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From detection using drones and aircraft to targeting and analysis of remnants, the Indian military has drafted a set of basic protocols to tackle newer threats like surveillance balloons or other unidentified objects in the sky after a similar entity was spotted a year ago over the strategic Andaman and Nicobar Islands, top officials told The Indian Express.
The protocols detail the sequence of action in case an unidentified slow-moving aerial object is spotted. This includes detection, positive identification, verification and targeting using a suitable platform and weapon system, followed by detailed photography of the target, a comprehensive report on it and analysis of remnants, if recovered.
Drafted by one of the military commands, the set of tri-service protocols being put in place will be open to upgradation, the officials said. Already, they said, several radars are being upgraded at key military installations.
Last month, the United States shot down a giant Chinese balloon, which it accused of spying on its crucial military sites, with an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile fired from an F-22 fighter jet.
China denied the allegations and said it was a civilian aircraft meant to research weather-related aspects. Days later, the US shot down a cylindrical-shaped object over Canada and another unidentified aerial object in its own airspace.
According to officials, India’s protocols were drafted after an aerial object was spotted over the Andamans, even though its origin could not be ascertained at that time.
According to a Bloomberg report, the object had drifted away over the ocean before military authorities could take a decision on action to be taken.
Worry for TN Maufacturers: how many migrant workers (Page no. 1)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
Manufacturers and industry leaders are worried about a potential exodus of north Indian labourers from Tamil Nadu — home to nearly 10 lakh migrant workers as per government data — over viral videos purportedly showing Hindi-speaking men being assaulted in the state.
The entire industrial and manufacturing sector in Tamil Nadu will come to a halt if these rumours [of attacks on north Indian workers] continue to escalate.
Without the workforce from north India, we cannot not operate in Tamil Nadu. We are waiting to see how many of these workers return after Holi.
Of the 10 lakh migrant workers in Tamil Nadu, about half are concentrated in northern Tamil Nadu cities of Thiruvallur, Chennai and Chengalpattu, while the remaining are primarily based in the manufacturing hubs of Tirupur, Coimbatore and Erode.
Trouble in the state started when two videos allegedly showing migrant workers being beaten up in Tamil Nadu went viral recently on social media and WhatsApp groups.
The sense of panic and fear among the Hindi-speaking community prompted even Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar and his Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren to take note of the developments. The videos have since then been dismissed by the state police as “false” and “mischievous”.
The city
At Kashmiri Gate, Cemetery with roots in the 1857 Mutiny(Page no. 4)
(GS Paper 1, Modern History)
Nestled amidst patches of dry grass and bare trees are several graves of colonial-era soldiers and civilians, some dating back to the 1800s. Foremost among these is that of British soldier and administrator Brigadier-General John Nicholson — also among the first to be buried here.
Named after the brigadier, who played a pivotal role in containing the Revolt of 1857, the Nicholson Cemetery, formerly known as the Old Delhi Military Cemetery, is the capital’s oldest Christian burial site established in 1857 at Kashmere Gate.
Nicholson’s grave is near the entrance, protected by an iron grill.
An excerpt from the book ‘Delhi- Past and Present’ by Herbert Charles Fanshawe describes his final resting place: “The narrow lane beyond, with two guns at the end, and the houses on the east side filled with armed mutineers, must have formed a veritable ‘Gate of hell’ into which to advance.
Returning over the Dufferin Bridge, and passing through the Mori Gate, the usual road to the Civil station leads to the entrance of the Kashmiri Gate Cemetery, thirty yards from which, to the right, following a path indicated by small piles of cannon balls, is the grave of Brigadier-General John Nicholson.”
Nicholson was born on December 11, 1821, in Dublin. His father, a doctor, died when he was eight. He set sail for India at the age of 17 in 1839 to join the Bengal Infantry as a direct cadet.
How Pwd plans to curb dust (Page no. 4)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
In a bid to control dust pollution on its roads and at construction sites, the Public Works Department (PWD) is planning to hire anti-smog guns and about 90 water sprinklers mounted on mini-trucks.
“This is being done as part of measures to curb air pollution. The main objective is to control dust pollution caused mostly by construction and maintenance work and emissions from vehicles.
Currently, the pollution level is under control but construction work, including on some big projects like Metro, rapid rail, routine road maintenance and strengthening work, is underway.
Officials said they will hire about 5-6 anti-smog guns for each district based on requirements. Officials added that water sprinklers will be hydraulic-operated and mounted on the truck.
Officials will also use these sprinklers to spray water on pavements and vacant spaces by the roadside and on plants in central verges. Officials said they also have plans to increase green cover.
The anti-smog guns will have a capacity of 7,000 to 10,000 litres of water, they said. On how it works, officials said the anti-smog guns will spray nebulised water droplets in the air with high-pressure propellers which helps in settling down the dust particles.
The trucks will have glowing stickers pasted on to reflect at night and there will also be an LED screen on top that will display directions.
Govt & politics
Navy test fires version of Brahmos missile (Page no. 5)
(GS Paper 3, Defence)
The Navy successfully test-fired the ship-launched version of BrahMos supersonic missile with an indigenous seeker and booster in the Arabian Sea.
The Indian Navy carried out a successful precision strike in the Arabian Sea by ship launched BrahMos missile with DRDO-designed indigenous seeker and booster, reinforcing our commitment towards Aatmanirbharta in defence.
The anti-ship version of the BrahMos cruise missile was successfully test-fired jointly by the Navy and the Andaman and Nicobar Command in April last year.
BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd – a joint venture of India and Russia – makes supersonic cruise missiles which has a speed of 2.8 Mach or about three times the speed of sound.
The missiles can be launched from a range of platforms such as submarines, ships, aircraft, or land. BrahMos Aerospace is also developing the BrahMos NG, a compact version of the missile.
Express network
Government’s millets procurement to fall short of target (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
The Centre’s millet procurement in the 2022-23 Kharif Marketing Season (October-September) may fall well short of its intended target of 13.28 lakh metric tonnes, it is learnt.
The government has procured only 17% of the approved quantity of millets and coarse grains so far. According to sources, the figure will rise by the end of the marketing season but not above 7.43 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) — or 60% of the target.
In the last KMS (2021-22), millet procurement stood at 6.3 LMT, against the overall production of 511.01 LMT.
According to the sources cited above, for the current KMS, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution had approved a quantity of 13.28 LMT of millets and coarse grain including bajra, jowar, ragi and maize, to be procured from 9 states — Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Procurement has been so far been slow across all the 9 states. For instance, the sources said, of the total procurement target, the government had aimed to procure the highest quantity — 7 LMT (2LMT jowar and 5 LMT ragi) — from Karnataka. Now, that expectation has been lowered to 6 LMT (jowar 1LMT and ragi 5 LMT).
Editorial
Appoint, Disappoint (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 2, Polity & Governance)
A five-judge Constitution Bench laid down that the Chief Justice of India and Leader of the Opposition will join the Prime Minister in a panel that will select the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Election Commissioners (EC) until a new law is in.
So far, these officials have been appointed as per Article 324 (2) by the President “subject to the provisions of any law made on that behalf by Parliament”.
That law still not made, four PILs filed before the Court, between 2017 and 2022, flagged concerns over the Executive’s preponderant role and called for a neutral panel.
Of late, the EC has, undeniably, wavered: From shooting off a letter to parties asking how they will pay for manifesto promises — echoing the ruling establishment’s revdi discourse — to its decision to stop campaigning during the brutal Delta wave only after the Prime Minister had made his speech; its barely slap-on-the-wrist interventions on hate speech, its joining an “online interaction” chaired by an official in the Prime Minister’s Office after a letter that read more like a summons and its decision to keep in abeyance the schedule for elections to fill three Rajya Sabha seats from Kerala after a Law Ministry note.
The Heat is On (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 3, Agriculture)
The Indian economy, especially agriculture, is a “gamble on the monsoon”. That famous early-20th century statement by then viceroy, George Curzon, perhaps, needs rephrasing today.
More than the monsoon, it is temperatures that are emerging as a greater source of uncertainty for farmers. Access to irrigation can, to some extent, compensate for a failed monsoon or two.
The fact that the country produces more foodgrains now during the rabi (winter-spring) than in the kharif (post-monsoon) season is testimony to the role of irrigation in drought-proofing.
But what can farmers do with mercury spikes in February and March? These threaten rabi harvests, which were hitherto considered assured and immune from rainfall vagaries.
While rabi crops were always vulnerable to spring thunderstorms and hail, the risks from them pale in comparison to that on account of shorter winters and advanced onset of summers.
The impact of temperature surge was seen in March 2022, when the wheat crop had just entered its final grain formation and filling stage. The heat stress led to early grain ripening and reduced yields. T
his year, February recorded the highest-ever maximum temperatures, thanks to the absence of active western disturbances that bring rain and snowfall over the Himalayas, whose cooling effect percolates into the plains.
Currently, both minimum and maximum temperatures are ruling 3-5 degrees Celsius above normal in most wheat-growing areas.
Ideas page
Revisiting a Dream (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 3, Agriculture)
On February 28, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his dream of doubling farmers’ incomes in the year when India completes 75 years of Independence and enters Amrit Kaal.
Now that we have entered Amrit Kaal, it is a good time to revisit that dream and see if it has been fulfilled, and if not, how best it can be done.
First of all, let me say that it was a noble dream because unless the incomes of farmers go up, we cannot have sustained high growth of overall GDP.
This is because the manufacturing sector starts facing a demand constraint soon after meeting the demand of well-off urban consumers. After all, agriculture engages the largest share of the workforce (45.5 per cent in 2021-22 as per PLFS).
So, focusing on agriculture, even if it was in a dream, is the right way to ensure long-term high growth of the overall economy.
Agriculture also has to provide food and nutritional security to the largest population on this planet. However, if this objective has to be achieved in today’s context, it must encompass policies that also protect the basic resources of this planet, say soil, water, air, and biodiversity. It is here that one encounters a paradox. Let me elaborate.
Supporters of PM Modi would say that the government is already giving a lot of subsidies to farmers. And I tend to agree with them. Take the case of the fertiliser subsidy whose budget crosses Rs 2 lakh crore.
Even when global prices of urea crossed $1,000/metric tonne, the Indian price of urea remained flat at around $70/tonne. This is perhaps the lowest price in the world. On top of this is the PM-Kisan’s Rs 60,000 crore.
Further, many small and marginal farmers also get free ration of at least 5 kg/person/month through the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. There are also subsidies for crop insurance, credit and irrigation (drip).
States also dole out power subsidies in abundance, especially on irrigation. Even farm machinery for custom hiring centres is being subsidised by many states.
All this is true and the numbers of these subsidies, if combined, would easily cross Rs 4 lakh crore per annum. However, we need to evaluate the impact of all these on farmers’ incomes and also on the environment.
World
Turkey working to continue Ukraine’s Black Sea Grain deal (Page no. 14)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday that Ankara is working hard to extend a U.N.-backed initiative that has enabled Ukraine to export grain from ports blockaded by Russia following its invasion.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July allowed grain to be exported from three Ukrainian ports. The agreement was extended in November and will expire on March 18 unless an extension is agreed.
We are working hard for the smooth implementation and further extension of the Black Sea grain deal,” Cavusoglu said in a speech at the United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries being held in Doha, Qatar.
Russia has said it would only agree to extend the Black Sea grain deal if the interests of its own agricultural producers are taken into account.
On Sunday, Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, reiterated this position.If this agreement is equal, then we have always fulfilled our part and are going to fulfil it in all the agreements,” she said according to TASS news wire, adding that Russia would be against “goading and machinations”.
Explained
Agriculture and Employment (Page no. 16)
(GS Paper 3, Indian Economy)
Two recent sets of data released by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) and the National Statistical Office (NSO) offer insights into the process of structural transformation in the Indian economy, especially in relation to the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
Economists refer to structural transformation as basically a compositional shift that entails the transfer of surplus labour from agriculture to sectors where productivity (output per worker) and average incomes are higher — particularly manufacturing and modern services.
The NSSO’s latest annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report for 2021-22 (July-June) shows the farm sector’s share in the country’s employed labour force at 45.5%.
That’s down from 46.5% in 2020-21, but still higher than the 2018-19 low of 42.5%. Clearly, the effects of the pandemic-induced economic disruptions, which had forced a reverse migration to the farms, haven’t fully subsided.
Karnataka Minister accused of Graft (Page no. 16)
(GS Paper 3, Polity &Governance)
Ahead of the Assembly Elections in Karnataka, the Lokayukta has seized over Rs 8 crore of unaccounted cash from the residence and office of Channagiri BJP MLA MadalVirupakshappa, who was also serving as the chairman of the Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd (KS&DL).
The absconding MLA and five others, including his son, Prashanth Madal, the financial advisor of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), are now accused in a bribery case filed under Section 7 (a) (b) (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The amount was recovered subsequent to searches conducted at Prashant’s residence after he was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 41 lakh at his father’s office.
After the episode, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said, “The incumbent government re-established the Lokayukta (the Anti Corruption Bureau looked at such cases during the previous Congress regime) to check corruption.
Lokayuktas are the state equivalents of the central Lokpal. Section 63 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 says, “Every state shall establish a body to be known as the Lokayukta for the State, if not so established, constituted or appointed, by a law made by the State Legislature, to deal with complaints relating to corruption against certain public functionaries, within a period of one year from the date of commencement of this Act.”
Originally, the central legislation, that is the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, wanted to make a Lokayukta in each state mandatory. However, regional parties and the BJP, which was in opposition then, argued that this would be against the spirit of federalism. Thereafter, the law created a broad framework, leaving it to the states to decide the specifics.