Daily Current Affairs

Lothal set to get National Maritime Heritage Complex (GS Paper 1, Culture)

Why in news?

• World’s oldest dockyard, Lothal, is all set to get heritage complex as Prime Minister  reviewed the construction of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) site via video conferencing.
• Lothal was not only a major trading centre of the Indus Valley Civilisation, but was also a symbol of maritime power and prosperity of India. With NMHC, Lothal will act as a centre for learning and understanding India's maritime history.

 

Where is Lothal situated?

• It is one of the southernmost sites of the Indus Valley Civilisation, situated in the Bhal region in the present-day Gujarat.
• Said to be built in 2,200 BC, this port city was a thriving trade centre in ancient times with its trade of beads, gems and ornaments reaching West Asia and Africa.
• The word ‘Lothal’ is a combination of Loth and thal, meaning the mound of the dead in Gujarati.
• The port city was discovered after a team of archaeologists led by SR Rao started the search for Harappancivilisation post 1947 in the Saurashtra region.
• According to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Lothal had the world's earliest known dock, connecting the city to an ancient course of the Sabarmati river.

 

The ongoing project:

• The National Maritime Heritage Complex commenced in March 2022 and is being developed at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore.
• The complex will have several innovative features, including the i-recreation, which will recreate Harappan architecture and lifestyle through immersive technology and four theme parks.
• It will also house the world's tallest lighthouse museum, along with 14 galleries, highlighting India’s maritime heritage starting from the Harappan time till today.

 

Significance of Lothal:

• In 2014, Lothal was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, however, its application is still pending.
• Its heritage value is comparable to many other ancient port-townsaround the world, which includes - Xel Ha (Peru), Ostia (Port of Rome) and Carthage (Port of Tunis) in Italy, Hepu in China, Canopus in Egypt, Gabel (Byblos of the Phoenicians), Jaffa in Israel, Ur in Mesopotamia, Hoi An in Vietnam.
• In the region, it can be compared with other Indus port towns of Balakot (Pakistan), Khirasa (in Gujarat’s Kutch) and Kuntasi (in Rajkot).
• According to the dossier submitted to UNESCO, the excavated site of Lothal is the only port-town of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

 

World's largest museum of Harappan culture in Rakigarhi:

• Earlier in September, Haryana Chief Minister urged the ASI to expedite the excavation in another HarappanCivilisation site, Rakhigarhi.
• The Haryana govt planned to develop the world's largest museum of Harappan culture in Rakhigarhi to showcase about 5,000-year-old Indus Valley artifacts.
• During the preliminary excavations, a cluster of seven mounds marked as RGR 1 to RGR 7 were found which together formed the largest settlements of the Harappan civilization.
• In 1963, the ASI for the first time started excavation in a village. Between 1998 and 2001, the ASI team led by AmarendraNath again started excavation.
• In 2013, 2016 and 2022, another excavation work led by V. S. Shinde, former Vice-Chancellor of Deccan University, Pune, was done.
• Fifty-six skeletons have been found in Rakhigarhi since 1998. Of these, 36 were discovered by Shinde and his team. The skeletons of two women found in the excavation of mound number 7 are about 7,000 years old.

Entities involved in trade would cease to be a charitable institution: SC

(GS Paper 2, Judiciary)

Why in news?

• Any entity or institution involved in any trade or commerce under the guise of ‘general public utility’ will cease to be a ‘charitable institution’ and therefore, cannot claim tax exemption under the Income-Tax (I-T) Act, the Supreme Court (SC) ruled recently.

Two key issues were heard by the apex court:

1. One, scope of the expression ‘general public utility’ (deals with benefit to a section of the public) for claiming tax exemption as ‘charitable institution’.
2. Two, scope of exemption to educational institutions claiming tax exemption as ‘charitable institution’.

 

‘Charitable purpose’:

• The expression ‘charitable purpose’ has been defined under certain clauses which include relief to the poor, for education and medical relief, preservation of the environment (including watersheds, forests and wildlife), preservation of monuments, and the advancement of any other object of public utility.
• Many institutions doing trade/commerce used the ‘general public utility’ clause to gain exemption for profits on such trade/commerce since the meaning is ambiguous.
• The court has now clarified if any profit or margin is earned from such an activity, it shall cease to be a charitable activity.
• This judgment could have wide-ranging ramifications since charitable institutions involved in any trade or commerce in the name of the said provision could come under its radar and would be denied the benefit of tax exemption under the I-T Act available to them.

 

Charitable Educational institutions:

• The SC held that the object of such institutions must be “wholly, solely, and exclusively” for the purpose of education.
• It has ruled that if educational institutions are making profits and run for such an expressed purpose, then the benefit under Section 10(23C) of the I-T Act will not be extended to such institutions.
• The said Section provides that the income earned by any university or educational institution existing solely for educational purposes and not for purposes of profit shall be exempt from tax.
• Where the objective of the institution appears to be profit-oriented, such institutions would not be entitled to approval under Section 10(23C) of the I-T Act.

 

The rules so far:

• Charitable institutions are not subject to any tax, provided they are involved in “charitable” work.
• One of the clauses, general public utility, defined as charitable purposes, has been in question.
• General public utility is not clearly defined in the tax laws and is open to interpretation.
• Many trusts, institutions use the clause to claim tax benefits.

 

 

Physical inactivity huge burden on economy but only 50% countries have dedicated policy

(GS Paper 2, Health)

Why in news?

• Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) released ‘Global status report on physical activity 2022’.
• Over 80 per cent adolescents and 27 per cent adults do not meet the physical activity standards set by the WHO. 
• This will lead to 500 million additional people developing non-communicable diseases from 2020-2030 and cost the global economy $27 billion annually.

Policy Gap:

• Even so, less than half the countries in the world have any national physical activity policy, showed the analysis of 194 countries by WHO.
• Less than 40 per cent of the existing national policies are in operation. 

The report suggested five ways the policy gap can be addressed: 

1. Strengthen whole-of-government ownership and political leadership
2. Integrate physical activity into relevant policies and support policy implementation with practical tools and guidance
3. Strengthen partnerships, engage communities and build capacity in people
4. Reinforce data systems, monitoring, and knowledge translation
5. Secure sustainable funding and align with national policy commitments.

 

Lifestyle diseases:

• Sedentary lifestyle of a large share of the global population has been linked to rising prevalence of heart diseases, obesity, diabetes or other non-communicable diseases. Of the 500 million new cases projected, nearly half will be attributed to hypertension and 43 per cent to depression, the authors of the report said.
• Around 75 per cent of the cases will occur in low- and middle-income countries. 
• Light exercise and even walking has proven benefits for mental and physical health, studies have shown. 
• Yet, only 30 per cent of countries have national physical activity guidelines for all age groups. 

 

Infrastructural changes:

• Citizens cannot make healthier lifestyle choices without infrastructural changes by governments such as safe walking and cycling lanes. In policy areas that could encourage active and sustainable transport, only just over 40% of countries have road design standards that make walking and cycling safer. 
• Monitoring of physical activity levels of citizens was also not up to the mark despite a mechanism in place in every country. As many as 75 per cent of countries monitor physical activity among adolescents, and less than 30 per cent monitor physical activity in children under 5 years.
• The data regarding progress on certain policy actions is missing. These include provision of public open space, provision of walking and cycling infrastructure, provision of sport and physical education in schools.  

 

Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030 (GAPPA):

• The policy gaps across the world are despite a comprehensive, evidence-based list of recommendations released by WHO five years ago. The Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030 (GAPPA) aims to cut physical activity by 15 per cent by 2030.
• The global health body outlined four areas where policy intervention should be increased: Active societies, active environments, active people and active systems. 

 

Way Forward:

• The sharp rise in non-communicable diseases will also put a strain on the health systems in every country. 
• If the current prevalence of physical inactivity doesn’t change, the world will incur treatment costs of just over $300 billion till 2030. 
• The largest economic cost is set to occur among high-income countries. This will account for 70 per cent of health-care expenditure on treating illness resulting from physical inactivity. 

A new lease of LIFE for climate action

(GS Paper 3, Environment)

Context:

• Our world today is in turmoil, facing multiple, mutually reinforcing crises. For the first time since it began over 30 years ago, the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report has warned that global human development measures have declined across most countries in the past two years.
• This comes against the backdrop of the greatest existential threat of all; the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

Crisis of Climate change:

• Nine of the warmest years on record have come in the past decade alone. 2022’s record-breaking heat waves, floods, droughts, and other extreme forms of weather have forced humans to face these increasingly devastating impacts.
• Climate change is a disruption multiplier in a disrupted world, rolling back progress across the global Sustainable Development Goals.
• The Paris Agreement and the COP26 summit in Glasgow represent urgent, collective steps countries are taking to limit emissions. Yet, the window for action is closing fast. Current Commitments will not keep warming below the 1.5°C target that gives the best chance of averting catastrophe.

 

People’s participation:

• While governments and industry carry the lion’s share of responsibility for responding to the crisis, consumers play a large role in driving unsustainable production methods.
• LIFE, or Lifestyle for Environment, announced by Prime Minister at COP26 in November 2021, brings a fresh and much-needed perspective.

 

How LIFE  will work?

• Rather than framing climate change as a ‘larger than life’ challenge, LIFE recognises that small individual actions can tip the balance in the planet’s favour. But people need guiding frameworks, information sharing and the scale of a global movement.
• Mindful choices cultivated by LIFE animate this spirit;  actions such as saving energy at home; cycling and using public transport instead of driving; eating more plant-based foods and wasting less; and leveraging our position as customers and employees to demand climate-friendly choices.
• Many of the goals of LIFE can be achieved by deploying ‘nudges’, gentle persuasion techniques to encourage positive behaviour.
• The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) employs proven nudging techniques such as discouraging food waste by offering smaller plates in cafeterias; encouraging recycling by making bin lids eye-catching; and encouraging cycling by creating cycle paths.
• According to the UNEP, more than two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to household consumption and lifestyles — the urgent cuts to global emissions we need can only be achieved through widespread adoption of greener consumption habits.
• And while LIFE is a global vision, India with over 1.3 billion people is an excellent place to start.

 

Pro Planet People:

• Indian PM together with UN Secretary-General AntónioGuterres introduced the LIFE from the Statue of Unityin Gujarat.
• The Prime Minister and Secretary-General are calling on all consumers across the world to become “Pro Planet People” by 2027, adopting simple lifestyle changes that can collectively lead to transformational change.
• India has a proven track record translating the aspirations of national missions into whole-of-society efforts. The success of the Swachh Bharat Mission, which mobilised individuals and communities across socio-economic strata to become drivers of collective good health and sanitation is an example.

 

India’s track record:

• The LIFE mission also recognises that accountability is relative to contribution.
• Emissions across the poorest half of the world’s population combined still fall short of even 1% of the wealthiest.
• Those who consume the least, often the most vulnerable and marginalised members of society, will not be asked to consume less, but rather supported to participate in the green economy. Each ‘Pro Planet’ stakeholder is nudged according to differentiated approaches.

 

Onus on the developed world:

• LIFE resonates with the global climate justice, India has rightfully called for highlighting enhanced obligations those in developed countries bear, to support climate adaptation and mitigation for those most affected, yet least responsible.
• The average carbon footprint of a person in a high income country is more than 80 times higher than that of a person in a least developed country. It is common sense and only fair to call on the developed world to shoulder a proportionate share of this transition.

Way Forward:

• In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “the world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.”And there has never been a better time for India’s leadership on climate action, at home and on the international stage.
• From the Panchamrit targets announced by Indian PM at COP26, to support for the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and South-South cooperation platforms, from the world’s fifth largest economy with vibrant businesses making enormous investments in renewables and electric mobility, to a world class public digital tech stack, India brings scale, expertise and legitimacy; a well-positioned founding UN Member State bridging the G20 and G77.