GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

China has recently approved the construction of a massive hydropower project on the Brahmaputra River (known as the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet). This dam, set to be the world's largest infrastructure project, is expected to cost around $137 billion, making it bigger than any other global project, including China's own Three Gorges Dam. The project has been approved as part of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), with further plans outlined until 2035.

Key Details of the Dam:

• Location: The dam will be built in the Tibetan region, in a gorge where the Brahmaputra River makes a significant turn before flowing into India’s Arunachal Pradesh and later Bangladesh.
• Investment: The dam will cost over 1 trillion yuan (approx. $137 billion), and it will be the largest infrastructure project globally.
• Capacity: The dam will generate over 300 billion kWh of electricity annually, which is enough to meet the electricity needs of more than 300 million people.
• Environmental Importance: This hydropower project is part of China’s push for clean energy (hydropower, solar, and wind), aimed at addressing carbon neutrality and climate change.
• Economic and Strategic Importance:
• Energy Generation: The project will provide substantial power, contributing to China’s green energy It will also boost the economy of Tibet and improve infrastructure like electricity, water management, and transportation in the region.
• Regional Cooperation: China emphasizes that the dam will not only support national security but also enhance cooperation with South Asia by ensuring energy stability.
• Impact on Local Industries: The project is expected to generate significant income for Tibet (around $3 billion annually) and create jobs, especially in engineering, logistics, and trade

Concerns for India and Bangladesh:

• Water Control: The project could give China significant control over the Brahmaputra River, which flows through India and Bangladesh, causing fears of potential water shortages or floods, especially in times of tension.
• Flood Risk: The size of the dam could also allow China to release large amounts of water downstream, potentially flooding areas along India’s border, especially in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Data Sharing: India and China have an existing Expert Level Mechanism (ELM), under which China shares hydrological data on the Brahmaputra during the flood season. There are concerns that China might reduce or control this data sharing to its advantage.
• Geopolitics: While China presents the project as a green initiative for clean energy and regional development, the dam raises significant concerns for India and Bangladesh, primarily due to its potential impact on water security and regional geopolitics.

Challenges and Engineering Feats:

• Seismic Concerns: The region is located on a tectonic plate boundary, making it prone to earthquakes. However, China assures that the project will be built with extensive geological studies and advanced engineering to ensure safety and ecological protection.
• Engineering Complexity: The project site has a vertical drop of 2,000 meters over just 50 kilometers of river, which makes it one of the world’s most hydropower-rich areas. To harness this energy, the project involves drilling four to six 20 km tunnels through the Namcha Barwa mountain to divert half of the river’s flow.

In 2024, the Supreme Court of India delivered 12 major Constitution Bench judgments, covering a wide range of legal and constitutional matters. These cases were decided by five-, seven-, and nine-judge benches. The year stands out due to its high level of judicial activity compared to previous years.

Summary of each significant decision made in 2024:

1. Constitutionality of the Electoral Bonds Scheme (5-judge bench)

• Case: Association for Democratic Reforms v Union of India
• Key Point: The Court struck down the Electoral Bonds Scheme, which allowed anonymous political donations. The Court ruled that the right to privacy of donors cannot outweigh voters' right to information about who is funding political parties. The practice of "unlimited corporate funding" was found to promote quid pro quo relationships between donors and political parties.
  • Electoral Bonds were introduced in 2018 to allow anonymous donations to political parties.

2. Automatic Vacation of Stay Orders (5-judge bench)

• Case: High Court Bar Association Allahabad v The State of Uttar Pradesh
• Key Point: The Supreme Court clarified that stay orders do not automatically lapse after six months unless extended by a subsequent order. This decision overruled a previous judgment (2018) that imposed an automatic timeline. The Court emphasized that vacating stay orders should be a judicial discretion, not a mechanical process.

3. Legislative Immunity for Accepting Bribes (7-judge bench)

• Case: Sita Soren v Union of India
• Key Point: The Supreme Court overruled a 1998 decision that granted immunity to legislators from prosecution for bribery tied to their speeches or votes in Parliament. The Court held that bribery undermines democracy and should not be protected by immunity.
  • Legislative immunity traditionally protected legislators from prosecution for actions related to speeches or votes made in the legislature.

4. States' Power to Tax Mines and Minerals (9-judge bench)

• Case: Mineral Area Development Authority v Steel Authority of India
• Key Point: The Court ruled that royalty payments made by miners to landowners are not considered taxes under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. States are allowed to levy taxes on mines and minerals. This decision overruled a 1989 judgment and clarified that royalty is not the same as a tax.
• Royalties refer to the fees paid to the owner of a product in exchange for the right to use that product.
• Royalties are based on specific contracts or agreements between the mining leaseholder and the lessor (the person who leases the property) who can even be a private party.
• Section 9 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDRA) requires those who obtain leases to conduct mining activities to “pay royalty in respect of any mineral removed” to the individual or corporation who leased the land to them.
• Under the State List, states are given the exclusive power to make laws relating to “Taxes on mineral rights subject to any limitations imposed by Parliament by law relating to mineral development” (Entry 50).

5. Validity of Sub-Classification Within Reserved Categories (7-judge bench)

• Case: State of Punjab v Davinder Singh
• Key Point: The Court upheld the power of states to create sub-classifications within the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) categories. This judgment stated that sub-classification was valid as it does not alter the Presidential List of SCs and STs. However, one judge dissented, arguing that it violated Article 14 (Right to Equality).

6. Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (5-judge bench)

• Case: In re: Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955
• Key Point: The Court upheld Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, which grants citizenship to migrants who entered Assam from Bangladesh before March 1971. The Court ruled that the law did not alter Assam’s culture, but a judge dissented, arguing that the provision had become unconstitutional over time due to delayed implementation.
  • Section 6A of the Citizenship Act grants Indian citizenship to those who migrated from Bangladesh to Assam before March 1971.

7. States' Power to Regulate Industrial Alcohol (9-judge bench)

• Case: State of Uttar Pradesh v Lalta Prasad Vaish
• Key Point: The Court upheld that state governments can regulate industrial alcohol under Entry 8 of the State List, meaning they have jurisdiction over industrial alcohol, not just potable liquor. This decision overturned a 1989 ruling that limited intoxicating liquor to alcoholic beverages for consumption.

8. Nature of Private Property (9-judge bench)

• Case: Property Owners Association v State of Maharashtra
• Key Point: The Court ruled that not all privately owned property qualifies as a material resource of the community under Article 39(b). It upheld that private property cannot be considered a community resource unless it serves a larger public good. One judge dissented, arguing that all private property is a material resource of the community.

9. Validity of Light Motor Vehicle Licence to Drive Transport Vehicles (5-judge bench)

• Case: Bajaj Allianz General Insurance v Rambha Devi
• Key Point: The Court ruled that a Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) licence allows the holder to drive transport vehicles weighing less than 7500 kg, without requiring a separate licence. However, a separate licence is required for vehicles like e-rickshaws or those carrying hazardous goods.

10. Altering Rules for Appointment to Public Posts (5-judge bench)

• Case: Tej Prakash Pathak v Rajasthan High Court
• Key Point: The Court ruled that public sector employers cannot alter recruitment rules after the process has begun. This was in response to a case where the Rajasthan High Court introduced a cut-off after the recruitment process had started. The Court emphasized that recruitment processes must adhere to established rules and constitutional principles.

11. Aligarh Muslim University’s Minority Status (7-judge bench)

• Case: Aligarh Muslim University v Naresh Agarwal
• Key Point: The Supreme Court overruled a 1967 judgment and granted minority status to Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). The Court also laid down new criteria to determine what constitutes a minority institution under Article 30 of the Constitution. This marks a significant shift in recognizing institutions based on their establishment by a minority community.
• Minority Institutions: According to Section 2(g) of the National Commission for Minority Education Institution Act, a minority institution means a college or institution (other than a university) established or maintained by a person or group of person from amongst the minority.
• Constitutional provisions: The Constitution provides for the cultural and educational rights of the minorities under Article 29 and 30.
  • Article 29 is general protection to the minorities to conserve their language etc. It protects the rights only of the Indian citizens.
  • Article 30 deals explicitly with the rights of the minorities to establish institutions of their choice.

12. Appointment of Arbitrators by Ineligible Persons (5-judge bench)

• Case: Central Organisation for Railway Electrification v ECL-SPIC-SMO-MCML (JV)
• Key Point: The Court ruled that arbitration clauses providing for unilateral appointments to the arbitral tribunal are invalid. The Court emphasized that all parties in an arbitration process must be treated equally, and unilateral appointments violate Article 14 (Right to Equality). However, some judges dissented, saying that arbitration laws should be governed by the Arbitration Act, not constitutional principles.

The Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2023-24 has been recently released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

What is the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES)?

• The Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) is conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
• The survey collects data on what households in India spend on goods and services.
• This data helps in understanding trends in economic well-being, updating the Consumer Price Index (CPI), and measuring poverty, inequality, and social exclusion.
• The survey also helps update the basket of goods and services used for calculating the CPI and tracks changes in the standard of living.
• HCES 2023-24: Ongoing from August 2023 to July 2024. The summary results for this year have been released in the form of a factsheet.

Key Findings of HCES: 2023-24

Average Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE)

• Without imputed values for free items:
  • Rural MPCE: Rs 4,122
  • Urban MPCE: Rs 6,996
• With imputed values for free items (like government benefits):
  • Rural MPCE: Rs 4,247
  • Urban MPCE: Rs 7,078

Comparison with Last Year (2022-23)

• Nominal increase in MPCE (compared to 2022-23):
  • Rural areas: +9%
  • Urban areas: +8%
• Rural-Urban Gap:
  • The gap in MPCE has narrowed:
    • In 2022-23: 84% higher in urban areas
    • In 2023-24: 70% higher in urban areas
  • This means that rural consumption is growing at a faster pace.

 Increase in Consumption for Bottom 5-10%

• The bottom 5-10% of the population (ranked by consumption) has seen the highest increase in MPCE, both in rural and urban areas, indicating more inclusive growth.

Key Expenditure Patterns

 Rural vs Urban Expenditure

• Rural Areas:
  • Non-food items make up 53% of rural MPCE.
  • Major non-food expenditures include:
    • Conveyance (e.g., transport costs)
    • Clothing, bedding, and footwear
    • Miscellaneous goods & entertainment
    • Durable goods (e.g., vehicles, household appliances)
  • Urban Areas:
    • Non-food items make up 60% of urban MPCE.
    • Major non-food expenditures in urban areas are similar to rural areas but include rent (7% share in urban areas).

Food Expenditures

• Major food items contributing to household spending:
  • Beverages, refreshments, and processed foods
  • Milk & milk products
  • Vegetables

Inequality in Consumption

• Consumption Inequality: The survey measures how evenly or unevenly consumption is distributed across different households using the Gini coefficient.
  • Rural Areas: The Gini coefficient dropped from 266 in 2022-23 to 0.237 in 2023-24, indicating a decline in inequality.
  • Urban Areas: The Gini coefficient dropped from 314 in 2022-23 to 0.284 in 2023-24, also showing reduced inequality.

Fractile Analysis of MPCE

• MPCE across different income groups: The survey also divides households into fractiles (income groups) to show how different income groups are doing.
  • Bottom 5%:
    • Rural: Rs 1,677
    • Urban:Rs 2,376
  • Top 5%:
    • Rural: Rs 10,137
    • Urban: Rs 20,310
  • Growth in MPCE (from 2022-23 to 2023-24):
    • Bottom 5% rural: Increase of 22%
    • Bottom 5% urban: Increase of 19%

State-wise Variation

• Top States in MPCE:
  • Rural MPCE: Highest in Sikkim (Rs 9,377) and lowest in Chhattisgarh (Rs 2,739).
  • Urban MPCE: Highest in Sikkim (Rs 13,927) and lowest in Chhattisgarh (Rs 4,927).
• Top UTs in MPCE:
  • Chandigarh has the highest MPCE in both rural (Rs 8,857) and urban (Rs 13,425) areas.
  • Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu have the lowest MPCE in rural areas (Rs 4,311), while Jammu & Kashmir has the lowest in urban areas (Rs 6,327).

Key Observations

• Non-food Items Dominate Expenditure: Both in rural and urban India, non-food items contribute more to total consumption, with categories like conveyance, clothing, durable goods, and entertainment being major contributors.
• Consumption Patterns: In both rural and urban India, beverages and processed foods contribute the most to food-related expenditure.
• Improvement in Inequality: There is a clear decline in income inequality between 2022-23 and 2023-24, both in rural and urban areas.

The Indian rupee dropped to a record low of 85.80 per US dollar. It later closed at 85.52. This is the fourth consecutive day of decline for the rupee.

Key Reasons for the Fall:

• Dollar Strength: The US dollar has been strengthening globally, partly due to higher US Treasury yields (around 50% for 10-year bonds), making the dollar more attractive to investors.
• Dollar Demand from Importers: Indian importers need more dollars to pay for goods and services at the month-end, increasing demand for the greenback.
• Capital Outflows: Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 2,376 crore on Thursday, leading to outflows from the Indian market, which increases the demand for dollars.
• Crude Oil Prices: While crude oil prices rose slightly, they continue to put pressure on the rupee since India imports a large amount of oil and needs more dollars for payment.

A newly discovered species of water bear (also called tardigrade) has been found to possess an extraordinary ability to survive radiation levels that are up to 1,000 times higher than what humans can endure. This microscopic organism has been named Chandrayaan-3 tardigrade in honor of India’s successful lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3.

Key Features of the Chandrayaan-3 Tardigrade:

• The Chandrayaan-3 tardigrade was named to honor India's third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3.
  • This mission marked an important achievement in India’s space exploration efforts. The name celebrates India’s contribution to space science and symbolizes the spirit of discovery and scientific innovation.
• Extreme Radiation Resistance: The Chandrayaan-3 tardigrade can endure radiation doses of 3,000 to 5,000 grays (Gy). For comparison, a dose of about 3 to 5 grays can be lethal to humans. This means the tardigrade can survive 1,000 times higher levels of radiation than humans can tolerate.
• Unique Mechanisms for Surviving Radiation: The tardigrade’s resistance to radiation is due to several biological features:
  • Betalains: These are pigments that the tardigrade produces to neutralize harmful molecules created by radiation.
  • TRID1 Protein: This special protein helps the tardigrade repair its DNA quickly, fixing any radiation-induced damage.
  • BCS1 and NDUFB8 Proteins: These proteins help the tardigrade’s cells maintain energy and protect against radiation damage.

China has launched a next-generation amphibious assault ship named Sichuan, marking an important milestone in its naval expansion. This new ship, the Type 076, strengthens China’s rapidly growing navy and aims to challenge the military power of the United States.

Key Features of the Type 076 Ship

• Size and Capacity: The Type 076 weighs over 40,000 tons, making it one of the world’s largest amphibious assault ships.
  • It has a twin-island superstructure and a full-length flight deck, allowing it to carry both aircraft and amphibious equipment.
• Electromagnetic Catapult System: The ship is equipped with an electromagnetic catapult, a technology used to launch heavier and larger aircraft. This improves the ship’s ability to launch fixed-wing aircraft, which can carry more fuel, bombs, or missiles, enhancing the range and combat capabilities of the aircraft.
  • Only one other warship in the world uses this system—the US Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier.
• Potential for UAVs (Drones): While China’s Fujian aircraft carrier is still in trials and may carry fixed-wing aircraft, there is speculation that the Type 076 might be used primarily for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), like stealth drones and reconnaissance drones. These could include advanced drones like the GJ-11 and WZ-7.
• Helicopters and Amphibious Capability: The ship is also designed to carry helicopters and amphibious landing craft, capable of deploying more than 1,000 marines for amphibious assaults.

Strategic Implications

• China is already the largest naval force in the world, and it is building more advanced warships at an impressive pace. The launch of the Type 076 ship is part of China’s broader strategy to expand its military reach and increase its global power projection, especially in comparison to the US Navy.
• Competition with the US: This launch is part of the broader military competition between the US and China. As the US Navy’s focus has shifted in recent years, with a reduced commitment to expeditionary and amphibious missions, China’s Type 076 could fill that gap in the Pacific and beyond, enhancing China’s military footprint in key regions.

Atul Kumar, a Scheduled Caste (SC) student, lost his seat at IIT Dhanbad due to an inability to pay the ?17,500 seat booking fee. This case highlighted the broader issue of systemic inequalities and financial barriers faced by students from marginalized communities, especially Dalits, in accessing higher education.

The Rise in Tuition Fees

• Increasing Fee Burden: The Indian government’s push for “Atmanirbhar Bharat” has led to significant hikes in tuition fees at prestigious institutions like IITs and IIMs, making higher education increasingly unaffordable for students from marginalized communities.
• Impact on Dalit Students: Rising fees disproportionately affect Dalit students who are already economically disadvantaged, hindering their access to top-tier education despite securing competitive ranks.
• Government's Response: While the government introduced schemes like Vidyalakshmi for scholarships, these have proven inadequate to meet the growing financial demands of students, as highlighted by continuous fee hikes.

Dropout Rates Among Marginalized Students

• High Dropout Rate: Many students from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) drop out of prestigious institutions due to financial constraints, with over 13,500 such students leaving central universities and IITs/IIMs in the last five years.
• Barriers to Sustaining Education: The inability to meet rising tuition fees results in high dropout rates, particularly in IITs, where 2,066 OBC students and 1,068 SC students dropped out in recent years.
• Impact on Aspirations: These dropouts reflect the stark reality that despite securing admission in competitive institutions, financial challenges force students from marginalized communities to abandon their educational pursuits.

Caste-Based Inequality in Education and Employment

• Caste-Based Discrimination: Dalit students continue to face caste-based discrimination in educational institutions, leading to social isolation and emotional toll, as seen in various tragic incidents.
• Lack of Representation: Data from IITs highlights that the faculty composition is skewed, with only 5% representation from SC, ST, and OBC communities, despite these groups comprising 70%-80% of the population.
• Persistent Structural Barriers: These statistics indicate deep-rooted caste-based inequalities not only in student enrollment but also in faculty and employment opportunities, exacerbating the challenges faced by Dalit students in both education and job markets.

Practice Question:

Q. Discuss the socio-economic challenges faced by students from marginalized communities in accessing and sustaining higher education in India. Analyze the impact of rising tuition fees, caste-based discrimination, and dropout rates on their educational aspirations and employment opportunities.

The Ministry of Education has introduced new norms for student assessment, mandating final examinations at the end of Class 5 and Class 8, and reintroducing the detention policy for underperforming students. This marks a reversal from earlier policies, including Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) and the 'no detention' policy, which sought to reduce pressure on students.

Policy Reforms and Reversals

• Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE): Initially introduced under the Right to Education Act, CCE aimed to reduce the focus on high-stakes exams by evaluating students’ performance throughout the academic year.
• No Detention Policy: This policy aimed to ensure that students were not detained until the completion of Class 8, focusing on a supportive learning environment rather than punitive measures.
• Reversal by NDA Government: In 2019, the government decided to remove the no detention policy and gave discretion to states. The recent change mandates final exams for Class 5 and Class 8 students, with provisions for detention if students fail.

Learning Outcomes and Practical Necessity

• Gap in Learning Outcomes: Despite the reforms, many students still graduate from primary school without foundational literacy and numeracy skills, and the gap persists through middle school. This has raised concerns about the effectiveness of earlier reforms.
• Need for Change: The government’s decision to reintroduce examinations and detention is a response to the need for improving learning outcomes and preparing a skilled workforce to benefit from the demographic dividend.
• Collective Failure of Society: The issue of poor learning outcomes is viewed as a societal failure, not just a school or family issue, and requires collective efforts for improvement, which the new policy aims to address.

Concerns and Criticisms of the New Policy

• Impact on Private and Government Schools: While private schools, especially those affiliated with CBSE, can easily implement the new policy, it could be politically contentious for state-run schools, especially in poorer areas where resources are limited.
• Regression to Single Exam Focus: Critics argue that bringing back a single final examination is a regression, as it undermines the spirit of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes continuous, holistic, and formative assessments.
• Potential for Discriminatory Practices: There are concerns that private schools might use the policy as a justification to expel underperforming students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Safeguards will be necessary to prevent such practices.

Practice Question:

Q. Evaluate the shift from the 'No Detention' policy to the reintroduction of final exams and detention in schools. How does this align or conflict with the goals of the National Education Policy 2020? Discuss the implications for marginalized students and the overall education system.

The Kerala High Court recently compared the plight of privately-held captive elephants to an “eternal Treblinka,” highlighting the stark contradiction between the reverence for elephants in India and the cruelty they face in captivity. The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) introduced new Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules in March 2024, aiming to regulate the transfer and transportation of captive elephants. However, these rules have raised concerns about potential misuse and exploitation of elephants.

Exploitation and Misuse of Captive Elephants

• Cruelty in Captivity: Elephants in captivity, particularly those used for religious ceremonies, entertainment, or tourism, often undergo abusive training and isolation. These social animals suffer physical and psychological distress, living unnatural lives.
• Commercial Exploitation: The new rules allow for the transfer and transport of elephants, but without clear non-commercial restrictions, they could be exploited as movable property. Elephants can be leased out for religious events, weddings, or even political rallies, raising concerns over their welfare.
• Regulatory Gaps: The current regulations fail to ensure that transfers of elephants across state borders are adequately justified. The lack of safeguards against commercialisation risks incentivising the capture of wild elephants and further undermining elephant conservation efforts.

Issues with the New Rules

• Microchip Misuse: Since 2002, captive elephants have been microchipped as part of Project Elephant. However, reports suggest that microchips are retrieved from deceased elephants and reused for newly captured wild elephants, legalising illicit captures.
• Lack of Post-Mortem Requirement: The rules do not mandate post-mortem reports when elephants die during transfer or transportation. This gap in monitoring weakens accountability and allows for the continuation of illegal activities within the captive elephant trade.
• Captive Breeding Cycle: The rules classify elephants born in captivity as owned property, perpetuating the cycle of commercial exploitation. There is a pressing need for humane, non-invasive birth control measures to halt the continual entry of elephants into captivity.

Legislative Shortcomings and Recommendations

• Need for Humane Alternatives: Shifting from using live elephants in temples, processions, and tourism to alternatives like electronic elephants is crucial to protect wild elephants. This transition requires the active involvement of civil society, temple committees, and the government.
• Unregulated Trade Across States: Elephants are being transported illegally across states, often under the guise of gifts or transfers. This trade undermines efforts to protect endangered species, and the new rules may facilitate such activities due to their ambiguity.
• MoEFCC’s Efforts: The MoEFCC has issued a memorandum to address illegal transfers and called for the digitisation of genetic profiles of captive elephants. However, the existing rules remain insufficient in ensuring the meaningful protection of these animals.

Practice Question:

Q. Critically examine the Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024, in the context of elephant welfare and conservation. Discuss the potential loopholes in the regulations and suggest measures to ensure the ethical treatment of captive elephants.