Weekly Current Affairs (15th to 21st September 2022) - 1 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

India Discrimination Report

Context:

• The India Discrimination Report which is released by Oxfam India highlighted that women and marginalized communities suffered discrimination in the job market.

What are the Key Highlights of the Report?

• The dataset was taken from the 61st round of the National Sample Survey on employment unemployment (2004-05), the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) in 2018-19 and 2019-20, and the All-India Debt and Investment Survey by the Centre.
• Schedule caste/Schedule tribe: There has been a decline in discrimination in urban areas due to education and supportive government policies.
  • Difference in Earning: The average earning of self-employed workers in 2019-20 was Rs 15,878 for people from non-SCs/ST categories, while it is Rs 10,533 for those from SC or ST backgrounds. Self-employed non-SC/ST workers earn a third more than their counterparts from SC or ST backgrounds.
  • Rise in discrimination in Rural areas: The SC and ST communities in rural India are facing an increase in discrimination in casual employment.
• Women: Discrimination against women is so high that there is hardly any difference across religion or caste-based sub-groups, or the rural-urban divide.
  • The discrimination increased for women in this period — from 67.2% in 2004-05 to 75.7% in 2019-20.
• Earning Gap between Males & Females: The earning gaps are large, both in rural and urban areas for casual workers ranging between 50% and 70%. The range is low for regular workers, with earnings of men exceeding those of women by 20 and 60%.
  • In the case of the self-employed, the disparity is much higher, with men earning 4 to 5 times that of women.
  • Gender discrimination in India is structural which results in great disparities between earnings of men and women under ‘normal circumstances.

What are the Constitutional Provisions against Discrimination?

Right to Equality (Article 14, 15, 16):

• Equality Before Law: Article 14 says that no person shall be denied treatment of equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.
• The right is extended to all persons whether citizens or foreigners, statutory corporations, companies, registered societies or any other type of legal person.
• Prohibition of Discrimination: Article 15 provides that no citizen shall be discriminated on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
• Equality of Opportunity in Public Employment: Article 16 of the Indian constitution provides for equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters of employment or appointment to any public office.

What are the Government Initiatives Related to Women Empowerment?

• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
• Ujjawala Yojna
• Swadhar Greh
• Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
• Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra Scheme
• One Stop Centre

What do we know about the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)?

• The National Statistical Office (NSO) launched the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) in April 2017.
• The objective of PLFS is primarily twofold:
• To estimate the key employment and unemployment indicators (viz. Worker Population Ratio, Labour Force Participation Rate, Unemployment Rate) in the short time interval of three months for the urban areas only in the CWS.
• To estimate employment and unemployment indicators in both usual Status and CWS in both rural and urban areas annually.

Financial Stability and Development Council

Context:

• Recently, the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs chaired the 26th Meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC).

What are the Key Highlights?

• The council stressed on the early warning indicators for the economy and the preparedness to deal with them, improving the efficiency of the existing financial and credit information systems, and issues of governance and management in systemically important financial institutions.
• It was noted that there is a need to monitor the financial sector risks, the financial conditions and market developments on a continuous basis by the Government and the regulators so that appropriate and timely action can be taken so as to mitigate any vulnerability and strengthen financial stability.
• The council took note of the preparation in respect of financial sector issues to be taken up during India’s G20 Presidency in 2023.

What is FSDC?

Establishment:

• It is a non-statutory apex council under the Ministry of Finance constituted by the Executive Order in 2010.
• The Raghuram Rajan committee (2008) on financial sector reforms first proposed the creation of FSDC.

Composition:

• It is chaired by the Finance Minister and its members include the heads of all Financial Sector Regulators (RBI, SEBI, PFRDA & IRDA), Finance Secretary, Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Secretary of Department of Financial Services (DFS), and Chief Economic Adviser.
  • In 2018, the government reconstituted FSDC to include the Minister of State responsible for the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Secretary of Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Chairperson of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) and the Revenue Secretary.
• FSDC sub-committee is headed by the Governor of RBI.
• The Council can invite experts to its meeting if required.

Functions:

• To strengthen and institutionalize the mechanism for maintaining financial stability, enhancing inter-regulatory coordination and promoting financial sector development.
• To monitor macro-prudential supervision of the economy. It assesses the functioning of large financial conglomerates.

Eastern Economic Forum

Context

• Recently, Russia hosted the 7th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) at Vladivostok.
• The forum is a platform for entrepreneurs to expand their businesses into Russia’s Far East (RFE).

What is the Eastern Economic Forum?

About:

• The EEF was established in 2015 to encourage foreign investments in the RFE.
• The EEF displays the economic potential, suitable business conditions and investment opportunities in the region.
• Agreements signed at the EEF increased from 217 in 2017 to 380 agreements in 2021, worth 3.6 trillion roubles.
• The agreements focus on infrastructure, transportation projects, mineral excavations, construction, industry and agriculture.

Key Players:

• China, South Korea, Japan and India are the Key Players in the region, where China is the biggest investor.
• China who sees potential in promoting the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Polar Sea Route in the RFE.
• China’s investments in the region account for 90% of the total investments.

Objectives:

• Russia has strategically developed the region with the aim of connecting Russia to the Asian trading routes.
• With the fast modernisation of cities like Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Ulan-Ude, Chita and more, Russia aims to attract more investments in the region.
• To survive the economic crisis and the sanctions with the help of China and other Asian powers.

What is the Significance of the RFE?

• The region encompasses one-third of Russia’s territory and is rich with natural resources such as fish, oil, natural gas, wood, diamonds and other minerals.
• The small population living in the region is another factor for encouraging people to move and work in the Far East.
• The region’s riches and resources contribute to 5 % of Russia’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
  • But despite the abundance and availability of materials, procuring and supplying them is an issue due to the unavailability of personnel.
• The RFE is geographically placed at a strategic location, acting as a gateway into Asia.

What does India Seek at the Forum?

• India seeks to expand its influence in the RFE. During the forum, India expressed its readiness in expanding trade, connectivity and investments in Russia.
• India is keen to deepen its cooperation in energy, pharmaceuticals, maritime connectivity, healthcare, tourism, the diamond industry and the Arctic.
  • In 2019, India offered a USD 1 billion line of credit to develop infrastructure in the region.
• Through the EEF, India aims to establish a strong inter-state interaction with Russia.
  • Business representatives of Gujarat and the Republic of Sakha (Russia) have launched agreements in the diamond and pharmaceuticals industry.

How does India act at Balancing Between the EEF and IPEF?

• Since the coming together of countries like Myanmar, Armenia, Russia, and China for EEF seems like the forming of an Anti-Sanctions Group in the international order, India has vested interests in both the forums, EEF and IPEF (U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework).
• India has not shied away from investing in the Russia-initiated EEF despite the current international conditions, where western countries impose Sanctions on Russia.
• At the same time, India has given its confirmation and acceptance to three of the four pillars in the IPEF.
• India understands the benefits of being involved in the development of the RFE but it also perceives the IPEF as a vital platform to strengthen its presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
• The IPEF also presents an ideal opportunity for India to act in the region, without being part of the China-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or other regional groupings like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Green Fins Hub

Context:

• Recently, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), along with the UK-based charity Reef-World Foundation, launched the Green Fins Hub.
• Green Fins Hub is a global digital platform for diving and snorkelling operators worldwide.

What is Green Fins?

About:

• Green Fins is a proven conservation management approach implemented internationally by The Reef-World Foundation and the UNEP which leads to a measurable reduction in the negative environmental impacts associated with marine tourism.
• Originally established in Thailand in 2004, the Green Fins approach is a tool for supporting adoption and implementation of best practices in the diving and snorkeling tourism industry.

Aim:

• It aims to protect coral reefs through environment-friendly guidelines promoting sustainable diving and snorkelling.
• It provides the only internationally recognised environmental standards for marine tourism and its robust assessment system measures compliance.

What is Green Fins Hub?

About:

• The Green Fins Hub is the first-ever global marine tourism industry platform.
• It would give sustainable marine tourism a ‘major boost’.
• It is expected to scale up to reach a potential 30,000 operators worldwide from about 700 operators across 14 countries.

Significance:

• It is intended to catalyse a seismic shift towards sustainability in the marine tourism sector through Green Fins membership.
• Coral reefs are home to at least 25% of marine life, are the mecca for marine-related tourism, contributing up to 40% or more of the gross domestic product in some island nations. However, they are a most vulnerable ecosystem, especially to climate change with the difference between a global temperature rise of 1.5 or 20C being existential for reefs.
• Increasing accessibility of best practice, knowledge and citizen science through the Green Fins Hub could be a game changer in ensuring a future for coral reefs and other fragile marine ecosystems.
• The platform will help diving and snorkelling operators worldwide to make simple, cost-efficient changes to their daily practices by utilising tried and tested solutions.
• It would also help them keep track of their annual improvements and communicate with their communities and customers.

What is Sustainable Coastal and Marine Tourism?

• Sustainable Tourism refers to sustainable practices in and by the tourism industry. It refers to addressing the issues of a greener tourism sector both on the demand as well as supply side.
• According to the UN, sustainable tourism should incorporate the following:
• Make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.
• Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance.
• Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.
• Coastal and Marine Tourism (CMT) represents at least 50% of total global tourism. It constitutes the largest economic sector for most Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and many coastal states.
• With anticipated global growth rates of more than 3.5%, coastal and marine tourism is projected to be the largest value-adding segment of the ocean economy by 2030, at 26%.

What are the Challenges Associated with CMT?

• Continued Depletion and Degradation of Natural Assets is putting the sustainability and viability of the industry, along with the local communities that rely on it, at risk.
• Covid-19 Pandemic Caused a Major Disruption in the tourism industry. The World Travel and Tourism Council has projected around 75 million job losses and a tourism-induced GDP reduction of more than $2 trillion globally.
• Climate Change will Affect Strongly the Coastal Areas with high anthropic vulnerability, through temperature increase, more frequent environmental events, water scarcity and sea level rise (SLR).

What are the Other Initiatives Towards Coastal and Marine Tourism?

Global Initiatives:

• Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and World Wild Fund (WWF) are partnering with hotels, cruise ships, tour operators and the industry to create nature-positive tourism where all supply chain actors converge to create value for people, nature and businesses.
• Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Initiative is a UN-convened global community focused on the intersection between private finance and ocean health, supporting the implementation of the Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles.
  • The Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles are the foundational keystone to invest in the ocean economy. Launched in 2018, they are the world’s first global guiding framework for banks, insurers and investors to finance a sustainable blue economy. They promote the implementation of SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and set out ocean-specific standards.
• Ocean Recovery Alliance has become a signatory of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, led by the UNEP and World Tourism Organization, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
  • The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative has the objective to tackle plastic pollution by promoting a shift towards circular economy of plastics in tourism operations where plastics never become waste, rather than to completely eliminate plastics from all tourism operations.

Indian Initiatives:

• Deep Ocean Mission
• India-Norway Task Force on Blue Economy for Sustainable Development
• O-SMART
• Integrated Coastal Zone Management