Whatsapp 93125-11015 For Details
India’s GDP growth accelerated to 6.1% in the January to March 2023 quarter, lifting the economy’s expansion in 2022-23 to 7.2% from 7% estimated earlier, according to the provisional national income data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Wednesday.
The Gross Value Added (GVA) in the economy is reckoned to have risen 7% in 2022-23, compared with 8.8% in 2021-22. Manufacturing GVA growth slid to just 1.3% from 11.1% a year earlier, despite a 4.5% rebound in the final quarter after six months of contraction.
Economists noted that though several sectors delivered a positive surprise, especially in the last quarter of the year, consumption remained tepid and the overall growth pattern remains uneven.
The farm and services sectors buoyed economic outcomes as just three of eight broad economic activity segments recorded higher GVA growth than in 2021-22.
The agricultural GVA grew 4%, up from 3.5% in the previous year. The financial, real estate and professional services sectors saw their GVA grow 7.1%, compared with 4.7% in 2021-22.
The GVA of the trade, hotels, transport, and communication sectors, as well as services related to broadcasting grew 14%, marginally faster than in the previous year.
The NSO also revised GDP and GVA numbers lower for the first half of last year but bumped up the third quarter figures slightly. The first quarter’s GDP growth in 2022-23 is now pegged at 13.1%, followed by a 6.2% rise in the second quarter and 4.5% growth in the third, higher than the 4.4%. In GVA terms, the final three months of 2022-23 recorded a three-quarter high of 6.5%.
States
Amend law to make necrophilia an offence, says HC (Page no. 6)
(GS Paper 2, Health)
Observing that the attendants appointed to guard the bodies in mortuaries of many government and private hospitals indulge in “sexual intercourse” on the bodies, the High Court of Karnataka has recommended that the Union government amend the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to bring necrophilia under the definition of offence of unnatural sex or introduce new provision in IPC to make necrophilia an offence.
Referring to laws in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa where necrophilia is an offence, the court said “unfortunately in India no specific legislation is enacted, including under the provisions of IPC for the purpose of upholding dignity and protecting rights and crime against the body of the woman.”
A Division Bench comprising of Justice B. Veerappa and Justice Venkatesh Naik T. passed the order while acquitting Rangaraju from the charges of raping a 25-year-old woman after murdering her.
The trial court in Tumakuru had convicted him for murder and sexually assaulting her body after murdering her. Though the High Court confirmed his conviction for murder, it set aside the conviction on the charges of rape while pointing out that the act of sexual assault on the dead body cannot be termed as rape under Sections 377 (unnatural sex) and 376 (rape) the IPC.
Unfortunately, these provisions of the IPC do not include the term ‘dead body,’ the Bench said while pointing out that necrophilia does not attract the provision of rape under Section 376 of IPC.
It is high time the Union government, in order to maintain right to dignity of the dead person/woman, amend the provisions of Section 377 of IPC to include body of any man, woman or animal or introduce a separate provision as offence against dead woman as necrophilia or sadism” as has been done in other countries to ensure dignity of the dead person including woman.
Meanwhile, the Bench directed the State government to ensure CCTV cameras are installed, mortuaries are regularly cleaned so that body is preserved in a proper manner to maintain its dignity and that staff of mortuary are sensitised to handle bodies with care in the mortuaries of all the government and private hospitals, to prevent offence against dead, particularly of women, within six months.
The postmortem room should not come under the direct line of sight of the general public/visitors for maintaining privacy; and mortuaries should have all basic infrastructure as per the Indian Public Health Standard guidelines for the district hospitals for management of the bodies, the High Court Bench said.
Editorial
A parliamentary democracy or an executive democracy (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 2, Polity and Governance)
A new Parliament building was inaugurated with both fanfare and controversy. In particular, the exclusion of the President of India — the formal head of the executive — from the inauguration, and the symbolism around the Sengol — a sceptre originally used to signify the transfer of power between Chola rulers — generated significant debate.
Submerged beneath this debate, however, is an overlooked fact: the increasing subordination of the “Parliament” in India’s “parliamentary democracy.”
Parts of this story are familiar: we know that Bills are passed with minimal or no deliberation. We know that Parliament sits for fewer and fewer days in a year, and parliamentary sessions are often adjourned. We know that presidential ordinances have become a parallel if not dominant form of law-making.
It is tempting to attribute all of this to unscrupulous or callous politicians. What that misses, however, is the understanding that the growing irrelevance of Parliament is not because of individual actions but a matter of constitutional design.
In other words, the Indian Constitution, by its very structure, facilitates and enables the marginalisation of Parliament, and the concentration of power within a dominant executive.
Consider the various safeguards that parliamentary democracies generally tend to put in place against executive dominance or abuse.
First, in order to enact its agenda, the executive must command a majority in Parliament. This opens up the space for intra-party dissent, and an important role for ruling party parliamentarians — who are not members of the cabinet — to exercise a check over the executive.
Occasionally, ruling party backbenchers can even join forces with the Opposition to defeat unpopular Bills (as was the case with various Brexit deals in the U.K. House of Commons between 2017 and 2019).
Second, the Opposition itself is granted certain rights in Parliament, and certain limited control over parliamentary proceedings, in order to publicly hold the executive to account.
Third, the interests of Parliament against the executive are meant to be represented by the Speaker, a neutral and independent authority.
And fourth, certain parliamentary democracies embrace bicameralism: i.e., a second “Upper House” that acts as a revising chamber, where interests other than those of the brute majority are represented (in our case, that is the Rajya Sabha, acting as a council of states).
Biodiversity is us and we are biodiversity (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
The observance of International Biodiversity Day (May 22) was yet another reminder of the pivotal role our natural world plays in resolving the climate change crisis, which, along with the decline of biodiversity, poses an existential threat to our future.
Biodiversity, the rich variety of life forms and their interconnections with each other and the environment, is everywhere: inside our bodies as ubiquitous microbiomes, in our backyards, villages, towns, and cities, and in remote wild places as well-organised ecological communities and ecosystems.
Maintaining and enhancing biodiversity on land and in oceans is perhaps the least expensive mechanism to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere so as to cool our land and oceans.
Mitigation of climate change is but one of the several benefits we derive from biodiversity. It also fulfils our basic needs for food, shelter, medicines, mental health, recreation, and spiritual enrichment.
To face the continuing decline in the quality of our environment, we will need to rely more and more on solutions that draw upon biodiversity or nature, also called nature-based solutions to secure our future.
It is biodiversity that will restore our degraded lands and polluted rivers and oceans and sustain our agriculture in the face of climate change. It is biodiversity that will form the basis of a new sustainable green economy.
And it is biodiversity that will inspire our children to opt for a more humane, just, and hopeful future, which accords primacy to the living world.
Despite the importance of biodiversity that ultimately sustains all human endeavours, we have been poor stewards for caring and nurturing life on earth.
Globally as well as in India, we have failed to adequately conserve and manage our precious, irreplaceable natural heritage. Biodiversity is declining worldwide, and our last remaining, largely isolated ecosystems are degrading due to changes happening around them, such as loss of species, climate stressors, and continuous human pressures.
In India, the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill will further weaken our resolve to sustain the remaining biodiversity.
Opinion
Is India missing the graphene bus? (Page no. 11)
(GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
What Artificial Intelligence (AI) is to software and quantum computing is to computers, graphene is to materials. These three emerging technologies will disrupt the existing human-machine interface in the next couple of decades.
While India is among the leaders in AI and a potential challenger in quantum computing, it needs to catch up in the area of graphene.
Graphene is the world’s thinnest, strongest, and most conductive material of both electricity and heat. It conducts electricity better than copper.
It is 200 times stronger than steel but six times lighter. It is almost perfectly transparent as it absorbs only 2% of light. It is impermeable to gases, even those as light as hydrogen and helium.
It has the potential to revolutionise electricity, conductivity, energy generation, batteries, sensors and more. Also, when added to other materials, graphene even in small quantities produces composite materials with dramatically transformed qualities. Graphene composites are used in aerospace, automotive, sports equipment and construction.
It is used for high-performance batteries and super-capacitors, touchscreens, and conductive inks. Graphene-based sensors are used for environmental monitoring, healthcare and wearable devices.
Graphene oxide membranes are used for water purification and desalination. Graphene-based masks were made during COVID.
Graphene is important for defence and aerospace as well. Its exceptional strength makes it promising material for armour and ballistic protection.
Graphene has the potential to absorb and dissipate electromagnetic waves, making it valuable for developing stealth coatings and materials that reduce radar signatures and electromagnetic interference.
Graphene is highly sensitive to environmental changes, which makes it an excellent candidate for sensing chemical and biological agents, explosives, radiation, and other hazardous substances.
Besides, graphene-based materials can also protect us against chemical and biological attacks. Better energy storage and electronics properties make graphene attractive in defence and aerospace as well as in civil and commercial applications.
Explainer
China’s military diplomacy in Southeast Asia (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Due to its intensifying geopolitical competition with the U.S. and its own security interests in the region, China is expanding its military outreach to Southeast Asian countries.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA)’s global activities and influence campaigns are part of its broader reform process initiated by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015, and form a fundamental element of China’s overall foreign policy.
In this light, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has become a priority target for the People’s Liberation Army’s military diplomacy.
The PLA and the Laotian People’s Armed Forces (LPAF) have recently concluded their bilateral military exercise, Friendship Shield 2023.
The drills aim to foster interoperability to effectively “counter transnational armed criminal groups based in jungles and mountains.”
This week-long exercise comes on the heels of Laos’ Foreign Affairs Minister Saleumxay Kommasith’s visit to China last month. The PLA Southern Theatre Command (PLA STC) is leading a massive delegation to the LPAF’s Kommadam Academy for the exercise.
This includes 200 troops from the 75th Group Army’s combined-arms brigade, assault vehicles such as the 4x4 MRAP Dongfeng CSK141 (Mengshi), as well as equipment for maritime replenishment, mine clearance, explosive disposal, and epidemic prevention.
Before this, in 2023, the PLA STC conducted the ‘Golden Dragon’ drills with Cambodia from late March to early April. This too came on the heels of a high-level meeting held between Zhang Youxia, Vice-Chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission (CMC) and the army commander of the Royal Cambodian Army, Hong Manai, in February this year.
The drills saw the participation of over 200 troops from the PLA STC’s Army, the Navy, and the Logistical Support Force, who arrived in Cambodia aboard a Type 071 comprehensive landing vehicle, Jinggangshan. The exercise entailed joint anti-terrorism and humanitarian aid operations.
News
Nepal’s PM to hold talks with Modi today, likely to sign pacts on energy, trade (Page no. 15)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Nepal and India will sign several agreements during the four-day visit of Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ that began on Wednesday.
Speaking at a public reception organised by the Embassy of Nepal, the visiting leader highlighted business ties between the two sides. He said that he would engage the leading Indian business houses and hold an official meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Nepal had suffered economically during the global epidemic like many other countries. But there has been gradual improvement in the economic condition in Nepal since my government has taken charge.
Our foreign currency reserve has increased and foreign remittances from Nepalese citizens living abroad has also increased. Our exchanges with India in the fields of employment and investment will be my focus.
He came to power for the third time on December 26, 2022. A former Maoist guerrilla leader, Mr. Prachanda had been projecting a pro-business image.
Mr. Prachanda was received at the Indira Gandhi International Airport by Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi. The Nepalese leader is accompanied by a large delegation, including Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat and Foreign Minister Narayan Prasad Saud.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval called on Mr. Prachanda before the public reception.
OTT platforms mandated to show anti-tobacco warnings (Page no. 16)
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
It’s now mandatory for over-the-top (OTT) streaming platforms to display anti-tobacco warnings as seen in movies screened in theatres and TV, as per a Union Health Ministry notification on Wednesday amending the rules under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2004.
OTT platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hotstar and ZEE5 did not respond, but an industry executive said that the companies would collectively reach out to the government to articulate their view that static smoking warnings on small screens for content that is explicitly being requested by users may not be appropriate.
Meanwhile, as per the notification released on World No Tobacco Day, publishers of online curated content displaying tobacco products, or their use will be required to display anti-tobacco health spots at the beginning and middle of the programme.
They shall also be required to exhibit an anti-tobacco health warning as a prominent static message at the bottom of the screen when tobacco products or their use are displayed during the programme.
It added that the anti-tobacco health warning message as specified in clause(b) of sub-rule (1) shall be legible and readable, with font in black colour on white background and with the warnings ‘Tobacco causes cancer’ or ‘Tobacco kills’.
Besides warning messages, health spots and audio-visual disclaimers will have to be in the same language as used in the show.
The expression “online curated content” means any curated catalogue of audio-visual content, other than news and current affairs content, which is owned by, licensed to, or contracted to be transmitted by a publisher of online curated content, and made available on demand, including but not limited through subscription, over the internet or computer networks, and includes films, audiovisual programmes, television programmes, serials, series and other such content.
World
North Korea spy satellite launch fails as Chollima-1 rocket falls into the sea (Page no. 17)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
North Korea’s attempt to put its first spy satellite into space failed in a setback to leader Kim Jong-Un’s push to boost his military capabilities as tensions with the U.S. and South Korea rise.
After an unusually quick admission of failure, North Korea vowed to conduct a second launch after it learns what went wrong. It suggests Mr. Kim remains determined to expand his weapons arsenal and apply more pressure on Washington and Seoul while diplomacy is stalled.
The South Korean military said it was salvaging an object presumed to be part of the crashed North Korean rocket in waters 200 km west of the southwestern island of Eocheongdo. Later, the Defence Ministry released photos of a white, metal cylinder it described as a suspected rocket part.
A satellite launch by North Korea is a violation of UN Security Council resolutions that ban the country from conducting any launch based on ballistic technology. .
The newly developed Chollima-1 rocket was launched at 6:37 a.m. at the North’s Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in the northwest, carrying the Malligyong-1 satellite.
The rocket crashed off the Korean Peninsula’s western coast after it lost thrust following the separation of its first and second stages, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said.
South Korea’s military said the rocket had “an abnormal flight” before it fell in the water. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters that no object was believed to have reached space.
North Korean media said the country’s space agency will investigate what it calls “the serious defects revealed” by the launch and conduct a second launch as soon as possible.