[Mission 2022] INSIGHTS DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS + PIB SUMMARY 09 MARCH 2022 – INSIGHTSIAS

GS Paper 1:

Topics Covered: Modern Indian history.

Context:

On Monday, March 7, the Gujarat government marked 100 years of the Pal-Dadhvav killings, calling it a massacre “bigger than the Jallianwala Bagh”.

What is Pal – Dadhvav massacre?

Took place on March 7, 1922, in the Pal-Chitariya and Dadhvaav villages of Sabarkantha district, then part of Idar state (present-day Gujarat).

Villagers from Pal, Dadhvav, and Chitariya had gathered on the banks of river Heir as part of the ‘Eki movement’, led by one Motilal Tejawat.

• The movement was to protest against the land revenue tax (lagaan) imposed on the peasants by the British and feudal lords.

British Paramilitary force was on hunt for Tehawat. It heard of this gathering and reached the spot.

• Nearly 200 bhils under the leadership of Tehawat lifted their bows and arrows. But, the Britishers opened fire on them. Nearly 1,000 tribals (Bhils) fell to bullets.
• Tejwat, however, escaped and later “returned to the spot to christen it ‘Veerbhumi’.”

Legacy:

A Gujarat government release on the centenary of the massacre described the incident as “more brutal than the Jalliawala Bagh massacre of 1919”.

Insta Curious:

Gujarat has a near 14 per cent tribal population that resides along its northern-eastern stretch, called the ‘poorvi patti’, bordering the districts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

• Bhils are the dominant tribe in this stretch, which covers the districts of Aravalli, Sabarkantha, Banaskantha, Panchmahal, Chhota Udepur, Mahisagar, Narmada, Dahod, Tapi, Navsari and Dang.

Sources: Indian Express.

GS Paper 2:

Topics Covered: RPA related issues.

Context:

The Supreme Court has refused urgent hearing on a PIL seeking increase in the number of booths for EVM-VVPAT verification from five per constituency, as mandated by the apex court in 2019, to 25 or more for the March 10 counting of votes in five states.

Supreme Court’s April 18, 2019 directions for VVPAT verification:

• In case of general elections, VVPAT slips of five EVMs in each Assembly segment of a Parliamentary Constituency would be subject to physical counting.
• In State Assembly elections, the VVPAT verification would extend to five random EVMs in each Assembly constituency.

Challenges associated with increase in the number of booths for EVM-VVPAT verification:

Increased VVPAT slip counting would require extensive training and capacity building of election officials in the field. VVPAT slip counting takes place in specially erected VVPAT counting booths under the close monitoring of the returning officer and direct oversight of the observer.

What is VVPAT?

• Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) is a method of providing feedback to voters using EVMs.
• A VVPAT is intended as an independent verification system for voting machines designed to allow voters to verify that their vote was cast correctly, and to provide a means to audit the stored electronic results.
• It contains the name of the candidate for whom vote has been cast and symbol of the party/individual candidate.

Significance and the need for VVPATs:

• The VVPAT helps to detect potential election fraud or malfunction in the Electronic Voting Machine.
• It provides a means to audit the stored electronic results. It serves as an additional barrier to change or destroy votes.
• The EVMs with VVPAT system ensure the accuracy of the voting system with fullest transparency and restores the confidence of the voters.
• EVMs and VVPATs also speed up the election process as counting votes on EVMs takes much lesser time than counting paper ballots.

Need of the hour:

However the cynicism continues to remain, regarding the fallibility of EVMs and thus necessitates an in depth scrutiny to allay any apprehensions regarding the most important feature of a democratic polity- Elections.

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

1. About VVPAT.
2. Features.
3. What are EVMs?
4. About the right to vote.

Mains Link:

Discuss the significance of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in Elections. 

Sources: the Hindu.

GS Paper 2:

Topics Covered: Effects of policies of developed nations.

Context:

Due to stringent measures by the government, prices of edible oil have been control for the last two years, despite the Covid situation.

• However, the war in Ukraine has driven the prices of many commodities northwards including the edible oil prices.

What’s the issue?

Most of the sunflower oil supplies to the country was coming from Ukraine, while the domestic production accounts for less than a quarter of the demand. With Ukraine being war-hit, the supplies have completely stopped.

• As sunflower oil supplies dwindle, consumers are invariably moving to groundnut and palm oils, driving up their prices as well.

Previously, What led to increase in oil prices previously?

• Global commodity prices were extremely high. COVID-19 is a major factor, disrupting supply chains, closing down industries.
• There was insufficient labour in the oil production industry in many countries.
• Excessive buying of edible oil by China.
• Many major oil producers were aggressively pursuing biofuel policies and diverting their edible oil crops for that purpose.
• Governmental taxes and duties also make up a major chunk of the retail price of edible oils in India.

India’s Dependence on Edible Oil:

• India is the world’s biggest vegetable oil importer.
• India imports about 60% of its edible oil needs, leaving the country’s retail prices vulnerable to international pressures.
• It imports palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, soyoil from Brazil and Argentina, and sunflower oil, mainly from Russia and Ukraine.

Facts about Edible Oils:

• Primary sources of Edible oil (Soybean, Rapeseed & Mustard, Groundnut, Sunflower, Safflower & Niger) and secondary sources of Edible Oil (Oil palm, Coconut, Rice Bran, Cotton seeds & Tree Borne Oilseeds).
• In India major challenges in oilseed production is
  • Growing in largely rain-fed conditions (around 70% area),
  • high seed cost (Groundnut and Soybean),
  • small holding with limited resources,
  • low seed replacement rate and low productivity.

Insta Curious:

Recently the Government announced the National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) to boost domestic oilseed production and make the country self-sufficient in cooking oils.

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

1. About Edible oil.
2. Primary and Secondary sources of Edible oil.
3. Major edible oil importing countries.
4. About National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) and its provisions.

Mains Link:

Why does India have to import edible oils? What is the burden of importing edible oils on the government’s exchequer? What can we do to boost the domestic production of edible oils? Elaborate.

 Sources: the Hindu.

GS Paper 2:

Topics Covered: India and neighbourhood relations.

Context:

A meeting was recently held between three countries – Bangladesh, India and Nepal, to discuss the next steps in operationalising the Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) of the sub-regional Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) grouping for the free flow of good and people between them.

• Bhutan has already announced that it is unwilling to sign this agreement.

Outcomes of the recent meet:

The BBIN meeting was the first such in-person meeting since February 2020 to discuss the MVA since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, and officials finalised the wording of two separate protocols on passenger and cargo movement with an “enabling” agreement.

About MVA:

The original BBIN MVA was signed by all four countries in June 2015, but after objections in Bhutan over sustainability and environmental concerns, the Bhutanese parliament decided not to endorse the plan.

• As per the agreement, member countries would allow vehicles registered in the other countries to enter their territory under certain terms and conditions. Customs and tariffs will be decided by the respective countries and these would be finalised at bilateral and trilateral forums.
• Asian Development Bank has supported the project as part of its South Asian Subregional Economic Cooperation programme.

Why Bhutan has remained out?

Tiven Bhutan’s “current infrastructure” and top priority to remaining a “carbon-negative” country, it said it would not be possible to consider joining the MVA.

Significance:

Operationalising the MVA by concluding the Passenger and the Cargo Protocol will help realise the full potential of trade and people to people connectivity between the BBIN countries by fostering greater sub-regional cooperation.

Sources: the Hindu.

GS Paper 3:

Topics Covered: Awareness in space.

Context:

Scientists have unravelled the science behind the jets of plasma – the fourth state of matter consisting of electrically charged particles that occur just about everywhere in the sun’s chromosphere, which is the atmospheric layer just above the Sun’s visible surface.

What are the jets of plasma?

The jets, or spicules, appear as thin grass-like plasma structures that constantly shoot up from the surface and are then brought down by gravity.

• The amount of energy and momentum that these spicules can carry is of fundamental interest in solar and plasma astrophysics.

How they are formed? What are the recent findings?

Astronomers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics conducted an experiment to understand the science behind this.

• They found that the physics underlying paint jets when excited on a speaker is analogous to the solar plasma jets.
• When a liquid is placed above a speaker and the music is turned on, the free surface of the liquid becomes unstable beyond a particular frequency and starts vibrating.

The researchers realized that the physics underlying these paint jets must be analogous to the solar plasma jets.

The scientists elaborated that the plasma right below the visible solar surface (photosphere) is perpetually in a state of convection, much like boiling water in a vessel heated at the bottom.

• This is ultimately powered by the nuclear energy released in the hot-dense core. The convection serves almost periodic but there are strong kicks to the plasma in the solar chromosphere.
• The chromosphere is 500 times lighter than the plasma in the photosphere. Therefore, these strong kicks from the bottom shoot the chromospheric plasma outward at ultrasonic speeds in the form of thin columns or spicules.

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

1. About Sun’s Surface.
2. Nuclear fusion energy.
3. Chromosphere.
4. Solar flares.
5. Sun’s corona.

Sources: Indian Express.

GS Paper 4:

Topics Covered: Ethics and integrity.

Context:

The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has approached the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) of all the State and Union Territory governments to initiate an awareness drive for sensitising their officials to the code of ethics and procedure, and safeguards in relation to the digital media.

• The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which was notified by the Central government on February 25, 2021, relates to the digital news publishers.
• It is administered by the Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry Ministry.

Overview of the rules:

The Rules provide for:

1. A code of ethics to be followed by digital news publishers and OTT platforms.
2. A three-tier grievance redress mechanism, which includes self-regulation by publishers at the first level, self-regulation by self-regulating bodies of the publishers and an oversight mechanism by the Central government.
3. Procedures for them to furnish the required information.
4. Significant social media firms have to appoint a chief compliance officer and have a nodal contact person who can be in touch with law enforcement agencies 24/7.
5. A grievance officer: Social media platforms will also have to name a grievance officer who shall register the grievance within 24 hours and dispose of it in 15 days.

What is a significant social media intermediary and benefits obtained under it?

Social media companies with more than 50 lakh registered users will be considered ‘significant social media intermediaries’, as per the new norms.

What happens in case of non compliance?

• Social media giants such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp messenger could face a ban if they do not comply with the new Information Technology rules.
• They also run the risk of losing their status as “intermediaries” and may become liable for criminal action if they do not comply with the revised regulations.

What are the Concerns being raised?

1. Various industry bodies have written to the government for up to a one-year compliance window, particularly in view of the pandemic.
2. Concerns have also been expressed over potential unavailability of ‘safe harbour’ protection given to intermediaries under Section 79 of the IT Act, under the new rules.
3. They have requested a re-think over a clause in the new rules which can lead to imposition of criminal liability upon the employees for non-compliance by intermediaries, asking for it to be dropped in the interest of ease of doing business.
4. Originator traceability mandate in end-to-end encrypted platforms could end up weakening the security architecture of the platform. This could render the entire citizenry susceptible to cyberattacks by hostile actors.
5. Additionally, the extant data retention mandate entailed risking privacy of users in India and abroad in addition to security risks and technical complexities which requires a lot of time for development and testing before integration with the existing ecosystem.

Insta Curious:

Did you know that On February 25, 2021, the Centre framed the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, in the exercise of powers under section 87 (2) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and in supersession of the earlier Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2011?

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

1. Overview of the new rules.
2. Who are intermediaries as per the definition?
3. What is safe harbour protection?
4. Grievance redressal mechanism as provided under the new rules.

Mains Link:

What are the concerns being raised against the new IT rules? Discuss ways to address these concerns.

Sources: the Hindu.

GS Paper 2:

Topics Covered: Government policies.

Context:

Justifying the 2 per cent equalisation levy (EL) imposed by India on the supply of services by multinational enterprises, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said it is a sovereign right to tax revenues earned from operations in the country.

About the Equalisation Levy:

India was the one of the first countries to introduce a 6 per cent equalisation levy in 2016, but the levy was restricted to online advertisement services.

However, India introduced the digital tax in April 2020 for foreign companies selling goods and services online to customers in India and showing annual revenues more than INR 20 million.

Applicability:

India has expanded the scope of the equalisation levy over the last few years, to tax non-resident digital entities.

• While the levy applied only to digital advertising services till 2019-20 at the rate of 6 percent, the government in April 2020 widened the scope to impose a 2 per cent tax on non-resident e-commerce players with a turnover of Rs 2 crore.
• The scope was further widened in the Finance Act 2021-22 to cover e-commerce supply or service when any activity takes place online.
• Since May 2021, this also includes any entity that systematically and continuously does business with more than 3 lakh users in India.

When will the tax not apply?

Offshore e-commerce firms that sell through an Indian arm will not have to pay.

• This means if the goods and services sold on a foreign e-commerce platform are owned or provided by an Indian resident or Indian permanent establishment, they will not be subject to the two percent equalization levy.

Why was it imposed?

The equalisation levy was imposed “to give level playing field between Indian businesses who pay tax in India and foreign e-commerce companies who do business in India but do not pay any income tax here.

Which other countries impose such a levy on digital sellers?

1. France imposes a three percent digital services tax.
2. In the ASEAN region, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia impose a digital service tax with Thailand announcing forthcoming plans to tax its foreign digital service providers.

Why the United States Trade Representative (USTR) says that this tax is discriminatory?

1. First, it states that the DST discriminates against US digital businesses because it specifically excludes from its ambit domestic (Indian) digital businesses.
2. USTR also says the DST is discriminatory because it does not extend to identical services provided by non-digital service providers.

Why India says Digital services tax is not discriminatory? And why is it needed?

• Business models employed by non-resident digital service providers obviate the need for a physical presence in India and profits earned here could easily escape the Indian income tax net. Hence, this kind of taxation is necessary.
• Changing International Economic Order: Countries such as India which provide large markets for digital corporations seek a greater right to tax incomes.

Associated Concerns:

1. Eventually the tax may become a burden for Digital Consumers.
2. It could invite retaliatory tariffs (such as the latest one), as similar tariffs were imposed by the US on France.
3. It would also result in double taxation.

Did you know?

In October 2021, G20 countries approved a global deal to adopt a 15 per cent minimum corporate tax and reallocate taxing rights for large profitable multinational enterprises (MNEs) to countries where they sell products and services.

Insta Curious:

1. Think! For clarity on concepts:

In B2B transactions where the Service Provider is outside India and the Service Receiver is inside India, who is the liable entity for tax? Read Here.

1. Have you heard of the Trade Watch Report by the World Bank? Read Here.

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

1. About the equalization levy.
2. Applicability.
3. Exceptions.
4. Other countries with similar taxes.
5. About OECD.

Mains Link:

Discuss the issues associated with the implementation of equalization levy.

Sources: the Hindu.