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India has voted in favour of a draft resolution in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that expressed deep concern over Israel not withdrawing from the Syrian Golan.
The Syrian Golan is a region in southwest Syria that was occupied by Israeli forces on June 5, 1967.
The 193-member UNGA voted on the draft resolution ‘The Syrian Golan’ under agenda item ‘The situation in the Middle East’.
The resolution, introduced by Egypt, was adopted by 91 votes in favour, eight against and 62 abstentions. Australia, Canada, Israel, the U.K. and the U.S. voted against it.
The resolution also stressed the illegality of the Israeli settlement construction in the Golan.
Editorial
Social justice, sexual education, the need of our times (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 2, Social Justice)
Caste and gender are the deepest social cleavages in our society. The intersection of these two social identities plays havoc with the lives of adolescents/young adults in Indian schools and colleges.
There are frequent reports in the media on the caste conflicts among adolescents/young adults as well as consensual sexual relationships between adolescents/young adults of different castes inviting criminal penalties and action.
Education about social change and sexuality are closely related. Training young minds in critical thinking and social justice is essential to address this issue and to create a healthy society.
In a hierarchical society, it is hard to create well-functioning democratic institutions based on equal rights for everyone.
In the name of celebrating tradition, an emphasis on racial purity and a protection of cultural values only leads to the majority/powerful being dominant and aggressive towards the weak.
Women’s political empowerment — more talk, less action (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 1, Social Issues)
In any country, the political empowerment of women is generally possible with two routes — the first is to reserve seats for women in legislature by means of legislation and the second is to have provision for quotas for women candidates within political parties while nominating candidates.
There are examples for both that have been adopted in various countries, in turn helping women’s political empowerment.
Neighbouring Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan have opted for the legislative route and are faring better in terms of representation of women in their legislatures.
For example, in Pakistan, 17% seats are reserved for women in its national assembly; Bangladesh has reserved 50 out of 350 seats in its Jatiya Sangsad and Nepal has reserved 33% of the total seats for women.
Statistics show that there is an improvement in the number of women legislators being elected crossing the percentage of seats reserved for women which is a sign of women’s political empowerment in one way or the other.
There are many countries where there are no laws mandating quotas for women, but political parties are required to give a certain percentage of tickets to women candidates.
Australia (38%), Canada (31%), South Africa (45%), and Sweden (46%) have no legislatively-backed quotas in their Parliament, yet most of these countries have more than 30% women in their respective Parliaments.
This is clear evidence that quota is not the only route for women’s political representation. There is another route of reservation within parties while giving tickets, which is equally effective for women’s political representation.
Opinion
How universities and industry can collaborate (Page no. 9)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
It is well known that collaborations between industry and academia can be mutually beneficial. However, most Indian higher education institutions (HEIs) have not focused on such collaborations or on intellectual property (IP) and technology transfers.
While universities conduct and encourage basic research, many of them do not capitalise on the same research by commercialising their IP; they miss out on likely gains from patents, licensing, or start-up companies.
Determining and managing impediments to collaborations between industry and academia requires a multi-pronged approach.
First, HEIs and industry can only collaborate if they evolve shared goals. HEIs predominantly seek to educate students and conduct research.
They often focus on creating theoretical knowledge. On the other hand, industries are profit-driven and pursue practical applications of knowledge to enhance productivity and innovation.
They may require a clear articulation of the applicability of academic research. An industrial company might be sceptical about funding a research project if it believes that the outcomes do not translate into prompt saleable applications.
But HEIs may feel uneasy about the short-term focus of industrial projects. To resolve these issues, the two parties must engage in an open dialogue, develop a flexible attitude, and find common ground where theoretical knowledge and practical applications can coexist.
Banks that funded coal plants need an escape plan (Page no. 9)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
The Data Point published showed how India is progressing — albeit slowly — towards cleaner energy sources to generate power.
While clean energy in the electricity mix has increased to about 23%, over 55% of India’s current energy needs are still being met by coal.
The acceleration of this transition towards greener energy is essential to keep the global temperature increase below 1.5°C.
Nonetheless, with the tightening of climate policies, a large portion of assets reliant on coal may diminish in value, leading to ‘stranded’ assets. Stranded assets are investments that face the risk of losing value and turning into liabilities.
This risk arises due to unforeseen shifts in market conditions, changes in regulations, alterations in consumer preferences, and technological advancements.
This situation could impact banks and financial institutions that have both direct and indirect ties to the fossil fuel sector.
While climate emergency does take priority, a plan to save the banks — which are exposed to the sector — should also be formulated to reduce impact, a paper published as part of the Reserve Bank of India’s November 2023 bulletin argues.
Text & Context
Understanding rat-hole mining (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 3, Infrastructure)
Two scientific methods of mining — vertical drilling and auger or horizontal drilling — were employed to rescue 41 workers on November 28 after 17 days of being trapped in the partially-collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand. The last leg of the rescue involved rat-hole mining, once used extensively in Meghalaya.
Among the rescued workers were Ramprasad Narzary and Sanjay Basumatary, both from the Ramfalbil area of western Assam’s Kokrajhar district. Locals could not help mark the irony of the rat-hole method being applied to rescue them from the Silkyara tunnel, because a few lives from that part of Assam were lost in the coal mines of Meghalaya dug using this crude method, before and after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned it in April 2014.
Rat-hole mining, of two types, is so named as it involves digging tunnels 3-4 feet deep, barely allowing workers to crawl in and out. They have to squat while extracting coal with pickaxes.
The side-cutting type of mining is usually done on hill slopes by following a coal seam — dark brown or black-banded coal deposited within layers of rock— visible from the outside.
The second type called box-cutting entails digging a circular or squarish pit at least 5 sq. metre in width up to a depth of 400 feet.
Miners who drop down in makeshift cranes or using rope-and-bamboo ladders dig horizontally after finding the coal seam. The tunnels are dug in every direction from the edge of the pit, resembling the tentacles of an octopus.
News
Govt. lists four J&K Bills and 3 criminal law Bills (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
The Union government has listed four Bills related to Jammu and Kashmir, including the one pertaining to reservation of Assembly seats for “Kashmiri migrants”, to be taken up for discussion in the Winter Session of Parliament that commences December 4.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill,2023; the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill,2023; the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment)Bill, 2023; and the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023 were introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 26 but were taken up for discussion or passage in the Monsoon Session.
The J&K Reorganisation Amendment Bill seeks to nominate two members from the “Kashmiri migrants” community, who “migrated” when militancy was at its peak in 1989-90, as members of the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of J&K. One of the members will be a woman.
Free foodgrain scheme to continue for five more years (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at an election rally in Chhattisgarh that the scheme to provides free foodgrains to 81.35 crore people would be extended by five years, the Union Cabinet took a formal decision on Wednesday to continue it from January 1. The scheme was to end on December 31.
The Opposition had criticised Mr. Modi for making such an announcement without the Cabinet’s approval.
The Centre launched the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and ended it in December 2022. From January 1, 2023, the scheme had subsumed other schemes under the National Food Security Act such as the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households for one year.
AAY card holders will get 35 kg of foodgrains for a family every month and the beneficiaries of the other scheme will 5 kg a person a month.
Cabinet approves ₹24,104-cr. outlay for tribal welfare (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 2, Social Justice)
The Union Cabinet approved a special development mission for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) with a total outlay of over ₹24,104 crore over a three-year period.
Of the ₹24,104 crore, ₹15,336 crore will be funded by the Union government and ₹8,768 crore by the respective State governments, an official statement said.
The PM Janjati Adivasi Nyay Maha Abhiyaan (PM-JANMAN), which was announced in the Union Budget and launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 15, is meant to improve the overall socio-economic conditions of the 75 tribal groups recognised as particularly vulnerable.
It will focus on 11 critical interventions, part of existing schemes, and will be implemented by nine Ministries.
The mission aims to build 4.9-lakh pucca houses, lay 8,000 km of connecting roads, and bring piped water to all households in over 22,000 villages.
It will also provide community water pipelines to 2,500 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups villages, each with fewer than 20 households.
Cabinet nod to extend fast track courts scheme for three years (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 2, Judiciary)
The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of fast-track courts dedicated to dispensation of justice in cases of sexual offences for three years.
The Fast Track Special Court (FTSC) Scheme, a Centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2019, will now be extended to March 31, 2026.
The total cost of running the scheme for the three-year period would be ₹1,952.23 crore out of which ₹1,207.24 crore would be borne by the Centre and ₹744.99 crore by the State.
The Centre’s share would be taken from the Nirbhaya Fund, an official statement said here.
The scheme has established fast-track courts across the country, ensuring the swift disposal of cases related to rape and those within the ambit of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
A total of 30 States and Union Territories have participated in the scheme, operationalising 761 fast- track courts, including 414 dedicated POCSO courts, which have together resolved over 1,95,000 cases.
The Centre had decided to set up 1,023 fast-track courts after the passage of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act in 2018 in the aftermath of the ‘Nirbhaya’ gang-rape case in Delhi.
World
Sri Lanka reaches deal with India, Paris Club on debt plan (Page no. 15)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
Sri Lanka has reached an “agreement in principle” with India and the Paris Club group of creditors, including Japan, on a debt treatment plan that will help the crisis-hit island nation tap the next tranche of the International Monetary Fund’s nearly $3-billion recovery package.
The OCC [Official Creditor Committee] and Sri Lanka agreed on the main parameters of a debt treatment consistent with those of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement between Sri Lanka and the IMF,” the Paris Club.
While the statement did not spell out the parameters, the OCC said it “stands ready and looks forward to formalising” the agreement in the coming weeks in a Memorandum of Understanding with Sri Lanka.
Business
Govt. clears ToR for XVI finance panel (Page no. 16)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the terms of reference (ToR) for the Sixteenth Finance Commission, which will recommend the formula for sharing revenues between the Centre and the States for the five-year period beginning on April 1, 2026.
The government has set a deadline of October 31, 2025, for the panel to submit its recommendations, the government said in a statement.
Apart from the key recommendation on distribution of net proceeds of taxes between the Centre and States and allocation among States of the respective share of such proceeds, the panel will also prescribe measures needed to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement resources of the panchayats and local bodies on the basis of recommendations made by the respective State Finance Commissions.
Under the ToR, the panel will recommend principles that should govern the grants-in-aid of the revenues of the States out of the Consolidated Fund of India and the sums to be paid to the States by way of grants-in-aid of their revenues.
Also, it may review the existing arrangements on financing Disaster Management initiatives and make appropriate recommendations.
Science
Could dead stars crash with the light of 500 million suns? (Page no. 22)
(GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
Astrophysicists are trying to wrap their heads around another twist in the story of fast radio bursts (FRBs) – mysterious radio frequency emissions that reach us from distant galaxies.
FRBs are extremely powerful, discharging from their source somewhere out in deep space as much energy in milliseconds as the output of 500 million suns.
Yet they are so short-lived that astronomers have only been able to track them for milliseconds, as their ghostly pings show up on radio telescope consoles like a ‘now you see, it now you don’t’ trick.
Ever since astronomers detected the first FRB in 2007, more than 600 of these celestial flashes have been recorded to date. But we know very little about their exact origins and why they show up as such short-lived spurts.
Due to their elusive nature, all these FRBs were detected by happenstance – when astronomers used their radio telescopes to scan the right part of the sky at the right time.