Weekly Current Affairs (1st to 7th February 2023) Part - 1 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

PLI and India’s Growth Ecosystem

Context: As the world adjusts to a new economic reality in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, India has recognized a strategic opportunity to establish itself as a key player in the global value chains.

• The manufacturing industry’s positive response to the Production Linked Incentive scheme (PLI) is likely to upgrade the labor force’s skills, replace old machinery, enhance production volumes and make logistics and operations efficient, giving India a chance to become a key manufacturing player.

What is the Production Linked Incentive scheme (PLI)?

About:

• The Indian government's introduction of the PLI scheme in 14 key manufacturing sectors is a significant step towards achieving its strategic vision for the manufacturing industry.
  • With a budget of ₹1.97 lakh crore, the scheme is well-designed to encourage growth and sustainability in the targeted industry through various incentives and support measures.
• Launched in March 2020, the scheme initially targeted three industries:
  • Mobile and allied Component Manufacturing
  • Electrical Component Manufacturing and
  • Medical Devices

Targeted Sectors:

• The 14 sectors are mobile manufacturing, manufacturing of medical devices, automobiles and auto components, pharmaceuticals, drugs, specialty steel, telecom & networking products, electronic products, white goods (ACs and LEDs), food products, textile products, solar PV modules, advanced chemistry cell (ACC) battery, and drones and drone components.

Incentives Under the Scheme:

• The incentives given, are calculated on the basis of incremental sales.
  • In some sectors such as advanced chemistry cell batteries, textile products and the drone industry, the incentive to be given will be calculated on the basis of sales, performance and local value addition done over the period of five years.
• The emphasis on R&D investment will also help the industry keep up with global trends and remain competitive in the international market.

How PLI is Creating a Growth Ecosystem in India?

• Reducing Dependency on Imports: This shift in the manufacturing landscape could have significant implications for global trade, reducing dependency on a single-source country and diversifying the sources of production.
• Meeting the Demand: Increased production volumes are meeting consumer demand, particularly in the telecom and networking sectors with faster adoption of 4G and 5G products.
  • The PLI scheme for large-scale electronics manufacturing (LSEM) saw successful results, with 97% of mobile phones sold in India now being made in India. As of September, 2022, the PLI scheme for LSEM attracted investments of ₹4,784 crore and generated 41,000 additional jobs.
• Reducing Carbon Footprint: The PLI scheme's emphasis on green technologies will reduce the carbon footprint and position India as a pioneer in green policy implementation.
• Boosting Free Trade Agreements: Improved productivity is boosting free trade agreements for better market access and increased sales are driving demand for better logistical connectivity.
• Frontlining Rural India: The government of India is working closely with states to help industries and artisans in rural areas become part of the country's growth story.
  • This is being done through initiatives such as "one-district-one-product" to support local businesses, and "SFURTI" to improve traditional industries.

Judicial Majoritarianism

Context: Many people have raised concerns over Judicial Majoritarianism on the Judgement of the Supreme Court on demonetization and the minority judgment has been hailed for its challenge to the RBI’s (Reserve bank of India) institutional acquiescence to the Central government.

What is Judicial Majoritarianism?

• Numerical majorities are of particular importance to cases which involve a substantial interpretation of constitutional provisions.
• The requirement for a majority consensus flows from Article 145(5) of the Constitution which states that no judgment in such cases can be delivered except with the concurrence of a majority. It also provides for judges to freely deliver dissenting judgments or opinions.
• In important cases, Constitutional Benches, consisting of five or more judges, are set up in consonance with Article 145(3) of the Constitution. Such Benches usually consist of five, seven, nine, 11 or even 13 judges.

What are the Concerns?

Denial of Merit:

• A meritorious minority decision, irrespective of the impeccability of its reasoning, receives little weightage in terms of its outcomes.
  • An example is the dissenting opinion of Justice Subba Rao in the Kharak Singh v. State of U.P. (1962) case upholding the Right To Privacy which received the judicial stamp of approval in the K.S. Puttaswamy v. UOI (2017) case.
  • The dissenting opinion of Justice H.R. Khanna in A.D.M. Jabalpur v. Shivkant Shukla (1976) upholding the right to life and personal liberty even during situations of constitutional exceptionalism is a prime example.
• It is argued that the weightage given to numerical majorities in judicial decisions by our Constitutional Courts is opposed to the merits in their reasoning.

Obscure Situations:

• All judges on a particular Bench give their rulings on the same set of facts, laws, arguments and written submissions. In light of the same, any differences in judicial decisions can be attributed to a difference in either the methodology adopted and the logic applied by the judges in their interpretation.
• In such circumstances, it is entirely possible that the majority may fall into either methodological fallacies and errors or be limited by their ‘judicial hunch’ respectively.

Question on Head Counting Procedure:

• A study also found that the rate of dissent where the Chief Justice was a part of the Bench was lower than in those cases where the Chief Justice was not on the Bench.
• Such situations call into question the efficiency and desirability of head-counting procedures for a judicial determination on questions of national and constitutional importance.

What can be the Solution?

• A system can be devised, which either gives more weightage to the vote of senior judges given that they have more experience or to the junior judges as they may represent popular opinion better. Such alternatives, however, can only be explored once we identify and question the premises and rationales which underlie head-counting in judicial decision-making.
• The absence of a critical discourse on judicial majoritarianism represents one of the most fundamental gaps in our existing knowledge regarding the functioning of our Supreme Court.
• As pending Constitutional Bench matters are listed for hearing and judgments are reserved, we must reflect upon the arguments of judicial majoritarianism on the basis of which these cases are to be decided.

Urban Farming

Context: Recently, a Non-Profit Research Organisation has prepared a “Draft Citizen’s Policy for Urban Agriculture in Delhi”, recommending a holistic framework for Urban Farming.

• The Draft recommends building on existing practices, promoting residential and community farming through rooftop and kitchen gardens, allocating vacant land for agricultural use, creating a market, developing policies for animal rearing and spreading awareness.

What is Urban Farming?

About:

• Urban farming refers to the practice of growing crops, raising livestock, or producing other forms of food within urban areas.
• Despite its potential benefits, such as increased access to fresh and healthy food, environmental sustainability, and economic development, urban farming faces several challenges that limit its widespread adoption and impact.

Challenges:

• Limited Land Availability: One of the biggest challenges facing urban farming is the limited availability of suitable land within urban areas. Urban land is often expensive and highly coveted for other uses, making it difficult for farmers to secure the space they need to grow food.
• Soil Contamination: Urban soils are often contaminated with heavy metals, pollutants, and other toxic substances, making it difficult to grow crops in a safe and sustainable manner.
• Water Availability: In many urban areas, water is a scarce resource, and farmers often struggle to access enough water to meet the needs of their crops and livestock.
• Lack of Infrastructure: Urban farming often requires specialized infrastructure, such as greenhouses, irrigation systems, and cooling and storage facilities, which can be expensive and difficult to access in urban areas.

How can the Related Challenges be Addressed?

• Developing Partnerships: Urban farming can benefit from partnerships with local governments and other organizations that can provide support and resources to help overcome some of the challenges.
• Investment: Further research into urban agriculture can help to address some of the key challenges and provide new insights into the best practices for growing food in urban areas.
• Encouraging Community Engagement: Community engagement is critical for the success of urban farming, as it can help to build support, bring together resources, and promote sustainability.
• Urban Agriculture Policies: Governments and other organizations can play a role in promoting urban agriculture by enacting policies that support the growth and development of urban farming initiatives.

What are Some Related Initiatives in India?

• In 2008, Pune’s civic administration launched a city farming project to train and encourage people to take up farming on allocated land.
• In 2012 Teh Kerala government launched a vegetable development programme to encourage gardening in houses, schools, government and private institutions.
  • It also offered subsidies and support for eco-friendly inputs, irrigation, compost and biogas plants.
• In 2014, the Tamil Nadu government introduced a “do-it-yourself” kit for city dwellers to grow vegetables on rooftops, houses and apartment buildings under its Urban Horticulture Development Scheme.
• Since 2021, Bihar has encouraged terrace gardening in five smart cities through subsidy for input cost.

Way Forward

• To promote urban farming, governments must recognise informal practices and link them with agricultural schemes.
• There is a need to make urban agriculture viable. Farming in cramped urban spaces marred by water scarcity and pollution is not easy.
  • A 2016 paper titled Future of Urban Agriculture in India by the Hyderabad-based Institute for Resource Analysis and Policy mentions that in Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Chennai, wastewater is directly or indirectly used for urban farming.
• Studies show that excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in urban farms can lower produce and soil quality. However, urban farmers believe such hurdles can be overcome with innovative techniques.
• Urban farming has the potential to play a major role in addressing some of the biggest challenges facing cities today, including food insecurity, environmental sustainability, and economic development. However, to truly realize its potential, it is essential to overcome the challenges and create an environment that supports and nurtures urban farming initiatives.

No Bar on Contesting Two Seats in One Poll

Context: Recently, the Supreme Court has rejected a petition to bar candidates from contesting from more than one constituency in the general or assembly elections, calling it a matter of “parliamentary sovereignty” and “political democracy”.

• The plea had challenged the constitutionality of Section 33(7) of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951, citing that it is unreasonable for creating extra burden on the public exchequer as by-elections will invariably follow because candidates have to give up one seat in case, they win on both the seats.

What is the Ruling?

• There is no relevant provision in the Representation of People Act (RPA) that may warrant an intervention by the court in this matter and this matter falls “squarely within the legislative domain” and “realm of policy”.
• It is parliament’s will that determines whether political democracy is furthered by granting such a choice.
• Contesting from multiple seats can be due to multiple reasons and there would be reasons which weigh in the balance and whether it furthers parliamentary democracy is something which is in the legislative domain.
• This issue lies in the domain of parliamentary sovereignty.
• It highlighted that parliament did amend the law in 1996 to restrict the number of constituencies to two whereas earlier, a candidate could contest from any number of seats.
• The parliament has already intervened in the past. The parliament can certainly step in again. At the relevant time when the parliament deems it appropriate to do it, they will do it. There is no question of inaction on anybody’s part.

What are the Provisions Related to Twin Candidature?

• As per Section 33(7) of the RPA (Representation of the People Act), 1951, one candidate can contest from a maximum of two constituencies.
  • More constituencies were allowed until 1996 when the RPA was amended to set the cap at two constituencies.
• Since 1951, many politicians have used this factor to contest from more than one seat – sometimes to divide the opponent’s vote, sometimes to profess their party’s power across the country, sometimes to cause a ripple effect in the region surrounding the constituencies in favor of the candidate’s party and all parties have exploited Section 33(7).

What Issues Arise from Twin Candidature?

• Waste of Resources: Campaigning and contesting in multiple constituencies can be a waste of Resources and Money, both for the candidate and the government. After sacrificing one of the Constituencies, a by-election is immediately triggered, which again increases the burden on Public Exchequer. For example, in 2014, after PM Narendra Modi won both Vadodara and Varanasi, he vacated his seat in Vadodara, forcing a by-election there.
• Conflicts of Interest: Running in multiple constituencies can create conflicts of interest, as the candidate may not be able to devote equal time and attention to each of their constituencies.
• Paradoxical Provisions: Section 33(7) of the RPA leads to a situation where it would be negated by another section of the same Act – specifically, Section 70. While 33(7) allows candidates to contest from two seats, Section 70 bars candidates from representing two constituencies in the Lok Sabha/state. Assembly.
• Voter Confusion: Voters in different constituencies may be confused about which candidate is representing them, or which candidate they should vote for.
• Perception of Corruption: Running in multiple constituencies can also raise questions about the candidate's motivation and create the perception of corruption, as they may be seeking multiple seats in order to increase their chances of winning office.
• Threat to Democracy: Twin candidature can be seen as a threat to democracy, as it can undermine the principle of fair and equal representation.

Way Forward

• The Election Commission recommended amending Section 33(7) so as to allow one candidate to contest from only one seat.
  • It did so in 2004, 2010, 2016 and in 2018.
• A system should be devised wherein if a candidate contested from two constituencies and won both, then he or she would bear the financial burden of conducting the subsequent by-election in one of the constituencies.
  • The amount would be Rs 5 lakh for a Vidhan Sabha election and Rs 10 lakh for a Lok Sabha election.
• One person, one vote is the dictum that has been a founding principle of Indian democracy. Perhaps it is time to modify and expand that principle to “One person, one vote; one candidate, one constituency.