Whatsapp 93125-11015 For Details
In an unprecedented move, 49 more Lok Sabha MPs were suspended for “unruly behaviour” on Tuesday, bringing the total number of Opposition lawmakers from both Houses who have been kept out during this session to 141.
Despite the suspensions and repeated adjournments, three Bills were passed, and three key criminal law reform Bills were taken up for consideration in the Lok Sabha.
After suspension, only 44 members belonging to the INDIA parties, which are opposing the BJP on a common platform, remain in the Lok Sabha. Congress leaders slammed the government’s actions as a “murder” of democracy, comparing it to the North Korean regime.
In both Houses, Opposition MPs were protesting last week’s security breach in Parliament, demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah and a detailed discussion on the breach. BJP leaders were incensed that the protesters carried placards showing pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Editorial
The deep import of the Article 370 verdict (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 2, Polity and Constitution)
Days after the Supreme Court of India’s voluble judgment on the August 2019 presidential orders, there has been considerable, and excellent, dissection of its validation of the removal of Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy, and its cursory handling of Parliament’s demotion and division of the State to two Union Territories.
Much of the commentary has dealt with the judgment’s implications for the rest of the country, which are far-reaching. It undermines the rights of States vis-à-vis the Union even on critical issues such as statehood and division, grants the President far larger powers over States than earlier envisaged, and allows long-term political and territorial decisions to be made under limited-term emergency conditions such as President’s rule.
There are three other key elements which have, however, been less discussed: what the verdict means on the ground for Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, what it tells us about how the Court sees peace and security, and what it implies for the fundament of democracy in India.
Back in 1953-55, the States Reorganisation Commission held widespread public consultations during which villages expressed their preference for which unit to belong. This judgment negates even the right to consultation of the State’s elected representatives.
Tax ‘HFSS’ foods, view it as a public health imperative (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 2, Health)
The consumption of High Fat Sugar Salt (HFSS) foods is one of the major risk factors to a host of health issues that include obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.
According to a World Bank report of 2019, worldwide, 70% of all overweight and obese people live in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, with a 55% rise in rural areas across the globe, dispelling the perception that overweight/obesity is only a problem in high-income countries and urban and affluent communities.
The Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) burden in India has skyrocketed from 38% in 1990 to 65% in 2019. The global burden of diseases study shows that annually, 1.2 million deaths in India can be attributed to dietary risks alone.
The economic impact of overweight and obesity in India was estimated at $23 billion in 2017. If unattended, this is likely to rise to $480 billion by 2060.
The ultra-processed food sector in India witnessed a compounded annual growth rate of 13.4% between 2011 and 2021.
As the world’s largest producer and consumer of sugar in 2022, the country has seen an alarming surge in consumption of HFSS foods.
About 50%-60% of edible sugar, salt and fat produced in India is consumed by the processed food industry. Sales of snacks and soft drinks have tripled over the past decade, exceeding $30 billion last year, indicating a disturbing trend in dietary habits.
This not only poses severe health risks but also impacts productivity and economic growth, necessitating urgent interventions to curtail the rising consumption of these products.
Opinion
India’s ethanol conundrum (Page no. 11)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
As more than 100 countries at COP28 in Dubai pledged the tripling of global renewable energy capacity by 2030, India faces a tightrope walk with regard to its ethanol blending target.
While ethanol blended petrol (EBP) increased from 1.6% in 2013-14 to 11.8% in 2022-23, the 20% target by 2025 has run into trouble with low sugar stocks in 2022-23 and the impending shortfall in sugarcane production this year.
As evident from Minister of Consumer Affairs Piyush Goyal’s statement in May, the government is looking at a major transition towards grains-based ethanol for meeting the target.
The recent authorisation of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) to procure maize (corn) for supplying ethanol distilleries indicates emphasis on this transition and will boost an organised maize-feed supply chain for ethanol. This, however, risks creating more challenges for the economy.
News
House panel doubts Centre’s data on lumpy skin disease (Page no. 16)
(GS Paper 2, Health)
Questioning the Union Animal Husbandry Ministry’s data that more than two lakh cattle and buffaloes had died by lumpy skin disease in 2022 and 2023, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing said there was a gap/mismatch in the number of cattle affected and dead, and the actual realities.
The panel said accurate data would have helped in understanding the gravity of the situation, and in controlling and containing the disease.
It recommended that the Centre ensure proper compilation of data on the spread of infection and mortality of cattle from the disease.
The panel said deaths of cattle had resulted in severe economic hardship to farmers and cattle owners. The Centre did not have any scheme to compensate for cattle losses due to spread of disease, the panel noted. It asked the Centre to make necessary provisions for compensating farmers.
The disease was spread in 23 States, and Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Karnataka saw the most number of deaths when compared with the rest of the country.
A total of 1,85,841 cattle died as on February 2023, while 32,73,762 were infected and 30,30,747 recovered. As many as 8,81,77,649 cattle were vaccinated. In 2023, 22,313 more deaths were reported.
Netanyahu calls Modi to discuss maritime threat in Red Sea (Page no. 16)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephone discussion on the escalating threats to maritime security in the Red Sea because of the actions of Houthi militants of Yemen.
The conversation came soon after the Pentagon announced an international mission to counter the growing number of attacks against Israel-bound international traffic.
“Had a productive exchange of views with PM Netanyahu on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, including shared concerns on the safety of maritime traffic.
Highlighted India’s consistent stand in favour of early restoration of peace and stability in the region with continued humanitarian assistance for the affected.
A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said that the Israeli side had initiated the telephone conversation. Mr. Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar have held multiple rounds of conversations with regional stakeholders since the conflict began in October.
Business
RBI tightens norms for AIF investments (Page no. 17)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has tightened norms for Regulated Entities (RE) like banks andNon-Banking Financial Companies to prevent evergreening of loans via investments in Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs).
The regulator said though REs do make investments in units of AIFs as part of their regular investment operations, certain transactions of REs involving AIFs had raised regulatory concerns.
In order to address concerns relating to possible evergreening through this route, it is advised that REs shall not make investments in any scheme of AIFs which has downstream investments either directly or indirectly in a debtor company of the RE.
World
U.S. launches multinational push to protect Red Sea from Houthi strikes (Page no. 18)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday announced the creation of a multinational operation to safeguard commerce in the Red Sea following a series of missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis.
Mr. Austin, who is on a trip to Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s headquarters in West Asia, said participating countries include the U.K., Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain. The group will conduct joint patrols in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
In their response, Houthi rebels said they would not halt attacks on Red Sea shipping in solidarity with Gaza. “Even if America succeeds in mobilising the entire world, our military operations will not stop... no matter the sacrifices it costs us,” senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti said on X, formerly Twitter.
Rebel spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam said the “U.S.-formed coalition aims to protect Israel and militarise the sea,” adding that “whoever seeks to expand the conflict must bear the consequences of those actions.”