Draft National Forest Policy 2018 : Important Topics for UPSC Exams
News:
Seeking to replace the country’s 30-year-old national forest policy, the Centre has come out with a new draft policy which calls for promoting urban greens, public private partnership models for afforestation, strengthening forest fire prevention measures and plantations in catchment areas to rejuvenate water bodies among many proposals to protect India’s green cover.
Background
Currently National forest policy of 1988 is being followed.
The new policy is in line with the present realities of climate change , wildlife and forest management.
It seeks to raise the country’s forest cover from 25% to 30%.
Additional Info
Forest survey of India - Organisation for conducting forest surveys, studies and research to periodically monitor the changing situation of land and forest resources and present the data for national planning, conservation and sustainable management of environmental protection as well for the implementation of social forestry projects.
It works under Government of India Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
It is headquartered in Dehradun.
It publishes biennial "The State of Forest Reports". According to 2017 report, In terms of area, Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Maharashtra.
(VIDEO) Fake or News? : Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Topic of Discussion: Fake or News? : What Next - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate Expert Panel Name : Abhigyan Prakash, Senior Executive Editor, NDTV India,Nitin Desai, Member, News Broadcasting Standards Authority,Satya Prakash, Legal Editor, The Tribune,Sushant Sareen, Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)
Malimath Committee Recommendations : Important Topics for UPSC Exams
Context:
Government has decided to review the recommendations of Malimath committee on India’s criminal justice system
WHAT is Criminal justice system?
Criminal justice system refers to the collective institutions through which an accused offender passes until the accusations have been disposed of or the assessed punishment concluded. The criminal justice system is essentially an instrument of social control.
(VIDEO) SC/ST Act: What Next - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Topic of Discussion: SC/ST Act: What Next - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate Expert Panel Name : S.S. Jodhka, Professor, Sociology, JNU,Udit Raj, MP, Lok Sabha, BJP,Prof. Rajkumar Falwaria, Dalit Activist; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)
A Perfect storm in the cotton field : Important Topics for UPSC Exams
Bt cotton stands for Bacillus thuringiensis cotton as the strains of the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis present in Bt cotton produce over 200 different Bt toxins, each harmful to different insects and thus protecting the cotton crop against the attacks of insects. But despite this, India is the only Bt cotton-growing country facing the problem of pink bollworm infestation at present.
Why in News?
The government had cut royalties that local seed companies pay to Monsanto, for the second time in two years.
In February 2018, anti-trust regulator, the Competition Commission of India, decided to probe into anti-competitive practices by Monsanto. At the centre of all this is the pink bollworm infestation plaguing cotton farmers.
Status of Cotton Cultivation in India
When Monsanto introduced Bt cotton in India, the technology was so popular that cotton farmers shifted to it en masse and as there was no open-pollinated Bt option, they were also forced to shift en masse to hybrids.
From 2002 to 2011, the area under cotton hybrids rose from 2% in north India and 40% elsewhere to 96% across the country.
(VIDEO) The Korea Summit - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Topic of Discussion: The Korea Summit - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate Expert Panel Name : Harsh V Pant, Head, ORF’s Strategic Studies, Smita Sharma, Deputy Editor, The Tribune, S.R. Tayal, Former Diplomat; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)
Democracy Index, 2017 : Important Topics for UPSC Exams
Why in News?
India has been classified among “flawed democracies” with 42nd rank on the Democracy Index and it has moved down from 32nd place last year.
About the Index
It is the index compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) which is the research and analysis division of The Economist (UK- based media group).
EIU was founded in 1946.
EIU provides forecasting and advisory services through research and analysis, such as monthly country reports, country risk service reports, five-year country economic forecasts, and industry reports etc.
Report included 167 countries which scored on a scale of 0 to 10 based on 60 indicators.
The Democracy Index is calculated on the basis of following five categories:
(VIDEO) Death for Child Rape - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Topic of Discussion: Death for Child Rape - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate Expert Panel Name : Desh Ratan Nigam, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court ; Malini Bhattacharya, President, All India Democratic Women's Association ; Ramesh Negi, Chairperson, Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights ; Geeta Luthra, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)
Topic of Discussion: Battle Karnataka: What's at stake - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate Expert Panel Name : Nistula Hebbar, Political Editor, The Hindu,Sachidananda Murthy, Resident Editor, The Week,Smita Prakash, Editor, ANI, R. K. Mishra, Chief Minister's Vision Group for Bangalore; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)
Health Index Report by NITI Aayog : Important Topics for UPSC Exams
NITI Aayog released health index report, titled ‘Healthy States, Progressive India. Government will give a special grant to the states on the basis of performance on Index.
About the Report
NITI Aayog has prepared this index with the help of World Bank, Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, States and Union Territories.
The report ranks states and Union territories on their, overall performance with respect to each other as well as their year-on-year incremental change in health outcomes.
It is the maiden attempt to establish an annual systematic tool to measure and understand the heterogeneity and complexity of the nation’s performance in Health and the Health Index will serve as a tool for ensuring cooperative federalism.
To ensure comparison among similar entities, States and UTs have been ranked in three categories namely, Larger States, Smaller States, and Union Territories (UTs).
The Health Index is a weighted composite Index, which for the larger States, is based on indicators in three domains:
(a) Health Outcomes (70%);
(b) Governance and Information (12%); and
(c) Key Inputs and Processes (18%), with each domain assigned a weight based on its importance.
(VIDEO) Spy Poisoning Row - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Topic of Discussion: Spy Poisoning Row - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate Expert Panel Name : Rana Banerjee, Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretaria, Meera Shankar, Former Ambassador, Kanwal Sibal, Former Foreign Secretary; Amritanshu Rai (Anchor)
Ayushman Bharat Health Scheme : Important Topics for UPSC Exams
Why in News?
Union Budget 2018-19 has laid foundation of the flagship program Ayushman Bharat to address health holistically, in primary, secondary and tertiary care systems, covering both prevention and health promotion and it is supposed to be the world’s largest government funded health care programme.
Union cabinet has approved the launch of Ayushman Bharat — National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM).
The new scheme of NHPS will be applicable from the beginning of the new financial year i.e. April 1, 2018.
What is Ayushman Bharat Programme?
There are two health sector initiatives under Ayushman Bharat Programme which will ensure enhanced productivity, wellbeing and avert wage loss and impoverishment.
1.Health and Wellness Centre
Aim of opening more than 1.5 lakh health and wellness centers across the country, which will provide free essential medicines and diagnostic services.
These centers will also provide comprehensive health care for non-communicable diseases and maternal and child Services. In these centers, special training will also be provided for the treatment of lifestyle diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes etc. The Government has made a provision of Rs. 1200 crores for establishing Health and Wellness Centre.
The government also seeks for the cooperation of the corporate to run these centers.
2.National Health Protection Scheme
Health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh a family a year, for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.
Scheme will cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families, or around 50 crore people.
The beneficiaries will be entitled for the treatments with in the country in government as well as private hospitals and health care centres.
The scheme would be Aadhaar enabled and cashless.
Modicare Vs Obama Care
The United States government had provided health insurance for 15 percent of its population. US President Barack Obama signed the 2010 plan on 'ObamaCare'.
On the same lines, India's Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has announced a plan called 'Modicare' i.e. the Ayushman Bharat Program. In which 40% of the poor Indian people will be benefitted, which is much higher than Obama Care.
(VIDEO) Parliament's Right Turn - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Topic of Discussion: Parliament's Right Turn - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate Expert Panel Name : Tarun Vijay, Former MP, Rajya Sabha, BJP/Member, National Executive, BJP, Aditi Phadnis, Political Editor, BUSINESS STANDARD, K. A. Badrinath, Editor, Policy, Financial Chronicle, Sunil Chawake, Senior Asst Editor, Maharashtra Times; Vishal Dahiya (Anchor)
Read the Farmer distress signals : Important Topics for UPSC Exams
Why in news?
On the occasion of anniversary of Gandhi’s Dandi March of 1930, farmers started the week-long march which reached Mumbai earlier this month.
Agriculture growth rate has been unsteady in the past and the events of farmer’s suicide due to distressed agriculture has led to various protests.
Nature of the Farmer’s Protest
It was unprecedented in many ways since it was mostly silent and disciplined, mostly leaderless, non-disruptive and non-violent, and well organised.
It received the sympathy of middle class city dwellers, food and water from bystanders, free medical services from volunteer doctors, and also bandwagon support of all political parties from the left to the right.
Even the Chief Minister of Maharashtra said he supported the cause (not the march), but as head of government his job was to address their issues, not to agitate.
The most remarkable thing about the march was that it was successful, and the State government agreed to all the demands, including pending transfer of forest land to Adivasis, expanding the scope of the loan waiver and ensuring higher prices for farm produce.
Comparison with other protests
Not all agitations have been peaceful or successful. In 2017 we saw protests, in Haryana and Rajasthan they tried to block highways which led to traffic chaos.
In Madhya Pradesh, in Mandsaur district, the protest turned violent, led to police firing and deaths of farmers.
Challenges/ Issues in the Indian farming system
Monopoly procurement continues.
There is little progress in direct link between farmer and buyer.
Due to the fluctuations in the market forces of demand and supply farmers are facing price uncertainties.
Foreign direct investment in farm to fork chain is very restricted.
Half the farmers don’t have access to formal credit, since most of them don’t own the land that they till.
Contract farming remains virtually banned.
Land leasing is not possible (but done informally).
Moneylenders are taboo, even though they might be in the best position to address credit needs, albeit with proper regulation.
The farmer’s plight is full of woe, exposed to risks from prices, demand, weather, pests and whims of policy and regulation.
The government’s aim to double farm income in the next four years is a near impossible feat but signals the right intention.
Loan Waiver a necessary evil
It’s no surprise that crisis is chronic, and loan waivers become imperative, more for moral and ethical reasons, than economic.
Loan waivers punish those who worked hard and repaid.
Banks don’t issue fresh loans out of their own risk aversion. Hence, loan waivers are a bad economic idea but often a political compulsion.
New MSP Policy and Bad Economics
The same is true of rewarding farmers with 50% more minimum support price (MSP), no matter what the cost. This paradigm of cost plus pricing is bad economics.
Sugarcane grows cheaper in Uttar Pradesh in the Gangetic plains than in drought-prone Maharashtra. But with an assured cost-plus MSP, there is little incentive to diversify crops to suit weather and cost conditions.
Although the step taken by the govt is in consonance with Doubling the farmer’s income by 2022.
Positive policy steps taken by Govt
Neem-coated fertilizer has reduced leakage.
Direct benefit transfer to the farmer-buyer will reduce subsidy further.
Soil cards ensure appropriate matching of inputs to soil conditions.
Giving tax holiday to the farmer producer companies is also the right fiscal incentive.
Way Forward
The most comprehensive recent blueprint for reforms and rehabilitation of the farm sector is the report of the National Commission on Farmers, chaired by M.S. Swaminathan which is already over 10 years old and several of its ideas like decentralising public procurement of food grain to the lowest level possible and setting up of grain banks at the district level are yet to be implemented.
The workforce which depends on agriculture for its livelihood need to be reduced since there is considerable underemployment and low productivity, but farmers are unable to exit to other livelihood options.
There is urgency of accelerating industrial growth and improving the ease of doing business in order to generate employment in sectors other than agriculture.
Agriculture should be transformed to a truly commercial market-based enterprise.
Following steps need immediate attention
To create opportunities outside farming for large scale exit of the workforce;
To connect farmers to the value chain of farm to fork, including agribusiness;
To remove restrictions on movement and exports of farm produce and let them tap into international market,
To also allow easier land transfers including leasing;
To encourage crop diversification and land consolidation that reverses fragmentation.
MODEL QUESTIONS
:: MCQ ::
Q. During Budget 2018, Govt has decided to set the MSP at how much percentage higher than cost of production?
A.25%
B.50%
C.75%
D.100%
Answer-B
Q. The famer led protests has increased in frequency in recent times, what is the role of Govt policies in mitigating the impact of Agricultural distress and mention the solutions to such agrarian distress?
Passive Euthanasia and Living will : Important Topics for UPSC Exams
News:
Upholding the right to die with dignity, the Supreme Court on Friday gave legal sanction to passive euthanasia and execution of a living will of persons suffering from chronic terminal diseases and likely to go into a permanent vegetative state.
Terms:
Euthanasia: Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life to relieve pain and suffering. Euthanasia is categorized in different ways, which include voluntary, non-voluntary, or involuntary.
Non-voluntary euthanasia (patient's consent unavailable), Involuntary euthanasia (without asking consent or against the patient's will),voluntary is by the consent
Passive and Active Euthanasia: Passive euthanasia entails the withholding treatment necessary for the continuance of life. It is legal in US.
Active euthanasia entails the use of lethal substances or forces (such as administering a lethal injection). Active voluntary euthanasia is legal in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
Persistent vegetative state: A persistent vegetative state (PVS) is a disorder of consciousness in which patients with severe brain damage are in a state of partial arousal rather than true awareness.
living will : is a written document that allows a person to give explicit instructions in advance about the medical treatment to be administered when he or she is terminally ill or no longer able to express informed consent.
Aruna Shanbaug Case : Aruna Shanbaug was a nurse working at the King Edward Memorial Hospital. After being sodomized, she was left in a vegetative state. The Supreme Court made its on the issue in 2011, The court rejected the plea to discontinue Aruna's life support but issued a set of broad guidelines legalising passive euthanasia in India.
The following guidelines were laid down:
A decision has to be taken to discontinue life support either by the parents or the spouse or other close relatives, or in the absence of any of them, such a decision can be taken even by a person or a body of persons acting as a next friend. It can also be taken by the doctors attending the patient. However, the decision should be taken bona fide in the best interest of the patient.
Even if a decision is taken by the near relatives or doctors or next friend to withdraw life support, such a decision requires approval from the High Court concerned.
When such an application is filled the Chief Justice of the High Court should forthwith constitute a Bench of at least two Judges who should decide to grant approval or not.
Recent decision :
Supreme court recognised a person's right to die with dignity while giving sanction to passive euthanasia and living will.
The Supreme Court said that it has laid down guidelines on who would execute the will and how a nod for passive euthanasia would be granted by the medical board.
In the event of the executor becoming terminally ill with no hope of recovery, the physician treating the patient after informing the executor/his guardian about the nature of illness and consequences of alternative forms of treatment will set up a hospital medical board.
Guidelines and directives shall remain in force till a legislation is brought to deal with the issue.
Arguments in favour of the judgment ( Living will and passive euthanasia):
Right to Die : Right to die peacefully is part of Fundamental Right to Life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. Article 21 provides that "no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law".
A person cannot be forced to live on support of ventilator. Keeping a patient alive by artificial means against his/her wishes is an assault on his/her body.
The government in the recently passed mental healthcare bill had liberalized the stance on suicide in which it referred to an attempt to suicide as an indicator of mental illness, In this case it is a matter of urgency and right to die with dignity.
Pallative care in some cases is in itself is form of assisted suicide.
Arguments against the decision:
In 1998, Gian Kaur case where a constitutional bench had held that the right to life did not include the right to die.
The centre had opposed the concept of living will on grounds that consent for removal of artificial support may not be an informed one and could be misused in cases of the elderly.
Various countries across the world disallow creation of living will by the patients.
It is also a case of judicial activism where the decision is being taken by the court instead of centre framing a law in this regard.
Way Forward
The decision of supreme court to allow passive euthanasia and Living will is a landmark judgment and upholds the fundamental right of life which includes the tight to die with dignity.
The 241st report of the Law Commission states that passive euthanasia should be allowed with certain safeguards and there is a proposed law—Medical Treatment of Terminally Ill Patient (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners) Bill, 2006 in this regard.
The centre must frame a suitable legislation and get it passed to clear any confusions that may arise from the order.
MODEL QUESTIONS
Mains Questions
1. Giving a legal sanction to passive euthanasia and living will might prove to be disastrous. Do you agree? Substantiate your arguments with the various legal proceeding in India in this regard. (15)
2. Is right to die part of right to live under article 21 of Indian constitution? Critically examine in light of recent judgment of apex court in this regard.
