GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

Over one and a half years after jointly inaugurating the centenary celebrations of the Vaikom Satyagraha, Kerala inaugurated the renovated memorial of Tamil reformist E.V. Ramasami Naicker, popularly known as Thanthai Periyar. 

About Periyar E.V. Ramasamy:

• Born: September 17, 1879, in Erode, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu).
• Tamil reformist E.V. Ramasami Naicker, popularly known as Thanthai Periyar was born into a Kannada Balija merchant family. His parents were Venkatappa Nayakar and Chinnathayee. He had one elder brother, Krishnaswamy, and two sisters, Kannamma and Ponnuthoy.
• Periyar married at the age of 19. He and his first wife had a daughter who tragically passed away after just 5 months. His first wife, Nagammai, passed away in 1933. In 1948, he remarried Maniammai, who continued his social work after his death in 1973.
• Periyar received five years of schooling before he joined his father’s trade at the age of 12.
• Though his formal education was limited, he was proficient in Kannada and Tamil, the two major Dravidian languages.
• As a young man, he often welcomed Tamil Vaishnavite gurus into his home, engaging in discussions and learning about religious discourses.
• Social and Religious Views:
  • Early on, Periyar began to question the contradictions in Hindu mythology and the societal norms imposed by religion.
  • He became deeply critical of how religion was used as a tool to deceive people and perpetuate superstition.
  • He believed that priests and religious leaders exploited the masses, and he felt a personal responsibility to warn people against superstitions.
• Social Activism: Periyar was known for his strong anti-caste stance and efforts to challenge the hierarchical caste system in Indian society.
  • In 1929, at the First Provincial Self-Respect Conference in Chengalpattu, Periyar made a symbolic and impactful decision to remove his caste title "Naicker" from his name, signifying his rejection of caste-based identity.
  • His Self-Respect Movement focused on empowering marginalized communities, advocating for gender equality, caste abolition, and rational thinking.
• Periyar's ideologies were carried forward by the Dravidar Kazhagam, an organization he helped shape, which promoted his vision of social justice, rationalism, and self-respect.
• His efforts laid the foundation for significant social reforms in Tamil Nadu and inspired future generations of social reformers and activists.
• Periyar's life was marked by a constant pursuit of social equality and rational thought, and he remains a significant figure in the history of India's social reform movements.

What was the Vaikom Satyagraha?

• The Vaikom Satyagraha was a significant movement in Kerala (then the princely state of Travancore) in 1924, aimed at securing the rights of untouchables (people from lower castes, also called avarnas) to use public roads leading to a famous Shiva temple in Vaikom.
• The movement was not initially about entering the temple but about the right to access public roads that were restricted to upper castes.
• Background of the Vaikom Satyagraha:
  • Travancore’s Caste System: Travancore had a harsh caste system, where lower castes faced extreme discrimination. They were not allowed to even look at or touch upper caste individuals.
    • This strict system was described by foreign travelers like Duarte Barbosa, who recorded how upper-caste people would force lower-caste people to get out of their way on the streets.
  • Social Reforms Leading Up to the Movement: In the 19th century, Christian missionaries and the influence of the British brought some reforms, such as free primary education for all, including lower castes.
    • The Ezhava community, once considered untouchable, became the most educated and organized lower caste group, but faced discrimination in jobs, especially in the government.
  • The Issue of Temple Entry: The idea of opening temples to lower castes was raised as early as 1917 by Ezhava leader TK Madhavan. In 1921, Mahatma Gandhi supported this cause after a meeting with Madhavan.
• In 1924, the Vaikom Satyagraha was launched by leaders like Periyar (E.V. Ramasami Naicker) and C. Rajagopalachari. The focus was on opening the four roads around the Vaikom temple to people from all castes, not just the temple entry issue.
  • Periyar, along with his wife Nagamma, had joined the Vaikom Satyagraha, recognised as the first organized movement for the rights of the `untouchable’ communities in April 1924. He was jailed twice for his involvement and was later honoured with the title Vaikom Veeran for his leadership.
• The protestors, called Satyagrahis, were arrested repeatedly by the police for attempting to use the roads. The protests continued for months, with violent resistance from conservative caste Hindus.
• The Vaikom Satyagraha laid the foundation for further social reform movements in the region. In 1936, the Maharaja of Travancore signed the Temple Entry Proclamation, officially allowing marginalized castes to enter temples, a significant victory for caste equality.

The Central Water Commission (CWC), in its 2024 study titled "Assessment of Water Resources of India", estimates India's average annual water availability between 1985 and 2023 at 2,115.95 billion cubic meters (BCM).

Key Points from the CWC Study:

• Basis of the Water Availability Figure: The estimate is based on annual net-runoff, which incorporates precipitation, evapotranspiration, land use, land cover, and soil datasets.
  • The water availability was calculated for all river basins in India, excluding the Indus basin's three western tributaries (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab).
• Water Availability Across Regions:
  • The top three basins with the highest water availability are:
    1. Brahmaputra Basin: 592.32 BCM
    2. Ganga Basin: 581.75 BCM
    3. Godavari Basin: 129.17 BCM
  • The bottom three basins with the least water availability are:
    1. Sabarmati Basin: 9.87 BCM
    2. Pennar Basin: 10.42 BCM
    3. Mahi Basin: 13.03 BCM
  • Comparison with Previous Assessments: The 2024 figure of 2,115.95 BCM is higher than the 2019 estimate of 1,999.2 BCM, which was based on data from 1985 to 2015.
    • Earlier assessments (since 1901) consistently found India's water availability to be below 2,000 BCM.
  • Reasons for the Higher Figure in 2024: The updated assessment includes water contributions from Bhutan to the Brahmaputra basin, which were not accounted for in previous studies.
    • The full contribution of Nepal to the Ganga basin is also considered in this assessment, whereas only partial inclusion was made in 2019.
  • Usability of Water:
    • The CWC's water availability figures do not refer to utilizable water.
    • For example, in 2019, out of the estimated 1,999.2 BCM of water, only about 690 BCM was considered utilizable.
    • Smaller river basins tend to have a higher proportion of utilizable water, except in basins like West Flowing Rivers and Sabarmati.
    • The Brahmaputra basin has a relatively low proportion of utilisable water.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has recently raised serious concerns about how Tamil Nadu is managing its coastal areas under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2011. The CAG report, tabled in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, highlights several delays, violations, and lapses in the enforcement of the CRZ rules, particularly between 2015 and 2022.

Major Issues Highlighted in the CAG Report:

• Delays in Preparing Maps:
  • In 2017, the state government approved the preparation of maps that would help local authorities enforce CRZ regulations.
  • However, this project faced a 30-month delay, and the maps were only completed by mid-2022. This delay meant that local authorities couldn’t properly monitor or enforce the CRZ rules, leading to several violations.
• Unauthorised Approvals:
  • Between 2015 and 2022, the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNSCZMA) approved 114 out of 175 projects without sending them for proper review by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) or the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).
  • This bypassing of the scrutiny process meant that projects were approved without proper environmental checks, violating the rules set under the CRZ Notification.
• Unauthorised Constructions and Violations: The report identified several instances of illegal construction and violations of CRZ regulations, including:
  • Bridge construction at Nemmeli in Chengalpattu.
  • A beach resort at Koovathur in Chengalpattu.
  • Cold storage units in Kanniyakumari.
• There was also the issue of chemical waste dumping at Marakkanam, and an illegal housing layout in the same area.

• Failure in Monitoring and Surveillance:
  • The CAG noted that TNSCZMA did not have adequate monitoring mechanisms in place to track violations, which is a requirement under the CRZ rules.
  • Despite multiple requests, the TNSCZMA failed to provide the necessary CZMP maps, which led the CAG to use Google Earth imagery to identify 90 unauthorised constructions in the No Development Zone in areas like Chennai, Chengalpattu, and Thoothukudi.
  • The TNSCZMA, relying on the Department of Environment’s staff, lacked dedicated resources for effective monitoring, which allowed several violations, like construction of beach houses, to go undetected.
• Lack of Local Community Representation: The CAG also flagged the lack of local community representatives in the District Coastal Zone Management Authorities (DCZMAs). The CRZ Notification mandates that these authorities should include local community members, but only four districts complied with this requirement as of May 2023.

What is a Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)?

• The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) refers to specific areas along the coastline that are regulated to protect coastal ecosystems from harmful activities.
• The CRZ rules were first established under the Environment Protection Act of 1986 and officially notified in February 1991 by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• These regulations are aimed at conserving the environment, preventing over-exploitation of natural resources, and protecting the livelihoods of coastal communities.
• The rules have been updated several times, with the 2011 CRZ Notification and the 2018 CRZ Notification being the most recent changes.
• Coastal Areas Defined: The CRZ regulations apply to the land and water between the low tide line (LTL) and high tide line (HTL), as well as the areas subject to tidal influence, such as creeks, rivers, seas, bays, and backwaters, extending up to 500 meters from the HTL.
• Purpose:
  • To protect fragile coastal ecosystems (such as mangroves, coral reefs, sand dunes, etc.).
  • To manage development along the coast in a sustainable manner, ensuring it does not harm the environment or communities dependent on it.
• Key Features of the 2018 CRZ Notification:
• Floor Space Index (FSI) in CRZ-II (Urban Areas): The 2018 notification allows increased floor space index (FSI) or floor area ratio in urban coastal zones (CRZ-II), enabling taller buildings and more intensive use of land.
• CRZ-III (Rural Areas): CRZ-III areas (rural, undeveloped regions) are now divided into two categories, giving more room for development while still protecting the environment.
• Promotion of Tourism: The 2018 rules encourage the development of tourism infrastructure along coastal areas, including eco-tourism and resorts, in certain zones.
• Streamlined CRZ Clearance Process: The clearance process for development projects in coastal areas has been simplified to speed up approvals, making it easier for developers to undertake projects like roads, ports, and tourism facilities.
• No-Development Zone (NDZ) for Islands: A 20-meter NDZ has been mandated for all islands, protecting them from overdevelopment and ensuring that development is controlled.
• Pollution Control: The 2018 notification allows the creation of treatment facilities in certain areas (CRZ-I B) to deal with pollution, especially in eco-sensitive zones.
• Exemptions for Defense and Strategic Projects: The notification provides exemptions for defense and strategic infrastructure development, allowing them to bypass some of the restrictions for national security reasons.

Four Types of Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ):

• CRZ-I (Ecologically Sensitive Areas): This zone includes mangrove swamps, coral reefs, sand dunes, maritime parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and reserve forests. These areas are highly sensitive and have the highest level of protection. No construction is allowed except for defense, strategic, or public utility projects.
• CRZ-II (Urban Areas): These are built-up areas within municipal boundaries that are already developed. This zone permits construction but only authorized projects. Unauthorized construction is strictly prohibited in this zone.
• CRZ-III (Rural Areas): These are undeveloped rural areas, including agricultural and natural spaces. Limited development is allowed, primarily for agriculture and essential public utilities (e.g., schools, hospitals).
• CRZ-IV (Water Bodies): This zone includes the tidally-influenced areas of water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and seas extending up to the territorial waters. It is important for fishing and marine life and is subject to regulations regarding pollution and development activities.

The recent outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has claimed over 400 lives and remains unclassified, has raised concerns that it could be an instance of Disease X. It shows the global vulnerability to unknown pathogens, underscoring the importance of being prepared for such unpredictable threats.

What is Disease X?

• Disease X is a term coined by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018 to refer to a hypothetical, yet-to-be-discovered pathogen that could cause a global pandemic.
• It was introduced to raise awareness and prepare for diseases that are difficult to predict or identify but have the potential to create severe health crises.
• The WHO’s Blueprint for Priority Diseases, published in 2018, includes Disease X as a placeholder for unknown pathogens with epidemic potential, emphasizing the need for readiness to respond to emerging infectious diseases.
• Origin of the Concept: The idea of Disease X emerged in the wake of the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which exposed significant gaps in global epidemic preparedness. The WHO recognized that future outbreaks could arise from unknown pathogens, so it created Disease X as a framework for preparing for the unknown.
  • COVID-19 is often seen as the first actual example of Disease X, with the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in 2019 representing the unpredictable threat that Disease X was meant to address. The pandemic demonstrated how a novel pathogen could rapidly spread worldwide, overwhelming health systems and economies.

WHO's Priority List of Pathogens

• The WHO maintains a priority list of pathogens to guide global research and resource allocation.
• This list includes diseases that pose significant risks of spreading globally but have insufficient preventive measures, such as vaccines or treatments.
• The pathogens on the list include well-known diseases like Ebola, Marburg virus, Zika, Nipah virus, and Lassa fever, as well as Disease X.
• These diseases are selected based on factors such as:
  • High mortality rates.
  • Rapid transmission potential.
  • Lack of adequate vaccines or treatments.

Why Is Disease X a Growing Concern?

While the exact nature of Disease X remains unknown, there are several factors that contribute to the likelihood of its emergence:

• Zoonotic Spillover: Many emerging infectious diseases, including COVID-19, are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted from animals to humans. Activities such as deforestation, urbanization, and agriculture are pushing humans into closer contact with wildlife, increasing the risk of zoonotic diseases.
• Environmental and Ecological Disruptions: Human-induced changes to the environment, such as climate change, are reshaping disease transmission dynamics, with vector-borne illnesses like malaria and dengue expanding into new regions.
• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, where pathogens evolve to resist existing drugs, could make responding to new outbreaks more challenging.
• Global Connectivity: Increased international travel and trade mean that localized outbreaks can rapidly become global pandemics, as seen with COVID-19.

Challenges in Predicting Disease X

Predicting the exact origin or timing of Disease X is extremely difficult because its emergence depends on many unpredictable factors, including:

• Mutations in existing pathogens.
• Laboratory accidents or bioterrorism.
• Climate change affecting the behavior and spread of diseases.

Scientists estimate that there are over 1.7 million undiscovered viruses in wildlife, with many potentially capable of infecting humans. Only a fraction of these pathogens have been identified, leaving the world vulnerable to emerging threats.

The Lok Sabha passed the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aimed at strengthening India's disaster management framework. The Bill empowers the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA) to take the lead in disaster planning and response.

Key Provisions of the Bill:

• Enhanced Powers for NDMA and SDMA:The Bill empowers the NDMA and SDMA to prepare national and state-level disaster plans, respectively.
• Urban Disaster Management Authority:State governments can now establish separate Urban Disaster Management Authorities for major cities and state capitals.
• Disaster Database:The Bill mandates the creation of a comprehensive disaster database at both national and state levels.

India’s Vulnerability to disasters

• India, with 2.4% of the world’s land area, is home to about 17.78% of the global population.
• This induces pressure on resources and sees competition over fragile ecosystems, which in turn increases the risk for disasters.
• Climate change: India witnessed the death of over 5,000 people between 2014 and 2020 due to heatwaves, the intensity of which appears to be rising due to global warming. 
• Displacement: The Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre has estimated that over 2.5 million people were displaced in India in 2022 due to natural disasters, especially floods and cyclones.
• Coastline: 33.6% of India’s coastline is vulnerable to erosion, a point of concern for coastal States including Andhra Pradesh which has one of India’s longest coastlines. There is increased frequency as well as intensity of cyclones on India’s western coast. The incidence of summer cyclones and the accompanying damage is equally worrisome.
• As tracked by the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) for 2023-2024, India reports over 3,500 fatalities, more than 15 million people affected, suffering from displacement, loss of property, and disruption of daily life.
  • The cumulative losses including damage to roads, bridges, buildings, and essential public infrastructure, exceeded USD 12 billion due to weather-related disasters, including floods, cyclones, and heatwaves. 
  • The impact on wildlife and livestock has also been severe, with tens of thousands of animals displaced or killed, particularly in flood-prone areas.
  • In August alone, India witnessed 387 deaths; 271,485 people affected, and 39,414 houses damaged.
• Several factors exacerbate this vulnerability, including shifting demographic and socio-economic conditions, unplanned urbanisation, development in high-risk zones, environmental degradation, climate change, and geological hazards. 

In a dramatic finale at the 2024 World Chess Championship, Indian prodigy Gukesh D. emerged as the youngest world champion in history, dethroning reigning champion Ding Liren after a critical blunder in the final game.

Gukesh creates history

• Gukesh becomes the first Indian World Chess Champion since Viswanathan Anand in 2012.
• It caps off a stunning year for Gukesh, who has also won the Candidates 2024 tournament and the Chess Olympiad gold.
• Gukesh also became the first teenager to become World Chess Champion.
  • The World Chess Championship is an event that decides the world champion in standard or classical chess, currently GM Gukesh Dommaraju.
  • Official World Chess Championships started in 1886 with players arranging the matches themselves.
  • The World Championship Match consists of 14 games. The player who scores 7.5 points or more wins the Match, and no further games are played. If the score after 14 games is equal, the winner is decided on a tiebreak.
  • FIDE has remained responsible for organizing the World Championship ever since.
  • Besides the open World Championship, there are also other tournaments designated for different categories. Those are the Women's World Championship, World Junior Championship, World Senior Championship, World Rapid Championship, and World Blitz Championship.

The Durgadi Fort controversy has resurfaced recently.

About Durgadi Fort:

• Durgadi Fort is located in Kalyan, Maharashtra, and dates back to the 16th century. It was originally built by the Adil Shahi Sultanate of Bijapur.
• The fort, spread over 70 acres, has both a mosque and a temple It was a key location for the Muslim community, especially for Eid prayers.
• Changes Under the Marathas:
  • In 1760, the Marathas took over Kalyan and renamed the fort as Durgadi Killa (fort of Goddess Durga). They built a temple to Goddess Durgadevi inside the fort, near the existing mosque.
  • After the British took control in 1818, the fort became less significant as a place of worship, and the Durgadevi temple stopped being used by the public after 1876 when its idol was stolen.
• The Dispute Over the Fort:
  • 1960s: Tensions between the Hindu and Muslim communities began over the fort’s control. The Muslim community claimed to have been offering Eid prayers there for centuries, while Hindus wanted to worship and assert control over the site as well.
  • 1966: The Maharashtra government tried to take control of the land, planning to turn part of it into a public park. This caused protests from the Muslim community. The government allowed Muslims to continue Eid prayers but said that neither Hindus nor Muslims could claim full control over the land.
  • 2023: After nearly 50 years of legal battles, a Kalyan civil court ruled in favor of the Maharashtra government, affirming that the government owned the disputed land and rejecting the Muslim community's claim.
    • The court said that the Muslim community’s claim was barred by the statute of limitations, as the dispute had started in 1968, and the Muslim petition was filed in 1976—after the legal deadline for challenging the ownership had passed.
    • However, the court did not rule on the historical claims about the religious significance of the structures in the fort. It only ruled that the land belonged to the Maharashtra government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held high-level talks to discuss the implementation of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEEC), a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing regional connectivity and prosperity.

About IMEC

• During the G20 summit in New Delhi in September, world leaders unveiled plans for a India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). 
• Need: Geopolitical and geoeconomic considerations underpin the rationale for the IMEC.
• The corridor aims to provide a reliable and cost-effective ship-to-rail transit network connecting Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, enhancing economic development through improved connectivity and integration.
• Key Participants: India, Saudi Arabia, UAE, France, Germany, Italy, USA, and the European Union are the key member nations involved in the project.
• Project Components:
  • The corridor will include a railway route to create a cross-border ship-to-rail transit network, supplementing existing maritime and road transport routes.
  • This will allow the movement of goods and services between India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, and Europe.
  • Along the railway track, a clean hydrogen export cable will also be laid.
• Structure of the Corridor: The project consists of two separate corridors:
  • Eastern Corridor: Connecting India to the Arabian Gulf.
  • Northern Corridor: Connecting the Arabian Gulf to Europe.
• Key Functions: The corridor aims to:
  • Safeguard regional supply chains.
  • Boost trade accessibility across these regions.
  • Promote environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations.
  • Increase efficiency, reduce costs, create jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• This initiative is part of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII), a West-led project aimed at funding infrastructure projects globally, with a focus on economic integration, trade growth, and sustainability across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

The Paris Agreement, adopted on December 12, 2015, was intended to limit global warming and prevent the worst impacts of climate change by keeping the increase in global average temperatures well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. However, nine years later, the agreement is facing increasing criticism and challenges, as global emissions continue to rise, and climate impacts worsen.

Key Failures and Concerns:

• Rising Emissions: From 2015 to 2024, global CO2 emissions increased by 8%, from 49 billion tonnes to 53 billion tonnes Despite the Paris Agreement's goals, emissions have continued to rise, undermining efforts to meet the temperature targets.
• Temperature Increase: Global temperatures have already increased by 45°C above pre-industrial levels.
  • 2024 is expected to be the first year that breaches the 5°C threshold, moving the world further away from the Paris Agreement's goal.
• Weak Commitment and Implementation: Unlike the Kyoto Protocol (1997), which assigned specific emissions reduction targets to developed countries, the Paris Agreement allowed countries to set nationally determined contributions (NDCs), meaning they could choose their own targets. This has led to insufficient action from many countries, especially developed nations.
• Finance Shortcomings: Under the Paris Agreement, developed countries are supposed to provide financial assistance to developing countries for climate action, committing to raise $100 billion annually by 2020.
  • However, this target has not been met, and in 2023, developed nations agreed to increase this amount to $300 billion annually by 2035, a far cry from the trillions developing countries need to fight climate change effectively.

On January 1, 2025, Pakistan will join the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as an elected non-permanent member for a two-year term. This marks Pakistan’s eighth term in the UNSC and is significant for several reasons, particularly the diplomatic dynamics involving India, Pakistan’s regional priorities, and its influence within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Pakistan’s Role in UNSC and Regional Focus

• OIC Influence: Half of the elected UNSC members in 2025-26 will be from OIC countries, including Pakistan, which will likely align with other OIC nations on key issues like Gaza and Afghanistan.
• Afghanistan Relations: Pakistan is expected to use its UNSC tenure to rehabilitate its relations with the Taliban, leveraging support from China and Russia.
• India-Pakistan Relations: Pakistan's tenure will likely focus on anti-India initiatives, particularly related to Jammu and Kashmir and its attempts to malign India on the international stage.

Pakistan’s Diplomatic Moves in UNSC

• Kashmir Agenda: Pakistan is expected to push for discussions on Jammu and Kashmir, despite lack of enthusiasm from the P-5 countries, with China’s support for Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir.
• Islamophobia in Terrorism Debates: Pakistan has attempted to introduce Islamophobia as a justification for terrorism in UNSC deliberations, seeking support from OIC nations, which India has successfully resisted in the past.
• Terrorism Accusations Against India: Pakistan will likely continue presenting dossiers and claims of Indian terrorism, despite the UNSC’s rejection of its earlier attempts to list Indian nationals as terrorists.

Multilateral Cooperation Challenges

• Peacekeeping and Development: Pakistan, like India, contributes to UN peacekeeping, but its focus will likely remain on issues related to India, undermining potential multilateral cooperation on shared global challenges.
• Indus Waters Treaty: Pakistan raised the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty in the UNSC, which is a bilateral matter, showcasing its misuse of the UNSC platform for domestic political purposes.
• UN Multilateralism: Pakistan’s internal challenges, such as economic instability and political turmoil, will likely hinder its capacity to foster multilateral cooperation and address global issues effectively during its term.

Practice Question:

Q. Assess the implications of Pakistan’s election to the UN Security Council for India’s diplomatic strategy. Discuss the potential challenges India may face in the UNSC, particularly regarding Kashmir, terrorism, and multilateral cooperation."

The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act (CAA) of 1992 aimed to establish Urban Local Governments (ULGs) as key units of decentralized governance in India. However, over 30 years later, its objectives remain unfulfilled, and issues regarding the timely conduct of elections to ULGs have become more prominent. The ongoing discussions on simultaneous elections (One Nation One Election) provide an opportunity to address these issues, particularly the delays and challenges surrounding ULG elections.

Challenges in Conducting Timely Elections to ULGs

• Delays in Elections: Despite the constitutional mandate to hold municipal elections every five years, over 60% of ULGs in India experience delays, some lasting several years. This violates the decentralization principle and reduces the effectiveness of local governance.
• Operationalisation Delays: Even when ULG elections are conducted, the formation of councils is delayed for months, with some states taking an average of 11 months to operationalize the elected councils, rendering elected representatives powerless.
• Impact on Accountability: Delays in conducting ULG elections and operationalizing councils undermine the accountability of elected local bodies, leaving citizens without proper representation or avenues for addressing their grievances.

Disempowerment of State Election Commissions (SECs)

• Lack of Empowerment: The CAG report highlights that only 4 out of 15 states have empowered their SECs to conduct ward delimitation, a crucial task for organizing elections.
• Delays due to Ward Delimitation and Reservations: SECs face delays in conducting elections due to political and judicial interference in the processes of ward delimitation and reservation of seats, which are crucial for fair and democratic elections.
• Need for Independent Authority: To ensure the smooth conduct of elections, it is essential that ward delimitation and reservation functions are carried out by independent bodies like the SECs rather than being subject to political influence.

Reforms and the Way Forward for ULG Elections

• High Level Committee (HLC) Recommendations: The HLC's recommendation to synchronize ULG elections with the Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections within 100 days is a step forward in addressing the delay issues.
• Need for Comprehensive Reforms: A comprehensive reform plan is needed to address the core issues hindering ULG elections, including the delay in conducting elections, operationalising elected bodies, and empowering the SECs.
• Government’s Commitment to Reform: The Government of India has proposed setting up an implementation group to prepare an action plan for these reforms, with consultations planned across the country to ensure that local democracy is strengthened.

Practice Question:

Q. Evaluate the challenges faced in the timely conduct of elections to Urban Local Governments (ULGs) in India. Discuss the potential reforms necessary to strengthen local democracy and improve the functioning of ULGs.

India's consumer price inflation has moderated slightly, dropping from a 14-month high of 6.2% in October to 5.5% in November 2024. This decline is largely attributed to a reduction in food price inflation, although food inflation remains elevated. The news also highlights the growing economic pressures, particularly on rural consumers, and the ongoing discussions about monetary policy adjustments by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Moderation in Inflation Due to Food Price Cooling

• Food Price Trends: The overall food inflation showed some respite, with significant cooling in the prices of vegetables (down from 42.2% to 30%) and food grains rising at the slowest pace in 28 months.
• Pulses and Oil Prices: Pulses saw a cooling down to just over 5% after a prolonged period of high inflation, but edible oil prices continued to rise sharply by 13.3%, driven by global price increases and domestic policy changes.
• Rural Inflation Impact: Despite some relief in certain food items, rural consumers faced nearly 6% inflation, with higher food prices affecting their purchasing power more severely than urban consumers.

Inflation's Spillover Effects on Manufacturing and Services

• Cost Pressures on Businesses: Manufacturing and services sectors reported heightened cost pressures, compelling firms to raise prices at the highest pace in 12 years.
• Government's Response to Inflation: While the government maintains that food price volatility should not dictate monetary policy, it faces increasing concerns about the broader impact of inflation on the economy.
• Impact on RBI's Inflation Forecast: The RBI raised its inflation forecast for the October-December period from 4.8% to 5.7%, expecting inflation to remain above its target of 4% until mid-2025.

Debate on Interest Rate Cuts and Fiscal Measures

• Interest Rate Cut Expectations: There are increasing expectations of an interest rate cut in February's RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, though the latest data suggests that inflation might cool further and growth could pick up slightly, reducing the urgency for such a move.
• Fiscal Prudence and Growth Support: The government may hope that its Budget for 2025-26, which will be presented before the February MPC meeting, will demonstrate fiscal discipline and propose measures to alleviate living costs, bolstering the case for rate cuts.
• Monetary Policy Deliberations: Despite pressures for a rate cut, the RBI's cautious stance indicates that any decision will be balanced with concerns about economic growth and inflation trends, which are expected to moderate in the coming months.

Practice Question:

Q. Assess the current state of inflation in India and its impact on different sectors of the economy. How should the Reserve Bank of India approach monetary policy adjustments in light of these trends?