Many Social Organisation and Women Activist Took Up Bhanwari Devi

Many social organisation and women activist took up Bhanwari Devis fight for justice.
Realising that
Bhanwaris ordeal stemmed from the work she did as part of a government initiative, womens rights
activists decided to take up her case as an example for the need to protect working women from
sexual harassment. Finally, together, they filed a PIL in the Supreme Court under Vishakha and
Others Vs State of Rajasthan and Others.
In August 1997, the apex court took cognisance of the case and delivered the historic Vishakha guidelines
that held that sexual harassment of women at the workplace, which is against their dignity, is violative of
Articles 14, 15 (1) and 21 of the Constitution. Sexual harassment, in other words, was held as a violation
of fundamental rights.
The Supreme Court observed, The immediate cause for the filing of this writ petition is an incident of alleged
brutal gang rape of a social worker in a village of Rajasthan The incident reveals the hazards to which a
working woman may be exposed and the depravity to which sexual harassment can degenerate; and
the urgency for safeguards by an alternative mechanism in the absence of legislative measures.
The guidelines were named Vishakha, on the Jaipur-based NGO who have petitioned with other four
womens activist group.
Vishakha guidelines, 1997
Sexual harassment includes such unwelcome sexually determined behaviour as physical contact and
advances; a demand or request for sexual favors; sexually colored remarks; showing pornography; any other
unwelcome physical, verbal or non- verbal conduct of sexual nature.
Sexual harassment as defined at the work place should be notified, published and circulated.
Where such conduct amounts to a specific offence under law, the employer should initiate appropriate action
by complaining with the appropriate authority.
Victims of sexual harassment should have the option to seek transfer of the perpetrator or their own transfer.
An appropriate mechanism should be created for redressal of the complaint.
THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WOMEN AT WORKPLACE (PREVENTION, PROHIBITION AND
REDRESSAL) ACT 2013
It took the government 17 years to pass the law against sexual harassment in the workplace earlier this year,
in the wake of the Delhi gang rape last December, when the Supreme Court had in 1997 laid down the
Vishaka guidelines on the matter.
The Act includes many provisions of the Vishakha guidelines, which first called for the formulation of a code
of conduct for work place. Building on the Vishakha guidelines, the Act calls for the formation of an internal
complaints committee and a local complaints committee at the district level.
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013
seeks to protect women from sexual harassment at their place of work in a much wider sense.
The Bill was first introduced by women and child development minister Krishna Tirath in 2007 and approved
by the Union Cabinet in January 2010. It was tabled in the Lok Sabha in December 2010 and referred to the
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources Development. The committees report was
published on 30 November 2011. In May 2012, the Union Cabinet approved an amendment to include
domestic workers. The amended Bill was finally passed by the Lok Sabha on 3 September 2012 The Bill was
passed by the Rajya Sabha(the upper house of the Indian Parliament) on 26 February 2013. It received the
assent of the President of India on April, 2013 and finally came into force on December 9, 2013. INSIGHTS
CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014
http://insightsonindia.com INSIGHTS Page 23

Some important provisions of the Act:
The Act defines sexual harassment at the work place and creates a mechanism for redressal of
complaints. It also provides safeguards against false or malicious charges.
The definition of aggrieved woman, who will get protection under the Act is extremely wide to cover all
women, irrespective of her age or employment status, whether in the organized or unorganized sectors,
public or private and covers clients, customers and domestic workers as well.
While the workplace in the Vishaka Guidelines is confined to the traditional office set-up where there is a
clear employer-employee relationship, the Act goes much further to include organisations, department,
office, branch unit etc. in the public and private sector, organized and unorganized, hospitals, nursing
homes, educational institutions, sports institutes, stadiums, sports complex and any place visited by the
employee during the course of employment including the transportation.
Every employer is required to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee at each office or branch
with 10 or more employees. The District Officer is required to constitute a Local Complaints Committee at
each district, and if required at the block level.
The Committee is required to complete the inquiry within a time period of 90 days. On completion of the
inquiry, the report will be sent to the employer or the District Officer, as the case may be, they are mandated
to take action on the report within 60 days.
The Complaints Committees have the powers of civil courts for gathering evidence.
The Complaints Committees are required to provide for conciliation before initiating an inquiry, if requested
by the complainant.
Penalties have been prescribed for employers. Non-compliance with the provisions of the Act shall be
punishable with a fine of up to 50,000. Repeated violations may lead to higher penalties and cancellation of
licence or registration to conduct business.
Has anything changed?
It has been 21 years when Supreme Court had first delivered the historical Vishakha guidelines. What
has changed over the years and can be called our biggest achievement is that the victim is believed and the
case is taken forward on the premise that her word is the truth, unlike 21 years ago when Bhanwaris biggest
battle was to prove she was not lying. Today victims are heard and prominent actions are being taken on the
complaint.
Twenty-one years later, the Vishakha guidelines springing from Bhanwaris case are now at the centre of two
high-profile incidents (Tarun Tejpal and Retired Justice Ganguly case) which have renewed focus on sexual
harassment at the workplace in India.
Vishaka envisaged that women might finally go to work with the legitimate expectation that their workplace
would be free of any of the overt or implied sexual harms that women would be accepted as colleagues
and equals.
And that the responsibility for ensuring that women no longer have to dodge the offensive sexual proclivities
of colleagues and superiors would lie with the employer or those in positions of responsibility.
Sixteen years later, those projecting themselves as the custodians of such basic and fundamental
expectations, be it a Tehelka, the Supreme Court of India or even the state, have barely, if at all,
complied with Vishaka.
Had they done so, the law intern and the journalist would have entered a workplace that prioritized the
prevention of workplace sexual harassment, encouraged its employees or members to speak up about it and
cultivated an environment supportive of their claims. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

They would have been equipped with language that understood sexual harassment as a violation of
constitutional equality at work and hailed leadership that promptly condemned sexually inappropriate
behaviour (irrespective of the offenders status).
As a last resort, they would have had access to a trained, skilled and capable complaints committee, with
third party expertise, to hear their complaint empathetically and through an informed lens. They got none of
this.
In the absence of any institutional compliance, both women were subjected to ad hoc responses based on
systemic sexist assumptions.
Summoned before a panel of judges, seven meetings and three affidavits later, the law intern
described the experience as being looked at with suspicious eyes.
As for the journalist, she made her complaint to the managing editor, a proclaimed feminist, only to
find the language of her sexual violation publicly diluted into an untoward incident, as a covert
means to protect the institution.
The most challenging adversary to changing womens experiences of sexual harassment in the
workplace is not the actual offender, its the non-compliant institution.
In its failure to educate its own, to inform and stake itself on building a culture intolerant of sexual
harassment, such an institution plays the same role as the passive bystander, who fosters hostile sexual
environments by simply doing nothing.
Two persevering and articulate women, with everything to lose, and little to gain, remind us of one thing
doing nothing, which perpetuates a sexist status quo, need no longer be our systemic truth. It need not be
the way things are.
That both incidents came to light at all is due solely to the remarkable clarity and confident expression with
which each documented her experience of workplace

ENERGY SECURITY::
Power Grid in India
Electric Power is the biggest power in the world, without it no power like political power, economic power or
technological power, could not work. Electric Power acts as blood of economy, with the INSIGHTS CURRENT
EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

growing size of economy, power consumption is also increased and same situation is with India at present.
India is one the power hunger country, so to deal with it, India has started power reform. So in this article we
will discussing various issues regarding the power in India under various headings.
Power Grid and its failure reason:
The power grid refers to generating stations which are connected through an interconnected network of
transmission lines and substations. These generating stations supply power through these transmission
lines. The companies responsible for distribution take the power coming through these lines and forward it to
the consumers.
The stability of the grids depends on a delicate equilibrium of demand-supply chain. The amount of load is
directly proportional to the amount of power generated. When the equilibrium between power generated and
consumed gets disturbed and the load becomes more, it leads to tripping of the line. It is duty of the power
distributors to maintain the equilibrium intact so that not trigger a grid failure.
A power grid consists of three sections
stations which produce electricity from fuel (fossil or non-combustible),
the transmission lines which carry the power to the substations from the plants and
lastly the transformers which keep a check on the voltage.
A schedule is declared by the generating plants for injection of power to the grid operators. Similarly a
schedule is also drawn by the distribution stations according to which they are supposed to draw power and
distribute it further.
The stability of a grid is determined by keeping a check on the demand and supply, as per the drawn
schedule. According to the Indian Electricity Code, 49.5 Hz to 50.2 Hz is the permissible band for grid
operations in India. It is supposed that a bigger grid is more stable than smaller ones.
Grids collapse due to two basic reasons. One is the failure of the equipment, like it happened a decade ago
in 2002 when the northern grid collapsed, due to fog/pollution. The second trigger is power suppliers drawing
excessive power from the grid. Which results in the balance of power generation and supply goes haywire
with a cascading effect. This is probably the reason why the grid failed this time.
There are various reasons why an excessive withdrawal of power happens. Weather phenomenon and
change in sudden climate is one reason. Most of them cannot be controlled physically but can be minimized
by keeping a close check.
There is a penalty clause: Unscheduled Interchange rate whenever the discoms draws more than
necessary power, the UI rate goes up as a penalty. Northern states of India, like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab,
Haryana and Jammu Kashmir, have been found to be habitual violators. The UI penalty has as is evident
not been able to deter the violators. Presence of heavy industries and fast growing cities has necessitated
the need for more power. But the production has not been able to cope up with the required distribution.

Power Grids Status in India:
So to avoid such grid failures and in case of grid failure, for recovering the situation single national grid would
be helping India. India has five electricity regional grids Northern, Eastern, North Eastern, Southern and
Western. All of them are now got interconnected.
Advantages with the National Grid (One nation-one grid)
It will be a synchronous grid so it will augment inter-regional power transfer capacity of the states in the
south. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

It will also relieve the congestion in some transmission corridors.
It will solve frequency problems of Tamil Nadu and also would help in getting sufficient power in shortage
case.
Besides these advantages, now complexity of the grid management has been increased. So there is high
need to use efficient tools to manage it so that total blackout like in 2012 in northern India could be avoided.
This need to enforce discipline amount the states in drawing power from the grid.
One nation one grid is a step toward reforming power sector in India. Presently power sector is having huge
problem in the distribution side. So there is need of reducing of distribution leakages in the power sector in
India. This could be solved by SMART GRID.
A smart grid is modernized electrical grid which with the help of ICT technology keeps track of power
consumption and distribution in automated fashion. This will help in increasing the efficiency and reliability.
Besides this major success in integrating the grids, India still need reforms in generation, transmission and
distribution. This could be achieved by increasing competition and having a political will.
Courtesy http://zeenews.india.com/exclusive/power-grid-failure-how-does-it-happen_3584.html
http://www.powergridindia.com/_layouts/PowerGrid/User/ContentPage.aspx?PId=78&LangID=english
CHILD WELFARE::
(Year End Review of Ministry of Women and Child Development)
CHILD WELFARE: LEGISLATIVE AND PROGRAMMATIC MEASURES
Legislative Measures:
Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012:
Model Guidelines under the POSCO Act, 2012 were issued by the Ministry on 18th September, 2013 under
Section 39 of the POSCO Act. State governments are required to make guidelines for the use of
professionals to assist the child in pre-trial and trial stage. On request made by several state governments,
the MWCD prepared model guidelines through consultations. Five Regional conferences on Protection of
Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 were held from July to September, 2013 to spread awareness on
the Act. The conferences covered all States/UTs. The participants including officers from Women Child
Department, Health Department, Education Departments, SCPCRs, State Judicial Academy, Police
Academy, CWC members and officers of Prosecution Administrative Academy.
Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006:
Government of India has brought in a more progressive Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 that includes
punitive measures against those who perform, permit and promote child marriage. This Act came into effect
in November, 2007.As per Section 16(1) of the Act, the State Government shall, by notification in the Official
Gazette, appoint for the whole State, or such part thereof as may be specified in that Notification, an officer
or officers to be known as Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPO) having jurisdiction over the area or
areas specified in the notification. Under Section 19(1) the State Government may, by Notification in the
Official Gazette, make Rules for carrying out the provisions of this Act. The Ministry of Women and Child
Development has been pursuing with the State Governments for appointment of CMPOs and Notification of
Rules. As per information received from States/UTs, so far, 20 States and 5 UTs have framed Rules and20
States and 6 UTs have appointed Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs).The draft Plan is under
finalization. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

Programmatic Measures:
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
Scheme
The Integrated Child Development Services
(ICDS) Scheme is one of the flagship
programmes of the Government of India and
represents one of the worlds largest and unique
programmes for early childhood care and
development. It is the foremost symbol of
countrys commitment to its children and nursing
mothers, as a response to the challenge of
providing pre-school non-formal education on
one hand and breaking the vicious cycle of
malnutrition, morbidity, reduced learning capacity
and mortality on the other. The beneficiaries
under the Scheme are children in the age group
of 0-6 years, pregnant women and lactating
mothers.
Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS)
Ministry of Women and Child Development is
implementing this comprehensive Centrally
Sponsored Scheme since 2009-10 through the
State Government/UT Administrations on
predefined cost sharing financial pattern. The
objectives of the Scheme are to contribute to the
improvement in the well being of children in
difficult circumstances, as well as reduction of
vulnerabilities to situation and actions that leads
to abuse, neglect, exploitation, abandonment and
separation of children from parent.
ICPS provides preventive, statutory care and
rehabilitation services to children who are in need
of care and protection and children in conflict with
law as defined under the Juvenile Justice (Care
and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and its
Amendment Act, 2006 and any other vulnerable
child. It provides financial support to State
Governments/UT Administrations for running
services for children either themselves or through
suitable NGOs. These services include
Homes of various types for children;
Emergency Outreach services through Childline;
Open Shelters for children in need of care and
protection in Urban and Semi Urban Areas;
Family Based Non-Institutional Care through
Sponsorship, Foster Care and Adoptions.
Scheme for the Welfare of Working Children
in Need of Care and Protection
The scheme is being implemented since
January, 2005 with the objective of providing
non-formal education, vocational training etc. To
working children to facilitate their entry/re-entry
into mainstream education in cases where they
have either not attended any learning system or
where, for some reason, their education has
been discontinued, with a view to prevent their
future exploitation.

Sabla- Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for
Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG)
The Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of
Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG)Sabla, a Centrally-
sponsored scheme introduced in the year 2010-
11 on a pilot basis. Sabla aims at all-round
development of adolescent girls of 11-18
years(with a focus on out of school girls) and is
being implemented in 205 districts from all the
States/UTs.
The scheme has two major components:
Nutrition and Non Nutrition Component. While
the nutrition component aims at improving the
health & nutrition status of the adolescent girls
the non-nutrition component addresses the
developmental needs including IFA
supplementation, health check-up & referral
services, nutrition & health education, ARSH
counseling /guidance on family welfare, life skill
education, guidance on accessing public services
and vocational training (only 16-18 year old
adolescent girls).

MoEF set to notify new Forest conservation
rules 2013 replacing 2003 rules
Realistic tiered timelines to grant forest
clearances depending on requirement of forest
land and Explanation by state governments in
case of delay along with appropriate action
against the responsible officials.
More relaxed and shorter forest clearance
procedure for exploratory/prospecting projects.
Earlier these
projects through entire forest clearance
procedure as full-fledged mining projects
Under new rules the total timeline including at
central and state levels is 140 days for diversion
of forest land up to 5ha and it goes up to
300days for projects involving forest land
diversion more than 100ha
CPM opposed these rules saying that the MoEF
is trying to circumvent Forest Rights Act and give
all powers to bureaucracy as against gram
sabhas with regard to settlement of rights
involved in projects that require diversions of
forest land

DISABILITIES
According to Census 2011, the number of
disabled in India amount to 2.21 percent of
population
India has ratified the UN Convention on Rights
of Persons with Disabilities. It requires the
nations which are party to the treaty, to provide
an enabling atmosphere so that disabled
enjoy the status as full and equal members of
the society with human rights.
All the four disability-specific legislations i.e.
The Mental Health Act 1987, Rehabilitation
Council of India Act 1992, Persons with Disability
(Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and
Full Participation) Act 1995 and the National
Trust Act 1999 would have to be harmonized
with the letter and spirit of the UNCRPD after
India ratified it.
Failings of the PWD Act :
The Act fails to impose mandatory obligations on
the appropriate government. The implementation
of provisions pertaining to non-discrimination and
physical access depends on the state
governments limits of economic capacity and
development. This absolves the state govt. of
any responsibility.
It does not prescribe punishment for forced
abortions or sterilization
The PWD Act does not internalize any of the core
principles of the Disability Convention, which is
Disabled persons are right holders and that they
are not merely passive recipients of govt.
scheme.
The rights the disabled enjoy according to the
convention are the Rights of Women and
Children with Disability to full and equal
enjoyment of human rights, right to privacy,
reproductive rights, right to family, health care,
prohibition of discrimination on grounds of
disability in employment, political rights of right to
vote and contest etc. which are not taken care
adequately in the Act
The Disabilities according to the Act is narrowly
defined and includes only blindness, low vision,
leprosy-cured, hearing impairment, locomotor
disability, mental retardation and mental illness.
Highlights of the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities Bill that overrides the Persons
with Disabilities (Equal Opportunity
Protection of Rights and Full Participation)
Act of 1995
It raises the reservation to the Disabled in the
Govt. jobs from 3 to 5 percent
Every person with disability who fulfils eligibility
requirements is entitled to be registered as a
voter.
Provides incentives/disincentives to the Private
sector for presence/absence of employing
persons with disability less than 5 percent.
Any person who is unable to vote in person due
to disability or because of admission to hospital
for treatment is entitled to opt for postal ballot. It
requires the Election Commission to ensure that
all polling stations are accessible to persons with
disabilities.
Recognizes the right to fertility to the mentally
unsound women making the bill take into account
the gender concerns
Prescribes punishment for forced abortions or
hysterectomy
The latest Supreme Court judgment for disabled
in the State, Central govt. and Public Sector
Undertakings has scrapped the different basis for
reservations across the Group A, B, C and D
posts and held that 3 percent reservation to be
notified across all the Groups. The ruling also
held that reservation be calculated on the total
number of vacancies in the cadre strength rather
than only the vacancies in the identified posts fit
for the disabled. This ensures that whoever is
capable for a job can try and qualify for it and is
not denied opportunity for a particular job on the
grounds of disability.

Elderly in India
By 2050, India will be home to one out of every
six of the worlds older persons, and only China
will have a larger number of elderly people,
according to estimates released by the United
Nations Population Fund. This shall soon result
in too few hands supporting many elderly, the
problem which should concern the policy makers
in India. The elderly or senior citizen is a
person aged 60 and above according to the
Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and
Senior Citizens Act, 2007 and National Policy
for Older Persons 1999.
After the enactment of the Maintenance and
Welfare of the Senior Citizens and Parents 2007
Act, it had become not only moral responsibility
but also legal responsibility for children/ relatives
to take care of their parents/ senior citizens. The
Act provides the senior citizens to claim monthly
maintenance from their children/relatives by
Maintenance tribunal. It also enables the state in
taking care of them by way of constructing old
age homes and others. The Act is to be
implemented by the State govt.
The critiques of the Act include
It is the responsibility of the State to provide
health care and assistance to the elderly, as is
noted in the Article 41 of Directive Principles of
State Policy. The state is absolving of the above
said responsibility which is also seen, in the
may construct old age homes etc. which is not
mandatory.
It is doubtful if parents who are suffering shall
take their children to the maintenance tribunals
due to the social factors involved.
The act doesnt apply to those parents who do
not have children, or those who do not have
property.
Elderly are a heterogeneous section. They are
less vulnerable in rural areas as compared to
their urban counterparts.
One of the issues affecting old persons also
involve the denial of active euthanasia in India.
In India, the Pension system is almost non-
existent. The formal pension system covers only
few, whereas more than 90 percent of the
workforce are in informal sector and arent
covered under the formal pension system. There
is a need for Universal Old Age Pension in India.
Negatives of the Pension System in India
Not universal
Being arbitrarily based on BPL criteria. (
IGNOAPS)
Based on contributions from the beneficiaries
(NPS)
Not present in India as a matter of right.
Wherever allocated, the amount is not adequate.
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is
the nodal agency for policies and programmes
concerning the elderly. It has formulated the
National Policy on Older Persons in 1999 to
better the welfare of the elderly in India. To
oversee the implementation of the policy,
National Council for Older Persons has been
constituted in 1999, chaired by the Minister of
SJE. It is the highest body to coordinate with
govt. and help in formulation and implementation
of policies and programmes on elderly. The
implementation of the policy failed and a new
National Policy on Senior Citizens is drafted
under Mohan Giri Committee.
An Integrated Programme for Older Persons
(IPOP) is being implemented since 1992, which
is revised in 2008, with the objective of improving
the quality of life of senior citizens by providing
basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care
and entertainment opportunities and by
encouraging productive and active ageing
through providing support for capacity building of
Government/ Non- Governmental
Organizations/Panchayati Raj Institutions/ local
bodies and the Community at large. Under the
Scheme, financial assistance up to 90% of the
project cost is provided to non-governmental
organizations for establishing and maintaining old
age homes, day care centres and mobile
medicare units etc.
The National Programme for Health Care for
Elderly in 2010, with the main objective of the
Programme is to provide preventive, curative and
rehabilitative services to the elderly persons at
various level of health care delivery system of the
country. Other objectives are, to strengthen
referral system, to develop specialized man
power and to promote research in the field of
diseases related to old age. The major
components of this programme are establishing
geriatric departments in eight regional geriatric
centres and strengthening health care facilities
for the elderly at various levels in 100 districts.
The social assistance provided by the National
Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS) by the
Ministry of Rural Development is inadequate and
distinguishes between BPL and non BPL
categories which is quite arbitrary. And there are
many who are in need of genuine assistance not
just BPL, for poverty line in India is equated with
destitution line, it ignores the real pictures.
For elderly who might suffer from physical,
financial and emotional distress, what is needed
is not just support from the children at the
individual level and community levels, but state
has to support the elderly in leading a life with
dignity by instituting social security systems in
place, by providing affordable housing, health
care, formalization of employment etc.
References
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/for-a-
universal-oldage-pension-
plan/article3401455.ece
http://kafila.org/2012/05/18/resisting-the-second-
childhood-towards-universal-pension-in-india/
POVERTY AND POVERTY ESTIMATION IN
INDIA
DEFINING POVERTY
Poverty, droughts, underdevelopment, different
sorts of inequalities and domination have been
the age old problems or phenomena observed
from the past to the present and across the time
and space. Poverty is a very vague concept with
varied connotations and facets.
Traditional definition of poverty is constructed
with one dimensional approach of income and
food intake capabilities.
Social Scientists distinguish between relative
and absolute poverty.
Relative poverty views poverty as socially
defined and dependent on social context, hence
relative poverty is a measure of income
inequality. Usually, relative poverty is measured
as the percentage of population with income less
than some fixed proportion of median income.
Absolute poverty, extreme poverty, or abject
poverty is a condition characterized by severe
deprivation of basic human needs, including
food, INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE
JANUARY 2014

safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health,
shelter, education and information. It depends
not only on income but also on access to
services. Absolute poverty occurs when people
fail to receive sufficient resources to support a
minimum of physical health and efficiency, often
expressed in terms of calories or nutritional
levels.
The World Bank defines poverty as the
inability to attain a minimal standard of living.
The World Bank website on Poverty Reduction
and Equity defines poverty in comprehensive
manner, saying, Poverty is hunger. Poverty is
lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not
being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having
access to school and not knowing how to read.
Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future,
living one day at a time. Poverty is losing a child
to illness brought about by unclean water.
Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation
and freedom.
UN definition of poverty: Fundamentally,
poverty is a denial of choices and opportunities, a
violation of human dignity. It means lack of basic
capacity to participate effectively in society. It
means not having enough to feed and clothe a
family, not having a school or clinic to go to; not
having the land on which to grow ones food or a
job to earn ones living, not having access to
credit. It means insecurity, powerlessness and
exclusion of individuals, households and
communities. It means susceptibility to violence,
and it often implies living in marginal or fragile
environments, without access to clean water or
sanitation.
UNI-DIMENSIONAL VS. MULTIDIMENSIONAL
CONCEPT OF POVERTY
Uni-dimensional idea of poverty
This traditional idea of poverty associates it
with lack of sufficient money, so it tries to
measure poverty in terms of shortage of
income. It is a one-dimensional approach
focused on income or lack of it.
Poverty researchers, in their efforts to quantify
poverty, came up with the clearly tangible idea of
headcounts of the poor so that some number
can be attached with poverty. This gave birth to
the concept of monetary poverty lines
people with income below the poverty line
came to be labeled poor.
But, Human well-being is a complex issue and is
affected by many factors both material and
non-material. In fact, peoples well being
depends upon a plethora of factors that can be
psychological, social, cultural, political and
environmental. Any oversimplified measure can
provide convenience but cant ever present the
complete picture. So, the one-dimensional
poverty concept is inadequate.
Multidimensional concept of poverty
The modern multidimensional approach is
characterised with a broader view and considers
poverty as a deprivation of essential productive
assets and opportunities to which every human
being should be entitled. This approach believes
that defining poverty in terms of consumption
expenditure misses the point. Assets and its
distribution are the key factor.
There are two approaches that define poverty
as a state of multiple deprivations. One is the
basic needs approach (BNA) which views
poverty as deprivation of consumption and
the other is the capability approach (CA) in
which poverty is seen as deprivation of
opportunities.
The Basic Needs Approach (BNA)
This approach aims to provide the
opportunities for the full physical, mental and
social development of people. Although it aims
to provide conditions for comprehensive
fulfillment of human life (material, social, cultural
and political), in operational terms it primarily
focuses on the minimum requirements for a
decent life health, nutrition and literacy and
the goods and services needed to realize it, such
as shelter, sanitation, food, health services, safe
water, primary education, housing and related
infrastructures. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS
MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

This is the most popular idea behind states
welfare programs which are designed so that
peoples basic minimum needs (as prescribed)
are met.
Amartya Sens capability Approach:
Amartya Sens capability approach provides a
more useful alternative to understand poverty.
Capability approach to understanding poverty
goes beyond income and emphasizes the whole
range of means, available to achieve human
capabilities like literacy, longevity and access to
income.
From this perspective, poverty is seen as the
failure of some basic capabilities to function-
a person lacking the opportunity to achieve
some minimally accepted level of these
functionings.
The functionings relevant to his analysis include
Physical ones as being well nourished, being
adequately clothed, and sheltered
Social achievements such as taking part in the
life of the community, being able to appear in
public without shame and so on;
The opportunity of converting personal incomes
into capabilities to function depends on a variety
of personal circumstances including age, gender,
proneness to illness, disabilities and so on; and
Social surroundings.
The notion of poverty thus goes beyond
income and basic services. People who are
under empowered, who are unable to participate
in making the decisions, who are deprived of
basic education, health care, nutrition, water and
sanitation, employment and wages and who pass
many different inabilities and adversities like
inequality of asset, unequal distribution,
ignorance, corruption, lack of political power, lack
of political will, natural calamities, inadequate
governance, lack of opportunities of
development, inappropriate public policies and
programmes, lack of access to entitlements and
many hurdles in the well being of human beings
are included in the category of poor.
There are many other social dimensions of
poverty like caste, untouchability, bondages,
gender discrimination, social exclusion,
domination and violence against the
downtrodden.
OBJECTIVES OF POVERTY ESTIMATION
To build awareness on poverty and to keep it in
the agenda of discourse;
To design policies, programs and institution to
alleviate poverty
To monitor and evaluate these policies, programs
and institutions that are associated with it.
INTERNATIONAL POVERTY ESTIMATION
According to World Bank, Extreme poverty is
defined as average daily consumption of $1.25 or
less and means living on the edge of
subsistence, while the daily consumption of $ 2
defines moderate poverty.
OFFICIAL POVERTY ESTIMATION IN INDIA
Poverty estimates in India, since 1979 has been
done by the Planning Commission using data
from NSS surveys(National sample survey) on
household consumption expenditure.
The major developments in this regard are as
following:
In 1962, the Planning Commission constituted
a working group to estimate poverty nationally,
and it formulated separate poverty lines for rural
and urban areas of Rs 20 and Rs 25 per capita
per year respectively.
VM Dandekar and N Rath made the first
systematic assessment of poverty in India in
1971, based on National Sample Survey (NSS)
data from 1960-61. They argued that the poverty
line must be derived from the expenditure that
was adequate to INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

provide 2250 calories per day in both rural and
urban areas. This generated debate on
minimum calorie consumption norms while
estimating poverty and variations in these
norms based on age and sex.
Alagh Committee (1979)
In 1979, a task force constituted by the Planning
Commission for the purpose of poverty
estimation, chaired by YK Alagh, constructed a
poverty line for rural and urban areas on the
basis of nutritional requirements. It
recommended 2400 kilocalories for rural areas
and 2100 kilocalories for urban areas. Poverty
estimates for subsequent years were to be
calculated by adjusting the price level for
inflation.
Lakdawala Committee (1993)
In 1993, an expert group constituted to review
methodology for poverty estimation, chaired by
DT Lakdawala, made the following suggestions:
Consumption expenditure should be calculated
based on calorie consumption as earlier;
State specific poverty lines should be constructed
and these should be updated using the
Consumer Price Index of Industrial Workers
(CPI-IW) in urban areas and Consumer Price
Index of Agricultural Labour (CPI-AL) in rural
areas; ( earlier it was based on wholesale price
index) and
Discontinuation of scaling of poverty estimates
based on National Accounts Statistics. This
assumes that the basket of goods and services
used to calculate CPI-IW and CPI-AL reflect the
consumption patterns of the poor.
This method, in turn, received its share of
analysis and criticisms. These criticisms centered
on the method used for price adjustment, the
rural urban differentials in poverty and inter-alia
the continued relevance of the 1973 basket for
poverty comparisons. The main concern was the
under-counting of the poor specifically from the
view point of targeted programs.
Tendulkar Committee (2009)
In 2005, another expert group to review
methodology for poverty estimation, chaired by
Suresh Tendulkar, was constituted by the
Planning Commission to address the following
three shortcomings of the previous methods:
Consumption patterns were linked to the 1973-74
poverty line baskets (PLBs) of goods and
services, whereas there were significant changes
in the consumption patterns of the poor since that
time, which were not reflected in the poverty
estimates;
There were issues with the adjustment of prices
for inflation, both spatially (across regions) and
temporally (across time); and
Earlier poverty lines assumed that health and
education would be provided by the State and
formulated poverty lines accordingly.
It recommended four major changes:
A shift away from calorie consumption based
poverty estimation;
A uniform poverty line basket (PLB) across rural
and urban India;
A change in the price adjustment procedure to
correct spatial and temporal issues with price
adjustment; and
Incorporation of private expenditure on health
and education while estimating poverty.
Planning commission accepted the
recommendation of Tendulkar committee in
2011.
The Tendulkar panel had redrawn the poverty
line at a daily consumption expenditure of Rs
22.42 per person in rural areas and Rs 28.65
in urban areas.
According to the new estimates, there has been
a sharp reduction in both absolute numbers of
poor, as well as the poverty ratio. The poverty
ratio has declined to 21.9 per cent in 2011-12
from 37.2 per cent in 2004-05. (Table) INSIGHTS

That methodology, as well as the poverty estimates arrived at using it, were widely criticised for under
reporting poverty by fixing the consumption levels too low. (The Committee has lowered the calorie intake
requirement from 2100 kcal per day for urban areas and 2400 kcal per day for rural areas to a single norm of
1800 kcal per day and has kept the daily consumption expenditure very low)
The new estimates, revised based on the consumption expenditure survey, have revised the Tendulkar
numbers upwards, but only slightly. The new poverty line pegs daily per capita consumption
expenditure at less than Rs 33.33 in cities and Rs 27.20 in villages.
Faced with hue and cry over the issue, the panel now supports the idea that entitlements for the poor
should go beyond the poverty line benchmark and de-linked from the poverty line.
Percentage and Number of poor estimated
by Tendulkar method Poverty Ratio (%)
Number of poor (million)
Rural Urban Total
1. 1993-94 50.
1
31.
8
45.
3
328.
6
74.
5
403.7
2. 2004-05 41.
8
25.
7
37.
2
326.
3
80.
8
407.1
3.2011-12 25.
7
13.
7
21.
9
216.
5
52.
8
269.3
Annual average decline: 1993-94
to 2004-05
0.75 0.55 0.74
Annual average decline: 2004-05
to 2011-12
2.32 1.69 2.18
water facilities and electricity have been created
under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, a flagship
programme of UPA government to implement
RTE.
Since the enactment of the Right of Children to
Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act,
2009, the enrolment of children at the elementary
level has increased from about 19 crore in 2008-
09 to about 20 crore in 2012-13 as per District
Information System for Education (DISE) data. A
total of over forty three thousand five hundred
schools, seven lakh additional classrooms, five
lakh forty six thousand toilets and thirty four
thousand six hundred drinking water facilities
have been sanctioned to States/UTs under Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) programme to meet the
objectives of the RTE Act.
The enrolment among the SCs has increased
from 3 crore to 4 crore during 2008-09 and 2012-
13. Similar positive trends have been noticed
among STs and minorities also. Thirteen states
have also admitted children belonging to
disadvantaged groups/weaker sections in private
unaided schools as per the RTE Act.
Along with the Mid Day Meal Scheme, the Right
to Education Act has made substantial impact on
universalisation of elementary education,
reduction in dropout rates and fighting classroom
hunger.
The improvement is reflected in the Net
Enrolment ratio in Primary Education. It was
99.89% in 2011-12. There has been a substantial
drop in dropout rate among the kids at the
elementary level. The number of out of school
children has come down sharply from more than
1.34 crore in 2005 to 29 lakh in 2012-13.
Several new measures have been taken for
improving quality under RTE, in letter as well as
in spirit. About 20 lakh additional teacher posts
have been sanctioned under SSA upto 2012-13.
Out of this twelve lakh forty thousand posts are
reported to have been filled. After RTE, it is
compulsory that only those people who are able
to clear the Teacher Eligibility Test may be
appointed as teachers.
To improve quality of learning, children are
provided free text books upto class 8. Continuous
and comprehensive evaluation system is being
promoted. Curriculum reforms are made to make
learning more children friendly and inclusive.
Training for in service teachers and head
masters are being incentivized.
The focus of all HRD Ministry schemes under the
11th Five Year Plan was access and growth
whereas quality is the key under the current Five
Year Plan.
Source: special feature-PIB
Nirbhaya card
To curb growing incidents of crime against
women in trains, North-Central Railway is
distributing Nirbhaya Card, which has contacts
of Railway Police and other helpline numbers
inscribed on it.
The ATM-sized card is being distributed to all
trains passing through Kanpur station, GRP
sources said.
The card has numbers of Uttar Pradesh womens
helpline, GRP police control room, GRP Lucknow
Control room as well as of police stations under
NorthCentral Railway division.
If a woman faces harassment in the train, she
can dial the numbers given on the card and lodge
her complaint. A team of GRP police in the next
station would come to her help.
Bill on quota for disabled
The government will table for passage in the
upcoming Parliament session a new bill for the
disabled persons that provides for five per cent
reservation in public sector jobs.
Inaugurating Samarth-2014, a program
organized by the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment , UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi
said the Disability Act of 1995 was being
amended to meet the norms of the UN
convention on the rights of persons with
disabilities. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

The Union Cabinet had approved last month the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill to replace
the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunity
Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act of
1995.
The bill covers a variety of issues relating to the
disabled persons such as physical, mental and
multiple disabilities.
New land policy for major ports
The Shipping Ministry unveiled the much-awaited
land policy guidelines for 12 major ports in the
country that will help them to undertake various
development projects on a tender-cum-auction
basis.
The new policy guidelines provides for a
transparent mechanism for leasing and licensing
of land in possession of major ports inside the
custom bounded areas for short term licenses
(from 11 months to five years) and outside the
custom bounded areas on long term leases (for a
maximum of 30 years).
Till recently, major ports were not permitted to
allot lands on long term licenses or leases,
whereas the minor ports were not having such
problems.
Currently, the Chennai Port has 200 acres in
custom bound area and can be allotted through
the new method. Having exhausted the available
land, the Ennore Port is in the process of
acquiring 735 acres from the Salt department for
expansion activities.
One of the salient features of the new policy
states that the land can be allotted to government
agencies, public sector undertakings and
statutory authorities on nomination basis. It
cannot be given to religious institutions or
political institutions. The policy also provides
guidelines for mortgages, sub-leases, transfer
and right of way permissions.
Unique Identification Authority of India
The Unique Identification Authority of India
(UIDAI) assigns Unique Identification Number
Aadhaar to residents of India on voluntary basis
The Unique Identification Authority of India
(UIDAI) is an agency of the Government of India
responsible for implementing the Aadhaar
Identities. The agency was established in
January-2009, and owns and operates the
Unique Identities database. The Unique
Identification Authority of India has been
established under the Planning Commission
The agency provides a unique identification
number to all persons resident in India on
voluntary basis, but not identity cards. The
agency maintains a database of residents
containing biometric and other data, and is
headed by a chairman, who holds a cabinet rank.
Nandan Nilekani is its first chairman since Jun-
2009.
About Rs. 35 billion (Rs.3,500 crore) was spent
on Aadhaar program from beginning (January-
2009) till September2013
UIDAI is the Registrar of Identities i.e. it
registers, assigns and verifies the unique
identities. It is supposed to register two types
of unique identities:
Residents of India (called Aadhaar)
Corporate entities (Corporate-UID) for company,
bank, NGO, trust, political party etc.
Corporate-UID has been provisioned within 12-
digit UID number system. Corporate-UID is
supposed to produce the similar effect as
Aadhaar for corporate entities i.e. identification
and traceability of transactions. It is supposed to
bring transparency on financial transactions,
donations; and to prevent corruption, money
laundering, benami transactions (i.e. under a
fictitious name), allocation of natural resources
like land, spectrum, mining of sand, iron-ore,
coal-blocks, etc.
UIDAI owns and operates the main database
server called the Central Identity Data
Repository (CIDR). INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

Reserve Bank of India has planned Aadhaar-
linked bank account for all adults of India by
January-2016 as its commitment of nation-wide
Financial Inclusion.
Rationale and goals
In order to avail social security benefits as well as
government-regulated services (e.g. bank
account, insurance, mobile SIM, driving license,
vehicle registration etc.); compliance to Know-
Your-Customer (KYC) conditions are mandatory.
The minimum KYC consists of 3 proofs:
Proof of Identity (name with face photograph),
Proof of Age (date of birth or estimated age),
Proof of Residence (presently staying).
Provide social security benefits
Aadhaar-platform is aimed at providing social
security benefits / subsidies based on eligibility
thru direct benefit transfer. It provides access and
options to rural and poor people. It helps bring
transparency and eliminate corruption, leakage
and inefficiency.
What is Aadhaar?
Aadhaar is a 12 digit individual identification
number issued by the Unique Identification
Authority of India on behalf of the Government of
India.
This number will serve as a proof of identity and
address, anywhere in India.
Any individual, irrespective of age and gender,
who is a resident in India and satisfies the
verification process laid down by the UIDAI can
enroll for Aadhaar.
Any individual, irrespective of age and gender,
who is a resident in India and satisfies the
verification process laid down by the UIDAI, can
enroll for Aadhaar.
Each Aadhaar number will be unique to an
individual and will remain valid for life. Aadhaar
number will help you provide access to services
like banking, mobile phone connections and
other Government and Non-Government services
in due course.
Aadhaar will be:
Easily verifiable in an online, cost-effective way
Unique and robust enough to eliminate the large
number of duplicate and fake identities in
government and private databases
A random number generated, devoid of any
classification based on caste, creed, religion and
geography
Financial Inclusion
Aadhaar-enabled Bank Account (AeBA) is a
Basic savings account (zero-balance) where a
Debit-card is issued and Aadhaar number is used
as the account number. It can be instantly
opened (like prepaid bankcard). Transactions
operate with fingerprint authentication only; as
indicated by Aadhaar-logo on the card. PIN is not
issued to zero-balance AeBA because it is aimed
at financial inclusion of unbanked, illiterate and
rural people. Bankcard operates at micro-ATM
and other ATMs equipped with fingerprint
scanner. Presently passbook is not issued to
these accounts due to infrastructure problem.
Transactions like deposit, withdrawal, transfer,
and balance-check can be performed. AeBA is
used for direct payment of social security benefits
such as pensions, scholarships, NREGA wages,
healthcare, and subsidy for LPG, kerosene, PDS
ration, fertilizers etc.
Generally, a micro-ATM consists of a laptop
computer or smart-phone equipped with 2G-
internet, fingerprint scanner, receipt-printer,
speaker and power backup (solar / battery). It is
human-operated by commission agent called
Banking Correspondent (BC) so that illiterate
customers do not face problems of ATM machine
operations. BCs are generally chemist-shops,
provision shops or INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

mobile-vans. It is similar to the commission agent
model of prepaid mobile phone recharge.
Some banks issue photo-bankcards that are
boon to rural people and migrant workers
because it works not only as bankcard but also
as identity card. RuPay card by Indian payment-
bridge NPCI and Saral Money Visa are two
prominent AeBA bankcards.
Once bankcards become common in rural areas,
then whole India will become a nation of
cashless-transactions with higher transparency
and accountability.
Aadhaar-enabled Service Delivery
Various financial as well as non-financial services
are being made Aadhaar-enabled, called
Aadhaar-enabled Service Delivery (AeSD) in
phased manner
Aadhaar-DBT
Aadhaar-Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) is an
Aadhaar-enabled financial service used for direct
payment of social security benefits into the bank
account of the Aadhaar-holder.
An existing bank account can be enabled as
AeBA by seeding (linking) it with Aadhaar
number. Seeding makes mapping information
stored onto NPCI payment-gateway that
facilitates the subsidy payment. The seeding
helps identify the genuine and eligible
beneficiary, and prevents duplicate and non-
existent (fake, dead) persons.
Eligibility of beneficiary is applied based on rules
and is cross-checked with other related
databases which are also Aadhaar-linked. This
approach is designed to improve the audit trail,
add efficiency; prevent corruption, middlemen
and delayed payments; eliminate non-existent,
duplicate and ineligible beneficiaries. It results in
direct benefit access to the eligible people; and
saves multi-billion rupee from corruption
annually.
E-governance
Another objective of Aadhaar Number (AN) is to
use it as an effective governance tool to bring
transparency, efficiency and weed out the bogus
beneficiaries from social security programs e.g.
social security pensions, scholarships, public
health, NREGA, subsidy on PDS Ration,
Kerosene, and LPG etc. Thus Aadhaar is
expected to save public exchequer from bogus
beneficiaries up to Rs. 1.1 Trillion (Rs. 1100
billion) by the year 2020 as per study report of
National Institute of Public Finance and Planning.
In 1980s pointing towards the widespread
corruption in social security programs in India,
the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had made a
famous statement in Parliament that only 15% of
benefits reach the poor people; the remaining
85% are eaten-away by the corrupt officials and
middlemen. Similarly, the World Bank Chief said
that Aadhaar will help eradicate poverty in India.
The stand-alone databases of social security
services cannot interact with each other due to
lack of a unique identifier like AN. Thus stand-
alone databases do not have ability to detect and
prevent fictitious and ineligible beneficiaries.
Therefore, AN is aimed at eliminating retail
corruption in the public domain which has
affected social security programs since
independence. In India, about 750 million (60%)
people starve every day for at least one meal.
Prevention of corruption
Although Aadhaar can prevent retail-corruption to
much extent, yet it is not capable of preventing
wholesale-corruption like allocation of coal-
blocks, 2G spectrum, mining of Iron-ore, sand,
onion hoarding etc. Corporate-UID is required to
prevent such wholesale-corruptions and this
provision is already inbuilt in UIDAI Number
System, yet implementation is pending.
Prevention of identity fraud
Identity frauds such as identity theft (using the
identity of another person, dead or alive) and
identity document forgery (fake IDs created on
INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY
2014

fictitious person, also called benami) have been a common practice in India. The scan, super-imposition and
color-print functions of ubiquitous printers have made paper-based and plastic card-based frauds much easy.
Identity fraud is committed for financial gain or due to compulsion. Identity fraud committed for financial gains
are mostly benami companies and benami bank accounts used for bribery and money laundering. Identity
fraud committed on compulsions is either due to lack of a persons own ID documents, or due to the intention
of not using ones own ID.
Existing IDs and problem areas
Traditionally existing IDs in India have been token-based i.e. paper and plastic-based driving license,
passport, PAN card, voter ID etc. None of these IDs have the feature of being lifetime digital identity that can
be verified instantly in public domain at any time anywhere for uniqueness and real existence. Moreover, as
of 2013, only 150 million hold driving license, 50 million people hold passport and 30 million pay taxes, and
these are mutually inclusive. These IDs do not qualify the generic all-purpose ID for life. These IDs expire at
certain intervals, for various reasons, and need to be re-applied with payment for fresh-issuance or renewal.
Ration cards are issued one per family, and every family does not hold one. It is not verifiable online instantly
in public domain. It does not help migrant workers when they move to another location. Millions of ration
cards are either fake or defunct, yet these are used as ID.
Voter ID cannot be issued to a person below 18 years. It is not verifiable online instantly in public domain.
Although PAN is issued for the holders lifetime, yet it is meant only for income tax payers. It is not verifiable
online instantly in public domain. There are only 30 million income tax payers, yet 170 million PANs have
been issued.
Obtaining a passport is costly and lengthy process, and only 50 million hold it. It is not verifiable online
instantly in public domain. Fake passports also exist.
The driving license cannot be issued to a person below 18 years. It is not verifiable online instantly in public
domain.

UIDAI versus NPR
UIDAI has been mandated to enroll 600 million people in its assigned territory. Similarly, the Census
Operations group (under the Ministry of Home Affairs) has been mandated to enroll the remaining 650 million
people in its assigned territory under the National Population Register (NPR) program.
Effects
As the public databases are getting inter-linked one by one through Aadhaar Number (AN) in various states
(particularly Delhi, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh), middlemen and officials in those regions now find
difficult to continue with corruption in social security programs like pensions, scholarships, health, NREGA,
PDS Ration, subsidized kerosene and LPG.
Ineligible, duplicate and fictitious beneficiaries are getting eliminated from social security programs.
Corrupt people are finding difficult to buy and sell benami land and building (i.e. Under fictitious name), to
open and operate benami companies for money-laundering. They are also finding difficult to open and
operate benami bank accounts for keeping criminal proceeds. Tax-evaders are finding difficult to evade
taxes, and impersonation and proxy are getting difficult to commit due to online biometric validation.
Criminals and terrorists are getting detected and tracked through inter-linked databases of mobile phone
numbers, bank account numbers and travel documents. Illegal immigrants are similarly detected and tracked
through these databases. Records are becoming accessible to police from any state of India. It is getting
difficult to obtain new driving INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

licenses and arms license from another state, once one is impounded in another state.
Impedance:
Pending bill
The Union Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister of India has cleared the UIDAI Bill-2010 on 08-Oct-2013. It
is expected to be tabled in Parliament during winter session.
The Supreme Court of India passed an Interim Order on 23-Sep-2013 that no public services such as LPG
be denied to public due to lack of Aadhaar.
Privacy concerns
India has a law called Information Technology Act 2000 that protects, together with other laws, all types of
information including the Aadhaar data from theft and misuse
Aadhaar is the biggest anti-corruption platform
1. Aadhaar Enabled Bank Account (AEBA). 2. Aadhaar Payment Bridge (APB) 3. National Payments
Corporation of India. 4. Direct Benefit Transfer
Trident Group became the first corporate to use Aadhaar Payment Bridge (APB) for disbursal of salaries to
its employees.
The lack of identity gives way to duplication. UID through its detailed database removes duplication thereby
avoiding leakages and corruption.
APB is a system that facilitates seamless (smooth or without seems or obvious joints) transfer of payments
to Aadhaar Enabled Bank Account (AEBA).
It is a payment gateway platform created by National Payments Corporation of India.
The APB was used for the first time on January 1, 2013, when Direct Benefit Transfer was launched by the
Central government for disbursal of entitlements.
The purpose is to use Aadhaar as a platform to increase efficiency of benefits and subsides
Overview on Aadhaar Payments Bridge System (APBS):
A centralised electronic benefit transfer system to undertake direct mandates from accredited bank attached
to various government departments for the purpose of disbursing entitlements using Aadhaar numbers
Millions of people are unable to receive the financial benefits in timely and efficient manner.
Financial inclusion is expected to be a key application of Aadhaar authentication.
To enable same, UIDAI has partnered with various stakeholders including RBI, NPCI, IBA and banks to
develop two key platforms:
Aadhaar Payments Bridge (APB) A system that facilitates seamless transfer of all welfare scheme
payments to beneficiary residents Aadhaar Enabled Bank Account (AEBA)
Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS) A system that leverages Aadhaar online authentication and
enables AEBAs to be operated in anytime-anywhere banking mode by the marginalized and financially
excluded segments of society through micro ATMs
Objectives of Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS)
Aadhaar Payment Bridge Solution (APBS) will be used to
Credit disbursements based on UID number,
To sub-serve the goal of Government of India (GOI) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in INSIGHTS CURRENT

furthering Financial Inclusion by way of processing government disbursement using Aadhaar number,
To support various Schemes like NREGA, Social Security Pension, Handicapped Old Age Pension etc. of
any Central or State Government bodies, to send financial details to the beneficiary using Aadhaar number.
Aadhaar Enabled Payments
What are the benefits of Aadhaar Payment Bridge (APB) System?
Eliminates inordinate delays, multiple channels & paper-work involved in the existing system.
Transfers benefits & subsidies in a seamless & timely manner and directly into the Aadhaar Enabled Bank
Account.
Customer not required to open multiple bank accounts for receiving benefits and subsidies of various social
welfare schemes Customer just need to open one account and seed his/her Aadhaar number in the bank
account to start receiving benefits and subsidies directly into his/her Aadhaar Enabled Bank Account.
Aadhaar Payments Bridge
APB is a repository of Aadhaar number of residents and their primary bank account number used for
receiving all social security and entitlement payments from various government agencies. APB requires
using Aadhaar number as the primary key for all entitlement payments. This would weed out all fakes and
ghosts from the system and ensure that the benefits reach the intended beneficiaries. This benefit has an
even greater ramification as more and more social security programs are moving from in-kind to in-cash
subsidies.
APB Process Steps
Service delivery agency that needs to make payments to its beneficiaries (such as MGNREGA wages,
scholarships disbursement, old age pension etc.) provides APB File containing details of Aadhaar number,
welfare scheme reference number and the amount to be paid to its bank (called sponsor bank).
Sponsor bank adds bank IIN (Institute Identification Number provided by NPCI to participant banks) to the
APB file and uploads onto NPCI server.
NPCI processes uploaded files, prepares beneficiary bank files and generates settlement file
Destination banks can download the incoming files for credit processing after the settlement file has been
processed.
The Report of the Committee on Financial Inclusion chaired by Dr. C. Rangarajan made two important
observations:
Technology has to enable the banks to go where the customer is present, instead of the other way around.
Technology should allow interoperability among different systems adopted by different banks.
AEPS empowers the marginalised and excluded segments to conduct financial transactions (Credit, Debit,
Remittances, Balance Enquiry, etc) through micro ATMs deployed by Banks in their villages.
AEPS Process Steps
Resident provides his/her Aadhaar number; details of financial transaction sought and fingerprint impression
at the micro ATM device.
Digitally signed and encrypted data packets are transferred via Bank Switch to NPCI to UIDAI.
UIDAI processes the authentication request and communicates the outcome in form of Yes/No.
If the authentication response is yes, bank carries out the required authorization process and advises micro
ATM on suitable next steps. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

Benefits to Various Stakeholders
Residents
Obviates need for multiple bank accounts for
different schemes
Faster channel for receiving all welfare payments
without any middle-men Access to micro ATM in
villages saves bank trips, thus reducing
opportunity and access costs
Will help in more usage of formal banking system
for managing savings and borrowing Online and
interoperable architecture of AEPS ensures
anytime-anywhere access of bank accounts
which can be a boon especially for the migrant
population estimated to be 100 million
Empowerment of individuals especially women
Government Departments
Use of Aadhaar as primary key eliminates ghost
beneficiaries and leads to better targeting Sub-
serves goal of furthering Financial Inclusion by
processing government disbursements through
Aadhaar number
Reduces time and cost in payment processing
Provide electronic audit trail and end-to-end
visibility for all payments
Banks
Reduces the credit and operational risks in the
branchless banking model
Enables Banks to rely on BCs to reach the
unbanked population, eliminating the need for a
physical bank branch or ATMs in remote areas
Will provide an impetus to electronic payments
and thus reduce cash management costs
Different financial products through micro ATMs
can be an additional source of revenue for banks
and for the BC model
RBI
Sub-serves goal of furthering Financial Inclusion
by processing government disbursements
through Aadhaar number Promotes digitisation of
retail payments through a secure mechanism
Aadhaar and the PDS
The Unique Identification number (Aadhaar) was
conceived by the Indian government as a means
for residents to clearly and uniquely verify their
identity anywhere in the country.
Perhaps the greatest value of Aadhaar for the
PDS stems from how it can be easily integrated
into the existing infrastructure.
Using Aadhaar solely for identification would
enable clear targeting of PDS beneficiaries.
The inclusion of marginal groups, and expanded
coverage of the poor through the elimination of
fakes and duplicates.
Implementing Aadhaar-based authentication
across PDS would enable the government to
guarantee food delivery to the poor.
powerfully streamlining PDS processes, an
Aadhaar-enabled MIS would make possible a
more transparent, flexible system, and enable the
government to fulfill the objective of food security
in times of crises.
Areas for PDS reform
The Indian government and the Department of
Food and Public Distribution have pinpointed
critical aspects of the PDS that need reform, for
the program to function more effectively. These
include:
Beneficiary identification and addressing
inclusion/exclusion errors
Addressing diversions and leakages
Managing food grain storage and ensuring timely
distribution
2014

Effective accountability and monitoring, and
enabling community monitoring
Mechanisms for grievance redressal
Ensuring food security

A role for Aadhaar within the PDS
The following features of the number would be
instrumental for delivering food entitlements to
the beneficiary:
One Aadhaar = one beneficiary: Portability in identification:
Aadhaar-based authentication to confirm entitlement delivered to the beneficiary:
Aadhaar-based authentication to track food grain movement:
Aadhaar-based authentication can be implemented across the supply chain, which will enable governments
to track food grain as it is exchanged between PDS intermediaries. This would curb diversions, and help
identify bottlenecks in delivery.
Aadhaar-enabled cloud-computing infrastructure:
The use of Aadhaar-based authentication across the supply chain gives governments the opportunity to link
such authentication to a cloud-based management information system (MIS) within the PDS.
An Aadhaar-linked MIS would enable the PDS to address broader procurement, storage and monitoring
challenges. Registration and procurement orders could be managed online, enabling decentralized, and
more local procurement Inventory management could be streamlined and handled online in real-time. This
would also enable the PDS to implement state wide information systems that link all ration shops in a state,
and give beneficiaries more flexibility in how they collect their entitlements, and from which ration shop.
Electronic benefit transfers: Aadhaar authentication at the delivery point the FPS would enable
governments to transfer entitlements to residents through an electronic system. Beneficiaries could have an
online food account on the PDS system, which would enable governments to directly communicate details of
food entitlements to residents.

INTERNATIONAL
INDIA'S FORIGN POLICY & IT'S ANALYSIS
Indias foreign policy is often criticized for lacking pragmatism and realism. From the days of Gujral doctrine,
Indian foreign policy have never been defined except the much touted Look east policy. Recently Dr.
Manmohan singh provided an insight into the depths of Indian foreign policy by highlighting the following
principles as its foundation:-
1) Indias relation with the world are increasingly being shaped with both the developed and developing world
by its development priorities. The single most important objective of Indian foreign policy is to pursue the
interests of Indian development by making the geo-political & economic environment conducive.
2) India would benefit from better integration with world economy and thus opening up Indian economy and
investing in other countries is a natural choice which Indian foreign policy should work on. Reforms are not
an event but a process and Indian foreign policy should create friendly relation with foreign countries keeping
this aspect in India. Greater economic integration would provide Indian diplomats with better leverage.
3) India seek stable, long-term and mutually beneficial relationship with all major powers including China.
This would help India in realizing its potential and would better the prospects of millions of its destitute
citizens.
4) Indian subcontinents shared destiny requires greater regional cooperation and integration. Many projects
like East Asian expressway, Kaladan Multi Modal transport link etc are being chalked out under this principle.
Better connectivity & cooperation among sub-regional people & government would help Indian diplomacy to
sort out decade old contentious issues.
5) Indias foreign policy is based on the values cherished by its people namely democracy, secularism and
liberalism. We shall thus continue to support these events in other countries like we are doing it in
Afghanistan, Sri-Lanka, Nepal etc. This would prosper the entire Asian region to achieve its fullest potential.
India is far away from becoming a world super power and probably would have to satisfy itself by remaining
only a regional super power. Thus, instead of competing against china it should develop friendly/neutral
relationship with it. Chinas growing heft in International arena would help India to realize its greater potential
in the same way as Japan alliance with USA helped the former. This is an option worth looking into.
Analysis of Indias foreign policy
Indias foreign policy is often accused of lacking realism and pragmatism in the era where it is regularly
confronted by China who is following the policy of realism to develop friendly relationship with all its neighbor
and has been successful to some extent in developing excellent relationship with all Indias neighbors
through its policy of string of pearls and cheque diplomacy.
In this context, the relatively successful implementation of Indias look east policy is worth mentioning. India
has been generous in dealing with its comparatively small neighbors and has become realistic in handling its
diplomacy. From the recent controversy marred elections in Maldives to Nepal and Bangladesh, India has
made it well-known that they are ready to do work with any political party that comes to power. This a drastic
change from its earlier policy of taking moral high ground and dealing with only democratically elected
INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

governments which were often viewed as
sanctimonious by others.
In contemporary times Indias relationships with
most of its neighbors are bedeviled by its lack of
any coherent vision making Indian foreign policy
as reactions to individual events and not based
on any principles. Though Manmohan Singh
recently provided some clues to basic principles
on which Indias south block base its decision on
but the same has been derided by intelligentsia
as mere rhetoric. Indias relationship with its
neighbors is analyzed below:-
1) Afghanistan: One of the biggest investor in
Afghanistan, India has pumped in more than 2
billion $ and is also building key infrastructure
projects including its parliament. India has been
trying to build key institutions in Afghanistan and
is also training its army to help the later in
checking the rise of Taliban. It dramatically
increased its efforts after Obama prematurely
announced USA troops withdrawal in 2014.
While Afghanistan considers India as its close
friend, it considers Pakistan as its brother and is
precariously trying to maintain good relationship
with both of them. With the imminent withdrawal
of USA forces, India would have to face real
challenge in keeping Afghanistan secure and in
turn peace at her own border.
2) Pakistan: Indias relationship with Pakistan
was supposed to hit new highs when for the first
time a democratically elected government
passed baton to other. With a new Prime Minister
at helm, hopes were high but nothing good
happened. While Nawaz Sharif is known for his
pro India views, there were marked increase in
ceasefire violations by Pakistan along with
beheading of Indian soldier with each event
pointing to the string role Army plays in Pakistan
decision-making. Thus, it is expected that the
going forward, Indias position would be to
maintain status-quo while going through back
channel diplomacy to work out agreements
between the two nations starting with more
people to people contact and the pending issue
of granting MFN (Most favored nation) by
Pakistan to India.
3) Sri-Lanka: India has never faced such strong
negative scenario in Sri-Lanka. While on one
hand, Sinhalese government of Mahinda
Rajapaksa is slowly using its 2/3rd majority to
amend the constitution in order to dilute the
provisions of 13th amendment which provides
autonomy to tamilian dominated north Srilanka.
Further damage was done when Indian PM
instead of going to CHOGM meet in Colombo
and using the occasion to put pressure on Sri-
Lanka PM of divulging more powers to tamil-
lankans and constituting an independent Truth
and Reconciliation tribunal to account for war
crimes bowed to the pressure of regional political
parties and skipped the meet.
China has been able to foray deeply into Sri-
lanka due to such decisions of India and is
already constructing Hambantota port & power
equipments apart from contracts to supply
defence equipments to Sri-Lankan Army. Thus,
India would have to muster all its might to woo its
neighbor and for that should actively encourage
India Inc. to invest in Sri-lankan economy.
4) Bangladesh:- India have failed to make much
progress with Bangladesh even though the
present regime of Awami League is considered
pro India having done a lot to stop Anti-India
terror camps in its territory. Indian government
heckled by regional party Trinamool Congress
have failed to ink key agreements like Teesta
water treaty and Land boundary agreement
which could have bound India & Bangladesh into
strategic ties. Due to this, Bangladesh could not
sign an agreement with India to use its territory to
link with India with its North-East states. This
could prove to be a strategic faux-pas in coming
years and would choke Indias north east from
realizing its vast potential. Again we can see that
the principle elaborated by Dr. Manmohan Singh
that Indias foreign policy should focus on helping
Indias grow economically and integrate with
world economies remain mere rhetoric.
5) Myanmar: Myanmar ruled by military
government since last 4 decades have mixed
relationship with India. Myanmar have vast
amount of non-renewable sources of energy
which India failed to use due to its policy of not
dealing with INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

military government. The result was that China
and its companies made significant inroads in its
economy which could pester India in long term as
the boundary shared by both countries is often
used by anti-India camps to spread terror in India
through Myanmar.
In recent times, Indian foreign policy showing
maturity have started dealing with Military
government while also backing nascent
democratic movement being led by Indian
educated Aung San Sui Kyi. As a result of this
both the governments are mutually executing a
project named Kaladan Multi Model Transport
project which could provide India an alternative
route to its north-east states apart from the
chicken neck. Also, the trade between both the
countries is growing at a good pace and has
recently crossed 2 Billion US$. Thein Sein lead
military government could be further prodded by
Indian government to successfully allow
democratic elections which could further provide
impetus to strategic relationship between both
the countries.
6) Bhutan: Bhutan King was chief guest at last
year republic day parade signifying the close
relationship both countries have. Bhutans have
recently transformed its governing system from
monarchy to democracy and is constantly
nudged by India to develop further reforms.
Recently both countries have signed agreement
to develop Bhutan hydroelectric power potential
in order to export the surplus to energy deficient
Indias north-east states which could prove to be
win-win for both the countries. Also, Bhutans
strategic location near chicken neck corridor
makes it strategically important for India to
maintain close relationship with.
7) Nepal: India and Nepal always have a
factitious relationship due to the flexing of
economic & military muscle by China. The
transition going on in Nepal from monarchy to
democracy is littered with problems and this is
creating problem for Indian diplomacy to develop
a sound strategy to push forward Indian interests.
Recently the elections to elect 2nd constitution
assembly has been completed successfully with
CPM (UML) and Nepali Congress gaining
majority of the required seats in turn pushing
UCPM (M) to 3rd position. This is good news for
India as Maoist was often seen as supporting
naxalism in India through the long porous border
both country share.
Nepal is strategically important for India as it acts
as a buffer between India & China. Also, being
upper riparian states for some rivers, India must
keep Nepal in good books and see that its
transition to democracy is successful.
8) China: Well lets talk about elephant in the
room. China, the only country with which India
have fought an unsuccessful war is often
portrayed as its competitor, an observation which
given a modicum of common sense seems
unjustified. China is well on its way to become a
new world super power and India might have to
satisfy itself with only being a regional economic
power. In that case, it would be best if India could
develop a relationship with India which could help
the latter to take advantages of Chinas growing
might in International diplomacy such as India
candidature for permanent seat at security
council needs chinas approval to the
controversial issue of Aksai-Chin and Chinas
claim of Arunachal Pradesh being its territory
should be sorted out with diplomatic channels.
Both the countries could join hand to usher a new
era in world politics but for that to happen, they
would have to sort out their differences and join
hands.
As Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh
once said that we can choose our friends but not
neighbors, India would have to live in a
increasingly neighborhood where warmongering,
pseudo-diplomacy would be call of the day and if
India would have to course its chart through this
very territory only if it has to bring prosperity to
multitude of its poor and destitute people.
Devyani Khobragade Case
What was the issue? INSIGHTS CURRENT

On December 12, American Authorities arrested
Indian consular officer Devyani Khobragade. She
was subjected to handcuffing, strip-searching
and she was treated like an ordinary criminal.
This followed a louder protest by Indian
Government and the intense national outrage.
Indias stand: question of diplomatic and
consular immunities and privileges.
The intense national outrage at the arrest and
humiliation of Devyani Khobragade is justified.
Indian society was deeply shocked that a senior
Indian official was subject to a strip search. This
also created a deep sense of cultural outrage.
There was no reason for the American authorities
to treat her like an ordinary criminal, even if they
believed she had breached US criminal laws and
her actions were not covered by the immunity
provisions of the Vienna Convention on
Consular Relations (VCCR).
By handcuffing, strip-searching and locking her
up with criminals, the Americans clearly violated
the provisions of the VCCR, which requires that
consular officials be treated, at all times, with
respect.
Question of diplomatic and consular
immunities and privileges.
Among the many issues brought into focus by
Khobragades arrest is the question of diplomatic
and consular immunities and privileges
These are codified in the Vienna Convention on
Diplomatic Relations (VCDR) and the Vienna
Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR).
These conventions provide the formal basis for
the conduct of diplomatic and consular
intercourse among nations.
The VCDR provides complete immunity from
any criminal action to accredited diplomats. It
also ensures that embassy premises as well as
homes of diplomats are secure, and cannot be
entered by any person of the receiving country.
The VCDR also protects the communications of
diplomats, though it is well known that
intelligence agencies try to clandestinely pry into
them.
The VCCR provides all the immunities to
consular officials that diplomats enjoy,
except that it significantly excludes immunity
against grave crimes.
The reason for this vital difference lies in the fact
that the representative status of the consular
officials is circumscribed to commercial,
economic, cultural and scientific work, apart from
looking after the interests of their nationals and
servicing passports and issuing visas.
Immunities and privileges are meant to ensure
that the conduct of diplomacy and consular work
can take place without impediment and
harassment and in a conducive environment.
The main objective of diplomats and consular
officials is to foster good and beneficial bilateral
relations through cultivating the government and
opinion-makers of the countries of their postings.
In addition to the formal framework of the VCDR
and the VCCR, there were informal customs
and understandings that sought to ensure that
aberrant or disturbing behaviour of diplomats and
consular officials was managed in a discreet
manner, so that it never reached a point where it
cast a direct shadow on relations between
countries.
In extreme cases, diplomats and consular
officials were declared persona non grata and
asked to leave. As the diplomatic world is
governed by the principle of reciprocity, their
countries asked an equivalent number of their
counterparts to leave as well, and the matter
ended there.
USs Stand:
According to US officials, Devyani Khobragade
had signed an agreement to pay her domestic
help, Sangeeta Richard, $9.75 an hour. Instead
she paid her only $3.31 an hour. INSIGHTS

As Khobragade had violated US laws, it was both legal and legitimate for the US attorney, Preet
Bharara, to have her arrested and charged.
USs double standards exposed:
In the past there were cases when American government has literally whisked away their citizens from
prosecution in foreign countries e.g. Raymond Davis, a CIA contractor, was whisked away from the Pakistani
judicial system after shooting and killing two Pakistani citizens.
It is normal for American diplomats to receive diplomatic immunity. Rather abnormally, the American
government expects that even its non-diplomats should receive immunity.
American government allows no foreign government officials, including a powerful person like Dominique
Strauss-Kahn, then head of the International Monetary Fund, any immunity from American laws. Yet it
expects its government officials to be in theory and in practice immune from other countries legal
courts.
Whenever any US government official faces the threat of prosecution in a foreign legal court, he or she is
quietly whisked away, as few governments can withstand bilateral pressure from the US government.
Cheer India cheer.!!!!!
All governments in the world are aware of this double stand attitude of the US government. On one hand, the
US government is second to none in defending the rule of law at home. On the other hand, the US
government is second to none in defending immunity for its officials from all foreign legal courts and judicial
procedures.
This double stand attitude of the US government explains why virtually every other government in
the world was quietly cheering on the Indian government as it insisted on total reciprocity in the
treatment of Indian and American officials.
They hoped that India would finally succeed in persuading the US government to accept a level playing field
in dealing with other countries. The Indian governments success in persuading the American government to
allow Khobragade to return home and not face charges in an American court will therefore be cheered all
around the world.
Most countries realise that they would not have had the weight to shift the US government. India is one of the
few who could do so. And in doing so, India has also enhanced the rights and standing of other foreign
diplomats on American territory.

INDIA-CHINA
CHINAS PEACEFUL RISE IS IT SO?
Chinas peaceful rise or sometimes referred to as Chinas peaceful development is an official
policy in China under the leadership of Hu Jintao. The term was implemented to rebut against the China
threat theory. As China emerged as a great political, economic and military power, China wanted to ensure
other countries that its rise will not be a threat to peace and security. China implements this policy by
internally harmonizing Chinas society and externally, promoting a peaceful international environment. It
seeks to characterize China as a responsible world leader, emphasizes soft power, and vows that China is
committed to its own internal issues and improving the welfare of its own people before interfering with world
affairs. The term suggests that China seeks to avoid unnecessary international confrontation.
For roughly a decade, the Chinese government has spared no effort in trying to convince the rest of the
world that chinas rise will be peaceful. The issue of Chinas peaceful rise has always been remained a hot
topic of debate between the realists and Liberal minded intellectuals.
Realists argue that China would behave like a traditional great power (that means may be she use its
financial and military power to dominate others) INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

Liberal minded analysts hope that, given the right incentives, such as the economic benefits of
globalization, China will behave responsible and become a stakeholder in the existing international order.
Chinese stand on Arunachal Pradesh (Staple visa controversy and protest following the visit of President),
Chinas controversial intrusion into the Indian territories inside the Line of Actual Control and recently
announced controversial Air defense identification zone in East China sea have made the Chinas peaceful
rise doubtful.
As Chinese foreign policy began to grow more assertive, particularly on territorial disputes, realists who
insisted that China would behave like a traditional great power gained greater credibility.
Really, Is China behaving like a traditional great power? Answer lies in Announcement of East China
Sea ADIZ
With the most recent escalation of tensions between China and Japan over the ownership of a group
of small uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, there is little doubt that advocates of Chinas
peaceful rise are losing the debate. What makes the latest round of escalations special is the way Beijing
chose to challenge Japans sovereignty claims over the Senkaku Islands, as Japan calls them (they are
called the Diaoyu in China).
At the heart of the dispute are eight uninhabited islands and rocks in the East China Sea. To be sure, this
particular dispute began in 1972, when the United States handed over administrative authority (but not legal
ownership) to Japan. For four decades, China and Japan had adhered to a tacit agreement over the status of
the islands: Japan would retain administrative control and claim sovereignty, and China would contest the
sovereignty but not challenge Japans administrative control.
This understanding broke down in late 2012 when Tokyo was forced to nationalise the islands in order to
prevent an extremist right-wing leader from purchasing some of the islands from their private owners, a
development the Japanese government thought would lead to a confrontation with Beijing. China regarded
this as a step tantamount to formally establishing sovereignty claims over the islands.
As part of its response, Beijing has gradually escalated. After repeatedly sending ships and planes into
the territorial waters and airspace of the islands to challenge Japanese claims of exclusive administrative
control, On November 23, 2013 Chain announced the East China Sea Air Identification Zone covering
most of the East China Sea.
The Chinese announcement of ADIZ met with strong protest from Japan, US, South Korea and other ASEAN
countries.
Even though sovereign nations are not prohibited by international law to set up ADIZs, and more than a
dozen countries have done so (including Japan and the US), Chinas ADIZ in the East China Sea overlaps
with those of Japan and South Korea. Most alarmingly, it also covers the airspace over the disputed islands.
Beijings intentions are crystal clear. By setting up an overlapping ADIZ over the disputed islands, it
has mounted a legal challenge to Tokyos claims of administrative control. Under the rules announced
by Beijing, all aircraft flying through Chinas ADIZ must com INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE
JANUARY 2014

municate their flight plans and identify themselves to the Chinese military, which will enforce the ADIZ.
Obviously, Beijing views compliance with these rules as recognition of Chinas legal control over the airspace
over the islands and, by implication, the islands themselves.
Japans Response:
Beijings escalation has infuriated Tokyo, which promptly announced that it would not recognise Chinas
ADIZ, and instructed its civilian airlines not to comply with Chinas rules.
Japan also openly challenged China by sending military aircraft through Chinas ADIZ without notifying the
Chinese military (South Korea has also dispatched military jets into the Chinese ADIZ).
USs Response:
Caught in the middle is the US, a treaty ally of
Japan.
Eager to show solidarity with Japan but reluctant
to allow the dispute to escalate further,
Washington has opted for a middle course.
It has flatly rejected Chinas new ADIZ and sent
two unarmed B-52s through the Chinese ADIZ
almost immediately after Beijings announcement.
However, to avoid potential catastrophic
accidents in the zone, the US government has
also advised its civilian airlines to comply with
the Chinese ADIZ.
Moreover, International community is worried
about three consequences.
First, Beijings attempts to enforce the ADIZ in
future could result in accidental military clashes
with Japanese and US military aircraft in the
zone, thus starting a conflict no one really wants.
Similar attempts could also lead to aviation
disasters similar to the infamous KAL 007 incident
(when a Soviet MiG shot down a South Korean
jumbo jet in 1983).
Second, encouraged by this precedent, China
could set up a similar ADIZ in the South China
Sea, using the same tactic to assert its maritime
claims.
Third, emboldened by the lack of a unified
response from the international community to its
unilateral move, China might be tempted to flex
its muscles even more recklessly in future.
The ultimate question to ask is whether China
gains or losses more in this case.
Tactically, we must concede that Beijings
move is brilliant: it is controversial, but not
illegal.
Its new ADIZ should help China achieve its
objective of contesting Japans sovereignty claims
through clever legal manoeuvres.
But strategically, we would find it hard to deny
that Beijing has lost more.
China has lost credibility of its claim of
peaceful rise and it has also pushed Asian
nations, bound by their fear of an assertive
China, closer to each other and to America.
Image URL
http://rt.com/files/news/taiwan-us-china-japan-
919/map-locating-disputed-south.jpg
http://cdn.static-
economist.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/orig
inal-
size/images/2013/11/articles/main/20131130_ldm
222.png INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE
JANUARY 2014

Reference : Based on editorial published in Indian
Express, wikipedia
CHINAS ASSERTIVE FOREIGN POLICY AND
JAPANS GROWING MILITARIZATION
Chinas growing nationalism and assertive foreign
policy particularly over territorial disputes have
made Tokyo to think over its pacifist constitution
particularly article 9.
The constitution, also known as the postwar
constitution or the peace constitution, is
most characteristic and famous for the
renunciation of the right to wage war
contained in article 9.
The constitution was drawn up under the Allied
occupation that followed World War II and has
intended to replace Japans previous militaristic
and absolute monarchy system with a form of
liberal democracy. Currently, it is a rigid
document and no subsequent amendment has
made to it since its adoption. Due to this pacifist
constitution, Japan relies on US for external
security matters.
After returning to power in 2012, Abe has set
about transforming Japans foreign policy. He
has emphasized on three pillars of Japans
foreign policy, which are strengthening the Japan-
U.S. Alliance, deepening cooperative relations
with neighboring countries, and strengthening
economic diplomacy as a means to promoting the
revitalization of the Japanese economy.
To counter the rising dominance of China on Asia
Pacific, Abe has put stress on transforming
Japans military strategy and forming close
alliances with US, ASEAN, India, Australia and
South Korea.
Japans growing militarization
Abe has proposed a 5 percent increase in
defence spending to $240 billion for the next
five years. As Abe is very well aware that Tokyo
can never match Beijings rapidly growing
defense budget or the size of the PLA (Peoples
liberation Army), he therefore, wants a military
doctrine that will leverage the Japanese lead in
technology, focus on Chinese vulnerabilities and
let Tokyo stare in the Beijing in the Eye.
The second most important development in
this regard is release of countrys first-ever
national security strategy. This comes just
weeks after China declared a new air-defense
identification zone in the East China Sea,
covering the disputed islands that Japan calls the
Senkaku and the China the Diaoyus. Abe has
underlined the importance of a dynamic
deterrence and active defense against the
growing Chinese military challenge. Japan will
now develop a marine corps of its own, integrate
unmanned drones into defense plans, strengthen
its capacity for real-time military intelligence, and
respond effectively and immediately to Chinese
intrusion into the disputed air and maritime
spaces.
Abe is complementing changes in the military
strategy with policy change and institutional
innovation. He wants to lift the ban on Japans
arms export in order to strengthen the domestic
defense industrial base. He is also trying to
dismantle the many self-imposed political
constraints on Japans ability to cooperate with
other nations in securing the region from military
threats.
Alliances
Abe is very well aware that Japan on its own cant
balance China, whose comprehensive power is
growing by day. Therefore he is focusing on
making closer alliances with US, India, ASEAN,
and Australia. Alliances, therefore, are central
to Abes strategy, specially the longstanding
one with the US.
As the Chinas dominance on the region is
growing and that of US is declining, some in
Japan are indeed questioning the overreliance on
US for security. Some in Japan also doubts the
US commitments. Will the US defend Japan
against China, when Washingtons stakes in a
good relationship with Beijing have risen so much
in recent years? INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

Abe is now focusing more on developing
strategic partnerships with key ASEAN
neighbors. In an intense round of diplomacy over
the last year, Abe travelled to all the 10 countries
of Southeast Asia and held a summit meeting
with the leaders of ASEAN in Tokyo in December.
The message from Abe was that Japan was not
going to stand by and quietly watch Southeast
Asia slide into Chinas sphere of influence.
China and Korea have reacted harshly to this development while the ASEAN countries are eager to
see Japan contribute actively to the construction of a stable regional balance.
Abes Democratic Security Diamond
The day after Shinzo Abe was elected for a second time as Prime Minister of Japan, He proposed
Democratic Security Diamond in Asia Pacific whereby Australia, India, Japan and the US form a diamond
to safeguard maritime commons stretching from Indian Ocean to the western Pacific.
Some has marked this attempt as a revival of his controversial and short-lived 2007 initiative, the
quadrilateral dialogue or quadrilateral cooperation. The proposal was not materialized at that time
because of strong protest from Beijing.
Image url:
http://www.simplydecoded.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Japanese-security-diamond.jpg
Reference: Based on Editorials published on Indian Express.
INDIA-SRILANKA
India and Sri Lanka: Reshaping and Revamping the Bilateral Channels
In the run-up to the January 20 this year meeting here between fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka,
275 Tamil fishermen lodged in various prisons in Sri Lanka would be released from January 13.Tamil Nadu
will in turn release 179 Sri Lankan fishermen as requested by the Indian government to facilitate the talks.
India-Sri Lanka Relations have traditionally been cordial save a few hiccups from time to time. With the near
annihilation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by the Sri Lankan forces with tacit help from
India, the relations have been improved.
But there is an issue which needs frequent strong diplomatic remedial measures, that is the Constant
Trespassing of Indian Fishermen in Sri Lankan Waters and Their Continuing Arrest and Detention.
Learning from the past in 2008, a Joint Working Group (JWG) has been established in order to identify the
causes of frequent firing on Indian Fishermen who mistakenly crossed over into Sri Lankan waters.
In the JWG meeting, It was agreed by both sides that high priority must be accorded to the issue of
fishermen and their livelihoods, which depend upon fishing, and often tempt them to drift into the island-
nation territorial waters in the lure of a richer catch. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

It was clearly mentioned in the JWG statement that, To ensure security and safety of fishermen, both sides
agreed that use of force cannot be justified under any circumstances
Further, the bordering countries had Agreed to put in place practical arrangements to deal with bona fide
Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) keeping in
mind the humanitarian and livelihood dimensions of the fishermen issue.
It may be uncharitable to link the earlier Sri Lankan position to their perceived dependence on India at the
height of Eelam War IV just as it is improper to link the recent spate of arrests to perception of hostility in
Tamil Nadu, or to Indias vote against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC in Geneva, twice in a row. Sri Lanka has
repeatedly indicated that their putting pressure on the Tamil Nadu fishers is a result of their own Tamil
fishermen in the North and the East of the country taking to their traditional trade in a big way, in the months
and years after the war. Intermittently, there have been suggestions from sections in the Colombo
dispensation that spoke about issues of sovereignty, territorial integrity and State security.
Earlier a draft MoU on Development and Cooperation in the field of fisheries was discussed and the two
sides agreed that such discussions will continue.
Also regulatory measures for managing fishery resources in the waters of the two countries were discussed.
Both sides recognised the need for a road map to ensure security sustainability, livelihood issue, safety and
security of fishermen of both countries.
The preparation and implementation of such a road map will go long distance in sorting out the problem
relating to fishermen.
Reference: Based on editorials published in The Hindu, Indian Express, http://www.PRSindia.com
NEPAL
Nepal: Celebrating this NEW YEAR by Empowering Democracy
Learning from the directives of the Supreme Court of India, now Nepal is all set to celebrate its New Year
with a set of electoral reforms into its democratic system.
For democracy to survive, it is essential that the best available men should be chosen for proper
governance of the country. This can be best achieved through men of high moral and ethical values who win
the elections on a positive vote.
In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court of Nepal in its joint bench of justices Kalyan Shrestha and
Prakash Wasti issued the order responding to a writ petition filed by two advocates.
With this decision, the ballot papers in coming elections will now have a separate option None of the above
or NOTA to allow voters to cast negative votes during the parliamentary or local elections.
Citing the provisions enshrined in the interim Constitution, which upholds sovereignty of the people, the writ
petitioners had demanded that voters must be allowed to cast negative votes in election. The current
provision infringes on the peoples right to reject a candidate, the writ petition said.
The court in its order has asked the Prime Ministers Office, Election Commission and the Ministry of Law
Justice, Constituent Assembly and Parliamentary Affairs (MoLJPA) to ensure negative voting provision in the
electoral process.
Following the apex courts decision, Nepal has become the 15th country to ensure negative voting in
elections. India, South Africa, Sweden, Finland, France, Belgium, Brazil, Bangladesh, Greece, among others,
have introduced negative voting provision in their election laws. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE
JANUARY 2014

Giving right to a voter Not to vote for any candidate while protecting his right of secrecy is extremely
important in a democracy. Such an option gives the voter the right to express his disapproval of the kind of
candidates being put up by the parties.
Gradually, there will be a systemic change and the parties will be forced to accept the will of the people and
contest candidates who are known for their integrity. This will accelerate effective political participation in the
present state of the democratic system and the voters will in fact be empowered.
The right to cast a negative vote, at a time when electioneering is in full swing, will foster the purity of the
electoral process and also fulfil one of its objectives, namely, wide participation of people.
INDIA-NEPAL BORDER SECURITY ISSUES
Why do we need to concentrate on India-Nepal border security issue?
The arrests of two high profile terrorists, Adul Karim Tunda and Mohammed Ahmed Sidibappa alias
Yasin Bhatkal have brought the India-Nepal border into sharp focus. Differences of opinion, however, exist
as to the exact location from where these two terrorists were arrested. While India maintains that Tunda was
arrested at the Banbasa-Mahendernagar border point and Bhatkal in Raxual, some media reports indicate
that Tunda was arrested from Kathmandu Airport and Bhatkal was picked up from a hideout in Pokhara
during a joint operation with Nepalese law enforcement authorities. Whatever maybe the case, these arrests
highlight the fact that terrorist and criminal groups are increasingly using Nepal as a base because the open
border with India allows them to enter and exit India with ease.
The seeds for an open border between India and Nepal can be found in the Treaty of Peace and
Friendship which the two countries signed in 1950. Articles VI and VII of the treaty specify that citizens
of both countries have equal rights in matters of residence, acquisition of property, employment and
movement in each others territory, thus providing for an open border between the two countries. These
provisions allowed the citizens of India and Nepal to cross their shared borders without passport and
visa restrictions. During the colonial times, the British required Gorkhas for the Indian army and the
Nepalese market for their finished goods. These requirements necessitated unrestricted cross-border
movement of both goods and people. After independence, India continued with the practice of an open
border with Nepal.
The open border has been misused by terrorists and criminals. Likewise, human trafficking and smuggling of
Ganja from Nepal and pharmaceutical preparations from India is also quite rampant. More recently, the Indo-
Nepal border has also become a route for smuggling of gold from Tibet into India. The problem is further
aggravated by intelligence inputs that Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) has been using Nepalese
territory to carry out anti-India activities since the 1990s. Encroachments in the no-mans land by removing or
damaging border pillars have added another dimension to the problem. Security agencies believe that the
buildings which have come up in the no mans land could be used as a hideout as well as for storing arms
and explosives.
Steps taken by both the countries related to this security issue.
Transforming the border from an open border to a closed border would severely damage these ties with
disastrous consequences for the citizens and economies of both countries. It would therefore be prudent to
keep the border open but manage it more effectively by strengthening security through effective law
enforcement, installing screening and detection devices at the check points, and enhancing intelligence
networks.
Policymakers in India have taken note of the deteriorating security situation along the India-Nepal border and
have undertaken a number of measures in response. For instance, the presence of the Sashastra Seema
Bal (SSB) along the Indo-INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

Nepal border has been further augmented with the construction of five additional Border Out Posts
(BOPs). The SSB has been granted the powers to search, arrest and seizure under the Criminal Procedure
Code as well as powers to arrest under the Passport Act. In addition, 1,377 km. of strategic roads are also
being built along the border to facilitate the easy movement of the border guarding personnel. The SSB is
also installing surveillance cameras along the border. For addressing the twin objectives of security and
trade facilitation, two integrated check posts with state of the art detection and screening devices as well as
support facilities are being constructed at Raxual and Jogbani.
The Nepalese security agencies had conducted a study and identified 18 types of crimes that are
widespread along the India-Nepal border including human, arms and drugs trafficking, unauthorised trade,
smuggling of counterfeit currency, kidnapping, robbery, and extortion. They have also prepared and enforced
a Cross-Border Crime Control Action Plan 2013 to curb trans-border crimes. But more needs to be done.
India and Nepal have to collaborate and coordinate their efforts to improve the situation along their border by
setting up joint task forces to investigate cross-border crimes, sharing real time intelligence, conducting
coordinated or joint patrolling, re-installing missing border pillars and repairing the damaged ones and jointly
developing infrastructure along the border.
INDIA-MAYNMAR
Myanmar Indias Entry Ticket Towards the ASEAN
India and Myanmar share special ties of culture, language, trade and tradition rooted in historical linkages
through Indias North East. India sees a direct relationship between peace and stability across the borders
with Myanmar with development and prosperity of its own North Eastern region. Over the past year, Indias
close and multifaceted relationship with Myanmar has been further strengthened through an exchange of
visits at the highest level.
The State visit of the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to Myanmar in May 2012, the first visit by an Indian
Prime Minister after a gap of 25 years, was a major milestone in bilateral relations. During the visit, 12
Agreements and MoUs were signed, including on the US$ 500 million Line of Credit; Air Service Agreement;
border area development.
Earlier, the President of Myanmar, U Thein Sein, had paid a State visit to India in October 2011. India is
working closely with Myanmar on various infrastructure development and cooperation projects, including in
the field of roads, waterways, power, health, education and industrial training, telecommunications, and
others.
Myanmar is also central to Indias Look East Policy. Being the only ASEAN Country with which India shares
a land boundary, Myanmar is Indias gateway to the larger ASEAN Community. India is actively engaged
with Myanmar in improving cross border connectivity and expects that the direct and smooth road
connectivity to South East Asia through Myanmar will be materialized by the end of this decade greatly
facilitating trade, tourism and travel in the region.
The significant political and economic reforms instituted by the Government of Myanmar over the past year
have led to an increased international interest in Myanmar. India remains committed to extending all possible
assistance and support to the process of national reconciliation and the further strengthening of democracy
in Myanmar.
Further, it is pertinent to mention that there are no contentious issues looming over India-Myanmar bilateral
channels. A number of agreements for enhancing bilateral cooperation have been signed between the two
countries. Institutional mechanisms for facilitating regular dialogue on a range of issues of bilateral interest
have also been established. Indian Consulate General in Mandalay was re-opened in 2002 and the
Consulate General of Myanmar was set up in Kolkata. India has been INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

responsive to the needs of friendly people of
Myanmar and has been providing relief materials
and assistance.
The recent exchanges of visits between both
countries at political and other levels had
imparted a new momentum to the bilateral
relationship.
Recent Visit: October 2013
Gen. Bikram Singh is on a two-day official visit to
Myanmar. President Thein and Gen. Singh held
discussions on the two countries bilateral
friendship forged through successive
governments, implementation of the agreements
signed during the latest visits of the Myanmar
president and Indian prime minister to each
others country and Indias assistance to
Myanmars human resource development.
They also touched on cooperation between the
two countries armed forces, Indias offer of
scholarships for Myanmar trainees, its assistance
for modernising Myanmars armed forces,
Myanmars help in cracking down on Indian
rebels on the Indian border, patrolling for border
security and signing of an agreement on
cooperation in boundary affairs.
Gen. Singhs visit to Myanmar came after Indian
Defence Minister A.K. Antonys tour to the country
in January this year.
Positive Aspects:
Major Indian Projects in Myanmar
Development cooperation is a key of our
relationship and we have offered technical and
financial assistance for projects in Myanmar, both
in infrastructural and non- infrastructural areas.
These include:
1. A national centre of excellence- The Myanmar
Institute of Information Technology (MIIT) being
set up at Mandalay;
2. An Advanced Centre for Agricultural Research
and Education (ACARE) along with a Rice Bio
Park at Yezin Agriculture University Nay Pyi Taw.
Recognising the importance of connectivity, India
in coordination with Myanmar is implementing the
various connectivity projects:
Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project,
building/upgrading 71 bridges on the Tamu-
Kalewa-Kalemyo road; pledged to
construct/upgrade the Kalewa-Yargyi section of
the trilateral highway which envisages seamless
connectivity between India, Myanmar and
Thailand by 2016.
Government of India is also closely working with
Government of Myanmar to implement the MOU
on Border Area Development where India has
granted an assistance of USD 5 Million each year
for next five years. The first year project is under
implementation and under which 21 schools, 17
health centres and 8 bridges are being built in
Chin State and Naga self Administered Zone of
Myanmar.
An India-Myanmar Industrial Training Centre has
been set up by HMT(I) in Pakokku with the
assistance of GOI, a second centre is being set
up in Myingyan.
Myanmar-India Centre for English Language
(MICELT), a Myanmar-India Entrepreneurship
Development Centre (MIEDC) and an India-
Myanmar Centre for Enhancement of IT Skills
(IMCEITS) have been set up under GOI
assistance and are running successfully. GOI has
again decided to upgrade the IMCEITS with state
of the art equipment.
GOI has also agreed to extend assistance in
setting up a Language Laboratories and E-
Resource Centre at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
in Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw.

Other projects include INSIGHTS CURRENT

Restoration of the Ananda Temple in Bagan,
Upgradation of the Yangon Childrens Hospital,
Sittwe General Hospital along with proposed
upgradation of Monywa General Hospital.

Commercial and Economic Relations
There has been steady expansion of bilateral
trade from US$ 12.4 million in 1980-81 to US$
1.92 million in 2012-13. Indias imports from
Myanmar are dominated by agricultural items
(beans, pulses and forest based products from
90% of our imports). Indias main exports to
Myanmar are primary & semi-finished steel and
pharmaceuticals.
India is the fourth largest trading partner of
Myanmar aster Thailand, Singapore and China.
The two countries have set a target of $3 billion
by 2015.
At the institutional level, an Agreement for setting
up of a Joint Task Force between UMFCCI and
CII was signed in 2004. A Bilateral Investment
Promotion Agreement (BIPA) and a Double
Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) were also
signed in 2008.
India and Myanmar are both signatories to the
India-ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, which
was signed in August 2009.
Myanmar is also a beneficiary country under
Indias Duty Free Tariff Preference Scheme for
LDCs. There has been regular interaction
between CII, FICCI and other important chambers
of commerce from India and the Union of
Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce
and Industry (UMFCCI). The Joint Trade
Committee (JTC) chaired by the respective
Commerce Ministers was set up in 2003 and has
been effective in reviewing and setting policy
objectives for bilateral trade between the two
countries.
During the visit of Prime Minister to Myanmar,
Joint Trade and Investment Forum (JTIF) chaired
by prominent businessmen from both sides was
set up. The 1st JTIF was held in Yangon in June
2013. Minister of Commerce, Industry and
Textiles and Myanmar Minister of Commerce also
attended and addressed the 1st JTIF.
Border Trade
India and Myanmar signed a border trade
agreement in 1994 and have two operational
border trade points: Moreh-Tamu and Zowkhatar
Rhi on the 1643 km long border.
A third border trade point is proposed to be
opened at Avakhung- Pansat/Somrai.
The border trade between India and Myanmar
had a quantum jump during the year 2012-13
touching US$ 36.2 million from US$ 15.4 million.
First meeting of the India-Myanmar Border Trade
Committee was held in Moreh (Manipur) on
November 8, 2012. The meeting reviewed the
current status of border trade and discussed
border trade points/LCSs along with the proposed
expansion of items under border trade.
Trade Fair & Market Promotion
Recent trade promotion events include visit of the
Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) delegation to
Myanmar (26-31 August 2012), Federation of
Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) (3-
7September 2012) for India Show, EEPC
delegation (13-19 January 2013), Bengal
Chambers of Commerce (18-22 February 2013),
Indian Chamber of Commerce and FICCI (4-9
March 2013) and Calcutta Chamber of
Commerce (4-7 April 2013). India-Myanmar
Business and Investment Conclave in Monywa in
May 2013. Marker events including Business
seminar and b-2-b meetings were organized in
Yangon and Sittwe during the visit of Indian Naval
Training Ship Sudharshini from March 6-9,
2013.
Training programmes
Myanmar is a beneficiary of training programmes
under different schemes such as
Indian Technical & Economic Cooperation (ITEC)
Programme, Technical Cooperation
2014

Scheme (TCS) of Colombo Plan and also various
scholarships offered by the Indian Council for
Cultural Relations (ICCR) like the General
Cultural Scholarship Scheme (GCSS), Mekong
Ganga Cultural Scholarship Scheme (MGCSS),
Ayush Scholarship to BIMSTEC member
countries.

A large number of participants from different
Ministries of Myanmar Government attended
various courses offered under the ITEC/TCS
scholarships. In 2012-13 the slots under
ITEC/TCS were doubled to 500 from 250, which
has again been enhanced to 525 for this year
because of the enthusiastic response from
Myanmar.
The specialized training programme for
Parliamentarians and Parliamentary secretariat
were also organized where 42 MPs and 30 staff
attended the training course. Myanmar diplomats
have also been attending training courses at the
Foreign Service Institute of India along with other
foreign diplomats.
Cultural Exchange
The cultural wing of the Mission has been
organizing regular cultural activities besides
having active Yoga & Bharatnatyam classes with
dedicated instructors from India.
An International Conference on Buddhist Cultural
Heritage was organized on the sidelines of which,
Buddhist Cultural Heritage Photo Exhibition and
Book on Buddhism was organized in Shwedagon
Pagoda. The Sarnath Style Buddha Statue
donated by GOI to people of Myanmar and
installed at the Shwedagon Pagoda premises was
also unveiled in Yangon in December 2012.
Other cultural events include a Carnatic Music
Nite by Padmashri Sudha Ragunathan, book
reading function by famous author, Dr. Amitav
Ghosh, an Odissi dance performance by a
leading troupe from India and local dances by
Myanmar troupes in connection with the ASEAN-
India Car Rally.
A night of India & Myanmar Dance was organized
at National Theatre in collaboration with students
of the Art and Culture University of Yangon. India
is also working on the restoration/preservation of
Ananda Temple in Bagan.
Indian Diaspora
The origin of the Indian community in Myanmar is
traced back to the mid-19th century with the
advent of the British rule in Lower Burma in 1852.
The two cities of the Myanmar namely Yangon
and Mandalay had a dominating presence of
Indians in various fields such as civil services,
education, trade and commerce during the British
rule. According to 1983 official census of
Myanmar the number of Person of Indian origin
(PIOs) in Myanmar is 428428. A large number of
the Indian community (nearly 150,000) live in
Bago (Zeyawaddy and Kuayktaga) and
Tanintharyi Region and Mon State and are
primarily engaged in farming. The NRI families in
Myanmar mainly live in
urban/cities and are engaged in export import
business or are employees of MNCs based in
India, Singapore and Thailand.
Air links with India / Convenient Travel Routes
1. Thai Airways flies daily to various cities in India
via Bangkok;
2. Indian Airlines flies Kolkata-Yangon (to-and-fro)
twice a week on Monday and Fridays.
Cooperation between India and Myanmar in
the regional/sub-regional context
ASEAN:
Myanmar became a member of ASEAN in July
1997. As the only ASEAN country which shares a
land border with India, Myanmar is a bridge
between India and ASEAN. A few proposals for
cooperation have been implemented and some
are under discussions with Myanmar within the
framework of ASEANs IAI programme. INSIGHTS

BIMSTEC:
Myanmar became a member of BIMSTEC in December 1997. Myanmar is a signatory to the BIMSTEC Free
Trade Agreement. Myanmar is the lead country for the energy sector. Myanmar trades mostly with Thailand
and India in the BIMSTEC region. Myanmars major exports to India are agricultural products like beans,
pulses and maize and forest products such as teak and hardwoods. Its imports from India include chemical
products, pharmaceuticals, electrical appliances and transport equipment. The 13th BIMSTEC Ministerial
Meeting was held in Myanmar in January 2011. The 3rd
BIMSTEC Summit meeting is expected to be held in Myanmar during the year.
Mekong Ganga Cooperation:
Myanmar is a member of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) since its inception in November 2000.
MGC is an initiative by six countries India and five ASEAN countries namely, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar,
Thailand and Vietnam for cooperation in the fields of tourism, education, culture, transport and
communication. The chairmanship of MGC is assumed by member countries in alphabetical order.
SAARC:
Myanmar was given the status of observer in SAARC in August 2008.
Negative Aspects
1. India and Myanmar trade relations have improved at an appreciable rate, but still China is its largest
trading partner and also the potential source of foreign Investments.
2. Myanmar has raised its voice against the large scale poppy cultivation by the Manipuri People in Myanmar
and hope that this issue of environmental harm would be resolved very early.
3. Recently, Myanmar troops had attempted to construct a base camp next to Holenphai
village near Moreh but they were persuaded not to do so until a joint survey between the two is conducted.
India has asked Myanmar to setup a Joint Border Working Group(JBWG) to address the issue of
demarcation of border, extends to over 1,600 km, between, the two countries. As per the understanding,
there cannot be any construction within 10 metres from the boundary.

Future Potential and Prospects:
1. Geopolitically, Myanmar is important for India in order to counter Chinese presence in South East Asia by
creating its own sphere of economic zones. As, Indias Investment in Myanmar is around $275 million. India
should use this opportunity to earn the confidence of the people as well as the government of Myanmar.
2. The border trade and investment facilitation as well as cooperation in services and technology must be
addressed with greater economic potential. Both countries should also evolve measures to capture the
attention of private players.
3. It is believed that tax free markets will come up along the borders. For this, a preliminary agreement has
been inked between Chin State of Myanmar and the Govt. of India to open such markets, which will allow
merchants to trade around 40 commodities.
INDIA - JAPAN
(A comprehensive coverage of India-Japan relationship)
BEGINNING OF NEW ERA IN INDIA JAPAN RELATIONS POST 2000
Visit of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori to India- A new beginning
After 1998 nuclear tests, India and Japan relations remained nearly frozen for three years. However, a

turnaround in the ties was achieved shortly afterwards, when J apanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori
visited India in August 2000. He urged both countries to build a new global partnership that would address
a wide spectrum of international issues like nuclear disarmament, anti-terrorism, the restructuring of the UN,
maritime safety, technology transfer, environment, etc. In particular, he wanted both India and Japan to take
advantage of the IT revolution in building a new partnership.
The same point was reiterated by the Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee when he visited J apan
in December 2001. The Joint Communique he issued with his Japanese counterpart Koizumi Junichiro on
10 December provides a comprehensive framework for the future directions of Indo-Japanese relations. Both
leaders recognized that unbounded opportunities exist especially in the area of Information and
Communication Technology in which there are extraordinarily strong complementarities between Japan and
India. They wanted their two countries to help bridge the digital divide so that the benefits of IT revolution
could be shared by all.
Reasons that compelled J apan to conclude global partnership with India
1. During the 1990s, there was considerable misunderstanding in Japan on President Bill Clintons overtures
to China and many Japanese leaders wondered whether it would be wise for Japan to continue to depend
solely on its alliance with the US.
2. This skepticism was further deepened at the time of the currency crisis in 1997-98 in Southeast Asia.
During the crisis, Japans proposal to create an Asian Monetary Fund (AMF) with a capital of US $10 billion
for assisting the countries affected by the crisis was turned down by the US, as it did not entertain a
prominent role for Japan in the region.
3. It is relevant in this context to note that Japan at the same time was promoting ASEAN+3, a new
institutional mechanism
that would bring greater coordination with China and South Korea and link it up with ASEAN countries.

All these developments indicated Japans anxiety to increase its diplomatic options outside the ambit of US
Japan alliance. It is in this backdrop of Japans quest for seeking a broader Asian arena to safeguard
its own interests that Moris call for a global partnership between India and Japan was made.
Towards Annual summits- Building greater cooperation
The idea of global partnership received a fresh impetus from the top leaders of the two countries. The visit
made by Prime Minister J unichiro Koizumi in 2005 was a landmark that set in motion a process by which
the Prime Ministers of the two countries would meet annually in either of the countries. Since then eight
annual summit meetings have been held. The joint statement contained an eight-point agenda which
provided a new direction to the bilateral relations. One of its objectives was to develop a well-structured
framework for security dialogue and cooperation between the two countries. It was agreed that both
countries would pursue their partnership at three levels.
1. Bilaterally, they would strive to strengthen the prevailing political and economic links.
2. At the regional level, they would promote peace and security in Asia by contributing to regional
cooperation in such areas as maritime security and energy self-sufficiency.
3. At the global level, both would cooperate in areas such as UN reforms, nuclear disarmament, counter
terrorism and environment.

Beginning of India-J apan strategic and Global Partnership INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE
JANUARY 2014

The second summit was held in Tokyo in December 2006 when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met his
new Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. He was keen to establish a close rapport with Abe who, on his side,
was strongly desirous of cultivating closer relations with India. Their joint statement entitled Towards
India-Japan Strategic and Global Partnership constitutes a long and detailed roadmap for building a
multilayered network of bilateral relations. Broadly, it proposed that following actions be taken:
a) Holding annual summit meetings between the top leaders of the two countries;
b) Institutionalizing strategic dialogue at the level of foreign ministers;
c) Pursuing negotiations for the conclusion of a bilateral economic partnership agreement/comprehensive
economic cooperation agreement;
d) Establishing of a business leaders forum;
e) Cooperating in the field of science and technology;
f) Encouraging of people-to-people exchanges;
g) Cooperating in multilateral fora like the UN, SAARC, EAS and ARF and;
h) Cooperating in areas like energy, environment and global trade.
Eighth bilateral summit in Tokyo in 2013 reflecting a new trend
The Bilateral annual summits started since 2005 have been conducted regularly till now and we have been
successfully completed sixty years of diplomatic ties.
The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Japan in May 2013 to conclude eighth Annual summit in
Tokyo. The Tokyo summit took place at a time when both countries face serious territorial frictions
with China. The Ladakh crisis arising out of Chinas controversial intrusion into the Indian territories inside
the Line of Actual Control demonstrated the unpredictable nature of their bilateral relations. Though China
agreed to withdraw to its earlier position after Indias rather tough stance, the incident left a long trail of
bitterness. Many believe that Beijings withdrawal was due to its concern to see that Prime Minister Lis
scheduled official visit to India was not affected in any way.
Japan continues to face tremendous pressure from China in the maritime sphere, particularly since 2010
when a Chinese ship rammed a Japanese coast guard vessel. Chinas relentless pursuit of its claims to the
Diaoyu/Senkaku islands became far more intense after September 2012 following the Japanese
governments purchase of three of the islands. On almost a daily basis Chinas surveillance ships intrude into
Japans territorial waters around the islands and Chinese air forces have also violated Japanese air space in
the area.
For a long time, the partnership was centered on economic matters such as development loans, trade and
investment. But it has diversified to cover a wide spectrum of interests including security, counter terrorism,
sea-lanes, UN reforms, energy security and climate change. This years bilateral summit in Tokyo
reflects this trend.
Indias look east policy and mutual interests with Japan
New Delhi has optimally utilized its Look east policy to foster its deeper relations with Japan particularly with
regard to forging the foundations of a potentially far-reaching economic and strategic partnership with Japan.
As pointed out by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Our relationship with Japan has been at the heart of our
Look East Policy.
In addition to their shared concerns about growing financial and military strength of China, New
Delhi and Tokyo have found mutual interests in their engagement of Southeast Asia. Both are working
actively to support Burmas political and economic opening; investing in regional trade frameworks for

open economic exchange with member states of
ASEAN; and engaging strategically important
Indonesia and Vietnam. Both are playing a
greater role in ASEAN-led institutions not only to
boost regional webs of economic connectivity,
but, importantly, to prevent regional clubs from
tilting in a sino-centric direction.
INDIA JAPAN Economic Relationship:
END OF COLD WAR ERA AND INDIAS
ECONOMIC LIBERALIZATION
The launching of the economic liberalization
programme in India in 1991 was a landmark
development in the post-independent economic
history of India. The new policy had placed India
on the road to free and market economy.
Japan, which had always entertained deep
misgivings about Indias earlier inward-looking
economic strategy based on import substitution,
welcomed the liberalization policy.
J apanese foreign direct investment into India
The Economic reforms coincided with a period of
global surge in FDI outflows. Investment outflows
from Japan also registered an impressive rise
even from the 1980s. During this period, US,
Europe, China and ASEAN countries remained
top destinations of investment for Japanese
companies.
Though economic liberalization policy of India
was welcomed by Japan, Investments in India
remained far below compared to other countries.
The reasons were numerous i.e. issues related to
infrastructure, custom clearance, taxation, land
acquisition, official bottlenecks in India and cheap
labour and investment friendly climate in others
countries.
The period following the nuclear tests by India in
1998, Japanese companies hesitated in investing
in India. The diplomatic relations remained nearly
frozen during this period and so the economic
relations. It was only after the visit of Japanese
Prime Minister Mori, the relations became normal.
India is emerging as a favored destination in Asia
for Japanese FDI. DIPP (Department of Policy
and Promotion) statistics show that Japanese
companies have made actual investments of
$14.85 billion to India between April 2000 and
August 2013. This accounted for 7% of total FDI
inflow into India and made Japan the 4th largest
investor in India (top three being Mauritius,
Singapore, U.K.).
According to the Japanese External Trade
Organization, (JETRO), Japanese firms
increasingly prefer India as an investment
destination over China. The availability of a large
market and abundance of semi-skilled and skilled
workforce make India an attractive destination.
In the private sector, Japanese investments in
India have been mainly in the form of mergers
and acquisitions( M & R), as is evidenced from
Japanese-Indian companies ties like Ranbaxy-
Daiichi Sankyo, Hero-Honda, Tata- DOCOMO,
etc. which have made sizeable investments in
India.
The majority of investments have been in
traditional fields like automobiles, auto parts and
electronics, although some companies have
invested in businesses like pharmaceuticals
(EISAI), health drinks (Yakuruto), pulp (Nihon
Koso) and rice processing (Yanmar). Japans
small and medium enterprises have also started
to discover India as the new growth market.
Share of Japan in FDI equity inflows from
April 2000 to august 2013
1. Rank: Japan ranks 4
2. Percentage share of total FDI inflows: is 7.36%
3. Total FDI Inflows from Japan: are US$ 14.85
billion

Top sectors that attracted FDI equity inflows
(from April 2000 to August 2013), from Japan,
are:
1. Services Sector (19%)
2. Construction Development: Townships,
Housing, Built-Up Infrastructure and Construction-
Development Projects (11%)
2014

3. Telecommunications (6%)
4. Computer Software & Hardware (6%)
5. Drugs & Pharmaceuticals (6%)

Portfolio investment and its growth
Another trend that deserves to be noted is the
steady increase in the number of portfolio funds
through which the Japanese could invest in the
Indian stock market. The India Portfolio Fund that
was started only in 2004 has already attracted
huge Japanese investments into the Indian stock
market. The total asset of the Japanese portfolio
investment funds amounted to $8.2 billion in
March 2007.
Bilateral trade
Trade between Japan and India had never been
impressive. Japan has always enjoyed favorable
balance of trade with India except in 2001 and
2002. Improving bilateral trade between India and
Japan has always been a priority agenda for both
the countries.
Realizing this in November 2004, the then Prime
Minister of Japan, Mr. Junichiro Koizumi and the
Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh
agreed to set up a Joint Study Group (JSG) to
study all aspects and give its recommendations
on strengthening economic relations between the
two countries. The JSG in its Report of June 2006
concluded that there was a huge potential to
deepen and expand existing bilateral economic
relations. The negotiations for Comprehensive
Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)
commenced in January 2007 and were concluded
after fourteen rounds in September 2010. The
Japan- India Comprehensive Economic
Partnership Agreement finally came into effect in
August 2011.
It covers such areas as trade in goods and
services, investments, intellectual property rights,
customs procedure. CEPA goal is to abolish
tariffs over 94 per cent items bilaterally traded
over a period of next ten years.
Japanese exports to India picked up
momentum after the CEPA came into effect,
but Indias exports to Japan have not seen
much of an increase.
There has not been any significant change in the
composition of trade and the major items of
Indias exports to Japan continue to be gems and
jewellery, marine products, minerals, iron ore and
textiles whereas Japans exports have been
mainly centred on machinery, transport
equipment, electronic goods, chemicals and metal
products. In other words, Japans exports to India
consist of products that are on the higher side of
the value chain, but Indias exports to Japan
cover only the lower levels of the value ladder.
Any significant breakthrough in the bilateral
trade can occur only if India is able to
diversity its exports.
In 2012-13 India-Japan bilateral trade touched
US$ 18.6 billion. Indian exports to Japan were at
US$ 6 billion, and imports at US$12.5 billion. In
effect, Indias exports and deficit were nearly
equal.
Official Development Assistance (ODA)
The ODA has been the core component of the
bilateral partnership for decades now and India
was the first country to receive Japanese
assistance (1958), following Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehrus historic visit to Tokyo in 1957.
In 1990s Japan became the largest donor to
India. Even at a time when Japans overall ODA
volume has shrinking to declining economy after
2003, its assistance to India markedly increased.
This indicates the importance that Japan attaches
to its partnership with India.
In general terms the basic objective of
Japanese ODA loans is to facilitate long-term,
low interest funds for the self-help efforts of
developing countries for their socio-economic
infrastructure development.
Japanese ODA has three categories- bilateral
loans, grants and technical assistance. Loans are
extended at the government to government level
on the basis of extensive negotiations and
consultations. These INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

loans are repayable within a prescribed time and
carry a fixed rate of interest.
Today the ODA loans are totally united and
project related. The sectors that benefitted most
were electric power, gas, transportation, irrigation
and environment. Some of the important projects
that received ODA were Delhi Mass Rapid
Transport system, Kolkata East-West Metro
project, Chennai Metro project etc.
Indias flagship projects and Japanese
assistance: Japan is closely associating itself
with Indias three mega power projects which
would give a huge boost to investment and
industrial progress. The projects are:
1) Delhi Mumbai Industrial corridor
2) The dedicated fright corridor project
3) Chennai Bangalore Industrial Corridor
India-Japan complementarities
Japan:
Surplus capital with businesses and technology
powerhouse
Limited investment opportunities and stagnant
domestic demand
Aging population 23% above 65 years
Limited availability of skilled and technical
manpower
High tech hardware and technological capabilities
High cost economy

India:
Requires capital in all areas and technology
Many investment
opportunities with strong
domestic demand
Young population
Easy availability of scientific,
Technical and skilled personnel
Global powerhouse in software solutions
Extremely cost competitive

There is a lot to do!!!!
The growing presence of Japanese companies in
India are obvious, as India offers a large domestic
market base, but mutual synergies between
businesses in the two countries are also driving
initiatives. Japan is a relatively labour-scarce,
capital and technology abundant country that
complements Indias rich spectrum of human
capital.
Indias prowess in the software sector lends
synergy to Japans excellence in the hardware
sector. Indias abundance of raw-materials and
minerals matches well with Japans capabilities in
technology and capital to produce knowledge
intensive manufactured goods.
But still Japanese companies have
apprehensions about underdeveloped
infrastructure, policy bottlenecks, red tapism,
Land acquisition problems, Labor laws etc. It is
imperative for India to ally these apprehensions to
tap the unrealized potential of Indo- Japanese
economic cooperation.
INDIA-JAPAN DEFENSE AND SECURITY TIES
In July 2001, the first comprehensive bilateral
security dialogue was held in Tokyo to
discuss security and defence policies, the
Asian security environment and nuclear non-
proliferation. The dialogue was
institutionalized as an annual event.
This was followed by greater military-to-military
cooperation between the two countries. Japans
participation in the International Fleet Review held
in Mumbai in February 2001 was an important
event followed by the visit of a Maritime Self-
defence Force (MSDF) squadron to Chennai in
May 2001.
Such mutual visits have been taking place
regularly since then, in addition to exchange of
visits by service chiefs. INSIGHTS CURRENT

India and Japan also set up another mechanism
on counter-terrorism within the bilateral security
framework.
JOINT DECLARATION ON SECURITY
COOPERATION
A truly epoch-making development in Defense
and Security arena took place on October 22
2008, when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso signed the
Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation on
the sidelines of third annual summit. This is a
historic document in that J apan has such
arrangements only with Australia and the US.
Undoubtedly, it was an outcome of the continuous efforts made by the top leaders of both countries over a
long period. A study of the document shows that it embodies almost all the pledges and assurances made by
them in various joint statements and other official meetings since 2001.
One significant aspect of the Declaration is
the emphasis placed on the need for bilateral
policy coordination in regional affairs, as well
as bilateral cooperation within multilateral fora
in Asia such as the EAS(East Asia Summit),
ARF(Asean regional forum) and RECAAP
(Regional cooperation Agreement on
combating piracy and armed robbery).
The Declaration essentially seeks to build on the
existing tempo in defence ties, while attempting to
broaden the framework with a view to influencing
the emerging security architecture. In this context,
it has also envisaged an action plan that would
define specific measures to concretize security
cooperation.
ACTION PLAN ON SECURITY COOPERATION:
In 2009 Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama
visited India and the two significant outcomes of
this visit were signing of an action plan to
strengthen bilateral security cooperation and
initiation of 2+2 security dialogue at the
cabinet/official level.
The Singh-Hatoyama action plan lays out a
comprehensive agenda that mentions specific
measures to be taken by the two countries in nine
areas, including strategic and defence
cooperation mechanisms, maritime security,
safety of transport, cooperation at the UN,
disaster management, and cooperation on
disarmament and non-proliferation.
MARITIME SECURITY: STRENGTHENING
SHARED INTEREST
As noted earlier, the India-J apan Action Plan
pays considerable attention to maritime
security as a critical area in the bilateral
relations.
Both countries share identical interests and
concerns on the need to ensure the safety of the
sea-lanes of communication (SLOCs) in the
Indian Ocean area. Maritime security in the
Indian Ocean calls for systematic efforts at
multilateral levels in view of the diverse and
overlapping interests of numerous countries
involved.
In this context, it is imperative for both Japan and
India to jointly address several issues such as
ocean piracy, maritime environment, transport of
weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and the
safety of Malacca Strait. Indo-Japanese
cooperation should become a key component in
the whole Indian Ocean security mechanism.
Why does it hold great importance for Japan
and India?
Japan is a maritime nation depending on the
Ocean for its basic resources and external trade.
More than seventy per cent of its energy
resources are transported by sea from the Middle
East and any disruption to its energy supplies
could seriously affect its economy. Indian Ocean
security is directly linked to the well-being of the
Japanese economy.
With a coastline of 7,500 kilometers, India too
has a vital stake in the security of the Indian
Ocean.
Since the end of the Cold War, India has pursued
a comprehensive maritime strategy that INSIGHTS

emphasizes the development of modern ports and harbours, exploitation of marine resources, expansion of
shipping, and modernization of fishing industry. Following the implementation of the UN Convention on Laws
of the Sea (UNCLOS), it set up its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and went on to widen the framework of
its maritime strategy. Equipped with warships, aircraft carriers, submarines and minesweepers, India has one
of the strongest and most sophisticated navies in the Asia-Pacific region. India also has a highly developed
Coast Guard whose main function is to protect life and property at sea against piracy and terrorism.
With Indias commercial and trade relations growing with East and Southeast Asia, the need for ensuring the
safety of the SLOCs has assumed much greater importance. More than 90 per cent of Indias external trade
is sea borne. India also depends on oil supplies from the Middle East to the extent of seventy five per cent.
There is therefore a strong convergence of mutual interests between India and Japan. They share
many common perceptions on the evolving security situation in the Indian Ocean.
Since piracy is one of the most serious threats to the SLOCs, they have already started cooperating with
ASEAN countries. The India-Japan Action Plan talks about strengthening cooperation between the navies
and Coast Guards of the two countries. Both countries have held periodical antipiracy joint exercises in the
Bay of Bengal.
Compelling interest in freedom of the sea
India and Japan share a compelling interest in freedom of the seas. The three common areas of interests
are:
1) South China Sea:
Both India and Japan are dependent on freedom of passage through the South China Sea for trade flows
and access to naval partners in Southeast Asia. (Nearly 60 percent of Japans energy supplies are shipped
through there.) One-third of all global trade passes through the South China Sea.
The Indian armed forces exchanges and joint-exercises with not only Japan but also with Vietnam,
Indonesia, and South Korea require unimpeded access through these waters. Chinas 2012 warning not to
penetrate the South China Sea littoral for an Indian Navy vessels port call in Vietnam was seen as
unwarranted interference in Indias relationship with a third country with which it has long enjoyed ties.
2) Western Pacific
The Western Pacific is another maritime domain of vital concern to both India and Japan. These waters
connect both nations to their principal military partner, the United States, and its major hubs of power
projection in Guam and Hawaii, while carrying exports to North America. Chinese dominance of these waters
would put at risk the security of the air and sea lanes and the US militarys ability to operate freely in waters
that bind together the economies of East Asia and North America. New Delhi has demonstrated its strategic
interest in the freedom of these distant sea lanes by holding naval exercises with both Japan and the United
States east of Okinawa.
3 ) Indian Ocean
The third maritime domain of special interest to both India and Japan is the Indian Ocean, which carries a
majority of both nations energy imports from the Persian Gulf and is, therefore, intrinsically important.
It is the home sea of India, whose balancing role in East Asia is growing, as attested by the development of
security partnerships with Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other regional powers.
Civilian nuclear cooperation agreement between India and Japan and controversial issues
India plans to build about 20 nuclear power plants to increase the share of nuclear power in supply from the
current 4% to 25% by 2050. To meet its energy needs, India would like to partner Japan on the peaceful
uses of nuclear energy. Following the INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

Us-Indo Civil nuclear agreement, 2008, India and Japan has also started talks on the same line.
The talks have been stalled since the nuclear disaster at Fukushima on 2011. As the only nation to
have faced the fury of nuclear weapons, Japan remains sensitive about concluding a nuclear pact with a
nation that is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and as such wants additional
guarantees from New Delhi.
But, the discriminatory nature of NPT has refrained India from signing the treaty. As far as CTBT is
concerned, India has unilaterally declared a moratorium on testing, but wants the world to move categorically
towards nuclear disarmament in a credible time- bound manner. FMCT (Fissile Material Cut off Treaty),
which aims to stop further production of fissile material for weapons purposes, Indias stand is that it will
accept anything which is universal, non-discriminatory, and effectively verifiable in nature.
Civilian nuclear cooperation agreement between India and Japan is vital also because all the US and
French firms, which have bagged contracts to build nuclear plants in India are either partly or, wholly owned
by Japanese companies. As Japanese firms have very advanced capabilities in the nuclear field and play a
very important role in the global supply chain, it will not be possible for these companies to use Japanese
technology, because of Japans ban on the transfer of military and arms related technology since 1976. For
example, French firm Areva depends upon Japan Steel Works, the worlds main forger, and Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries, for the manufacturing of equipments that are installed in Arevas nuclear power plants.
India, on the other hand, argues that it has already given a number of assurances in its civil nuclear pacts
with other nations, which should work for Japan as well.
( The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as the Non-Proliferation
Treaty or NPT, is an international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and
weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal
of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a multilateral treaty by which states agree to ban
all nuclear explosions in all environments, for military or civilian purposes.)
Reference: Contents are taken from relevant articles of The Hindu and IDSA website.
INDIA- JAPAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION
Until recently, mutual interests between India and Japan were primarily limited to economic matters like
development assistance and trade, but today they are more diversified and cover a wide range of subjects,
the salient ones being nuclear disarmament, maritime security, energy cooperation, climate change, counter
terrorism, UN reforms and regional community building.
Moreover Science Technology is also one of the fields where the two countries showed active
interest in building a new relation. Realizing this potential, the two leaders launched a joint committee on
Science and Technology Cooperation in 2000. They stressed on areas such as modern biology,
biotechnology, health care, agriculture, hydrocarbon fuels, environment, information and
communication technology, robotics, alternative sources of energy, etc
Since then India and Japan have cooperated in various fields and have taken initiative in rare earth
production, Technology transfer in various fields especially non renewable energy, Nuclear energy,
information and communication technology, interaction at various ministries level on science and technology
upgradation etc. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

In the following areas two countries have been cooperating:
1) Development of rare earth industry in India
India and Japan have signed the memorandum of
understanding in November, 2012 to develop rare
earth industry in India. The MOU also enables
Japan to import rare minerals from India. They
would also work to develop a joint venture in
other countries.
Japan is the worlds largest importer of REE,
mainly because of its major industrial base in
electronics and the consequent demand for a
significant amount of REE. REEs are required for
computers, laptops and televisions. They also
have significant usage in mobile telephony and
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) equipment.
Given that the majority production of rare earth
materials (over 97 percent of the worlds REE
market) is controlled by China it is imperative for
Japan to diversify sources for REE import (a
potential safeguard against a possible embargo
by China amid the Japan-China territorial dispute
over the Senkaku Islands).
India is known to be the second largest producer
of REEs. According to one estimate made in
2010, China produced 1.3 lakh tonnes of REEs
while Indias output was 2,700 tonnes. India could
supply around 4,100 tons a year, equivalent to
roughly 10 percent of Japans peak annual
demand
Indian Rare Earth Limited, a company affiliated
with Indias Department of Atomic Energy (DAE),
and Toyotsu Rare Earths India Pvt. Ltd have
already made some progress in the production of
rare earth material.
2) DMIC project and Smart Community
Projects
Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor

Indias ambitious $90-billion DMIC project is
aimed at creating mega industrial infrastructure
along the Delhi-Mumbai Rail Freight Corridor,
which is under implementation. Japan is giving
financial and technical aid for the project.
The project aims to develop an environmentally
sustainable, long lasting and technological
advanced infrastructure utilizing cutting age
Japanese technologies and to create world class
manufacturing and investment destinations in this
region.
The two countries are also working on upcoming
Chennai-Bengaluru industrial corridor project.
Smart Community projects:

India and Japan has also agreed to promote a
Smart Community initiative under Delhi-Mumbai
Industrial corridor project that aims to create an
eco-friendly society with focus on renewable
energy, recycling and efficient power
management system. (Smart communities
cities, towns, neighborhoods and villages that
reduce their energy demand and generate their
own power from renewable sources)
3) Energy cooperation:
Since 2006, The Energy and Resource Institute
(TERI) in association with NEDO (New Energy
and Technology Development Organization
has been co-hosting the India-Japan Energy
Forum which provides an opportunity to the
Indian and Japanese stakeholders to discuss
various technological and policy related issues in
the field of energy efficiency and renewable
energy.
Indo-Japan Relations and Issue of China
One of the main contributing factors to the
question of peace and security in the Asian region
is the phenomenal growth of China. These
include the rise of China as an economic power.
This rise in the last decade has also led to
increased military spending by China, creating
one of the most sophisticated armed forces in the
world. Consequently, China has used its military
and economic power to assert its dominance in
Asia. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE
JANUARY 2014

For both India and J apan, China is a challenge
as well as an opportunity. Chinas claim over
the South China Sea makes the security
environment in the East Asian region fragile.
Despite tensions between India and China, and
Japan and China, their bilateral economic
relations have flourished.
Chinas position in the world clearly demonstrates
the importance of having financial power. Japan
cannot afford to derail the process of deepening
economic ties with China. Similarly, any irritants
between India and China, in the political domain,
have not deterred strengthening of economic ties
between the two. Engaging China, rather than
infuriating it by designing a strategy of
containment, would be in the larger interests of
securing peace and stability in Asia because the
Chinese have spent significant dollars on military
expenditures.
Chinese military expenditures were almost 1.5
times more than the defence outlay which stood
at 788.0 billion yuan in the year 2010. This
expansion of military power is a cause of concern
for both countries as they are engaged in talks
with China over Arunachal Pradesh and Senoku
Islands.
Way forward
Every relationship has its ups and downs and the
Indo-Japan relationship is no exception.
Over the past year, Indo-Japanese relations have
gained new momentum. In the words of Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh the time has come for
India and Japan to build a strong contemporary
relationship, one involving global and strategic
partnership that will have a great significance for
Asia and the world as a whole. In Abes words a
strong India is in the best interest of Japan, and a
strong Japan is in the best interest of India.
Given the Shared areas of interest and mutual
issues of concern, Both the countries have a long
way to go together. Might be in near future, they
will emerged as a global players in real sense.
reference: All articles covering indo-japan
relations from The Hindu, IDSA website, Indian
express. Articles of K.V.Keshavan from
http://www.eastasiaforum.org website of ministry
of external affairs articles from international policy
digest
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
(Structure, Functions, Objectives, and
Resources)
IMF came into being on December 27, 1945
when 29 countries of the world signed on
Articles of Agreement. It started functioning in
march 1947.
Structure:
the board of governors is the supreme body of
IMF, which is headed by governor and an
alternate governor who are appointed by the
members of the fund. The of governors deals with
the entry of new members, determination of
quotas and distribution of SDRs. Board of
governor consists of one governor from each of
its 188 members. There is an annual meeting of
the fund which is held once in a year all members
participate in it.
The other big authority in the IMF is Executive
Board. It has a Managing director who is the
chairman of the executive board and controls
day-to-day matters of the fund.
Objectives:
1. To increase international cooperation by
providing consultancy services regarding
international monetary issues.
2. To assist in the balanced growth of world trade,
which will be helpful in raising the efficiency,
employment and income of the world.
3. To stabilize the exchange rate and discourage
the tendency of competitive devaluation.
4. To abolish those restrictions which are
obstacles in the way of world trade and create a
multilateral system of payments.
2014

5. The countries facing deficit in their balance of
payment can borrow from IMF to finance
temporarily.
6. To reduce the volume and time period of
disequilibrium in balance of payment.

Functions:
1. To maintain stable exchange rate policies.
2. Surveillance: it is responsibility of the fund to
see whether members are serious regarding their
functions and responsibilities thus under this
function there is regular dialogue and policy
advice which IMF offers to each member. Hence
IMF makes an appraisal of each members
economy
3. Exchange restrictions: no country can put any
type of restrictions on the payment regarding
current account. However a country can impose
restrictions on the movement regarding capital
amount. Again no country can impose restrictions
that the transactions will be made in certain
currencies.
4. Consultation and Technical Assistance: fund
provides technical assistance to its members
regarding strengthening their capacity to design
and implement effective policies. Fund assists in
the area of fiscal policy, monetary policy
exchange rate, banking and financial system etc.
5. Lending for BOP difficulties: basically fund is
aimed to provide assistance to those member
countries which suffer from BOP difficulties. But to
the poor countries it also assists in the attainment
of growth and alleviation of poverty.

Resources:
The main source of the fund is those
subscriptions which are paid by the members in
the form of quotas and SDRs. In order to enhance
its resources, the fund can borrow from the official
as well as non-official sources.
Special Drawing Rights and IMF quota:- the big
question at the Bretton Woods conference with
respect to the institution that how member country
would access international liquidity. After
consultation quota was assigned to member
countries in accordance to their relative economic
power and their credit to IMF. Further members
were provided voting rights in proportion to their
quotas. Hence there is conflict between
developed and developing countries regarding
their voting rights as developing nations have
lesser say in major decisions of IMF.
SDRs: SDRs are supplementary foreign
exchange reserve assets defined and maintained
by the IMF. it is not a currency instead represent
a claim to currency held by IMF member countries
for which they may be exchanged. The value of
SDR is defined by a weighted currency basket of
four major currencies: the US dollar, the
Japanese yen, the Euro and British pound. The
central bank of member countries held SDR with
IMF and it can be use by them to access fund
from IMF in case of financial crisis in their
domestic market. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

ECONOMICS
RBIs initiative to tackle black money
In a move that is likely to hit currency hoarders
and counterfeiters, the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) has decided to withdraw from circulation all
currency notes issued prior to 2005.
The public can easily identify the notes to be
withdrawn as the notes issued before 2005 do not
have on them the year of printing on the reverse
side, the RBI said.
From July 1, however, those wanting to exchange
more than 10 pieces of Rs.500 and Rs.1000
notes in a bank where they do not have an
account will have to provide proof of residence
and identity.
The move will flush out black money, according to
bankers.
Notes issued after 2005 have added security
features that make counterfeiting difficult.
Cabinet to take decision on FDI in farm land
The UPA government has formed a three-
member Cabinet committee to examine the
possibility of opening up agricultural land to
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), following a
proposal by the Urban Development Ministry on
letting foreign realtors buy agricultural land.
The committee includes Urban Development
Minister Kamal Nath, Finance Minister P.
Chidambaram and Commerce and Industry
Minister Anand Sharma.
At present, FDI is banned in farm land. Further,
Indian banking rules disallow loans for the
purchase of farm land even for domestic investors
except in the case of large-scale projects to
safeguard against speculative land acquisition
and hoarding.
The Ministrys argument is that as farm land is
already being acquired for township development,
FDI would only help raise more funds for the
purpose. Real estate developers would in any
case be applying for land use change after
acquiring farm land, the Ministry said.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
TELE-MEDICINE
What is Telemedicine and its scope&
initiatives in India?
Telemedicine is medical information exchange
between one site to another using the high end
and sophisticated communication networks.
Telemedicine facilitates the provision of medical
aid from a distance. It is an effective solution for
providing specialty healthcare in the form of
improved access and reduced cost to the rural
patients and the reduced professional isolation of
the rural doctors. Telemedicine can enable
ordinary doctors to perform extra-ordinary tasks.
In India, TELEMEDICINE :Healing Touch
Through Space is an initiative by ISRO (Indian
Space Research Organisation) enabling specialty
healthcare to the rural and remote population of
India.
India is a vast country having an area of 3.2
million square km. To provide the basic medical
facilities to all including privileged ,rural and
residents spread along various geographical
locations had been a major concern for the
administration. Having a scoop of policies on
health, still quality healthcare is limited to the
Urban areas. It is known that 75% of the qualified
doctors practice in urban centres, whereas the
vast majority of Indias population lives in the rural
areas. With the advent of Communication
Technology, especially the Satellite
Communications (SatCom) combined with
Information Technology, we have means to
extend the benefits from the advanced medical
sciences even to the remote and inaccessible
areas.
Through its Telemedicine projects, ISRO has
successfully linked hospitals and healthcare
centers in remote rural areas with specialty
hospitals in INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

cities through INSAT satellites. Thus, connectivity
between patients at remote end and the specialist
doctors at urban centers has been effectively
established. With a large and skilled medical
community receptive to new ideas, a modest
beginning in Telemedicine was made by ISRO in
the form of a Telemedicine Pilot Project in the
year 2001, linking Apollo Hospital at Chennai with
the Apollo Rural Hospital at Aragonda village in
the Chittor district of Andhra Pradesh. Later in
March 2002,the Karnataka Telemedicine project
linked the Narayana Hrudayalaya, a super
specialty hospital for cardiac care at Bangalore
with the district hospital, Chamarajanagar and the
Vivekananda Memorial Trust Hospital at
Saragurin south interior Karnataka. The valuable
experience gained during these Pilot Projects
encouraged ISRO to further endeavour for
enabling specialty healthcare delivery to the rural
population.
Explain the working of TELEMEDICINE
Telemedicine is confluenced by Communication
Technology, Information Technology, Bio-medical
sciences and Medical Sciences. The network is
having Hardware and software at both ends with
some of the diagnostic equipments like ECG,X-
RAY,PATHOLOGY CAMERA/MICROSCOPE
provided at the patient end. They are connected
through a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT)
system and controlled by the Network Hub Station
of ISRO. Through the telecommunication using
small computer at patient end, Data consisting of
Images, Reports can be sent to specialist doctors
in form of Digital Data Packets. These packets
are received at the specialist centre, the images
Medical data packets sent Video.
Conferencing signals sent & received and other
information is reconstructed so that the specialist
doctor can study the data, perform diagnosis,
interact with the patient and suggest the
appropriate treatment during a Video Conference
with the patient end.
Telemedicine facility thus enables the specialist
doctor and the patient separated by thousands of
kilometers to see visually and talk to each other.
This enables the specialist doctor to assess the
physical and psychological state of the patient
and suggest treatment.
This remote tele-consultation and treatment is
much more valuable in case of post operation
(Post Surgery) follow up since the patient is not
required to travel unnecessarily and hence saving
money and time. In this way, the systematic
application of Information and Communication
Technologies to the practice of healthcare rapidly
expands the outreach of the healthcare system.
What are the Future Prospects of
TELEMEDICINE in India ?
ISROs Telemedicine endeavour is expanding its
outreach and has the potential to open up new
frontiers for facilitating rural healthcare in India.
Encouraged by the steady growth of its
Telemedicine programme, ISRO has also
envisioned the development of HEALTHSAT, an
exclusive satellite for meeting the healthcare and
medical education needs of the country at large.
This satellite, when deployed along with wireless
and terrestrial communication links, can bring a
large change in augmenting the present
healthcare delivery system in the country.
Specialty Tele-Consultation access to large
Population
Due to the untiring efforts of various departments
like the Department of Space and the Department
of Information Technology, State Governments,
NGOs and
Private and Corporate Hospitals/Agencies, the
majority of the rural population all over the
country will stand to benefit from Telemedicine
Technology that can usher in a revolution for
transforming the face of Healthcare in India.
Thus, Telemedicine can enlarge the gap between
life and death and can extend quality Healthcare
to the needy and the under privileged rural, semi
rural and urban population at large.
Criticality and safety in a Nuclear Power
Plant INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE
JANUARY 2014

When the fission reactor of a nuclear power plant is operating normally it is said to be critical or in a state of
criticality. The word often describes situations with potential for disaster. Nevertheless, in the context of
nuclear power, criticality indicates that a reactor is operating safely. Criticality is a balanced state.
Nuclear reactors use uranium fuel rods to create energy through fission. Fission is the process of splitting the
nuclei of uranium atoms to release neutrons that in turn split more atoms, releasing more neutrons. Criticality
means that a reactor is controlling a sustained fission chain reaction where each fission event releases a
sufficient number of neutrons to maintain an ongoing series of reactions. In the balanced state of criticality,
fuel rods inside a nuclear reactor are producing and losing a constant number of neutrons, and the nuclear
energy system is stable. In a nuclear reactor, the neutron population at any instant is a function of the rate of
neutron production (due to fission processes) and the rate of neutron losses (via non-fission absorption
mechanisms and leakage from the system). When a reactors neutron population remains steady from one
generation to the next (creating as many new neutrons as are lost), the fission chain reaction is self-
sustaining and the reactors condition is referred to as critical. When the reactors neutron production
exceeds losses, characterized by increasing power level, it is considered supercritical, and; when losses
dominate, it is considered subcritical and exhibits decreasing power.
Controlling criticality: When a reactor is starting up, the number of neutrons is increased slowly in a
controlled manner. Neutron-absorbing control rods in the reactor core are used to control neutron production.
The control rods are made from neutron-absorbing elements such as cadmium, boron, or hafnium. The
deeper the rods are lowered into the reactor core, the more neutrons the rods absorb and the less fission
occurs. Technicians pull up or lower the control rods into the reactor core depending on whether more or less
fission, neutron production, and power are desired. If a malfunction occurs, technicians can remotely plunge
control rods into the reactor core to quickly soak up neutrons and shut down the nuclear reaction.
What is super criticality?
At start-up, the reactor is briefly put into a state that produces more neutrons than are lost. This condition is
called supercritical state, which allows the neutron population to increase and more power to be produced.
When the desired power production is reached, adjustments are made to place the reactor into critical state
that sustains neutron balance and power production. At times, such as for maintenance shutdown or
refueling, reactors are placed in a subcritical state so that neutron and power production decrease.
Indias Future projects in Space Technology
India has made remarkable progress in Space Technology and Planetary Exploration in the last decade and
took major strides in utilizing the operational space systems in various fronts of national development
commercial, strategic, societal and economic.
The major focus will be on the development of next generation launch vehicle GSLV Mk III, which currently is
in advanced stage. GSLV Mk III will provide the capability to launch 4 T class communication satellite into
orbit. Research and Development on critical technologies related to Semi-cryogenic engine, Re-usable
Launch Vehicles, Air breathing Propulsion and Human Space Flight will pave the way for realisation of
advanced launch vehicles.
Satellite Navigation is an emerging area of Space Applications. The first of the Indian Regional Navigational
Satellite System (IRNSS-1A) has been successfully launched in July 2013. The completion of the IRNSS
constellation with seven satellites will lead to the introduction of satellite-based positioning and timing
services in the country. The Satellite Communication services in the country are planned to be expanded
with more powerful INSAT/GSAT satellites operating in new frequency bands.
Earth Observations are planned with the development of Geo imaging Satellite (GISAT) to provide near
real time images of large areas of the country and hyper spectral imaging systems for natural resources
survey and disaster management applications.
Space technology is a powerful catalyst for social development in the areas of natural resources
management, food security, rural development, education and literacy, health-care and environment.
Innovations in space based communications and earth observations will be pursued to achieve faster
delivery of information to remote areas and finer observation of planet earth.
Several exciting missions in Space Science and Planetary Exploration have been planned in the near future
including Chandrayaan-2, with a lander and a rover intended for in-situ investigations of the Lunar Surface;
multi-wavelength Astronomy observatory satellite ASTROSAT-1 for observation of celestial objects covering
optical, UV and X-ray bands and Indias first space- borne solar coronagraph mission ADITYA-1 for studies
on coronal mass ejections.
Achievements made by department of Space in the last decade which are as follows:
Indian Cryogenic Engine & Stage and GSLV D5
The successful flight testing of indigenous cryogenic stage onboard GSLV-D5 Flight on January 5, 2014 was
a major land mark technological milestone in achieving self-reliance in Indias Cryogenic Launch Vehicle
technology. Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is capable of placing 2 Tonne class
communication satellite into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and India is one among six countries
in the world to demonstrate such launch capability to GTO with the use of complex cryogenic technology.
This success, coming after two consecutive failures of previous flights of GSLV-D3 and GSLV- F06 in 2010,
has demonstrated the ability of the organization to cope-up with setbacks, implement objectively the
corrective actions with determination and accomplish the goal.
GSLV-D5 has successfully put a communication satellite GSAT-14 into a precise GTO orbit. The health of
the satellite is normal.
Mars Orbiter Mission
Indias first inter planetary mission, the Mars Orbiter Spacecraft was successfully launched on November 5,
2013 onboard PSLV-C25. The voyage of the spacecraft towards Mars, following crucial orbital maneuver of
Trans-Mars Injection on December 01, 2013, made India to become one of the four nations in the world to
send space mission to Planet Mars. Mars Orbiter spacecraft has been realized on fast track mode in a record
time of less than 18 months to meet the earliest launch opportunity (the next opportunity would have been
only after 26 months). Mars Orbiter Mission is mainly intended to establish the Indian technological capability
to reach Martian orbit and to explore Mars surface features, morphology, mineralogy and Martian
atmosphere by indigenous scientific instruments. Besides the scientific and technological challenges, Mars
Orbiter Mission is a vital step in enthusing the younger generation in the country in scientific research in
general and planetary exploration in particular. The injection of the spacecraft in to Mars Orbit would take
place on September 24, 2014.
PSLV A Workhorse Launch Vehicle
Indias Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), with a proven track record of 24 successful flights, has
provided the country the crucial autonomy in access to space. During the last decade, PSLV had 15
successively successful flights and has placed 23 Indian satellites and 31 foreign satellites into orbit. The
versatile vehicle PSLV has been successfully used for launching lighter communication and navigation
satellites into GTO, apart from launching remote sensing satellites to Low Earth Orbit and Interplanetary
missions. PSLV, to its credit, has the successful launch of Indias first Inter-planetary Mission to Mars in
November 2013 as well Indias first Lunar Mission Chandrayaan-1 earlier in September 2008. PSLVs launch
capability has been progressively enhanced with ability to place multiple satellites into varied orbits. A
noteworthy INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

achievement of PSLV is the successful launch of TEN satellites into multiple orbits during PSLV C9 flight in
2008 demonstrating the versatility of the vehicle.
Space Capsule Recovery
A leap-frog in Indian Launch Vehicle Technology was achieved in 2007 through the Space Capsule
Recovery Experiment Mission SRE-1 which established Indias technological capability to recover an orbiting
satellite with precise re-entry trajectories. SRE-1, demonstrated several advanced technologies such as
thermal protection system, deceleration and recovery system, etc.; of relevance for future Human Space
Flights.
Indias Mission to Moon
Indias maiden moon exploration mission Chandrayaan-1 was launched in October 2008 for mapping the
lunar surface with high resolution remote sensing and study the chemical and mineralogical composition.
This mission has enabled to detect the presence of Hydroxyl (OH), a molecule consisting of oxygen and
hydrogen atoms and water molecules on the lunar surface, which has set new directions of lunar
explorations in the global community.
Remote Sensing and National Natural Resource Management System
The Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) System, with currently 11 satellites in orbit, is one of the largest
constellations of remote sensing satellites in operation in the world today. It provides inputs for management
of natural resources and various developmental projects across the country using space based imagery. IRS
Satellites provide data of varied spatial resolutions and improved repeativity to suit many spectra of
applications.
During the last decade, 13 remote sensing satellites have been launched and operationalized. The imaging
technology of the country witnessed a quantum jump with the successful launch of Radar Imaging Satellite
(RISAT-1) in 2012. RISAT-1 gave the all-weather day and night imaging capability for the country, crucial for
applications in Agriculture and Disaster Management. The advanced cartography satellite, Cartosat-2
launched in 2007, enhanced the imaging capability to sub-meter high resolution in tune with the global trend
and provided immense services for cartographic applications. To study the climate of tropical regions, a joint
Indo-France satellite Megha-Tropiques was launched in October 2011. With the launch of advanced
meteorological satellite INSAT-3D in July 2013, an atmospheric sounder payload has been placed over the
Indian Ocean for the first time which enabled detailed climatic studies over this region. The Scatterometer on
Oceansat-2 satellite launched in September 2009 is the only operational instrument providing data not only
for India, but also for the global agencies like NASA and NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration) of US. Data from IRS satellites are used for meeting varieties of societal needs locating
sources of drinking water in remote areas, potential fishing zone advisories, environmental monitoring,
agricultural crop forecasting, disaster management to name a few. The fact that data from IRS satellites is
also received and marketed through international ground stations across the world is a testimony for the
quality products generated by IRS.
INSAT System
INSAT system has grown as one of the largest domestic communications satellite constellations in the Asian
region, providing services of telecommunication, television broadcasting, meteorology and disaster
management to a cross section of users in the country including strategic sector. In the last decade, INSAT
system has been augmented with the launch of 12 INSAT/GSAT communication satellites providing together
232 transponder capacity covering C, Ext-C, Ku and S bands for meeting national demands for
communication transponders. A vital application of INSAT system in the last decade has been in the field of
education with the launch of thematic satellite EDUSAT in 2004. EDUSAT was specially designed to spread
education (formal and informal) INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

at all levels and regions of the country and about 25 States were covered by the footprint of EDUSAT with
more than 55,000 EDUSAT class rooms. INSAT system was also instrumental in taking the benefits of space
technology to the doorsteps of common man through the initiatives of Tele-medicine and Village Resource
Centres in the country.
Satellite Navigation
A vital space technology initiative of the last decade has been the Satellite based Navigation System. India is
pursuing satellite navigation programme to provide position and navigation information for various
applications. Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) is being developed to provide accurate
position information service to users in India as well as the region extending up to 1500 km from its
boundary. The first satellite of this 7-satellite constellation, IRNSS 1A was successfully launched in July
2013. In addition ISRO and Airports Authority of India have jointly taken up GPS Aided Geo Augmented
Navigation (GAGAN) programme, as a forerunner for the operational Satellite based Augmentation System
(SBAS) over the Indian Airspace. GAGAN payloads are already incorporated in GSAT 8 and GSAT 10
satellites. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has provisionally certified the GAGAN system, so
as to enable the aircraft fitted with SBAS equipment to use GAGAN signal in space for En-Route Navigation
and Non-Precision Approaches over Indian air space.
Space Commerce/Antrix
Indias Space capability is being marketed globally by Antrix Corporation Limited. As the commercial and
marketing arm of ISRO, Antrix is engaged in providing Space products and services to international
customers worldwide. By using the launch services of ISROs workhorse launch vehicle, PSLV, 31 satellites
belonging to 17 countries have been launched on commercial terms during the last 10 years. An important
achievement of the last decade is realising two high power communication satellites, viz. W2M and HYLAS
for European customers contracts bagged by Antrix against tough competition. Additionally, the data from
Indian Remote sensing satellites are commercially disseminated to users globally. Antrix leases
transponders of the INSAT system for commercial purpose.
International Co-operation
Indias maiden mission to moon Chandrayaan-1 carried six scientific instruments from USA and Europe. Two
satellite missions viz. (Megha-Tropiques and SARAL (Satellite with ARgos and ALtica) were realized through
India-France Co-operation. YOUTHSAT, a satellite for space weather studies has been realized by young
scientists of India and Russia. India has co-operation with Jet Propulsion Laboratory of USA for ground
stations support for Mars Orbiter Mission and India and USA together are planning to develop a dual band
Radar Imaging Satellite to be launched by 2019-2020. During the last decade India has signed 10 new co-
operative instruments with various countries and space agencies.
The Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill 2013
What is Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India:- a proposed regulatory authority to regulate the
research, transport, import, manufacture and use of organisms and products of biotechnology.
Why we need Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India:- because India has signed US convection
on biodiversity and Cartagena protocol on Bio-safety which make regulatory authority necessary.
Current status: Currently biotechnology is regulated by Ministry of Environment and Forests and
Department of Biotechnology under Ministry of Science and Technology.
Highlight of bill:
set up an independent authority .

regulate products and processes of Biotechnology and certify that the product is safe.
Doesnt specify for any liability, the tribunal and the court will decide the liability.
Field trials of the modified products will only be conducted after permission from BRAI.
For a drug or vaccine with elements of biotechnology, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization
(CDSCO) will forward the application to BRAI to assess whether it is safe to proceed with a clinical trial.

BRAI UNITS:-
Risk Assessment Unit (RAU): The RAU will undertake science based safety assessments of the applications.
Product Rulings Committee (PRC): The report of the RAU will be forwarded to the PRC and the PRC will
make recommendations regarding the safety of the product or organism.
Environmental Appraisal Panel (EAP): BRAI may refer an application to the EAP, in case of products or
organisms having an environmental impact.

Opposition :-
The states are objecting that Center is trying to interfere in state right because the Bill brings the regulation of
biotechnology under the powers of the center. The Centre claims that the states still have the powers in
issues like GM technology as agriculture belongs to the State list
The bill bypasses the RTI under the garb of being Confidential Commercial Information.
Conflict of Interest : this bill seen as a quick one-stop clearing house to benefits GM corporation as a
committee of just 5 scientists will be empowered to clear the patented technology for use in whole country.

COPYRIGHT
It is a right available for creating an original
Literary and dramatic work.
Musical or artistic work.
Cinematographic films (Soundtracks, Video films, Disc/Tape/Roll recordings.
Computer software/ Programs (within definition of literary work.)

Berne Convention
India is a member of Berne convention. Under this international treaty, registration of copyright is not an
essential requirement for protection of right. Thus, a copyright or a work created in India would be
automatically and simultaneously protected in all the member countries.
Transfer of Copyright
The owner of a copyright may assign to any person, the copyright either wholly or partially
For the entire world or for a specific nation/territory.
For the full term of copyright or a part thereof.
Relating to all the rights or only a part of such right.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
The external design, colour scheme or ornamentation of a product plays a key role in the market
acceptability of the product.
These rights intend to protect the external design of a product from imitation.
Definition of DesignThe Two dimensional or Three dimensional features of
Shape
Configuration
Pattern
Ornamentation

Pattern of lines or colors

Requirements of Design
New or original
Should relate to features of shape/configuration/pattern/ornamentation
Should be applicable to a production by mechanical process
Should appeal to and judged by eye only
Should not include any trademark/ property mark/artistic work
Should not contain obscene or scandalous matter

Note: It does not include any mode or principle of construction or anything which is in substance, a mere
mechanical device.
TRADEMARK
A distinctive sign, which identifies certain goods or services as provided/produced by specific
person/enterprise
May consist of drawings, symbols, 3-d signs, shape colors used as distinctive features
Certificate Trademarks indicates that the goods are of
Certain quality or
Manufactured in a particular way or
Come from a specific region or
Use some specific material
Maintain a certain level of accuracy

GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
Applicable to agricultural, natural or manufactured goods
Goods originating or manufactured (Production/Processing/Preparation) in the particular territory of a country
or region or locality in that territory
The given quality, reputation and other characteristics of goods is essentially attributable to its Geographical
origin.
This concept is new in India and came in limelight after India signed Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights (TRIPS). According to TRIPS
A GI is applicable and protected in all the member countries
A GI not protected in the country of origin will not be protected anywhere else.
Conditions for Homonymous GI (Ex: Wines) will be determined by the state
Provision for principals of national treatment and fair competition
Provision for seizure of goods indicating false GI

PROTECTION OF INTEGRATED CIRCUIT LAYOUT DESIGN
It provides protection for semiconductor IC layout design including a transistor layout and other circuitry
elements like lead wire designs.
An IC layout design cant be registered if it is
Not original
Commercially exploited anywhere in India or World
Inherently not distinctive

Terms of various IPRs
Patent20 years (From the date of filing application)
Copyright:
Literary/Dramatic/Artistic/Musical workLifetime of the author +70 years from the year of death of the
author
All others50 years from the date/year of application
o Industrial design 10 years (Can be extended up to 5 years)

o Trademark10 years (Can be extended by 5 years)
o Geographical Indications 10 years (Can be extended by 5 years)

Legislations Covering IPRs
Patents
The Patent Act (1970)

Copyright
The Copyright Act (1957)(Amended 83, 84, 93, 94 99)
The Copyright Rules (1958)

Trademark
The Trade and Merchandise Marks Act (1958)
The Trademark Act (1999) (Supersedes the former, waiting enactment)

Industrial Deign
The Designs Act (1911)
The Designs Act (2000) (New, supersedes the former)

IC layout design
The Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Layout Design Act (2000) (Waiting enactment)

Geographical Indications
The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act 1999 (waiting enactment)

DEFENCE & SECURITY
Nuclear security around the world
In 2009 President Obama delivered a speech in Prague in which he called nuclear terrorism one of the
greatest threats to international security. With that in mind, US hosted the first Nuclear Security Summit
(NSS) in Washington DC in 2010, in order to draw attention, at the highest possible level, to the need to
secure nuclear material and thus prevent nuclear terrorism.
Forty-seven countries and three international organisations participated in the first Nuclear Security Summit,
held in Washington in 2010. The aim of the summit was to improve worldwide nuclear security by enhancing
cooperation and to make concrete agreements aimed at better securing nuclear materials and facilities.
Commitments made in Washington in 2010:
Leaders jointly affirmed the seriousness and urgency of the threat posed by nuclear terrorism.
The participating countries agreed to work to secure all vulnerable nuclear material worldwide. INSIGHTS

The participating countries agreed to shoulder
their responsibility for securing nuclear material
within their own borders.
The participating countries agreed to work
together as an international community to improve
nuclear security.
In 2012 the second NSS was held in Seoul. Fifty-
three countries and four international
organisations were invited. The first summit was
concerned with making political agreements,
while the follow-up in Seoul focused on the
progress made on implementing those
agreements.
New ambitions were added to the Washington
Work Plan: the participants recognised the need
to increase synergy between nuclear safety and
security and better protect radiological sources
from theft and misuse. Radiological sources may
not be usable for a nuclear weapon, but they are
well suited for making a dirty bomb, which can
release radiation and cause social upheaval.
Nuclear Materials Security Index has been
introduced, which surveyed the precautions, each
country had in place and ranked them based on
their security practices
The 2014 summit(Third NSS summit) will chart
the accomplishments of the past four years,
identifying which of the objectives set out in the
Washington Work Plan and the Seoul
Communiqu have not been met and proposing
ways to achieve them.
The Netherlands will focus on the following
achievable and visible goals:
optimal security for and, if at all possible, a
reduction in the use of highly enriched uranium
and plutonium.
Ratification of the amended Convention on the
Physical Protection of Nuclear Material by more
countries to ensure that the amendment enters
into force as soon as possible.
More frequent reviews of state security structures
by IAEA advisory missions.
National registration and protection of highly
radioactive sources (e.g. medical equipment).
Greater role for industry in nuclear security, to
enhance the security culture and existing
regulations.
States should provide information to their own
people and the international community to
demonstrate that they are taking appropriate
measures to maintain the security of their nuclear
material and facilities. These confidence-building
measures will increase trust in the international
protection system.
Gift baskets
Certain countries involved in the NSS are
interested in taking a specific security theme a
step further. These countries are being given the
opportunity to offer a gift basket, an extra
initiative. The idea is for presenters of such gift
baskets to acquire the backing of as many
countries as possible, which will in turn function
as role models for a given aspect of security.
For example, the Netherlands, with the help of the
highly respected Netherlands Forensic Institute
(NFI), has taken the lead in further developing a
gift basket that fosters expertise and cooperation
in the field of nuclear forensics (forensic analysis
of incidents involving nuclear or radiological
materials) and international cooperation in this
field.
In a US based study, it has found that India has
one of the weakest nuclear securities in the world.
Number of nations having material for making
nuclear bombs has been reduced by 25% over
the past 2 years.
But there remain weak links which could be
dangerous as these could be exploited by
terrorists. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE
JANUARY 2014

Study used various factors such as accounting
methods, physical security and transportation
security etc for finding safety of nuclear material.
Israel, Pakistan, India, Iran and North Korea are
the weakest link in nuclear security.
Study has ranked Australia as having the best
nuclear security arrangements, followed by
Canada, Switzerland, Germany and Norway. The
US is at 11th rank.
Australia was able to do so by reducing its
quantity of nuclear materials and by ratifying a
treaty that commits countries to criminalise acts of
nuclear terrorism and to cooperate in bringing
nuclear criminals to justice.
Belgium improved by passing new security
legislation, joining a treaty and decreasing its
quantity of materials.
Canada ratified treaties and issued new
regulations on the transport of atomic materials
for improving its score
Japan has made sweeping nuclear upgrades after
the 2011 Fukushima reactor disaster, including
the formation of a regulatory body to address
nuclear safety and security. It rose from 23rd in
the rankings to 13th.
As per the study, Mexico, Sweden, Ukraine,
Vietnam, Austria, the Czech Republic and
Hungary have removed all or most of the
weapons-usable nuclear materials on their
territories since 2012.
The drop in the number of countries possessing
such materials could be seen as encouraging for
President Barack Obamas declared ambition to
lock down all of the worlds highly enriched
uranium and plutonium.
North Korea remained in last place.
There are an estimated 1,400 tons of highly
enriched uranium and almost 500 tons of
plutonium stored in hundreds of sites around the
world.
The 2014 and 2016 meetings will provide
opportunities for the moments of accountability for
states to show progress on their own nuclear
materials security and their commitment to
working toward a robust global nuclear security
system.
Source- http://www.indianexpress.com/news/-
india-dangerous-weak-link-in-nsecurity-
/1217093/0
https://www.nss2014.com/en/nss-2014/about-the-
nss
Defence Technology Indigenisation Guised
Indigenisation
Over the last three decades, India has evolved
significant design capabilities, as evident from its
missile programme, its nuclear propulsion
programme, a series of light helicopters, the Tejas
light combat aircraft (LCA), the Arjun tank, and an
array of naval technologies that drive warship
building. Safeguarded technologies in electronic
warfare, combat management systems and
secure communications have also been
developed.
However, analysts and government watchdogs
like the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)
are critical. In August 2010, the CAG criticised the
Dhruv helicopter, pointing out that 90 per cent of
its systems and sub-systems are sourced from
abroad. The Tejas LCA and the Arjun tank also
have a high percentage of foreign components.
While the warship building programme has made
indigenisation a priority, some 60 per cent of the
weapons and sensors in most Indian-built
warships continue to be sourced from abroad,
including in the recently launched aircraft carrier,
INS Vikrant.
What does Indigenization Mean?
In 2001, a growing ministry of defence (MoD)
realisation that the public sector could not meet
Indias defence needs triggered the entry of
private companies into this sector. But that
laudable policy change was not accompanied by
a clear, holistic plan for indigenizing defence
production. A dozen years later, there is no clarity
about what indigenisation INSIGHTS CURRENT

means. Instead, indigenisation has been reduced
to a slogan Indias current equipment ratio of 30
per cent indigenous and 70 per cent foreign
equipment must be reversed to 70 indigenous
and 30 foreign.We could indigenize 70 per cent
and still have no real control over a product that
we build a large part of. That is because we
continue focusing on components and numbers
rather than design expertise. If we build most of a
system in India, but cannot tweak, modify or
export it, how can we say we have indigenized
it?
Indigenisation, in a broader sense is being able to
master; develop technologies and being proficient
in externally acquired technology rather than just
production of all defence equipment within India
without the knowledge of related technologies.
The Kelkar Report states: There is an urgent
need to review the whole concept of
indigenization and self-reliance and it is time to go
beyond the idea of looking at indigenization
purely as import substitution of components, sub-
assemblies, etc. within the country from raw
materials. Today indigenization as a concept will
need to involve capability enhancement and
development, increasing know-why, design and
system integration, rather than having numerical
targets.
Indigenization involves the Defence Research
Development Organisation (DRDO), Defence
Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), and
Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), private sector,
the Services and the civilian leaders.
Procurement including transfer of technology
India has been manufacturing Russian fighter
aircraft and tanks under license for many years,
the Russians never actually transferred weapons
technology to India. Although the country has now
diversified its acquisition sources beyond Russia
to the West and Israel, recent deals have failed to
include transfer-of-technology (ToT) clauses.
India never had a relationship in defence
production beyond buyer-seller or patron-client,
with Russia or any other nation except in the
production of BrahMos missiles. Indias efforts to
sign contracts with foreign companies that include
both licensing as well as transfer of technology
were never fruitful as the trade policy in those
countries strictly restricted the companies to only
licensing and sale of equipment, denying the
transfer of technology.
Whatever India procures now must be procured
with a ToT clause being built into the contract
even if it means having to pay a higher price. The
aim should be to make India a design,
development, manufacturing and export hub for
defence equipment in two to three decades.
Role of Defence Research and Development
Though it seeks to encourage public-private
partnerships, privately the government continues
to retain its monopoly on research and
development and defence production through the
DRDO, the ordnance factories and the defence
PSUs (DPSUs).
Since its inception in 1958, the DRDO has
achieved some spectacular successes like the
missile development programme, but also has
many failures to its name. Programmes like the
Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and the Main Battle
Tank (MBT) Arjun have suffered inordinate delays
and time and cost overruns.
However, to its credit, the DRDO worked under
extremely restrictive technology denial regimes
and with a rather low indigenous technology base.
The DRDO is now in the process of implementing
the report of the P Rama Rao committee that had
asked it to identify eight to 10 critical areas that
best fit its existing human resource pool,
technological threshold and established capacity
to take up new projects. And, it must scrupulously
stay out of production as the private sector has
shown its readiness and technological proficiency
to take up the production of weapons and
equipment designed by the DRDO and must be
trusted to deliver.
Required strategy for Indigenization
The DRDO must now concentrate its efforts on
developing critical cutting edge technologies that
no strategic partner is likely to be willing to share;
for INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE
JANUARY 2014

example, ballistic missile defence (BMD)
technology. Other future weapons platforms
should be jointly developed, produced and
marketed with Indias strategic partners in
conjunction with the private sector. The
development of technologies that are not critical
should be outsourced completely to the private
sector. Also, the armed forces should be given
funding support to undertake research geared
towards the improvement of in-service equipment
with a view to enhancing operational performance
and increasing service life. Gradually, the
universities and the IITs should be involved in
undertaking defence R&D. This five-pronged
approach will help to raise Indias technological
threshold over the next two decades by an order
of magnitude.
As the largest importer of arms and equipment in
the world, India has the advantage of buyers
clout. This clout must be exploited fully to further
Indias quest for self-sufficiency in the indigenous
production of weapons and equipment. In all
major acquisitions in future, India should insist on
joint development, joint testing and trials, joint
production, joint marketing and joint product
improvement over the life cycle of the equipment.
The US and other countries with advanced
technologies will surely ask what India can bring
to the table to demand participation as a co-equal
partner. Besides capital and a production capacity
that is becoming increasingly more sophisticated,
India has its huge software pool to offer.
Today software already comprises over 50 per
cent of the total cost of a modern defence system.
In the years ahead, this is expected to go up to
almost 70 per cent as software costs increase
and hardware production costs decline due to
improvements in manufacturing processes.
In 10 to 15 years India must begin to acquire most
of its defence equipment needs from Indian
companieswith or without a joint venture with
an MNC. Only then will the era of self-reliance in
defence acquisition truly dawn on the country. It
will be a difficult quest, but not one that a great
nation cannot realize.
With the defence budget languishing at less than
two per cent of Indias GDP compared with
Chinas 3.5 per cent and Pakistans 4.5 per cent
plus US military aid it will not be possible for the
armed forces to undertake any meaningful
modernisation in the foreseeable future.
India is expected to spend approximately USD
100 billion over the 12th and 13th defence five-year
plans on military modernisation. As 80 per cent of
weapons and equipment are still imported, there
is an urgent need to further refine the defence
acquisition process and insulate it from the
scourge of corruption that has afflicted all other
national endeavours, including major
development projects, while simultaneously
encouraging self-reliance and indigenisation.
India cannot leap-frog to a higher defence
technology trajectory virtually overnight.
Transforming a low technology base to a higher
plane will need time, patience and large scale
capital investment. It will also need strong support
across the political spectrum.
Defence Procurement Procedure undermining
the role of Private sector and MNCs
The Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)
manual was introduced in 2005. Since then it has
been revised and modified several time. The
Defence Production Policy unveiled in 2011 with
major objective of self-reliance in design,
development remained wishful as at present most
weapons and equipment continue to be imported.
The Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) was
amended once again in April 2013 to reflect the
current thinking on buying Indian. However, in
effect it still favours the defence PSUs over the
private sector. MNCs are allowed to bring in only
up to 26 per cent FDI as against 74 per cent for
non-defence sector joint ventures.
Required amendments to DPP
The defence production process must provide a
level playing field between defence PSUs and
Indian INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE
JANUARY 2014

private sector companies forming joint ventures
with MNCs where necessary.
The amount of FDI that MNCs can bring in must
be raised to 49 per cent immediately and to 74
per cent in due course to make it attractive for
MNCs. However, no MNC that is unable to
provide transfer of technology either due to the
home countrys restrictive laws or due to
proprietary considerations should be considered
for future defence acquisitions.
ENVIRONMENT/ECOLOGY
Environment: Japanese warning and Critical
analysis of Fukushima Disaster.
The current visiting Japanese delegation has
warned India on the critical issue of equilibrating
the priorities of development and its
environmental impact.
According to Mr. Natsuo Yamaguchi, Japan has
experienced a catastrophic nuclear bomb
explosion and a recent nuclear accident, which
has instilled a greater sensitivity in the Japanese
psyche.
A critical analysis of Fukushima Disaster
Even after more than two years, the ghost of
Fukushima haunts the social and economic face
of Japan.
Although the devastating effect of the concurrent
Tsunami was far greater, still the nuclear crisis
provided an acutely distressing scenario, leaving
some 50 workers as heroes, TEPCO as villain
and more than 1,60,000 civilians as the victims.
Beyond the release of large amount of radioactive
materials in the air and water, the reactor core
had melted and burned through their containers
into the base of the building.
Although the worst was avoided, but the total
release was equal to half the amount of
radioactive materials as was released in
Chernobyl. The apparent impact of disaster on
Japans coastal biota is still a concerning
matter.
The exact death toll is still unknown, and may
be Japan escaped the immediate numbers
game, but studies suggest that there might be
upto 1300 resultant cancer deaths, with
extremely small noticeable effects in Asia and
North America.
International Repercussions:
In France, the strongly pro-nuclear govt. was
defeated with 70 % people opposing the
nuclear energy projects. The present govt.
promised to radically reduce dependence on
the same.
In Germany, all the old nuclear reactors were
closed and it was decided to completely
phase out the rest by 2030.
In Italy, Switzerland and Belgium, there was a
major referendum against the goverments
plan to build new nuclear plants and the
respective governments had no other option
left except conceding defeat.
Malaysia, Philippines, Kuwait and Bahrain
abandoned their nuclear plans while Taiwan
had to drastically change its nuclear
aspirations.
China decided to first suspend and then
restart its nuclear program with a reduced
intensity of approving lesser number of
nuclear projects. Moreover, there is an
impetus on completely replacing the total
nuclear energy contribution with renewables
by 2020. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

In US, some proposed projects collapsed and
the proportion of renewable energy generation
has already overtaken that of nuclear sources.
Still Countries like UK, Russia, South Korea
and India are planning major expansion with a
large nuclear program in spite of severe public
oppositions in many of these countries.
Final Words:
For a country like Japan, which was planning
to expand its nuclear program from 26% to
45% of total electricity by 2030, a shift to zero
seems too steep a cliff. It would be very
significant and would involve major changes,
especially when the challenge is to reduce the
Green House Gas emission by 23 to 25%,
from 1993 levels, by 2030. A whole new field
of renewable options ranging from solar to
geo thermal will be explored with a significant
up gradation of technology.
Japanese track record of technological
innovation is almost incredible and
considering that, Fukushima Disaster might
have had a destructive effect on Japan, but it
might turn into a beacon light for a cleaner
and greener future ahead.
Note: For more details on exact sequence of
events in the accident, please refer Wikipedia.
Chinas ivory crushing.
Two months after US destroyed its stockpile of
ivory, China took a significant step towards
discouraging ivory trade and poaching, by
destroying 6.15 tonnes of ivory seized, in
public.
It is being interpreted as a move towards
shedding its image of as the worlds biggest
market for smuggled ivory, which figuratively
sits at 70% of global demand.
Conservationists welcomed the move as it
sent out strong message to the potential
customers as well as symbolically enhanced
public awareness. Every year huge no. of
African elephants are killed and China has
been acting as the dumping ground of their
tusks
Rare Odonate species found.
In Southern Western Ghats, a rare Odonate
species was spotted. Odonates are mainly
aquatic insect groups who flourish in rivers,
perennial streams and meadows.
Canine Distemper Virus(CDV)
Scientists at Indian Veterinary Research
Institute(IVRI) have found Canine Distemper
Virus(CDV) in the blood samples of dead
animals from Dudhwa Tiger reserve, Patna
zoo and many parts of West Bengal.
According to them CDV is causing deaths of
endangered Tigers, Red Panda and Lions.
CDV is a common disease in domestic dogs.
It affects nervous, respiratory and immune
system.
Spreads in animals which eat infected dogs
and use infected water sources.
Rare bird Indian Pitta
At Aravalli diversity park in Delhi, an endemic
species of colorful bird Indian Pitta was
spotted after 60 yrs. Usually found in
Himalayan foothills and Western Ghats, it is
distributed all over Asia, Africa and Australia.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Tropical storm One hit the coasts of Sri Lanka
on 5th Jan. The storm with wind velocity of
100km/hour struck the East coast of
Triconamalee.
The Disaster management center evacuated
people from nearby coastline zone as US
Navy and Air force Joint Typhoon warning
center forecasted about the storm. INSIGHTS

What is a Tropical Storm?
Rapidly rotating storm system.
Low pressure at the center.
Spiral arrangement of the thunderstorms.
Produces heavy rain.
Forms over large warm water bodies and
derives energy from water evaporating from
the Ocean surface.
Tropical Storm Risk (TSR)
TSR is a venture developed that has been
developed from UK govt. supported Tsunami
initiative project on seasonal tropical cyclone
prediction.
TSR forecasts to benefit basic risk awareness
and aid Disaster management.
General Studies-III [Awareness in the fields
of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-
technology, bio-technology and issues
relating to intellectual property rights ]
The Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional
Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest
Rights) Act 2006.
On 8th Jan, at Balumath, Jharkhand, a group
of 250 tribal villagers staged firm protest
against the coal mining projects of Tata Steel
and Adhunik Power and Natural Resources
Ltd..
They emphatically claimed that they were
being forcibly denied their forest rights.
Moreover they got little cooperation from local
officials and were being threatened by a local
pro-mining naxal outfit.
Analysis of The Recognition of Forest
Rights Act (2006)
Before dwelling any further, it is necessary to
disburse the presumption that in Indian
context, forests are the pristine vast stretches
of greenery, flora and fauna as in the case of
Amazons or Africa. Rather it should be noted
that a huge a chunk of tribal population live
inside the areas declared in law as forests.
Lump sum purpose of the Act
To grant ownership of those forest lands to
tribal dwellers, which were already under
cultivation, subject to a maximum of 4
hectares.
To grant tribal dwellers with the usage rights
of minor forest produce, grazing zones etc..
To grant them with proper resettlement and
rehabilitation in case of any kind of necessary
eviction (either developmental or for
conservation purposes).
To protect forest and wildlife through
community conservation programs.
Reasons behind legislation: A critical
analysis.
In India forests are mainly governed by two
laws, The Indian Forest Act (1927)(IFA) and
The Wildlife Protection Act(1972). The IFA
empowers the government to declare any
area as forest (Reserved, Protected or Village)
and the WPA empowers the government to
constitute any area as protected area
(National Park, Sanctuary or Reserve), based
on studies, reports and recommendations.
The IFA aims to bring all forests under the
centralized control of forest department and
take over the lands and rights of people living
over there.
Before Independence, the justification for the
Act was give as necessary step for higher
timber yield, Post-independence for nations
Industrial requirements and in current era as a
necessity for conservation. INSIGHTS

Thus by law, a Forest Settlement Officer is
supposed to survey and settle the rights of
people in the area which is going to be
declared forests. To no big surprise, these
settlement officers either did nothing or
recorded the rights of only those who were
powerful.
As a result, millions of people, mostly tribals
were declared encroachers in their own
homes. They became vulnerable at any time
to extortion, jail, assault or eviction. Those
who opposed destruction of forests due to
Industries, Mining etc. were jailed or evicted.
Moreover, the serious concern over
conservation and the resultant rehabilitation of
tribals was not being addressed properly.
Thus, there was need for a set of rules which
could address the grievances of these
troubled forest dwellers in a more
comprehensive and better way. The Forest
Rights Act aims at re-invigorating the lost
confidence of these people in governance,
administration, bring them back in the
mainstream development process and help
them avail their basic fundamental rights, from
which they have long been denied, owing to
suppression and exploitation.
Controversy and Misinterpretation:
A huge section of Indian media and
Environmentalists protested against the
Forest Rights Act when it was first staged for
enactment. And the reason was a gross
misinterpretation of the provisions.
It was wrongly interpreted that the FRA
intends to entitle the ownership of forest lands
to the tribals in huge proportions, which
eventually would result in deforestation and
will have devastating effects on flora and
fauna.
But it has to be understood that there is no
provision for entitlement of new forest lands.
Rather to grant ownership of only those lands,
which are already under use. (Cultivation,
grazing etc.)
Moreover it gives communities the legal rights
to prevent forests and wildlife, instead of
destroying them, as presumed.
Note: For more details on exact provisions of
the act and procedures involved, please refer
Wikipedia.
POLAR VORTEX
What is POLAR VORTEX?
Polar vortex is large frigid air mass. It is
located near the earths geographical poles. It
is low pressure area continuously circulating
cold air in counter clockwise direction. When
the air is being circulated it becomes more
cold and denser. It is strongest in winter
season and weaker during the summer. It
moves very slowly or even stays stationary.
Also known as Sub-Polar cyclone or
Circumpolar Whirl.
Where is the Polar Vortex?
Northern Hemisphere: On earth it hovers for
year around the Arctic with two centers. i.e. 1.
Canadas Baffin Island. 2. near Siberia.
Southern Hemisphere: It is located near the
edge of Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica INSIGHTS

Why is polar vortex making this winter so cold
in U.S.?
Its normal for some of frigid air moves
southward but these times it proves
exceptionally by dragging piece of vortex
towards U.S. U.S. Scientist have been told
that in the past it occurred at the frequency of
20 years. Scientist have begun to study
whether there is link between the effect of
climate change and the extreme weather
conditions.
Polar vortex and Ozone depletion:
The chemical reaction between nitric acid of
polar stratospheric clouds reacts with CFC to
form chlorine which acts as catalyst for ozone
depletion. It is observed generally on the
Antarctic Polar vortex.
National Green Tribunal Bill 2009
Highlights:
1.It aims to establish specialized
environmental courts in country. Bill replaces
the existing National Environmental Appellate
Authority and gives wider jurisdiction.
Bill allows to hear complaints of substantial
question relating to the environment. Here
substantial questions means those which
affects the community not individual or group
of same and which causes significant damage
to the environment.
Substantial questions relating to
environment under the following law can
raised in these tribunal:
Water (prevention and control of pollution)
Act,1974
The Water Cess Act, 1977
The Forest(conservation) Act 1980
The air(prevention and control of pollution)
Act, 1981
The Environment(protection) Act,1986
The Public Liability Insurance Act,1991
The Biological Diversity Act,2002
Tribunal consists of both judicial and experts
members. Judicial members should have
been judges of high or supreme courts and
expert member should have good
technological background and essential
practical knowledge.
Bill states that order of tribunal shall be final
and contains no provision for appeal.
5.Bill was introduced by the Ministry of
Environment and Forests in response to the
supreme court and recommendations of law
commission.
Key Issues:
Meaning of substantial question related to
environment is open to interpretation and
does not give exact meaning.
It may reduce the access to justice in
environmental matters by taking away the
jurisdiction of civil courts. All cases under
these law will be handled by these tribunal
which is benched at limited location(initially
only five).
It does give the tribunal jurisdiction over some
environmental issues.
Mainly the judicial members qualification is
same as it was for NEAA.
Bill does not give any clear idea about the
composition of tribunal and selecting
committee.
References: INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

1:http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/ministry-uturn-may-clear-hurdles-for-manipur-
project/article5551594.ece
2.www.prsindia.org
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
WHAT is EIA?
It is a study to evaluate and identify the predictable environmental consequences and the best combination
of economic and environmental costs and benefits of the proposed project.
On the basis of EIA, an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is prepared, which is a description of the
means by which the environmental consequences as pointed out in the EIA will be mitigated. Together the
whole draft is termed as EIA-EMP report.
WHO does EIA?
The project proponent or Independent agencies like NEERI, TERI, WAPCOS, E & Y, NCAER etc.
WHY is EIA conducted?
To systematically examine both beneficial and adverse consequences of the proposal.
To ensure that those consequences are taken into account during project design.
To identify possible environmental effects of the proposal and means to mitigate them.
To predict whether there will be significant adverse effects even after the mitigation.
To lessen conflicts by promoting community participation and informing decision makers.
How is EIA done?
IDENTIFICATION of the consequences of the proposal.
PREDICTION of the extent of consequences.
EVALUATION of the predicted consequences. (Significant or not)
MITIGATION of the adverse consequences.
DOCUMENTATION to inform decision makers what needs to be done.
Issues related to EIA
Though it seems a very simplified process, but the whole process of EIA encompasses numerous structural
and procedural flaws. All the associated issues can be classified in two categories.
Report Issues
Public Hearing Issues.
Report Issues.
Screening and Scoping not well defined-In the EIA notification 2006, there is a lack of clarity in overall
conductance of the Screening process. As it is discretion of the State Level committee to decide which
projects are B1 and which are B2, many a times the bias of respective State Governments come into play.
The Scoping process faces same types of issues because of lack of clarity in guidelines.
Misleading EIA reportsSometimes the EIA reports lack the expected degrees of honesty, owing to bias,
corruption, exaggeration and wrong claims. Due to poor knowledge of the project area the agencies lift
paragraphs and sentences from other sources, thus presenting contradictory, inconsistent and outdated
information. Moreover there is no process for punishing the agencies tabling such dishonest EIA reports.

Insufficient EIA reports-Agencies or project proponents also prepare incomplete EIA reports, which include
incomplete surveys, arbitrary demarcation of EIA study area and unsubstantiated statements. Sometimes the
impact with respect to flash floods, landslides, peak precipitation etc. round the year is grossly ignored in
reports.
Poor quality of EIA professionals This happens mostly when the proponents themselves conduct the EIA.
They intentionally hire local and incompetent professionals to save cost over the whole process or some
other vested reasons. These poor professionals prepare a poor quality of EIA reports.
Public hearing issues
Lack of awareness-There is a gross lack of awareness among the local people, about the process of EIA,
its significance for them, role of various players and their own rights and responsibilities. Moreover there is a
communication gap between authorities and local people because the notice for Public hearing is issued in
local newspapers only and no separate notices are sent to individual concerned panchayats. Most of the
times local people are unaware of the Public hearing meetings.
Unavailabilty of EIA in local languages Most of the time EIA reports are unavailable in local languages,
thus local people are unable to decipher the reports, and are misled by the proponents. This can be
interpreted as a clear violation of the right to information on their part. The irony is local people are totally
unaware of such implications.
Ignorance of officialsThe concerned officials for example those in Public Hearing committee are ignorant of
their roles and responsibilities. Sometimes they dont even get a copy of EIA report and it is passed without
their consent, owing to gross corruption of the system.
Over involvement of Public hearing consultants In the public hearing meeting, the consultants should not
be allowed to have a dominant say, except responding to the issues of the people. On the contrary, they get
involved in public hearings beyond requirements and thus mislead the local people.
Unaddressed issues persist-The issues raised by people in public hearings remains unanswered and they
do not know what happens to the issues, nor do they know if the issues raised are reflected in public hearing
reports that is presented to Ministry of Environment and forests.
Understanding Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Recently the Ministry of Environment and Forest granted environmental clearance to POSCOs Steel plant,
while rejected the proposal of Vedantas Bauxite mining projects. What was the procedure and why one was
granted clearance while the other was not? What is their relation with the Environmental Impact
Assessment?
To answer these questions, there is a need to analyze the entire process of Environmental clearance and the
Environmental Impact Assessment Notification 2006.
Environmental Impact Assessment Notification (EIA) ,2006.
The EIA notification categorizes all kinds of developmental projects in various schedules. The project
proponent/investor has to identify to which schedule his proposed project belongs to. All the projects coming
under Schedule 1 require environmental clearance. Schedule 1 contains two Categories A and B, Category
B is further classified as B1 and B2 by respective State Level Expert Appraisal Committee.
The EIA notification establishes four stages for obtaining Environmental Clearance. INSIGHTS CURRENT

SCREENING
SCOPING
PUBLIC HEARING
APPRAISAL
NOTE:
B1 Categories project require Environmental Impact Assessment while B2 category projects are exempted
from EIA.
NOTE:
Technically, this is the first step for A category projects, which requires Environmental clearance from Central
govt. along with B 1 projects, while B 2 projects need clearance only from state governments.
The proponent has to now conduct EIA and submit the report to State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and
State Forest Department (SFD) (If the project covers forest lands).
The SPCB and SFD evaluates the report qualitatively and quantitatively to assess if it complies with the
prescribed effluent and emission standards. If so, a NOC is granted.
NOTE:
Public Hearing is exempted for projects like modernization of irrigation, expansion of roads and highways, all
B2 category projects etc.
Understanding Intellectual Property Rights
WHAT are Intellectual Property Rights? Broadly IPR are rights granted to creators and owners of works
that are results of human intellectual creativity. These works can be in industrial, scientific, literary and
artistic domains, and in the form of an invention, a manuscript, a suite of software or a business name. IPR
as a collective term includes the following IP rights a) Patent. b) Copyright. INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

c) Trademark. d) Registered Industrial Design. e) Protection of IC layout design. f) Geographical Indications.
g) Protection of undisclosed information.
WHY do we need Intellectual Property Rights? Due to globalization, geographical barriers to trade among
nations are collapsing, leading to emergence of multilateral trade and a new economic order. The new
knowledge economy places a tag of urgency, as the time for grasping knowledge has become an important
parameter to determine the success of an institution, enterprise, government and industry. The face of
changing trade environment is characterized by global competition, high innovation risks, short product cycle,
need for rapid changes in technology and high investment in R&D. Thus the complexity of global trade
would be on the increase with introduction of more and more variables. Many product and technologies are
simultaneously marketed and utilized in many countries. All such products and technologies are susceptible
to infringement leading to inadequate returns to the creator of knowledge. Developers of such products and
technologies would like to ensure the R&D costs and other associated costs are recovered and enough
profits are generated to invest in future R&D. Hence there is a need for Intellectual Property Rights. NATURE
of Intellectual Property Rights Largely territorial except Copyright, which is global Awarded by the state
and are monopoly rights. Have to be renewed from time to time. (Except Copyright and Trade Secrets)
Have fixed term. (Except Trade Secrets, Geographical indications and Trademark which have indefinite life)
Can be assigned, gifted, sold and licensed like any other property. Can be simultaneously held in many
countries at the same time. Can be held only by legal entities. PATENTS Exclusive rights granted by a
country. Granted to the owner of an invention. Granted for making, using, manufacturing and marketing
the invention Available for a limited period. Territorial in nature, i.e. inventor needs to file separate patent
applications for different nations. Definition of Invention i. A new product or process involving an inventive
step and capable of industrial application ii. New invention means any invention which has not been
anticipated by any publication in the country or elsewhere in the world. iii. An invention must be : NOVEL
(Undisclosed in public, through any publication, anywhere in the world) NON OBVIOUS (Not obvious to
person skilled in the subject matter of the patent) USEFUL
IPCC Summary for Policy Makers (SPM)
What is IPCC- SPM?
Every six years or so, IPCC publishes assessment reports on science, impact and mitigation of climate
change.
This is the 5th IPCC-SPM. The last (4th) report was published in 2007.
Important Impacts of Climate Change
Snow cover in the northern hemisphere in June has reduced by 11.7% per decade since 1967. That means
the snow cover in that month over the northern hemisphere has fallen to half of what it was less than 50
years ago.
Permafrost- The frozen soil that extends several million square kilometers along the high Northern latitudes
has warmed by staggering 3 degrees Centigrade in Northern Alaska since INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

early 1980s and by 2 degrees Centigrade in
the Russian European north sine 1971
The earths surface cover over each of the last
three decades has been warmer than any
preceding decade since 1850 and has
warmed by .85 degrees Centigrade since
1880.
Between 1901 and 2010, the sea levels rose
by 19 cm on an average worldwide. In recent
years, the rise has increased to 3.2 mm a
year.
Causes
Of the total Green House Gases (GHGs)
emission, 44% or little less than half
accumulated in the atmosphere, and rest
almost equally being taken up by oceans and
land based ecosystems.
As a consequence, the atmospheric
concentration of three main GHGs has risen
to levels unprecedented in at least 8,00,000
years. Even the oceans absorbing GHGs
have become more and more acidic.
Possible Impacts on India
The increasing concentration of GHGs in
atmosphere will further aggravate the increase
in atmospheric temperature as it will rise by a
further 0.3 to 0.7 degrees Centigrade in 2016-
2035.
The increase in seasonal and mean
temperatures is expected to be larger in the
tropics and subtropics than the mid-latitudes.
The tropics are home to huge number of
worlds known species, and which have
historically evolved and been used to relative
narrow temperature band. A small rise will
mean that many tropical species have to
migrate or become extinct.
In the longer term, it is seriously alarming that
much of North-west and Central India would
be 4 degrees to 5 degrees warmer by 2081 -
2100.
Monsoon retreat dates will likely be delayed in
many regions.
COMPREHENSIVE ARTICLE on WILDLIFE
OF INDIA
Apart from a handful of the major farm
animals such as cows, buffaloes, goats,
poultry and sheep, India has an amazingly
wide variety of animals native to the country.
It is home to Tigers, Lions, Leopards,
Pythons, Wolves, Foxes, Bears, Crocodiles,
Rhinoceroses, Camels, Wild dogs, Monkeys,
Snakes, Antelope species, Deer species,
varieties of bison and not to mention the
mighty Asian elephant.
The regions rich and diverse wildlife is
preserved in 89 national parks, 18 Bio
reserves and 400+ wildlife sanctuaries
across the country.
India has some of the most biodiverse regions
of the world and hosts three of the worlds 34
biodiversity hotspots or treasure-houses
that is the Western Ghats, the Eastern
Himalayas and Indo- Burma.
Since India is home to a number of rare and
threatened animal species, wildlife
management in the country is essential to
preserve these species. According to one
study, India along with 17 mega diverse
countries is home to about 60-70 % of the
worlds biodiversity.
India, lying within the Indomalaya ecozone,
is home to about 7.6% of all mammalian,
12.6% of avian, 6.2% of reptilian, and 6.0% of
flowering plant species.
Indias forest cover ranges from the tropical
rainforest of the Andaman Islands,
Western Ghats, and Northeast India to the
coniferous forest of the Himalaya. Between
these extremes lie the sal-dominated moist
deciduous forest of eastern India; teak-
dominated dry deciduous forest of central
and southern India; and the INSIGHTS

babul-dominated thorn forest of the central Deccan and western Gangetic plain.
In recent decades, human encroachment has posed a threat to Indias wildlife; in response, the system of
national parks and protected areas, first established in 1935, was substantially expanded.
The Indomalaya ecozone is one of the eight ecozones that cover the planets land surface. It extends across
most of South and Southeast Asia and into the southern parts of East Asia.
Also called the Oriental Realm by bio-geographers, Indomalaya extends from Afghanistan through the Indian
subcontinent and Southeast Asia to lowland southern China, and through Indonesia as far as Java, Bali, and
Borneo
Threats
In recent evolutionary history, threats facing many organisms have been driven primarily by the effects of a
single species: humans. The extent to which humans have altered this planet has effected countless species
and has initiated extinctions on such a vast scale that many scientists believe we are now experiencing a
mass extinction (the sixth mass extinction in the history of life on earth).
Preventable Threats
Since man is indeed part of nature, man-made threats are merely a subset of natural threats. But unlike
other natural threats, man-made threats are threats that we can prevent by changing our behavior.
The Types of Man-Made Threats
Habitat Destruction & Fragmentation
The destruction or splitting up of once continuous habitat to enable humans to use the land for agriculture,
development of towns and cities, construction of dams, or other purposes.
Climate Change or global warming
Human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, have altered the Earths atmosphere and have resulted
in global climate changes.
Introduction of Exotic Species
Accidental and intentional introduction of non-native species into regions never before occupied by the
species have resulted in the extinction of numerous endemic species.
Pollution
Pollutants (pesticides, herbicides, etc.) released into the environment are ingested by a wide variety of
organisms.
Over-Exploitation of Resources
Exploitation of wild populations for food has resulted in population crashes (over-fishing, for example).
Hunting, Poaching, Illegal Trade of Endangered Species
Some endangered species are targeted for their value on illegal markets.
Accidental Deaths
Car hits, window collisions (birds), collisions with ships (whales).
Invasive Species
When a new and aggressive species is introduced into an ecosystem, it might not have any natural predators
or controls. It can breed and spread quickly, taking over an area. Native wildlife may not have evolved
defenses against the invader or they cannot compete with a species that has no predators.
Oil Spills
Conservation
The need for conservation of wildlife in India is often questioned because of the apparently incorrect priority
in the face of direct poverty of the people.
However,
Article 48 of the Constitution of India specifies that, The state shall endeavour to protect and
improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country and Article 51-A
states that it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural
environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife and to have compassion for living
creatures.
Large and charismatic mammals are important for wildlife tourism in India, and several national parks and
wildlife sanctuaries cater to these needs.
Project Tiger, started in 1972, is a major effort to conserve the tiger and its habitats. At the turn of the 20th
century, one estimate of the tiger population in India placed the figure at 40,000, yet an Indian tiger census
conducted in 2008 revealed the existence of only 1,411 tigers. 2010 Tiger census revealed that there are
1700 tigers left in India. The passing of the Forest Rights Act by the Indian government in 2008 has been the
final nail in the coffin and has pushed the Indian tiger to the verge of extinction. Various pressures in the later
part of the 20th century led to the progressive decline of wilderness resulting in the disturbance of viable tiger
habitats. At the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) General
Assembly meeting in Delhi in 1969, serious concern was voiced about the threat to several species of wildlife
and the shrinkage of wilderness in India. In 1970, a national ban on tiger hunting was imposed, and in 1972
the Wildlife Protection Act came into force.
Conservation of Wildlife In India
The National Wildlife Action Plan provides the framework of the strategy as well as the programme for
conservation of wildlife. The first National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP) of 1983 has been revised and the new
Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016) (File referring to external site opens in a new window) has been adopted.
The Indian Board of Wildlife, headed by the Prime Minister, is the apex advisory body overseeing and
guiding the implementation of various schemes for wildlife conservation.
Project Tiger (External website that opens in a new window), now renamed as the National Tiger
Conservation Authority, was launched in 1973 with a mandate to conserve tigers in a holistic manner. Its
mandate was to be fulfilled by facilitating focused, concerted management of eco-typical reserves in various
states, constituted on a core-buffer strategy through funding the technical support including site-specific
inputs to elicit local community support for conservation. The project has put the tiger on an assured course
of recovery from the brink of extinction, apart from conserving the floral and faunal genetic diversity in some
of our unique and endangered wilderness ecosystem.
Under the Project Elephant (External website that opens in a new window), which was launched in February
1992, States that have a free-ranging population of wild elephants are being given financial as well as
technical and scientific assistance to ensure long-term survival of identified viable populations of elephants in
their natural habitats. Elephant Task Force Report, Gajah, lays out a comprehensive action agenda for
protecting elephants in the wild and in captivity, and for addressing human-elephant conflict.
Established in 1982, Wildlife Institute of India (WII) (External website that opens in a new window) offers
training programmes, academic courses and advisory in wildlife research and management. The Institute is
actively engaged in INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2014

research across the breadth of the country on
biodiversity related issues
Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)
(External website that opens in a new
window) is a statutory body under Section 4
of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,
1960 with its headquarters at Chennai. Its
basic mandate is to advise the Government
on animal welfare issues, and create
awareness regarding animal welfare. AWBI
gives financial assistance to the eligible
Animal Welfare Organisations for Shelter
Houses, Model Gaushalas, for setting up Bio-
Gas Plants, Famine/Drought Relief,
Earthquake Relief, etc., in the various states.
Zoological Survey of India (External website
that opens in a new window) is a nodal
organization under Ministry of Environment
and Forests which plays a significant role in
fulfilling Indias commitments under various
international conventions. This organisation is
a vast repository of National Zoological
Collection in the form of various types and
reference collections needed for the bio-
systematic research and conservation
strategies.
CITES ,Convention on Illegal trade in
Endangered Species.
Legal Framework for Wildlife Conservation
in India
The Government of India has introduced
various types of legislation in response to the
growing destruction of wildlife and forests.
These are:
The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (Last
amended in 2006)
The Wildlife (Protection) Act (WLPA), 1972 is
an important statute that provides a powerful
legal framework for:
Prohibition of hunting
Protection and management of wildlife
habitats
Establishment of protected areas
Regulation and control of trade in parts and
products derived from wildlife
Management of zoos.
The WLPA provides for several categories of
Protected Areas/Reserves:
National Parks
Wildlife Sanctuaries
Tiger Reserves
Conservation Reserves
Community Reserves
National parks and Tiger Reserves are by law
more strictly protected, allowing virtually no
human activity except that which is in the
interest of wildlife conservation.
Grazing and private tenure rights are
disallowed in National Parks but can be
allowed in sanctuaries at the discretion of the
Chief Wildlife Warden.
The amended WLPA does not allow for any
commercial exploitation of forest produce in
both national parks and wildlife sanctuaries,
and local communities can collect forest
produce only for their bona fide needs.
No wild mammal, bird, amphibian, reptile,
fish, crustacean, insects, or coelenterates
listed in four Schedules of the WLPA can be
hunted either within or outside protected
areas. On conviction, the penalty for hunting
is imprisonment for a period ranging from a
minimum of three to a maximum of seven
years with fines not less than 10,000 rupees.
Community reserves and conservation
reserves are two new categories of protected
areas that have been included under the
WLPA. These INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

two categories provide a greater role for local
communities, stakeholders and civil society
as well as the opportunity to protect many
areas of conservation value that cannot be
designated under strict categories such as
wildlife sanctuaries or national parks.
The statute prohibits the destruction or
diversion of wildlife and its habitat by any
method unless it is for improvement or better
management and this is decided by the state
government in consultation with the National
and State Boards for Wildlife.
The WLPA contains elaborate procedures for
dealing with legal rights in proposed protected
areas and acquisition of any land or interest
under this law is deemed as an acquisition for
a public purpose. However, with the
enactment of The Scheduled Tribes and
Other Traditional Forest Dwellers
(Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006,
compliance of various provisions relating to
tenure and community rights must be
ensured.
Apart from protected area establishment,
other important aspects of the WLPA include
procedures for the appointment of state
wildlife authorities and wildlife boards, the
regulation of trade in wildlife products and the
prevention, detection and punishment of
violations of the WLPA.
The 2006 amendment introduced a new
chapter (IV B) for establishment of the
National Tiger Conservation Authority and
notification of Tiger Reserves (before this
amendment, Tiger Reserves were not defined
under the law, but were merely administrative
designations to enable funding under Project
Tiger).
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)
was constituted vide the 2006 amendment to
monitor and control the illegal trade in wildlife
products.
The WLPA provides for investigation and
prosecution of offences in a court of law by
authorized officers of the forest department
and police officers.
The Indian Forest Act (1927) and Forest
Acts of State Governments
The main objective of the Indian Forest Act
(1927) was to secure exclusive state
control over forests to meet the demand
for timber.
The Act facilitates three categories of forests,
namely
Reserved forests
Village forests
Protected forests
Reserved forests are the most protected
within these categories. No rights can be
acquired in reserved forests except by
succession or under a grant or contract with
the government. Felling trees, grazing cattle,
removing forest products, quarrying, fishing,
and hunting are punishable with a fine or
imprisonment.
The Forest Conservation Act (1980)
In order to check rapid deforestation due to
forestlands being released by state
governments for agriculture, industry and
other development projects (allowed under
the Indian Forest Act) the federal government
enacted the Forest Conservation Act in 1980
with an amendment in 1988. The Act made
the prior approval of the federal government
necessary for de-reservation of reserved
forests, logging and for use of forestland for
non- forest purposes.
The Environment (Protection) Act (1986)
The Environment Protection Act is an
important legislation that provides for
coordination of activities of the various
regulatory agencies, creation of authorities
with adequate powers for environmental
protection, regulation of the discharge of
environmental INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

pollutants, handling of hazardous substances,
etc. The Act provided an opportunity to
extend legal protection to non-forest habitats
(Ecologically Sensitive Areas) such as
grasslands, wetlands and coastal zones.
The Biological Diversity Act (2002)
India is a party to the United Nations
Convention on Biological Diversity. The
provisions of the Biological Diversity Act are
in addition to and not in derogation of the
provisions in any other law relating to forests
or wildlife.
National Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016)
National Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016)
replaces the earlier Plan adopted in 1983 and
was introduced in response to the need for a
change in priorities given the increased
commercial use of natural resources,
continued growth of human and livestock
populations, and changes in consumption
patterns.
The Plan most closely represents an actual
policy on protection of wildlife. It focuses on
strengthening and enhancing the protected
area network, on the conservation of
Endangered wildlife and their habitats, on
controlling trade in wildlife products and on
research, education, and training.
The Plan endorses two new protected area
categories: conservation reserves, referring
to corridors connecting protected areas, and
community reserves, which will allow
greater participation of local communities in
protected area management through
traditional or cultural conservation practices.
National Forest Policy (1998)
The National Forest Policy, 1988, (NFP) is
primarily concerned with the sustainable use
and conservation of forests, and further
strengthens the Forest Conservation Act
(1980). It marked a significant departure from
earlier forest policies, which gave primacy to
meeting government interests and industrial
requirements for forest products at the
expense of local subsistence requirements.
The NFP prioritizes the maintenance of
ecological balance through the conservation
of biological diversity, soil and water
management, increase of tree cover, efficient
use of forest produce, substitution of wood,
and ensuring peoples involvement in
achieving these objectives.
DBTs(Department Of BioTechnology)
Biotechnology Programs in North East
India :
What is Biotechnology: Use of living
systems and organisms to develop useful
products. Ex. Brewing i.e. production of beer
(one of the early application of
biotechnology).
Some major area of application:
Healthcare (eg. Pharmaceutical drug
discovery)
Crop production and agriculture(eg.
Genetically modified crop )
Industrial use of crop (eg. Vegetable oil,
biofuel )
Various terms related to Biotechnology:
Bioinformatics:- address biological problems
using computational techniques and make the
process of biological analysis fast.
Blue biotechnology:- use to describe the
marine and aquatics applications of
biotechnology.
Green biotechnology:- Describe the
agricultural use of biotechnology .
Red biotechnology:- describe the medical
use of biotechnology.
White biotechnology:- describe the
industrial use of biotechnology. INSIGHTS

Issues related to biotechnology: There are
various issues related to biotechnology.
Cost: Biotechnology products cost are
relatively high because they require high
investment for initial research. There may be
high risk of failure, which further increase its
cost.
Ethics: debates over the ethics of
biotechnology are raising. Ethics related
concern include cloning and genetic
modification of organisms.
Laws: there are very few laws there address
biotechnology practices.
Uncertainty: the biggest issue with
biotechnology is the uncertainty in its long
term effects. Their immediate advantages
are clear ,but their long term effect is still hide
because most of the research have been
done since mid 1990s. for example
biotechnology developed genetically modified
crops which solved the problem of hunger,
increase the plants resistance to disease but
still it is not clear that the same GM crops is
safe to human health.
So what we need is Regulation , currently
bioengineered plants food fall under the
jurisdiction of three agencies, the US Food
and Drug Administration, the US
Department of Agriculture and the
Environmental Protection agency.
The US Food and Drug Administration
determine whether the new plant variety will
adversely affect the environment.
The Environmental Protection agency
regulates pesticides and determine tolerance
level in human and animal.
The US Department of Agriculture determine
the safety of genetically modified plants.
But still there is a problem , the problem is
that the companies are asked to voluntarily
submit their test results, it is not compulsory.
There is no way to check whether the
companies that have developed genetically
modified products, is providing correct
information or not.
So it must be compulsory to submit test
results and there must be a separate
agency whose task is to check whether
the company are providing correct result
or not. In case of any violation,
appropriate action should be taken.
North East Region (NER) of India: [Consist
of Seven sister state -Arunachal Pradesh,
Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Nagaland and Himalayan state of
Sikkim]
8% of the total geographical area of the
Indian subcontinent but 50% of the floristic
wealth of the country.
house of exceptional natural beauty, floral
and faunal biodiversity and abundant mineral,
water and forests resources.
ideal climatic conditions for agriculture,
plantations and sericulture(i.e. silk farming).
Reason for rich biodiversity: High rainfall
and plenty of sunlight coupled with unique
bio-geographical positioning.
Because Of This(Rich Biodiversity)
NER(North East Region) Provide Unique
Opportunity For Biotechnology Based
Interventions For Overall Development Of
The Region.
Started In the year 2009-10:- DBT had set
up a North Eastern Region-Biotechnology
Programme Management Cell (NER-BPMC)
through Biotech Consortium India Limited
(BCIL) for coordination and monitoring of
biotechnology programme in the North
Eastern States of India.
Then NER-BPMC has initiated FIVE
biotechnology programme in the North
Eastern States of India(since DBT has setup
NER-BPMC, so ultimately this programmes
are running by DBT) as follows:- INSIGHTS

INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY/PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT:- Mainly focused on
programme that lead to product development
In order to ensure economic development of
NER. Example includes:-
Biotechnology Led Organic Farming in the
NER
Twinning Programme (joint venture,
between two or more institutes, where one of
the institute is from North East India. )
A value chain on Jackfruit and its value added
products .
Value chain development in Citrus.
CAPACITY BUILDING:- Some initiatives
were taken towards building capacities of the
institutions in NER by supporting
infrastructure facilities, high speed internet
bandwidth, high end IT equipment, access to
high impact e-journals, etc. some of the
projects implemented are:-
North Eastern Bioinformatics Network
Online human resource repository of
Biotechnology and Bioinformatics resources
of North East India (BABRONE)
Development of Digital Database of Bio-
resources of NE(North East) India
The Establishment of Biotech
DBTs e-Library Consortia (NER-DeLCON)
3.INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT:-
Since the infrastructure is the key of growth,
Following programme has been initiated to
support & create infrastructure facilities.
DBT Nodal Centre, Tezpur
Development of Infrastructural Facilities of
National Research Centre on Yak
Creation of infrastructure facility of labs at
NEIGRIHMS, Shillong
4.HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT:- In
order to develop human resource, following
activities has been initiated.
Overseas Fellowship/Associateship for NER
scientists
Award of Biotechnology National
Associateship to Scientists working in North
Eastern States .
Entrepreneurship Development in NER
MD/MD Thesis Grants
Star College Scheme
Training program on utilization of bio-
pesticides and bio-fertilizers in NE states .
5. SETTING UP OF CENTRES OF
EXCELLENCE: For strengthening agro-
biotechnology research in NER, DBT has
been set up Center of Excellence at Assam
Agricultural University, Jorhat
The major focus of the centre will be
a). Basic research-Gene technology,
molecular breeding and microbial gene
prospecting
b). HRD component with strong Ph.D.
programme and
c). Extending technology benefits through
enhanced production of bio inputs etc
Recently The DBT has decided to spend 10%
of its total budget (148.50 crores) for the year
2013-14 to promote biotechnology activities in
the North Eastern Region of India.
Practice questions-
Expected Question for mains: INSIGHTS

What is biotechnology? Write down its major
area of application.(50 words)
What are various issues related to
biotechnology. What steps has been taken to
tackle these issues. (200 words)
Explain the rich biodiversity of North East
India. What are the factor behind it.(100
words)
Department of Biotechnology(DBT) has
recently focused on rich biodiversity of NE
Regions of India. What was the reason
behind this? Also write down some steps
taken by DBT in this regard. (200 words)
Reference:1) Department Of
BioTechnology(DBT) website
http://dbtindia.nic.in/index.asp
2)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotechnolog
y
A Date Wise Synopsis of Important
Environmental Current Affairs:
Jan 3
Shashi Tharoor was named Person of the
year by PETA (INDIA), for taking steps
towards animal protection and conservation.
Mr. Tharoor recommended NCERT to ban
use of animals in training teachers for
dissection and other academic activities.
Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel
(WGEEP) declared the K. Kasturirangan
Committee report as anti- environmental and
said that the report was prepared without
considering the opinions of local people. They
claimed that the report will give opportunities
to mafia to exploit the ecologically sensitive
areas of Western Ghats. Moreover they said
that the committee has a hidden agenda to
sabotage the recommendations of Gadgil
report, which promotes sustainable
development.
Jan 4
Ministry of Environment and Forests granted
environmental and Coastal Regulation Zone
(CRZ) clearance to multi-crore Vizhijam
Seaport project in Kerala. MoEF instructed
the state government to ensure that
Hazardous wastes are disposed in the project
area.
No hazardous wastes and solid wastes are
stored in CRZ.
No ground water is extracted from CRZ.
Mango City of Kerala, Muthalamada, has
become the first victim of climate change in
the state. With nearly 4500 hectares Mango
cultivation, Muthalamada is known for its
early mango harvest. In fact besides this
Mango city, mangoes ripen in January only in
Peru and Bolivia. So it is a first to hit the
international market and mangoes fetch good
export orders and high prices. Flower
bloomed late last year due to heavy
southeast monsoon and the previous year
owing to severe drought.
Jan 5
The Kerala government has expresses
apprehensions over the K.Kasturirangan
committee report on Western Ghats,
demarcating flaws in the identification of
Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) under
Environment Protection Act. The panel report
has recommended declaring 37%of Western
Ghats area as ESA.
Jan 6
A Pollution Monitoring system was installed
on Periyar River, at Elore, Kerala. The system
will continuously monitor Edayar Industrial
Area and results of water quality will be
displayed live on a display board. The Kerala
State Pollution Board will also install 8
surveillance cameras INSIGHTS CURRENT

along river banks to monitor changes in color
and turbidity.
Supreme Courts of India ordered the setup of
a National Regulatory Body, for processing
environmental clearances for industrial
projects and implementation of forest policy.
The regulator will have offices in most of the
states and is a must since the present system
under central govt. is deficient. The National
regulator will directly deal with Environmental
Impact Assessment notification (2006) for
every project.
Jan 7
Sunederbans, the IPCC recognized major
climate hot spot fights the destructive
implications of climate change without any
robust model yet. The team of 50 scientists
led by Robert Nicolls (Southampton
University) visited Sunderbans to develop a
climate change model that can be adapted to
secure water supply, health and food security
for millions residing along the belt. Every year
water rises up to 7 mm in Sunderbans, which
may result in large scale migrations.
Jan 8
An expert committee setup by Maharashtra
Pollution Control Board, under the directions
of National Green Tribunal (NGT), will decide
the standards of multi-tone vehicle horns and
sirens. Ironically, while NGT wants regulation
to frame guidelines for multi-tone horns, the
Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR) bans
all kinds of multi-toned horns strictly. CMVR
restricts any kind of multi toned horn which
produces any unduly harsh, shrill, loud or
alarming noise.
The Forest Advisory Committee, a statutory
authority under Forest Conservation Act,
headed by Director General of Forest will
reconsider the project proposals awaiting
forest clearances. The proposal in Singaruli
(M.P.) is in close proximity to the Sanjay
Dubhri Tiger reserve. The National Tiger
Conservation Authority (NTCA) has already
advised against the project, declaring it as an
Ecologically sensitive area. The proposal in
Saranda, Jharkhand is inside notified
Singhbhum Elephant Reserve.
Jan 9
A rare discovery of conjoined Gray whale
calves in the lagoon, Baja (California) is
exceptional as till date, any precedent of such
a whale has not been found. Siamese whale
found were 4 meter long and linked at the
waist with the two full heads and tail fins.
A report was released on Gangotri, one of the
largest Himalayan glaciers in Uttrakhand by
G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan
Environment and Development. The report
states the retreating of Gangotri glacier in the
Himalayas with a shrinkage in its volume and
size. Report also highlights disintegration in
the upper region of the glacier due to tectonic
activities.
Jan 10
A 800 MW hydroelectric project in Arunachal
Pradesh, The Tawang-2 and a 12 MT Steel
plant by POSCO, the South Korean Steel
giant, were granted environmental clearance
by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
The proposal by Vedanta in the Niyamgiri hills
was simultaneously rejected. Though
POSCOs proposal is still being probed by
National Green Tribunal.
On a PIL seekingdirection to halt discharge of
effluents into the river Ganga, the Supreme
Court issued notices to Central government,
Central Pollution Control Board and
governments of Uttrakhand, UP, Bihar,
Jharkhand and West Bengal. The petitioner
contended the unrestricted discharge of
untreated sewerage, industrial waste and
invasion of his fundamental rights to practice
religion as well as right to healthy
environment (Art 21 and 25 respectively.)
Jan 11 INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

Taking serious note of a letter from a member
of National Ganga River Basin Authority,
PMO has asked the Union ministry of
Environment and Forests to probe the
reasons for increasing pollution levels in
Ganga despite thousands of crores being
spent on the cleaning of the river.
Jan 13
The climate changes caused by severe
cyclonic storm Phailin, which was followed by
rains in October is believed to have brought
changes in the sojourn of numerous migratory
birds this winter as their number has fallen
considerably. Chilika, the brackish water
lagoon in Orissa is vital destination of these
migratory birds and a major winter birding
site.
Jan 14
Increased Pollution levels in Yamuna river
owing to release of untreated industrial
wastes through Panipat drain in Haryana was
noticed. The rise in pollution was attributable
to high concentration of industrial and
domestic wastes being discharged in
Yamuna.
Jan15
The Parliament of Europe has approved new
CO2 restrictions for commercial vehicles that
will slash the emission by 28 % . The Climate
Commissioner of Europe stated that the set
target of emission is achievable and is not too
expensive for manufacturers.
Jan 19
More regional centers to monitor
environmental projects
According to information revealed in an
affidavit filed by MoEF in Supreme Court, the
government is planning to open 4 more
regional centers to strengthen monitoring of
environmental projects in different sectors,
including mining. The new centers will be
located at Chennai, Dehradun, Nagpur and
Ranchi. Already 6 regional centers are
working at Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Bhopal,
Shillong, Lucknow and Chandigarh.
Jan 20
Chilika for UNWTO project.
Chilika, Orissa, has been chosen as one of
the 8 global sites for development of
sustainable tourism and livelihood of local
communities to maintain its status as a
destination for migratory birds by United
Nations World Tourism Organization
(UNWTO). At Chilika, the only site in Asia to
be selected, UNWTO would help develop
strategies for protection of migratory birds
through creation of innovative tourism and
livelihood products.
Jan 21
No El Nino, still warm 2013
According to NASA and US governments
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, 2013 one among the warmest
years, since the temperature records began
in 1880. Important fact is that in 2013, there
was no El Nino. Usually due to El Nino, a
weather event leading to warming of Central
Pacific, the average temperatures are
boosted every year.
Jan 22
At Davos, Switzerland, top leaders at the
World Economic Forum have emphatically
made it a top priority to push to reshape the
Global economy and cut Global warming by
shifting to cleaner energy sources.
Jan 23
Green Rain In Mumbai
At Dombivili, Mumbai, environmentalists and
conservationists were forced to take note of
the Green Rain and the larger pollution
problem in Mumbai. Air pollutants reacting
with rain water INSIGHTS CURRENT EVENTS

may have resulted in Green Rain, thus causing water and soil pollution. There are a total of
450 industrial plants in and around the area, majority of which deal in chemical and
hazardous wastes. Local people regularly complain of foul smell and choking gases
emission from these plants.
Jan 24
The International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), has identified
40 Germplasm of chickpea, resistant to extreme weather conditions like drought, high
temperatures and salinity. The latest finding is the result of 14 year effort by a team led by
Dr. Hari D. Upadhyay, head of Gene bank at ICRISAT. Chickpeas are rich in Protein,
Starch, Fibers, Minerals, Vitamins and is an important legume in the world
MISCELLANEOUS
Jeevan Raksha Padak Awards-2013
The president of India has approved the conferment of Jeevan Raksha Padak awards-2013.
These awards are given to a person for meritorious act of human nature in saving the life of
a person.
The award is given in 3 categories namely 1.Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak ; 2.uttam
Jeevan Raksha Padak ; 3.jeevan Raksha Padak.
Persons of either sex in all walks of life are eligible for these awards.
The award can also be conferred posthumously.
The decoration of the award (medal, certificates signed by home minister & demand draft
for lump sum monetary allowance) is presented to the awardee in due course by the
respective state government to which the awardee belong.
The lump sum monetary is given at the rate of 1 lakh, 60k and 40k to the 3 categories.

Source:http://www.pib.nic.in/newsite/mainpage.aspx

Many Social Organisation and Women Activist Took Up Bhanwari Devi

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

Many Social Organisation and Women Activist Took Up Bhanwari Devi

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

Many social organisation and women activist took up Bhanwari Devis fight for justice.

Вам также может понравиться