Syllabus: GS-III

Subject: Economy

Topic: Agriculture and Allied Sector

Issue: Minimum Support Price

Benefit of giving legal status to MSP:

• Total value of 23 MSP crops for 2023-24 is approximately Rs 15 lakh crore, but only about Rs 10 lakh crore actually reaches markets due to various factors.
• Government purchase, including sugarcane, amounts to about Rs 4-5 lakh crore,
• While the private sector buys only Rs 5-6 lakh crore worth of MSP crops, on average 25% below MSP.
• Legal status for MSP could potentially increase private sector payments by up to Rs 1.5 lakh crore annually,
• This will lead to economic benefits through increased demand, employment, and investment.
• Legal MSP would promote crop diversification, reduce fiscal burden on government, and contribute to self-sufficiency in edible oils and pulses.
• Farmers seek enforcement of MSP only for willing market participants, similar to other regulated sectors like sugarcane and minimum wages.
• Legal MSP will ensure that farmers remain solvent and protects food security.

Syllabus: GS-III

Subject: Economy

Topic: Agriculture and Allied Sector

Issue: Minimum Support Price (MSP)

Reason behind farmer’s protest:

• The primary concern of the protesting farmers is that no law on MSP has been enacted yet.
• The government should clarify whether the MSP they proposed is based on the A2+FL+ 50% method (input cost and family labour) or at the rate of C2 (input cost and rent of the land)+50%.
• Other demands include:

• A complete loan waiver for the farmers and farm labour,
• A monthly pension for 58-year-old farmers/farm labourers,
• Withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020,
• Reintroduction of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 to ensure farmers consent and compensation at four times the collector rate,
• 200 days of employment annually at a daily wage of ₹700 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act etc.

Syllabus: GS-II

Subject: Polity

Topic: Right issues

Issue: Fundamental Rights

Bombay High Court judgement on Fact checking unit:

• Recently Bombay High Court in Kunal Kamra case has declared Fact Checking Unit for digital facts related to central government unconstitutional.
• The court declared that the amendment is not within the boundaries of reasonable restrictions envisaged in Article 19 (2) to 19(6) of constitution.
• It is arbitrary and discriminatory as it exclude print media thus it violates Article 14 of constitution.
• The court found that the fact checking unit violate the doctrine of proportionality and the absolute necessity of the measure to achieve the State’s goal.
• As per the court, the unit may cause a chilling effect and frontal assault on market place of ideas.

Syllabus: GS-II

Subject: Polity

Topic: Local government

Issue: Financial empowerment of Panchayats

Panchayat’s dependence on grant and underutilization of own source of revenue:

• State governments’ commitment to decentralization is crucial for effective local governance through panchayati raj institutions.
• Despite constitutional amendments for fiscal devolution, panchayats still rely heavily on grants rather than generating own revenue.
• Major avenues for own source of revenue include property tax, land revenue cess, stamp duty surcharge, and user charges.
• Gram Sabha play a vital role in leveraging local resources for revenue generation and promoting sustainable development.
• Dependency on grants has reduced the inclination of panchayats to generate own revenue.
• Overcoming the dependency on grants requires educating elected representatives and the public on the importance of revenue generation for local development.

Syllabus: GS- III

Subject: Environment and ecology

Topic: Biodiversity and conservation

Issue: Definition of forest

Context: Recent Supreme Court decision on definition of forest.

• The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 was enacted to prevent excessive deforestation.
• However, it applied to forest tracts recognized as such by the India Forest Act, or any other State legislation.
• The T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad judgment expanded forest protection beyond officially recognized areas, introducing the concept of ‘deemed forests.’
• However, many states have not yet identified or acknowledged ‘deemed forests’ as per the Court’s directive.
• The Centre’s proposed amendment to Forest Conservation Act aim to provide clarity, especially for private landowners regarding definition of forest
• There is concern that the amendments may hinder India’s efforts to create a carbon sink to meet net-zero goals.
• While hearing a petition challenging the amendment, Supreme Court has ordered the Centre to disclose states’ progress in identifying ‘deemed forests’ by April.

Syllabus: GS-III

Subject: Science and Technology

Topic: Medical science and Health

Issue: Vaccine Administration in India

Context: vaccination against cervical cancer

cervical cancer

• As per World Health Organization, cervical cancer is primarily (99%) caused by HPV infection.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus transmitted through sexual contact.
• Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Indian women (15 to 44 years) (over 77,000 deaths annually).
• Simple diagnostic tests like VIA and VILI can detect cervical cancer easily at early stage.
• Cryotherapy can effectively treat abnormal growths.

Challenges in India:

• Low screening of cervical cancer in India (under 2%) creates concern in its treatment.
• As the Government is planning for a vaccination programs, the program should be complemented with mandatory screening and treatment at primary health centers.
• A comprehensive national cervical cancer control program accessible to all women is necessary to prevent deaths.

Syllabus: GS-III

Subject: Economy

Topic: Investment models

Issue: Investments

Context: An article published in the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) bulletin highlights several key points regarding the current economic scenario in India.

Key Takeaways:

• The investment cycle is gaining momentum, supported by sustained government capex, increasing capacity utilization, and policy support from schemes like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI)

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus: GS-I

Subject: Society and Social Justice

Topic: Social empowerment and welfare

Issue: Maratha Reservations

Context: Maharashtra Assembly has unanimously passed a Bill to set aside 10% reservation for the Marathas under socially and educationally backward categories in jobs and education.

Synopsis:

• The Bill was formulated based on a report of the Justice (retired) Sunil B Shukre-led Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC).
• Previous attempts which failed legal challenges:

Case Law: Indra Sahwney v Union Of India 1992

The Supreme Court ruled that the total reservation for SCs, STs, and OBCs should not exceed 50% of available seats or positions.

Related Articles in Constitution:

1. Article 15 – State has the power to make any special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
2. Article 16 – State has the power to make any provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of any backward class of citizens which, in the opinion of the State, is not adequately represented in the services under the State.
3. Article 342A – President’s power to issue the Central list of SEBCs(Socially and educationally backward classes). Parliament by law can include/exclude. States can maintain separate lists.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus: GS-III

Subject: Economy

Topic: Infrastructure

Issue: Nuclear Power

Context: For the first time, the government is pursuing private investment in nuclear power.

Synopsis:

• Nuclear Power, a non-carbon-emitting energy source, currently contributes less than 2%(~6.8 GW) of India’s total electricity generation.
• With private investment, the government hopes to build 11,000 megawatts (MW) of new nuclear power generation capacity by 2040.

• The funding would also help India achieve its target of having 50% of its installed electric generation capacity use non-fossil fuels by 2030, up from 42% now.
• Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL), a PSU wholly owned by the government, owns and operates the country’s fleet of nuclear power plants.
• Funding Plan:
• a)Private companies – will make the investments in the nuclear plants, acquire land, water, and undertake construction in areas outside the reactor complex of the plants.
• b)Whereas the rights to build and run the stations and their fuel management will rest with NPCIL.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS-I

Subject: Society and Social Justice

Topic: Issues of women

Issue: Women in Armed Forces

Context: Supreme Court order upholding the rights of a woman Permanent Commissioner Officer in the Military Nursing Service who was discharged for getting married.

Synopsis:

• “Terminating employment because the woman has got married is a coarse case of gender discrimination and inequality. Laws and regulations based on gender-based bias are constitutionally impermissible.” – Supreme Court.
• The rule against marriage was applicable only to women nursing officers and is “ex facie manifestly arbitrary” violating Article 14 of the constitution.

Related Case Law(Mains): Ministry of Defence v Babita Puniya & Ors

• In this case, the Supreme court had directed that women officers in the army be granted permanent commission.

Source: The Hindu