Search

Search list matched with tags “class”

Khelo India Youth Games 2021

Why in News Recently, the government has announced that Haryana will host the fourth edition of Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG). Key Points The...

27 Jul 2020 News Analysis
Safeguarding the Autonomy of Tribunals

This article is based on “Safeguarding the autonomy of tribunals” published in The Hindustan Times on 23/07/2020. It evaluates the new...

25 Jul 2020 News Editorials
Day 6

Important Constitutional And Non-Constitutional Bodies This is an all time favourite topic for UPSC, as a lot of questions have been asked over the...

25 Jul 2020 60 days refresher
Pied Cuckoo to be Tracked

Why in News Recently, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), has decided to study the migration of the Pied Cuckoo Bird (Jacobin Cuckoo or Chaatak),...

25 Jul 2020 News Analysis
KURMA App

Why in News KURMA is a mobile-based application aimed at turtle conservation. It was launched on the occasion of World Turtle Day (23rd May). Key...

25 Jul 2020 News Analysis
AuditOnline Application for Local Bodies

Why in News The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has decided to conduct an online audit of accounts of about 50,000 Gram Panchayats (GPs) through its...

25 Jul 2020 News Analysis
Refusal of Rajasthan Speaker’s Plea by Supreme Court

Why in News Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) has refused Rajasthan Assembly Speaker’s plea to stop the State’s High Court from deciding...

25 Jul 2020 News Analysis
India-South Korea Relations

This article is based on “Deepening India-South Korea ties” which was published in The Hindu on 24/07/2020. It talks about the need for...

24 Jul 2020 News Editorials
Chandra Shekhar Azad

Why in News On 23rd July, India paid tribute to the freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad on his birth anniversary. Key Points Birth: Azad was...

24 Jul 2020 News Analysis
Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Why in News On 23rd July, India paid tribute to the freedom fighter and educationist Bal Gangadhar Tilak on his birth anniversary. Key...

24 Jul 2020 News Analysis
Restrictions on Public Procurement

Why in News Recently, the Government of India imposed restrictions on public procurement from bidders of countries that share a land border with...

24 Jul 2020 News Analysis
Rajya Sabha Members Facing Criminal Charges

Why in News According to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), about 24% of the sitting Rajya Sabha members have declared...

24 Jul 2020 News Analysis
Regulation of Public Data

This article is based on “A new tryst with destiny: Birth of a data democracy” which was published in LiveMint on 20/07/2020. This...

23 Jul 2020 News Editorials
The Big Picture: Senkaku-Diaoyu Islands Dispute

What is the dispute about? A long-standing controversy over the islands’ ownership has periodically soured relations between China and...

23 Jul 2020 Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions
Appointment of Government Servants as Gram Panchayat Administrator

Why in News Recently, the Bombay High Court passed an interim order directing that a government servant of the local authority be appointed as an...

23 Jul 2020 News Analysis
Indian Bullfrog

Scientific Name: Hoplobatrachus tigerinus. Common Names: Bullfrog, Golden Frog, Green Frog, Tiger Frog etc. IUCN Red List: Least Concern. Indian...

23 Jul 2020 News Analysis
Reasons Behind Pink Water of Lonar Lake

Why in News According to the Agharkar Research Institute, the colour of Lonar lake water in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district turned pink due to...

23 Jul 2020 News Analysis
Concerns Over Drilling in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park

Why in News The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Oil India...

23 Jul 2020 News Analysis
Kakrapar Atomic Plant Achieves Criticality

Why in News Recently, the third unit of the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-3) in Tapi district of Gujarat achieved its first criticality. Key...

23 Jul 2020 News Analysis
Madhubani Paintings

Why in News Recently, artists from Madhubani district of Bihar became famous for making masks with hand-painted Madhubani motifs. Motif is a...

23 Jul 2020 News Analysis

Warning (2): count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable [ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/rightsection.ctp, line 100]

Code Context


<?php if(count($updates)>0){?>
  <div class="updates">

$viewFile = '/var/www/drishtiias.com/public_html/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/rightsection.ctp'
$dataForView = [
	'progress' => [],
	'bookmarks' => [],
	'notes' => [],
	'mynote' => [],
	'topdata' => [
		(int) 0 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {},
		(int) 1 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {}
	],
	'searchdata' => [],
	'searchlist' => [
		(int) 0 => [
			'title' => 'Khelo India Youth Games 2021',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the government has announced that <strong>Haryana will host the fourth edition of Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG).</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The 2021 Khelo India Youth Games <strong>are scheduled to take place after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics</strong> and will be held in<strong> Panchkula (Haryana).</strong></li>
<li>The 2021 Tokyo Olympics are set to open on <strong>23<sup>rd</sup> July.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2020, for the first time, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tokyo-olympics-2020-postponed" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Olympics were postponed following the Covid-19 outbreak.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Usually,</strong> the<strong> KIYG takes place in January</strong> of every year.</li>
<li>KIYG is a<strong> part of</strong> the revamped national programme for development of sports <strong>&lsquo;Khelo India&rsquo;</strong> which was approved by the Union Cabinet in <strong>2017.</strong> The 2020 edition of KIYG was held in Guwahati (Assam).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Khelo India Scheme</strong> aims to encourage sports all over the country, thus allowing the population to harness the power of sports through its cross-cutting influence, namely holistic development of children &amp; youth, community development, social integration, gender equality, healthy lifestyle, national pride and economic opportunities related to sports development.</li>
<li>Under the Scheme,<strong> talented players</strong> identified in<strong> priority sports disciplines</strong> at various levels are provided <strong>annual financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh per annum for 8 years.</strong></li>
<li>Khelo India App, developed by the<strong> Sports Authority of India (SAI),</strong> aims to create awareness about sports and fitness in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>SAI is under the <strong>Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595836090_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595836090_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="750" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1641273" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/khelo-india-youth-games-2021'
		],
		(int) 1 => [
			'title' => 'Safeguarding the Autonomy of Tribunals',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/safeguarding-the-autonomy-of-tribunals/story-sTaztHIM2iZBhyaUTowxVM.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Safeguarding the autonomy of tribunals&rdquo;</strong></a> published in The Hindustan Times on 23/07/2020. It evaluates the new rules promulgated by the centre pertaining to the functioning of the tribunals.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the Union Ministry of Finance framed a new set of rules called the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/supreme-court-ruling-on-finance-act-2017" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tribunal, Appellate Tribunal, and other Authorities (Qualifications, Experience and other Conditions of Service of Members) Rules, 2020</strong></a> that prescribe uniform norms for the appointment and service conditions of members to various <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/tribunals-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>tribunals</strong></a>.</p>
<p>The new rules have been framed by the government as the previous Rules of 2017 were struck down by the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in November 2019 in the case <strong>Rojer Mathew vs South Indian Bank.</strong></p>
<p>However, the new rules carry out only cosmetic changes and some of the provisions contravene the spirit of law laid down by the Supreme Court (SC) on matters related to tribunals.</p>
<h3>Issues With the New Rules</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Conflict of Interest:</strong> The new rules do not remove the control of parent administrative ministries (ministries against which the tribunals have to pass orders) over tribunals.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, the tribunals such as the Armed Forces Tribunal functions under the same ministry which is a party in litigation and the ministry also wields rule-making powers and controls finances, infrastructure and manpower in the tribunal.</li>
<li>This is against the spirit of Natural Justice.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rules Diluting Judicial Independence:</strong> The selection committee under the new rules can function even in absence of any judicial member, meaning that a committee entirely (or majorly) comprising officers of the executive can select members of tribunals.</li>
<li><strong>Unwarranted Influence of Executive:</strong> The new rules also ensure that the secretary of the ministry against which the tribunal is to pass orders sits on the committee for selecting adjudicating members of the same tribunal.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This system was termed as <strong>&ldquo;mockery of the Constitution&rdquo;</strong> by SC in Madras Bar Association case, 2014.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Affecting Independence of Members:</strong> The new rules provide for a retirement age of 65 years even for former judges who retire at 62 from the high courts (HCs), which gives them at best a three-year tenure.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is against the minimum five to seven years tenure mandated by SC in the <strong>Union of India vs R. Gandhi case, 2010</strong> to ensure continuity.</li>
<li>Further the bar on employment with the government after retiring from tribunals has been removed. Thus, gravely affecting the independence of members.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Inconsistent with SC rulings:</strong> The new rules contain ambiguous clauses stating that any person with experience in economics, commerce, management, industry and administration can be appointed as a member of certain tribunals.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This may allow even members with non-judicial/legal background to become chairpersons of tribunals, contrary to SC ruling in the <strong>R Gandhi case.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Tribunal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Tribunal is a quasi-judicial institution that is set up to deal with problems such as resolving administrative or tax-related disputes.</li>
<li>It performs a number of functions like adjudicating disputes, determining rights between contesting parties, making an administrative decision, reviewing an existing administrative decision and so forth.</li>
<li>Tribunals were not part of the original constitution, it was incorporated in the Indian Constitution by 42nd Amendment Act, 1976.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Article 323-A deals with Administrative Tribunals.</li>
<li>Article 323-B deals with tribunals for other matters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Maintain Independence of the Tribunal:</strong> Unless steps are taken in compliance with the law laid down by SC for tribunals, neither their independence nor their ability to reduce the burden on the regular judiciary can be guaranteed.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tribunals must not be seen as an extension of the executive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Separate and Independent Authority for Administration</strong>: SC in the cases of L Chandra Kumar (1997), R Gandhi (2010), Madras Bar Association (2014) and Swiss Ribbons (2019) has ruled that tribunals cannot be made to function under the ministries against which they are to pass orders and they must be placed under the law ministry instead.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus, the need to ensure the <strong>separate and independent authority</strong> for administration of the tribunals is required.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Best Performing: Income Tax Appellate Tribunal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal was created in 1941, at that time it was put under the finance department, but moved to the legislative department (Ministry of Law and Justice) a year later to ensure its independence.</li>
<li>This arrangement continues till date, and is perhaps the primary reason that it is one of the best-performing tribunals.</li>
<li>Thus, other tribunals can also be made to function under the law ministry rather than ministries against which they are to pass orders.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Easing Pressure on Constitutional Courts:</strong> Further, in order to remove unnecessary burden on SC and make justice affordable and accessible, it needs to be ensured that the tribunals work efficiently.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, the high courts, being equally effective constitutional courts, practically should become the last and final court in most litigation after tribunals pass the order.</li>
<li>Thus, SC can be allowed to focus more on constitutional points of law of general public importance, Centre-state/inter-state disputes or where there is a major conflict between decisions of two or more high courts. &ldquo;Special Leave to Appeal&rdquo; may be extended only to really &ldquo;special&rdquo; cases.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These measures will not only provide consistency and stability but also promote judicial discipline in the tribunal as well as the whole judicial system.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>It is the need of the hour that the Union government shows enough will to force systemic tribunal reforms. A reform to the tribunals system in India may as well be one of the keys to remedy the age old problem that still cripples the Indian judicial system &ndash; the problem of judicial delay and backlog.</p>
<p>In this context, an independent autonomous body such as a <strong>National Tribunals Commission (NTC),</strong> responsible for oversight as well as administration, can go a long way in remedying issues that plague the functioning of tribunals.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595678822_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595678822_image5.png" caption="false" width="560" height="400" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f3ffe6;">
<p><span style="color: #003366;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;Reform in the tribunals system in India can address the problems that still cripples the Indian judicial system.&rdquo; Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AhIKbvOLV-0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-editorials/dissent-contempt-supreme-court-is-too-big-an-institution-to-be-undermined-by-one-mans-criticism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Dissent, Contempt&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Times of India on July 24<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube Channel.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/safeguarding-the-autonomy-of-tribunals'
		],
		(int) 2 => [
			'title' => 'Day 6',
			'catname' => '60 days refresher',
			'desc' => '<h2 style="text-align: center;">Important Constitutional And Non-Constitutional Bodies</h2>
<p>This is an all time favourite topic for UPSC, as a lot of questions have been asked over the years. By analyzing the kind of questions asked on this topic, one can have a fair idea on what can be expected in the prelims.</p>
<h3>Constitutional Bodies</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Election Commission of India </strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/state-election-commission-s-autonomy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>State Election Commission's Autonomy</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/need-to-set-up-state-finance-commission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Need to set up State Finance Commission</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/printpdf/constitutional-status-for-national-commission-for-backward-classes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Constitutional Status for National Commission for Backward Classes</a> </strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-commission-for-scheduled-tribes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/comptroller-and-auditor-general-of-india-cag" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Comptroller and Auditor-General of India (CAG)</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/attorney-general-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Attorney General of India</a> </strong></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/tribunals-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tribunals</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court of India</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Non-Constitutional Bodies</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/council-of-scientific-and-industrial-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-investigation-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Investigation Agency </strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/food-corporation-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food Corporation of India (FCI) </strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/competition-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Competition Commission of India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/law-commission-of-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Law Commission of India</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/central-vigilance-commission-cvc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)</a> </strong></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/securities-and-exchange-board-of-india-sebi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-bank-for-agriculture-and-rural-development-nabard" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-human-rights-commission-nhrc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/defence-research-and-development-organisation-drdo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/lokpal-lokayukta-ombudsman-upsc-governance-transparency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Lokpal and Lokayukta</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) </strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/food-safety-and-standards-authority-of-india-fssai" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-green-tribunal-ngt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Green Tribunal (NGT)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/central-bureau-of-investigation-cbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/22nd-meeting-of-fsdc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Financial Stability and Development Council</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="color: #000080;">Previous Year Questions on Schedules in Important Constitutional And Non-Constitutional Bodies</span></h3>
<p>Q. Consider the following statements: (2017)</p>
<ol>
<li>The Election Commission of India is a five member body.</li>
<li>Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.</li>
<li>Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognised political parties.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1 and 2 only</p>
<p>(b) 2 only</p>
<p>(c) 2 and 3 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(d) 3 only</strong></span></p>
<hr />
<p>Q. Consider the following statements: (2013)</p>
<p>Attorney General of India can</p>
<ol>
<li>take part in the proceedings of the Lok Sabha</li>
<li>be a member of a committee of the Lok Sabha</li>
<li>speak in the Lok Sabha</li>
<li>vote in the Lok Sabha</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p>(b) 2 and 4</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(c) 1, 2 and 3</strong></span></p>
<p>(d) 1 and 3 only</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. In India, other than ensuring that public funds are used efficiently and for intended purpose, what is the importance of the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)? (2012)</p>
<ol>
<li>CAG exercises exchequer control on behalf of the Parliament when the President of India declares national emergency/financial emergency.</li>
<li>CAG reports on the execution of projects or programmes by the ministries are discussed by the Public Accounts Committee.</li>
<li>Information from CAG reports can be used by investigating agencies to press charges against those who have violated the law while managing public finances.</li>
<li>While dealing with the audit and accounting of government companies, CAG has certain judicial powers for prosecuting those who violate the law.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1, 3 and 4 only</p>
<p>(b) 2 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(c) 2 and 3 only</strong></span></p>
<p>(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. Who of the following shall cause every recommendation made by the Finance Commission to be laid before each House of Parliament? (2010)</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(a) The President of India</strong></span></p>
<p>(b) The Speaker of Lok Sabha</p>
<p>(c) The Prime Minister of India</p>
<p>(d) The Union Finance Minister</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. How is the National Green Tribunal (NGT) different from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)? (2018)</p>
<ol>
<li>The NGT has been established by an Act whereas the CPCB has been created by an executive order of the Government.</li>
<li>The NGT provides environmental justice and helps reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts whereas the CPCB promotes cleanliness of streams and wells, and aims to improve the quality of air in the country.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(b) 2 only</strong></span></p>
<p>(c) Both 1 and 2</p>
<p>(d) Neither 1 nor 2</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. Consider the following statements: (2018)</p>
<ol>
<li>The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 replaced the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.</li>
<li>The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is under the charge of Director General of Health Services in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(a) 1 only</strong></span></p>
<p>(b) 2 only</p>
<p>(c) Both 1 and 2</p>
<p>(d) Neither 1 nor 2</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. The Government of India has established NITI Aayog to replace the: (2015)</p>
<p>(a) Human Rights Commission</p>
<p>(b) Finance Commission</p>
<p>(c) Law Commission</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(d) Planning Commission</strong></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Right To Information</h2>
<p>This is an important topic for this year's prelims, as it has remained in the news because of the controversy over the <strong>PM CARES, RTI Amendment 2019, 15<sup>th</sup> anniversary of RTI Act.</strong> Apart from it, many questions have been asked on aspects related to this topic. One can find all streamlined and exam oriented information in the following links:</p>
<p>Context:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper4/right-to-information-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cji-under-the-rti-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CJI under the RTI Act</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/challenges-related-to-rti-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Challenges Related To RTI Act</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pm-cares-not-under-rti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PM-CARES Not Under RTI</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper4/good-governance-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Good Governance</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/evms-not-under-rti-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>EVMs Not Under RTI Act</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/compliance-to-the-rti-act-2005" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Compliance to the RTI Act, 2005</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jan-soochna-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jan Soochna Portal</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.prsindia.org/theprsblog/explainer-right-information-amendment-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Explainer: The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Wetlands</h2>
<p>There has been a trend that quite often UPSC asks about the latest news related to different wetlands/water bodies etc. This can be depicted from the previous year questions. Thus, in this context, the present topic becomes very important for this year's prelims.</p>
<p>Context: Destruction of wetlands</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/wetlands-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wetlands</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-wetlands-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Wetlands Day</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wetlands-restoration" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wetlands Restoration</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/addition-to-ramsar-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Addition to Ramsar Sites</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sukhna-lake" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sukhna Lake</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-backs-dhanauri-for-ramsar-site-tag" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India Backs Dhanauri for Ramsar Site Tag</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/oussudu-lake" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Oussudu Lake</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/agreement-to-save-coastal-wetlands" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Agreement to Save Coastal Wetlands</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-coast-is-unclear-on-the-2018-crz-notification" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Coast is Unclear: On the 2018 CRZ Notification</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="color: #000080;">Previous Year Questions on Schedules on Wetlands</span></h3>
<p>Q. Consider the following statements:</p>
<ol>
<li>Under Ramsar Convention, it is mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the territory of India.</li>
<li>The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India based on the recommendations of Ramsar Convention.</li>
<li>The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 also encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands as determined by the authority.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1 and 2 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(b) 2 and 3 only</strong></span></p>
<p>(c) 3 only</p>
<p>(d) 1, 2 and 3</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. Consider the following pairs: (2014)</p>
<p>&nbsp; &nbsp;<strong>Wetlands</strong>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<strong> &nbsp;Confluence of rivers</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Harike Wetlands&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; : Confluence of Beas and Satluj/Sutlej</li>
<li>Keoladeo Ghana&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; : Confluence of Banas and National Park Chambal</li>
<li>Kolleru Lake&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; : Confluence of Musi and Krishna</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #008000;">(a) 1 only</span></strong></p>
<p>(b) 2 and 3 only</p>
<p>(c) 1 and 3 only</p>
<p>(d) 1, 2 and 3</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. With reference to the wetlands of India, consider the following statements: (2012)</p>
<ol>
<li>The country&rsquo;s total geographical area under the category of wetlands is recorded more in Gujarat as compared to other States.</li>
<li>In India, the total geographical area of coastal wetlands is larger than that of inland wetlands.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(a) 1 only</strong></span></p>
<p>(b) 2 only</p>
<p>(c) Both 1 and 2</p>
<p>(d) Neither 1 nor 2</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Panchayati Raj Institution</h2>
<p>It remains a very important topic for UPSC. A lot of questions have been asked over the years. Questions on Panchayati Raj Institution have been repeatedly asked in the successive years. So there is a fair bit of chance that the question can be asked on it this year too.</p>
<p>Context:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/panchayati-raj-institution-pri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/panchayati-raj-institutions-and-participative-democracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Panchayati Raj Institutions and Participative Democracy</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-panchayati-raj-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Panchayati Raj Day</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-panchayati-raj" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Year End Review 2019: Ministry of Panchayati Raj</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/growth-models-for-rural-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Growth Models for Rural India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bhuvan-panchayat-3-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bhuvan Panchayat 3.0</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quota-for-disabled-in-panchayats" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quota for Disabled in Panchayats</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/democratic-decentralisation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Democratic Decentralisation in India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-rural-economic-transformation-project-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Rural Economic Transformation Project</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="color: #000080;">Previous Year Questions on Schedules in Panchayati Raj Institution</span></h3>
<p>Q. Local self-government can be best explained as an exercise in: (2017)</p>
<p>(a) Federalism</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(b) Democratic decentralisation</strong></span></p>
<p>(c) Administrative delegation</p>
<p>(d) Direct democracy</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. The fundamental object of the Panchayati Raj system is to ensure which among the following? (2015)</p>
<ol>
<li>People&rsquo;s participation in development</li>
<li>Political accountability</li>
<li>Democratic decentralization</li>
<li>Financial mobilization</li>
</ol>
<p>Select the correct answer using the code given below:</p>
<p>(a) 1, 2 and 3 only</p>
<p>(b) 2 and 4 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(c) 1 and 3 only</strong></span></p>
<p>(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. The Government enacted the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act in 1996. Which one of the following is not identified as its objective? (2013)</p>
<p>(a) To provide self-governance</p>
<p>(b) To recognize traditional rights</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(c) To create autonomous regions in tribal areas</strong></span></p>
<p>(d) To free tribal people from exploitation</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Coalition For Disaster Resilient Infrastructure</h2>
<p>Indian Prime Minister, at the Hamburg G20 meet in 2017, proposed a Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and many disasters this year. Thus, in this context this topic becomes a hot topic for this year&rsquo;s prelims. One can find related articles in the following links.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-disaster-management-authority-ndma-" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-workshop-on-disaster-resilient-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/flood-management-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Flood Management In India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-amphan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cyclone Amphan</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/swarm-of-desert-locust" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Swarm of Desert Locust</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vizag-gas-leak" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Vizag Gas Leak</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/civil-defence-volunteers-against-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Civil Defence Volunteers Against Covid-19</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/operation-sanjeevani" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Operation Sanjeevani</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pm-cares-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PM - CARES Fund</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/disaster-management-tool" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Disaster Management Tool</strong></a></li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/60-days-refresher-programme/day-6'
		],
		(int) 3 => [
			'title' => 'Pied Cuckoo to be Tracked',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sal-forest-tortoise" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wildlife Institute of India (WII)</strong></a>, has decided to study the migration of the <strong>Pied Cuckoo Bird <em>(Jacobin Cuckoo or Chaatak)</em>,</strong> by tagging the bird with satellite transmitters.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study will be conducted along with the <strong>Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS)</strong> and the <strong>Government of India&rsquo;s Department of Biotechnology.</strong></li>
<li>IIRS is a constituent unit of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</strong></a>. It is <strong>headquartered in Dehradun.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Study:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is the <strong>first study in the country</strong> that seeks to trace and observe the migratory routes of the pied cuckoo.</li>
<li>It <strong>aims</strong> to gather data and information on<strong> climate change and the monsoon.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Pied cuckoo is known for its <strong>close association with the monsoon in India.</strong></li>
<li>Farmers have traditionally relied on the arrival of the pied cuckoo as a signal of arrival of monsoon and seed sowing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is part of a larger project called the <strong>Indian Bioresource Information Network (IBIN)</strong> funded by the Government of India&rsquo;s Department of Biotechnology (DBT), which aims to put relevant Indian bioresources information online.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Gathering information about the migratory route can be invaluable for research on climatic variations taking place in the world, especially since the species has such a close association with the monsoon.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will give us information on the monsoon, changes in the monsoon and monsoon winds, erratic rainfall, seasonal fluctuations, water vapour pressure, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The extent of the <strong>effect of ecologies changing</strong> can be seen in the movement of species from a less favourable region to a more favourable region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pied Cuckoo:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595671961_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595671961_image3.jpg" style="float: right;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a bird with black and white plumage (pied) with a fancy crest on the head. Its scientific name is <em><strong>Clamator jacobinus.</strong> </em>It is <strong>found in Africa and Asia.</strong></li>
<li>There are<strong> two types</strong> of pied cuckoos found in India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In <strong>central and northern parts of India,</strong> pied cuckoos are<strong> migratory,</strong> they are seen only from just before the monsoon to early winter.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is believed that the pied cuckoos that come to the Himalayan foothills are from Africa.</li>
<li>They have high site fidelity, that is, they come back to the same location year after year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Pied cuckoos are also found in <strong>southern India,</strong> but those are resident birds and not migratory.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The bird is primarily<strong> arboreal,</strong> which means that it mostly lives on trees. It is a <strong>brood parasite</strong> i.e. It lays its eggs in nests that belong to other birds.</li>
<li>It is one of the few species that come to India in the summer. Most other migratory species come in winter.</li>
<li><strong>IUCN Status:</strong> Least Concerned.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pied-cuckoo-monsoon-climate-change-study-6522324/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pied-cuckoo-to-be-tracked'
		],
		(int) 4 => [
			'title' => 'KURMA App',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>KURMA is a mobile-based application aimed at turtle conservation. It was launched on the occasion of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-turtle-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Turtle Day (23<sup>rd</sup> May).</strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> It is developed by the<strong> Indian Turtle Conservation Action Network (ITCAN)</strong> in collaboration with the <strong>Turtle Survival Alliance-India</strong> and <strong>Wildlife Conservation Society-India.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The KURMA App has a built-in digital field guide covering <strong>29 species of freshwater turtles and tortoise of India,</strong> and information on turtle identification, distribution, vernacular names, and threats.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong> It provides users a <strong>database to identify a species.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Provides the <strong>location of the nearest rescue centre</strong> for turtles across the country.</li>
<li>Advices about the reported species and its conservation.</li>
<li>Once a sizable database is ready, KURMA will start identifying species <strong>automatically</strong> through<strong> artificial intelligence.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Present Scenario:</strong> Tortoise and freshwater turtles are among the most trafficked in the country. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A report released in 2019 by <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/traffic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>TRAFFIC</strong></a>, showed that at least 11,000 tortoises and freshwater turtles fall prey to illicit poaching and smuggling every year, adding up to over 1,11,130 turtles poached or smuggled between September 2009 and September 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conservation Challenge:</strong> One of the major challenges for freshwater turtle conservation in the country is that wildlife crime prevention agencies are<strong> not sufficiently equipped</strong> to know how to distinguish one species from the other.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They are also not aware of their protection status in accordance with <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/cites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)</strong> </a>and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wild-life-protection-act-implementation-and-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Turtle Survival Alliance</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) was <strong>formed in 2001</strong> as an<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)</strong></a> partnership for sustainable captive management of freshwater turtles and tortoises.</li>
<li>The TSA arose in response to the <strong>rampant and unsustainable harvest of Asian turtle populations to supply Chinese markets,</strong> a situation known as the<strong> Asian Turtle Crisis.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Mission: &lsquo;Zero Turtle Extinctions in the 21st Century&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/mobile-app-kurma-helps-save-turtles-in-india/article32126427.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kurma-app'
		],
		(int) 5 => [
			'title' => 'AuditOnline Application for Local Bodies',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Ministry of Panchayati Raj</strong> has decided to <strong>conduct an online audit of accounts of about 50,000 Gram Panchayats (GPs)</strong> through its application <strong>AuditOnline</strong> during the current financial year (2020-21).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This will be the<strong> first such exercise.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Online Audit of Accounts:</strong> 50,000 GPs&rsquo; books of accounts for 2019-20 will be audited with a focus on how they used <strong>Finance Commission (FC) grants.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>50,000 is equivalent to the 20% of the estimated 2.5 lakh GPs</strong> across the country.</li>
<li>In the <strong>next financial year (2021-22),</strong> the exercise will be scaled up to cover <strong>all the GPs.</strong></li>
<li>The 15<sup>th</sup> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/increased-funding-for-panchayats" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FC recommended an allocation of Rs. 60,750 crore for rural local bodies during 2020-21</strong></a>, almost the same as last year under the 14<sup>th</sup> FC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>AuditOnline:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is an <strong>application developed as a part of Panchayat Enterprise Suite (PES) under e-panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP)</strong> initiated by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR).</li>
<li>It facilitates the financial audit of accounts at <strong>all the three levels of Panchayats</strong> viz District, Block and Village Panchayats, <strong>Urban Local Bodies (ULB)</strong> and <strong>Line department</strong> by Auditors.</li>
<li>It not only facilitates the online and offline audit of accounts but also serves the purpose of <strong>maintaining the past audit records</strong> of the auditee with associated list of the auditors and audit team involved in the audit.</li>
<li>Also the<strong> information remains available in public domain</strong> and for usage by other PES applications.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits of Online Audit:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595664505_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595664505_image1.jpg" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Online audit with the option of physical verification <strong>assumes greater relevance given the pandemic</strong> and the lockdown.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As some works (done under other schemes) are geo-tagged, auditors can do a sample check by visiting the site.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further, it<strong> ensures accountability</strong> in the utilisation of funds at the ground level.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In the offline system, <strong>timely availability of records</strong> is a major issue. However, in the online system, the auditors will be able to see online all documents related to work approval and payments. They can even ask for additional documents such as photographs as a proof of work done.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Moreover, an online audit <strong>can be monitored at all levels: district-state-centre.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenge:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>More than 15% of Panchayats in several states have not completed their books of accounts for the year 2019-20. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Completing and closing the accounts is a prerequisite for the online audit.</li>
<li>While 100% of Panchayats in Maharashtra and Haryana have closed their 2019-20 accounts, no Panchayat has done this in Arunachal Pradesh and Bihar. States like Punjab and Himachal Pradesh are also low performers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Panchayat Enterprise Suite</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) has undertaken e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (e-Panchayat MMP) with a view to <strong>introduce and strengthen e-Governance in <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/panchayati-raj-institution-pri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)</a></strong> across the country and build associated capacities of the PRIs for effective adoption of the e-Governance initiative.</li>
<li>Under e-Panchayat, a suite of <strong>11 Core Common Applications</strong> has been deployed that address nearly the entire spectrum of Panchayats' functioning viz. from internal core functions such as Planning, Monitoring, Budgeting, Accounting, Social Audit etc. to citizen service delivery operations like issue of certificates, licenses etc.</li>
<li>Together these 11 software Applications<strong> constitute the Panchayat Enterprise Suite (PES).</strong> A list of these 11 Applications is tabulated below:</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #1e093b; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>S.No.</strong></span></td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #1e093b; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>PES Application Name</strong></span></td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #1e093b; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Description</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">1</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Local Government Directory - LGD</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Captures all details of local governments and assigns unique code. Also maps Panchayats with Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 15px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">2</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 15px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Area Profiler</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 15px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Captures geographic, demographic, infrastructural, socio-economic and natural resources profile of a village/panchayat. Universal database for planning of all sectoral programmes and also provides details of Elected Representatives, etc.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">3</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">PlanPlus</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Helps Panchayats, Urban Local Bodies and line departments in preparing Perspective, Annual and Action Plans.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">4</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;"><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e-gram-swaraj-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PRIASoft</strong></a></td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Captures receipt &amp; expenditure details through voucher entries and automatically generates cash book, registers, etc.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">5</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">ActionSoft</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Facilitates monitoring of physical &amp; financial outcomes/outputs under various programmes.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">6</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">National Asset Directory (NAD)</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Captures details of assets created/maintained; helps avoid duplication of works.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">7</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">ServicePlus</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">A dynamic metadata-based service delivery portal to help in providing electronic delivery of all services in all States. The functionality of the erstwhile Grievance Redressal Application has also been subsumed into this Application.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 47px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 47px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">8</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 47px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Gram Manchitra (GIS Application)</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 47px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Gram Manchitra is a geo-spatial planning application for Gram Panchayat users to better visualize the various developmental works to be taken up across different sectors and provide a decision support system for Gram Panchayat Development Plan.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 22px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">9</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 22px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Training Management</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 22px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Portal to address training needs of stakeholders including citizens, their feedback, training materials etc.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 21px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">10</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 21px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">National Panchayat Portal (NPP)</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 21px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Dynamic Web site for each Panchayat to share information in the public domain.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">11</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">AuditOnline</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">AuditOnline aims to facilitate audit of Government Institutions online.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>If the Panchayats are to perform efficiently and effectively all the mandated tasks, which are increasing day by day, extensive use of <strong>Information and Communication Technology (ICT)</strong> is needed. The launch of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-panchayati-raj-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>e-GramSwaraj and Swamitva Programme</strong></a> underlines the same.</li>
<li>Moreover, there is a strong need to build a <strong>"digital inclusive society"</strong> where large sections of the rural population are able to benefit from new technologies; can access and share information and services freely and can participate in the development process more effectively.</li>
<li>The same will be in line with the vision of the <strong>National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) 2.0.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/first-time-panchayat-funds-to-be-audited-online-6522285/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/auditonline-application-for-local-bodies'
		],
		(int) 6 => [
			'title' => 'Refusal of Rajasthan Speaker’s Plea by Supreme Court',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court</strong></a> (SC) has <strong>refused Rajasthan Assembly <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/speaker-and-anti-defection-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Speaker&rsquo;s</a></strong> plea to stop the <strong>State&rsquo;s High Court</strong> from deciding the<strong> validity</strong> of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/politics-of-defection" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>anti-defection</strong></a> notices.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier, the Speaker had issued notice to the 19 dissident Congress MLAs of the ruling Party on the ground of plotting conspiracy to bring down the government.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/challenge-to-anti-defection-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>19 rebel MLAs of Rajasthan's ruling party (Congress) have filed a petition</strong></a> before the High Court challenging the disqualification notices issued to them by the Assembly Speaker under Anti Defection Law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>High Court&rsquo;s Stand:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The High Court directed the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/disqualification-powers-of-speakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>speaker</strong></a> to defer action on the disqualification notices by stating that he cannot decide the matter.</li>
<li>It also directed him to extend the time to file replies to disqualification notices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Speaker&rsquo;s Argument:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Unconstitutional:</strong> Seeking a stay on the High Court&rsquo;s direction, the speaker stated that <strong>it is unconstitutional and in derogation of the powers of the Speaker</strong> under the Constitution.</li>
<li><strong>Non Intervention of HC:</strong> Giving the reference to the <em><strong>Kihoto Hollohan versus Zachillu and Others, 1992</strong></em> he argued that his decision is totally in the domain of the Speaker to decide on disqualification of members, and <strong>no court can intervene</strong> in between.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He also stated that HC has no jurisdiction to ask him to defer the proceedings.</li>
<li>The proceedings under the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/disqualification-of-karnataka-mlas" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Tenth Schedule</strong></a> before the Speaker are proceedings of the Legislature and as such cannot be interfered with, <strong>as envisaged under Article 212</strong> which has been read with para 6(2) of the Tenth Schedule.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Show Cause Notice:</strong> He said he had only issued <strong>show cause notices to the MLAs</strong> on a complaint filed by the Congress chief.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Show cause notice means an order that requires a party to explain why a certain course of action should not be taken against it. If the party cannot convince or fails to appear, that course of action is taken.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The notice was an opportunity for the MLAs to explain their conduct.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Supreme Court's Argument:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Voice of Dissent:</strong> SC has questioned about shutting down a legislator&rsquo;s<strong> &ldquo;voice of dissent&rdquo;</strong> with the threat of disqualification in a<strong> democracy.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It asked whether expressing dissent amounts to voluntarily giving up the party membership under <strong>Paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution</strong> and inviting anti-defection proceedings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Speaker as a Tribunal:</strong> It further stated that the Speaker is like a tribunal and he must not have acted with political intentions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Disqualification under the Tenth Schedule</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Anti-Defection Law</strong> was passed in <strong>1985 through the 52<sup>nd</sup> amendment</strong> to the Constitution. It added the Tenth Schedule to the Indian Constitution. The main intent of the law was to combat &ldquo;the evil of political defections&rdquo;.</li>
<li>According to it, a <strong>member of a House belonging to any political party</strong> becomes disqualified for being a member of the House, if:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He <strong>voluntarily gives up</strong> his membership of such political party; or</li>
<li>He <strong>votes or abstains from voting</strong> in such House contrary to any direction issued by his political party without obtaining prior permission of such party and such act has not been condoned by the party within 15 days.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Exceptions to the Disqualification on the Ground of Defection</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>If a <strong>member goes out of his party as a result of a merger</strong> of the party with another party. A merger takes place when two-thirds of the members of the party have agreed to such a merger.</li>
<li>If a member, after <strong>being elected</strong> as the presiding officer of the House,<strong> voluntarily gives up the membership</strong> of his party or rejoins it after he ceases to hold that office. This exemption has been provided in view of the dignity and impartiality of the office.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Powers of Speaker with regard to Anti-Defection Law</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Any question <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/disqualification-powers-of-speakers-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>regarding disqualification</strong></a> arising out of defection is to be decided by the presiding officer of the House.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rajasthan-political-crisis-supreme-court-refuses-rajasthan-speakers-plea-against-high-court-order/article32171704.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/refusal-of-rajasthan-speaker-s-plea-by-supreme-court'
		],
		(int) 7 => [
			'title' => 'India-South Korea Relations',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/deepening-india-s-korea-ties/article32175582.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Deepening India-South Korea ties&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 24/07/2020. It talks about the need for developing people to people between India and South Korea.</p>
</div>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/prime-ministers-visit-to-south-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-South Korea relations</strong></a> have made rapid strides in recent years. With the convergence of India&rsquo;s <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-act-east-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Act East Policy (AEP)</strong></a> and South Korea&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/korean-president-on-a-state-visit-to-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>New Southern Policy (NSP)</strong></a>, there has been an acceleration of economic and strategic relations between the two countries.</p>
<p>Bilateral ties, especially in the last decade, have grown robust and multi-dimensional, encompassing a wide range of interests, including nuclear disarmament, maritime security, regional economic cooperation, counterterrorism, and energy cooperation.</p>
<p>Despite the many positive stories and the massive turn-around in ties, there remains immense potential in India-South Korea relations, particularly in the realms of cultural and institutional exchanges.</p>
<h3>India-South Korea Ties: Historical Overview</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Engagement During Korean War:</strong> India played a crucial and decisive role in Korean affairs soon after the latter&rsquo;s independence in 1945.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s first foreign secretary, K P S Menon, served as Chairman of the nine-member United Nations (UN) Commission that was set up in 1947 to oversee elections in Korea.</li>
<li>During the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/70-years-of-korean-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Korean War (1950-53)</strong></a>, the warring sides accepted a UN resolution sponsored by India calling for a ceasefire; one was declared on 27 July 1953.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Start of Bilateral Relations:</strong> The relationship started only in 1962 that the two countries established consular relations. It was upgraded to Ambassador-level in 1973.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This development caused a little impact on trade and commercial relations, let alone political and people-to-people ties.</li>
<li>Even then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao&rsquo;s much talked about <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-act-east-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Look East Policy (LEP)</strong></a> in the 1990s failed to make any visible positive change in India-South Korea relations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Start of Strategic Convergence:</strong> An important visit by the then Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam at a critical juncture to Seoul in February 2006 opened the door for a more vibrant phase in India-South Korea relations.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It resulted in the launching of a Joint Task Force to conclude a bilateral <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/regional-comprehensive-economic-partnership-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)</strong></a>, which was operationalised on 1 January 2010.</li>
<li>Also, it led to the strategic partnership between the two countries, which was later upgraded to &lsquo;special strategic partnership&rsquo; in 2015.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Opportunities</h3>
<p>In any international relationship, mutual respect regarding cultural values is the key to building a robust partnership between the two countries. In this context, India and South Korea can explore cooperation in the following areas.</p>
<p><strong>Shared Values of Democracy</strong></p>
<p>One of the most unexplored areas of cooperation to strengthen the relationship between India and South Korea is democracy. A fundamental shortcoming of democracy in Asia is the lack of government-to-government cooperation on promoting democratic values.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Further, in Asia, India and South Korea, as democracies, share common values and have been seen above convergent interests in the region.</li>
<li>As middle-power democracies in Asia where there are growing and the collective threat from authoritarian China, democracy building and cooperation can be a critical platform.</li>
<li>The region, which is already experiencing the evolution of a democratic bloc in the name of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quad-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific quadrilateral</strong></a> involving India, Japan, Australia, and the US, needs the support of other middle powers such as South Korea and Indonesia.</li>
<li>Thus, there is a need for serious thinking and deliberation among the various stakeholders representing South Korea and India.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Swacch Bharat and the New Village Movement</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/Swachh%20Bharat%20Mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Swachh Bharat Abhiyan</a>,</strong> launched in 2014, aims to stop open defecation and draw basic attention to sanitation and public health for overall development.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Although the initiative has emerged as a national awareness movement, it continues to struggle with a lack of resources.</li>
<li>It is in this regard that the country can learn from the experience of South Korea, especially its <strong>Saemaul Undong or New Village Movement.</strong></li>
<li>The New Village Movement (launched in 1970) encourages self-help and voluntarism for households and schools to clean up their neighbourhoods.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The movement has had a significant impact on improving several sectors of the economy, apart from rural health and livelihoods.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Bollywood, K-pop and Korean Cuisine</strong></p>
<p>For years, many aspects of Korean culture have emerged as a critical point of consumption among several states in India&rsquo;s northeast. Besides, there has also been a growing fondness of Indian Bollywood films in South Korea.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Films, music, cuisines among other cultural affinities have a huge potential to drive and deepen people-to-people relations and can act as a bridge between India and South Korea.</li>
<li>It needs more institutionalised attention.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Other Areas of Cooperation</strong></p>
<p>India and South Korea can cooperate on fighting global issues/challenges: climate change, freedom of navigation, internet governance, and outer space.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Apart from it, the two countries can develop synergies on <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable development goals (SDGs)</strong></a>, trade agreements, and connectivity norms.</li>
<li>Also, there is a need for more openness between the think tanks/NGOs/networks of scholars/activists of the two countries.</li>
<li>Promoting institutions like the <strong>Indian Culture Centre (ICC)</strong> will also be a step in the right direction.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>There is massive scope to expand ties between India and South Korea and make it a unique relationship in Asia. What is needed is political will and new imagination in diverse areas such as cultural relations, building on people-to-people contacts, harnessing democracy and liberal values, and cementing civilisational connections.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595594447_image8.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595594447_image8.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fcfced;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>With no unpleasant historical memories between them nor geopolitical rivalries, there exists a limitless potential in India-South Korea ties. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4eMQqYyuPQQ" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/another-front/article32165636.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Another Front&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on July 23<sup>rd</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube Channel.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-south-korea-relations'
		],
		(int) 8 => [
			'title' => 'Chandra Shekhar Azad',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>On 23<sup>rd</sup> July, India paid tribute to the freedom fighter <strong>Chandra Shekhar Azad</strong> on his <strong>birth anniversary.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595585727_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595585727_image2.png" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> Azad was born on <strong>23<sup>rd</sup> July 1906</strong> in the <strong>Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Early Life:</strong> Chandra Shekhar, then a 15-year-old student, joined a <a href="/mains-practice-question/question-208" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-Cooperation Movement</strong></a> in December 1921. As a result, he was arrested.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>On being presented before a magistrate, he gave his name as<strong> "Azad" (The Free),</strong> his father's name as "Swatantrata" (Independence) and his residence as "Jail".</li>
<li>Therefore, he came to be known as <strong>Chandra Shekhar Azad.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Contribution to Freedom Movement:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Hindustan Republican Association:</strong> After the suspension of the non-cooperation movement in 1922 by Gandhi, Azad joined Hindustan Republican Association (HRA).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>HRA was a revolutionary organization of India established in 1924 in East Bengal by <strong>Sachindra Nath Sanyal, Narendra Mohan Sen and Pratul Ganguly</strong> as an offshoot of <strong>Anushilan Samiti.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Members:</strong> Bhagat Singh, <strong>Chandra Shekhar Azad,</strong> Sukhdev, Ram Prasad Bismil, Roshan Singh, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Kakori Conspiracy:</strong> Most of the fund collection for revolutionary activities was done through <strong>robberies of government property.</strong> In line with the same, Kakori Train Robbery near Kakori, Lucknow was done in <strong>1925 by HRA.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>plan was executed</strong> by Chandra Shekhar Azad, Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri, and Manmathnath Gupta.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hindustan Socialist Republican Association:</strong> HRA was later reorganised as the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was established in <strong>1928</strong> at Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi by Chandra Shekhar Azad, Ashfaqulla Khan, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/martyrs-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bhagat Singh</strong></a>, Sukhdev Thapar and Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee.</li>
<li>HSRA planned the<strong> shooting of J. P. Saunders,</strong> a British Policeman at Lahore in 1928 <strong>to avenge the killing of Lala Lajpat Rai.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong> He died at <strong>Azad Park in Allahabad</strong> on 27<sup>th</sup> February 1931.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1640655" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chandra-shekhar-azad'
		],
		(int) 9 => [
			'title' => 'Bal Gangadhar Tilak',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>On 23<sup>rd</sup> July, India paid tribute to the freedom fighter and educationist <strong>Bal Gangadhar Tilak</strong> on his <strong>birth anniversary.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595585397_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595585397_image1.png" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> He was born on <strong>23<sup>rd</sup> July 1856</strong> in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Freedom fighter and lawyer, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, is also known as <strong>Lokmanya Tilak.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Educationist:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Founder of the <strong>Deccan Education Society (1884)</strong> along with his associate Gopal Ganesh Agarkar and others.</li>
<li>One of the founders of the <strong>Fergusson College (1885)</strong> in Pune through the Deccan Education Society.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ideology:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He was a devout Hindu and used Hindu scriptures to rouse people to fight oppression.</li>
<li>Stressed on the <strong>need for self-rule</strong> and believed that without self-rule or swarajya, no progress was possible.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Slogan:</strong> &ldquo;Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it!&rdquo;</li>
<li>A book<strong> &lsquo;Indian Unrest&rsquo;</strong> written by <strong>Valentine Chirol,</strong> an English journalist, stated <strong>Tilak the &lsquo;father of Indian unrest&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Emphasised the importance of a cultural and religious revival to go with the political movements. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Popularised the<strong> Ganesh Chaturthi festival</strong> in the Maharashtra region.</li>
<li>Propounded the <strong>celebration of Shiv Jayanti</strong> on the birth anniversary of the monarch Chhatrapati Shivaji.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Political Life:</strong> He was one of the earliest and the most vocal proponents of complete independence or swarajya (self-rule). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Along with <strong>Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal,</strong> he was part of the <strong>Lal-Bal-Pal trio</strong> of leaders with extremist outlooks.</li>
<li>Joined the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/important-indian-national-congress-sessions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian National Congress</strong></a> (INC) in 1890.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Surat Split:</strong> It was the splitting of the INC into two groups - the Extremists and the Moderates - at the Surat session in 1907.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Reason:</strong> The extremists wanted either<strong> Tilak or <a href="/mains-practice-question/question-109" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lajpat Rai</a> to be president,</strong> so when <strong>Rasbehari Ghose was announced as president,</strong> the extremist resorted to violence. Hence Surat Split happened.</li>
<li>While <strong>extremists</strong> wanted to end the tyranny rule of British through protest, <strong>Moderates</strong> were aimed at administrative and constitutional reforms.</li>
<li>The <strong>Extremist camp was led by Lal Bal and Pal</strong> and the <strong>moderate</strong> camp was led by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gopal-krishna-gokhale" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gopal Krishna Gokhle.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Contribution to Freedom Movement:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Propagated <a href="/mains-practice-question/question-82#:~:text=The%20Swadeshi%20movement%20led%20the,of%20the%20police%20and%20imprisonment.&amp;text=It%20forced%20British%20dispensation%20to,Morley%2DMinto%20reforms%20in%201909." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>swadeshi movements</strong></a> and encouraged people to boycott foreign goods.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Home Rule Movement:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was a movement in British India on the lines of Irish Home Rule movement.</li>
<li>Started in 1916, it is believed to have set the stage for the independence movement under the <strong>leadership of Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak</strong> for the educated English speaking upper class Indians.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>All India Home Rule League:</strong> Founded by Tilak in April 1916 at Belgaum.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It worked in <strong>Maharashtra (except Bombay), the Central Provinces, Karnataka and Berar.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lucknow Pact (1916):</strong> Between the INC headed by Tilak and All-India Muslim League led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah for hindu-muslim unity in nationalist struggle.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jail:</strong> Between 1908 and 1914, he spent 6 years in Mandalay Prison for defending the actions of revolutionaries Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki had tried to<strong> assassinate the District Judge, Mr. Kingsford</strong> by <strong>throwing bombs</strong> at the carriage in which he was supposed to travel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Newspapers:</strong> Weeklies Kesari (Marathi) and Mahratta (English)</li>
<li><strong>Books:</strong> Gita Rhasya and Arctic Home of the Vedas.</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong> He died on 1<sup>st</sup> August 1920.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bal-gangadhar-tilak'
		],
		(int) 10 => [
			'title' => 'Restrictions on Public Procurement',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Government of India <strong>imposed restrictions on public procurement from bidders of countries that share a land border with India,</strong> citing grounds of defence and national security.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This was done by amending the<strong> General Financial Rules 2017.</strong></li>
<li>Earlier the Central government has made it mandatory for sellers on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/country-of-origin-made-mandatory-on-gem" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Government e-Marketplace (GeM)</strong></a> portal to clarify the country of origin of goods when registering new products.</li>
<li>The government also amended <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-fdi-rule#:~:text=pursuing%20many%20goals.-,Foreign%20Direct%20Investment,securities%20from%20a%20foreign%20country." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)</strong></a> rules mandating prior approval for investment by entities in countries that share land borders with India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reason:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to experts, this decision has been taken to<strong> prevent the influx of Chinese products and investments</strong> into India, following the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-conflict" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>clashes between Indian and Chinese troops</strong></a> in Galwan Valley.</li>
<li>To push for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a> (self-reliant India).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>New Order:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bidders from these countries will be eligible only if they are <strong>registered with the Registration Committee (Competent Authority)</strong> constituted by the <strong>Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For national security reasons, the Registration Committee shall not be required to give reasons for rejection/cancellation of registration of a bidder.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Bidders will also be required to take<strong> mandatory political and security clearance from the ministries of External Affairs and Home respectively.</strong></li>
<li>The order will be applicable for public sector banks and financial institutions, Autonomous Bodies, Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and Public Private Partnership projects receiving financial support from the Government or its undertakings.</li>
<li>The <strong>order will not apply to procurement by the private sector.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Order Mandatory for State Governments:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Central government has invoked the provisions of <strong>Article 257(1) of the Constitution,</strong> directing the state governments to implement this order for all public procurement.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For State government procurement, the Competent Authority will be constituted by the states but political and security clearance from Central government ministries will remain necessary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Relaxations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Relaxation will be provided for procurement of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> medical supplies till 31st December 2020.</li>
<li>The order for prior registration <strong>will not apply for countries</strong> to which India extends <strong>lines of credit</strong> or <strong>provides development assistance,</strong> even if they share a land border with India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India shares its border with China, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Myanmar.</li>
<li>As per official data, out of these, the government has extended lines of credit to <strong>Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar.</strong></li>
<li>India also provides various developmental assistance to <strong>Bhutan and Afghanistan.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Article 257(1)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It states that the<strong> executive power of every State</strong> shall be so exercised as <strong>not to impede or prejudice</strong> the exercise of the executive power of the Union.</li>
<li>It also authorises the Union to give such directions to a State as may appear to the Government of India to be necessary for that purpose.</li>
<li>In case <strong>if the state failed to comply</strong> with (or to give effect to) any directions given by the Centre under Article 257(1), it will be lawful for the President to impose <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/president-s-rule-in-maharashtra" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>President&rsquo;s rule</strong> </a>under Article 356.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1640778" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/restrictions-on-public-procurement'
		],
		(int) 11 => [
			'title' => 'Rajya Sabha Members Facing Criminal Charges',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to an analysis by the <strong>Association for Democratic Reforms</strong> (ADR), about 24% of the sitting<strong> Rajya Sabha members</strong> have declared <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/decriminalising-the-politics" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>criminal cases</strong></a> against themselves.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Data Analysis:</strong> Analysis of 229 of the 233 Rajya Sabha seats showed that 54 MPs had declared criminal cases.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Among the <strong>newly-elected representatives 28 or 12%</strong> had declared serious criminal cases.</li>
<li>It also found out from their self-sworn affidavits that <strong>89%</strong> have declared <strong>assets estimated</strong> at over <strong>Rs. 1 crore.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>17<sup>th</sup> Lok Sabha:</strong> According to the finding of Association of Democratic Reforms, about <strong>43% of members elected</strong> to 17<sup>th</sup> Lok Sabha are<strong> facing criminal charges</strong> in court of law, while<strong> 84% have self-declared assets</strong> worth<strong> more than Rs. 1 crore.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is the highest number of members of parliament facing serious criminal charges like rape, murder and kidnapping, <strong>since 2004.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>ADR is an Indian non-governmental organization established in 1999 situated in New Delhi.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With <strong>National Election Watch (NEW),</strong> ADR is striving to bring<strong> transparency and accountability in Indian politics</strong> and reduce the influence of <strong>money and muscle power</strong> in elections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Criminalisation of Politics</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595588976_Images.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595589234_Images.jpg" width="500" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Criminalization of politics is the <strong>involvement of the candidates with criminal charges</strong> in politics through the elections and even getting elected to the Parliament and state legislature. It takes place primarily because of the nexus between the criminals and the politicians.</li>
<li><strong>Reasons:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lack of Political Will: Section 8</strong> of the Ac the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/representation-of-people-s-act-part-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Representation of Peoples (RP) Act</strong></a>, 1951 disqualifies a <strong>person convicted</strong> with a sentence of two years or more from contesting elections. But those <strong>under trial continued to be eligible</strong> to contest elections.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Therefore, in order to curb <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/criminalisation-of-politics-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>criminalisation of politics</strong></a>, Parliament needs to bring an amendment in the Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Use of Muscle and Money Power:</strong> Candidates with <strong>serious criminal records</strong> seem to do well despite their <strong>bad public image,</strong> largely due to their ability to finance their own elections and further fund their respective parties for different election activities.</li>
<li><strong>Vote Bank:</strong> Criminals are being wooed by political parties and given cabinet posts because their muscle and money fetches crucial votes.</li>
<li><strong>Narrow Self-interests of Voters:</strong> Some voters tend to view such candidates through a narrow prism of being able to represent their community interests by hook or by crook.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Choices:</strong> Sometimes voters are left with no options, as all competing candidates have criminal records.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Consequences:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Ineffective Democracy:</strong> It affects the efficacy of the democratic process in delivering good governance as law breakers become law makers.</li>
<li><strong>Culture of Violence:</strong> It introduces a culture of violence in society and sets a bad precedent for the youth to follow.</li>
<li><strong>Black Money:</strong> It also leads to increased circulation of black money during and after elections, diluting probity in public life.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 149px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 100%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #211161;" colspan="2"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Measures Taken by the Supreme Court</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 29.3413%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #a3a1cf;"><strong>Case/Year</strong></td>
<td style="width: 70.6587%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #a3a1cf;"><b>Judgment/Measures</b></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 29.3413%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;"><em><strong>Union of India (UOI) vs. Association for Democratic Reforms, 2002</strong></em></td>
<td style="width: 70.6587%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;">The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court</strong></a> held that every candidate, contesting an election to the Parliament, State Legislatures or Municipal Corporation, has to declare their criminal records, financial records and educational qualifications.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 29.3413%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;"><em><strong>Ramesh Dalal vs. Union of India, 2005</strong></em></td>
<td style="width: 70.6587%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;">A sitting <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/code-of-conduct-for-lok-sabha-mps" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Member of Parliament (MP)</strong></a> or <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/annulment-of-election-of-mla" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Member of State Legislature (MLA)</strong></a> shall also be subject to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/speaker-and-anti-defection-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>disqualification</strong></a> from contesting elections if he is <strong>convicted and sentenced to not less than 2 years of imprisonment by a court of law.</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 29.3413%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;"><em><strong>Lily Thomas vs. Union of India, 2013</strong></em></td>
<td style="width: 70.6587%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;"><strong>Section 8(4) of The Representation of the People Act, 1951</strong> was declared unconstitutional which allowed MPs and MLAs who were convicted to continue in office till an appeal against such conviction was disposed of.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 29.3413%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;"><em><strong>People's Union for Civil Liberties vs. Union of India, 2013</strong></em></td>
<td style="width: 70.6587%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;">The Supreme Court asked Election Commission to provide <strong>'none of the above'</strong> choice to voters to exercise their right to express <strong>no confidence in all candidates.</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 35px;">
<td style="width: 29.3413%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; height: 35px; background-color: #f2f4fc;"><em><strong>2017</strong></em></td>
<td style="width: 70.6587%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; height: 35px; background-color: #f2f4fc;">The Supreme Court had directed the Centre to set up <strong>special fast-track courts</strong> to exclusively try lawmakers and politicians facing criminal cases.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Election Commission's Recommendations:</strong> In 1997, Election Commission directed all the <strong>Returning Officers (ROs) to reject</strong> the nomination papers of any candidate who <strong>stands convicted</strong> on the day of filing the nomination papers even if his sentence is suspended.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It recommended that<strong> if a person is found guilty</strong> by a commission of Inquiry then he shall be disqualified from contesting elections.</li>
<li>The <strong>First Past The Post (FPTP) electoral system</strong> shall be replaced by the <strong>2-ballot system</strong> under which a candidate is declared elected from a territorial constituency on the basis of majority principle. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>If no one wins 50 percent of the vote, all candidates except the top two are excluded and voters are asked to vote a second time. In the second round, the candidate who wins the most votes is elected.</li>
<li>The 2-ballot system will make winning elections very difficult for criminals as they will have to garner the widest possible support from the voters to get the majority votes.</li>
<li>Along with the 2-ballot system, the <strong>negative vote</strong> shall also be introduced.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Measures:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Right to recall:</strong> It confers the <strong>power on the registered voters</strong> in a constituency to recall their elected representatives from the house <strong>on the ground of non-performance.</strong> It could empower the people at grassroot level. The elected representative could be made truly accountable to the people.</li>
<li><strong>State Funding of Elections:</strong> It means the government would extend <strong>financial assistance to the political parties</strong> to contest elections in part or in full, in kind or in cash.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Various <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-electoral-politics-need-for-reform" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>committees</strong></a> (Dinesh Goswami, Inderjeet Committee) on the electoral reforms have recommended for state funding of elections.</li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-regulating-anonymous-donations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>State funding of elections</strong></a> will curb use of black money to a large extent and thereby will have a significant impact on limiting criminalization of politics.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a need for fixing the <strong>governance system and effective regulation of political financing</strong> along with bold <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-electoral-politics-need-for-reform" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>reforms</strong></a> to break the vicious cycle of criminals and politics. It is crucial to plug the loopholes in the current laws to make the entire governance machinery more accountable and transparent.</li>
<li><strong>Citizens</strong> must vote in <strong>elections based on character, conduct and capability</strong> of the candidates and not based on cash, caste, community and criminal prowess. This could be the ultimate solution to check money power in politics.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/24-of-sitting-rs-members-have-declared-criminal-cases-adr/article32159963.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rajya-sabha-members-facing-criminal-charges'
		],
		(int) 12 => [
			'title' => 'Regulation of Public Data',
			'catname' => 'News Editorials',
			'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.livemint.com/opinion/columns/a-new-tryst-with-destiny-birth-of-a-data-democracy-11595206223242.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;A new tryst with destiny: Birth of a data democracy&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in LiveMint on 20/07/2020. This article deals with the need to regulate the use of private and non private public data.</p>
</div>
<p>In this digital age, data is a valuable resource that should not be left unregulated for private corporations to exploit it. In this context, <strong>Data democracy</strong> becomes very important, which envisages that there should be parity in access to data for private/commercial usage and analysis.</p>
<p><strong>Democratization of Data</strong> will allow information to be accessible to the average end user. It describes a methodological framework of values and actions that benefit and minimize any harm to the public or the typical user.</p>
<p>However, in the absence of a concrete data protection law in India, the goal of becoming a data democracy will remain a distant dream.</p>
<p>Thus, there is a need for suitable legislation which will ensure that common people who own this data should directly or indirectly get value for this resource.</p>
<h3>Principles of Data Democracy</h3>
<p>A Data Democracy can be broken down into six principles:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The average end user can access information in any digital format.</li>
<li>Citizens should be able to gather and analyze data or engage in self-service without requiring any outside help.</li>
<li>Individual private data needs to be protected on the lines of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).</strong></a></li>
<li>There is a need to ensure Data Quality.</li>
<li>Technologies that play an important part in empowering nontechnical people in a Data Democracy should be made accessible to them.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Need For Data Protection And Regulation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Protection of Data:</strong> In<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/privacy-judgement-and-the-aftermath" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Puttaswamy Case (2017)</strong></a>, the Supreme Court declared <strong>privacy a fundamental right.</strong> This set the government in motion to take steps to bring a new data protection legislation for the country.</li>
<li><strong>Treating Data as Resource:</strong> Despite being economically poor, India is a data-rich country. It has been analysed that an individual&rsquo;s data in India is far more valuable than their current material worth (of about $2,000 per capita). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This mismatch in potential and reality provides an opportunity for an individual to monetize their data.</li>
<li>Data generated by the public has to be protected and cannot be harvested for free&mdash;as it is at present.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Potential Market Of Data:</strong> Already a third of the population is using smartphones&mdash;which has 10x power when generating data. This segment will only grow exponentially creating probably the largest market for data in the world.</li>
<li><strong>Usage Of Data Without Individual Consent:</strong> It is a precondition for companies to mine the data. At the moment platforms such as Google and Facebook harvest this personal data, mostly without consent, to establish a behavioural matrix to sell or promote products and causes.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Leveraging Contactless Infrastructure:</strong> The building blocks for a scalable model to harvest mass data of Indians rapidly expand their digital footprint&mdash;especially in the aftermath of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-indian-federalism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid-19</strong></a>. India can leverage the contactless behaviour that is already in place.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Aadhaar provided the idea of a unique identity to over 1 billion people in India.</li>
<li>Inter-operable payments mechanism, such as the <strong>Unified Payments Interface,</strong> or UPI, to give a new definition to financial transactions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Consent to Use Personal Data:</strong> There is a need for the legal architecture that provides data privacy protection and thereby propels governance towards data democracy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, the recommendations of Justice BN Srikrishna constituted for data privacy are hugely significant.</li>
<li>Such a law is very critical in defining the digital future of India, one in which the individual will be the centre.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Data Protection Framework</strong></p>
<p>A committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice BN Srikrishna has submitted its report on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>"Data Protection Framework"</strong></a> to the Government.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Data Protection Authority:</strong> The data protection law will set up a Data Protection Authority (DPA), which will be an independent regulatory body responsible for the enforcement and effective implementation of the law.</li>
<li><strong>Personal Data:</strong> The law will cover processing of personal data by both public and private entities.The law will have jurisdiction over the processing of personal data if such data has been used, shared, disclosed, collected or otherwise processed in India.</li>
<li><strong>Data Storage:</strong> The Bill lays out provisions on data storage, making it mandatory for a copy of personal data to be stored in India.</li>
<li><strong>Appellate Tribunal:</strong> The Central Government shall establish an appellate tribunal or grant powers to an existing appellate tribunal to hear and dispose of any appeal against an order of the <strong>DPA.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Penalties:</strong> Penalties may be imposed for violations of the data protection law. The penalties imposed would be an amount up to the fixed upper limit or a percentage of the total worldwide turnover of the preceding financial year, whichever is higher.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Like the spread of democracy in the 20<sup>th</sup> century helped to bring a paradigm shift in governance all across the globe, heralding of a<strong> &lsquo;data democracy&rsquo;</strong> is necessary in this digital age of the 21<sup>st</sup> century.</p>
<p>Clearly, the promise of a data democracy is infinite. The onus lies with the government to fast track the privacy law protecting and regulating the use of personal and non-personal data.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595511839_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595512153_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595512153_image6.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="650" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f3f0ff;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>In the digital age, a democracy is incomplete without democratisation of data. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z3nawrBig3Q" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/on-the-loose-on-west-bengal-governor-jaideep-dhankar/article32154141.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;On the loose: On West Bengal Governor&rdquo;</strong></a> was published in The Hindu on July 22<sup>nd</sup>, 2020. Watch this on our Youtube channel now.</p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/regulation-of-public-data'
		],
		(int) 13 => [
			'title' => 'The Big Picture: Senkaku-Diaoyu Islands Dispute',
			'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
			'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ulds9vluEDU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>What is the dispute about?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A long-standing controversy over the islands&rsquo; ownership has periodically soured relations between China and Japan.</li>
<li>Two years earlier, a report highlighting the potential for oil reserves in the area prompted China to reassert its territorial claims over the islands. Japan does not recognise China&rsquo;s claims nor the existence of a dispute over the islands&rsquo; sovereignty.</li>
<li>More recently there has been a flare-up in the region. The Japanese government said that it had protested to China regarding a set of names recently assigned by Beijing to seabed zones in the East China Sea, including the Senkaku- Diaoyu islands.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595501985_image0.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595501985_image0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Geographical location</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Diaoyu archipelago (known as the Senkakus in Japanese) is an uninhabited chain of islands in the East China Sea claimed by China, Taiwan and Japan.</li>
<li>The Japanese-administered island chain, formed by five islets and three barren rocks, covers an area of 7 square km. It is located about 200km southwest of Japan&rsquo;s Okinawa island and a similar distance northeast of Taiwan.</li>
<li>Senkaku islands are a part of the Ryukyu chain of islands.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Okinawa Island</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The center of the former Ryukyu Kingdom, Okinawa Main Island is by far the largest and most populous island in Okinawa Prefecture and the regional transportation hub.</li>
<li>The prefectural capital Naha and most of the US military bases are located on Okinawa Honto.</li>
<li>While much of the central part of Okinawa Honto is urbanized, the southern tip of the island is less densely populated, and the northernmost Yambaru area remains mainly covered by forested hills and small fishing and farming villages</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>History of Dispute</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>China says that the islands have been part of its territory since ancient times, serving as important fishing grounds administered by the province of Taiwan.</li>
<li>Taiwan was ceded to Japan in the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895, after the Sino-Japanese war.</li>
<li>Japan annexed the archipelago following China&rsquo;s defeat in the first Sino-Japanese war from 1894 to 1895. Yet the islands were left out of the<strong> Treaty of San Francisco</strong> at the end of the second world war that returned to China most of the territories previously occupied by Japan.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China says, when Taiwan was returned in the Treaty of San Francisco, the islands should have been returned too.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the terms of Japan&rsquo;s surrender, the island chain was controlled by the US until 1971, when it was returned to Japan along with Okinawa and other surrounding islands.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Cause of the dispute</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Oil exploration:</strong> The areas around these islands were found to be the possible bearers of oil and gas; which caught the Chinese interest.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>But, the main cause of China claiming right over the islands is not the availability of oil but to establish their supremacy and dominance and they are pursuing it by the nine-dash line in the south china sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Shipping lanes:</strong> Abundant fishing resources can be found nearby, as can important shipping lanes used by Japan, South Korea and China for energy imports.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Latest developments</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Chinese have been drilling for oil and gas near the Senkaku island, the Japanese have accused them of stealing oil from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unclos-maritime-zones" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)</strong></a> of Japan.</li>
<li>The Japanese assembly changed the name of the southern Japan area containing the Senkaku Islands from "Tonoshiro" to "Tonoshiro Senkaku". China in retaliation, assigned names to the seabed zones in the East China Sea.</li>
<li>Recently, there was a standoff between the Japanese and Chinese coast guard vessels. The Chinese coast guard vessels didn&rsquo;t back off causing protest in Japan.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The defence of the Senkaku/Diaoyus has been a priority for Japan even in the past few years.</li>
<li>Japan has established new military bases nearby to protect the islands. The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-japan-beginning-of-a-new-era" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF)</strong></a> has also been building up its marines and drilling them on island warfare.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>U.S stand:</strong> The US and Japan forged a security alliance in the wake of World War II and formalised it in 1960. Under the deal, the US is given military bases in Japan in return for its promise to defend Japan in the event of an attack.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This means if conflict were to erupt between China and Japan, Japan would expect US military back-up.</li>
<li>The US has been silently watching the incident but refused to take any action. The US is not willing to interfere between China and Japan.</li>
<li>The US is worried about China&rsquo;s intrusion into the Pacific ocean which might be a direct threat to the US.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong> By supporting Japan against Chinese Policy of <strong>Incremental Expansionism,</strong> India can diplomatically strengthen its position over <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/galwan-valley-clash" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Galwan Valley</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Each coastal State may claim an EEZ beyond and adjacent to its territorial sea that extends seaward up to 200 nm from its baselines.</li>
<li>Within its EEZ, a coastal state has:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring, exploiting, conserving and managing natural resources, whether living or nonliving, of the seabed and subsoil.</li>
<li>Rights to carry out activities like the production of energy from the water, currents and wind.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Unlike the territorial sea and the contiguous zone, the EEZ only allows for the above-mentioned resource rights. It does not give a coastal state the right to prohibit or limit freedom of navigation or overflight, subject to very limited exceptions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>China&rsquo;s border and maritime aggression are increasing. The Senkaku/Diaoyu issue highlights the more robust attitude China has been taking to its territorial claims in both the East China Sea and the South China Sea.</li>
<li>Japan and China must cooperate with each other against Chinese aggression in Indian ocean and East China sea. This would be mutually beneficial for both the countries. India should take full advantage of Japanese desire to encounter China in this region.</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-senkaku-diaoyu-islands-dispute'
		],
		(int) 14 => [
			'title' => 'Appointment of Government Servants as Gram Panchayat Administrator',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Bombay High Court passed an interim order directing that a <strong>government servant of the local authority</strong> be appointed as an<strong> administrator</strong> of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/panchayati-raj-institutions-and-participative-democracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>gram panchayats</strong> </a>in Maharashtra.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is for the 15,000 panchayats where the terms of these officers have ended or would be ending.</li>
<li>These administrators include <strong>sarpanch, secretary of the panchayats</strong> and <strong>gram sevaks.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Petition Against Recent Decisions:</strong> The order came after petitions were filed against a recent <strong>Government Resolutions (GR)</strong> issued by the State Rural Development Department and <strong>Maharashtra Village Panchayat (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Through these, the Maharashtra government <strong>ordered appointment of administrators to all gram panchayats</strong> by zilla parishad chief executive officers (CEO) in consultation with their <strong>respective district ministers.</strong></li>
<li>The resolution and ordinance <strong>were challenged on various grounds</strong> related to the <strong>appointment of private individuals</strong> as administrators of gram panchayats.</li>
<li>It also challenged the <strong>section 151 of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act</strong> by allowing<strong> appointment of administrators</strong> in case the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/state-election-commission-s-autonomy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">State Election Commission</a></strong> (SEC) could not hold <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>elections</strong></a> due to a <strong>natural calamity, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic</a>,</strong> financial emergency or administrative emergency.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>High Court's Argument:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Questioned Private Appointments:</strong> The Court ordered that the <strong>administrator to be appointed, should be a government servant</strong> or an officer from the local authority. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>If not available and the appointment of a<strong> private individual is to be made,</strong> then each such order <strong>shall record the reasons</strong> because of which such officer was not available.</li>
<li>The criteria that administrators have to be &ldquo;a resident of the village and on the voters&rsquo; list'' is<strong> directory,</strong> not <strong>mandatory</strong> in nature.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Local Authority Officers:</strong> The court emphasised that<strong> local authority offices</strong> should be the first choice for appointment as an administrator.</li>
<li><strong>Impact on Local Governance:</strong> The Court admitted that<strong> working of the gram panchayat</strong> will be affected if the administrator is not appointed, however it also emphasised the need to address the concerns regarding the appointment of the private individual.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to the court <strong>private individuals appointment</strong> is not warranted in law and such mass appointments will<strong> have a lasting adverse impact</strong> on the local governance in <strong>terms of efficiency, impartiality</strong> and <strong>effectiveness</strong> of the work.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>State Government&rsquo;s Argument:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Urgent Need:</strong> It stated that there is an urgent need for administrators to run the panchayats as pandemic has halted the election process.</li>
<li><strong>Overburdened Officers:</strong> There are a large number of gram panchayats in the State and the government servants are already overburdened. So, it is difficult to appoint them as administrators.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Gram Panchayat</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These are the part of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/panchayati-raj-institution-pri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Panchayati Raj System</strong></a> which has been granted constitutional status by the <strong>73<sup>rd</sup> Amendment act.</strong></li>
<li>This scheme of the PRI system increases cooperation among people, <strong>democratic participation and decentralization.</strong></li>
<li>The 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country have been entrusted to provide basic services in the villages and plan for local economic development and <a href="/to-the-points/paper4/good-governance-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>good governance.</strong></a></li>
<li>The <strong>Gram Sabha (GS)</strong> discusses the development work plans of the GP called <strong>Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP)</strong> and the elected representatives execute the plans.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Gram Sabha</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Gram Sabha is a body consisting of <strong>all persons whose names are included in the electoral rolls</strong> for the Panchayat at the village level.</li>
<li>The term is defined in the Constitution of India under <strong>Article 243(b).</strong></li>
<li>All eligible voters of the village can participate in the Gram Sabha.</li>
<li>The <strong>decisions</strong> taken by the Gram Sabha<strong> cannot be annulled by</strong> any other body except itself.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/appoint-govt-servants-as-gram-panchayat-administrator-hc/article32166980.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/appointment-of-government-servants-as-gram-panchayat-administrator'
		],
		(int) 15 => [
			'title' => 'Indian Bullfrog',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Scientific Name:</strong> Hoplobatrachus tigerinus.</li>
<li><strong>Common Names:</strong> Bullfrog, Golden Frog, Green Frog, Tiger Frog etc.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>IUCN Red List</strong></a>: Least Concern.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wild-life-protection-act-implementation-and-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Wildlife Act 1972</strong></a>: Schedule IV.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595496497_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595496497_image3.jpg" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Schedule IV along with Schedule III <strong>provide protection with lesser penalties.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is<strong> native to the Indian subcontinent</strong> (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan) and is the <strong>largest frog in India.</strong></li>
<li>These are <strong>prolific breeders</strong> (producing many offspring), have <strong>short breeding seasons,</strong> and each egg clutch can contain up to 5,750 eggs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian bullfrog tadpoles <strong>are carnivorous</strong> and eat other tadpoles (including their own species).</li>
<li>The tadpoles <strong>grow to be the largest</strong> (around 20 millimetres) and also <strong>grow the fastest.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Adult bullfrogs pose a<strong> threat to small endemic vertebrates</strong> because they can eat <strong>everything which fits into their mouths</strong> like centipedes, leeches, native frogs, lizards, small snakes and even chicks and ducklings.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bullfrogs eat the native frogs as well and their <strong>diets overlap, indicating a possibility of competition.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-andamans-new-colonisers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>one of the invasive species on the islands of Andaman and Nicobar.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An invasive species is a species that is <strong>accidentally or artificially introduced into a biosphere</strong> where it is not normally found.</li>
<li>In the <strong>absence of a natural predator,</strong> as it generally happens, the invasive species <strong>thrive and causes economic and environmental damage</strong> due to the imbalance created by its introduction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-bullfrog'
		],
		(int) 16 => [
			'title' => 'Reasons Behind Pink Water of Lonar Lake',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to the<strong> Agharkar Research Institute,</strong> the <strong>colour of Lonar lake water</strong> in Maharashtra&rsquo;s Buldhana district<strong> turned pink</strong> due to a <strong>large presence of the salt-loving &lsquo;Haloarchaea&rsquo; microbes.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The colour of the lake water <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lonar-crater" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>recently turned pink</strong></a>, which not only surprised locals, but also nature enthusiasts and scientists.</li>
<li>The water samples have been tested by the <strong>Nagpur-based <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/neeri-indair" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI)</a></strong> and the<strong> Agharkar Research Institute in Pune.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595493056_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595493056_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been assumed that the <strong>absence of rain, less human interference</strong> (owing to lockdown) and <strong>high temperature</strong> resulted in the evaporation of water which <strong>increased its salinity and pH.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>pH is a measure of how acidic/basic water is.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The increased salinity and pH facilitated the growth of <strong>halophilic microbes,</strong> mainly <strong>Haloarchaea.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Halophiles are a group of microorganisms that<strong> can grow and often thrive in areas of high salt (NaCl) concentration.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Haloarchaea or halophilic archaea</strong> is a bacteria culture which<strong> produces pink pigment</strong> and is found in water saturated with salt.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Because of the biomass of Haloarchaea microbes, the surface of the water turned red or pink. As the biomass subsides, the colour will disappear.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The colour of the lake is <strong>now returning to original</strong> as the rainy season has kicked in, allowing dilution of the water. The salinity and pH/alkalinity levels have also come down and green algae have started growing in the water body.</li>
<li>Further, it was noted that <strong>Haloarchaea microbes were ingested by Flamingos.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These microbes<strong> acted as carotenoid (pigment) rich food for the birds.</strong></li>
<li>Flamingos get their red-pink colour from special colouring chemicals called pigments found in the algae and invertebrates they eat.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Lonar Lake</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Lonar Lake, also known as<strong> Lonar crater,</strong> is a saline and alkaline lake located at Lonar in Buldhana district,<strong> Maharashtra.</strong></li>
<li>It is situated inside the <strong>Deccan Plateau&mdash;</strong>a massive plain of volcanic basalt rock created by eruptions.</li>
<li>It is an <strong>oval shaped</strong> and has a <strong>mean diameter of 1.2 km.</strong> It is a popular tourist hub.</li>
<li>It is a notified <strong>National Geo-heritage Monument.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Geo-heritage refers to the geological features which are inherently or culturally significant offering insight to earth&rsquo;s evolution or history to earth science or that can be utilized for education.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-navy-signs-mou-with-geological-survey-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Geological Survey of India (GSI)</strong></a> is the parent body which is making efforts towards identification and protection of geo-heritage sites.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is believed to have been <strong>created over 52,000 years ago</strong> when a <strong>meteorite hit the Earth.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/lonar-lake-turned-pink-due-to-haloarchaea-microbes-probe/article32161619.ece#:~:text=News-,Lonar%20lake%20in%20Maharashtra%27s%20Buldhana%20district%20turned,to%20%27Haloarchaea%27%20microbes%3A%20probe&amp;text=The%20colour%20of%20Lonar%20lake,Pune%2Dbased%20institute%20has%20concluded." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/reasons-behind-pink-water-of-lonar-lake'
		],
		(int) 17 => [
			'title' => 'Concerns Over Drilling in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-green-tribunal-ngt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Green Tribunal (NGT)</strong></a> has issued notices to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Oil India Limited (OIL) and two concerned state entities to explain <strong>how environmental clearances for the seven proposed drilling sites in the Dibru- Saikhowa National Park were given.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The NGT took note of the petitioners&rsquo; contention that OIL<strong> did not carry out a biodiversity assessment study</strong> for the seven-well exploratory drilling project besides <strong>not conducting a public hearing</strong> as mandated by the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/environmental-impact-assessment-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification of 2006.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>OIL</strong> has clarified that its <strong>exploratory drilling project is &ldquo;under&rdquo; and not &ldquo;in&rdquo; the 765 sq km Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.</strong> This argument is based on <strong>Extended Reach Drilling (ERD)</strong> enabled drilling of wells up to a depth of approximately 4 km from an existing well plinth <strong>without entering the protected area.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>OIL had obtained permission for the seven wells in 2016 on the basis of the <strong>ERD</strong> technology.</li>
<li>ERD is drilling a well horizontally to at least twice its vertical depth.</li>
<li>It is extensively used to intersect hydrocarbon targets far from the surface or areas of the reservoir that otherwise were difficult to access.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The notice has been issued following <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/assam-gas-leak" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>a gas leak that occurred at OIL&rsquo;s baghjan oil field</strong></a>, located near the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The disaster at Baghjan has<strong> impacted the surrounding ecological life</strong> and <strong>displaced close to 11,000 people</strong> from their homes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Earlier, the NGT had also ordered the formation of a committee to probe<strong> allegations of large-scale illegal coal mining</strong> by North Eastern Coalfields inside <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dehing-patkai-wildlife-sanctuary-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve</strong></a> in Assam&rsquo;s Tinsukia district.</li>
<li><strong>Natural Resources in Assam:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The State is <strong>one of the richest biodiversity zones</strong> in the world and consists of tropical rainforests, deciduous forests, riverine grasslands, bamboo orchards and numerous wetland ecosystems.</li>
<li>Assam has wildlife sanctuaries, the most prominent of which are two <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kailash-mansarovar-in-tentative-list-of-world-heritage-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNESCO World Heritage sites</strong></a>-the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kaziranga-national-park-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kaziranga National Park</strong></a> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-29th-october-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Manas Wildlife Sanctuary</strong></a>. There are <strong>three other National Parks</strong> in Assam namely <strong>Dibru Saikhowa National Park, Nameri National Park and the Orang National Park.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Kaziranga is a home to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dna-database-for-indian-rhinos" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian one-horned rhinoceros</strong></a> which has also been recognized as the <strong>State Animal of Assam.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Assam has <strong>abundant mineral resources</strong>- coal, petroleum; limestone and natural gas are the principal mineral resources. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is also the <strong>largest producer of crude oil in India. </strong></li>
<li><strong>OIL</strong> is the second largest hydrocarbon exploration and production Indian public sector company with its operational headquarters in Duliajan, Assam under the administrative control of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Dibru-Saikhowa National Park</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Dibru-Saikhowa is a <strong>National Park as well as a Biosphere Reserve</strong> situated in the south bank of the river Brahmaputra in Assam.</li>
<li>The forest type of Dibru-Saikhowa comprises semi-evergreen forests, deciduous forests, littoral and swamp forests and patches of wet evergreen forests.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>largest swamp forest in north-eastern India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is an <strong>identified Important Bird Area (IBA),</strong> notified by the Birdlife International. It is most famous for the rare white-winged wood ducks as well as feral horses.</li>
<li>Mammals found in the Park include <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tiger-census-2018-guinness-book-of-world-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tiger</a></strong>, Elephant, Leopard, Jungle Cat, Bears, Small Indian Civet, Squirrels, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gangetic-dolphin-annual-census#:~:text=The%20Ganges%20river%20dolphin%20is,popularly%20known%20as%20'Susu'.&amp;text=The%20'Boto'%20of%20the%20Amazon%20River%20in%20Latin%20America." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gangetic Dolphin</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hoolock-gibbon" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hoolock Gibbon</strong></a>, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Maguri Motapung wetland</strong> is a part of the Reserve.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/ngt-seeks-explanation-on-drilling-for-oil-in-assam-national-park/article32159368.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/concerns-over-drilling-in-dibru-saikhowa-national-park'
		],
		(int) 18 => [
			'title' => 'Kakrapar Atomic Plant Achieves Criticality',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the third unit of the <strong>Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-3)</strong> in Tapi district of Gujarat achieved its first <strong>criticality.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Criticality:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Criticality is the <strong>first step towards power production.</strong> A <strong>nuclear reactor</strong> is said to be critical when the nuclear fuel inside a reactor sustains a<strong> fission chain reaction.</strong></li>
<li>Each fission reaction releases a<strong> sufficient number of neutrons</strong> to sustain a series of reactions. <strong>Heat is produced in the event,</strong> which is used to <strong>generate steam</strong> that <strong>spins a turbine</strong> to create electricity. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Fission</strong> is a process in which the <strong>nucleus of an atom splits into two or more smaller nuclei,</strong> and some byproduct.</li>
<li>When the nucleus splits, the <strong>kinetic energy</strong> of the <strong>fission fragments (primary nuclei)</strong> is transferred to other atoms in the fuel as heat energy, which is eventually used to produce steam to drive the turbines.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>KAPP-3:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>KAPP-3 is the <strong>country&rsquo;s first 700 MWe (megawatt electric) unit,</strong> and the <strong>biggest indigenously developed</strong> variant of the <strong>Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Until now, the biggest reactor size of indigenous design was the 540 MWe, two of which have been deployed in Tarapur, Maharashtra.</li>
<li>A<strong> PHWR is a nuclear power reactor,</strong> commonly using unenriched <strong>natural uranium as its fuel,</strong> that uses <strong>heavy water (deuterium oxide D<sub>2</sub>O) as its coolant and moderator.</strong></li>
<li>PHWR technology was started in India in the late 1960s with the construction of the first 220 MWe reactor, Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS-1).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>State-owned<strong> Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL)</strong> had awarded the reactor-building contract for both KAPP-3 and 4 in 2010.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Safety Features:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The 700 MWe PHWRs have advanced safety features like <strong>steel lined inner containment, passive decay heat removal system, containment spray system, hydrogen management system,</strong> among others.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> &lsquo;passive decay heat removal system&rsquo;</strong> can remove decay heat (released as a result of radioactive decay) from the reactor core without requiring any operator actions.</li>
<li>This is on the lines of similar technology adopted for<strong> Generation III+ plants</strong> to negate the possibility of a <strong>Fukushima-type</strong> accident that happened in Japan in 2011.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>KAPP-3 addresses the issue of excess <strong>thermal margins.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Thermal margin refers to the extent to which the operating temperature of the reactor is below its maximum operating temperature.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>KAPP-3 would constitute the <strong>biggest component in the nuclear power capacity expansion plan.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India is working to ramp up its existing nuclear power capacity of 6,780 MWe to 22,480 MWe by 2031.</li>
<li>Currently, nuclear power capacity constitutes less than 2% of the total installed capacity of 3,68,690 MW (end-January 2020).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will also <strong>help for the future construction</strong> for the PHWRs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is an Indian public sector undertaking, Headquartered at Mumbai.</li>
<li>It is wholly owned by the Government of India and is <strong>responsible for the generation of nuclear power for electricity.</strong></li>
<li>NPCIL is administered by the <strong>Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/gujarat-third-unit-at-kakrapar-atomic-power-plant-achieves-criticality-6519147/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kakrapar-atomic-plant-achieves-criticality'
		],
		(int) 19 => [
			'title' => 'Madhubani Paintings',
			'catname' => 'News Analysis',
			'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, artists from <strong>Madhubani district of Bihar</strong> became famous for making masks with <strong>hand-painted <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-25-august-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Madhubani</a> motifs.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Motif</strong> is a <strong>decorative image or design,</strong> especially a repeated one forming a pattern.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595486995_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595486995_image1.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="299" height="168" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Origin:</strong> Madhubani painting has its origins in<strong> Mithila region</strong> of<strong> Bihar.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The painting is one of the oldest and most famous Indian art forms which is also practised in Nepal.</li>
<li>Traces of Madhubani art can also be noticed in the Ramayana, the Indian epic.</li>
<li>It is also known as<strong> Mithila or Madhubani art.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Characteristics:</strong> These paintings are popular because of their <strong>tribal motifs and use of bright earthy colours.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Traditionally the<strong> women of the village</strong> drew these paintings on the walls of their dwelling, as a demonstration of their feelings, hopes, and ideas.</li>
<li>Today men are also involved to meet the demand.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Style:</strong> It includes <strong>geometrical patterns, floral, animal and bird motifs.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Colours:</strong> The colours used in paintings comprise<strong> natural extracts from plants and other natural sources.</strong> E.g.: Black colour is obtained by mixing soot with cow dung; blue from indigo; white from rice powder; orange from palasha flowers, etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The colours are applied flat with no shading and no empty space is left.</li>
<li>These are usually <strong>dark and bright with pigments</strong> like lampblack (obtained from coal) and ochre (earthy yellow pigment).</li>
<li>These paintings are not made with modern brushes but rather with twigs, matchsticks, and fingers.</li>
<li>But now artists use brushes, nib-pens and synthetic colours as well to paint.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Themes:</strong> It is based on the<strong> mythological characters</strong> which depict the life of <strong>Hindu deities</strong> like Krishna, Rama, Lakshmi, Shiva, Durga, and Saraswati.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The designs widely painted are of Tulasi plant, court scenes, wedding scenes, social happenings etc.</li>
<li>Also, <strong>heavenly bodies like the Sun and the Moon</strong> often form the centrepiece of paintings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Eminent Artists:</strong> Karpuri Devi, Mahalaxmi and Dulari.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/meet-remant-kumar-mishra-the-madhubani-artist-also-known-as-the-mask-man-of-bihar/article32163974.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
			'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
			'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/madhubani-paintings'
		]
	],
	'updates' => object(Cake\ORM\Query) {

		'(help)' => 'This is a Query object, to get the results execute or iterate it.',
		'sql' => 'SELECT articles.article_id AS `articles__article_id`, articles.category_id AS `articles__category_id`, articles.title AS `articles__title`, articles.description AS `articles__description`, articles.shortdescription AS `articles__shortdescription`, articles.featuredimage AS `articles__featuredimage`, articles.tag_id AS `articles__tag_id`, articles.secondary_tag AS `articles__secondary_tag`, articles.type AS `articles__type`, articles.publishon AS `articles__publishon`, articles.posturl AS `articles__posturl`, articles.metatitle AS `articles__metatitle`, articles.metadescription AS `articles__metadescription`, articles.metakeyword AS `articles__metakeyword`, articles.status AS `articles__status`, articles.sort_order AS `articles__sort_order`, articles.addedby AS `articles__addedby`, articles.updatedby AS `articles__updatedby`, articles.added AS `articles__added`, articles.modified AS `articles__modified`, articles.whatsnewid AS `articles__whatsnewid`, articles.display_printpdf AS `articles__display_printpdf`, articles.display_comments AS `articles__display_comments`, articles.pdf_name AS `articles__pdf_name`, articles.display_archive AS `articles__display_archive` FROM articles articles WHERE status = :c0 ORDER BY publishon desc LIMIT 10',
		'params' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'defaultTypes' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'decorators' => (int) 0,
		'executed' => false,
		'hydrate' => true,
		'buffered' => true,
		'formatters' => (int) 0,
		'mapReducers' => (int) 0,
		'contain' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'matching' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'extraOptions' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'repository' => object(App\Model\Table\ArticlesTable) {}
	
	},
	'page' => (int) 82,
	'search' => 'class',
	'totalPages' => (float) 303,
	'title' => 'Search'
]
$progress = []
$bookmarks = []
$notes = []
$mynote = []
$topdata = [
	(int) 0 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/images/pdf/UPSC_Press%20Release_19042021%20Drishti%20IAS.pdf',
		'title' => 'UPSC Press Release April 2021',
		'type' => (int) 1,
		'date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {},
		'[new]' => false,
		'[accessible]' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[repository]' => 'news'
	
	},
	(int) 1 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/estore/english-books/all-english-books/Indian-and-World-Geography',
		'title' => 'New book release: Indian and World Geography - Prelims Practice Series (PPS)',
		'type' => (int) 1,
		'date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {},
		'[new]' => false,
		'[accessible]' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[repository]' => 'news'
	
	}
]
$searchdata = []
$searchlist = [
	(int) 0 => [
		'title' => 'Khelo India Youth Games 2021',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the government has announced that <strong>Haryana will host the fourth edition of Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG).</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The 2021 Khelo India Youth Games <strong>are scheduled to take place after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics</strong> and will be held in<strong> Panchkula (Haryana).</strong></li>
<li>The 2021 Tokyo Olympics are set to open on <strong>23<sup>rd</sup> July.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2020, for the first time, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tokyo-olympics-2020-postponed" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Olympics were postponed following the Covid-19 outbreak.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Usually,</strong> the<strong> KIYG takes place in January</strong> of every year.</li>
<li>KIYG is a<strong> part of</strong> the revamped national programme for development of sports <strong>&lsquo;Khelo India&rsquo;</strong> which was approved by the Union Cabinet in <strong>2017.</strong> The 2020 edition of KIYG was held in Guwahati (Assam).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Khelo India Scheme</strong> aims to encourage sports all over the country, thus allowing the population to harness the power of sports through its cross-cutting influence, namely holistic development of children &amp; youth, community development, social integration, gender equality, healthy lifestyle, national pride and economic opportunities related to sports development.</li>
<li>Under the Scheme,<strong> talented players</strong> identified in<strong> priority sports disciplines</strong> at various levels are provided <strong>annual financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh per annum for 8 years.</strong></li>
<li>Khelo India App, developed by the<strong> Sports Authority of India (SAI),</strong> aims to create awareness about sports and fitness in the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>SAI is under the <strong>Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595836090_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595836090_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="750" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1641273" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/khelo-india-youth-games-2021'
	],
	(int) 1 => [
		'title' => 'Safeguarding the Autonomy of Tribunals',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/safeguarding-the-autonomy-of-tribunals/story-sTaztHIM2iZBhyaUTowxVM.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Safeguarding the autonomy of tribunals&rdquo;</strong></a> published in The Hindustan Times on 23/07/2020. It evaluates the new rules promulgated by the centre pertaining to the functioning of the tribunals.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the Union Ministry of Finance framed a new set of rules called the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/supreme-court-ruling-on-finance-act-2017" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tribunal, Appellate Tribunal, and other Authorities (Qualifications, Experience and other Conditions of Service of Members) Rules, 2020</strong></a> that prescribe uniform norms for the appointment and service conditions of members to various <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/tribunals-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>tribunals</strong></a>.</p>
<p>The new rules have been framed by the government as the previous Rules of 2017 were struck down by the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in November 2019 in the case <strong>Rojer Mathew vs South Indian Bank.</strong></p>
<p>However, the new rules carry out only cosmetic changes and some of the provisions contravene the spirit of law laid down by the Supreme Court (SC) on matters related to tribunals.</p>
<h3>Issues With the New Rules</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Conflict of Interest:</strong> The new rules do not remove the control of parent administrative ministries (ministries against which the tribunals have to pass orders) over tribunals.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, the tribunals such as the Armed Forces Tribunal functions under the same ministry which is a party in litigation and the ministry also wields rule-making powers and controls finances, infrastructure and manpower in the tribunal.</li>
<li>This is against the spirit of Natural Justice.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rules Diluting Judicial Independence:</strong> The selection committee under the new rules can function even in absence of any judicial member, meaning that a committee entirely (or majorly) comprising officers of the executive can select members of tribunals.</li>
<li><strong>Unwarranted Influence of Executive:</strong> The new rules also ensure that the secretary of the ministry against which the tribunal is to pass orders sits on the committee for selecting adjudicating members of the same tribunal.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This system was termed as <strong>&ldquo;mockery of the Constitution&rdquo;</strong> by SC in Madras Bar Association case, 2014.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Affecting Independence of Members:</strong> The new rules provide for a retirement age of 65 years even for former judges who retire at 62 from the high courts (HCs), which gives them at best a three-year tenure.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is against the minimum five to seven years tenure mandated by SC in the <strong>Union of India vs R. Gandhi case, 2010</strong> to ensure continuity.</li>
<li>Further the bar on employment with the government after retiring from tribunals has been removed. Thus, gravely affecting the independence of members.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Inconsistent with SC rulings:</strong> The new rules contain ambiguous clauses stating that any person with experience in economics, commerce, management, industry and administration can be appointed as a member of certain tribunals.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This may allow even members with non-judicial/legal background to become chairpersons of tribunals, contrary to SC ruling in the <strong>R Gandhi case.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Tribunal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Tribunal is a quasi-judicial institution that is set up to deal with problems such as resolving administrative or tax-related disputes.</li>
<li>It performs a number of functions like adjudicating disputes, determining rights between contesting parties, making an administrative decision, reviewing an existing administrative decision and so forth.</li>
<li>Tribunals were not part of the original constitution, it was incorporated in the Indian Constitution by 42nd Amendment Act, 1976.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Article 323-A deals with Administrative Tribunals.</li>
<li>Article 323-B deals with tribunals for other matters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Maintain Independence of the Tribunal:</strong> Unless steps are taken in compliance with the law laid down by SC for tribunals, neither their independence nor their ability to reduce the burden on the regular judiciary can be guaranteed.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Tribunals must not be seen as an extension of the executive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Separate and Independent Authority for Administration</strong>: SC in the cases of L Chandra Kumar (1997), R Gandhi (2010), Madras Bar Association (2014) and Swiss Ribbons (2019) has ruled that tribunals cannot be made to function under the ministries against which they are to pass orders and they must be placed under the law ministry instead.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus, the need to ensure the <strong>separate and independent authority</strong> for administration of the tribunals is required.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Best Performing: Income Tax Appellate Tribunal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal was created in 1941, at that time it was put under the finance department, but moved to the legislative department (Ministry of Law and Justice) a year later to ensure its independence.</li>
<li>This arrangement continues till date, and is perhaps the primary reason that it is one of the best-performing tribunals.</li>
<li>Thus, other tribunals can also be made to function under the law ministry rather than ministries against which they are to pass orders.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Easing Pressure on Constitutional Courts:</strong> Further, in order to remove unnecessary burden on SC and make justice affordable and accessible, it needs to be ensured that the tribunals work efficiently.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, the high courts, being equally effective constitutional courts, practically should become the last and final court in most litigation after tribunals pass the order.</li>
<li>Thus, SC can be allowed to focus more on constitutional points of law of general public importance, Centre-state/inter-state disputes or where there is a major conflict between decisions of two or more high courts. &ldquo;Special Leave to Appeal&rdquo; may be extended only to really &ldquo;special&rdquo; cases.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These measures will not only provide consistency and stability but also promote judicial discipline in the tribunal as well as the whole judicial system.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>It is the need of the hour that the Union government shows enough will to force systemic tribunal reforms. A reform to the tribunals system in India may as well be one of the keys to remedy the age old problem that still cripples the Indian judicial system &ndash; the problem of judicial delay and backlog.</p>
<p>In this context, an independent autonomous body such as a <strong>National Tribunals Commission (NTC),</strong> responsible for oversight as well as administration, can go a long way in remedying issues that plague the functioning of tribunals.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595678822_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595678822_image5.png" caption="false" width="560" height="400" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f3ffe6;">
<p><span style="color: #003366;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;Reform in the tribunals system in India can address the problems that still cripples the Indian judicial system.&rdquo; Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AhIKbvOLV-0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-editorials/dissent-contempt-supreme-court-is-too-big-an-institution-to-be-undermined-by-one-mans-criticism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Dissent, Contempt&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Times of India on July 24<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube Channel.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/safeguarding-the-autonomy-of-tribunals'
	],
	(int) 2 => [
		'title' => 'Day 6',
		'catname' => '60 days refresher',
		'desc' => '<h2 style="text-align: center;">Important Constitutional And Non-Constitutional Bodies</h2>
<p>This is an all time favourite topic for UPSC, as a lot of questions have been asked over the years. By analyzing the kind of questions asked on this topic, one can have a fair idea on what can be expected in the prelims.</p>
<h3>Constitutional Bodies</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Election Commission of India </strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/state-election-commission-s-autonomy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>State Election Commission's Autonomy</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/need-to-set-up-state-finance-commission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Need to set up State Finance Commission</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/printpdf/constitutional-status-for-national-commission-for-backward-classes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Constitutional Status for National Commission for Backward Classes</a> </strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-commission-for-scheduled-tribes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/comptroller-and-auditor-general-of-india-cag" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Comptroller and Auditor-General of India (CAG)</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/attorney-general-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Attorney General of India</a> </strong></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/tribunals-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tribunals</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court of India</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Non-Constitutional Bodies</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/council-of-scientific-and-industrial-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-investigation-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Investigation Agency </strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/food-corporation-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food Corporation of India (FCI) </strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/competition-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Competition Commission of India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/law-commission-of-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Law Commission of India</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/central-vigilance-commission-cvc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)</a> </strong></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/securities-and-exchange-board-of-india-sebi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-bank-for-agriculture-and-rural-development-nabard" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-human-rights-commission-nhrc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/defence-research-and-development-organisation-drdo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/lokpal-lokayukta-ombudsman-upsc-governance-transparency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Lokpal and Lokayukta</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) </strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/food-safety-and-standards-authority-of-india-fssai" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-green-tribunal-ngt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Green Tribunal (NGT)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/central-bureau-of-investigation-cbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/22nd-meeting-of-fsdc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Financial Stability and Development Council</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="color: #000080;">Previous Year Questions on Schedules in Important Constitutional And Non-Constitutional Bodies</span></h3>
<p>Q. Consider the following statements: (2017)</p>
<ol>
<li>The Election Commission of India is a five member body.</li>
<li>Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.</li>
<li>Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognised political parties.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1 and 2 only</p>
<p>(b) 2 only</p>
<p>(c) 2 and 3 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(d) 3 only</strong></span></p>
<hr />
<p>Q. Consider the following statements: (2013)</p>
<p>Attorney General of India can</p>
<ol>
<li>take part in the proceedings of the Lok Sabha</li>
<li>be a member of a committee of the Lok Sabha</li>
<li>speak in the Lok Sabha</li>
<li>vote in the Lok Sabha</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p>(b) 2 and 4</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(c) 1, 2 and 3</strong></span></p>
<p>(d) 1 and 3 only</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. In India, other than ensuring that public funds are used efficiently and for intended purpose, what is the importance of the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)? (2012)</p>
<ol>
<li>CAG exercises exchequer control on behalf of the Parliament when the President of India declares national emergency/financial emergency.</li>
<li>CAG reports on the execution of projects or programmes by the ministries are discussed by the Public Accounts Committee.</li>
<li>Information from CAG reports can be used by investigating agencies to press charges against those who have violated the law while managing public finances.</li>
<li>While dealing with the audit and accounting of government companies, CAG has certain judicial powers for prosecuting those who violate the law.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1, 3 and 4 only</p>
<p>(b) 2 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(c) 2 and 3 only</strong></span></p>
<p>(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. Who of the following shall cause every recommendation made by the Finance Commission to be laid before each House of Parliament? (2010)</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(a) The President of India</strong></span></p>
<p>(b) The Speaker of Lok Sabha</p>
<p>(c) The Prime Minister of India</p>
<p>(d) The Union Finance Minister</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. How is the National Green Tribunal (NGT) different from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)? (2018)</p>
<ol>
<li>The NGT has been established by an Act whereas the CPCB has been created by an executive order of the Government.</li>
<li>The NGT provides environmental justice and helps reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts whereas the CPCB promotes cleanliness of streams and wells, and aims to improve the quality of air in the country.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(b) 2 only</strong></span></p>
<p>(c) Both 1 and 2</p>
<p>(d) Neither 1 nor 2</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. Consider the following statements: (2018)</p>
<ol>
<li>The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 replaced the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.</li>
<li>The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is under the charge of Director General of Health Services in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(a) 1 only</strong></span></p>
<p>(b) 2 only</p>
<p>(c) Both 1 and 2</p>
<p>(d) Neither 1 nor 2</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. The Government of India has established NITI Aayog to replace the: (2015)</p>
<p>(a) Human Rights Commission</p>
<p>(b) Finance Commission</p>
<p>(c) Law Commission</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(d) Planning Commission</strong></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Right To Information</h2>
<p>This is an important topic for this year's prelims, as it has remained in the news because of the controversy over the <strong>PM CARES, RTI Amendment 2019, 15<sup>th</sup> anniversary of RTI Act.</strong> Apart from it, many questions have been asked on aspects related to this topic. One can find all streamlined and exam oriented information in the following links:</p>
<p>Context:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper4/right-to-information-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cji-under-the-rti-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CJI under the RTI Act</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/challenges-related-to-rti-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Challenges Related To RTI Act</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pm-cares-not-under-rti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PM-CARES Not Under RTI</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper4/good-governance-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Good Governance</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/evms-not-under-rti-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>EVMs Not Under RTI Act</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/compliance-to-the-rti-act-2005" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Compliance to the RTI Act, 2005</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/jan-soochna-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jan Soochna Portal</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.prsindia.org/theprsblog/explainer-right-information-amendment-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Explainer: The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Wetlands</h2>
<p>There has been a trend that quite often UPSC asks about the latest news related to different wetlands/water bodies etc. This can be depicted from the previous year questions. Thus, in this context, the present topic becomes very important for this year's prelims.</p>
<p>Context: Destruction of wetlands</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/wetlands-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wetlands</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-wetlands-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Wetlands Day</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wetlands-restoration" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wetlands Restoration</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/addition-to-ramsar-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Addition to Ramsar Sites</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sukhna-lake" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sukhna Lake</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-backs-dhanauri-for-ramsar-site-tag" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India Backs Dhanauri for Ramsar Site Tag</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/oussudu-lake" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Oussudu Lake</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/agreement-to-save-coastal-wetlands" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Agreement to Save Coastal Wetlands</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-coast-is-unclear-on-the-2018-crz-notification" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Coast is Unclear: On the 2018 CRZ Notification</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="color: #000080;">Previous Year Questions on Schedules on Wetlands</span></h3>
<p>Q. Consider the following statements:</p>
<ol>
<li>Under Ramsar Convention, it is mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the territory of India.</li>
<li>The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India based on the recommendations of Ramsar Convention.</li>
<li>The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 also encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands as determined by the authority.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1 and 2 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(b) 2 and 3 only</strong></span></p>
<p>(c) 3 only</p>
<p>(d) 1, 2 and 3</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. Consider the following pairs: (2014)</p>
<p>&nbsp; &nbsp;<strong>Wetlands</strong>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<strong> &nbsp;Confluence of rivers</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Harike Wetlands&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; : Confluence of Beas and Satluj/Sutlej</li>
<li>Keoladeo Ghana&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; : Confluence of Banas and National Park Chambal</li>
<li>Kolleru Lake&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; : Confluence of Musi and Krishna</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #008000;">(a) 1 only</span></strong></p>
<p>(b) 2 and 3 only</p>
<p>(c) 1 and 3 only</p>
<p>(d) 1, 2 and 3</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. With reference to the wetlands of India, consider the following statements: (2012)</p>
<ol>
<li>The country&rsquo;s total geographical area under the category of wetlands is recorded more in Gujarat as compared to other States.</li>
<li>In India, the total geographical area of coastal wetlands is larger than that of inland wetlands.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(a) 1 only</strong></span></p>
<p>(b) 2 only</p>
<p>(c) Both 1 and 2</p>
<p>(d) Neither 1 nor 2</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Panchayati Raj Institution</h2>
<p>It remains a very important topic for UPSC. A lot of questions have been asked over the years. Questions on Panchayati Raj Institution have been repeatedly asked in the successive years. So there is a fair bit of chance that the question can be asked on it this year too.</p>
<p>Context:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/panchayati-raj-institution-pri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/panchayati-raj-institutions-and-participative-democracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Panchayati Raj Institutions and Participative Democracy</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-panchayati-raj-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Panchayati Raj Day</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-panchayati-raj" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Year End Review 2019: Ministry of Panchayati Raj</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/growth-models-for-rural-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Growth Models for Rural India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bhuvan-panchayat-3-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bhuvan Panchayat 3.0</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quota-for-disabled-in-panchayats" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quota for Disabled in Panchayats</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/democratic-decentralisation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Democratic Decentralisation in India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-rural-economic-transformation-project-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Rural Economic Transformation Project</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="color: #000080;">Previous Year Questions on Schedules in Panchayati Raj Institution</span></h3>
<p>Q. Local self-government can be best explained as an exercise in: (2017)</p>
<p>(a) Federalism</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(b) Democratic decentralisation</strong></span></p>
<p>(c) Administrative delegation</p>
<p>(d) Direct democracy</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. The fundamental object of the Panchayati Raj system is to ensure which among the following? (2015)</p>
<ol>
<li>People&rsquo;s participation in development</li>
<li>Political accountability</li>
<li>Democratic decentralization</li>
<li>Financial mobilization</li>
</ol>
<p>Select the correct answer using the code given below:</p>
<p>(a) 1, 2 and 3 only</p>
<p>(b) 2 and 4 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(c) 1 and 3 only</strong></span></p>
<p>(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. The Government enacted the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act in 1996. Which one of the following is not identified as its objective? (2013)</p>
<p>(a) To provide self-governance</p>
<p>(b) To recognize traditional rights</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(c) To create autonomous regions in tribal areas</strong></span></p>
<p>(d) To free tribal people from exploitation</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Coalition For Disaster Resilient Infrastructure</h2>
<p>Indian Prime Minister, at the Hamburg G20 meet in 2017, proposed a Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and many disasters this year. Thus, in this context this topic becomes a hot topic for this year&rsquo;s prelims. One can find related articles in the following links.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-disaster-management-authority-ndma-" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-workshop-on-disaster-resilient-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/flood-management-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Flood Management In India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cyclone-amphan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cyclone Amphan</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/swarm-of-desert-locust" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Swarm of Desert Locust</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vizag-gas-leak" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Vizag Gas Leak</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/civil-defence-volunteers-against-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Civil Defence Volunteers Against Covid-19</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/operation-sanjeevani" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Operation Sanjeevani</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pm-cares-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PM - CARES Fund</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/disaster-management-tool" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Disaster Management Tool</strong></a></li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/60-days-refresher-programme/day-6'
	],
	(int) 3 => [
		'title' => 'Pied Cuckoo to be Tracked',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sal-forest-tortoise" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wildlife Institute of India (WII)</strong></a>, has decided to study the migration of the <strong>Pied Cuckoo Bird <em>(Jacobin Cuckoo or Chaatak)</em>,</strong> by tagging the bird with satellite transmitters.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The study will be conducted along with the <strong>Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS)</strong> and the <strong>Government of India&rsquo;s Department of Biotechnology.</strong></li>
<li>IIRS is a constituent unit of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</strong></a>. It is <strong>headquartered in Dehradun.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Study:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is the <strong>first study in the country</strong> that seeks to trace and observe the migratory routes of the pied cuckoo.</li>
<li>It <strong>aims</strong> to gather data and information on<strong> climate change and the monsoon.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Pied cuckoo is known for its <strong>close association with the monsoon in India.</strong></li>
<li>Farmers have traditionally relied on the arrival of the pied cuckoo as a signal of arrival of monsoon and seed sowing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is part of a larger project called the <strong>Indian Bioresource Information Network (IBIN)</strong> funded by the Government of India&rsquo;s Department of Biotechnology (DBT), which aims to put relevant Indian bioresources information online.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Gathering information about the migratory route can be invaluable for research on climatic variations taking place in the world, especially since the species has such a close association with the monsoon.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will give us information on the monsoon, changes in the monsoon and monsoon winds, erratic rainfall, seasonal fluctuations, water vapour pressure, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The extent of the <strong>effect of ecologies changing</strong> can be seen in the movement of species from a less favourable region to a more favourable region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pied Cuckoo:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595671961_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595671961_image3.jpg" style="float: right;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a bird with black and white plumage (pied) with a fancy crest on the head. Its scientific name is <em><strong>Clamator jacobinus.</strong> </em>It is <strong>found in Africa and Asia.</strong></li>
<li>There are<strong> two types</strong> of pied cuckoos found in India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In <strong>central and northern parts of India,</strong> pied cuckoos are<strong> migratory,</strong> they are seen only from just before the monsoon to early winter.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is believed that the pied cuckoos that come to the Himalayan foothills are from Africa.</li>
<li>They have high site fidelity, that is, they come back to the same location year after year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Pied cuckoos are also found in <strong>southern India,</strong> but those are resident birds and not migratory.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The bird is primarily<strong> arboreal,</strong> which means that it mostly lives on trees. It is a <strong>brood parasite</strong> i.e. It lays its eggs in nests that belong to other birds.</li>
<li>It is one of the few species that come to India in the summer. Most other migratory species come in winter.</li>
<li><strong>IUCN Status:</strong> Least Concerned.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pied-cuckoo-monsoon-climate-change-study-6522324/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pied-cuckoo-to-be-tracked'
	],
	(int) 4 => [
		'title' => 'KURMA App',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>KURMA is a mobile-based application aimed at turtle conservation. It was launched on the occasion of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-turtle-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Turtle Day (23<sup>rd</sup> May).</strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> It is developed by the<strong> Indian Turtle Conservation Action Network (ITCAN)</strong> in collaboration with the <strong>Turtle Survival Alliance-India</strong> and <strong>Wildlife Conservation Society-India.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The KURMA App has a built-in digital field guide covering <strong>29 species of freshwater turtles and tortoise of India,</strong> and information on turtle identification, distribution, vernacular names, and threats.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong> It provides users a <strong>database to identify a species.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Provides the <strong>location of the nearest rescue centre</strong> for turtles across the country.</li>
<li>Advices about the reported species and its conservation.</li>
<li>Once a sizable database is ready, KURMA will start identifying species <strong>automatically</strong> through<strong> artificial intelligence.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Present Scenario:</strong> Tortoise and freshwater turtles are among the most trafficked in the country. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A report released in 2019 by <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/traffic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>TRAFFIC</strong></a>, showed that at least 11,000 tortoises and freshwater turtles fall prey to illicit poaching and smuggling every year, adding up to over 1,11,130 turtles poached or smuggled between September 2009 and September 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conservation Challenge:</strong> One of the major challenges for freshwater turtle conservation in the country is that wildlife crime prevention agencies are<strong> not sufficiently equipped</strong> to know how to distinguish one species from the other.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They are also not aware of their protection status in accordance with <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/cites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)</strong> </a>and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wild-life-protection-act-implementation-and-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Turtle Survival Alliance</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) was <strong>formed in 2001</strong> as an<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)</strong></a> partnership for sustainable captive management of freshwater turtles and tortoises.</li>
<li>The TSA arose in response to the <strong>rampant and unsustainable harvest of Asian turtle populations to supply Chinese markets,</strong> a situation known as the<strong> Asian Turtle Crisis.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Mission: &lsquo;Zero Turtle Extinctions in the 21st Century&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/mobile-app-kurma-helps-save-turtles-in-india/article32126427.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kurma-app'
	],
	(int) 5 => [
		'title' => 'AuditOnline Application for Local Bodies',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Ministry of Panchayati Raj</strong> has decided to <strong>conduct an online audit of accounts of about 50,000 Gram Panchayats (GPs)</strong> through its application <strong>AuditOnline</strong> during the current financial year (2020-21).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This will be the<strong> first such exercise.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Online Audit of Accounts:</strong> 50,000 GPs&rsquo; books of accounts for 2019-20 will be audited with a focus on how they used <strong>Finance Commission (FC) grants.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>50,000 is equivalent to the 20% of the estimated 2.5 lakh GPs</strong> across the country.</li>
<li>In the <strong>next financial year (2021-22),</strong> the exercise will be scaled up to cover <strong>all the GPs.</strong></li>
<li>The 15<sup>th</sup> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/increased-funding-for-panchayats" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FC recommended an allocation of Rs. 60,750 crore for rural local bodies during 2020-21</strong></a>, almost the same as last year under the 14<sup>th</sup> FC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>AuditOnline:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is an <strong>application developed as a part of Panchayat Enterprise Suite (PES) under e-panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP)</strong> initiated by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR).</li>
<li>It facilitates the financial audit of accounts at <strong>all the three levels of Panchayats</strong> viz District, Block and Village Panchayats, <strong>Urban Local Bodies (ULB)</strong> and <strong>Line department</strong> by Auditors.</li>
<li>It not only facilitates the online and offline audit of accounts but also serves the purpose of <strong>maintaining the past audit records</strong> of the auditee with associated list of the auditors and audit team involved in the audit.</li>
<li>Also the<strong> information remains available in public domain</strong> and for usage by other PES applications.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits of Online Audit:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595664505_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595664505_image1.jpg" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Online audit with the option of physical verification <strong>assumes greater relevance given the pandemic</strong> and the lockdown.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As some works (done under other schemes) are geo-tagged, auditors can do a sample check by visiting the site.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further, it<strong> ensures accountability</strong> in the utilisation of funds at the ground level.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In the offline system, <strong>timely availability of records</strong> is a major issue. However, in the online system, the auditors will be able to see online all documents related to work approval and payments. They can even ask for additional documents such as photographs as a proof of work done.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Moreover, an online audit <strong>can be monitored at all levels: district-state-centre.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenge:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>More than 15% of Panchayats in several states have not completed their books of accounts for the year 2019-20. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Completing and closing the accounts is a prerequisite for the online audit.</li>
<li>While 100% of Panchayats in Maharashtra and Haryana have closed their 2019-20 accounts, no Panchayat has done this in Arunachal Pradesh and Bihar. States like Punjab and Himachal Pradesh are also low performers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Panchayat Enterprise Suite</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) has undertaken e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (e-Panchayat MMP) with a view to <strong>introduce and strengthen e-Governance in <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/panchayati-raj-institution-pri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)</a></strong> across the country and build associated capacities of the PRIs for effective adoption of the e-Governance initiative.</li>
<li>Under e-Panchayat, a suite of <strong>11 Core Common Applications</strong> has been deployed that address nearly the entire spectrum of Panchayats' functioning viz. from internal core functions such as Planning, Monitoring, Budgeting, Accounting, Social Audit etc. to citizen service delivery operations like issue of certificates, licenses etc.</li>
<li>Together these 11 software Applications<strong> constitute the Panchayat Enterprise Suite (PES).</strong> A list of these 11 Applications is tabulated below:</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #1e093b; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>S.No.</strong></span></td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #1e093b; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>PES Application Name</strong></span></td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #1e093b; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Description</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">1</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Local Government Directory - LGD</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Captures all details of local governments and assigns unique code. Also maps Panchayats with Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 15px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">2</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 15px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Area Profiler</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 15px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Captures geographic, demographic, infrastructural, socio-economic and natural resources profile of a village/panchayat. Universal database for planning of all sectoral programmes and also provides details of Elected Representatives, etc.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">3</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">PlanPlus</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Helps Panchayats, Urban Local Bodies and line departments in preparing Perspective, Annual and Action Plans.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">4</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;"><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/e-gram-swaraj-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PRIASoft</strong></a></td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Captures receipt &amp; expenditure details through voucher entries and automatically generates cash book, registers, etc.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">5</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">ActionSoft</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Facilitates monitoring of physical &amp; financial outcomes/outputs under various programmes.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">6</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">National Asset Directory (NAD)</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Captures details of assets created/maintained; helps avoid duplication of works.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">7</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">ServicePlus</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">A dynamic metadata-based service delivery portal to help in providing electronic delivery of all services in all States. The functionality of the erstwhile Grievance Redressal Application has also been subsumed into this Application.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 47px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 47px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">8</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 47px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Gram Manchitra (GIS Application)</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 47px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Gram Manchitra is a geo-spatial planning application for Gram Panchayat users to better visualize the various developmental works to be taken up across different sectors and provide a decision support system for Gram Panchayat Development Plan.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 22px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">9</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 22px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Training Management</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 22px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Portal to address training needs of stakeholders including citizens, their feedback, training materials etc.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 21px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">10</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 21px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">National Panchayat Portal (NPP)</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 21px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">Dynamic Web site for each Panchayat to share information in the public domain.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 7.13522%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">11</td>
<td style="width: 28.2214%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">AuditOnline</td>
<td style="width: 64.6432%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f0f5ff;">AuditOnline aims to facilitate audit of Government Institutions online.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>If the Panchayats are to perform efficiently and effectively all the mandated tasks, which are increasing day by day, extensive use of <strong>Information and Communication Technology (ICT)</strong> is needed. The launch of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-panchayati-raj-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>e-GramSwaraj and Swamitva Programme</strong></a> underlines the same.</li>
<li>Moreover, there is a strong need to build a <strong>"digital inclusive society"</strong> where large sections of the rural population are able to benefit from new technologies; can access and share information and services freely and can participate in the development process more effectively.</li>
<li>The same will be in line with the vision of the <strong>National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) 2.0.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/first-time-panchayat-funds-to-be-audited-online-6522285/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/auditonline-application-for-local-bodies'
	],
	(int) 6 => [
		'title' => 'Refusal of Rajasthan Speaker’s Plea by Supreme Court',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court</strong></a> (SC) has <strong>refused Rajasthan Assembly <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/speaker-and-anti-defection-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Speaker&rsquo;s</a></strong> plea to stop the <strong>State&rsquo;s High Court</strong> from deciding the<strong> validity</strong> of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/politics-of-defection" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>anti-defection</strong></a> notices.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier, the Speaker had issued notice to the 19 dissident Congress MLAs of the ruling Party on the ground of plotting conspiracy to bring down the government.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/challenge-to-anti-defection-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>19 rebel MLAs of Rajasthan's ruling party (Congress) have filed a petition</strong></a> before the High Court challenging the disqualification notices issued to them by the Assembly Speaker under Anti Defection Law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>High Court&rsquo;s Stand:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The High Court directed the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/disqualification-powers-of-speakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>speaker</strong></a> to defer action on the disqualification notices by stating that he cannot decide the matter.</li>
<li>It also directed him to extend the time to file replies to disqualification notices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Speaker&rsquo;s Argument:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Unconstitutional:</strong> Seeking a stay on the High Court&rsquo;s direction, the speaker stated that <strong>it is unconstitutional and in derogation of the powers of the Speaker</strong> under the Constitution.</li>
<li><strong>Non Intervention of HC:</strong> Giving the reference to the <em><strong>Kihoto Hollohan versus Zachillu and Others, 1992</strong></em> he argued that his decision is totally in the domain of the Speaker to decide on disqualification of members, and <strong>no court can intervene</strong> in between.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>He also stated that HC has no jurisdiction to ask him to defer the proceedings.</li>
<li>The proceedings under the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/disqualification-of-karnataka-mlas" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Tenth Schedule</strong></a> before the Speaker are proceedings of the Legislature and as such cannot be interfered with, <strong>as envisaged under Article 212</strong> which has been read with para 6(2) of the Tenth Schedule.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Show Cause Notice:</strong> He said he had only issued <strong>show cause notices to the MLAs</strong> on a complaint filed by the Congress chief.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Show cause notice means an order that requires a party to explain why a certain course of action should not be taken against it. If the party cannot convince or fails to appear, that course of action is taken.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The notice was an opportunity for the MLAs to explain their conduct.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Supreme Court's Argument:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Voice of Dissent:</strong> SC has questioned about shutting down a legislator&rsquo;s<strong> &ldquo;voice of dissent&rdquo;</strong> with the threat of disqualification in a<strong> democracy.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It asked whether expressing dissent amounts to voluntarily giving up the party membership under <strong>Paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution</strong> and inviting anti-defection proceedings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Speaker as a Tribunal:</strong> It further stated that the Speaker is like a tribunal and he must not have acted with political intentions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Disqualification under the Tenth Schedule</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Anti-Defection Law</strong> was passed in <strong>1985 through the 52<sup>nd</sup> amendment</strong> to the Constitution. It added the Tenth Schedule to the Indian Constitution. The main intent of the law was to combat &ldquo;the evil of political defections&rdquo;.</li>
<li>According to it, a <strong>member of a House belonging to any political party</strong> becomes disqualified for being a member of the House, if:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He <strong>voluntarily gives up</strong> his membership of such political party; or</li>
<li>He <strong>votes or abstains from voting</strong> in such House contrary to any direction issued by his political party without obtaining prior permission of such party and such act has not been condoned by the party within 15 days.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Exceptions to the Disqualification on the Ground of Defection</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>If a <strong>member goes out of his party as a result of a merger</strong> of the party with another party. A merger takes place when two-thirds of the members of the party have agreed to such a merger.</li>
<li>If a member, after <strong>being elected</strong> as the presiding officer of the House,<strong> voluntarily gives up the membership</strong> of his party or rejoins it after he ceases to hold that office. This exemption has been provided in view of the dignity and impartiality of the office.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Powers of Speaker with regard to Anti-Defection Law</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Any question <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/disqualification-powers-of-speakers-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>regarding disqualification</strong></a> arising out of defection is to be decided by the presiding officer of the House.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rajasthan-political-crisis-supreme-court-refuses-rajasthan-speakers-plea-against-high-court-order/article32171704.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/refusal-of-rajasthan-speaker-s-plea-by-supreme-court'
	],
	(int) 7 => [
		'title' => 'India-South Korea Relations',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/deepening-india-s-korea-ties/article32175582.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Deepening India-South Korea ties&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 24/07/2020. It talks about the need for developing people to people between India and South Korea.</p>
</div>
<p><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/prime-ministers-visit-to-south-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-South Korea relations</strong></a> have made rapid strides in recent years. With the convergence of India&rsquo;s <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-act-east-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Act East Policy (AEP)</strong></a> and South Korea&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/korean-president-on-a-state-visit-to-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>New Southern Policy (NSP)</strong></a>, there has been an acceleration of economic and strategic relations between the two countries.</p>
<p>Bilateral ties, especially in the last decade, have grown robust and multi-dimensional, encompassing a wide range of interests, including nuclear disarmament, maritime security, regional economic cooperation, counterterrorism, and energy cooperation.</p>
<p>Despite the many positive stories and the massive turn-around in ties, there remains immense potential in India-South Korea relations, particularly in the realms of cultural and institutional exchanges.</p>
<h3>India-South Korea Ties: Historical Overview</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Engagement During Korean War:</strong> India played a crucial and decisive role in Korean affairs soon after the latter&rsquo;s independence in 1945.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s first foreign secretary, K P S Menon, served as Chairman of the nine-member United Nations (UN) Commission that was set up in 1947 to oversee elections in Korea.</li>
<li>During the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/70-years-of-korean-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Korean War (1950-53)</strong></a>, the warring sides accepted a UN resolution sponsored by India calling for a ceasefire; one was declared on 27 July 1953.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Start of Bilateral Relations:</strong> The relationship started only in 1962 that the two countries established consular relations. It was upgraded to Ambassador-level in 1973.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This development caused a little impact on trade and commercial relations, let alone political and people-to-people ties.</li>
<li>Even then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao&rsquo;s much talked about <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-act-east-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Look East Policy (LEP)</strong></a> in the 1990s failed to make any visible positive change in India-South Korea relations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Start of Strategic Convergence:</strong> An important visit by the then Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam at a critical juncture to Seoul in February 2006 opened the door for a more vibrant phase in India-South Korea relations.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It resulted in the launching of a Joint Task Force to conclude a bilateral <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/regional-comprehensive-economic-partnership-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)</strong></a>, which was operationalised on 1 January 2010.</li>
<li>Also, it led to the strategic partnership between the two countries, which was later upgraded to &lsquo;special strategic partnership&rsquo; in 2015.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Opportunities</h3>
<p>In any international relationship, mutual respect regarding cultural values is the key to building a robust partnership between the two countries. In this context, India and South Korea can explore cooperation in the following areas.</p>
<p><strong>Shared Values of Democracy</strong></p>
<p>One of the most unexplored areas of cooperation to strengthen the relationship between India and South Korea is democracy. A fundamental shortcoming of democracy in Asia is the lack of government-to-government cooperation on promoting democratic values.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Further, in Asia, India and South Korea, as democracies, share common values and have been seen above convergent interests in the region.</li>
<li>As middle-power democracies in Asia where there are growing and the collective threat from authoritarian China, democracy building and cooperation can be a critical platform.</li>
<li>The region, which is already experiencing the evolution of a democratic bloc in the name of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quad-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific quadrilateral</strong></a> involving India, Japan, Australia, and the US, needs the support of other middle powers such as South Korea and Indonesia.</li>
<li>Thus, there is a need for serious thinking and deliberation among the various stakeholders representing South Korea and India.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Swacch Bharat and the New Village Movement</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/Swachh%20Bharat%20Mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Swachh Bharat Abhiyan</a>,</strong> launched in 2014, aims to stop open defecation and draw basic attention to sanitation and public health for overall development.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Although the initiative has emerged as a national awareness movement, it continues to struggle with a lack of resources.</li>
<li>It is in this regard that the country can learn from the experience of South Korea, especially its <strong>Saemaul Undong or New Village Movement.</strong></li>
<li>The New Village Movement (launched in 1970) encourages self-help and voluntarism for households and schools to clean up their neighbourhoods.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The movement has had a significant impact on improving several sectors of the economy, apart from rural health and livelihoods.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Bollywood, K-pop and Korean Cuisine</strong></p>
<p>For years, many aspects of Korean culture have emerged as a critical point of consumption among several states in India&rsquo;s northeast. Besides, there has also been a growing fondness of Indian Bollywood films in South Korea.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Films, music, cuisines among other cultural affinities have a huge potential to drive and deepen people-to-people relations and can act as a bridge between India and South Korea.</li>
<li>It needs more institutionalised attention.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Other Areas of Cooperation</strong></p>
<p>India and South Korea can cooperate on fighting global issues/challenges: climate change, freedom of navigation, internet governance, and outer space.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Apart from it, the two countries can develop synergies on <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable development goals (SDGs)</strong></a>, trade agreements, and connectivity norms.</li>
<li>Also, there is a need for more openness between the think tanks/NGOs/networks of scholars/activists of the two countries.</li>
<li>Promoting institutions like the <strong>Indian Culture Centre (ICC)</strong> will also be a step in the right direction.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>There is massive scope to expand ties between India and South Korea and make it a unique relationship in Asia. What is needed is political will and new imagination in diverse areas such as cultural relations, building on people-to-people contacts, harnessing democracy and liberal values, and cementing civilisational connections.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595594447_image8.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595594447_image8.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fcfced;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>With no unpleasant historical memories between them nor geopolitical rivalries, there exists a limitless potential in India-South Korea ties. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4eMQqYyuPQQ" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/another-front/article32165636.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Another Front&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on July 23<sup>rd</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube Channel.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-south-korea-relations'
	],
	(int) 8 => [
		'title' => 'Chandra Shekhar Azad',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>On 23<sup>rd</sup> July, India paid tribute to the freedom fighter <strong>Chandra Shekhar Azad</strong> on his <strong>birth anniversary.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595585727_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595585727_image2.png" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> Azad was born on <strong>23<sup>rd</sup> July 1906</strong> in the <strong>Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Early Life:</strong> Chandra Shekhar, then a 15-year-old student, joined a <a href="/mains-practice-question/question-208" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-Cooperation Movement</strong></a> in December 1921. As a result, he was arrested.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>On being presented before a magistrate, he gave his name as<strong> "Azad" (The Free),</strong> his father's name as "Swatantrata" (Independence) and his residence as "Jail".</li>
<li>Therefore, he came to be known as <strong>Chandra Shekhar Azad.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Contribution to Freedom Movement:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Hindustan Republican Association:</strong> After the suspension of the non-cooperation movement in 1922 by Gandhi, Azad joined Hindustan Republican Association (HRA).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>HRA was a revolutionary organization of India established in 1924 in East Bengal by <strong>Sachindra Nath Sanyal, Narendra Mohan Sen and Pratul Ganguly</strong> as an offshoot of <strong>Anushilan Samiti.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Members:</strong> Bhagat Singh, <strong>Chandra Shekhar Azad,</strong> Sukhdev, Ram Prasad Bismil, Roshan Singh, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Kakori Conspiracy:</strong> Most of the fund collection for revolutionary activities was done through <strong>robberies of government property.</strong> In line with the same, Kakori Train Robbery near Kakori, Lucknow was done in <strong>1925 by HRA.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>plan was executed</strong> by Chandra Shekhar Azad, Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri, and Manmathnath Gupta.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hindustan Socialist Republican Association:</strong> HRA was later reorganised as the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was established in <strong>1928</strong> at Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi by Chandra Shekhar Azad, Ashfaqulla Khan, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/martyrs-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bhagat Singh</strong></a>, Sukhdev Thapar and Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee.</li>
<li>HSRA planned the<strong> shooting of J. P. Saunders,</strong> a British Policeman at Lahore in 1928 <strong>to avenge the killing of Lala Lajpat Rai.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong> He died at <strong>Azad Park in Allahabad</strong> on 27<sup>th</sup> February 1931.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1640655" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chandra-shekhar-azad'
	],
	(int) 9 => [
		'title' => 'Bal Gangadhar Tilak',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>On 23<sup>rd</sup> July, India paid tribute to the freedom fighter and educationist <strong>Bal Gangadhar Tilak</strong> on his <strong>birth anniversary.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595585397_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595585397_image1.png" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Birth:</strong> He was born on <strong>23<sup>rd</sup> July 1856</strong> in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Freedom fighter and lawyer, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, is also known as <strong>Lokmanya Tilak.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Educationist:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Founder of the <strong>Deccan Education Society (1884)</strong> along with his associate Gopal Ganesh Agarkar and others.</li>
<li>One of the founders of the <strong>Fergusson College (1885)</strong> in Pune through the Deccan Education Society.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ideology:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>He was a devout Hindu and used Hindu scriptures to rouse people to fight oppression.</li>
<li>Stressed on the <strong>need for self-rule</strong> and believed that without self-rule or swarajya, no progress was possible.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Slogan:</strong> &ldquo;Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it!&rdquo;</li>
<li>A book<strong> &lsquo;Indian Unrest&rsquo;</strong> written by <strong>Valentine Chirol,</strong> an English journalist, stated <strong>Tilak the &lsquo;father of Indian unrest&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Emphasised the importance of a cultural and religious revival to go with the political movements. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Popularised the<strong> Ganesh Chaturthi festival</strong> in the Maharashtra region.</li>
<li>Propounded the <strong>celebration of Shiv Jayanti</strong> on the birth anniversary of the monarch Chhatrapati Shivaji.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Political Life:</strong> He was one of the earliest and the most vocal proponents of complete independence or swarajya (self-rule). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Along with <strong>Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal,</strong> he was part of the <strong>Lal-Bal-Pal trio</strong> of leaders with extremist outlooks.</li>
<li>Joined the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/important-indian-national-congress-sessions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian National Congress</strong></a> (INC) in 1890.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Surat Split:</strong> It was the splitting of the INC into two groups - the Extremists and the Moderates - at the Surat session in 1907.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Reason:</strong> The extremists wanted either<strong> Tilak or <a href="/mains-practice-question/question-109" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lajpat Rai</a> to be president,</strong> so when <strong>Rasbehari Ghose was announced as president,</strong> the extremist resorted to violence. Hence Surat Split happened.</li>
<li>While <strong>extremists</strong> wanted to end the tyranny rule of British through protest, <strong>Moderates</strong> were aimed at administrative and constitutional reforms.</li>
<li>The <strong>Extremist camp was led by Lal Bal and Pal</strong> and the <strong>moderate</strong> camp was led by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gopal-krishna-gokhale" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gopal Krishna Gokhle.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Contribution to Freedom Movement:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Propagated <a href="/mains-practice-question/question-82#:~:text=The%20Swadeshi%20movement%20led%20the,of%20the%20police%20and%20imprisonment.&amp;text=It%20forced%20British%20dispensation%20to,Morley%2DMinto%20reforms%20in%201909." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>swadeshi movements</strong></a> and encouraged people to boycott foreign goods.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Home Rule Movement:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was a movement in British India on the lines of Irish Home Rule movement.</li>
<li>Started in 1916, it is believed to have set the stage for the independence movement under the <strong>leadership of Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak</strong> for the educated English speaking upper class Indians.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>All India Home Rule League:</strong> Founded by Tilak in April 1916 at Belgaum.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It worked in <strong>Maharashtra (except Bombay), the Central Provinces, Karnataka and Berar.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lucknow Pact (1916):</strong> Between the INC headed by Tilak and All-India Muslim League led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah for hindu-muslim unity in nationalist struggle.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Jail:</strong> Between 1908 and 1914, he spent 6 years in Mandalay Prison for defending the actions of revolutionaries Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki had tried to<strong> assassinate the District Judge, Mr. Kingsford</strong> by <strong>throwing bombs</strong> at the carriage in which he was supposed to travel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Newspapers:</strong> Weeklies Kesari (Marathi) and Mahratta (English)</li>
<li><strong>Books:</strong> Gita Rhasya and Arctic Home of the Vedas.</li>
<li><strong>Death:</strong> He died on 1<sup>st</sup> August 1920.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bal-gangadhar-tilak'
	],
	(int) 10 => [
		'title' => 'Restrictions on Public Procurement',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Government of India <strong>imposed restrictions on public procurement from bidders of countries that share a land border with India,</strong> citing grounds of defence and national security.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This was done by amending the<strong> General Financial Rules 2017.</strong></li>
<li>Earlier the Central government has made it mandatory for sellers on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/country-of-origin-made-mandatory-on-gem" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Government e-Marketplace (GeM)</strong></a> portal to clarify the country of origin of goods when registering new products.</li>
<li>The government also amended <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-fdi-rule#:~:text=pursuing%20many%20goals.-,Foreign%20Direct%20Investment,securities%20from%20a%20foreign%20country." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)</strong></a> rules mandating prior approval for investment by entities in countries that share land borders with India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reason:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to experts, this decision has been taken to<strong> prevent the influx of Chinese products and investments</strong> into India, following the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-conflict" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>clashes between Indian and Chinese troops</strong></a> in Galwan Valley.</li>
<li>To push for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a> (self-reliant India).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>New Order:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bidders from these countries will be eligible only if they are <strong>registered with the Registration Committee (Competent Authority)</strong> constituted by the <strong>Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For national security reasons, the Registration Committee shall not be required to give reasons for rejection/cancellation of registration of a bidder.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Bidders will also be required to take<strong> mandatory political and security clearance from the ministries of External Affairs and Home respectively.</strong></li>
<li>The order will be applicable for public sector banks and financial institutions, Autonomous Bodies, Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and Public Private Partnership projects receiving financial support from the Government or its undertakings.</li>
<li>The <strong>order will not apply to procurement by the private sector.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Order Mandatory for State Governments:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Central government has invoked the provisions of <strong>Article 257(1) of the Constitution,</strong> directing the state governments to implement this order for all public procurement.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For State government procurement, the Competent Authority will be constituted by the states but political and security clearance from Central government ministries will remain necessary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Relaxations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Relaxation will be provided for procurement of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> medical supplies till 31st December 2020.</li>
<li>The order for prior registration <strong>will not apply for countries</strong> to which India extends <strong>lines of credit</strong> or <strong>provides development assistance,</strong> even if they share a land border with India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India shares its border with China, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Myanmar.</li>
<li>As per official data, out of these, the government has extended lines of credit to <strong>Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar.</strong></li>
<li>India also provides various developmental assistance to <strong>Bhutan and Afghanistan.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Article 257(1)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It states that the<strong> executive power of every State</strong> shall be so exercised as <strong>not to impede or prejudice</strong> the exercise of the executive power of the Union.</li>
<li>It also authorises the Union to give such directions to a State as may appear to the Government of India to be necessary for that purpose.</li>
<li>In case <strong>if the state failed to comply</strong> with (or to give effect to) any directions given by the Centre under Article 257(1), it will be lawful for the President to impose <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/president-s-rule-in-maharashtra" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>President&rsquo;s rule</strong> </a>under Article 356.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1640778" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/restrictions-on-public-procurement'
	],
	(int) 11 => [
		'title' => 'Rajya Sabha Members Facing Criminal Charges',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>According to an analysis by the <strong>Association for Democratic Reforms</strong> (ADR), about 24% of the sitting<strong> Rajya Sabha members</strong> have declared <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/decriminalising-the-politics" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>criminal cases</strong></a> against themselves.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Data Analysis:</strong> Analysis of 229 of the 233 Rajya Sabha seats showed that 54 MPs had declared criminal cases.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Among the <strong>newly-elected representatives 28 or 12%</strong> had declared serious criminal cases.</li>
<li>It also found out from their self-sworn affidavits that <strong>89%</strong> have declared <strong>assets estimated</strong> at over <strong>Rs. 1 crore.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>17<sup>th</sup> Lok Sabha:</strong> According to the finding of Association of Democratic Reforms, about <strong>43% of members elected</strong> to 17<sup>th</sup> Lok Sabha are<strong> facing criminal charges</strong> in court of law, while<strong> 84% have self-declared assets</strong> worth<strong> more than Rs. 1 crore.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is the highest number of members of parliament facing serious criminal charges like rape, murder and kidnapping, <strong>since 2004.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>ADR is an Indian non-governmental organization established in 1999 situated in New Delhi.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With <strong>National Election Watch (NEW),</strong> ADR is striving to bring<strong> transparency and accountability in Indian politics</strong> and reduce the influence of <strong>money and muscle power</strong> in elections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Criminalisation of Politics</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595588976_Images.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595589234_Images.jpg" width="500" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Criminalization of politics is the <strong>involvement of the candidates with criminal charges</strong> in politics through the elections and even getting elected to the Parliament and state legislature. It takes place primarily because of the nexus between the criminals and the politicians.</li>
<li><strong>Reasons:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lack of Political Will: Section 8</strong> of the Ac the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/representation-of-people-s-act-part-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Representation of Peoples (RP) Act</strong></a>, 1951 disqualifies a <strong>person convicted</strong> with a sentence of two years or more from contesting elections. But those <strong>under trial continued to be eligible</strong> to contest elections.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Therefore, in order to curb <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/criminalisation-of-politics-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>criminalisation of politics</strong></a>, Parliament needs to bring an amendment in the Act.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Use of Muscle and Money Power:</strong> Candidates with <strong>serious criminal records</strong> seem to do well despite their <strong>bad public image,</strong> largely due to their ability to finance their own elections and further fund their respective parties for different election activities.</li>
<li><strong>Vote Bank:</strong> Criminals are being wooed by political parties and given cabinet posts because their muscle and money fetches crucial votes.</li>
<li><strong>Narrow Self-interests of Voters:</strong> Some voters tend to view such candidates through a narrow prism of being able to represent their community interests by hook or by crook.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Choices:</strong> Sometimes voters are left with no options, as all competing candidates have criminal records.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Consequences:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Ineffective Democracy:</strong> It affects the efficacy of the democratic process in delivering good governance as law breakers become law makers.</li>
<li><strong>Culture of Violence:</strong> It introduces a culture of violence in society and sets a bad precedent for the youth to follow.</li>
<li><strong>Black Money:</strong> It also leads to increased circulation of black money during and after elections, diluting probity in public life.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 149px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 100%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #211161;" colspan="2"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Measures Taken by the Supreme Court</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 29.3413%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #a3a1cf;"><strong>Case/Year</strong></td>
<td style="width: 70.6587%; height: 19px; vertical-align: top; text-align: center; background-color: #a3a1cf;"><b>Judgment/Measures</b></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 29.3413%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;"><em><strong>Union of India (UOI) vs. Association for Democratic Reforms, 2002</strong></em></td>
<td style="width: 70.6587%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;">The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court</strong></a> held that every candidate, contesting an election to the Parliament, State Legislatures or Municipal Corporation, has to declare their criminal records, financial records and educational qualifications.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 29.3413%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;"><em><strong>Ramesh Dalal vs. Union of India, 2005</strong></em></td>
<td style="width: 70.6587%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;">A sitting <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/code-of-conduct-for-lok-sabha-mps" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Member of Parliament (MP)</strong></a> or <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/annulment-of-election-of-mla" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Member of State Legislature (MLA)</strong></a> shall also be subject to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/speaker-and-anti-defection-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>disqualification</strong></a> from contesting elections if he is <strong>convicted and sentenced to not less than 2 years of imprisonment by a court of law.</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 29.3413%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;"><em><strong>Lily Thomas vs. Union of India, 2013</strong></em></td>
<td style="width: 70.6587%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;"><strong>Section 8(4) of The Representation of the People Act, 1951</strong> was declared unconstitutional which allowed MPs and MLAs who were convicted to continue in office till an appeal against such conviction was disposed of.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 19px;">
<td style="width: 29.3413%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;"><em><strong>People's Union for Civil Liberties vs. Union of India, 2013</strong></em></td>
<td style="width: 70.6587%; height: 19px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; background-color: #f2f4fc;">The Supreme Court asked Election Commission to provide <strong>'none of the above'</strong> choice to voters to exercise their right to express <strong>no confidence in all candidates.</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 35px;">
<td style="width: 29.3413%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; height: 35px; background-color: #f2f4fc;"><em><strong>2017</strong></em></td>
<td style="width: 70.6587%; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; height: 35px; background-color: #f2f4fc;">The Supreme Court had directed the Centre to set up <strong>special fast-track courts</strong> to exclusively try lawmakers and politicians facing criminal cases.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Election Commission's Recommendations:</strong> In 1997, Election Commission directed all the <strong>Returning Officers (ROs) to reject</strong> the nomination papers of any candidate who <strong>stands convicted</strong> on the day of filing the nomination papers even if his sentence is suspended.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It recommended that<strong> if a person is found guilty</strong> by a commission of Inquiry then he shall be disqualified from contesting elections.</li>
<li>The <strong>First Past The Post (FPTP) electoral system</strong> shall be replaced by the <strong>2-ballot system</strong> under which a candidate is declared elected from a territorial constituency on the basis of majority principle. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>If no one wins 50 percent of the vote, all candidates except the top two are excluded and voters are asked to vote a second time. In the second round, the candidate who wins the most votes is elected.</li>
<li>The 2-ballot system will make winning elections very difficult for criminals as they will have to garner the widest possible support from the voters to get the majority votes.</li>
<li>Along with the 2-ballot system, the <strong>negative vote</strong> shall also be introduced.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Measures:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Right to recall:</strong> It confers the <strong>power on the registered voters</strong> in a constituency to recall their elected representatives from the house <strong>on the ground of non-performance.</strong> It could empower the people at grassroot level. The elected representative could be made truly accountable to the people.</li>
<li><strong>State Funding of Elections:</strong> It means the government would extend <strong>financial assistance to the political parties</strong> to contest elections in part or in full, in kind or in cash.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Various <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-electoral-politics-need-for-reform" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>committees</strong></a> (Dinesh Goswami, Inderjeet Committee) on the electoral reforms have recommended for state funding of elections.</li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-regulating-anonymous-donations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>State funding of elections</strong></a> will curb use of black money to a large extent and thereby will have a significant impact on limiting criminalization of politics.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a need for fixing the <strong>governance system and effective regulation of political financing</strong> along with bold <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-electoral-politics-need-for-reform" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>reforms</strong></a> to break the vicious cycle of criminals and politics. It is crucial to plug the loopholes in the current laws to make the entire governance machinery more accountable and transparent.</li>
<li><strong>Citizens</strong> must vote in <strong>elections based on character, conduct and capability</strong> of the candidates and not based on cash, caste, community and criminal prowess. This could be the ultimate solution to check money power in politics.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/24-of-sitting-rs-members-have-declared-criminal-cases-adr/article32159963.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rajya-sabha-members-facing-criminal-charges'
	],
	(int) 12 => [
		'title' => 'Regulation of Public Data',
		'catname' => 'News Editorials',
		'desc' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.livemint.com/opinion/columns/a-new-tryst-with-destiny-birth-of-a-data-democracy-11595206223242.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;A new tryst with destiny: Birth of a data democracy&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in LiveMint on 20/07/2020. This article deals with the need to regulate the use of private and non private public data.</p>
</div>
<p>In this digital age, data is a valuable resource that should not be left unregulated for private corporations to exploit it. In this context, <strong>Data democracy</strong> becomes very important, which envisages that there should be parity in access to data for private/commercial usage and analysis.</p>
<p><strong>Democratization of Data</strong> will allow information to be accessible to the average end user. It describes a methodological framework of values and actions that benefit and minimize any harm to the public or the typical user.</p>
<p>However, in the absence of a concrete data protection law in India, the goal of becoming a data democracy will remain a distant dream.</p>
<p>Thus, there is a need for suitable legislation which will ensure that common people who own this data should directly or indirectly get value for this resource.</p>
<h3>Principles of Data Democracy</h3>
<p>A Data Democracy can be broken down into six principles:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The average end user can access information in any digital format.</li>
<li>Citizens should be able to gather and analyze data or engage in self-service without requiring any outside help.</li>
<li>Individual private data needs to be protected on the lines of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).</strong></a></li>
<li>There is a need to ensure Data Quality.</li>
<li>Technologies that play an important part in empowering nontechnical people in a Data Democracy should be made accessible to them.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Need For Data Protection And Regulation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Protection of Data:</strong> In<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/privacy-judgement-and-the-aftermath" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Puttaswamy Case (2017)</strong></a>, the Supreme Court declared <strong>privacy a fundamental right.</strong> This set the government in motion to take steps to bring a new data protection legislation for the country.</li>
<li><strong>Treating Data as Resource:</strong> Despite being economically poor, India is a data-rich country. It has been analysed that an individual&rsquo;s data in India is far more valuable than their current material worth (of about $2,000 per capita). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This mismatch in potential and reality provides an opportunity for an individual to monetize their data.</li>
<li>Data generated by the public has to be protected and cannot be harvested for free&mdash;as it is at present.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Potential Market Of Data:</strong> Already a third of the population is using smartphones&mdash;which has 10x power when generating data. This segment will only grow exponentially creating probably the largest market for data in the world.</li>
<li><strong>Usage Of Data Without Individual Consent:</strong> It is a precondition for companies to mine the data. At the moment platforms such as Google and Facebook harvest this personal data, mostly without consent, to establish a behavioural matrix to sell or promote products and causes.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Leveraging Contactless Infrastructure:</strong> The building blocks for a scalable model to harvest mass data of Indians rapidly expand their digital footprint&mdash;especially in the aftermath of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-indian-federalism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid-19</strong></a>. India can leverage the contactless behaviour that is already in place.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Aadhaar provided the idea of a unique identity to over 1 billion people in India.</li>
<li>Inter-operable payments mechanism, such as the <strong>Unified Payments Interface,</strong> or UPI, to give a new definition to financial transactions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Consent to Use Personal Data:</strong> There is a need for the legal architecture that provides data privacy protection and thereby propels governance towards data democracy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, the recommendations of Justice BN Srikrishna constituted for data privacy are hugely significant.</li>
<li>Such a law is very critical in defining the digital future of India, one in which the individual will be the centre.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Data Protection Framework</strong></p>
<p>A committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice BN Srikrishna has submitted its report on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>"Data Protection Framework"</strong></a> to the Government.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Data Protection Authority:</strong> The data protection law will set up a Data Protection Authority (DPA), which will be an independent regulatory body responsible for the enforcement and effective implementation of the law.</li>
<li><strong>Personal Data:</strong> The law will cover processing of personal data by both public and private entities.The law will have jurisdiction over the processing of personal data if such data has been used, shared, disclosed, collected or otherwise processed in India.</li>
<li><strong>Data Storage:</strong> The Bill lays out provisions on data storage, making it mandatory for a copy of personal data to be stored in India.</li>
<li><strong>Appellate Tribunal:</strong> The Central Government shall establish an appellate tribunal or grant powers to an existing appellate tribunal to hear and dispose of any appeal against an order of the <strong>DPA.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Penalties:</strong> Penalties may be imposed for violations of the data protection law. The penalties imposed would be an amount up to the fixed upper limit or a percentage of the total worldwide turnover of the preceding financial year, whichever is higher.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Like the spread of democracy in the 20<sup>th</sup> century helped to bring a paradigm shift in governance all across the globe, heralding of a<strong> &lsquo;data democracy&rsquo;</strong> is necessary in this digital age of the 21<sup>st</sup> century.</p>
<p>Clearly, the promise of a data democracy is infinite. The onus lies with the government to fast track the privacy law protecting and regulating the use of personal and non-personal data.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595511839_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595512153_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595512153_image6.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="650" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f3f0ff;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>In the digital age, a democracy is incomplete without democratisation of data. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z3nawrBig3Q" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/on-the-loose-on-west-bengal-governor-jaideep-dhankar/article32154141.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;On the loose: On West Bengal Governor&rdquo;</strong></a> was published in The Hindu on July 22<sup>nd</sup>, 2020. Watch this on our Youtube channel now.</p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/regulation-of-public-data'
	],
	(int) 13 => [
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: Senkaku-Diaoyu Islands Dispute',
		'catname' => 'Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha Discussions',
		'desc' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ulds9vluEDU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>What is the dispute about?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A long-standing controversy over the islands&rsquo; ownership has periodically soured relations between China and Japan.</li>
<li>Two years earlier, a report highlighting the potential for oil reserves in the area prompted China to reassert its territorial claims over the islands. Japan does not recognise China&rsquo;s claims nor the existence of a dispute over the islands&rsquo; sovereignty.</li>
<li>More recently there has been a flare-up in the region. The Japanese government said that it had protested to China regarding a set of names recently assigned by Beijing to seabed zones in the East China Sea, including the Senkaku- Diaoyu islands.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595501985_image0.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595501985_image0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Geographical location</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Diaoyu archipelago (known as the Senkakus in Japanese) is an uninhabited chain of islands in the East China Sea claimed by China, Taiwan and Japan.</li>
<li>The Japanese-administered island chain, formed by five islets and three barren rocks, covers an area of 7 square km. It is located about 200km southwest of Japan&rsquo;s Okinawa island and a similar distance northeast of Taiwan.</li>
<li>Senkaku islands are a part of the Ryukyu chain of islands.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Okinawa Island</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The center of the former Ryukyu Kingdom, Okinawa Main Island is by far the largest and most populous island in Okinawa Prefecture and the regional transportation hub.</li>
<li>The prefectural capital Naha and most of the US military bases are located on Okinawa Honto.</li>
<li>While much of the central part of Okinawa Honto is urbanized, the southern tip of the island is less densely populated, and the northernmost Yambaru area remains mainly covered by forested hills and small fishing and farming villages</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>History of Dispute</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>China says that the islands have been part of its territory since ancient times, serving as important fishing grounds administered by the province of Taiwan.</li>
<li>Taiwan was ceded to Japan in the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895, after the Sino-Japanese war.</li>
<li>Japan annexed the archipelago following China&rsquo;s defeat in the first Sino-Japanese war from 1894 to 1895. Yet the islands were left out of the<strong> Treaty of San Francisco</strong> at the end of the second world war that returned to China most of the territories previously occupied by Japan.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China says, when Taiwan was returned in the Treaty of San Francisco, the islands should have been returned too.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the terms of Japan&rsquo;s surrender, the island chain was controlled by the US until 1971, when it was returned to Japan along with Okinawa and other surrounding islands.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Cause of the dispute</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Oil exploration:</strong> The areas around these islands were found to be the possible bearers of oil and gas; which caught the Chinese interest.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>But, the main cause of China claiming right over the islands is not the availability of oil but to establish their supremacy and dominance and they are pursuing it by the nine-dash line in the south china sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Shipping lanes:</strong> Abundant fishing resources can be found nearby, as can important shipping lanes used by Japan, South Korea and China for energy imports.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Latest developments</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Chinese have been drilling for oil and gas near the Senkaku island, the Japanese have accused them of stealing oil from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unclos-maritime-zones" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)</strong></a> of Japan.</li>
<li>The Japanese assembly changed the name of the southern Japan area containing the Senkaku Islands from "Tonoshiro" to "Tonoshiro Senkaku". China in retaliation, assigned names to the seabed zones in the East China Sea.</li>
<li>Recently, there was a standoff between the Japanese and Chinese coast guard vessels. The Chinese coast guard vessels didn&rsquo;t back off causing protest in Japan.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The defence of the Senkaku/Diaoyus has been a priority for Japan even in the past few years.</li>
<li>Japan has established new military bases nearby to protect the islands. The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-japan-beginning-of-a-new-era" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF)</strong></a> has also been building up its marines and drilling them on island warfare.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>U.S stand:</strong> The US and Japan forged a security alliance in the wake of World War II and formalised it in 1960. Under the deal, the US is given military bases in Japan in return for its promise to defend Japan in the event of an attack.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This means if conflict were to erupt between China and Japan, Japan would expect US military back-up.</li>
<li>The US has been silently watching the incident but refused to take any action. The US is not willing to interfere between China and Japan.</li>
<li>The US is worried about China&rsquo;s intrusion into the Pacific ocean which might be a direct threat to the US.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong> By supporting Japan against Chinese Policy of <strong>Incremental Expansionism,</strong> India can diplomatically strengthen its position over <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/galwan-valley-clash" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Galwan Valley</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Each coastal State may claim an EEZ beyond and adjacent to its territorial sea that extends seaward up to 200 nm from its baselines.</li>
<li>Within its EEZ, a coastal state has:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring, exploiting, conserving and managing natural resources, whether living or nonliving, of the seabed and subsoil.</li>
<li>Rights to carry out activities like the production of energy from the water, currents and wind.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Unlike the territorial sea and the contiguous zone, the EEZ only allows for the above-mentioned resource rights. It does not give a coastal state the right to prohibit or limit freedom of navigation or overflight, subject to very limited exceptions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>China&rsquo;s border and maritime aggression are increasing. The Senkaku/Diaoyu issue highlights the more robust attitude China has been taking to its territorial claims in both the East China Sea and the South China Sea.</li>
<li>Japan and China must cooperate with each other against Chinese aggression in Indian ocean and East China sea. This would be mutually beneficial for both the countries. India should take full advantage of Japanese desire to encounter China in this region.</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-senkaku-diaoyu-islands-dispute'
	],
	(int) 14 => [
		'title' => 'Appointment of Government Servants as Gram Panchayat Administrator',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Bombay High Court passed an interim order directing that a <strong>government servant of the local authority</strong> be appointed as an<strong> administrator</strong> of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/panchayati-raj-institutions-and-participative-democracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>gram panchayats</strong> </a>in Maharashtra.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is for the 15,000 panchayats where the terms of these officers have ended or would be ending.</li>
<li>These administrators include <strong>sarpanch, secretary of the panchayats</strong> and <strong>gram sevaks.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Petition Against Recent Decisions:</strong> The order came after petitions were filed against a recent <strong>Government Resolutions (GR)</strong> issued by the State Rural Development Department and <strong>Maharashtra Village Panchayat (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Through these, the Maharashtra government <strong>ordered appointment of administrators to all gram panchayats</strong> by zilla parishad chief executive officers (CEO) in consultation with their <strong>respective district ministers.</strong></li>
<li>The resolution and ordinance <strong>were challenged on various grounds</strong> related to the <strong>appointment of private individuals</strong> as administrators of gram panchayats.</li>
<li>It also challenged the <strong>section 151 of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act</strong> by allowing<strong> appointment of administrators</strong> in case the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/state-election-commission-s-autonomy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">State Election Commission</a></strong> (SEC) could not hold <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/election-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>elections</strong></a> due to a <strong>natural calamity, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic</a>,</strong> financial emergency or administrative emergency.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>High Court's Argument:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Questioned Private Appointments:</strong> The Court ordered that the <strong>administrator to be appointed, should be a government servant</strong> or an officer from the local authority. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>If not available and the appointment of a<strong> private individual is to be made,</strong> then each such order <strong>shall record the reasons</strong> because of which such officer was not available.</li>
<li>The criteria that administrators have to be &ldquo;a resident of the village and on the voters&rsquo; list'' is<strong> directory,</strong> not <strong>mandatory</strong> in nature.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Local Authority Officers:</strong> The court emphasised that<strong> local authority offices</strong> should be the first choice for appointment as an administrator.</li>
<li><strong>Impact on Local Governance:</strong> The Court admitted that<strong> working of the gram panchayat</strong> will be affected if the administrator is not appointed, however it also emphasised the need to address the concerns regarding the appointment of the private individual.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to the court <strong>private individuals appointment</strong> is not warranted in law and such mass appointments will<strong> have a lasting adverse impact</strong> on the local governance in <strong>terms of efficiency, impartiality</strong> and <strong>effectiveness</strong> of the work.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>State Government&rsquo;s Argument:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Urgent Need:</strong> It stated that there is an urgent need for administrators to run the panchayats as pandemic has halted the election process.</li>
<li><strong>Overburdened Officers:</strong> There are a large number of gram panchayats in the State and the government servants are already overburdened. So, it is difficult to appoint them as administrators.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Gram Panchayat</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These are the part of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/panchayati-raj-institution-pri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Panchayati Raj System</strong></a> which has been granted constitutional status by the <strong>73<sup>rd</sup> Amendment act.</strong></li>
<li>This scheme of the PRI system increases cooperation among people, <strong>democratic participation and decentralization.</strong></li>
<li>The 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country have been entrusted to provide basic services in the villages and plan for local economic development and <a href="/to-the-points/paper4/good-governance-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>good governance.</strong></a></li>
<li>The <strong>Gram Sabha (GS)</strong> discusses the development work plans of the GP called <strong>Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP)</strong> and the elected representatives execute the plans.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Gram Sabha</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Gram Sabha is a body consisting of <strong>all persons whose names are included in the electoral rolls</strong> for the Panchayat at the village level.</li>
<li>The term is defined in the Constitution of India under <strong>Article 243(b).</strong></li>
<li>All eligible voters of the village can participate in the Gram Sabha.</li>
<li>The <strong>decisions</strong> taken by the Gram Sabha<strong> cannot be annulled by</strong> any other body except itself.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/appoint-govt-servants-as-gram-panchayat-administrator-hc/article32166980.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/appointment-of-government-servants-as-gram-panchayat-administrator'
	],
	(int) 15 => [
		'title' => 'Indian Bullfrog',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Scientific Name:</strong> Hoplobatrachus tigerinus.</li>
<li><strong>Common Names:</strong> Bullfrog, Golden Frog, Green Frog, Tiger Frog etc.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iucn-red-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>IUCN Red List</strong></a>: Least Concern.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/wild-life-protection-act-implementation-and-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Wildlife Act 1972</strong></a>: Schedule IV.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595496497_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595496497_image3.jpg" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Schedule IV along with Schedule III <strong>provide protection with lesser penalties.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is<strong> native to the Indian subcontinent</strong> (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan) and is the <strong>largest frog in India.</strong></li>
<li>These are <strong>prolific breeders</strong> (producing many offspring), have <strong>short breeding seasons,</strong> and each egg clutch can contain up to 5,750 eggs.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indian bullfrog tadpoles <strong>are carnivorous</strong> and eat other tadpoles (including their own species).</li>
<li>The tadpoles <strong>grow to be the largest</strong> (around 20 millimetres) and also <strong>grow the fastest.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Adult bullfrogs pose a<strong> threat to small endemic vertebrates</strong> because they can eat <strong>everything which fits into their mouths</strong> like centipedes, leeches, native frogs, lizards, small snakes and even chicks and ducklings.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bullfrogs eat the native frogs as well and their <strong>diets overlap, indicating a possibility of competition.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-andamans-new-colonisers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>one of the invasive species on the islands of Andaman and Nicobar.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An invasive species is a species that is <strong>accidentally or artificially introduced into a biosphere</strong> where it is not normally found.</li>
<li>In the <strong>absence of a natural predator,</strong> as it generally happens, the invasive species <strong>thrive and causes economic and environmental damage</strong> due to the imbalance created by its introduction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-bullfrog'
	],
	(int) 16 => [
		'title' => 'Reasons Behind Pink Water of Lonar Lake',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to the<strong> Agharkar Research Institute,</strong> the <strong>colour of Lonar lake water</strong> in Maharashtra&rsquo;s Buldhana district<strong> turned pink</strong> due to a <strong>large presence of the salt-loving &lsquo;Haloarchaea&rsquo; microbes.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The colour of the lake water <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lonar-crater" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>recently turned pink</strong></a>, which not only surprised locals, but also nature enthusiasts and scientists.</li>
<li>The water samples have been tested by the <strong>Nagpur-based <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/neeri-indair" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI)</a></strong> and the<strong> Agharkar Research Institute in Pune.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595493056_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595493056_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It has been assumed that the <strong>absence of rain, less human interference</strong> (owing to lockdown) and <strong>high temperature</strong> resulted in the evaporation of water which <strong>increased its salinity and pH.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>pH is a measure of how acidic/basic water is.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The increased salinity and pH facilitated the growth of <strong>halophilic microbes,</strong> mainly <strong>Haloarchaea.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Halophiles are a group of microorganisms that<strong> can grow and often thrive in areas of high salt (NaCl) concentration.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Haloarchaea or halophilic archaea</strong> is a bacteria culture which<strong> produces pink pigment</strong> and is found in water saturated with salt.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Because of the biomass of Haloarchaea microbes, the surface of the water turned red or pink. As the biomass subsides, the colour will disappear.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The colour of the lake is <strong>now returning to original</strong> as the rainy season has kicked in, allowing dilution of the water. The salinity and pH/alkalinity levels have also come down and green algae have started growing in the water body.</li>
<li>Further, it was noted that <strong>Haloarchaea microbes were ingested by Flamingos.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These microbes<strong> acted as carotenoid (pigment) rich food for the birds.</strong></li>
<li>Flamingos get their red-pink colour from special colouring chemicals called pigments found in the algae and invertebrates they eat.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Lonar Lake</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Lonar Lake, also known as<strong> Lonar crater,</strong> is a saline and alkaline lake located at Lonar in Buldhana district,<strong> Maharashtra.</strong></li>
<li>It is situated inside the <strong>Deccan Plateau&mdash;</strong>a massive plain of volcanic basalt rock created by eruptions.</li>
<li>It is an <strong>oval shaped</strong> and has a <strong>mean diameter of 1.2 km.</strong> It is a popular tourist hub.</li>
<li>It is a notified <strong>National Geo-heritage Monument.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Geo-heritage refers to the geological features which are inherently or culturally significant offering insight to earth&rsquo;s evolution or history to earth science or that can be utilized for education.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-navy-signs-mou-with-geological-survey-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Geological Survey of India (GSI)</strong></a> is the parent body which is making efforts towards identification and protection of geo-heritage sites.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is believed to have been <strong>created over 52,000 years ago</strong> when a <strong>meteorite hit the Earth.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/lonar-lake-turned-pink-due-to-haloarchaea-microbes-probe/article32161619.ece#:~:text=News-,Lonar%20lake%20in%20Maharashtra%27s%20Buldhana%20district%20turned,to%20%27Haloarchaea%27%20microbes%3A%20probe&amp;text=The%20colour%20of%20Lonar%20lake,Pune%2Dbased%20institute%20has%20concluded." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/reasons-behind-pink-water-of-lonar-lake'
	],
	(int) 17 => [
		'title' => 'Concerns Over Drilling in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-green-tribunal-ngt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Green Tribunal (NGT)</strong></a> has issued notices to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Oil India Limited (OIL) and two concerned state entities to explain <strong>how environmental clearances for the seven proposed drilling sites in the Dibru- Saikhowa National Park were given.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The NGT took note of the petitioners&rsquo; contention that OIL<strong> did not carry out a biodiversity assessment study</strong> for the seven-well exploratory drilling project besides <strong>not conducting a public hearing</strong> as mandated by the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/environmental-impact-assessment-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification of 2006.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>OIL</strong> has clarified that its <strong>exploratory drilling project is &ldquo;under&rdquo; and not &ldquo;in&rdquo; the 765 sq km Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.</strong> This argument is based on <strong>Extended Reach Drilling (ERD)</strong> enabled drilling of wells up to a depth of approximately 4 km from an existing well plinth <strong>without entering the protected area.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>OIL had obtained permission for the seven wells in 2016 on the basis of the <strong>ERD</strong> technology.</li>
<li>ERD is drilling a well horizontally to at least twice its vertical depth.</li>
<li>It is extensively used to intersect hydrocarbon targets far from the surface or areas of the reservoir that otherwise were difficult to access.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The notice has been issued following <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/assam-gas-leak" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>a gas leak that occurred at OIL&rsquo;s baghjan oil field</strong></a>, located near the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The disaster at Baghjan has<strong> impacted the surrounding ecological life</strong> and <strong>displaced close to 11,000 people</strong> from their homes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Earlier, the NGT had also ordered the formation of a committee to probe<strong> allegations of large-scale illegal coal mining</strong> by North Eastern Coalfields inside <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dehing-patkai-wildlife-sanctuary-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve</strong></a> in Assam&rsquo;s Tinsukia district.</li>
<li><strong>Natural Resources in Assam:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The State is <strong>one of the richest biodiversity zones</strong> in the world and consists of tropical rainforests, deciduous forests, riverine grasslands, bamboo orchards and numerous wetland ecosystems.</li>
<li>Assam has wildlife sanctuaries, the most prominent of which are two <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kailash-mansarovar-in-tentative-list-of-world-heritage-sites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNESCO World Heritage sites</strong></a>-the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kaziranga-national-park-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kaziranga National Park</strong></a> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-29th-october-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Manas Wildlife Sanctuary</strong></a>. There are <strong>three other National Parks</strong> in Assam namely <strong>Dibru Saikhowa National Park, Nameri National Park and the Orang National Park.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Kaziranga is a home to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dna-database-for-indian-rhinos" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian one-horned rhinoceros</strong></a> which has also been recognized as the <strong>State Animal of Assam.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Assam has <strong>abundant mineral resources</strong>- coal, petroleum; limestone and natural gas are the principal mineral resources. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is also the <strong>largest producer of crude oil in India. </strong></li>
<li><strong>OIL</strong> is the second largest hydrocarbon exploration and production Indian public sector company with its operational headquarters in Duliajan, Assam under the administrative control of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Dibru-Saikhowa National Park</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Dibru-Saikhowa is a <strong>National Park as well as a Biosphere Reserve</strong> situated in the south bank of the river Brahmaputra in Assam.</li>
<li>The forest type of Dibru-Saikhowa comprises semi-evergreen forests, deciduous forests, littoral and swamp forests and patches of wet evergreen forests.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>largest swamp forest in north-eastern India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is an <strong>identified Important Bird Area (IBA),</strong> notified by the Birdlife International. It is most famous for the rare white-winged wood ducks as well as feral horses.</li>
<li>Mammals found in the Park include <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tiger-census-2018-guinness-book-of-world-records" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tiger</a></strong>, Elephant, Leopard, Jungle Cat, Bears, Small Indian Civet, Squirrels, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gangetic-dolphin-annual-census#:~:text=The%20Ganges%20river%20dolphin%20is,popularly%20known%20as%20'Susu'.&amp;text=The%20'Boto'%20of%20the%20Amazon%20River%20in%20Latin%20America." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gangetic Dolphin</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hoolock-gibbon" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hoolock Gibbon</strong></a>, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Maguri Motapung wetland</strong> is a part of the Reserve.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/ngt-seeks-explanation-on-drilling-for-oil-in-assam-national-park/article32159368.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/concerns-over-drilling-in-dibru-saikhowa-national-park'
	],
	(int) 18 => [
		'title' => 'Kakrapar Atomic Plant Achieves Criticality',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the third unit of the <strong>Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-3)</strong> in Tapi district of Gujarat achieved its first <strong>criticality.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Criticality:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Criticality is the <strong>first step towards power production.</strong> A <strong>nuclear reactor</strong> is said to be critical when the nuclear fuel inside a reactor sustains a<strong> fission chain reaction.</strong></li>
<li>Each fission reaction releases a<strong> sufficient number of neutrons</strong> to sustain a series of reactions. <strong>Heat is produced in the event,</strong> which is used to <strong>generate steam</strong> that <strong>spins a turbine</strong> to create electricity. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Fission</strong> is a process in which the <strong>nucleus of an atom splits into two or more smaller nuclei,</strong> and some byproduct.</li>
<li>When the nucleus splits, the <strong>kinetic energy</strong> of the <strong>fission fragments (primary nuclei)</strong> is transferred to other atoms in the fuel as heat energy, which is eventually used to produce steam to drive the turbines.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>KAPP-3:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>KAPP-3 is the <strong>country&rsquo;s first 700 MWe (megawatt electric) unit,</strong> and the <strong>biggest indigenously developed</strong> variant of the <strong>Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Until now, the biggest reactor size of indigenous design was the 540 MWe, two of which have been deployed in Tarapur, Maharashtra.</li>
<li>A<strong> PHWR is a nuclear power reactor,</strong> commonly using unenriched <strong>natural uranium as its fuel,</strong> that uses <strong>heavy water (deuterium oxide D<sub>2</sub>O) as its coolant and moderator.</strong></li>
<li>PHWR technology was started in India in the late 1960s with the construction of the first 220 MWe reactor, Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS-1).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>State-owned<strong> Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL)</strong> had awarded the reactor-building contract for both KAPP-3 and 4 in 2010.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Safety Features:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The 700 MWe PHWRs have advanced safety features like <strong>steel lined inner containment, passive decay heat removal system, containment spray system, hydrogen management system,</strong> among others.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> &lsquo;passive decay heat removal system&rsquo;</strong> can remove decay heat (released as a result of radioactive decay) from the reactor core without requiring any operator actions.</li>
<li>This is on the lines of similar technology adopted for<strong> Generation III+ plants</strong> to negate the possibility of a <strong>Fukushima-type</strong> accident that happened in Japan in 2011.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>KAPP-3 addresses the issue of excess <strong>thermal margins.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Thermal margin refers to the extent to which the operating temperature of the reactor is below its maximum operating temperature.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>KAPP-3 would constitute the <strong>biggest component in the nuclear power capacity expansion plan.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India is working to ramp up its existing nuclear power capacity of 6,780 MWe to 22,480 MWe by 2031.</li>
<li>Currently, nuclear power capacity constitutes less than 2% of the total installed capacity of 3,68,690 MW (end-January 2020).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will also <strong>help for the future construction</strong> for the PHWRs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is an Indian public sector undertaking, Headquartered at Mumbai.</li>
<li>It is wholly owned by the Government of India and is <strong>responsible for the generation of nuclear power for electricity.</strong></li>
<li>NPCIL is administered by the <strong>Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/gujarat-third-unit-at-kakrapar-atomic-power-plant-achieves-criticality-6519147/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kakrapar-atomic-plant-achieves-criticality'
	],
	(int) 19 => [
		'title' => 'Madhubani Paintings',
		'catname' => 'News Analysis',
		'desc' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, artists from <strong>Madhubani district of Bihar</strong> became famous for making masks with <strong>hand-painted <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-25-august-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Madhubani</a> motifs.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Motif</strong> is a <strong>decorative image or design,</strong> especially a repeated one forming a pattern.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595486995_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595486995_image1.png" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="299" height="168" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Origin:</strong> Madhubani painting has its origins in<strong> Mithila region</strong> of<strong> Bihar.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The painting is one of the oldest and most famous Indian art forms which is also practised in Nepal.</li>
<li>Traces of Madhubani art can also be noticed in the Ramayana, the Indian epic.</li>
<li>It is also known as<strong> Mithila or Madhubani art.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Characteristics:</strong> These paintings are popular because of their <strong>tribal motifs and use of bright earthy colours.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Traditionally the<strong> women of the village</strong> drew these paintings on the walls of their dwelling, as a demonstration of their feelings, hopes, and ideas.</li>
<li>Today men are also involved to meet the demand.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Style:</strong> It includes <strong>geometrical patterns, floral, animal and bird motifs.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Colours:</strong> The colours used in paintings comprise<strong> natural extracts from plants and other natural sources.</strong> E.g.: Black colour is obtained by mixing soot with cow dung; blue from indigo; white from rice powder; orange from palasha flowers, etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The colours are applied flat with no shading and no empty space is left.</li>
<li>These are usually <strong>dark and bright with pigments</strong> like lampblack (obtained from coal) and ochre (earthy yellow pigment).</li>
<li>These paintings are not made with modern brushes but rather with twigs, matchsticks, and fingers.</li>
<li>But now artists use brushes, nib-pens and synthetic colours as well to paint.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Themes:</strong> It is based on the<strong> mythological characters</strong> which depict the life of <strong>Hindu deities</strong> like Krishna, Rama, Lakshmi, Shiva, Durga, and Saraswati.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The designs widely painted are of Tulasi plant, court scenes, wedding scenes, social happenings etc.</li>
<li>Also, <strong>heavenly bodies like the Sun and the Moon</strong> often form the centrepiece of paintings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Eminent Artists:</strong> Karpuri Devi, Mahalaxmi and Dulari.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/meet-remant-kumar-mishra-the-madhubani-artist-also-known-as-the-mask-man-of-bihar/article32163974.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
		'postdate' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'url' => 'https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/madhubani-paintings'
	]
]
$updates = object(Cake\ORM\Query) {

	'(help)' => 'This is a Query object, to get the results execute or iterate it.',
	'sql' => 'SELECT articles.article_id AS `articles__article_id`, articles.category_id AS `articles__category_id`, articles.title AS `articles__title`, articles.description AS `articles__description`, articles.shortdescription AS `articles__shortdescription`, articles.featuredimage AS `articles__featuredimage`, articles.tag_id AS `articles__tag_id`, articles.secondary_tag AS `articles__secondary_tag`, articles.type AS `articles__type`, articles.publishon AS `articles__publishon`, articles.posturl AS `articles__posturl`, articles.metatitle AS `articles__metatitle`, articles.metadescription AS `articles__metadescription`, articles.metakeyword AS `articles__metakeyword`, articles.status AS `articles__status`, articles.sort_order AS `articles__sort_order`, articles.addedby AS `articles__addedby`, articles.updatedby AS `articles__updatedby`, articles.added AS `articles__added`, articles.modified AS `articles__modified`, articles.whatsnewid AS `articles__whatsnewid`, articles.display_printpdf AS `articles__display_printpdf`, articles.display_comments AS `articles__display_comments`, articles.pdf_name AS `articles__pdf_name`, articles.display_archive AS `articles__display_archive` FROM articles articles WHERE status = :c0 ORDER BY publishon desc LIMIT 10',
	'params' => [
		':c0' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		]
	],
	'defaultTypes' => [
		'articles__article_id' => 'integer',
		'articles.article_id' => 'integer',
		'article_id' => 'integer',
		'articles__category_id' => 'integer',
		'articles.category_id' => 'integer',
		'category_id' => 'integer',
		'articles__title' => 'string',
		'articles.title' => 'string',
		'title' => 'string',
		'articles__description' => 'text',
		'articles.description' => 'text',
		'description' => 'text',
		'articles__shortdescription' => 'string',
		'articles.shortdescription' => 'string',
		'shortdescription' => 'string',
		'articles__featuredimage' => 'string',
		'articles.featuredimage' => 'string',
		'featuredimage' => 'string',
		'articles__tag_id' => 'integer',
		'articles.tag_id' => 'integer',
		'tag_id' => 'integer',
		'articles__secondary_tag' => 'text',
		'articles.secondary_tag' => 'text',
		'secondary_tag' => 'text',
		'articles__type' => 'integer',
		'articles.type' => 'integer',
		'type' => 'integer',
		'articles__publishon' => 'datetime',
		'articles.publishon' => 'datetime',
		'publishon' => 'datetime',
		'articles__posturl' => 'string',
		'articles.posturl' => 'string',
		'posturl' => 'string',
		'articles__metatitle' => 'string',
		'articles.metatitle' => 'string',
		'metatitle' => 'string',
		'articles__metadescription' => 'string',
		'articles.metadescription' => 'string',
		'metadescription' => 'string',
		'articles__metakeyword' => 'text',
		'articles.metakeyword' => 'text',
		'metakeyword' => 'text',
		'articles__status' => 'integer',
		'articles.status' => 'integer',
		'status' => 'integer',
		'articles__sort_order' => 'integer',
		'articles.sort_order' => 'integer',
		'sort_order' => 'integer',
		'articles__addedby' => 'integer',
		'articles.addedby' => 'integer',
		'addedby' => 'integer',
		'articles__updatedby' => 'integer',
		'articles.updatedby' => 'integer',
		'updatedby' => 'integer',
		'articles__added' => 'timestamp',
		'articles.added' => 'timestamp',
		'added' => 'timestamp',
		'articles__modified' => 'timestamp',
		'articles.modified' => 'timestamp',
		'modified' => 'timestamp',
		'articles__whatsnewid' => 'integer',
		'articles.whatsnewid' => 'integer',
		'whatsnewid' => 'integer',
		'articles__display_printpdf' => 'integer',
		'articles.display_printpdf' => 'integer',
		'display_printpdf' => 'integer',
		'articles__display_comments' => 'integer',
		'articles.display_comments' => 'integer',
		'display_comments' => 'integer',
		'articles__pdf_name' => 'string',
		'articles.pdf_name' => 'string',
		'pdf_name' => 'string',
		'articles__display_archive' => 'integer',
		'articles.display_archive' => 'integer',
		'display_archive' => 'integer'
	],
	'decorators' => (int) 0,
	'executed' => false,
	'hydrate' => true,
	'buffered' => true,
	'formatters' => (int) 0,
	'mapReducers' => (int) 0,
	'contain' => [],
	'matching' => [],
	'extraOptions' => [],
	'repository' => object(App\Model\Table\ArticlesTable) {}

}
$page = (int) 82
$search = 'class'
$totalPages = (float) 303
$title = 'Search'
$lastyear = (int) 2018
$year = '2021'
$i = (int) 2017
$selected = ''
$m = (int) 13
$month = 'December'

include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/rightsection.ctp, line 100
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::_renderElement() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1554
Cake\View\View::element() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 668
include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/articlebox.ctp, line 5
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::_renderElement() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1554
Cake\View\View::element() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 668
include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Search/index.ctp, line 85
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 765
Cake\Controller\Controller::render() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 623
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 125
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 93

Achievers Corner

Prelims

Mains & Interview

Current Affairs

Drishti Specials

Free Downloads

Test Series

Videos

Search

Search list matched with tags “class”