UPSC Daily Current Affairs- 29th October 2022 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

GS-I

Context

Wayanad farmer creates Ashoka Chakra using Tambo art.

What is Tambo Art?

• Tambo art is an artistic technique that consists of creating a design with different varieties of rice directly in a rice field.
• The origin of this art can be traced to Japan where people plant paddy of various varieties and hues to create the desired images.
• The image of Ashoka Chakra has been created using four varieties of paddy seeds such as Nazar bath, Kala bath, Kaki sala and Ramlee.
• They will ripen in shades that range from brown to golden, light brown to black, green to black and green to white and black.

Source: The Hindu 

Context

The gurdwara management bodies from both sides of the border — Amritsar-based Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) will jointly observe the centenary of Shaheedi Saka Panja Sahib (martyrdom massacre), at Hasan Abdal city of Attock district, Punjab province of Pakistan.

About Saka Panja Sahib:

• On October 30, 1922 two Sikhs died and several other Sikh protesters, including women, were injured at Hasan Abdal railway station after the railway authorities under the then-British government had refused to stop the train ferrying Sikh prisoners from Amritsar to Attock.
• The Sikhs from nearby Panja Sahib wanted to serve langar (community kitchen food) to the Sikh prisoners but were told by the station master that the train would not stop at the station.
• In protest, the Sikhs squatted on the railway tracks and as the train approached, the Sikhs, who were determined to halt the train, continued to stay put, demanding their right to serve langar to the Sikh prisoners.
• The train finally came to a screeching halt, but only after crushing many of Sikh protesters — of whom Bhai Karam Singh and Bhai Partap Singh died after sustaining serious injuries.
• Since then, both Sikhs are hailed as martyrs of Saka Panja Sahib who sacrificed their lives fighting for rights of Sikhs against the British.

About Gurdwara Panja Sahib:

• The Gurdwara Panja Sahib, in Hasan Abdal of Pakistan was built on the site believed to be visited by Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak Dev, along with his companion Bhai Mardana.
• It is believed that a local saint Wali Qandhari was rude towards Nanak and refused to give water to Bhai Mardana who was extremely thirsty, from a natural fountain near his dera.
• He also threw a boulder towards Nanak, but Nanak stopped it with his panja (hand) and a spring of water appeared there miraculously.
• The boulder with Nanak’s handprint is still there.
• Later Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his general Hari Singh Nalwa got the gurdwara building constructed to commemorate Nanak’s visit.

Source : The Indian Express

GS-II

Context

 The News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA), a self-regulatory agency set up by news and digital broadcasters, has fined a news channel for turning a news debate on hijab into a “communal issue” and not adhering to guidelines.

About News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA):

• The NBDSA is an independent body set up by the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA), which serves as a representative of private television news, current affairs and digital broadcasters.
• Funded entirely by its members, the NBDA has 26 news and current affairs broadcasters (comprising 119 news and current affairs channels) as its members.
• Various senior members of Indian media organisations serve on its Board of Directors.
• Apart from presenting a unified front, it carries out activities to promote, protect and secure the interests including the right of freedom of speech and expression of the news broadcasters, digital news media and other related entities.

Functions and Powers:

• It’s standards mention a focus on objectivity, impartiality, maintaining discretion when reporting on crime against women and children, not endangering national security, etc.
• The body includes a chairperson who is to be an eminent jurist, and other members such as news editors, and those experienced in the field of law, education, literature, public administration, etc. nominated by a majority of the Board.
• The Authority may initiate proceedings on its own and issue notice or take action in respect to any matter which falls within its regulations.
• This can also be through complaints referred to the Authority by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting or any other governmental body, or by anyone else via its website
• A “two-tier” procedure is in place for redressing grievances, where any person aggrieved by the content of any broadcast is required to first make a complaint to the concerned broadcaster and if they are not satisfied by the redress, a complaint can be filed before the Authority.
• Within 14 days from the date of receipt of a complaint, the Authority will issue notice to the concerned broadcaster to show cause why action should not be taken under the regulations.
• An inquiry is held in which proof, documents, and people can be called in by the authority.
• If the complainant or the respondent does not get back to the Authority, the complaint can be set aside.
• It can also recommend to the concerned authority for suspension/revocation of the license of such broadcaster.
• The fine imposed by the Authority shall not exceed Rs. 1 lakh and such fine shall be recovered from the concerned broadcaster.

Source: The Indian Express

Context

The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 is an important legislative landmark in the context of Indian agricultural policy.

• The dramatic repeal of the three controversial farm laws in November 2021 provided a unique opportunity for policymakers to critically examine the calls for reforming India’s agricultural marketing regulatory framework from a stakeholder point of view.
• A study critically examines the various provisions contained in the act to assess its potential in mitigating the key concerns of adopting the CF practice in India.

About contract farming:

• Contract farming can be defined as agricultural production carried out according to an agreement between a buyer and farmers, which establishes conditions for the production and marketing of a farm product or products.
• Typically, the farmer agrees to provide agreed quantities of a specific agricultural product. These should meet the quality standards of the purchaser and be supplied at the time determined by the purchaser.
• Regulatory structure on contract farming in India:
• Initially, contract farming regulated under the Indian Contract Act, 1872.
• The Model APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) Act, 2003 provides specific provisions for contract farming, like compulsory registration of contract farming sponsors and dispute settlement.
• However, due to resistance from commission agents, States were lukewarm towards promoting Contract farming.
• In 2004, the MS Swaminathan-headed National Commission on Farmers (NCF) recommended the design and implementation of a comprehensive code of conduct on contract farming.
• The National Policy for Farmers 2007, based on the recommendations of NCF, also encouraged Contract farming practices and promised to prepare a code of conduct for contract farming.
• In February 2018, Ministry of Agriculture came out with a draft Model Contract Farming Act, 2018. The draft Model Act seeks to create a regulatory and policy framework for contract farming. Based on this draft Model Act, legislatures of states can enact a law on contract farming
• Currently, contract farming requires registration with the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) in few states. This means that contractual agreements are recorded with the APMCs which can also resolve disputes arising out of these contracts.

Benefits of Contract farming:

• Contract farming is looking towards the benefits both for the farm-producers as well as to the agro-processing firms. The key advantages are the
• Crop diversification;
• Higher crop yield;
• Reduction in price uncertainty;
• Better price and assured market for farmers;
• Increase in profit and income of farmers;
• Supply of quality farm inputs,
• Including farm credit technology and scientific know-how to farmers;
• Reduction in transportation costs;
• Growth of food processing industry;
• Integration of farmers into the industry and global market.

Disadvantages of Contract farming:

• Some of the key disadvantages of Contract farming practices are:
• Neglect of small and marginal (S&M) farmers by firms,
• Dominant role by firms in price fixation,
• Delay in making payments to farmers,
• Non-purchase of contracted produce on quality and other grounds,
• Manipulation of grading standards,
• Breaking away from contracts by either party,
• Difficulty of legal enforcement of contracts,
• Lower long-term commitment among corporates for rural development.

Challenges:

• Contract farming arrangements are often criticized for being biased in favour of firms or large farmers, while exploiting the poor bargaining power of small farmers.
• Problems faced by growers like undue quality cut on produce by firms, delayed deliveries at the factory, delayed payments, low price and pest attack on the contract crop which raised the cost of production.
• Contracting agreements are often verbal or informal in nature, and even written contracts often do not provide the legal protection in India that may be observed in other countries.
• Lack of enforceability of contractual provisions can result in breach of contracts by either party.
• Single Buyer – Multiple Sellers (Monopsony).
• Adverse gender effects – Women have less access to contract farming than men.

Stakeholders views on contract farming:

• In the CF system, firms largely ignore smallholders to achieve economies of scale and reduce transaction costs.
• Therefore, the CF Act has opened the avenue for collective engagement among farmers with a provision to engage aggregators, including FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisations), in CF.
• A predominant section of the stakeholders surveyed, including three-fourths of the farmers, believed that the collectivisation of farmers through FPOs would help smallholders adopt CF.
• Three-fourths of the stakeholders supported the inclusion of these quality-related provisions in the CF legislation.
• However, farmers suggested arranging quality inspection in their presence and a scheme for educating them on quality standards.
• There are fears that the firms will exploit farmers in many ways, such as denying a say in price fixation, grabbing farmers’ land, and treating farmers as bonded labourers.
• The CF Act stipulates that farmers can opt for a contract for one crop season or a mutually agreeable period. This provides freedom for farmers to change their choice of firms.
• Over half of the respondents, including farmers, agreed that a shorter contract period would enable farmers to escape exploitation by the firms.
• The CF Act stipulates that the prices may be determined in advance and indicated in the contract. If prices fluctuate, the agreement must include a guaranteed and reference/benchmark price.
• Compulsory registration would encourage written agreements and the entry of only serious players.
• Another suggestion supported by three-fourths of the stakeholders was the levy of a small facilitation fee on the firms and establishing a dedicated official agency to oversee and facilitate the working of the CF Act.
• The agency was expected to handhold the farmers through training and capacity-building programmes using the fee proceeds and bridge the trust deficit between farmers and firms.

Way Forward:

• The contract farming seeks to provide alternative marketing channels and better price realisation to farmers.
• It has been observed that if the market price rises higher than the contracted price, the farmers are tempted to sell the produce to someone else for a higher price.
• On the other hand, if market prices were to fall below the contracted rate, the buyer often fails to honour the commitment.
• It is also necessary to remember that for growers agriculture is a livelihood issue and for processors and aggregators it is business.
• Hence the Government should play the role of a facilitator to promote as well as to develop a healthy system of farmer-corporate relationship for mutual benefit and development of the agriculture sector in India.

Source: The Hindu

Context

Prime Minister has pitched the idea of “One Nation, One Uniform” for Indian police forces.

One Nation One Uniform

• PM urged that the identity of police across the country should be the same.
• This suggestion is in line with his broader attempt to introduce a uniform set of policies across the country.

How can this be achieved?

• Law and order is a State Subject.
• The Indian Constitution puts police forces under the jurisdiction of state governments, and each of the 28 states have their own police force.
• Both ‘public order’ and the ‘police’ are placed in List II (State List) of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with the division of powers between the Union and States.
• In the circumstances, it is unclear how the PM’s suggestion, if the government were to take it up seriously, might be implemented.

Why such move?

Inconsistencies in attire

• While police personnel in India are often associated with the colour khaki, their uniforms do differ in varying degrees in different regions.
• For example:
• Kolkata Police wear white uniforms
• Puducherry Police constables wear a bright red cap with their khaki uniforms
• Delhi Traffic Police personnel wear white and blue uniforms

• Changes in police uniforms

• Over the years, police departments of various states have made various attempts to reform uniforms for their personnel.
• Maharashtra: In February 2018, in a bid to prevent colour variation in the uniform of its personnel, the Maharashtra police had decided to provide dope-dyed khaki fabric for its staff. Again, the Maharashtra DGP issued a circular discontinuing the practice of wearing a “tunic uniform” for officers from the rank of Police Sub Inspectors (PSI) to Deputy Superintendent (DySP).
• Karnataka: In October 2018, the Karnataka Police announced that women personnel would no longer wear khaki saris, rather a khaki shirt and trousers while on duty. This would make it easier for policewomen to do their job and improve their effectiveness in dealing with crime.
• New Delhi: The Delhi Police had asked the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to design fresh uniforms, with an immediate focus on clothing that would be more comfortable.

Other such moves

• In August this year, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers announced that it had implemented the “One Nation One Fertiliser” scheme.
• The Centre in August 2019 had introduced the “One Nation One Ration Card” scheme.
• PM has also repeatedly suggested the implementation of “One Nation, One Election”, and adopting a single voter list for all polls.

Source: The Indian Express

GS-III

Context

It is widely acknowledged that spectrum policy in India has had ups and downs, regretfully more downs than ups. Despite the recognized failure, India hosts 800 million internet users and host the second-largest telecommunications network in the world. We wonder what might have been achieved with a more reasonable and transparent spectrum policy.

Background

• On September 22, the government released the draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022 seeking to replace the colonial era Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.
• The draft bill compares spectrum to aatma: “In a way, spectrum is similar to aatma, like aatma, spectrum too does not have any physical form, yet it is omnipresent.” And yet there is one immutable difference in this material world. While the value of aatma is inestimable, spectrum has always had a banal price tag associated with it.

What is Draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022?

• The draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022 is an attempt by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to consolidate various legislations presently governing the telecommunication landscape in India.
• The Bill seeks to replace three laws, the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933 and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1950.
• The new regulatory framework is to bring the law at par with technological advancements and remove obsolete provisions from the colonial era laws.

What is mean by Spectrum?

• In physics, it’s a word that describes the distribution of something, like energy or atomic particles
• Spectrum refers to the invisible radio frequencies that wireless signals travel over. Devices such as cell phones and wireline telephones require signals to connect from one end to another.
• These signals are carried on airwaves, which must be sent at designated frequencies to avoid any kind of interference. The frequencies we use for wireless are only a portion of

what is called the electromagnetic spectrum.

• The Union government owns all the publicly available assets within the geographical boundaries of the country, which also include airwaves.
• With the expansion in the number of cell phones, wireline telephone and internet users, the need to provide more space for the signals arise from time to time.

The status of Spectrum policy in India?

• Host the second largest telecommunications network despite of failures:
  • It is widely acknowledged that spectrum policy in India has had ups and downs, it has for the most part failed to capitalize on the ubiquity of the electromagnetic spectrum to provide meaningful connectivity to all citizens.
  • Despite the recognized failure, we boast of a billion plus mobile subscribers, 800 million internet users and host the second-largest telecommunications network in the world.
• Ineffective access widening space of digital divide:
  • The intent of the draft bill is to correct past sins so that the benefits of spectrum and technology are better shared, and the quality of access improved for everybody.
  • In other words, since effective access to spectrum has remained a significant barrier to facilitating meaningful connectivity for Indians.
• Spectrum’s potential is huge but with technical limitations:
  • The draft bill rightly refers to the spectrum as having the characteristics of a public good. It is also an inexhaustible resource. But while spectrum per se is not depletable, there are technical limitations to its optimum utilization at a given point in time.
  • Consequently, it is viewed as a scarce natural resource and what’s more, expensive auctions have made the spectrum dear and arguably exclusionary.
• High cost of spectrum acquisition:
  • Since 2010, the government has consistently used auctions for spectrum allocation and in only one of the seven auctions held since then, the government was successful in selling 100 per cent of the available spectrum. One reason for this lukewarm response, barring the 2010 auction, is the high cost of spectrum acquisition.
• High cost of auctions leading to revenue loss for the government:
  • Due to the high reserve price, the most recent auction witnessed spectrum being sold at the reserve price, effectively rendering the basis of an auction moot.
  • If almost all spectrum was sold at its reserve price, and a significant amount goes unsold, it implies that the price was too high, to begin with. It also implies a loss of revenue for the government for spectrum unsold is spectrum squandered.
  • Finally, it results in areas being underserved or unserved affecting quality and quantity.
• High network charges by operators impacts compromising equal distribution and quality:
  • According to one estimate, at 7.6 per cent of their aggregate revenue, spectrum cost in India is amongst the most expensive in the world.
  • Since network operators incur a significantly higher cost for spectrum compared to other emerging markets, the ability to invest in network upgradation and infrastructure is severely impacted, resulting in uneven distribution of service and poor quality to boot.

What Could be the fresh approach?

• Acknowledging and addressing the issues:
  • It must be recognized that the spectrum needs to be combined with other infrastructure to enable service delivery.
  • The cost of deploying other infrastructure in remote areas is nearly twice as much, while revenue opportunities are far lower, damaging if not destroying the prospects of rural businesses. Plugging the digital divide, therefore, needs a fresh approach.
• Correcting the cost of spectrum and boosting investment:
  • Since licences and spectrum are typically assigned for service areas that are, for the most part, identified by state boundaries.
  • Since operators predominantly cater to urban markets, the spectrum in remote areas remains under- or in places un-utilized due to a lack of investment in allied infrastructure.
• Reviving the old and executing the fresh provisions enshrined in draft bill for equitable sharing:
  • The draft bill incorporates practical provisions on the spectrum such as use it, share it, or lose it – an awaited policy that, however, needs innovative support to be successful. The idea of “niche operators” providing services including to telecom operators and manufacturers, introduced in 2005, needs revival in this regard.
  • If licensed operators are unable to utilise the assigned spectrum, the same could be given to local entrepreneurs who understand the needs of rural customers and are better placed to develop a more effective business case more quickly than the larger telcos. Active promotion of the idea of niche operators might just jolt operators out of their lethargy towards rural services.
• Adopting innovative methods:
  • Alternatively, the government may explore innovative methods of spectrum access such as a non-competitive licensing framework for certain specific use cases.
  • Canada, for instance, has initiated consultations on a non-competitive local licensing framework in the 3900-3980 MHz Band and portions of the 26, 28 and 38 GHz bands to inter alia facilitate broadband connectivity in rural areas.
• Emphasizing on Transparency and enhancing healthy competition:
  • The government should build an ecosystem that inspires trust so that transparency in assignment can be secured at a reasonable price for operators with strict service obligations without the phantasm of auctions.
  • At the same time, there should be no unsold spectrum. Niche operators should be invoked to engender competition, and government could yet collect revenue for itself.

Conclusion

The telecom is no longer an end in itself. It exists for user industries much more than ever before. The spill over benefits are far greater than what the sector commands within. Thus, to state the obvious, the vision that is “Digital India” can never be realized if affordable broadband connectivity remains only within the reach of a few.

Source: The Hindu

Context

The key aspects of safety and sustainability are posing impediments to the growth envisaged in lithium-ion battery (LIB) usage. In India, reports of fatality and material loss due to fire from LIBs are on the rise.

About Li ion batteries (LIB):

• Lithium-ion batteries use aqueous electrolyte solutions, where ions transfer to and fro between the anode (negative electrode generally made of graphite) and cathode (positive electrode made of lithium), triggering the recharge and discharge of electrons.

Features of LIB:

• Small size of the batteries
• light weight
• affordability
• the ability to sustain multiple charge cycles
• high energy density

Various impediments to the growth of LIB:

Safety issues with LIB:

In India, reports of fatality and material loss due to fire from LIBs are on the rise due to defects in battery cells as well as in battery designs.

Concerns around sustainability and lifecycle management of LIBs:

• The challenge of the ever increasing demand for metals required for the batteries and the mines as the only primary mineral source.
• Environmentally sustainable solutions to deal with the mountains of garbage created by end-of-life batteries.

Challenge of Partial recovery of metals from recycling processes:

• Most recycling processes practise partial recovery wherein only high-margin metals are recovered from waste discarding the rest resulting in a loss of economic opportunity for the nations which continue to rely on high-cost imports.
• It also provides little economic incentive for other recyclers to recover low-margin metals from the discarded waste.

Ensuring sustainability and lifecycle management of LIBs:

• According to predictions, the volume of the end-of-life LIBs is likely to increase from 7,05,000 tonnes in 2025 to about 9 million tonnes by 2040.
• As the long-term sustainability of depending on primary mineral sources (mines) is in question, recycling is key.
• Unlike traditional practices, design of EVs is integrated with that of the battery and its components.
• The customisations on the battery end get more complex with new features like swappable battery options and connectivity requirements as in the case of autonomous cars.
• EVs therefore need an accelerated go-to-market approach to cater to the sustainability goals driven by organisations and nations across the world.

Government Measures to mitigate the environmental, social and financial impacts of LIB waste:

• The government has notified the Battery Waste Management Rules 2022 to manage a wide range of batteries that include LIBs.
• The mechanism of “Extended Producer Responsibility” (EPR) increases the accountability battery manufacturers need to assume towards collection, refurbishment/recycling of batteries.
• This move is expected to accelerate the development of infrastructure for waste collection and improve recycling rates from the mere 5-9 per cent, as it stands today.

Way Forward:

• A mandated minimum percentage of recycled material in all products will open doors for new technologies to be adopted.
• Thus, the need of the hour is to accelerate the development of circular economy solutions that recycle all the metals and facilitate a cradle-to-cradle (infinite loop) approach.
• The ultimate goal is to meet sustainability goals and deploy technologies/best practices that reduce dependency on primary ores and unless that is done, partial recovery of metals or export of black powder (crushed battery waste) for recovery will continue.
• A strong collaboration among technologists, policy-makers and governments is required to help manage the ‘EV revolution ‘and bridge the huge gap between technology readiness that addresses both sustainability and safety issues in LIBs.

Source: The Hindu

What is Air Quality Index (AQI)?

Context

• If you logged on to social media to check the air quality index in your city the morning after Diwali, chances are you saw multiple numbers floating around for the same time and location. But none of them are credibly correct.

Air Quality Index (AQI)

• AQI measures how safe the air around you is for breathing. Organizations that report AQI measure the density of various pollutants in the air (such as PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, etc) at different monitoring stations.
• The widely-used National Air Quality Index (NAQI) given by the Central Pollution Control Board is a 24-hour average.
• Its unit is micrograms per cubic metre.
• A particular amount of one pollutant may not be as harmful as the same amount of another pollutant.
• So, each pollutant’s quantity in the air is adjusted to a common scale (say, 0 to 500) that works for all pollutants.
• Finally, the pollutant with the worst sub-index determines the AQI for that time and location.

What are NAAQ standards?

• The mandate provided to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act empowers it to set standards for the quality of air.
• Hence the current National Ambient Air Quality Standards were notified in November 2009 by the CPCB.
• Prior to this, India had set Air Quality standards in 1994, and this was later revised in 1998.
• The 2009 standards further lowered the maximum permissible limits for pollutants and made the standards uniform across the nation.
• Earlier, less stringent standards were prescribed for industrial zones as compared to residential areas.

Pollutants covered:

• Sulphur Dioxide (SO₂)
• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂),
• Particulate Matter (size less than 10 µm) or PM 10
• Particulate Matter (size less than 2.5 µm) or PM2.5
• Ozone (O₃)
• Carbon Monoxide (CO)
• Ammonia (NH₃)
• (Air Pollutants that most of us NEVER heard of-)
• Lead
• Benzene (C₆H₆)
• Benzo(a)Pyrene (BaP)
• Arsenic(As)
• Nickel (Ni)

Source: The Indian Express