GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

With a six-position jump from 43rd to 37th rank on the annual World Competitiveness Index (WCI), India has witnessed the sharpest rise among the Asian economies.

• Issued by: It is compiled by the Institute for Management Development (IMD).
  • WCI was first published in 1989 by the institute.
  • It provides extensive coverage of 63 economies.
• Factors taken into consideration: It measures the prosperity and competitiveness of countries by examining four factors:
  • Economic performance
  • Government efficiency
  • Business efficiency
  • Infrastructure
• Top Global performers in the Index:
  • Denmark has moved to the top of the list.
  • Switzerland slipped from the top ranking to the second position.
  • Singapore regained the third spot from fifth last time.
  • Others in the top 10 include Sweden at the fourth position, followed by Hong Kong SAR (5th), the Netherlands (6th), Taiwan (7th), Finland (8th), Norway (9th) and the USA (10th).
• Top among the Asian countries:
  • The top-performing Asian economies are Singapore (3rd), Hong Kong (5th), Taiwan (7th), China (17th) and Australia (19th).
  • China also improved its business efficiency, more specifically productivity, and increased its real GDP growth rate compared to the last year.

India’s Performance

As 2022 witnessed significant improvement in the competitiveness of the Indian economy due to the improvements in following categories;

• Gains in economic performance from 37th to 28th.
• Growth in Domestic economy rise from 30th to 9^th
• The labour market (a key sub-factor in the business efficiency parameter), moved up from 15th to 6^th
• Management practices and business attitudes and values also made major leaps.
• India appears to have restored the trust of the business community. Its re-regulation of a number of sectors, including drones, space and geo-spatial mapping, also likely played a role in the country's stellar performance in the 2022.
• India is also a driving force in the global movement to fight climate change and its pledge of net-zero by 2070 at the COP26 summit.

Significance

• The top five attractive factors of India's economy for business are - a skilled workforce, cost competitiveness, dynamism of the economy, high educational level and open and positive attitudes.

Challenges for India

• The challenges that India faces includes;
  • Managing trade disruptions and energy security,
  • Maintaining high GDP growth post the pandemic,
  • Skill development and employment generation,
  • Asset monetisation and resource mobilisation for infrastructure development.
• The IMD also found that inflationary pressures are affecting the competitiveness of national economies along with COVID-19, and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Impacts on Global order

• The three most important trends found to be impacting businesses in 2022 are:
  • Inflationary pressures (50%),
  • Geopolitical conflicts (49%),
  • Supply chain bottlenecks (48%) and
  • COVID being the fourth (43%).

The debate surrounding the comments regarding religious figures recently has broken a debate for laws protecting ‘Right to freedom of speech and expression’ without hurting any religious sentiments in the country.

• This has brought attention into different laws against Hate speeches and its Origin.

• India does not have a formal legal framework for dealing with hate speech.
• However, a cluster of provisions, loosely termed hate speech laws, are invoked. These are primarily laws to deal with offences against religions.
• Colonial origins of the hate speech provisions are often criticised for the assumption that Indians were susceptible to religious excitement.
• First Indian Law Commission, headed by T B Macaulay who drafted the Indian Penal Code, had written to the Governor General of India in 1835 that “there is perhaps no country in which the Government has so much to apprehend from religious excitement among the people.
• Section 295A defines and prescribes a punishment for deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.
• Section 295A was brought in 1927.

Different Provisions against Hate Speech

• Under Indian Penal Code (IPC):
  • Section 295A is one of the key provisions in the IPC chapter to penalise religious offences.
• The chapter includes offences to penalise damage or defilement of a place of worship with intent to insult the religion (Section 295);
• Trespassing in a place of sepulture (Section 297);
• Uttering, words, etc, with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person (Section 298); and
• Disturbing a religious assembly (Section 296).
• Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code, which penalises promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.
• Section 505 of the IPC that punishes statements conducing to public mischief.
• In Information Technology Act: In cases where such speech is online, Section 66A of the Information Technology Act that punishes sending offensive messages through communication services is added.
• However, the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A as unconstitutional on the ground that the provision was “vague” and a “violation of free speech”.

Supreme Court’s Interpretations

• Rangila Rasool case:
  • Rangila Rasool was a tract brought out by a Hindu publisher — that had made disparaging remarks about the Prophet’s private life.
  • Cases against the first pamphlet, filed under Section 153A, were dismissed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which examined the question whether targeting religious figures is different from targeting religions.
  • This debate in interpretation prompted the colonial government to enact Section 295A with a wider scope to address these issues.
• Ramji Lal Modi v State of Uttar Pradesh:
  • The constitutionality of Section 295A was challenged.
  • The Supreme Court upheld the law on the grounds that it was brought in to preserve “public order”.
  • Public order is an exemption to the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression and the right to religion recognised by the Constitution.
• Ramlal Puri v State of Madhya Pradesh:
  • In 1973, the Supreme Court said the test to be applied is whether the speech in question offends the “ordinary man of common sense” and not the “hypersensitive man”.
  • However, these determinations are made by the court and the distinction can often be vague and vary from one judge to the other.
• Baragur Ramachandrappa v State of Karnataka:
  • A 2007 decision of the Supreme Court, “a pragmatic approach” was invoked in interpreting Section 295A.
  • The state government had issued a notification banning Dharmakaarana, a Kannada novel on the ground that it was hate speech, invoking a gamut of provisions including Section 295A.

Concerns associated

• Misuse of Laws: Lower conviction rates for these provisions indicate that the process where a police officer can arrest without a warrant is often the punishment.
• Violation of free speech: Critics have pointed out that these laws are intended for the state to step in and restore “public order” rather than protect free speech.
• Vague terms in the law: The broad, vague terms in the laws are often invoked in its misuse.
• Old-aged Laws: Section 295A lie in the communally charged atmosphere of North India in the 1920s.

A public interest litigation before the Supreme Court seeks changes in two decades-old laws that restrict the sale of tribal land to non-tribals.

• The petitioner urged that specially the tribals of Jharkhand need reforms in the laws for development in the area to begin.

• There are basically two major laws in the region namely
  • The Chota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act, promulgated in British India in 1908
  • The Santhal Parganas Tenancy (Supplementary provisions) Act, promulgated in newly independent India.

Purpose of the Acts

• The purpose of both these Acts was to prevent tribal land from being grabbed by non-tribals.
• Both Acts stipulate that no tribal land should be used for any commercial purposes.
• They add that tribals can sell land only to other tribals.
• Farmers of the same tribe can buy and sell land among themselves but for that, they have to take permission from the district collector.
• Also, land cannot be given on lease for more than six years under the Act.
• No commercial work can be done on the leased land.

Exception

• But, these Acts are applicable in all the districts of Jharkhand except the Santhal Parganas division.
  • That division consists of six north-eastern districts namely Sahibganj, Godda, Pakur, Deoghar, Dumka and Jamtara.

How this exclusion became a challenge?

• Exploitation and deprivation: The exclusion of division made exploitation of tribals in the region and even they are deprived of other governmental facilities.
• Underdevelopment and poverty: Government schemes for development works cannot be implemented in these areas, due to which these areas remain underdeveloped and poor.
• No right to sell: Due to the acts for tribals, they are not being able to mortgage their land since banks do not give loans for these lands as collateral owing to the provisions of the laws.
• Illegal sale: At the same time, more than 70 per cent of tribal land is being bought and sold illegally despite the Acts.

Constitutional provisions

• Part X of the Constitution contains special provisions relating to administration of Scheduled Areas and tribal areas.
• Article 244 (1) of the Constitution provide that the Governor may make regulations for the peace and good government of any area in a State which is for the time being a Scheduled Area.
  • It also prohibits or restricts the transfer of land by or among members of the Scheduled Tribes in such area, regulates the allotment of land to members of the Scheduled Tribes in such area; regulate the carrying on of business as money-lender by persons who lend money to members of the Scheduled Tribes in such area.
• The Panchayats (extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996
  • It provides for the extension of part IX of the Constitution relating to Panchayat to the Scheduled areas.
  • The Act, inter-alia, provides that the Gram Sabha or Panchayats at the appropriate shall be consulted before making the acquisition of land in the scheduled areas for development projects and before resettling or rehabilitating persons affected by such projects in scheduled areas.
• The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006:
  • Seeks to recognize and vest the forest rights and occupation in forest land in forest dwelling STs and OTFDs who have been residing in forests for generations. The responsibility for implementation of the Act lies with the States/UTs.
• Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013
  • In order to ensure fair compensation and timely and proper rehabilitation of displaced tribal people across the country, adequate provisions has been made under the act.
  • The Act also lays down procedure and manner of rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) wherein R&R is an integral part of the land acquisition plan itself. 

Suggestive measures

• Amendments in the act governing forest and tribal rights in the region will help.
• Control in Corruption and Strict administrative authorities can save tribal rights and their exploitation.
• Involvement of Civil societies in educating tribals.
  

In a bid to increase the ‘green space’, a whopping 11 lakh seeds are set to be sown on the hillocks abutting the Rayalacheruvu tank, 20 km south of Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

• This initiative is with the aim of planting trees in the Dry areas in the region.

Key-highlights of the plan

• 11 lakh seed balls are to be sprayed with the help of drones over the hillocks.
• Need of the Initiative: The region near Tirupati has mostly shrub based plants which are prone to forest fires and easily dry-up during summers.
• Varieties: This includes trees such as Neem, pongamia, custard apple, fig, teak, tamarind, gooseberry, palash, wood apple etc.

What is a Seed ball?

• Seed ball is a seed wrapped in clay with some nutrients like coco peat, or moss.
• It is a man-made method to spread colonies of trees and plants by broadcasting seeds after giving them protection of clay and an additional dose of nutrients.
• In humid and conducive conditions, the seed balls sprout. They are dried before they are sprinkled. They are also known as seed bombs. 
• Seed bombing is a farming technique of introducing vegetation to a land by throwing or dropping the seed balls.
  

Benefits of Seed Ball:

• Increase green space: They can work well anywhere in any season but the most productive season is the rainy season. Seed balls have an 80 per cent growth success rate compared to regular seedlings.
• Effective for inaccessible places: They can be thrown in inaccessible places like hills, steep slopes, barren lands, watersheds, remote areas etc,. and help in reclaiming derelict ground.
• Safe method: They remain healthy for years and are protected from wind, birds, squirrels and other critters.
• Sustainable method: Seed-balls are affordable, sustainable and an effective conservation tool for establishing vegetation in difficult areas.
• Increase Tourism: It will attract animal and bird watchers in the region and increase Tourism sector also.
• Help to curb climate change: Over-heating of the planet needs more such initiatives in other regions which lacks in canopy and are still dry.
• Provide ground for research and development: It can provide a ground to researchers of species and biodiversity and may help to know behaviour of endemic species of the region.

A recent study had showed how cigarette smokers kicked the habit spontaneously after they suffered a brain stroke or injury.

• It shows effects to map regions in the brain that control addiction of any kind. 

• Nicotine is an alkaloid that is found in certain plants, such as the Nicotiana tabacum plant that is used to produce tobacco products.
• Nicotine dependence is a chronic, relapsing disease defined as a compulsive craving to use the drug, despite social consequences, loss of control over drug intake, and emergence of withdrawal symptoms.
• Tolerance is another component of drug dependence.
• The most commonly used tobacco product is cigarettes, but all forms of tobacco use can cause dependence.
• Nicotine dependence is a serious public health problem because it leads to continued tobacco use and is one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide, causing more than 8 million deaths per year.

How Brain Networks are linked with Nicotine dependence?

• Repeated exposure to nicotine can cause an increase in the number of nicotinic receptors, which is believed to be a result of receptor desensitization and subsequent receptor upregulation.
• This upregulation or increase in the number of nicotinic receptors significantly alters the functioning of the brain reward system.
• When these receptors are not occupied by nicotine, they are believed to produce withdrawal symptoms.
• These symptoms can include cravings for nicotine, anger, irritability, anxiety, depression, impatience, trouble sleeping, restlessness, hunger, weight gain, and difficulty concentrating.
• Neuroplasticity within the brain's reward system occurs as a result of long-term nicotine use, leading to nicotine dependence.
• There are genetic risk factors for developing dependence also.

What is Neuroplasticity?

• Neuroplasticity, also known as neural plasticity, or brain plasticity, is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization.
• It is when the brain is rewired to function in some way that differs from how it previously functioned.
• These changes range from individual neuron pathways making new connections, to systematic adjustments like cortical remapping.
• Examples of neuroplasticity include circuit and network changes that result from learning a new ability, environmental influences, practice, and psychological stress.

Concern with Nicotine

• Nicotine dependence results in substantial mortality, morbidity, and socio-economic impacts.