NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.
General Studies – 1
Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to education
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
The article gives us insights as to how National Education Policy (NEP) has to learn from public policy challenges for transforming education in India.
Key Demand of the question:
Highlight the common challenges in the execution of any public policy in India and suggest some measures for timely and effective implementation of National Education Policy 2020.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
In the introduction, talk briefly about the National Education Policy 2020.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
First discuss Public policy and its challenges; difficulty in predicting the outcome, they evolve over time, they evolve in complex systems, they are subjected to cognitive biases etc.
Then discuss the possible challenges before implementation of NEP 2020.
Explain the possible challenges that may come in the way of its implementation.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Introduction
The new policy seeks rectification of poor literacy and numeracy outcomes associated with primary schools, reduction in dropout levels in middle and secondary schools and adoption of the multi-disciplinary approach in the higher education system.
Apart from this, the policy also focuses on early childhood care, restructuring curriculum and pedagogy; reforming assessments and exams, and investing in teacher training and broad-basing their appraisal.
Body
Implementing policy
- It is taken for granted that a government policy or social-development program, is meant to be perfectly executed.
- Implementation is the key and ends up with sub-par results and uncompleted projects.
- India has had mixed experiences post-Independence, the consolidated development chart will appear rather skewed.
- Millions continue to live in abject poverty, deprived of basic amenities.
Dealing with implementation deficit
- India needs to work on the implementation and reforms processes in a wider manner, with the primary aim of attaining fast-paced development and effective delivery of the intended public benefits.
- The first requirement would be a capable implementing machine — or what has been called the“perfect administration”, driven by passionate team leaders.
- The guiding urge should be to complete the task before schedule.
- Other critical determinants include:
- Unambiguous demarcation of responsibilities.
- Frequent brainstorming sessions to anticipate and take formal note of likely challenges and agreeing upon solutions.
- Ensuring and authorizing a largely freehand with matching resources, and the ability to make on-the-spot decisions.
- The evergreen strategy to make the implementation of a near-perfect processis to build in a vigilant monitoring and evaluation mechanism.
- A dynamic monitoring mechanismmakes use of technology, which today is being built into various flagship programs initiated by the present government.
Significance of National Education Policy 2020
- Recognising Importance of Formative years:In adopting a 5+3+3+4 model for school education starting at age 3, the policy recognises the primacy of the formative years from ages 3 to 8 in shaping the child’s future.
- Departure from Silos Mentality:Another key aspect of school education in the new policy is the breaking of the strict division of arts, commerce and science streams in high school. This can lay the foundation for a multi-disciplinary approach in high education.
- The Confluence of Education and Skills:Another laudable aspect of the scheme is the introduction of vocational courses with an internship. This may nudge the vulnerable sections of society to send their children to school. Also, it would help in realisation of the goal of Skill India Mission.
- Making Education More Inclusive:The NEP proposes the extension of the Right to Education (RTE) to all children up to the age of 18. Further, the policy seeks to leverage the huge potential of online pedagogy and learning methodologies for increasing gross enrolment in higher education.
- Light But Tight Oversight:According to the policy, in spite of periodic inspection, transparency, maintaining quality standards and a favourable public perception will become a 24X7 pursuit for the institutions, leading to all-round improvement in their standard. The policy also seeks to establish a super-regulator for education which will be responsible for standards-setting, funding, accreditation and regulation of higher education India.
- Allowing Foreign Universities:The document states universities from among the top 100 in the world will be able to set up campuses in India. This will lead to an infusion of international perspective and innovation, which will make the Indian education system more efficient and competitive.
- Ending Hindi vs. English Debate:Most crucially, NEP, once and for all, buries the strident Hindi versus English language debate; instead, it emphasises on making mother tongue, local language or the regional language the medium of instruction at least till Grade 5, which is considered the best medium of teaching.
Issues with the NEP- 2020
The new policy has tried to please all, and the layers are clearly visible in the document. It says all the right things and tries to cover all bases, often slipping off keel.
- Lack of integration: In both the thinking, and in the document, there are lags, such as the integration of technology and pedagogy. There are big gaps such as lifelong learning, which should have been a key element of upgrading to emerging sciences.
- Language barrier: There is much in the document ripe for debate – such as language. The NEP seeks to enable home language learning up to class five, in order to improve learning outcomes. Sure, early comprehension of concepts is better in the home language and is critical for future progress. If the foundations are not sound, learning suffers, even with the best of teaching and infrastructure. But it is also true that a core goal of education is social and economic mobility, and the language of mobility in India is English.
- Multilingualism debate: Home language succeeds in places where the ecosystem extends all the way through higher education and into employment. Without such an ecosystem in place, this may not be good enough. The NEP speaks of multilingualism and that must be emphasised. Most classes in India are de facto bilingual. Some states are blissfully considering this policy as a futile attempt to impose Hindi.
- Lack of funds: According to Economic Survey 2019-2020, the public spending (by the Centre and the State) on education was 3.1% of the GDP. A shift in the cost structure of education is inevitable. While funding at 6% of GDP remains doubtful, it is possible that parts of the transformation are achievable at a lower cost for greater scale.
- A move in haste: The country is grappled with months of COVID-induced lockdowns. The policy had to have parliamentary discussions; it should have undergone a decent parliamentary debate and deliberations considering diverse opinions.
- Overambitious: All aforesaid policy moves require enormous resources. An ambitious target of public spending at 6% of GDP has been set. This is certainly a tall order, given the current tax-to-GDP ratio and competing claims on the national exchequer of healthcare, national security and other key sectors. The exchequer itself is choked meeting the current expenditure.
- Pedagogical limitations: The document talks about flexibility, choice, experimentation. In higher education, the document recognizes that there is a diversity of pedagogical needs. If it is a mandated option within single institutions, this will be a disaster, since structuring a curriculum for a classroom that has both one-year diploma students and four-year degree students’ takes away from the identity of the institution.
- Institutional limitations: A healthy education system will comprise of a diversity of institutions, not a forced multi-disciplinarily one. Students should have a choice for different kinds of institutions. The policy risks creating a new kind of institutional isomorphism mandated from the Centre.
- Issues with examinations: Exams are neurotic experiences because of competition; the consequences of a slight slip in performance are huge in terms of opportunities. So the answer to the exam conundrum lies in the structure of opportunity. India is far from that condition. This will require a less unequal society both in terms of access to quality institutions, and income differentials consequent upon access to those institutions.
Measures or effective implementation
- This ambitious policy has a cost to be paid and the rest of the things dwells on its implementation in letter and spirit.
- Public investment is considered extremely critical for achieving the high-quality and equitable public education system as envisaged by the policy, that is truly needed for India’s future economic, social, cultural, intellectual and technological progress and growth.
- Implementation of the spirit and intent of the Policy is the most critical matter.
- It is important to implement the policy initiatives in a phased manner, as each policy point has several steps, each of which requires the previous step to be implemented successfully.
- Prioritization will be important in ensuring optimal sequencing of policy points, and that the most critical and urgent actions are taken up first, thereby enabling a strong base.
- Next, comprehensiveness in implementation will be key; as this Policy is interconnected and holistic, only a full-fledged implementation, and not a piecemeal one, will ensure that the desired objectives are achieved.
- Since education is a concurrent subject, it will need careful planning, joint monitoring, and collaborative implementation between the Centre and States.
- Timely infusion of requisite resources – human, infrastructural, and financial – at the Central and State levels will be crucial for the satisfactory execution of the Policy.
- Finally, careful analysis and review of the linkages between multiple parallel implementation steps will be necessary in order to ensure effective dovetailing of all initiatives.
- Need for Cooperative Federalism:Since education is a concurrent subject (both the Centre and the state governments can make laws on it), the reforms proposed can only be implemented collaboratively by the Centre and the states. Thus, the Centre has the giant task of building a consensus on the many ambitious plans.
- Strive Towards Universalisation of Education:There is a need for the creation of ‘inclusion funds’ to help socially and educationally disadvantaged children pursue education. Also, there is a need to set up a regulatory process that can check profiteering from education in the form of unaccounted donations.
- Bridging Digital Divide: If technology is a force-multiplier, with unequal access it can also expand the gap between the haves and have-nots. Thus, the state needs to address the striking disparities in access to digital tools for universalization of education.
- Inter-ministerial Coordination:There is an emphasis on vocational training, but to make it effective, there has to be close coordination between the education, skills and labour ministry.
Conclusion
The political leadership both at the national and the state level is the most crucial force behind the success of the implementation machinery. An endeavour’s effective implementation alone can provide converge with good governance, bold innovation, rewarding delivery, and the transformation of marginalized human lives.
Topic: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
States are facing financial constraints in the backdrop of lockdown and consequent dwindling revenue collection. The situation also highlights the issues of fiscal federalism in India.
Key Demand of the question:
Give reasons for the dire need for measures on part of the Central government to consolidate fiscal federalism in the aftermath of pandemic and implementation of the GST regime in India.
Directive:
Account – Weigh up to what extent something is true. Persuade the reader of your argument by citing relevant research but also remember to point out any flaws and counter- arguments as well. Conclude by stating clearly how far you are in agreement with the original proposition.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with the present context of the question.
Body:
Discuss in detail the issues facing fiscal federalism in India. First, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) law assured States a 14% increase in their annual revenue for five years (up to July 1, 2020).
Second, last year, the Union government increased the borrowing ceiling of the States from 3% to 5% for FY 2020-21. But the conditions are attached to 1.5% out of this 2% increase of ceiling. States will have to bear the burden of welfare and relief measures during the pandemic. These conditions go against the principle of cooperative federalism.
The 15th Finance Commission had recommended Rs. 2,412 crore as a sector-specific grant and Rs. 1,100 crore as a State-specific grant for Kerala. But this amount has not been released.
The expenditure rules attached to the Disaster Management Fund are unviable.
Suggest what needs to be done.
Conclusion:
Conclude that urgent necessary measures are must to be taken for pumping oxygen to fiscal federalism in India.
Introduction
GST was implemented through the GST (101st Amendment Act), 2016 as a long pending indirect tax reform. It is a single tax that replaces multiple other indirect taxes. The Centre lost out on its power to levy taxes such as excise duty, while the States could no longer levy entry tax, VAT etc.
Body
To allay the fears of States regarding loss of revenue, following mechanism was made:
GST (Compensation to States) Act, 2017 was enacted:
- Under the Act, the percentage of annual revenue growth of a State has been projected to be 14%. If the annual revenue growth of a State is less than 14%, the State is entitled to receive compensation under the statute.
- The compensation payable to a State shall be provisionally calculated and released at the end of every two months period.
The generation of revenue under the Act would happen through a GST Compensation Cess:
- The cess comprises the cess levied on sin and luxury goods for five years.
- The entire cess collected during the year is required to be credited to a non-lapsable Fund (the GST Compensation Cess Fund).
- The collected compensation cess flows into the CFI and is then transferred to the Public Account of India, where the GST compensation cess fund has been created.
Issues: Undermining Federalism:
- The Goods and Services Tax (GST) law assured States a 14% increase in their annual revenuefor five years (up to July 1, 2020). However, the Union government has deviated from the statutory promise and has been insisting that States avail themselves of loans. Kerala is entitled to a GST compensation of Rs. 4,041 crore for the financial year 2020-21. But the Union government has been disregarding this obligation.
- Last year, the Union government increased the borrowing ceiling of the States from 3% to 5% for FY 2020-21.But the conditions are attached to 1.5% out of this 2% increase of ceiling. States will have to bear the burden of welfare and relief measures during the pandemic. These conditions go against the principle of cooperative federalism.
- The 15th Finance Commissionhad recommended Rs. 2,412 crore as a sector-specific grant and Rs. 1,100 crore as a State-specific grant for Kerala. But this amount has not been released.
- The expenditure rules attached to the Disaster Management Fund are unviable. This inhibits the state’s discretion in doing disaster-related expenditures.
Suggestions
- The present GST compensation period will end in 2021-22.Beyond this period, it is going to be very difficult to convince the Union government to provide compensation, as there is no constitutional obligation to do so to the States.
- The Union government can consider using its powers under Section 4(f) of Article 279Ato raise additional resources during the pandemic.
- Section 4(f):It enables the Goods and Services Tax Council to make recommendations on any special rate or rates for a specified period. In order to raise additional resources during any natural calamity or disaster.
- The future interest liability of loansshould not be placed on the shoulders of the States. Moreover, the borrowing limit of States, as per the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, should not be built into these loans.
- The Corporate Social Responsibility Fund could be remitted to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fundin order to augment disaster management resources.
- Rebuilding institutional capital to soothe the Centre-State relationship: Efforts could be made rejuvenate and rekindle the Inter-State Council as the body not only has constitutional backing but its mandate and nature of participation is ideally suited for a larger federal role. o Alongside the Inter-State Council, efforts could be made to increase political capital through institutions like Chief Minister’s Conference.
- Widening the ambit of GST for revenue augmentation: The current coverage of GST excludes electricity, petrol, diesel and real estate, as also agriculture. Widening the ambit of GST could provide a larger base for taxation in the long run.
- Structural reforms: The augmentation of revenue in the long-term will require structural reforms like reviewing of GST on continuous basis and increasing tax compliance.
- Increasing transparency in Fiscal management: Increasing transparency in areas like working of GST Council, adhering to the procedure established by the GST Compensation Act, and decreasing over-reliance on cesses and surcharges could repose the lost faith of States in Centre’s Fiscal Management
Conclusion
GST is a positive step towards shifting Indian economy from the informal to formal economy. It is important to utilise experiences from global economies that have implemented GST before us, to overcome the impending challenges.
Topic: Indian Constitution—Historical Underpinnings, Evolution, Features, Amendments, Significant Provisions, and Basic Structure.
Reference The Hindu
Why the question:
In Union of India vs. Rajendra N. Shah, the Supreme Court of India partially struck down the 97th Constitutional Amendment.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss in what way the striking down of the 97th Amendment is a cue that the power to regulate cooperatives must stay with States.
Directive:
Comment– here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with brief background of the 97th Constitutional Amendment.
Body:
The 97th Constitutional Amendment came into effect from February 15 2012. The amendment added “cooperative societies” to the protected forms of association under Article 19(1)(c), elevating it to a fundamental right.
Explain why the Amendment was struck down.
Then discuss the factor of increasing control of the Union government.
Highlight the issues with Central control over cooperative sector.
Conclusion:
Conclude that it is best that the Government takes this judgment in the right spirit and stays away from further meddling in the cooperative sector, notwithstanding the creation of the new Ministry.
Introduction
The Supreme Court, recently, in a 2:1 majority verdict upheld the validity of the 97th constitutional amendment that deals with issues related to effective management of cooperative societies but struck down a part inserted by it which relates to the Constitution and working of cooperative societies. The judgement struck down part IX B of the Constitution related to cooperative societies but saved the amendment.
Body
97th constitutional amendment Act, 2011:
- It dealt with issues related to effective management of co-operative societies in the country.
- It was passed by Parliament in December 2011 and had come into effect from February 15, 2012.
- It amended Article 19(1)(c) to give protection to the cooperatives and inserted Article 43 B and Part IX B, relating to them.
- The word “cooperatives” was added after “unions and associations” in Article 19(1)(c) under Part III of the Constitution. This enables all the citizens to form cooperatives by giving it the status of fundamental right of citizens.
- A new Article 43B was added in the Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV) regarding the “promotion of cooperative societies”.
Reasons for striking down of part of 97th Amendment:
- Upholding the Gujarat High Court’s 2013 decision striking down certain provisions of the 97th constitutional amendment, the Supreme Court held that the Parliament cannot enact laws with regard to cooperative societies as it is a State subject.
- Several intervenors have contended that the amendment made a direct in-road into the exclusive domain of states to enact laws with regard to cooperatives.
- Part IXB, introduced into the Constitution through the 97thAmendment, dictated the terms for running co-operative societies.
- The provisions in the Amendment, passedby Parliament without getting them ratified by State legislatures as required by the Constitution.
- It went to the extent of determining the number of directorsa society should have or their length of tenure and even the necessary expertise required to become a member of the society.
The striking down of the 97th Amendment is a cue that the power to regulate cooperatives must stay with States:
- Cooperative societies is a ‘State subject’:
- ‘cooperative societies’ come under Entry 32 of the State List in the Seventh Schedule, the Amendment proposed to create a framework for the functioning of cooperative societies.
- The States have exclusive power to legislate on topics reserved exclusively to them in the State list.
- Part IX B,which consists of Articles 243ZH to 243ZT, has “significantly and substantially impacted” State legislatures’ “exclusive legislative power” over its co-operative sector under Entry 32 of the State List.
- The court pointed out howArticle 243ZI makes it clear that a State may only make law on the incorporation, regulation and winding up of a society subject to the provisions of Part IXB of the 97th
- Legal infirmity:
- SC held that the 97th Constitutional Amendment required ratification by at least one-half of the state legislatures as per Article 368(2) of the Constitution, since it dealt with an entry which was an exclusive state subject (co-operative societies).
- Under Article 368(2), Parliament can amend the Constitution by passing a Bill with a special majority.
- Since such ratification was not done in the case of the 97th amendment, it was liable to be struck down.
- Upheld the Validity of Provisions related to Multi State Cooperative Societies:
- It did not strike down the portions of Part IXB of the Amendment concerning ‘Multi State Co-operative Societies (MSCS)’ due to the lack of ratification.
- When it comes to MSCS with objects not confined to one State, the legislative power would be that of the Union of India which is contained in Entry 44 List I (Union List).
- It is declared that Part IXB of the Constitution is operative only insofar as it concerns multi-State cooperative societies both within the various States and in the Union Territories.
Conclusion
The Ministry of Cooperation was formed recently, apparently with a view to giving a fillip to the cooperative movement and reforming the functioning of cooperative societies. Until now, the subject was dealt with by the Agriculture Ministry. It administered the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002. The new Ministry will continue this work. For now, it will not be in a position to compel States to bring their cooperative laws in conformity with the Centre’s vision. Regarding the fate of the constitutional framework for all cooperative societies in the country, the Centre has the option of re-enacting the Amendment with a two-thirds majority in Parliament and obtaining ratification by 50% of the State legislatures.
Topic: Indian Constitution—Historical Underpinnings, Evolution, Features, Amendments, Significant Provisions, and Basic Structure.
Reference The Hindu
Why the question:
In Union of India vs. Rajendra N. Shah, the Supreme Court of India partially struck down the 97th Constitutional Amendment.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss in what way the striking down of the 97th Amendment is a cue that the power to regulate cooperatives must stay with States.
Directive:
Comment– here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with brief background of the 97th Constitutional Amendment.
Body:
The 97th Constitutional Amendment came into effect from February 15 2012. The amendment added “cooperative societies” to the protected forms of association under Article 19(1)(c), elevating it to a fundamental right.
Explain why the Amendment was struck down.
Then discuss the factor of increasing control of the Union government.
Highlight the issues with Central control over cooperative sector.
Conclusion:
Conclude that it is best that the Government takes this judgment in the right spirit and stays away from further meddling in the cooperative sector, notwithstanding the creation of the new Ministry.
Introduction
India-EU relationship dates back to 1960s when India was the first country to establish relationship with European economic union which later evolved into common market -European union. For more than a decade, the EU and India partnership had been slow-moving and fragmented, struggling to maintain momentum. India was acknowledged as a strategic partner in 2004. But seventeen years on there is still no mutually agreed set of clear priorities. The EU-India relationship fails to acknowledge each partner’s individual realities.
Today’s changed circumstances provide the two sides with a new set of opportunities to move forward on the long-stalled agenda of stronger ties between India and European Union.
Body
Recent development
- It has been a long road from the first European Union (EU)-India Summit in 2000 to the virtual India-EU leaders meeting in 2021, which saw Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi interacting with the 27 EU leaders as well as presidents of the European Council and the European Commission last week.
- The optics could not have been better. This was a special privilege accorded to the Indian PM to underline a new sense of urgency in the EU to get its India policy right.
- From New Delhi’s perspective, this is also an inflection point in the way it is thinking about its foreign policy priorities.
Various facets of India-EU bilateral relations:
- Trade and Investment:
- The EU is India’s largest trading partner, accounting for 12.9% of India’s overall trade. Further the trade in services have almost tripled in last decade.
- Overall, the EU is the second largest investor in India, with €70 billion of cumulative FDI from April 2000 to March 2017, accounting for almost one quarter of all investments flows into India.
- EU and India remain close partners in the G20 and have developed a regular macroeconomic dialogue to exchange experience on economic policies and structural reforms.
- Energy Cooperation: EU – India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership.
- Research and Development: India, participates in international ITER fusion. India also participates in research and innovation funding programme ‘Horizon 2020’
- Environment and Water: The EU and India also cooperate closely on the Indian Clean Ganga initiative and deal with other water-related challenges in coordinated manner.
- Migration and mobility: The EU-India Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM) is a fundamental cooperation agreement between India and EU.
- Development cooperation: Over €150 million worth of projects are currently ongoing in India.
Opportunities for stronger India-EU ties
- The EU wants to pivot away from China. It recently signed a Comprehensive Agreement on Investment with China, which has drawn a lot of flak and its ratification has now been suspended because of diplomatic tensions.
- The European Parliament remains overwhelmingly opposed to this deal after China imposed sanctions on some of its members, in response to the EU imposing sanctions against China for its treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region.
- With the EU being India’s largest trading partner and the second-largest export destination, the economic logic of strong India-EU economic relations is self-evident.
- The virtual summit saw India and the EU launching an ambitious “connectivity partnership” in digital, energy, transport, and people-to-people sectors, enabling the two to pursue sustainable joint projects in regions spanning from Africa, Central Asia to the wider Indo-Pacific.
- Exports to EU: India has an untapped export potential of $39.9 billion in the EU and Western Europe. The top products with export potential include apparel, gems and jewellery, chemicals, machinery, automobile, pharmaceuticals and plastic.
- India benefits from tariff preferences under the EU’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) for several of these products.
- In fact, India is among the major beneficiaries of the EU’s GSP, with exports under the GSP valued at nearly $19.4 billion in 2019, accounting for nearly 37% of India’s merchandise exports to the EU.
- New emerging world order after COVID-19:As EU seeks to move away from a global supply chain that is overly dependent on China, India can emerge as its most natural ally.
Concerns in India-EU ties
- Stalled EU-India BTIA: It is being negotiated since 2007 and both sides have major differences on crucial issues such as: –
- EU’s demands: significant duty cuts in automobiles, tax reduction on wines, spirits etc, a strong intellectual property regime, relaxation in India’s data localisation norms, protection to all its items with Geographical Indication etc.
- India’s demands:‘Data secure’ status (important for India’s IT sector); Ease norms on temporary movement of skilled workers, relaxation of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) norms etc.
- Trade imbalance:India accounts for only 1.9% of EU total trade in goods in 2019, well behind China (13.8%). Trade imbalance is expected to further increase with ratification of the European Union Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement, which will make Indian exports less competitive.
- India’s perception of EU:It views EU primarily as a trade bloc, preferring bilateral partnerships with Member States for all political and security matters. This is evident from lack of substantive agreements on matters such as regional security and connectivity.
- Brexit:It is unclear how U.K.’s withdrawal from EU will affect India’s relation with EU as whole.
- Human Rights concerns of EU: The European Parliament was critical of both the Indian government’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019 and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Way Forward
- To translate their common values into common action, EU and India in can work in third countries to consolidate democratic processes and build capacities of transitioning regimes through strengthening electoral and parliamentary institutions.
- EU can collaborate with India to facilitate connectivity and infrastructure projects in third countries, particularly smaller states in South Asia that often fall prey to power politics and fiscal instability resulting from China’s loans and political influence as part of its BRI.
- Thus, as highlighted by EU strategy on India, adopted in 2018, India EU should take their relations beyond “trade lens”, recognizing their important geopolitical, strategic convergence.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money laundering and its prevention.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The article explains that from an occasional and sporadic instance of a cyber-attack previously, cyberattacks on institutions such as banks and on critical infrastructure have proliferated to an alarming extent, signaling the emergence of the cyber weapon epoch.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss different types of cybercrimes with examples and measures required to be taken to fight the menace in India.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start the answer by briefly discussing what you mean by cybercrimes.
Body:
Cybercrime is defined as a crime where a computer is the object of the crime or is used as a tool to commit an offense. Today, Cybercrimes are at an all-time high, impacting individuals, businesses, and countries.
Discuss various types of Cybercrimes; Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attacks, Botnets, Identity Theft, Cyber stalking, Phishing etc. and measures required to tackle them.
Suggest need to overcome these challenges.
Conclusion:
Conclude that given the dependence of information technology in the present era, the need of the hour for the governments is to develop core skills in cybersecurity, data integrity and data security fields while also setting stringent cybersecurity standards to protect banks and financial institutions.
Introduction
Cybercrime is a criminal action that encompasses mobile phones, laptop, network, and computer. It is a threat to country’s external and internal security and monetary status. Crimes committed against publics with an illicit intention to cause physical or psychological harm, or loss to the victim directly or indirectly, by means of contemporary telecommunication networks such as social media network, the Internet and mobile phones.
Body:
Types of cyber security threats: Cyber Security is protecting cyber space including critical information infrastructure from attack, damage, misuse and economic espionage.
- WEB ATTACKS
- A web attack affects the computer via the internet. These viruses can be downloaded from the internet and end up causing large-scale and irreversible damages to your system.
- SQL INJECTIONS
- SQL injection is a type of cyber crime that effectively employs malicious codes and manipulates backend databases to access information that is not intended to be displayed.
- These mostly involve private and sensitive data items including the likes of user lists and customer details, among others. SQLI can have long-term devastating effects such as deletion of tables, unauthorized viewing of any user list, and even administrative access to databases.
- CROSS-SITE SCRIPTING
- Cross-Site is another type of injection breach where attackers send malicious scripts from websites that are deemed responsible or reputed.
- Attackers inject malicious codes into trusted websites and applications and when a user visits such infected web page, the malicious JavaScipt code is executed on the user’s browser.
- This code can be used to steal important information like username and password.
- DDOS ATTACKS
- These are the attacks that aim at shutting down services or networks and making them inaccessible to the intended users.
- These attacks overwhelm the target with a lot of traffic and flood the same with information that can cause the website to crash.
- DDoS Attacks are targeted primarily at web servers of high-profile organizations such as the government or trade firms.
- A famous example of this type of attack is the 2017 DDoS attack on the UK National Lottery website. This brought the lottery’s website and mobile app offline, preventing UK citizens from playing.
- PASSWORD ATTACKS
- These are simply meant to decrypt or even attempt to obtain a user’s password with the help of criminal intentions.
- Attackers can use Dictionary Attacks, Password Sniffers, or even Cracking programs in such cases.
- These attacks are conducted by accessing passwords that are exported or stored in a file.
- EAVESDROPPING ATTACKS
- Eavesdropping attack begins with the interception of network traffic. This type of cyber crime is also known as Sniffing or Snooping.
- In this type of cyber crime, individuals attempt to steal information that computers, smartphones, or other devices receive or send.
- BRUTE-FORCE AND DICTIONARY NETWORK ATTACKS
- These are networking attacks where attackers attempt to directly log into the user’s accounts by checking and trying out different possible passwords until they find the correct ones.
- INSIDER THREATS
- Not all of the network attacks are executed by outsiders. The inside attack is a very common type of cyber crime.
- It is performed on a network or a system by individuals who have authorized access to the same system.
- MAN-IN-THE-MIDDLE ATTACKS
- A man-in-the-middle attack occurs when attackers eavesdrop on the communication between two entities.
- This type of cyber crime affects both the communicating parties as the attacker can do anything with the interpreted information.
- AI-POWERED ATTACKS
- Computer systems are now programmed to learn and teach themselves, and these AI-powered attacks mark a new type of cyber crime that is bound to get more sophisticated with time.
- AI is employed in many everyday applications with the help of algorithmic processes referred to as Machine Learning. This software is aimed at training computers to perform specific tasks all on their own. They can also accomplish these tasks by teaching themselves about obstacles that can potentially hinder their progress.
- AI can also hack many systems, including autonomous drones and vehicles, and convert them into potentially dangerous weapons.
- The AI-powered applications can be used for performing cyber crimes such as Password Cracking, Identity Theft, and automated, efficient and robust attacks.
- DRIVE-BY ATTACKS
- Drive-by attacks are used to spread malware through insecure websites.
- Hackers first look for websites with lesser security parameters and then plant malicious scripts into PHP or HTTP code onto one of the pages.
- The script can then directly install the malware onto the computer of anyone who visits the site.
- PHISHING ATTACKS
- The Phishing Attack is a Social Engineering attack that is used to steal precious data such as login credentials or credit card details as attackers pretend to be trusted individuals and trick victims into opening malicious links.
- A famous example of a phishing scam from 2018 was one which took place over the World Cup. According to reports by Inc, the World Cup phishing scam involved emails that were sent to football fans.
- SPEAR PHISHING ATTACKS
- These attacks are aimed at specific organizations’ data by individuals who desire unauthorized access.
- These hacks aren’t executed by any random attackers but by individuals who are trying to access specific information like trade secrets, military intelligence, etc.
- WHALE PHISHING ATTACKS
- A Whale Phishing Attack is a type of Phishing that generally attacks people with high statures, such as CFOs or CEOs.
- It primarily aims at stealing information as these individuals typically have unlimited access and are involved with sensitive data.
- MALWARE
- Malware is an umbrella term for a code/program that is intentionally built to affect or attack computer systems without the user’s consent. E.g.: Pegasus
- RANSOMWARE
- Ransomware generally blocks victim’s access to their own data and deletes the same if a ransom is not paid. E.g.: WannaCry ransomware attack
- TROJAN HORSES
- Trojan Horse is a type of malicious software program which attempts to disguise itself to appear useful. It appears like a standard application but causes damage to data files once executed.
- TEARDROP ATTACK
- Teardrop attack is a form of attack that causes fragmentation in the general sequence of Internet Protocol (IP) packets and sends these fragmented packets to the victim’s machine that is attacked.
- PING OF DEATH ATTACK
- The Ping of Death Attack is a type of cyber crime where IP packets ping target systems with IP sizes that are much over the maximum byte limit.
- PUPS
- PUPs is an abbreviation Potentially Unwanted Programs. These are a form of malware that is less threatening than other types of cyber crimes.
- This type of attack uninstalls the required search engine and pre-downloaded apps in your systems.
- Therefore, it is a good idea to install antivirus software to prevent malicious download.
- EXIT SCAM:
- The dark web, not surprisingly, has given rise to the digital version of an old crime known as the exit scam.
- In today’s form, dark web administrators divert virtual currency held in marketplace escrow accounts to their own accounts — essentially, criminals stealing from other criminals.
- CYBERESPIONAGE:
- A crime involving a cybercriminal who hacks into systems or networks to gain access to confidential information held by a government or other organization. Attacks may be motivated by profit or by ideology.
- Cyberespionage activities can include every type of cyberattack to gather, modify or destroy data, as well as using network-connected devices, like webcams or closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras, to spy on a targeted individual or groups and monitoring communications, including emails, text messages and instant messages.
India’s attempts to tackle these issues:
Information Technology Act, 2000
- The act regulates use of computers, computer systems, computer networks and also data and information in electronic format.
- The act lists down among other things, following as offences:
- Tampering with computer source documents.
- Hacking with computer system
- Act of cyber terrorism i.e. accessing a protected system with the intention of threatening the unity, integrity, sovereignty or security of country.
- Cheating using computer resource etc.
Strategies under National Cyber Policy, 2013
- Creating a secure cyber ecosystem.
- Creating mechanisms for security threats and responses to the same through national systems and processes.
- National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-in) functions as the nodal agency for coordination of all cyber security efforts, emergency responses, and crisis management.
- Securing e-governance by implementing global best practices, and wider use of Public Key Infrastructure.
- Protection and resilience of critical information infrastructure with the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) operating as the nodal agency.
- NCIIPC has been created under Information Technology Act, 2000 to secure India’s critical information infrastructure. It is based in New Delhi.
- Promoting cutting edge research and development of cyber security technology.
- Human Resource Development through education and training programs to build capacity.
Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative: It was launched in 2018 with an aim to spread awareness about cybercrime and building capacity for safety measures for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and frontline IT staff across all government departments.
National Cyber security Coordination Centre (NCCC): In 2017, the NCCC was developed. Its mandate is to scan internet traffic and communication metadata (which are little snippets of information hidden inside each communication) coming into the country to detect real-time cyber threats.
Cyber Swachhta Kendra: In 2017, this platform was introduced for internet users to clean their computers and devices by wiping out viruses and malware.
Training of 1.14 Lakh persons through 52 institutions under the Information Security Education and Awareness Project (ISEA) – a project to raise awareness and to provide research, education and training in the field of Information Security.
International cooperation: Looking forward to becoming a secure cyber ecosystem, India has joined hands with several developed countries like the United States, Singapore, Japan, etc. These agreements will help India to challenge even more sophisticated cyber threats.
Way forward:
- Real-time intelligence is required for preventing and containing cyber attacks.
- Periodical ‘Backup of Data’ is a solution to ransomware.
- Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for predicting and accurately identifying attacks.
- Using the knowledge gained from actual attacks that have already taken place in building effective and pragmatic defence.
- Increased awareness about cyber threats for which digital literacy is required first.
- India needs to secure its computing environment and IoT with current tools, patches, updates and best-known methods in a timely manner.
- The need of the hour for Indian government is to develop core skills in cyber security, data integrity and data security fields while also setting stringent cyber security standards to protect banks and financial institutions.
Topic: Issues related to Direct and Indirect Farm Subsidies and Minimum Support Prices
6. Analyse the implications of state’s interference on Indian agriculture. (250 words)
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
The article highlights issues in Indian agriculture.
Key Demand of the question:
Analyse the implications of state’s interference on Indian agriculture in detail and suggest suitable solutions.
Directive:
Analyze – When asked to analyse, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with brief backgrounder of the question context.
Body:
Discuss the challenges on Indian agriculture system specifically with respect to State’s interference.
Explain how it has been a good initiative to keep India away from nationalization of farm sector but indirect control of the government in rural property rights, land use and land ceilings; commodity prices, input subsidies and taxes, infrastructure, production, credit, marketing and agri-business etc. have held the sector from attaining actual potential.
Analyse how the whole ecosystem is risk-averse and hence caught in a vicious trap.
Discuss with examples how agriculture is under the influence of government restrictions.
Conclusion:
Conclude with solutions; Farm reforms must be oriented towards minimizing risk and increasing returns for farmers. Farmers must be free to determine the best mix of resources, land, inputs, technology, and organizational forms for their farms. Farmers must be allowed to enter and exit agriculture on their own terms and contract with whomever they wish.
Introduction
The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 (FAPAFS), the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 (FPTC) and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 (EC) were recently passed. The bills have been touted as a watershed moment for Indian agriculture it claims that the reforms would remove the shackles from the agriculture sector and free farmers from the stranglehold of middlemen by creating one market promoting more responsibilities upon states to empower farmers.
Body
Essentially changing the rules around sale, storage and pricing of farm produce, the bills will permit private buyers to hoard essential commodities for future sales, which only government-authorised agents could do earlier, along with changing the rules for contract farming.
Intended benefits of liberalisation
- Aim to do away with government interference in agricultural trade by creating trading areas free of middlemen and government taxes outside the structure of Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs).
- It will allow farmers an option to sell their produce directly to these new zones, without going through the middlemen and paying levies such as mandi fees.
- It sought to remove stock holding limits as well as curbs on inter-State and intra-State trade, and create a framework for contract farming.
- Also, these bills promote the creation of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO) on a large scale and will help in creating a farmer-friendly environment for contract farming where small players can benefit.
- These bills may enable private players to invest in warehousing, grading and other marketing infrastructure.
- A combined effect of these bills will help in creating a ‘One Nation, One Market’ for agricultural produce.
Concerned raised
Farmers’ unions and groups have concerns about two major issues:
- Since the Minimum Support Price (MSP) is not mentioned in the bills, they fear that they will lose the assured option of selling to the APMC mandis and that this will lead to corporate exploitation.
- They apprehend a process of corporatisation of agriculture in the absence of regulation, as agribusiness firms might well be able to dictate both the market conditions (including prices) and the terms of contract farming as small farmers do not have the same bargaining power.
- Federal Angle: The provisions in the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, provides for unfettered commerce in designated trade areas outside APMC jurisdictions.
- Apart from this, the bill empowers the Centre government to issue orders to States in furtherance of the law’s objectives.
- However, matters of trade and agriculture being the part of subjects on the State list, have caused resentment in States.
- Lack of Consultation: First the ordinance route and now the hastily attempt to pass the Bills without proper consultation adds to the mistrust among various stakeholders including farmers.
- Also, by allowing ‘trade zones’ to come up outside the APMC area, farmers have become apprehensive that the new system would lead to eventual exit from the minimum support price.
- Absence of any regulation in non-APMC mandis: Another issue that is raised by the farmers is that the proposed bills give the preference for corporate interests at the cost of farmers’ interests.
- In absence of any regulation in non-APMC mandis, the farmers may find it difficult to deal with Corporates, as they solely operate on the motive of profit seeking.
- Non-Favourable Market Conditions: While retail prices have remained high, data from the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) suggest a deceleration in farm gate prices for most agricultural produce.
- With rising input costs, farmers do not see the free market based framework providing them remunerative prices.
- These fears gain strength with the experience of States such as Bihar which abolished APMCs in 2006. After the abolition of mandis, farmers in Bihar on average received lower prices compared to the MSP for most crops.
Way forward
- Improve Agricultural Infrastructure to Strengthen Competition: Government should massively fund the expansion of the APMC market system, make efforts to remove trade cartels, and provide farmers good roads, logistics of scale and real time information.
- Empowering State Farmers Commissions: Rather than opting for heavy centralisation, the emphasis should be on empowering farmers through State Farmers Commissions recommended by the National Commission for Farmers, to bring about a speedy government response to issues.
- Consensus Building: The Centre should reach out to those opposing the Bills, including farmers, explain to them the need for reform, and get them on board.
Conclusion
Without strong institutional arrangements, the free market may harm lakhs of unorganised small farmers, who have been remarkably productive and shored up the economy even during a pandemic. Thus, MSP has been very helpful in keeping agriculture in our country alive and we have been able to become self-sufficient in food grains due to it. It becomes crucial for government to provide some solid assurance to farmers that it won’t be allowed to die down.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Case study
Reference: Times of India
Why the question:
The Supreme Court turned down a petition demanding to restrain vagabonds and the homeless from begging at traffic lights, markets, and public places, to prevent the spread of corona virus.
Key Demand of the question:
Analyse from the ethical perspective the case presented above and conclude if begging be allowed under the given conditions in our country.
Directive:
Analyze – When asked to analyse, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with begging laws in our country.
Body:
There is no central law on begging and destitution. Most states [20 states and two UTs] have adopted the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959, which criminalizes begging or has modeled their laws on it.
The Bombay Prevention Act allows the police and social welfare departments to simply seize homeless people, or indeed anyone who looks destitute, and send them to detention centers.
Explain that the Supreme Court turned down a petition demanding to restrain vagabonds and the homeless from begging at traffic lights, markets, and public places, to prevent the spread of corona virus. It also stated that it is a socio-economic issue that requires a compassionate and humanitarian solution. It asked the Centre and State governments to ensure vaccinations for the homeless and providing them with shelter and food amid the pandemic. The SC observed that vagabonds, homeless, are compelled to beg on the streets to make a living owing to a lack of education and work.
Conclusion:
Conclude with moral and ethically sound solutions.
Introduction
Associated with the problems of poverty and unemployment is the problem of beggary which is a social problem of great magnitude and grave concern in developing countries. Begging is a problem for society in as much as a large number of beggars means non utilization of available human resources and drag upon the existing resources of the society.
Body
In spite of its rapid economic growth, India is a poverty-driven country, which is also leading to the growth of beggars in the country.
It is well settled that the right to life is the right to live with dignity and with necessities of life required for it.
The social contract between the citizen and the State is a contract by which in exchange for the citizen ceding her autonomy partially, the State promises her security over her person and a life with dignity.
In our constitutional framework, this is guaranteed by Part III which enjoins the State not only to protect life but also to advance it, and Part IV which mandates that the State shall allocate resources so as to further the common good.
Begging Cartel in India
- Begging in India has become a big racket in the country. In fact, there are begging cartel in cities like Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Kolkata etc.
- These gangs have their own gang leaders. Each leader allots a particular territory for a group of beggars and the day’s earnings are shared among them.
- India has 4,13,670 beggars in 2015 (Census 2011)
- West Bengal has top the list of 81,000 beggars
- It is very difficult to find out who is a real beggar and who is not because looks are very deceptive.
- Even the children with their dirty faces with pleading looks are properly trained to beg and look real.
- Sometimes our heart melts when we see a young woman holding her tiny baby, begging on the streets.
- In most cases, the baby is found sleeping. This is a scam. Many sting operations have revealed that babies are rented to give credibility to begging.
- Sometimes, babies are drugged for the entire day so that they look sick and they can be easily carried from one area to another by the young women beggars.
Social attitude towards beggars
- Beggars are not treated well in the society. There is negative attitude towards beggars, because they are poor and lazy people rely on the others sympathy.
- There are very few person in the society those treat beggars with compassion and sympathy.
- They are treated as drug trafficker and chid lifter etc.
- There are many instances in which the states have shown negative attitude towards beggars and taken special drive to punish the beggars.
- It is believed that, beggars are obstacle to tourism and a scar on highly developed cities.
Causes of Begging in India
The problem of beggary, like any other social problem, is multidimensional. Its roots are found in the diverse patterns of its intertwined and interlocked social fabrics. Various factors which are cited as causes of beggary can be grouped into following heads:
- Physical Factors: In India there is no adequate provision for treatment and social rehabilitation of blind, deaf, dumb or the physically handicapped. In the absence of any reasonable alternative, such persons are constrained to beg.
- Economic Factors: Economic factors which generally prompt people to take to begging. Among these factors poverty, unemployment, under-employment and loss of income are important.
- Social Factors: Among the social factors, hereditary occupation, family disorganization and widowhood are causes of begging.
- Natural Calamities: Our physical environment may frustrate us drastically at times through famines, earthquakes, drought, cyclones or floods. Sometimes all these natural calamities cause serious damage to property and agriculture and compel people to leave their homes and compel them to take to begging to overcome pangs of hunger.
- Psychological Factors: Some times, due to bad psychology of the individual cause beggary Frustration, unwillingness to work and tendency towards isolation are important among these factors.
Laws Governing Begging in India
- In India, there is no central law which penalises begging. Although, 22 states (including few Union Territories) have their anti-begging laws.
- The Act which functions as the derivative figure for all the state anti-begging law is Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959.
- The act prescribes penalty of more than 3 years of jail in case of first conviction for begging and person can be ordered to be detained for 10 years in subsequent conviction.
- According to the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959, which criminalize the begging, the provision not only criminalizes the begging in the Mumbai but also in various metropolitan cities such as Delhi.
Issues with Legal Provisions
- Definition of begging under the act is vague. No distinction between Beggars and Homeless.
- Harsher implication on beggary without any proper rehabilitation measures
- It gives discretionary powers to the police to arrest.
- Under Article 21 of the Constitution, every beggar or juvenile has a fundamental right to live. It is state responsibility to provide an alternative routes of earning for them
- It also criminalizes people who make earning by singing, dancing etc.
- It violates the right of children and contradicts the protective provision of juvenile Justice act
- Juvenile justice act identifies child beggars as “children in need of care and protection” and provides for their rehabilitation and re-integration in the society
- There is no rule regarding right to receive training and education
- Issue with certified institution. Act gives Certified institutions absolute power over detainees, including the power of punishment, and the power to exact “manual work”
Steps Needed to Rehabilitate Beggars
Begging has grown at a significant rate in India. It is estimated that half a million people in India are beggars. The government, varied organizations, activist’s claim that many measures have been taken to abolish begging and it has been successful to a certain extent. Following footsteps may be taken to rehabilitate beggars:
- Eradicate Poverty: Priority should be given to eradication of extreme poverty. Though many people take to begging owing to poverty, it has become a menace. Of late, begging has become part of an organised crime.
- Rehabilitation: Small shelters have to be made and they need to be imparted skills that would help them land jobs. They should be made to earn their livelihood by working and not begging. The government and charitable organisations should look after people who are aged and physically challenged.
- Vocational Training: The government should provide necessary vocational training to rehabilitate them. The expenses incurred should be borne by the government. A government funded organisation should be constituted and personnel trained to oversee the rehabilitation programme. Beggars who are willing to work should be trained according to their ability, health and talent. The ill should be given medical care, food and other amenities. Necessary steps should be taken by the government to collect contributions from donors by allowing tax rebate.
- Concerted Effort: Social issues associated with begging are drug trafficking, criminal activities and sexual exploitation of children. As part of the rehabilitation programme, the corporation has collaborated with a voluntary organisation towards providing food, clothing and medicines. To reduce the economic burden, the government should seek the aid of voluntary organisations. However, the activities of the voluntary organisations should be monitored and evaluated.
- Aid Agency Needed: The rehabilitated should be provided free medical diagnosis, financial support and ration to the beggars. Slums may come up in cities and rehabilitation should be carried out in a judicious manner.
- Create Awareness: People should discourage beggars. Begging flourishes because people tend to be generous. Awareness programmes need to be conducted for the poor to help them realise how shameful it is to beg.
Best Practices to End Menace of Beggary
- In Bihar, Mukhyamantri Bhikshavriti Nivaran Yojna was launched to protect and promote the rights of beggars by ensuring their care, protection, development, socio-economic and cultural empowerment through enabling policies and programmes.
- The government of Odisha has adopted good measure to identify beggars provide them alternative remedy like houses, insurance coverage, Aadhar and ration card, healthcare facility, giving them training for vocational skills for wage or self-employment.
- Few municipal corporations in Maharashtra including Pune Corporation had launched ‘beggar free city’ campaign.
Way Forward
- Basic needs of man have traditionally been accepted to be three — food, clothing and shelter. The right to life is guaranteed in any civilized society. That would take within its sweep the right to food, the right to clothing, the right to decent environment and a reasonable accommodation to live in.
- It remains a hard reality that the State has not been able to ensure even the bare essentials of the right to life to all its citizens. People beg on the streets not because they wish to, but because they need to. Begging is their last resort to subsistence, they have no other means to survive. Begging is a symptom of a disease, of the fact that the person has fallen through the socially created net.
- As India is a social welfare state, it is the responsibility of the government to develop policies so that all its citizens can achieve that wholesome life. India is also part of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which has a provision for right to living with dignity and the lack of any concrete policies to deal with the issue of beggary and homelessness is inconsistent with that provision.
Conclusion
Beggary is a social problem and this has been accepted way of life. The government intend to abolish beggaries from the society. The states have taken a lot of measures to abate poverty. The move is good, but while implemented in the social milieu it causes harassment to the innocent people. It is perceived that, the rehabilitation strategy is not matching with the legal parameters. The attitude of the personnel of beggar home need be changed. The rehabilitation institution should not be treated as jail. It should have capacity to change the mind-set of the inmates those can find an alternative for sustenance.