Syllabus: GS-III, Subject: Economy, Topic: External Trade, Issue: Duties on e-transmission

Context: India urged the WTO to reconsider its ban on charging customs duties for e-commerce goods and services.

Duties on electronic transmissions (e-commerce):

• Earlier physical goods like books, videos and music cassettes were governed by traditional tariff rules.
• Now such services are available as digital services (e-transmission).
• In 1998, World Trade Organization (WTO) members agreed a moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions (e-commerce) which were periodically extended.
• Developing nations are facing massive loss in potential revenue with such imports from developed countries.
• Hence nations like India, South Africa and Indonesia are set to oppose efforts by the U.S. and Europe to extend the moratorium.
• The moratorium was last extended during the 12th Ministerial Conference in Geneva in 2022.

Source: Mint

Syllabus: GS-II, Subject: Polity, Topic: Legal issues, Issue: Misleading Advertisements

Context: The Supreme Court banned Patanjali Ayurved from marketing its products until further orders are passed.

Drugs & Other Magical Remedies Act, 1954 (DOMA):

• There is a prohibition against publishing misleading advertisements relating to a drug.
• Punishment: Up to six months imprisonment and/or fine.

Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (CPA):

• Aim: Protecting the rights and interests of consumers.
• Prohibition of unfair trade practices: Outlaws misleading advertisements.
• Product liability: Holds manufacturers and sellers liable for harm caused by defective products.
• Consumer Dispute Redressal Commissions (CDRCs): a mechanism for consumers to file complaints against businesses and seek redressal

Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA): a central body to regulate matters related to consumer protection, investigate violations, and issue consumer safety notices.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus: GS- III Subject: Economy Topic: Industry and Industrial policies, Issue: Semiconductor manufacturing

Context: The Union Cabinet approved a semiconductor fabrication plant in partnership with Taiwan’s PSMC.

Gist:

• Fabs(Fabrication plants) are the highly specialised semiconductor manufacturing facilities that print the miniaturised integrated circuits from the chip design into the silicon wafers.
• 70% of the current global semiconductor manufacturing capacity is confined to South Korea, Taiwan and China.

Incentives:

1. Semicon India programme: Rs 76,000 crore chip incentive scheme, under which the Centre offers half the amount of a plant’s capital expenditure costs as subsidy.
2. Production linked incentive (PLI) scheme
3. India’s plans are focused on boosting all three aspects of the semiconductor ecosystem –
   • full-scale foundries that can manufacture chips.
   • assembly and testing projects called OSAT plants;
   • packaging units called ATMP facilities;

Challenges:

• Heavy competition from countries like the US and EU
• Talent pool: While India possesses talented chip designers , skilled labour in factories is the need of the hour.
• Lacking original research in semiconductor design.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus: GS-II, Subject: Polity, Topic: Rights issues, Issue: Prisons

Context: States and UTs told to remove discriminatory provisions in Prison Manuals by the Ministry of Home Affairs( MHA).

Gist:

• The Constitution of India, Articles 14 to 18, prohibited any kind of discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, place of birth etc.
• The Model Prison Manual, 2016, explicitly prohibited caste and religion-based discrimination of prisoners.

Model Prison Manual, 2016:

• Published by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Outlines guidelines to bring more uniformity to prison regulations for the administration of prisons and the treatment of prisoners .
• It is not a binding law, but rather a set of guidelines .

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS-I, Subject: Current Affairs, Topic: Schemes/Policies/Programmes, Issue: PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana

Context: The Union Cabinet approved a ₹75,021-crore package for the “PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana” (PM Free Electricity scheme)

PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana:

• To promote rooftop solar (RTS) installations in India.
• To provide 300 units of “free electricity” every month to one crore

Funding Mechanism:

• The Centre will fund 60% of the cost for installing 2 kW (kilowatt) systems and 40% of the cost for systems from 2-3 kW capacity.
• For the remaining costs, households will be able to “access collateral-free low-interest loans”.

A “Model Solar Village” will be developed in each district to act as a role model for adoption of RTS in rural areas.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS-II, Subject: Polity, Topic: Judiciary and Tribunals, Issue: High Court Jurisdiction

Context: Supreme Court judgement reversed the Asian Resurfacing of Road Agency Vs CBI of 2018.

A ‘stay’ or ‘stay order’ is defined as the act of temporarily stopping or postponing any judicial proceeding.

Highlights:

• In 2018, the Supreme Court held that stay orders would get vacated by default after six months unless extended.
• The court now reversed that decision and held that a reasoned stay order would remain in operation.
  • Till there is a decision in the main matter.
• The court mentioned Articles 226 and 142.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS-II, Subject: International Relations, Topic: India and its neighboring countries, Issue: Indian ocean region

Context:

• India replaced military personal with technical personal in Maldives.
• Indian and Mauritius Prime Minister jointly inaugurated an airstrip and a jetty built on Agaléga Island.

Development in both countries:

• India’s presence in Agaléga would enhance monitoring of Mauritius’ Exclusive Economic Zone and counter various threats, including piracy and illegal fishing.

China’s presence in Indian Ocean:

• Indian Ocean serves as the primary theater for China’s trade and diplomatic engagements.
• China maintains embassies in all six major islands in the Indian Ocean.
• China has established a military presence in the region. (Egg- Djibouti on the Horn of Africa)

India should recognize the importance of collaborating with island nations in the Indian Ocean region.

And considering the impact of their domestic politics on foreign policies.

Syllabus: GS-II, Subject: Polity, Topic: Elections, Issue: Rajya Sabha Elections

Context:

• The recent cross voting in Rajya Sabha election has raised the issue of sanctity of election

Rajya Sabha elections:

• As per Article 80 of the Constitution, the members of Legislative Assembly elect representatives of each State to the Rajya Sabha indirectly.
• Representation of the People Act, 1951 amended in 2003 introduced open ballot voting for Rajya Sabha elections to prevent cross voting.
• The Election Commission in 2017 clarified that Tenth Schedule provisions do not apply to Rajya Sabha elections.
• Parties cannot issue whips to their members for Rajya Sabha elections, and members are not bound by party instructions during these elections.

Cross-Voting refers to voting for a party one does not belong to, or for more than one party.

Syllabus: GS- III, Subject: Environment and ecology, Topic: Waste Management, Issue: Municipal waste

Informal waste pickers:

• Play a critical role in waste management and resource efficiency by collecting, sorting, trading and sometimes even recycling.
• Globally, 0.5-2% of the urban population are informal waste pickers, with around 1.5 million in India alone. (Centre for Science and Environment)

Reason for marginalization of informal waste pickers:

• Hazardous work without safety equipment.
• Irregular work, low income, and regular harassment are compounded by their subordinate position in the caste hierarchy.

The way ahead:

• As India’s per capita plastic waste generation increases, waste pickers’ role becomes even more critical.