of Events: Successive heatwaves with gaps of 2 days or less are considered part of the same MHW event.

Causes of Marine Heatwaves

• Air-sea heat flux: Ocean currents and air-sea heat flux are common drivers of MHWs, leading to the build-up of warm water in specific areas.
• Influences of Wind and Climate Modes: Wind patterns can enhance or suppress MHWs. They influence the likelihood of events occurring in certain regions.
• Large-Scale Climate Drivers: Events like the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) can also contribute to the formation of MHWs.
• Intensification with Global Warming: Rising global temperatures have resulted in longer-lasting, more frequent, and intense MHWs in recent decades.
• Human Influence: 87% of MHWs can be attributed to human-induced warming, with the oceans absorbing significant amounts of heat due to greenhouse gas emissions.
• Oceans as Heat Sink: Oceans have absorbed 90% of the additional heat caused by greenhouse gas emissions, increasing global mean sea surface temperature by nearly 0.9 degrees Celsius since 1850.

Impacts of Marine Heatwaves

• Ecosystem Structure: MHWs can disrupt ecosystem structure, supporting certain species while suppressing others.
• Kelp Forest Destruction: MHWs along the Western Australian coast in 2010-2011 devastated kelp forests and fundamentally altered the ecosystem of the coast.
• Economic Losses: MHWs can cause economic losses, particularly in fisheries and aquaculture industries.
• Vulnerability of Temperature-Sensitive Species: Species such as corals are highly vulnerable to MHWs. The 2016 marine heatwaves in northern Australia caused severe bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef.

Impact on Marine Ecosystems

• Catastrophic Effects: MHWs have led to the death of numerous marine species, altered migration patterns, and caused coral bleaching, endangering coral reefs.
• Coral Bleaching: High ocean temperatures in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean in 2005 led to a massive coral bleaching event, impacting over 80% of surveyed corals, with severe consequences for marine life.
• Invasive Species and Ecological Imbalance: MHWs fuel the growth of invasive alien species, disrupting marine food webs and posing threats to wildlife. Ex. Whale entanglements in fishing gear.

Consequences for Humans

• Amplifying Storms: Higher ocean temperatures associated with MHWs make storms like hurricanes and cyclones stronger, leading to severe weather events and flooding.
• Threat to Coral Reefs: Half a billion people depend on coral reefs for food, income, and protection, but MHWs pose a grave threat to these ecosystems, impacting human livelihoods.
• Socio-Economic Impact: Coastal communities are particularly vulnerable to the socio-economic impacts of MHWs, affecting fisheries and tourism.

Source: The Hindu

GS-II

Why in News?

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India got encouraging responses from neighbouring countries to its proposal to jointly build a transnational electricity grid to enhance regional energy security.

• This was revealed by PM Modi while addressing G20 group energy ministers in Goa.
• The proposal for establishing grid interconnectivity for the trading of power with Southeast Asian countries through Myanmar and Thailand is part of a BIMSTEC initiative.

Current status

• India already exports some electricity to Nepal and Bangladesh, and imports hydropower from Bhutan.
• An exchange at a small-scale is also being done with Myanmar.

The interconnection proposal

• The plan to build a 3,000-kilometre-long power grid, mostly by way of interconnections of existing national or regional grids, is being pushed by New Delhi.
• This is being pushed both as an energy security initiative and a diplomatic tool that aims to leverage India's growing domestic renewables capacity to boost regional engagement.
• The BIMSTEC plan overlaps with a larger proposal being formulated by India to establish a global solar grid connecting over 100 nations.
  • This global solar grid plan was unveiled on the sidelines of the United Nations climate conference, (COP26) in November 2021.
  • The proposal entails the first international network of globally interconnected solar electricity grids that seeks to integrate large-scale solar power plants, wind farms, and grids with rooftop solar supplies.
  • This is being done to ensure a constant, dependable, and reasonably priced electricity supply across national boundaries.
• As part of its "One Sun One World One Grid and Green Grids" initiative, efforts have been initiated by New Delhi to commence trading of power with West Asian countries such as the United Arab of Emirates and Oman.

Transnational Power Grid: Benefits

• Strategic move
  • Going beyond the goal of ensuring energy security, the move is also strategic.
  • New Delhi is hoping to push the grid interconnection proposal as an effective counter to China's growing diplomatic influence in the South Asia and the West Asia regions.
• Better capacity utilisation
  • The grid connectivity plan would ensure better capacity utilisation of energy infrastructure by complementing member country's demand and supply situation.
• Benefits to consumers
  • Consumers across these countries could potentially benefit as the price of electricity could see some rationalisation, especially peaking tariffs and they could get access to uninterrupted electricity supply.

Challenges

• While energy deficit countries such as Bangladesh or Myanmar would be keen to come on board, energy surplus countries are sometimes less invested in the idea of joining a transnational grid arrangement.

Source: The Hindu

Why in News?

The government-run national tele-mental health programme, Tele MANAS, has achieved a significant milestone by receiving over 2,00,000 calls from individuals across India since its launch in October 2022.

What is Tele-MANAS?

• Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking across States (Tele-MANAS) initiative has been launched by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in October 2022.
• It aims to provide free tele-mental health services all over the country round the clock, particularly catering to people in remote or under-served areas.

Implementation of the scheme

• Counselling: The programme includes a network of 38 tele-mental health centres of excellence spread across 27 States and UTs working in over 20 languages.
• Helpline: A toll-free, 24/7 helpline number (14416) has been set up across the country allowing callers to select the language of choice for availing services. Service is also accessible at 1-800-91-4416.

Two-tier working

• Tele-MANAS will be organised in a two-tier system; Tier 1 comprises state Tele-MANAS cells which include trained counsellors and mental health specialists.
• Tier 2 will comprise specialists at District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)/Medical College resources for physical consultation and/or e-Sanjeevani for audio-visual consultation.

Call Demographics and Concerns

• Age Group: Two-thirds of the callers fall in the 18-45 years age group, while 12.5% belong to the 46-64 years age group, and 8% are below 18 years of age.
• Gender Distribution: Of the two lakh calls, 59.6% were made by male callers, and 40% by female callers.
• Top Concerns: The most common reasons for seeking help were general feelings of sadness (28.8%), sleep-related problems (27.6%), anxiety (20.4%), relationship issues (10%), aggression (9.2%), and low interest in activities (9.7%).

Expansion of the scheme

• The initial rollout providing basic support and counselling through a centralized Interactive Voice Response system (IVRS) is being customized for use across all States and UTs.
• It is being linked with other services like National teleconsultation, e-Sanjeevani, Ayushman Bharat, mental health professionals, health centres, and emergency psychiatric facilities for specialized care.
• This will not only help in providing immediate mental healthcare services but also facilitate a continuum of care.
• Eventually, this will include the entire spectrum of mental wellness and illness, and integrate all systems that provide mental health care.

Source: Indian Express

‘China plus one’ Opportunity for India

Why in News?

The World Bank President said that India has an opportunity to create jobs in the manufacturing sector by tapping into ‘China plus one’ opportunity, but that window is available only for a short period of time.

About:

• There is a three-to-five-year opportunity when the supply chains start adding in India. It needs special focus in manufacturing and technology to add 15-20 million jobs.
• India will have a very high share of its GDP come from domestic consumption, if there is a global slowdown.

What is the ‘China Plus One’ Strategy?

• It is a global business strategy, coined in 2013, in which companies avoid investing only in China and diversify their businesses to alternative destinations. It aims to encourage firms and enterprises to expand their operations outside of China.

Background:

• For the last 30 years, Western companies have invested heavily in China, attracted by its low labour and production costs, as well as the considerable and growing size of its domestic consumer market.
• Leading to an overconcentration of their business interests in China. A lot of international companies as well as Chinese firms became part of the global supply chain.

What are the issues/ concerns?

• US – China trade tensions: Japan and the United States had begun a diversification strategy away from China as early as 2008, and gained steam as an alternative strategy for MNCs only at the peak of US-China trade tensions.
• Strict data privacy law of China: Foreign technology companies have been exiting or downsizing their presence in mainland China because of China's Personal Information Protection Law. The new regulation has raised compliance costs and created uncertainty.
• Geopolitical reasons: The driving factors range from China's cost advantage diminishing in recent years to growing geopolitical distrust between China and the West.
• Zero – Covid Policy of China: China’s Zero-Covid Policy meant that there was industrial and supply chain disruption and associated container shortage. As a result, the US and Europe, with their sourcing dependence on China, were forced to look at other locations for both reliable supplies of components and materials and production cost advantages.

How can India benefit from China Plus One strategy?

• China was a world leader in several sectors, including textiles and cotton apparel. But the changing dynamics of the global supply chain have resulted in a significant shift in its production strategy.
  • Unlike India or Pakistan, China does not have an adequate supply of cotton yarn, which discourages some of its domestic giants from investing further in this sector. This scarcity has increased Chinese manufacturers' interest in man-made fibres.
  • In India, this opportunity could result in additional demand and, as a result, additional Capex to the tune of ₹120 billion over the next ten years.
• Chinese majors are gradually shifting away from APIs and toward formulations. This opens up a huge opportunity for Indian players to replace imported players.
  • India is expected to move in both directions - APIs and complex drugs - in order to maintain its self-sufficiency.
• In addition, a new world of opportunities has opened up for India's footwear sector and a few South Asian players as Chinese competitors lost traction and began focusing elsewhere, driven by both low-value addition and wage pressures.

Challenges ahead:

• India’s declining participation in global value chains has been one of the reasons. Its trade policy has been more protectionist than the other developing countries and has not been driven by the objective of integrating with global value chains.
• India has also been hesitant in forging preferential trade agreements. It shied away from regional trading arrangements. Clearly, India must reorient its trade policy to take advantage of the increasingly popular China-plus-one strategy. 
• Given the size of Chinese exports, it is a tremendous opportunity for Indian manufacturers. Multinational corporations cannot avoid India because they have to consider de-risking their supply chain.

Way ahead:

• The Indian government has already made significant progress, particularly in enhancing corporate accessibility. The PLI initiative is a major push for local production and technology localization, boosting our own manufacturing.
• A clear roadmap is needed for establishing collective supply chains that would be resilient in the long term, including steps to counter supply chain dependencies and vulnerabilities.  

Source: The Hindu

GS-III

Why in News?

With the Government pushing the deadline of its Smart Cities Mission (to next June), the 100 cities that are part of it are marking their completed projects with logos.

• The cities have been asked to implement the “labelling strategy” - a strategy aimed at displaying the accomplishments so far - by August 31 (2023). 

What is the Smart Cities Mission (SCM)?

• It was launched on 25 June, 2015, with the objective to promote cities that provide core infrastructure, clean and sustainable environment.
• 100 cities have been selected to be developed as Smart Cities (through a two-stage competition) in various rounds from 2016 to 2018, with each getting five years from their selection to complete the projects.
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
  • The Central Government will give financial support to the extent of Rs. 48,000 crores over 5 years i.e., on an average 100 crore per city per year.
  • An equal amount on a matching basis is to be provided by the State/ULB.
• The six fundamental principles on which the concept of Smart Cities is based are:

Objective of SCM:

• It will ensure a decent quality of life to their citizens through the application of ‘smart solutions’.
• It aims to drive economic growth and improve quality of life through comprehensive work on social, economic, physical and institutional pillars of the city.
• The focus is on sustainable and inclusive development by creation of replicable models which act as lighthouses to other aspiring cities. 

Achievements of SCM (as of June 2023):

• According to the MoHUA, 74% of the nearly 8,000 projects for which work orders have been issued, have been completed.
• A total of Rs.73,454 crore had been released to the cities, which have utilised 90% of the amount. The total cost of the projects is estimated to be Rs.1,79,204 crore.

About the “Labelling Strategy”:

• The “labelling strategy” was first rolled out as a pilot in 15 cities and expanded to all 100 cities recently.
• It laid out options for using bespoke logos as well as common imagery such as the Mission logo.
  • Stickers, boards, signage and other such material were also designed for installation on completed projects, including smart roads, lights, preserved heritage sites, etc.
• The labelling exercise was “not marketing”, but rather a method for creating awareness and providing information to the stakeholders of the projects. For example,
  • In Udaipur, visitors are given additional information through a QR code that leads to a city app developed under the Mission.
  • In Agartala, the boards that have been put up have left space for advertisements, for generating revenue.
• Hence, the strategy provides a link to build trust with the community and strengthen the loop between citizen feedback and project implementation.

Source: Indian Express

Tax can be an incentive

Why in News?

While India’s tax reforms have been awe-inspiring in magnitude and scale in recent years, the country needs a voluntary tax transparency framework to sustain its current economic growth.

Central Idea

• As the Indian economy aims to surpass the $5 trillion milestone, focusing on sustainable growth has become paramount. Achieving this goal requires the active participation of key stakeholders, including the government, corporations, investors, and civil society. In this context, tax transparency emerges as a crucial catalyst for sustaining India’s economic growth.

What is meant by voluntary Tax Transparency?

• Voluntary tax transparency refers to a proactive approach taken by organizations, businesses, or individuals to disclose their tax-related information and practices willingly and without any legal obligation. In this context, the term voluntary implies that there is no specific legal requirement or regulatory mandate forcing entities to disclose their tax-related information.

The Framework for Voluntary Tax Transparency

• The proposed voluntary tax transparency framework aims to incentivize organizations operating in India, encompassing private companies, multinationals, and public-sector units, to disclose their strategies and approaches towards domestic and international taxation.
• Moreover, these voluntary disclosures could be linked to the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) framework, creating a standard of commitment to sustainability for every company.

What is a tax transparency report (TTR)?

• Globally, a tax transparency report (TTR) serves as a format for such disclosures, providing annual voluntary information on a company’s global tax strategies.
• While some large companies voluntarily file these reports, the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project initiated by the OECD is working towards addressing gaps and mismatches in international tax regulations, which, over the years, have allowed many multinationals to minimize their tax outgo through creative tax structuring.

Benefits of Tax Transparency

• Economic benefits:
  • Tax transparency serves as a litmus test to assess each company’s contribution to India’s growth and provides valuable insights into corporate tax strategies.
  • It will attract international investors who prioritize transparency and responsible tax behavior, resulting in increased capital inflow, job opportunities, economic expansion, and overall prosperity.
• Environmental benefits:
  • It will attract larger capital inflows, particularly in sectors like infrastructure and green energy.
  • It fosters healthy competition among companies, encouraging them to disclose tax strategies and engage in responsible tax practices, thereby improving their ESG scores.
  • Extending transparency to include environmental practices, such as reporting environmental taxes related to carbon emissions, plastic usage, waste management, and water consumption, incentivizes businesses to adopt greener practices.
• Social benefits:
  • Tax transparency highlights a company’s contributions to areas such as social insurance, healthcare, and pension premium
  • Additionally, under governance disclosures, the framework motivates companies to align their ESG policies with tax behavior, promoting robust corporate governance practices, accountability, and transparency.

The Influence of Tax Transparency on Consumer Behavior

• As India approaches the $5 trillion milestone and witnesses growing per capita income, the younger generation’s consumer behavior is undergoing a noticeable shift.
• These individuals prioritize a company’s ESG performance when making purchasing decisions or evaluating job prospects.
• Tax transparency, falling under the broader ESG umbrella, will play a significant role in influencing these choices.

Challenges for implementing voluntary tax transparency in India

• Lack of awareness and understanding of the concept of voluntary tax transparency among companies and organizations. Many may not fully grasp the benefits and importance of voluntarily disclosing tax-related information.
• Some companies may be hesitant to embrace voluntary tax transparency due to concerns about revealing sensitive financial information or competitive advantages.
• India’s tax system is known for its complexity. Companies may find it challenging to navigate India’s complex tax system
• The absence of clear regulations or guidelines on voluntary tax transparency
• Companies may be cautious about how the public, investors, and other stakeholders will perceive the information disclosed voluntarily.
• Smaller companies or organizations with limited resources might find it challenging to allocate time and effort to prepare and disclose voluntary tax-related information.

What India needs to do to promote voluntary tax transparency?

• India should develop a well-defined voluntary tax transparency framework that incentivizes organizations, including private companies, multinationals, and public-sector units, to disclose their domestic and international tax strategies voluntarily.
• Link tax transparency with the broader environmental, social, and governance (ESG) framework.
• Social contributions and governance policies should also be considered as part of the disclosure.
• Launch extensive awareness campaigns to educate businesses, investors, and the public about the benefits and significance of voluntary tax transparency
• India can establish a voluntary framework for companies on the lines of TTR to solidify its economic foundations and cultivate a business environment cantered around integrity.
• Set up a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to assess the effectiveness of voluntary tax transparency efforts regularly.
• Ensure that India’s voluntary tax transparency framework aligns with international best practices and standards.
• Ensure that the voluntary tax transparency framework does not hinder the ease of doing business in India.

Conclusion

• India’s pursuit of becoming a global economic powerhouse demands sustained and responsible growth. Adopting a voluntary tax transparency framework will not only attract sustainable investments but also demonstrate India’s commitment to a greener, more socially responsible, and transparent business environment. By embracing tax transparency, Indian companies can become trailblazers in promoting sustainable development and fostering a prosperous future for the nation

Source: Indian Express

Why in News?

NITI Aayog recently launched India Climate Energy Dashboard (ICED) 3.0.

About India Climate Energy Dashboard (ICED) 3.0:

• It is the country’s one-stop platform for near real-time data on the energy sector, climate, and related economic datasets based on government published sources.
• It was developed by NITI Aayog in collaboration with the energy and climate think-tank Vasudha Foundation.
• Features:
  • Developed as a user-friendly platform, ICED 3.0 enables users to freely access and analyses datasets using an analytical engine.
  • It will facilitate insights and enhance understanding about the energy and climate sectors while identifying the key challenges.
  • The Portal will draw insights from the available data parameters and hence immensely useful in monitoring the progress of India's clean energy transition journey.
  • This dashboard offers more than 500 parameters, over 2000 infographics, and a number of interactive visualizations, allowing users to gain a holistic understanding of India's energy sector.
  • Besides energy and climate, the dashboard also offers information on economy and demography for comparative study and its combined analysis along with the energy and climate issues.

Source: PIB