Current Affairs Reverse Engineering
Care (7-02-2024)
| News at a Glance
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| National – Lok Sabha passes Bill to reserve seats for OBCs in J&K local bodies
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| Rajya Sabha passes Bills to include PVTGs of Odisha, A.P. in ST lists |
| International- India to fence its entire Myanmar border
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| Science and Technology– New science research board ‘takes effect’
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| Economy– India’s tax-to-GDP ratio to hit a record high in 2024-25
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Lok Sabha passes Bill to reserve seats for OBCs in J&K local bodies
Source: The Hindu
Context: There is no current provision for seats to be reserved for OBCs in panchayats and municipalities in J&K.
UPSC Syllabus Relevance: GS Paper II (Polity and Governance)
Why in news
- The Lok Sabha passed the Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to provide reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in panchayat and municipal bodies in the Union Territory.
Background
- J&K’s special status under Article 370 of the Constitution was revoked by Parliament on August 5, 2019 and the former State was then split into the two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.
- J&K has not had a functioning Assembly since June 2018, when the erstwhile State went under central rule.
- In December 2023, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to hold Assembly polls in J&K by September 2024.
Key Highlights
- It seeks to amend certain provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act, 2000 and the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation Act, 2000 (the Acts) in consonance with the provisions of the Part IX and Part IXA of the Constitution.
- The bill seeks to provide reservation to OBCs in panchayats and municipalities in Jammu and Kashmir and bring consistency in the local body laws of the Union territory with the provisions of the Constitution.
- The power to prepare and conduct local body polls, which is currently with the Chief Electoral Officer as per existing law, will now be transferred to the State Election Commission of Jammu and Kashmir.
- The Bill seeks to bring consonance with the provisions of the Constitution and the existing laws governing local body elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
| Q1. Consider the following statements:
1. The power to prepare and conduct local body polls in Jammu and Kashmir is with State Delimitation Commission. 2. Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2024 provides reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in panchayat and municipal bodies in the Jammu and Kashmir. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both 1 and 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2 |
Q. Consider the following statements: (UPSC Prelims 2023)
Statement-I: The Supreme Court of India has held in some judgements that the reservation policies made under Article 16(4) of the Constitution of India would be limited by Article 335 for maintenance of efficiency of administration. Statement-II: Article 335 of the Constitution of India defines the term ‘efficiency of administration’. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements? A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I C. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect D. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Answer: C |
| Ans 1 B
Explanation
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Rajya Sabha passes Bills to include PVTGs of Odisha, A.P. in ST lists
Source: The Hindu
Context: Rajya Sabha passes Bills seeking to modify SC/ST list in Odisha and Andhra.
UPSC Syllabus Relevance: GS Paper II (Government Acts and Policies)
Why in News
- Rajya Sabha passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order Amendment Bill, 2024 and Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order Amendment Bill, 2024, clearing the way for the addition of several new communities to the Scheduled Tribes list.
Key highlights
- In Odisha, the PVTG communities added are Pauri Bhuyan and Paudi Bhuyan as synonyms of the Bhuyan tribe; the Chuktia Bhunjia as a synonym of the Bhunjia tribe; the Bondo as a sub-tribe of the Bondo Poraja tribe; and the Mankidia as a synonym for the Mankirdia tribe.
- In Andhra Pradesh, the PVTG communities included were Bondo Porja and Khond Porja as synonyms of the Porja tribe and the Konda Savaras as a synonym for the Savaras tribe.
- The other two PVTG communities were in Maharashtra and Manipur.
- While these seven communities were already counted among the 75 PVTGs of the country when the designation was created, their individual community names (which qualify as either synonyms, sub-tribes, or phonetic variations of existing tribes) were not mentioned specifically.
- Now, these individual community names have been added as synonyms, sub-tribes, and phonetic variations of existing tribes, giving them access to ST status under their specific tribe names.
- In addition to this, the Bill to amend Odisha’s ST list also shifted two entries — Tamadia and Tamudia — from the Scheduled Castes list to the Scheduled Tribes list.
- The Bill also added synonyms, phonetic variations and sub-tribes of at least eight existing communities in the State’s ST list.
- Further, Odisha’s ST list was expanded by adding two communities to it as new entries. These are the Muka Dora community (and synonyms) in undivided Koraput District which includes Koraput, Nowrangapur, Rayagada and Malkangiri districts; and the Konda Reddy (and synonyms) community.
Who are the PVTGs?
- Initially known as Primitive Tribal Groups, the PVTGs are defined by the government as tribal communities that show either a declining or stagnant population, use of pre-agrarian technology, economic backwardness, low literacy etc.
- They are found to be living in some of the remotest and most inaccessible areas in the country. There are 75 such communities which are spread over 18 States and Union Territories, according to government figures.
PM-JANMAN
- The Cabinet recently approved the ₹24,000 crore Pradhan Mantri-Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan after the Prime Minister announced the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups Development Mission early this year that would take basic facilities likes roads, power, homes, mobile connectivity, etc. to the most backward among the Scheduled Tribes, the PVTGs.
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that a PM-PVTG Development Mission would be launched, for which the Government was planning a ₹15,000 crore expenditure, to be spent over a period of three years.
- The allocation cleared by the Union Cabinet on November 29 for this package stood at ₹24,104 crore out of which the central share would be ₹15,336 crore and the share for the respective State governments would stand at ₹8,768 crore.
- There were a little over 22,000 villages where PVTGs reside.
- However, the implementation of the programme will be done through nine ministries, which will ensure that existing schemes are taken to these PVTG-inhabited villages.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
| Q2. Which of the following statements with regards to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) is correct?
1. PVTGs are found to be living in remotest and most inaccessible areas in the country. 2. PM-JANMAN scheme aims for the welfare of PVTGs.
Code: A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both 1 and 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2 |
Q. Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India: (UPSC Prelims 2019)
1. PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory. 2. A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status. 3. There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far. 4. Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs. Which of the statements given above are correct? A. 1, 2 and 3 B. 2, 3 and 4 C. 1, 2 and 4 D. 1, 3 and 4
Ans: C
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| Answer 2 C
Explanation
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India to fence its entire Myanmar border
Source: The Hindu
Context: India has decided to construct a fence along the entire 1643-kilometer-long Indo-Myanmar border.
UPSC Syllabus relevance: GS Paper II (International Affairs), GS Paper III ( Internal Security)
Why in news
- In a prelude to the proposed scrapping of the free movement regime (FMR) with Myanmar officially, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the government has decided to construct a fence along the entire 1643-km-long border.
Key Highlights
- Home Minister had recently said that the FMR with Myanmar will be scrapped. The move aims to enhance surveillance and curb insurgencies, smuggling, and the drug trade in the region.
- It has been decided that anyone wanting to enter India will have to get valid travel documents, like the western border or regular practices adopted for air and sea travel.
- The Meiteis of Manipur as well as the Manipur government have been demanding fencing along the India-Myanmar boundary, alleging that the militants based in Myanmar were aiding the Kukis to launch attacks on the Meiteis and the security forces in Manipur.
- The Meitei MLAs also wrote to the Modi government, claiming that keeping the border open was a threat to national security.
Support and Opposition of the move
- Manipur wants the Myanmar border to be fenced, and the free entry of Myanmar nationals, accused of stoking the ongoing ethnic conflict, stopped.
- Manipur has a 390 km porous border with Myanmar. Mizoram, too, has seen an influx of anti-Junta rebels in thousands since the military coup in Myanmar on February 1, 2021.
- Mizoram and Nagaland, on the other hand, are against the dual move on the Myanmar front as the people on either side of the international border in those States belong to the same ethnic communities.
- Some 30,000 Chin people from civil war-torn Myanmar have also taken shelter in Mizoram since February 2021
Indo-Myanmar border (IMB)
- The 1,643 km long Indo-Myanmar border (IMB), which passes through Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, currently has FMR and is guarded by Assam Rifles.
Free Movement Regime (FMR)
- The Free Movement Regime (FMR) is a bilateral arrangement that allows members of the hill tribes from both India or Myanmar and a resident of an area within 16 km on either side to cross the border on the production of a pass and stay up to two weeks per visit.
- The FMR, was implemented in 2018 as part of India’s Act East Policy
- Scrapping of FMR is being opposed by Kuki, Mizo and Naga organisations.
Fencing with other neighbours
- India has border fences with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
- Of its 3,323 km long land border with Pakistan, India has already fenced 2,064 km.
- Similarly, on 4,096 km long border with Bangladesh, 3,180 has been completely fenced while 916 km is being covered through physical and non-physical barriers.
- To be sure, not entire border can be fenced due to riverine/low lying areas, mountains and marshy areas where it is difficult to erect any structure.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
| Q3. Consider the following statements with regards to India’s border fencing:
1. India’s border with Pakistan and Bangladesh has been completely fenced to avoid illegal immigration. 2. Indo-Myanmar border (IMB) is guarded by Border Security Force. Which of the above statements is/are correct? A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both 1 and 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2 |
Q. Department of Border Management is a Department of which one of the following Union Ministries? (UPSC Prelims 2008)
A. Ministry of Defence B. Ministry of Home Affairs C. Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways D. Ministry of Environment and Forests Ans- B |
| Answer 3– D
Explanation –
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New science research board ‘takes effect’
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Syllabus relevance: GS III (Science and technology)
Context: Anusandhan National Research Foundation aims to provide strategic direction for research, innovation and entrepreneurship in several fields of science.
Why in news
- The Centre said that provisions of the newly constituted research board, Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), had come into effect and announced the appointment of Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), as interim CEO of the body
Key Highlights
- The ANRF aims to be a research funding organisation that will have a corpus of ₹50,000 crore at the outset with nearly ₹36,000 crore projected to come from the private sector.
- The aim of this new funding body is to “provide high level strategic direction for research, innovation and entrepreneurship in the fields of natural sciences including mathematical sciences, engineering and technology, environmental and earth sciences, health and agriculture, and scientific and technological interfaces of humanities and social sciences.
- The DST in a press statement said that “…provisions of the ANRF Act had been brought into force on February 5, 2024”.
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman provisioned ₹2,000 crore towards the ANRF for the financial year 2024-25.
ANRF Act
- The ANRF Act was passed by both Houses of Parliament in 2023.
- The ANRF subsumes the existing Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), established in 2008, and in many respects identical to the ANRF.
- Government says that ANRF had an “expanded mandate and covers activities over and above the activities of SERB,”.
- However, the ‘rules’ accompanying the text of the Act are yet to be made public. Mr. Karandikar told that the rules had been “notified” and would be done “30 days after public notification”.
Composition
- The Department of Science and Technology (DST) would be the administrative department of NRF and led by a Governing Board consisting of eminent researchers and professionals across disciplines.
- The Prime Minister will be the ex-officio President of the Board and the Union Minister of Science & Technology & Union Minister of Education will be the ex-officio Vice-Presidents.
- NRF’s functioning will be governed by an Executive Council chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
| Q4. Consider the following statements with regards to Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF):
1.ANRF’s functioning will be governed by an Executive Council chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. 2. The ANRF subsumes the existing Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB). 3. Arvind Pangariya, has been appointed as interim CEO of ANRF.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? A. 1 and 2 only B. 2 and 3 only C. 1 and 3 only D. 1,2 and 3
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Q. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding National Innovation Foundation-India (NIF)? (UPSC Prelims 2015)
1. NIF is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology under the Central Government 2. NIF is an initiative to strengthen the highly advanced scientific research in India’s premier scientific institutions in collaboration with highly advanced foreign scientific institutions. Select the correct answer using the code given below. A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both 1 and 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2 Answer A
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Answer 4: A Explanation: · The Department of Science and Technology (DST) would be the administrative department of Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) and led by a Governing Board consisting of eminent researchers and professionals across disciplines. · NRF’s functioning will be governed by an Executive Council chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. · The Prime Minister will be the ex-officio President of the Board and the Union Minister of Science & Technology & Union Minister of Education will be the ex-officio Vice-Presidents. So, statement 1 is correct. · The ANRF Act was passed by both Houses of Parliament in 2023. · The ANRF subsumes the existing Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), established in 2008, and in many respects identical to the ANRF. So, statement 2 is correct. · Anusandhan National Research Foundation aims to provide strategic direction for research, innovation and entrepreneurship in several fields of science · The Union government said that provisions of the newly constituted research board, Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), had come into effect and announced the appointment of Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), as interim CEO of the body. So, statement 3 is incorrect. Therefore, correct answer is option A.
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India’s tax-to-GDP ratio to hit a record high in 2024-25
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Syllabus relevance: GS Paper III (Indian Economy, taxation, budgeting)
Context: India’s direct tax-to-GDP ratio has shown an upward trend.
Why in news
- India’s tax-to-GDP ratio is expected to hit a record high of 11.7% of GDP in 2024-25, led by an uptick in the more ‘equitable’ direct taxes, and the government will continue to simplify and rationalise the tax regime to reduce disputes, litigation and intrusive means of enforcement.
Key Highlights
- Growth in Personal Income Tax collections stands at 28% so far this year, and may moderate to 20%-22% by the end of March.
- On the prospects for rationalising the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates, a Group of Ministers (GoM) tasked by the GST Council to review the rate structure has been reconstituted, but small changes to rationalise rates on different items are a continuing exercise in the Council.
- The GST Council is expected to meet every quarter and should meet soon, but no date has been fixed yet.
- As the economy grows and per capita income increases, the tax to GDP also increases
- With the deadline for new manufacturing units to avail a 15% corporate tax rate ending in March 2023, a lot of companies have already availed it, but next year’s tax returns will reveal the overall numbers.
- About 57% of the corporate tax income is being filed at the reduced rate of 22%, introduced in 2019 for firms if they don’t opt for any deductions.
Tax-to-GDP ratio
- Tax-to-GDP ratio represents the size of the tax revenue from the government, expressed as a percentage of GDP.
- The higher the tax ratio to GDP, the better the country’s financial position will be.
- The figure illustrates the government’s ability to finance its expenditures.
- A higher tax-to-GDP ratio means the government can spread its fiscal net across the board, and it reduces the reliance of a government on borrowing.
Goods and Services Tax
- The GST has subsumed indirect taxes like excise duty, Value Added Tax (VAT), service tax, luxury tax etc. GST was introduced through the 101st Constitution Amendment Act, 2016. It is one of the biggest indirect tax reforms in the country.
- The GST has subsumed indirect taxes like excise duty, Value Added Tax (VAT), service tax, luxury tax etc.
- It was introduced with the slogan of ‘One Nation One Tax’.
Goods and Services Tax Council
- Goods and Services Tax Council (GST Council) has been constituted on 15.09.2016 under Article 279A of the Constitution.
- The GST Council consists of the Union Finance Minister, the Union Minister of State in charge of Revenue or Finance and the Minister in charge of Finance or Taxation or any other Minister nominated by each State Government.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
| Q 5. Consider the following statements:
1. The higher the tax ratio to GDP, increases the borrowing by governments 2. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures the monetary measure of all “final” goods and services— those that are bought by the final user— produced in a country in a given period.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both 1 and 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2 |
Q. A decrease in tax to GDP ratio of a country indicates which of the following? (UPSC Prelims 2015)
1. Slowing economic growth rate 2. Less equitable distribution of national income
Select the correct answer using the code given below: A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both 1 and 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: A |
| Answer 5– B
Explanation · Tax-to-GDP ratio represents the size of the tax revenue from the government, expressed as a percentage of GDP. · The higher the tax ratio to GDP, the better the country’s financial position will be. The figure illustrates the government’s ability to finance its expenditures. · A higher tax-to-GDP ratio means the government can spread its fiscal net across the board, and it reduces the reliance of a government on borrowing. So, statement 1 is incorrect. · Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the monetary value of all the final goods and services produced within a country’s borders in a specific time period, generally 1 year. It is a broad measurement of a nation’s overall economic activity. So, statement 2 is correct. Therefore, correct answer is option B.
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