UPSC Daily Current Affairs- 10th April 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

GS-I

Why in News?

Recently, the Prime Minister of India participated in the 125th Anniversary celebrations of Sri Ramakrishna Math at Vivekananda House in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

About Ramakrishna Movement:

• It was initiated by Swami Vivekananda to spread the universal message of Vedanta in the light of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa (He was a teacher of swami Vivekanand)
• The main motto of this initiative is to work for the alleviating of the poor and the downtrodden with the motto ‘for one’s liberation and the good of the world’.
• With this aim, Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.
• The Ramakrishna Mission was formed in May 1897 with aims purely spiritual and humanitarian.

What is Vedanta?

• Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient spiritual philosophies and one of its broadest, based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India.
• Vedanta affirms:
  • The oneness of existence,
  • The divinity of the soul, and
  • The harmony of all religions.

Source: PIB

GS-II

Why in News?

The Financial Bill, 2023 redefined Sikkimese as any Indian citizen domiciled in Sikkim, which would extend these benefits to a broader population.

• This move is seen as a violation of Article 371F, which was the basis for Sikkim’s merger with India in 1975.

Concerns highlighted

• The leader claimed that the people of Sikkim feel betrayed by the violation of Article 371F.
• He alleged that Sikkim has become a hotbed for political violence.
• He claimed that unrest in a sensitive border state like Sikkim is not good for national security.

What is Article 371F?

• Article 371F is a special provision in the Constitution of India that was created to provide for the unique status of Sikkim, a state located in the northeastern part of India.
• Sikkim was an independent kingdom until 1975, when it became the 22nd state of India.
• Article 371F was included in the Constitution to ensure that Sikkim’s distinct identity and cultural heritage were protected and preserved after its merger with India.

Special provisions for Sikkim

Under Article 371F, Sikkim has been granted several special provisions that are not available to other states in India. Some of the key provisions of Article 371F are:

• Protection of Sikkimese people: Only the descendants of Sikkim subjects (those who lived in the state before its merger with India) whose names were mentioned in the 1961 register are considered Sikkimese and are entitled to certain benefits, such as the right to own land and get state government jobs. They are also exempted from paying income tax.
• Legislative powers: The Governor of Sikkim has special powers with respect to the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, including the power to nominate one member to the Assembly and the power to give his or her assent to certain bills.
• Constitutional safeguards: Certain constitutional safeguards have been provided to the people of Sikkim to protect their distinct identity and cultural heritage.
• Formation of Committees: The Central Government has the power to appoint a committee of experts to advise on matters related to Sikkim, and the State Government can also appoint committees to examine issues related to the protection of Sikkim’s unique identity.

Source: The Hindu

16th Finance Commission to be constituted in November

Why in News?

The Union government is gearing up to constitute the Sixteenth Finance Commission in November this year to recommend the formula for sharing revenues between the Centre and the States for the five-year period beginning 2026-27.

What is the Finance Commission?

• The Finance Commission (FC) was established by the President of India in 1951 under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution.
• It was formed to define the financial relations between the central government of India and the individual state governments.
• The Finance Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1951 additionally defines the terms of qualification, appointment and disqualification, the term, eligibility and powers of the Finance Commission.
• As per the Constitution, the FC is appointed every five years and consists of a chairman and four other members.
• Since the institution of the First FC, stark changes in the macroeconomic situation of the Indian economy have led to major changes in the FC’s recommendations over the years.

Constitutional Provisions

Several provisions to bridge the fiscal gap between the Centre and the States were already enshrined in the Constitution of India, including Article 268, which facilitates levy of duties by the Centre but equips the States to collect and retain the same.

Article 280 of the Indian Constitution defines the scope of the commission:

• Who will constitute: The President will constitute a finance commission within two years from the commencement of the Constitution and thereafter at the end of every fifth year or earlier, as the deemed necessary by him/her, which shall include a chairman and four other members.
• Qualifications: Parliament may by law determine the requisite qualifications for appointment as members of the commission and the procedure of selection.
• Terms of references: The commission is constituted to make recommendations to the president about the distribution of the net proceeds of taxes between the Union and States and also the allocation of the same among the States themselves. It is also under the ambit of the finance commission to define the financial relations between the Union and the States. They also deal with the devolution of unplanned revenue resources.

Important functions

• Devolution of taxes: Distribution of net proceeds of taxes between Center and the States, to be divided as per their respective contributions to the taxes.
• Grants-in-aid: Determine factors governing Grants-in-Aid to the states and the magnitude of the same.
• Augment states fund: To make recommendations to the president as to the measures needed to augment the Fund of a State to supplement the resources of the panchayats and municipalities in the state on the basis of the recommendations made by the finance committee of the state.
• Any financial function: Any other matter related to it by the president in the interest of sound finance.

Members of the Finance Commission

• The Finance Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1951 was passed to give a structured format to the finance commission and to bring it to par with world standards.
• It laid down rules for the qualification and disqualification of members of the commission, and for their appointment, term, eligibility and powers.
• The Chairman of a finance commission is selected from people with experience of public affairs. The other four members are selected from people who:
  • Are, or have been, or are qualified, as judges of a high court,
  • Have knowledge of government finances or accounts, or
  • Have had experience in administration and financial expertise; or
  • Have special knowledge of economics

Key challenges ahead for 16th FC

• Overlap with GST Council: A key new challenge for the 16th FC would be the co-existence of another permanent constitutional body, the GST Council.
• Conflict of interest: The GST Council’s decisions on tax rate changes could alter the revenue calculations made by the Commission for sharing fiscal resources.
• Feasibility of recommendations: Centre usually takes the Commission’s recommendations on States’ share of tax devolution and the trajectory for fiscal targets into account, and ignores most other suggestions.

Major outstanding recommendations

• Creating a Fiscal Council: The 15th FC has suggested creating a Fiscal Council where Centre and States collectively work out India’s macro-fiscal management challenges, but the government has signalled there is no need for it, he pointed out.
• Creating a non-lapsable fund for internal security: The centre accepted to set up a non-lapsable fund for internal security and defense ‘in principle’, its implementation still has to be worked out.

Source: The Hindu

GS-III

Why in News?

Prime Minister recently released the summary report of the 5th cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation.

Highlights of the 5th cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation:

• India's tiger population rose by 200 in the past four years to reach 3,167 in 2022.
• According to the data, the tiger population was 1,411 in 2006, 1,706 in 2010, 2,226 in 2014, 2,967 in 2018 and 3,167 in 2022
• The number of tigers has almost doubled in the last two decades in the country.
• As many as 1,161 of India’s tigers are now in Central India, 824 in the Western Ghats, 804 in the Shivalik Range, 194 in the North-eastern states and 100 in the Sunderbans. 
• The Western Ghats, which are home to the largest tiger population in the world, have shown a significant fall in the occupancy of tigers.
• Tiger occupancy has also declined in the states of Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana.
• The north-western states such as Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh now have more tigers outside reserves, requiring officials to step up habitat conservation.
• The period covered in the survey — 2018 to 2022 — also saw 551 tiger deaths, with 208 of them adults.

Source: Economic Times

Why in News?

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), March 2023 saw variations on several meteorological fronts

About Copernicus programme:

• It is the most ambitious Earth observation programme to date.
• It was previously known as the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security programme
• This initiative is headed by the European Commission (EC) in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA).
• Objectives: It will provide accurate, timely and easily accessible information to improve the management of the environment, understand and mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure civil security.
• Services provided by Copernicus fall into 6 categories: Land management, the marine environment, the atmosphere, emergency response, security and climate change.

What is a Sentinel satellite?

• European Space Agency is developing a new family of satellites, called Sentinels, specifically for the operational needs of the Copernicus programme.
• The Sentinels will provide a unique set of observations, starting with the all-weather, day and night radar images.

Source: DownToEarth

LIGO-India: India’s Node in Global Universe Probe

Why in News?

India has given the final approval to build its biggest scientific facility, Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), in the Hingoli district of Maharashtra. The facility will join the global project to detect and study gravitational waves.

What is LIGO?

About LIGO-India

• LIGO-India will be the fifth node of this international network of gravitational wave observatories, and possibly the last.
• The instrument is so sensitive that it can easily get influenced by events like earthquakes, landslides, or even the movement of trucks, and produce a false reading.
• That is why multiple observatories are needed to revalidate the signals.
• India’s involvement in LIGO is crucial to demonstrating its intent and capability to pull-off complex science projects independently.

Significance

• The detection and study of gravitational waves could help in understanding the universe’s structure, the origin of the universe, and the functioning of black holes.
• The LIGO project also has huge spin-off benefits for India’s science and technology sector.

Source: Indian Express

Why in News?

Iran recently tested a homemade long-range, high-precision kamikaze drone named Meraj-532, equipped with a 50-kg warhead.

About Meraj-532:

• It is a kamikaze drone equipped with a piston engine.
• It has a range of 450 km.
• It is capable of flying at a maximum altitude of 12,000 feet for three straight hours.
• It has a 50-kg warhead and can be assembled and prepared for flight easily, making it suitable for rapid reaction operations.

What is a Kamikaze drone?

• A kamikaze drone, also called a suicide drone or, more formally, a loitering munition, is an unmanned aerial vehicle that is designed to self-destruct after serving its purpose.
• They can hover around the target area for some time (much longer than a cruise missile) and attack only once a target is located.
• It may also feature a built-in warhead or payload, which is intended to detonate during the engagement.

Source: PIB