Current Affairs Mains 2012 Summary The Hindu March VVV

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com 1

Current Affairs: G.S. Mains 2012 Summar March 2012 !The Hindu"

Topics Section Summar ! Artic#es $ %pinions $ &ditoria#s "
Chasin' a
mira'e
Ecology &
Environment
The Supreme Court direction to the Centre to constitute a special committee to pursue the outdated plan of linking India's rivers is
based on a misplaced premise.
chieving huge inter!basin transfer of "aters in the #imalayan and peninsular river systems is a comp#e( 'oa# for a variety of reasons
)isp#acement of a #ar'e num*er of peop#e. Hu'e amount of funds
The $%%& 'ational Council on pplied Economic (esearch report on the )Economic Impact of Interlinking of (ivers *rogramme+, "hich
seems to have guided some of the discussions, e-plicitly did not consider the p#an+s environmenta# aspects or Cost,*enefit ca#cu#us.
.oving "aters across river basins cannot be achieved "ithout ener',intensive heav #ifts and destructive modification of
&co#o'ica## important #andscapes.
lso, in the #imalaya plan component, there is the additional challenge of ta-in' a#on' nei'h*ourin' countries.
It is no surprise then that the .ationa# Commission on /nte'rated 0ater 1esources )eve#opment 2#an3 which went into the
2roposa#s a decade a'o3 favoured deve#opment of water resources within river *asins over massive inter,*asin transfers.
'egative e-ternalities are a concomitant of any big river link pro/ect, and the proposals identified by 'CE( involve 0% links.
Sharing of river "aters even under an agreed formula has not been easy, as the Cauvery issue has sho"n.
s the Supreme Court has pointed out on various occasions, environmental impact assessment must be the cornerstone of any
pro/ect. In this conte-t, the .inistry of Environment and 1orests found no cause to support the 2en!3et"a link and declined to clear it
last year.
4/S/%. /AS 5
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The wa forward
To improve the prospects of "ater!deficit basins is to "ork on more efficient and less destructive options. These include
1. devoting resources for rain"ater harvesting programmes of scale,
$. raising irrigation efficiency,
0. curbing pollution and
4. effecting local "ater transfers for agricultural and municipal use.
0ith a## due
respect3 M
6ords
Ecology &
Environment
Criticism of Supreme Court re'ardin' /61 pro7ect order
In the normal course, a pro/ect goes through certain stages and procedures. The Supreme Court rides rou'hshod over a## this and
orders not 8uic- consideration and decision,ma-in' * the 'overnment3 *ut implementation.
The 'overnment and the 2#annin' Commission have *een reduced to the position of su*ordinate offices or imp#ementin' a'encies
of the Supreme Court.
/n fact3 there is no approved3 sanctioned pro7ect ca##ed 9the inter,#in-in' of rivers pro7ect:. In $%%0, "hen there "as a raging
controversy about this idea, an important defence by its supporters "as that it "as not a pro/ect but a grand concept5 that it "ill
consist of 0% links, each of "hich "ill be a pro/ect that "ill go through all the usual e-aminations and procedures5 and that the critics
are needlessly raising the bogey of gigantism. If it is a concept, ho" can it be 6implemented'7It has first to be translated into pro/ects,
and each of those pro/ects has to be properly approved or re/ected, as the case may be. Thereafter "e can talk about implementation.
How man of those ;0 pro7ects have *een actua## approved< .one. Three = >en,?etwa3 )aman'an'a,2in7a#3 2ar,Tapi,.armada =
have reached the sta'e of preparation of )etai#ed 2ro7ect 1eports3 and one !2o#avaram"3 thou'h inc#uded in the /61 2ro7ect3 was
separate# ta-en up * the Andhra 2radesh 'overnment on somewhat different #ines3 *ut is mired in controvers. There is not a
sin'#e case of a pro7ect actua## sanctioned and read for imp#ementation.
The 9de#a: is not the resu#t of e(ecutive fai#ure or inefficienc3 *ut a de#i*erate !thou'h unstated" s#owin' down of action on the
pro7ect. 89* "as rethinking about this pro/ect.:

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Two more pro*#ems
1. @irst3 assumin' that there is a serious water scarcit pro*#em3 it is not the *usiness of the Supreme Court to dea# with itA there is an
E-ecutive ;overnment to deal "ith such matters. True, the citi<en's right to "ater is a fundamental right, and therefore the Supreme
Court is concerned "ith it5 but "hile it may direct the government to ensure that the right is not denied, it is not for it to lay do"n the
manner in "hich or the source from "hich that right should be ensured. .oreover, the connection bet"een the right to "ater and the
I=( *ro/ect is very tenuous5 it is the large demand for irrigation "ater that generally drives ma/or pro/ects and long!distance "ater
transfers.
$. Secondly, and finally, "e come to the heart of the matter, namely the view that the countr faces a #oomin' water crisisA that the
answer #ies in au'mentin' supp#iesA that 'iven the ma'nitude and distri*ution of /ndia+s future water re8uirements3 the /61 pro7ect
is the *est possi*#e answerA and that it is in the nationa# interest to imp#ement it 8uic-#. It is that conviction that provides, in the
Supreme Court's vie", the /ustification for its intervention. /f that view of /ndia+s water crisis and its so#ution is cha##en'ed3 the who#e
*asis for the Supreme Court+s order co##apses.
A river sutra3
without #in-s
Ecology and
Environment
?enefit = f#ood contro# and drou'ht moderation is a#so de*ata*#e
The idea of inter,*asin transfers is *ased on the assumption that certain surp#us !f#ood,prone" and deficit !drou'ht,prone" areas
e(ist so that water is readi# avai#a*#e without an o*7ection to transfer from the former to the #atter. 3ut in practice, people in so!
called surplus areas do not agree that they have spare "ater "hich can be transferred to other, fara"ay areas.
An neat division *etween 9deficit: and 9surp#us: areas *ecomes more of a pro*#em in these times of c#imate chan'e when erratic
weather patterns are more fre8uent# seen. Some time ago "e had a curious situation "hen arid, deficit parts of "estern India
>including (a/asthan? had e-cess rain and e-perienced floods "hile flood!prone parts of eastern India >including ssam? had drought!
like conditions.
As soon as the 'rand #oo-in' river,#in-in' p#ans are transferred from paper to rea#it3 we enter the rea# wor#d of shiftin' rivers
*rin'in' enormous si#t#oads3 #ands#ides3 hi##s3 p#ateaus3 seismic *e#ts3 'or'es3 ravines3 *ends and curves which ma-e the tas- of
#ar'e,sca#e transfer of water difficu#t3 enormous# e(pensive3 ener',intensive and haBardous.
&vidence su''ests that even vi##a'es which e(perience ver #ow rainfa##3 as in the desert areas of 1a7asthan3 have evo#ved a ran'e of
#oca# methods of water conservation and co##ection which3 if fo##owed up carefu##3 ta-e them towards water se#f,sufficienc to a
#ar'e e(tent.
/n the case of f#ood,prone areas we shou#d not i'nore the resi#ience of #oca# communities where peop#e #earnt from ear# chi#dhood
how to cope with risin' rivers.


Speedin' on
safet
(oad Safety /ndia has a ta## of near# 12C3000 road accident deaths in a ear3 and in7uries man times that num*er.
Amendments to the Motor 4ehic#es Act3 1DEE
The 9nion Cabinet on 1 march $%1$ gave its approval for introduction of a 3ill in *arliament by making amendment to the .otor
@ehicles ct, 1A&&, "ith such modifications as considered necessary. The ne" amended 3ill "ould be called namely, )The .otor
@ehicles >mendment? 3ill, $%%B.
The ne" amended 3ill "ould remove ambiguities and difficulties in the enforcement of the provisions of the ct, improve
responsiveness of transport authorities in meeting the reCuirements of the citi<ens, improve public transport and strengthen the
enforcement of safety related provisions.
Sunder Committee on 1oad Safet and Traffic Mana'ement!200F"
The Committee constituted under the Chairmanship of Shri S. Sundar, former Secretary, .inistry of Surface Transport, submitted its
report on $%.$.$%%B, recommending creation of the 'ational (oad Safety and Traffic .anagement 3oard and also creation of a
dedicated fund namely 6'ational (oad Safety 1undD.
A fire in the
forest
Ecology and
Environment
The destruction wrea-ed * a massive forest fire at .a'araho#e .ationa# 2ar- in >arnata-a is the worst in recent ears3 and is a
ma7or set*ac- to conservation efforts in this prime ti'er and e#ephant reserve.
The E40 sC km national park is contiguous to 3andipur 'ational *ark in 2arnataka, .udumalai Fildlife Sanctuary in Tamil 'adu, and
Fayanad Fildlife Sanctuary in 2erala and is part of the famed 'ilgiri 3iosphere reserve.
'agarhole "as the favourite bro"sing place for herbivore animals like deer, sambhars, gaurs, etc., that constitute the prey base for
carnivores such as tigers, leopards and dholes, Indian "ild dogs.
;*S!based survey has sho"n that G%A hectares of core area of 'agarahole has been devastated in the fire.
/f the 'round fire destros the ve'etation3 the fora'e for her*ivore is destroed3 unedi*#e weeds #i-e 6antana and &patorium ta-e
over the forests and the popu#ation of pre anima#s dwind#es3 which impact the carnivore popu#ation. /n addition3 sma##er
mamma#s3 'round,nestin' *irds3 insects3 s#ow movin' repti#es and other wi#d#ife species are destroed and va#ua*#e #eaf #itter
accumu#ated on forest f#oor that acts as natura# manure for trees and p#ants are *urnt3 #eadin' to fodder shorta'e in forests

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0ater
transport
imperatives
Ecology and
Environment
The 9nion ;overnment has yet again announced its resolve to )fast!track+ the development of Inland Fater Transport. /0T for
passen'er and frei'ht movement invo#ves #ower operatin' costs and environmenta# po##ution than for road3 rai# or air options.
The '#o*a# e(perience offers interestin' comparisons. /n severa# countries3 /0T accounts for a su*stantia# share as a percenta'e of
the tota#: ;2 per cent in ?an'#adesh3 20 in German3 1G in the H.S. and D in China.
? contrast3 in /ndia on# 0.1I per cent of domestic surface transport is accounted for * /0T3 compared with CE per cent for road
and ;0 per cent for rai#.
/ndia has in#and waterwas with a navi'a*#e #en'th of 1G3I00 -m3 *ut of this on# I3F00 -m is *ein' used for navi'ation *
mechanised vesse#s.
In $%%E, the *arliamentary Standing Committee on Transport criticised the government for e-tending 6step!motherly' treatment to
IFT.
The /n#and 0ater Transport 2o#ic )ocument of 2001 sought to give an impetus to the /n#and 0aterwas Authorit of /ndia.
The 'overnment dec#ared five sections as nationa# waterwasH 1,E$% km on the ;anga5 &A% km on the 3rahmaputra5 $%G km in
2erala, 1,%$B km across ndhra *radesh, Tamil 'adu and *uducherry, and G&& km in Fest 3engal and Irissa. Jet, traffic on "ater"ays
remains sparse.
/ndia needs to stud the via*i#it and means to attract more investment to the sector3 * creatin' an institutiona# framework. IFT
should also become a part of the .ationa# Maritime )eve#opment 2ro'ramme. The enhanced level of involvement of the private
sector in IFT that has no" been initiated is a "elcome step.
Mudd
8uestions
a*out
Mu##aperiar
dam
Ecology and
Environment
In recent years, the controversy over the .ullaperiyar dam has acCuired ne" dimensions. purely technical matter has turned into an
emotional and political issue bet"een 2erala and Tamil 'adu.
1or the best decision, the .ullaperiyar issue needs to be considered from all technical and engineering aspects. It is surprising,
therefore, that the silting of the reservoir has not been taken into consideration by any party.
The process of sedimentation reduces the #ife of a reservoir. The estimated #ife of an reservoir is of the order of 120 to 1E0 ears
!*road# spea-in'3 not more than coup#e of centuries".
s per available records, the storing capacity of .ullaperiyar Kam has been lost by about G% per cent during the last 11E years. The
rate of si#tin' in peninsu#ar /ndia is #ess compared to the a##uvia# rivers of Hima#aan re'ion. /t ma ta-e another 1I0 to 200 ears for
the Mu##aperiar dam to 'et fu## si#ted up.

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Even if the reCuest of one party to increase the "ater level is partially or fully granted, it cannot be a final or permanent solution. 0ith
the addition of si#t ever rain season3 the vo#ume of water in the dam wou#d continue to reduce and the demand to raise the water
#eve# wou#d crop up a'ain.
The cumu#ative accumu#ation of si#t in the reservoir is not dan'erous to the sta*i#it of the dam as it does not e(ert an dnamic
pressure on the *od of the dam. The on# dan'er of si#t deposition is effective reduction in the stora'e capacit of the reservoir.
/n the case of Mu##aperiar dam de,si#tin' is not even possi*#e due to its desi'n3 tpe of construction3 a'e of the dam and the
*ui#din' materia#.
The was of
science
Science &
Technology
fter announcing on September $0 last year that neutrinos travelled E% nanoseconds faster than light, the I*E( >Iscillation pro/ect
"ith Emulsion!t(acking pparatus? team has recently identified certain fla"s.
The t"o possible errors, pertaining to the novel use of the global positioning system >;*S? in particle physics to synchronise the atomic
clocks at CE(' and ;ran Sasso, could have led to an overestimation or underestimation of the neutrino speed.
The scientists "ould be conducting ne" velocity measurements in .ay using )short!pulsed beams,+.
Fhile the results challenge Einstein's theory of Special (elativity, the team has never claimed to have proved that neutrinos travel
faster than light, and that the la"s of physics have been upended.
In fact the team "ants further )scrutiny and independent tests+ before its measurements could be )confirmed or refuted.+ fter all,
independent verification and replication of the results are central to science.
How
@u-ushima is
re#evant to
>udan-u#am
Science &
Technology
The nuclear plant accident at 1ukushima, Lapan, in .arch $%11 e-emplifies the prescient remark of nuclear reactor pioneer, the late lvin
Feinberg, that )a nuclear accident some"here is a nuclear accident every"here.
/ssues from @u-ushima
1irst, it "as triggered by a very rare natural event M the occurrence together of an earthCuake of magnitude A on the (ichter scale and
a 1G!metre tsunami "hich completely over"helmed the plant and its safety systems.
Second, the analysts e-posed the close ties bet"een public regulators and the private plant operators that could have led them to
collude and neglect safety and other features.
Third, although the physical structure of the 1ukushima plant "ithstood the earthCuake, together "ith the tsunami, the earthCuake
led to the loss of offsite and onsite po"er.

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1ourth, radiation leaks from the disabled plant spread far beyond "hat had been deemed likely, affected rice crops, milk and other
products for domestic consumption and e-ports.
Concerns in >udan-u#am
Lust a fe" hundred metric tonnes of steam could pose a serious threat to the containment's structural integrity of 2udankulam "ith its
@@E(!type reactor.
2udankulam is located in the rice and milk producing, heavily populated and fast gro"ing southern state of Tamil 'adu near Sri =anka.
Social costNbenefit analysis of alternative responses to very lo" probability events, "hich, "ere they to occur could inflict large social
costs in terms of population loss, damages to structures and long term health conseCuences is a difficult analytical problem.
The 1ukushima accident highlighted the need for the independence of regulators from plant operators. The tomic Energy (egulatory
3oard >E(3? has long been criticised for being subservient to KE, the promoting organisation for nuclear po"er.
A historic
move to
ma-e dru's
afforda*#e
Science &
Technology
India's use of the compulsory licensing provision under its patents la" for the first time to make the patented cancer drug 'e-avar
available at affordable prices is an essential, although belated step to curb the mounting cost of drugs.
The grant of the licence by the Controller!;eneral of *atents, Kesigns and Trade .arks to 'atco *harma for manufacture of the drug
Sorafenib Tosylate >'e-avar? to treat liver and kidney cancer is a landmark event, consistent "ith the test of public interest that
governs such a measure.
Hnder Section EG of the /ndian 2atents Act3 1DF03 an person can ma-e an app#ication to the Contro##er for a compu#sor #icence
after the e(pir of three ears from the date of sea#in' of the patent3 on the fo##owin' 'rounds = non,fu#fi#ment of reasona*#e
re8uirements of the pu*#ic3 or non,avai#a*i#it of the invention to the pu*#ic at a reasona*#e price.
The Trade,1e#ated Aspects of /nte##ectua# 2ropert 1i'hts and the )oha )ec#aration provide for compulsory licensing in specified
circumstances, including concerns on public health or public interest.
The 8uestion of dru' access and prices has *ecome particu#ar# important after /ndia chan'ed over from a re'ime that reco'nises
process patents for medicines to one of patents for products3 since 200I. The effects are e-pected to be felt most acutely in the case
of ne" drugs, notably those relating to cancer, #I@NIKS and psychiatric conditions. 1urther, the *lanning Commission #=E; has dra"n
attention to more possible negative outcomes if enhanced provisions of T1/2S 2#us3 which wou#d ena*#e 9ever'reenin': of patents
*eond 20 ears3 are app#ied.

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Indians consumed about (s.GE,%%% crore "orth of medicines through private chemists in the open market, going by .arch $%11
figures submitted to the *lanning Commission. 0hat is revea#in' is that the price 'ap *etween 'overnment procurement of dru's
and retai# sa#e can *e sta''erin'# wide = *etween 100 per cent and I3000 per cent. Moreover3 the price inde( for medicines has
parted from the inde( for a## commodities and moved steadi# upward3 since 1DDF,DE. This is c#ear evidence of unethica# pricin' of
man medicines for risin' profit3 usin' patents as a cover3 as we## as #ac- of re'u#ation.
Swiss p#an to
shut down
nuc#ear p#ant
* 2022
Science &
Technology
The S"iss operator of one of Europe's oldest commercial nuclear reactors says it plans to shut the plant by $%$$.
.uehleberg plant began operation in 1AB$.
SwitBer#and 'ets a*out G0 per cent of its power from five nuc#ear reactors. The countr p#ans to phase out nuc#ear power * 20;G.
T? contro#
must not *e
#eft in the
dar-
Science &
Technology
March 2G is 0or#d T? )a
T3 is one of India's oldest and perhaps most neglected public health challenges.
India's (evised 'ational Tuberculosis Control *rogramme >('TC*? is "idely appreciated for having made a big contribution by
e-panding basic diagnostic and treatment services to cover 1%% per cent of the Indian population. laudable but insufficient
achievement in a country of 1.$ billion people. Fhy7 3ecause despite these achievements, India has over t"o million ne" T3 cases
every year and T3 kills nearly 1,%%% people every day.
The emergence of drug resistant T3 has made things "orse. Three months ago, a team from the #indu/a hospital in .umbai reported
a fe" cases of )totally drug!resistant tuberculosis+ M suggesting that this form of T3 "as incurable because of resistance to all the T3
drugs tested.
The ('TC* has been consistently under!funded for many years.
Fhat about India's large private sector, "hich manages over half of all tuberculosis cases7 9nfortunately, tuberculosis management
practices in the unregulated private sector vary "idely, often deviating from established standards.
lso, there is virtually no reporting or notification of confirmed T3 cases to the ('TC* by the Indian private sector.
efforts are no" under"ay to make T3 reporting mandatory.
9ltimately, the typical tuberculosis patient in India is caught bet"een t"o suboptimal options M an under!funded public programme
"ith limited capacity to deal "ith drug!resistant tuberculosis, and an unregulated private sector "here mismanagement is likely

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0a forward in contro#
The 1.TC2 is *e'innin' a new phase3 the .ationa# Strate'ic 2#an !.S2"3 for the period 2012,201F.
The 2#annin' Commission has raised a##ocation for the 1.TC2 to a*out 1s.F10 crore for 2012,1;3 an E0 per cent increase over the
#ast fisca# ear+s *ud'et.
Indian industry, celebrities, philanthropists and high net!"orth individuals can and should make a bigger contribution to control a
disease that causes an economic *urden of J2;.F *i##ion annua##.
A s#ow *ut
necessar
ascent
Science &
Technology
The heads of as many as G0 nations, including India, are e-pected to attend the 2012 .uc#ear Securit Summit in Seoul on .arch $E
and $B.
The first such summit "as held in Fashington in pril $%1%.
there are about 1G%,%%% "eapons "orth of fissile materials lying around in the "orld as compared to the five to $G kg needed for a
"eapon. A#read3 20 cases of theft or #oss of such materia# have *een discovered. Clearly this is a very dangerous situation. The
.uc#ear Securit Summit !.SS" was desi'ned to *rin' hi'h,#eve# po#itica# attention to this vita# *ut hitherto o*scure pro*#em of
nuc#ear materia#s securit.
Fas the first 'SS in Fashington a success7
To start "ith, the very fact that such a summit took place "as a success in itself.
That summit reached a consensus that nuclear terrorism is among the top global security challenges and that strong nuclear material
security measures are the most effective "ay to prevent it. This may not seem like much, but getting 4B nations to agree on any
nuclear issue, ho"ever innocuous, is not al"ays easy.
In addition, $A of the countries present made voluntary commitments to enhance nuclear security.
Country!specific steps M colloCuially termed )house gifts+ M "ere taken ahead of the summit. Thus, Chile removed all its #ighly
Enriched 9ranium >#E9? M 1& kg M in .arch $%1%, "hile the *hilippines /oined the ;lobal Initiative to Combat 'uclear Terrorism.
Several countries, including India, announced that they "ould create ne" )centres of e-cellence+ to promote nuclear security
technologies.
Since then, several countries seem to be on track to"ards meeting their commitments by $%1$.

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(eportedly, appro-imately E% per cent of these national commitments have been completed, and notable progress has been made on
the rest. 1or instance, 2a<akhstan has secured enough material to make BBG nuclear "eapons, (ussia has ended its plutonium
production and signed a plutonium disposition protocol "ith the 9.S., 9kraine has removed over half of its #E9 and so on.
&ner' centre in Harana
India has also made some progress, albeit slo"ly, on its commitment to set up a G#o*a# Centre for .uc#ear &ner' *artnership. It announced
that the centre "ill have a $%% acre campus in 3ahadurgarh, #aryana and comprise four different schools covering nuclear security, nuclear
energy systems, and radiation safety.
Securin' a## materia#s
9nlike Fashington, Seoul $%1$ ma choose to address the securing of all radioactive materials, and not /ust fissile materials.
suitcase full of such radioactive material >the so!called dirty bomb? if e-ploded in a public place "ould, in addition to killing some people
and polluting the neighbourhood "ith deadly radiation, also create enormous panic resulting in massive stampedes and more casualties
given the public's e-treme fear of radioactivity especially after 1ukushima.
.eeded3
more
HH.GaMA
over
ma#nutrition
Social issues The recent )#9';a.+ report from 11$ districts over nine States tells us that 4$ per cent of children are under"eight and G& per cent
are stunted by the age of $4 months.
In addition to greatly increasing the chances of infant death, child malnutrition has other devastating conseCuences. 1esearch has
esta*#ished that the dama'e that *e'ins in the wom* and durin' the first two ears of #ife is irreversi*#e3 #eadin' to reduced
inte##i'ence and phsica# capacit. Ma#nutrition thus has a direct impact on productivit and economic 'rowth. /t is a#so c#ear that
the conse8uences of ma#nutrition transcend 'enerations3 as stunted mothers are #i-e# to have underwei'ht chi#dren.
Why is child malnutrition still so high in India?
The seriousness of the pro*#em is sti## #ar'e# invisi*#e to the fami#ies and communities that e(perience them.
ECually important is the fact that adeCuate nutrition is not seen as a human right and the malnourished have little voice in determining
the directions of policy.
There are also some mths that need to be demolished before significant progress can be made.


The first is that ma#nutrition is a*out inade8uate food inta-e. .any children in food!secure environments are under"eight or
stunted because of inappropriate infant feeding and care practices, poor access to health services, or poor sanitation.
The second mth is that improved nutrition on# comes with economic pro'ress and povert reduction.
3oth myths are disproved by e-perience in parts of India and from other countries.
What needs to be done?
The e-perience from all over the "orld is that food alone does not ensure better nutrition. range of other interventions is necessary
to ensure the health and nutrition of mothers and children.
1ollo"ing a )life cycle+ approach, these should begin "ith the health of the "oman before the pregnancy begins and address all the
critical stages of the birth and development of the baby.
To make lasting improvements, interventions should go beyond the direct causes of malnutrition, diet and disease burden.
What can we do differently?
The combined efforts of all of them "ith the po"er of engagement "ith the communities "ho need the help most is the need of the day.
It is essential to ensure that the families and communities kno" "hat is at stake.
There is a need for evolving strategies separately for urban and rural areas
Three key elements should be kept in mind to make such an approach successful. These are Coordination, Convergence and .onitoring.
The potential for monitoring performance much more efficiently by harnessing the po"er of modern technology is not al"ays realised. S.S
on cell phones can provide instant updates, replacing slo" paper based reporting forms. Colour coded ;IS maps can pinpoint the situation
on the ground, do"n to the nutritional status of individual children in ICKS centres, ensuring the possibilities of rapid responses.
The bulk of infant deaths occur in the neo!natal period of about a month after birth. 'eonatology and peri!natal care have made
considerable advances and if "e can ensure that all health facilities handling deliveries are fully eCuipped and staffed by trained personnel
"e can bring about a sharp decline in infant deaths.

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@rom .ew
)e#hi3 some
ur*an
#e'ends
Social Issues The assessment of seven e-pert committees, "hich revie"ed the state of urban planning ahead of the 1$th 1ive!Jear *lan, is that Indian
cities "ill soon reach a precipiceMunless a course correction takes place, cities "ill turn into a nightmare.
The ur*an popu#ation at present is ;FF mi##ion !;1 per cent of the tota# popu#ation" and a*out ha#f this num*er #ive in the I0,mi##ion,p#us
cities.
The 12th 2#an e(pert committees have prescri*ed various strate'ies and p#ans as a wa forward. The inc#ude preparation of
nationa# spatia# strate'3
draftin' re'iona# p#ans3
ma-in' f#e(i*#e #oca#,#eve# p#ans3
strate'ic densification of cities!increase @S/, @#oor Space /nde(, a ratio that determines ho" much area can be built on a given plo"3
ur*an re'eneration that wi## pa for itse#f and devo#vin' p#annin' powers to the #oca# *odies.
Some of these proposals are recycled ideas and a fe" others seem to unthinkingly mirror the "ell!kno"n but misplaced vie"s of the Forld
3ank on 1SI.
1ecommendations such as 9promotin' sm*iotic deve#opment: *etween ur*an centres and rura# hinter#and3 *ui#din' capacities at the
Centre3 State and #oca# #eve# and esta*#ishin' a professiona# cadre of State deve#opment authorit were a#so made five ears a'o. .o
headwa has *een made.
The suggestion is that the 1SI be increased but even "ith lo" 1SI, Indian cities have one of the highest densities in "orld.
0hat is a#so conspicuous# missin' in such a recommendation is the possi*i#it of increasin' @S/ on# for the purpose of socia# housin' to
reduce the mountin' housin' deficit.
It is evident that neither the Central government nor its e-perts have been able to influence State!level urban policies but the #ocus of
action has to *e at the State #eve# for efficient ur*anisation.
Spendin' for
a hea#th
/ndia
Social Issues Hniversa# hea#th covera'e!HHC" 2#an
n increase in public e-penditure on health from an estimated 1.4 per cent of ;K* to $.G per cent by the end of the T"elfth *lan can,
if it is used "isely, bring about a revolution in health care.
9niversal health coverage, including cashless treatment, is to be achieved through greater e-penditure and a system of strong
regulatory oversight outlined by the *lanning Commission's #igh =evel E-pert ;roup >#=E;?.


rguably, "ith a significant increase in public funding, India can move to"ards its o"n model of 3ritain's famed 'ational #ealth
Service.
#=E; has not suggested the scrapping of the private health sector but its participation in the 9#C plan on a contracted!in basis, "ith
tight monitoring of costs and protocols.
t present, private out!of!pocket health e-penditure constitutes 0.0 per cent of ;K*, or around EB per cent of the total spending.
.oving to"ards universalisation of care can cut it to about 00 per cent by $%$$.
n increase in outlay on medicines from %.1 per cent of ;K* to %.G per cent for public procurement can ensure free universal access
to essential drugs
?odo#and at a
crossroads
Social issues s the movement demanding a homeland for the 3odo people completes $G year, it remains one of the most serious potential
sources of violent political confrontation in northeastern India.
The ?odo#and Autonomous Counci# that came out of the first tripartite ?odo Accord of 1DD;, and the 3odoland Territorial Council
that the second tripartite 3odo ccord of $%%0 spa"ned, have admittedly failed to meet the political aspirations of the movement's
leadership
Ket another territoria# division of Assam is inconceiva*#e.
9nder Sheikh #asina, Khaka has also done its bit to stem 3odo militancy.
coherent policy, not ad!hocism, should be the hallmark of centre's approach.
The A?Cs of
1T&
Social Issues martya Sen pointed out last year, the Indian education system remains deeply un/ust.
That in/ustice is evident in the lo" figure of mean years of schooling for the national "orking age populationH G.1$ years in $%1%,
compared to China's &.1B years, and 3ra<il's B.G4 years. In a full decade from $%%%, India could not raise the mean substantially from
4.$ years.
(TE has raised hopes but there are fe" vitals issues.
The *lanning Commission identifies the t"in problems of half a million e-isting teacher!vacancies, and the need to have another half
a million teachers "ith reCuisite Cualifications to meet the (TE ct's pupil!teacher ratio.


Su''estions
Sarva Shiksha bhiyan, the main vehicle for universalisation of elementary education, can tap non!profit initiatives for speedy
infrastructure building
A different
povert trap
Social Issues The results of the $%%A!1% edition of the five!yearly large sample survey of consumption by the .ationa# Samp#e Surve %r'anisation
point to a seven!percentage!points reduction in the national incidence of poverty bet"een $%%4!%G and $%%A!1%.
*ublic attention is focused on the fact that the )poverty lines+ on "hich these estimates are based appear ridiculously lo"H a per
capita daily consumption e-penditure of (s. $&.0G and (s. $$.4$ in urban and rural areas respectively.
The government has only recently been sub/ect to ridicule because of an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court suggesting that a measly
per capita e-penditure of (s. 0$ in urban areas or (s. $E in rural areas in $%1%!11.
&mpower the
hea#th,care
consumer
with
-now#ed'e
Social Issues To combat these public health problems "ith our limited health resources and to obtain ma-imum gain it is essential to create an
innovative health education policy that "ould lead to intrinsic positive behavioural changes amid our general populace. #ealth
education leads to empo"erment and emancipation of health!care consumers resulting in a standardised Cuality health!care system.
2ost'raduate3 'raduate and dip#oma courses on hea#th education with ade8uate 7o* opportunities shou#d *e created for hea#th
educators.
(esearch suggests that an improvement in health literacy has a positive effect on the nation's economy. A 0or#d ?an- report
indicates that the economic impact of inade8uate sanitation in /ndia in 200C was 1s.1.F tri##ion3 and in 20103 1s.2.G tri##ion.
4odafone is a
misunderstoo
d case
Economy The demand for ta- in the Vodafone case "as a result of failing to understand the difference bet"een the sale of shares in a company
and the sale of assets of that company. /t is an e#ementar princip#e of compan #aw that ownership of shares in a compan does
not mean ownership of the assets of the compan.
The assets *e#on' to that compan which is a separate #e'a# entit.
The transfer of shares of one non!resident company >#utchison? to another non!resident company >@odafone? did not result in the
transfer of any asset of #E= in India.
Hnder Section D!1"!i" of our Act3 there is #ia*i#it to ta( on# if there is a transfer of a capita# asset in India.

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com 1G

/ndia,Mauritius treat
There has been severe criticism of the India!.auritius Treaty and it has been accused of depriving the Indian government of crores of
rupees of ta- revenue. If there is a policy decision to permit ta- e-emption for investments through .auritus, one cannot blame the
courts for any potential loss of revenue.
The 'rowth
'am*#e
Economy Economic gro"th in the third Cuarter of the current fiscal fell to E.1 per cent.>same period last year, the economy gre" at &.0 per
cent?
The more "orrying thing is that manufacturing sector gro"th "as almost flat M at %.4 per cent in the third Cuarter.
Fhat the disappointing third Cuarter data mean is that the (3I's pro/ected gro"th rate of B per cent for the current fiscal appears
hopelessly unrealistic. In fact, the actual gro"th rate could be even lo"er than the E.A per cent pro/ected by the government.
A rai#wa
mission to
fantas#and
Economics 1ai#wa Safet
2akodkar Committee on rail"ay safety has /ust published its report, "ith plans that reCuire an outlay of (s. 1 lakh crore.
Sam *itroda Committee has submitted its plans for the modernisation of I( at a cost of (s.G.E lakh crore.
These plans need huge sums "hich is almost impossible.
the Special (ail"ay Safety 1und >S(S1? of (s.1B,%%% crore set up in $%%1 and the Corporate Safet 2#an 200;,201; !CS2" unvei#ed in
Au'ust 200; arose out of the recommendations of the >hanna Committee.!setup in 1DDF".
The >a-od-ar Committee has made a num*er of references to 9Bero to#erance: to accidents. Fhile this is a commendable ideal to
strive for, achieving it is almost impossible unless there is access to unlimited resources. In contrast, CS* $%%0 had, for the first time,
prescribed target rate of accidents overall >the number of accidents per million train kilometres? and target reductions in numbers in
different types of accidents, sought to be achieved by the end of the CS* period >$%1$!10?.
0a ahead:
Fe should have a O'ational (ail"ay policyO.
plan 3 "hich costs less and is more realistic.

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com 1E

A simp#e
proposa# on
food securit
Economics Criticism of 'ational 1ood Security 3ill, recently introduced in =ok Sabha
The 3ill relies on a complicated three!"ay division of the population bet"een )priority,+ )general+ and e-cluded households. This division, "e
feel, is problematic for several reasons.
1. 1irst, there is no clarity as to ho" these different groups are to be identified, and "e have serious doubts about the possibility of
devising a practical, fair and effective method of doing it.
$. Second, "ith *KS benefits largely restricted to priority households, this approach "ould have many of the "eaknesses of )3*=
targeting,+ "hich has proved so unreliable and divisive in the past.
0. Third, this rigid frame"ork, based on selection criteria and other parameters prescribed by the Central ;overnment, "ould
undermine the positive trend to"ards a more inclusive *KS in many states.
4. =ast but not least, this frame"ork is confusing M simplicity and transparency are essential for the success of this historic legislation.
Su''estions:
;ive the same *KS entitlements to all households outside the e-cluded category. This "ould dispense "ith the need for a
complicated identification process, e-cept for the use of e-clusion criteria, "hich is relatively straightfor"ard.
This approach could go a long "ay even without additional resources >compared "ith the current version of the 3ill?.
?rin'in' *ac-
what+s ours
Economics The statement by the Central 3ureau of Investigation Kirector on illegal money stashed abroad by Indians at the inauguration of the
first Interpol ;lobal *rogramme on nti!Corruption and sset (ecovery last month has added confusion to a politically sensitive
sub/ect.
The Kirector made three points regarding black money.
1irst, Indians hold an estimated PG%% billion of illegal money abroad.
Second, Indians are the largest depositors in banks abroad.
=astly, shell companies are set up, and layered transfers made from one account to another.
The estimate of PG%% billion is Cuite close to the figure of P4E$ billion disclosed by ;lobal 1inancial Integrity >;1I? in 'ovember $%1%
for the amount of capital that has illegally gone out of India since independence.
3ut ;1I methodology has certain dra"backs "hich cannot be ignored.

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com 1B

.o 'reen
si'na# et for
the Kuva
>isan
Economics In this year's budget, 9nion 1inance .inister *ranab .ukher/ee has essentially tried to consolidate the gains from the initiatives he had
launched during the previous t"o budgets. Thus, in agriculture there is no ne" initiative e-cept increasing the target for agricultural credit to
(s.G,BG,%%% crore during $%1$!10. This represents an increase of over (s.1,%%,%%% crore from last year. The interest rate of four per cent
recommended by the .ationa# Commission for @armers has been retained for those "ho are able to repay the loans promptly. In the credit
side, there are also proposals for technologically upgrading the >isan Credit Card. Similarly, there is a proposal to amend the 3ill relating to the
.ationa# ?an- for A'ricu#ture and 1ura# )eve#opment.
@ood processin'3 water recc#in'
The budget contains an assurance that the subsidy reCuired for operationalising the legal commitments contained in the 'ational 1ood
Security 3ill "ill be made available. The e-act figure "ill be kno"n only after the bill is finalised and adopted by both the houses of *arliament.
The 1inance .inister has also proposed to improve subsidy delivery, particularly for fertili<er. The su*sid wi## *e paid durin' this ear direct#
to farmers+ accounts in I0 se#ected districts. Ibviously the details "ill have to be "orked out since according to the current policy, ferti#iBer
su*sid is to *e *ased on nutrients and not products. 'utrient!based subsidy "ill be effective only if farmers are provided "ith soil health
cards that contain information on the macro and micronutrient status of soils. mong the earlier initiatives "hose gains are to be
consolidated, is the initiative to bring the green revolution to Eastern India. This has resulted in an additional paddy production of seven
million tonnes during kharif $%11. Encouraged by this result, the 1inance .inister has increased the allocation for this scheme to (s.1,%%%
crore from last year's (s.4%% crore. Similarly, the E%,%%% pulses villages pro/ect is to continue since it has already resulted in raising pulses
production to nearly 1& million tonnes.
The budget also provides substantial additional allocation to irrigation and agricultural research and e-tension. ne" national mission on food
processing is to be started in order to minimise spoilage. This is a good step as currently there is a mismatch bet"een production and post!
harvest technologies. The proposal to set up an Irrigation and Fater (esource 1inance Company is also a good one, provided it concentrates
on supporting rain"ater harvesting throughJal Kunds , "aste"ater recycling and micro irrigation. The 1inance .inister has also proposed a
programme for coastal aCuaculture "ith an outlay of (s.G%% crore. 3ased on past e-perience, it should be ensured that only =o" E-ternal Input
Sustainable Cuaculture practices are promoted, since other"ise there "ill be serious environmental problems including ground"ater
pollution along the coast.
The 1inance .inister has announced various e-cise and custom duty e-emptions "hich should help to stimulate additional investment by the
private sector. lso provision has been made for increasing the grain storage capacity by t"o million tonnes through the construction of
modern silos. It is hoped that the additional storage capacity for five million tonnes "ill be added very soon, since the stock position "ith the
government as on 1ebruary 1, $%1$ "as $0.4 million tonnes of "heat and 01.& million tonnes of rice. Kuring the ne-t t"o months, the
government "ill have to buy at least $G millions of "heat and about $% million tonnes of rice. It is obvious that the neglect of this vital sector
over a long period of time cannot be made up in one or t"o years. #o"ever a decentralised grid of modern grain storage structures for the
safe storage of at least G% million tonnes "ill be essential if "e are to implement the provisions of the 'ational 1ood Security 3ill effectively.

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com 1&

@ood Securit ?i##
The Economic Survey >$%11!1$? has pointed out that though the contribution of agriculture and allied sectors has come do"n to 10.A per cent
of ;K* at $%%4!%G prices as compared to 14.G per cent last year, agriculture continues to be the primary employment providing sector in rural
India. s per the 'SSI report, for every 1,%%% people employed, over BG% persons are employed in the agriculture sector both in rural and
urban areas. Thus the diminishing contribution to ;K* of the farm sector is accompanied by an increasing responsibility for employment. Iur
population is young and India "ill be the youngest nation by $%$%. 9nfortunately the budget does not contain any provision for attracting and
retaining youth in farming, "hich is the greatest challenge facing Indian agriculture today. Fith the enactment of a 1ood Security 3ill "hich
confers legal right to a prescribed Cuantity of food grains, attention to increasing the productivity, profitability and sustainability of small farm
agriculture has become even more urgent. Fe cannot implement a 1ood Security 3ill based on imported food grains. Therefore, steps "ill
have to be taken to create interest among educated young "omen and men in rural areas for taking to agriculture as a profession. lready
steps have been taken to e-tend support to "omen farmers through the .ahila 2isan Sashaktikaran *ariyo/ana. similar programme is no"
needed for Juva 2isans.
In the final analysis, agriculture is a state sub/ect and state governments "ill have to take the lead in designing and implementing programmes
"ith the active participation of *anchayati (a/ institutions. If agriculture goes "rong, nothing else "ill have a chance to go right in our country.
> M.S. Swaminathan is Member, Rajya Sabha .?
The budget has some positive aspects, especially on food processing and agricultural research, but is largely silent on attracting youth to
farming.
%n a win'
and a praer
Economics The 9nion budget for $%1$!10 seeks to address t"o primary concerns M the economic slo"do"n and the unsatisfactory state of
government finances M but the means it employs are so cautious, and even contradictory, that the chances of success appear slim.
part from introducing necessary amendments to the 1iscal (esponsibility and 3udget .anagement ct, .r. .ukher/ee has come
up "ith t"o ne" conceptsH 9effective revenue deficit+ and 9medium term e(penditure framewor-: to better target public
e-penditure. He wi## endeavour to -eep centra# su*sidies under 2 per cent of the G)2.
The decision to increase duties on gold is an interesting one that is aimed at curbing the rising import of the yello" metal "hich,
according to .r. .ukher/ee himself, is pushing up the current account deficit.
n unstated aim of the move is obviously also to channelise public money into productive investment avenues that "ill help the
economy. Go#d is an id#e investment that has no mu#tip#ier effect.

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com 1A

The @ood3 the
?ad and the
H'#
Economics Sharad *a"ar is fond of citing as foodgrain production rises every year but this give distorted picture.
The daily per capita net availability of foodgrain has been falling steadily and dangerously during the )reform+ years. If "e take five!
year averages for those years from 1AA$ to $%1% M the figure declined every five years "ithout e-ception > see table )Keclining per
capita Q+ ?. 1rom 4B4.A grams of cereals and pulses for the years of 1AA$!AE to 44%.4 grams for the period $%%B!$%1% >The $%11
figure is yet to come?. fall of B.0 per cent. There has not been a single five!year period that sa" an up"ard blip.
Fhat about the $% years preceding the reforms7 That is 1AB$!1AA17 The per capita availability figure rose every five!year period
"ithout e-ception . 1rom 400.B for 1AB$!BE, to 4&%.0 grams in 1A&B!A1. n increase of 1%.B per cent.
If production is rising, "hich it is5 if the upper classes are eating a lot better, "hich they are5 and if per capita availability keeps
declining, "hich it does M that implies three things at least. That food'rain is not 'ettin' to those who most need it. That the 'ap
*etween those eatin' more and those eatin' #ess is worsenin'. And that food prices and incomes of the poor are #ess and #ess in
snc.
The highest figure for any year in our history "as the G1%.1 grams for 1AA1.>/ust before reforms?
Some may argue that food composition has changed >shift to better, nutritious food? but ;#I rank>;lobal #unger Inde-, EBN&1?
defies the claims.
A ris- wa
to save ta(
Economics @inancia# Sector reforms in ?ud'et 2012,1;
Important measures of this genre in the latest budget include >a? permitting Cualified foreign investors access to bond markets5 >b?
simplifying the process of initial public offers >I*Is? to lo"er their costs and make them easily accessible to retail investors in small
to"ns by utilising the nation"ide electronic net"ork of stock e-changes5 >c? promoting shareholder democracy by harnessing
technology.
(a/iv ;andhi ECuity Savings Scheme to augment the flo" of funds to the capital market
1a7iv Gandhi &8uit Savin's Scheme
The scheme "ill allo" G%R deduction for those "ho invest up to (s G%,%%% in stocks, provided their ta-able income is belo" (s 1%
lakh. Fhile the funds "ill not be allo"ed to be "ithdra"n for three years, even churning of portfolio is not permitted during the first
one year. The scheme can be availed only once in a lifetime.

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com $%

6oca#
so#utions to
con8uer
hun'er
Economics India is a hungry country. The 1ood and griculture Irganisation (eport on #unger $%%E pegs the number of malnourished in India at $1$
million and estimates that bet"een $% and 04 per cent of our population is malnourished. Kespite the implementation of the *ublic
Kistribution System for several decades and Targeted *KS for the last one!and!a!half decades, it is estimated that more than G% per cent of the
children in rural areas suffer from malnourishment5 "ith $1 per cent suffering from severe malnutrition. The irony is that these dismal facts
and statistics coe-ist "ith record production of foodgrains. So, "hy is it that there is such deprivation amidst such plenty7
Green 1evo#ution
.ore than EG per cent of the Indian landmass is semi!arid. The agriculture that evolved under these regions is adapted to lo" rainfall and poor
soils. The agricultural systems here are characterised by the practice of mi-ed farming. Fhether it is the Saat Dhaan of (a/asthan or theBaraah
naaj system of 9ttarakhand or the !annendu !antalu system of ndhra *radesh, one sees a multitude of crops being cultivated5 and such
systems ensure the survival of rural communities, even under the harshest of conditions.
The ;reen (evolution brought about fundamental changes in the paradigm of Indian agriculture. It offered purely technical solutions to the
food crisis that "as prevailing. Improved, high!yielding and hybrid seeds "ere introduced5 farmers "ere pushed to use chemical pesticides and
fertili<ers5 mono!cropping "as introduced5 all "ith an intention to augment food production5 and augment it did. Ine cannot dispute the fact
that the ;reen (evolution resulted in an increase in the production of certain foodgrains5 and it did lead to the prosperity of farmers in certain
pockets of the country. 3ut in the long run, the policies pursued under the ;reen (evolution greatly undermined Indian agriculture.
(ural communities lost control over the seeds they "ere so"ing in their lands, and became dependent on traders and e-tension services for
most of the agricultural inputs5 the progressively high doses of pesticides and fertili<ers led to poisoned soils5 the cost of cultivation shot up5
agricultural bio!diversity "as decimated, "ith several endemic land!races completely disappearing5 and nutritional deficiencies got further
accentuated, especially in rural India. ll these factors together precipitated an agrarian crisis that sa" more than $%%,%%% farmers, mostly in
arid and semi!arid regions, committing suicide.
A c#oser #oo- at e(istin' 2)S
*KS "as created "ith an intention to provide the people of India M the poor especially needed to lead a dignified life. nalyses have indicated
that rice, "heat and sugar account for BG per cent of all items purchased from *KS outlets in rural areas. The vast ma/ority of the rural
population depends on cereals for most of the calorific and nutritional reCuirements M E& per cent of the calorific needs and EB per cent of
the protein needs of the rural population are met through cereals alone. nd yet, there has been an overall decline in both calorific intake as
"ell as protein intake especially among the poor. This clearly points to the poor Cuality of cereals that are being consumed by the rural
populace >'SSI data indicate that *KS rice and "heat are inferior to millets and endemic foodgrains in terms of nutritional content?. This also
indicates that the decimation of mi-ed farming systems that comprised a variety of crops undermined the nutritional intake of the rural
households. Since nutritional needs could not be met from "ithin their villages and lands, rural households "ere compelled to meet them
from markets5 "ith the result, more than GG per cent of the monthly per capita e-penditure incurred by rural households is to"ards food. This
is "here the current *KS has fallen short.

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com $1

In the *KS as it e-ists today, large Cuantities of grains are procured from one part of the country, stored in "arehouses, and moved to other
parts. Kespite spending millions on these processes, "e have not succeeded in reaching every nook of India5 nor have "e been able to curb
corruption that has become endemic to this system.
1inally, the availability of cheap rice and "heat at *KS outlets has dissuaded many a rural household from trying cuisine that evolved out of the
environmental and socio!economic conditions in a given area. These local cuisines "ere cost!effective, used local ingredients thus minimising
the need to depend on e-ternal sources, and "ere designed to meet the nutritional needs of people in the most effective "ay.
In the light of these arguments, "e advocate the need for decentralising the *KS. The decentralised *ublic Kistribution System is *KS
reimagined5 one that is democratic and involves rural communities at every stage of planning and implementation.
The concept of decentralised *KS rests on the principles of localised procurement, storage and distribution. The emphasis is on the
participation of people M especially the marginalised and "omen M and on a holistic approach that integrates biodiversity, natural resource
management, rural livelihoods and empo"erment. The inclusion of local kno"ledge and e-pertise at every stage "ould make such a *KS truly
participatory. Such a *KS "ould focus on the food crops that are locally produced. In some locations this might be millets, "hile in others it
might be endemic varieties of rice and "heat. 3eing made a part of *KS "ould enhance the demand for these foodgrains and augment their
production, thus reviving traditional agricultural practices. The storage of these grains "ould also be undertaken by the local communities, at
village or panchayat level, thus reducing storage and transport costs, and generating employment for a fe" rural households.
1eviva# of traditiona# sstems
The revival of traditional agricultural systems "ould mean that a diverse range of cereals, pulses, oilseeds and vegetables "ould be available
close on hand to the rural communities. The combination of such crops "ould ensure that the nutritional needs of the communities are locally
met at a reasonable price. This is likely to enable rural households to spend less on food and use the money thus saved for other purposes. The
fact that such systems are hardy and do not need pesticides and fertili<ers "ould also help farmers to bring do"n the cost of agriculture.
1urther, the in!built risk!mitigation properties of such agricultural systems enhance the capacities of rural households to cope "ith the
phenomenon of climate change.
Together, these benefits "ould enhance incomes and savings of rural households, and strengthen the rural economy5 and hold the potential to
decrease distress migration. 1urther, decentralised *KS and reviving the traditional systems "ould restore "omen's place in the drivers' seat,
as far as the production and distribution of the foodgrains are concerned5 give them an opportunity to develop entrepreneurial and
organisational skills and break stereotypical gender roles in relation to division of labour in agriculture.
Thus, a decentralised *KS not only ensures that the rural communities have access to adeCuate food and nutrition, but also empo"ers them to
seek that nutrition in their midst. It places the control over food and farming back into the hands of the rural populace and re!establishes the
prominent role of "omen in agriculture5 not to mention the prominent ecological and economic costs that "ould be accrued by the
communities.

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com $$

@ood Securit ?i## L 2)S
The 'ational 1ood Security 3ill that has been tabled in *arliament seeks to enhance the food security of the poor, but provides for measures
that are grossly inadeCuate. .any (t1 activists, including the Keccan Kevelopment Society >KKS?, have been demanding the inclusion of
millets and the implementation of a decentralised *KS. #o"ever, the 3ill accepts only the former. Considering the small Cuantities of millets
that are presently produced >1& million tonnes?, handling them centrally "ould be unviable in the long run. 1urther, a centralised *KS "ould
sideline local kno"ledge and food cultures and thereby undermine the "ell!being of the rural masses. Therefore, for long!term food
sovereignty of India and for the nutritional security of its rural communities, it is absolutely vital that a decentralised *KS be made part of '1S3
and vigorously implemented
?1/CS and
the
M1esponsi*i#it
whi#e
2rotectin'+
concept
International
Irganisation
The concept of )the responsibility "hile protecting+ is an interesting e-ample of ho" 3ra<il is attempting to play the role as a mediator
bet"een the 9nited States and Europe >"hich tend to be Cuick to recommend military intervention? on the one hand and reluctant 3(ICS
members, such as (ussia and China on the other.
Kuring her first address to the 9.'. ;eneral ssembly, 3ra<il's *resident Kilma (ousseff ackno"ledged the concept of the 9responsi*i#it to
protect3: accordin' to which it is #e'itimate to intervene in another countr that is una*#e or unwi##in' to preserve the #ives of its citiBens. t
the same time, she conditioned her support by suggesting a complementary norm "hich she called 9the responsi*i#it whi#e protectin'3:
"hich involves establishing basic criteria to assure that interventions by force al"ays do the smallest damage possible. This provides an
important frame"ork for emerging po"ers "ho seek to strike a balance bet"een protecting threatened populations "hile reducing the
negative implications of military intervention. The concept of )responsibility "hile protecting+ "as part of the last I3S summit declaration,
and there is potential to approach this important topic during this year's 3(IC summit in India >.arch $&!$A?.
%n Sria
Syria sho"s "hy the concept of )(esponsibility to *rotect+ is in crisis. There seemed to have been consensus in the case of =ibya in 1ebruary
and .arch $%11. Jet already during the "ar, the 3(ICS have rightly argued that 'orth tlantic Treaty Irganisation >'TI? forces e-ceeded the
9.'. mandate given to them. 1eso#ution 1DF; was 9to protect civi#ians and civi#ian popu#ated areas under threat of attac-3: yet 'TI
regarded it as a permission to bring upon regime change. s a conseCuence, the 3(ICS are no" suspicious of any resolution regarding Syria.
The concept of )(esponsibility "hile *rotecting+ >(F*? may be a "ay to"ards a compromise. /t proposes a set of criteria !inc#udin' #ast
resort3 proportiona#it3 and *a#ance of conse8uences" to be taken into account before the 9.'. Security Council mandates any use of military
force. In addition, a monitoring!and!revie" mechanism to ensure that such mandates' implementation is seriously debated.
There is likely to be resistance from both established po"ers and the 3(ICS. Europe and the 9.S. "ill regard it as yet another tactic to delay
resolutions that allo" the use of force. India and South frica are supportive of the concept yet (ussia and China are certain to be sceptical.
3ut there is a gro"ing consensus that the alternative to Security Council cooperation is a return to the days of ("anda and 2osovo, in "hich


there is a stark choice bet"een inaction in the face of large!scale killings >("anda? and action outla"ed by the 9.'. Charter >2osovo?.
s the 3(ICS' economic and geopolitical "eight increases, they have strong incentives to avoid such a scenario. Fhile it may have been
feasible to pri<e sovereignty over intervention at all times before, emerging po"ers' interests are too important and comple- to hold on to
such a radical position. protracted political crisis in the .iddle East, for e-ample, strongly affects all 3(ICS members' national interests, and if
they "ere able to articulate a common strategy in specific moments, they'd be able to offer a serious alternative to the established po"ers'
narrative.
@or a new
hi'hwa3
from 1io to
)e#hi
International
Irganisation
#ealth care, poverty alleviation and market!driven social innovation are /ust a fe" areas "here cooperation bet"een these po"ers>India and
3ra<il? can produce broad social benefits.
MNero Hun'er+
3ra<il's )Sero #unger+ strategy, for instance, has been successful in reducing poverty, ineCuality and hunger by developing profitable small
farms and delivering cash to poor families through innovative payment systems. s the debate rages in India about ho" best to reduce
poverty, curb gro"ing ineCuality and boost agricultural production, 3ra<il's e-perience can help.
3ra<il's social schemes are among the "orld's best targeted and are transparent. They have demonstrated ho" to streamline the delivery of
services across all levels of government. 3y collaborating "ith 3ra<il, India can improve the reach and efficiency of its o"n, notoriously leaky
schemes, including the *ublic Kistribution System, "hose losses are estimated to be around 44 per cent a year. There are of course vast
differences bet"een the t"o countries. India's poor are t"ice 3ra<il's entire population, for e-ample. 3ut that shouldn't stop India from
borro"ing some good ideas. It's not necessary for India to indiscriminately adopt cash transfers or other 3ra<ilian schemes to benefit from
kno"ledge sharing. India can leverage its private sector skills to scale up programmes.
In turn, 3ra<il can benefit from India's innovators, "ho are finding novel "ays to provide the country's lo"!income population greater access to
products, services and employment that enhance living standards.
India has produced the "orld's cheapest car, electronic tablets that cost PG%, large, successful retailers "ho link thousands of rural "orkers to
modern urban markets, and family!si<ed apartments in cities that sell for P4,$%%
@i'htin' A/)S
In health care, the benefits of an India!3ra<il collaboration are already evident. 1aced "ith common diseases and limited resources, India and
3ra<il have used each other, challenging the international intellectual property regime to combat #I@NIKS. In $%%B, for e-ample, 3ra<il broke a
patent on an antiretroviral drug produced by .erck *harmaceutical in the "ake of rising drug costs. Indian firms "ere the only producers of
the generic version of the drug, and #yderabad!based urobindo ultimately provided 3ra<il "ith the active ingredient to produce it. It "as
estimated that this "ould save 3ra<il P$0B million through $%1$.


.o more at
sea
India and
Forld
The ne" emphasis on maritime cooperation is a positive development in the relations bet"een India and China. The proposal came last "eek
from Chinese 1oreign .inister Jang Liechi, and has been accepted by India in principle. The details are as yet ha<y but "ill likely include /oint
operations against piracy, and the sharing of seabed research technology. Iver the past t"o years, China has been an active participant in
escort missions in the Indian Icean, "here the security of shipping routes originating in the ;ulf of den is crucial to the country's energy
imports. =ast Kecember, it initialled an agreement "ith the Indian Icean nation of Seychelles for the refuelling and reprovisioning of its naval
vessels on anti!piracy runs. 9nderscoring its inclination and capacity to engage in maritime operations beyond its o"n "aters, the *eoples
=iberation rmy 'avy >*='? carried out an operation to evacuate Chinese citi<ens from =ibya. China is also involved in upgrading port facilities
in Sri =anka and *akistan. In another front, the International Seabed uthority, a 9.'.!established organisation, a"arded China e-ploration
rights to polymetallic sulphide ore deposits in a 1%,%%% sC km area of the Indian Icean over the ne-t 1G years. Fith China's increased
engagement in the Indian Icean region causing concern in some circles in India, it is good that the t"o sides have begun e-ploring "ays of
"orking together on the maritime front. multi!ministerial group is to finalise the details of the anti!piracy proposal. Ince operationalised,
this may "ell see Indian and Chinese naval vessels cooperating "ith each other on the high seas.
1or India, broadening its vision of maritime co!operation in the East beyond the )triangular+ envisaged by the 9nited States and Lapan M or
the )Cuad,+ if one includes ustralia M "ill also help allay Chinese concerns about Indian participation in some sort of 9.S.!led alliance against
it. The fact of the matter is that Indian strategic interests are not served by either a polarised maritime space or an sia divided into blocs. s a
ma/or seafaring nation, India has a stake in the freedom of navigation in the Indian Icean M "here it is a provider of security for others M as
"ell as in distant international "aters like the South China Sea and the *acific Icean. s such, it has an interest in developing a "orking
relationship "ith all navies in the region, including the *=', Lapanese .aritime Self!Kefence 1orces, 9.S. 'avy and @iet 'am *eople's 'avy.
part from identifying concrete areas for cooperation, a regular Sino!Indian dialogue on maritime matters "ill dispel the fears both sides have
developed about each other, fears the 9.S. is able to take advantage of by playing the role of a balancer.
)on+t 'ive up
on /ran oi#
India and
Forld
India finds itself in a rather difficult situation follo"ing the Fest's sanctions on Iran and the overt pressure being brought on it by the
9nited States to curtail oil imports from the ;ulf nation. Iran is India's second largest supplier of crude oil>1$R? after Saudi rabia and
given the gro"ing energy reCuirements of the country, it is not a viable option to close the tap on Iran, even if the Fest has done so.
India should be guided in this issue solely by its o"n interests and not by sanctions that the 9.S. and Europe may apply outside of the
9nited 'ations umbrella. Indeed, the pressure has been on for more than a year no" on India. 1irst, the payments for Iranian oil
imports through banks based in the Fest "ere choked but India found a "ay out by routing money through a Turkish bank. 3ut "ith
pressure mounting on Turkey to close the channel, India and Iran agreed to rupee payments "ith about half the value of imports to
be paid thus. nd no", there is pressure to "ind do"n imports from Iran totally, not /ust on India but also on China and Lapan. Fhile
Lapan is negotiating "ith the 9.S. to keep a part of its imports out of the sanctions, China has thus far ignored them.
India, ho"ever, appears to be succumbing to pressure.

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com $G

*olicymakers should strategise to find an intelligent "ay out of the problem rather than giving in to merican demands. Iran is said to
be entering into barter deals "ith countries such as (ussia by e-changing oil for "heat. India should offer similar bargains to Iran for
not /ust food grain but also refined petroleum products.
)ea#in' with
Sri 6an-a
India and
Forld
India faces a crucial decision!making moment at the 9nited 'ations #uman (ights Council on the 9.S.!sponsored resolution that
urges Sri =anka to address rights violations alleged against its army in the final phase of the "ar against the =TTE in $%%A.
In fact, the proposed censure might "ork in e-actly the opposite "ay, by further fuelling Sinhala nationalism and rendering the
possibility of political reconciliation even more distant.
It should be clear to all concerned that a decision by India not to support the resolution cannot be seen as backing for Sri =anka's
record on human rights5 Colombo "ould be mistaken if it interprets it thus. Indeed, an Indian decision to abstain or vote against the
resolution "ould place an even bigger responsibility on 'e" Kelhi to ensure M through more effective and even hard!edged
diplomacy M that the (a/apaksa government delivers on the commitments it has made on the political and human rights front.
6iftin' up the
/ndo,2a-
trade 'ame
India and
Forld
1e" policy decisions in *akistan have been sub/ected to as much rigorous analysis and public debate as liberalising trade "ith India. 3ena<ir
3hutto's *akistan *eople's *arty government launched the discourse in 1AAE "ith a ma/or report that concluded that gainers >consumers,
farmers, most manufacturers and the government as revenue collector? "ould far out"eigh the losers >some manufacturers? and had strongly
recommended normalisation of trade. That robust conclusion has been corroborated subseCuently by several studies.
nd yet it has taken 1E long years to grant the .ost 1avoured 'ation status to India. This is because the debate is informed mainly by a cost!
benefit analysis of gainers and losers in the short term, and a national frame "ithout the conte-t of a strategic regional vision. Such a vision,
commonly shared by India and *akistan, is critical to avoid the inevitable pitfalls that could threaten India!*akistan trade in the future.
Immediately follo"ing the *artition in 1A4B, India "as *akistan's most important trading partner accounting for half of *akistan's e-ports
>agricultural produce and minerals? and 0$ per cent of imports >mainly manufactured goods?.
Kifficulties surfaced as early as 1A4A for primarily economic management reasons. *akistan did not match India's decision of devaluing the
currency "hich resulted in a reduction of *akistan's e-ports to India and a surge of imports. In the brave old "orld of Cuantitative
interventions and obsession "ith bilateral trade balances, *akistan placed restrictions on imports from India and trade fell dramatically.

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com $E

Oin'oistic dimension
India!*akistan bilateral trade never really recovered from that early /olt. The "ars of 1AEG and 1AB1 and the 2ashmir revolt in the 1AA%s
introduced a /ingoistic dimension to the debate. The compelling economic argument for resumption of trade "as put to the impossible test of
)improvement in ground realities+.
It "ould be a mistake, ho"ever, to overlook the economic underpinnings of the reservations over liberalising trade "ith India. The early
restriction on imports of Indian manufactured goods "as an important element of the import substituting industrialisation strategy that
created a strong industrial base in *akistan. 1or three decades, *akistan's manufacturing sector gre" at double digits and helped spur an
average annual ;K* gro"th of over E per cent.
Fith sustained high ;K* gro"th, young and increasingly assertive industrial entrepreneurs and rapidly improving infrastructure financed by
generous multi!lateral assistance, *akistan "as seen as the poster child of successful economic development. India, in contrast, "as mired in
the 0 per cent 9Hindu: 'rowth rate, its entrepreneurs blunted by stifling state regulation and crumbling infrastructure.
Trade "ith India is being liberalised in a setting different from those heady days. *akistan's economy has e-perienced sharp boom and bust
cycles in the last $% years "hile India's has been on a steadier up"ard gro"th tra/ectory. India's manufacturing, "hile not as competitive as
China's, is beginning to strengthen. 2a-istan+s manufacturin'3 on the other hand3 has not *ui#t on the ear#ier momentum and is #osin' 'round
internationa##. The liberal trade regime "ith China has flooded the local market, edging out small and medium enterprises that had previously
en/oyed protected local niches.
The apprehension of industry in *akistan is that another dose of trade liberalisation "ith yet another large economy, "here industry en/oys
the advantage of scale, "ill erode profitability further. Fhile China's )friendly fire+ has been accepted grudgingly for geo!political reasons, the
threatened industry "ill argue that there is no advantage in losing market share to the )enemy+.
Thus bilateral trade imbalance, rapid loss of market share and associated loss of employment in the affected industry "ill be "atched carefully
in *akistan and the reaction "ill be loud and shrill. The losers, more visible, better organised, "ill dro"n out the amorphous, less visible,
gainers. The tra/ectory of trade liberalisation "ith India is thus likely to be /agged.
#o" do "e avoid the inevitable pitfalls of India!*akistan trade liberalisation that threaten Cuick and sharp reversals7 The ans"er lies in both
*akistan and India lifting up their game to sub/ect the bilateral trade relationship to a longer term strategic cost!benefit analysis than one that
is tactical and myopic. *akistan has to see trade liberalisation "ith India and China as part of a longer term economic gro"th and nation
building strategy. 1or sustained improvement in living standards, *akistan needs an economic gro"th of B!& per cent per annum for three
decades or more. 1urthermore, given the comple- ethnic mi-, economic gro"th has to be regionally balanced. Such a gro"th strategy has to
be built on advantages rooted in history and geography.

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com $B

The region that no" constitutes *akistan "as a contiguous )nation+ "ay back in the era of the Indus @alley Civilisation and then patchily and
episodically under the Ta-ila 3uddhist kingdoms, the early central sian .uslim slave fiefdoms and then most recently under the Sikhs. nd
yet, the region has had a strong influence on South sian culture and identity.
This is because the three principal regions of modern day *akistan, *esha"ar, =ahore and 9pper Sind "ere connectors of the lands to their
Fest and 'orth M Iran, Central sia and China M and those to the East M India M and as such became centres of trade, commerce and
culture. This flourishing activity made them gro"th nodes that brought prosperity to their surrounding regions.
nglo!(ussian rivalry and the long Chinese slumber cut off the land routes and markets to the Fest and the 'orth, and *akistan!India disputes
truncated the routes to the East. Independent *akistan invested heavily in infrastructure and trade along the 'orth!South corridor via 2arachi
replaced trade across land borders. 1or the first time in history, *akistan's three historical regional centres achieved a high degree of
connectivity defining an Indus 3asin market across the length of modern day *akistan.
The Indus 3asin market that spurred gro"th rates of E per cent or more for several decades has no" run its course. *akistan thus has to create
a ne" )vent+ for long!term sustained economic gro"th that is regionally balanced. This reCuires reverting to geography and history.
*akistan lies at the heart of a rapidly transforming "orld around its land borders. To the 'orth and East are the skills and savings!rich
economies of China and India "ith a combined population of over $ billion gro"ing at & per cent or more. To the Fest are resource rich
Central sia, Iran and the *ersian ;ulf states. (eopening the historical East!Fest!'orth trade routes and linking them "ith a strong 'orth!
South corridor "ill make *akistan the trade hub of South sia. nd trade hubs, that lo"er cost of transporting materials and people, are
precursors of industrial hubs that produce sustained economic gro"th.
This is the strategic vision that should guide *akistan's trade relations "ith all its neighbours, including India, and not the short!term cost!
benefit analysis of the impact of liberalisation on some niche manufacturers.
nd ho" should India lift up its game7 ll paths to economic development and prosperity do not have to be routed through s"eat shops
catering to affluent "estern consumers. large and vibrant sian regional market "ould constitute a significant and, given demographic shifts,
gro"ing part of global demand for products. India's long!term strategic interest is to help create that sian market. That, in turn, reCuires
strengthening *akistan to be an effective regional hub that connects the sia!"ide market.
@u##,f#ed'ed ties
successful management of the ne" liberalised India!*akistan trade regime to scale it up to a full!fledged economic relationship "ill be key. In
the short term, it may "ell mean e-ercising voluntary restraint on e-ports that hurt small and medium!si<ed *akistani manufacturers. It "ould

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com $&

also reCuire focussing on e-port of machinery and technology to *akistani firms that currently import these at high cost from more e-pensive
developed country sources.
Loint ventures and other investment strategies "ould need to be developed to set up production units for the sia!"ide market. @isa regime
"ill have to be liberalised and travel facilitated so that small entrepreneurs develop cross!border business linkages and gains from
liberalisation are shared more "idely.
bove all, collective punishment as a policy option in dealing "ith *akistan "ill have to be esche"ed. Imposing sanctions on people already
hurting from barbaric acts of terrorism is counter!productive in realising the vision of a prosperous and peaceful sian economic region.
?1/CS starts
*ui#din'
International
Irganisation
The forceful and positive statement of intent "ith "hich 3ra<il, (ussia, India, China, and South frica concluded their fourth annual
summit on Thursday is entirely appropriate for five countries "hich bet"een them account for G; per cent of the wor#d+s popu#ation
and 1E per cent of '#o*a# trade3 and attract I; per cent of '#o*a# financia# capita#.
Fhile the 3(ICS five have repeated their criticism of the slo" pace of reform in the International .onetary 1und and called for
modified international financial institutions "hich better reflect today's global pattern of economic po"er, their key Kelhi move has
been the plan for a new deve#opment *an- modelled on the Forld 3ank and the sian Kevelopment 3ank5 ma/or steps to"ards this
are the respective agreements on credit faci#ities in ?1/CS currencies and on #etters of credit.
These are intended both to finance development and to reduce the vulnerability of member states to the vagaries of the currently
under!regulated international financial system. The declaration e-plicitly notes the risks volatile food and energy prices pose for the
"orld economy, as "ell as the problems of eCually volatile capital flo"s caused by the )aggressive+ actions taken by advanced
countries' central banks in response to the "orld economic crisis. 0hi#e the ?1/CS *an- idea wi## #i-e# ta-e ears to fructif3 the -e
#ies in deepenin' the channe#s of economic and financia# f#ows within the five.
In political terms, the Kelhi Keclaration is a clear signal that the states concerned have global "eight and mean eventually to use it.
Srians pa
the price
International
ffairs
In Syria, .r. ssad continues to claim legitimacy, stating that the recent referendum has endorsed his constitutional proposals "ith a
A% per cent vote in favour, on a GB per cent turnout. The proposals include guarantees of free e(pression and opinion, e#ected
counci#s in a p#ura#ist po#itica# sstem, and a two,term or 1G,ear presidentia# mandate #imit5 the 3aath *arty "ould also cease to be
the constitutional leader of state and society.
These changes are not very effective no" because of geopolitical reasons.
1or the 9nited States, regime change in Syria is a pit stop on the "ay to confrontation "ith Iran, so any settlement "hich leaves
Kamascus!Tehran relations untouched "ill not be acceptable.

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com $A

(ussia, Syria's most po"erful ally today, is angry about "hat it considers deceit by the "estern po"ers over =ibya. .osco" "ill veto
any 9.'. resolution proposing intervention in Syria, and "ill continue to arm the Syrian regime.
Iran, another strong backer of .r. ssad, recognises "hat the collapse of his regime "ill do to regional dynamics in Fest sia,
especially in =ebanon.
1urthermore, the failure of the rab =eague mission in Lanuary and the absence of consensus and even credibility at the 9.'. Security
Council mean that other international options are fast disappearing. Syria as a nation commands respect in Fest sia, and public
feeling in the region is undoubtedly embittered by the fact that the 9.S. has never allo"ed the 9.'. to condemn Israel for its actions
in ;a<a and the Fest 3ank and stand up for the legitimate rights of the *alestinians. ;iven the interests propelling its most po"erful
members, the 9.'.'s helplessness should not surprise anyone.
@rench
nuc#ear 'iant
Areva reports
J;.2,*n #oss
International
ffairs
;ermany has decided to shut do"n all of its plants by $%$$, forcing reva to lay off staff in that country.
S"it<erland by $%0$
Sri 6an-a
a'ainst itse#f
International
ffairs
Sri =anka is engaged in an all!out effort to stave off a resolution against it at the ongoing session of the 9nited 'ations #uman (ights
Council at ;eneva.
Kraft resolution asks Sri =anka to implement the recommendations of its o"n 6essons 6earnt and 1econci#iation Commission, as "ell
as to initiate credible investigations into violations of international human rights la"s not addressed adeCuately by the ==(C.
Sadly, Sri =anka's response to the ;eneva challenge has been to "hip up anti!9.S., anti!Fest, Sinhala nationalist protests at home,
creating an atmosphere of an island under siege. This is hardly a constructive response5 if anything, the government's over!the!top
campaign may further sharpen ethnic cleavages in the country.
A month of
#ivin'
dan'erous#
International
ffairs
T"o issues have to be sorted out urgently for the country>.aldives? to make a political turnaround. Ine, a decision on a date for
*residential elections, and t"o, actually holding the elections. 3ut this may be easier said than done, as none of the players seems to
be in any urgency to break the deadlock.
Ironically, .r. 'asheed himself hastened the pace of the State moving to"ards constitutional anarchy "hen in his last days as
*resident, he ordered the arrest of a /udge on charges of corruption on Lanuary 1E. This act negated much of .r. 'asheed's

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com 0%

achievementsH the first democratically elected *resident of the .aldives, ended up setting in motion a process that struck at the very
roots of democratic practices that he had embraced.
The *arliament meet is crucial because it has to approve "ith t"o!thirds ma/ority an amendment to the .aldivian Constitution to
hold elections ahead of schedule.
The .aldives archipelago depends mostly on tourists' "allets and to a small e-tent on tuna e-ports.
Cautionar
ta#es from
the hi'h seas
International
ffairs
The killing of t"o innocent Indian fishermen allegedly by Italian marines has triggered a debate on the efficacy of allo"ing private maritime
securit companies on merchant vessels in the battle against piracy on the high seas.
ccording to estimates, 0G per cent of ships that transit through the ;ulf of den and the rabian Sea deploy armed guards. There have been
no reports of hi/acking of such ships.
In ugust last year the ;overnment of India approved guidelines permitting the deployment of armed security guards on merchant vessels,
three months after the International .aritime Irganisation >I.I? circulated its o"n draft guidelines on the sub/ect.
3oth in the I.I, and in the meetings of the Contact ;roup on *iracy off the Coast of Somalia M countries that have voluntarily come together
pursuant to the H... Securit Counci# 1eso#ution 1EI1 on pirac M several countries agreed to deploy armed guards, but flagged some issues
as areas of concern that remained to be sorted out.
ccording to a background note prepared by the government to its guidelines, these included deploying military personnel as against private
security guards and the possible )infiltration+ by terrorists or other unla"ful elements5 the possibilities of escalation of violence at sea5 issues
of liabilities for in/uries or deaths of innocent fishermen and seafarers5 transit of merchant ships "ith armed security guards through territorial
"aters of a coastal state using right of 9innocent passa'e: granted under the provisions of Hnited .ations Convention on the 6aws of the
Seas !H.C6%S"5 the facilitation that "ould be reCuired from coastal states for the embarking or disembarking of security guards from
merchant ships5 and Cuestions over chain of command M the .aster of the ship has over!riding authority, as mandated by the /nternationa#
Convention for Safet of 6ife at Sea !S%6AS" M that may arise by deploying military personnel on board.
Guide#ines
The .inistry of Shipping of the ;overnment of India has not endorsed the use of armed guards on merchant ships. 3ut given the threat to
shipping from pirates it has allo"ed the Indian ship o"ners to deploy armed security guards, and prepared guidelines for this after consulting
different agencies and the Indian 'avy. It has also made clear that it is the ship o"ners "ho must make the risk assessment.
mong the guidelines suggested "as that before ship o"ners finalise contracts "ith a private maritime security company, they should do due


diligence on the company structure, its o"nership, insurance and seek other documentation including police records, and run a check on its
employment history.
The guidelines are also clear that "hen ship o"ners enter into a contract "ith a private maritime security company, they should ensure that
the command and control structure remains "ith the .asterNship's officer and that the role of the armed guards' team is both clearly defined
and documented.
1o#e of the Master
The Chief of the Southern 'aval Command, @ice!dmiral 2.'. Sushil, told "he #indu recently that at all times the responsibility of the armed
guards should rest "ith the .aster of the ship.
This empo"erment "ould not only ensure a clear command structure but also make the .aster accountable, and more diligent about first
ascertaining the bonafides of an approaching vessel.
Before arrivin$ at a conclusion that an a%%roachin$ boat or a s&iff had %irates, he said, a Master must ascertain its intention.
"he Master could order the vessel to underta&e evasive manoeuvres ' that is chan$e the shi%(s course ' to establish whether the a%%roachin$
boat was on its own course or if it was chasin$ his vessel. )n case it continued to a%%roach the vessel, the Master could order the $uards to ta&e
necessary action by firin$ to deter the %irates from boardin$ the shi%.
The guidelines issued by India are categorical that the armed guards on board a vessel should remember that their primary function is to
prevent boarding by pirates by using minimal force, and undertake all responsible steps to avoid the use of force.
"he $uidelines also state that the %rivate $uards should not use firearms a$ainst %ersons e*ce%t in self defence or defence of others a$ainst the
imminent threat of death or serious injury to %revent the %re%aration of a serious crime involvin$ $rave threat to life.
)n the wa&e of the tra$ic incident off the Kerala coast, )ndia has startin$ issuin$ navi$ational warnin$s sensitisin$ transitin$ merchant vessels
about fishin$ activities in the area. "he )nternational Maritime Bureau !iracy Re%ortin$ +entre based at Kuala ,um%ur has also issued an
advisory.
s the )ndian -avy does not want to ta&e on the job of %rovidin$ security to merchant vessels, there is a move to involve the +entral )ndustrial
Security .orce and the modalities of this are bein$ wor&ed out.
)t is for the )M/ and countries affected by %iracy to draw the ri$ht lessons from the incident off the Kerala coast and decide on how to
streamline the different sets of e*istin$ $uidelines in various countries into a com%rehensive internationally acce%ted law.

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com 0$

2unishin' a
whist#e*#owe
r
International
ffairs
The 9nited 'ations special rapporteur on torture has /ust submitted his findings on Fashington's prolonged and controversial detention of
Fiki=eaks hero ?rad#e Mannin'. Simply put, he has concluded that the punitive conditions imposed on him, before being pronounced guilty,
amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. The former H.S. inte##i'ence ana#st has been under incarceration since .ay $%1% for
allegedly having leaked secret State Kepartment cables to the "histleblo"er "ebsite Fiki=eaks. .r. .anning is charged "ith over $% offences,
of "hich that of aiding the enemy could even attract the death penalty. The 9nited States government has hampered investigations into his
treatment M including solitary confinement for eight months, ostensibly to prevent him from causing harm to himself
@eed the
need3 not
nuc#ear
am*itions
International
ffairs
.orth >orea
The 1ood and griculture Irganisation of the 9nited 'ations >1I? estimates that there is an )uncovered deficit+ of over half a million tons of
food. The 9nited 'ations Children's 1und >9'ICE1? considers that a Cuarter of "omen in the age group of 1G to 4A are malnourished and
nearly A%,%%% children in danger of slipping into severe malnutrition.
The first crisis
0h is .orth >orea so chronica## short of food< 2art of the reason is the topo'raph and c#imate. .ost of the country is mountainous and
the crop gro"ing seasons are short. ?ut more important is the 'overnment+s practice of 9se#f,re#iance: in food supp# in the wor#d+s #ast
tota# command structure econom. ll markets "ere banned in 'orth 2orea for many years in efforts to create a society hermetically sealed
off from the outside "orld. The first ma/or crisis hit the country "ith the dissolution of the Soviet 9nion and the loss of crucial economic
support including oil supplies at )friendship prices+ from the Eastern 3loc. The public distribution system that reached food and essential
supplies to the ma/ority of the population suffered a setback from "hich it never fully recovered.
It "as during the famine that illegal food markets sprang up in the country as a desperate coping mechanism. The government "as compelled
to bring in reforms that recognised these markets in $%%$. This policy "as ho"ever reversed from time to time. /n 200F we were witness to
one such *iBarre attempt when women under G0 were *anned from tradin' in 'enera# mar-ets.
It "as also in $%%$ that the government announced that it "ould resume plutonium production and e/ected International tomic Energy
gency >IE? inspectors for the first time. 1ollo"ing 'orth 2orean announcements in Kecember $%%$, Lapan introduced trade embargoes and
the 9.S. imposed financial sanctions. The comp#e(ities mu#tip#ied manifo#d with the nuc#ear tests done * .orth >orea in 200C and 200D and
the H... sanctions that fo##owed. An a*orted sate##ite #aunch a#so preceded the 200D nuc#ear test * a month.
.o *ud'etin'
for hea#th
Economics The absence of significant statements of intent or note"orthy financial outlays on health in the 9nion budget is glaring.
Significant government support "ould be reCuired to make progress on a 'ational #ealth *ackage offering free treatment under 9#C. Several
tasks have to be accomplished in parallel. These include creation of trained pu*#ic hea#th cadres3 settin' up of a .ationa# Hea#th 1e'u#ator


and )eve#opment Authorit to evo#ve norms for treatment3 costs and so on3 and deve#opin' an /nformation Techno#o' p#atform to
administer the massive enterprise. The challenge to achieve Cuality and access is staggering. The '#o*a# avera'e of hospita# *eds to
popu#ation is 2.D per thousand3 *ut /ndia has 0.D *eds. If there is a focus on preventive care, a lo"er ratio of $ per thousand "ould be able to
meet the national reCuirement by $%$$, estimates say. 3ut "hat is particularly "orrying is that half of the beds no" available in government
facilities are listed as )non!functional+, along "ith 0% per cent in the private sector. It must also be pointed out that rural citi<ens have
shockingly lo" levels of hospital bed access, especially in central India, compared to urban counterparts. Evidently, it "ill take a #erculean
effort over the ne-t five years to create a foundation for 9#C. The finalised *lan and the financial outlays "ill reveal "hether a revolution is on
the anvil.
How to
i'nore
Soma#ia
International
ffairs
The 6ondon conference on Soma#ia held last month "ith participation by GG countries and international organisations concluded "ith a
communiCuT "hich gives as much attention to Somalia!based piracy as it does to stability and recovery of the country. The emphasis on the
former is understandable given that E$ seafarers have been killed in the last four years, that nearly $%% attacks on merchant ships have been
logged in the first 1% months of $%11, and that ransoms no" stand at P4 million per ship. ?ut un#ess the fi'ht a'ainst pirac is part of a
comprehensive p#an to he#p Soma#ia reac8uire a functionin' 'overnment3 it wi## never fu## succeed. The "orld's shipping po"ers collectively
spend P$ billion a year on anti!piracy operations spread across an area the si<e of mainland Europe. .any countries have also approved the
use of armed guards on board their ships. In the political side, H... Securit Counci# 1eso#ution 20;C3 passed on @e*ruar 223 widens the
mandate of the African Hnion Mission in Soma#ia and increases the siBe of its troop contin'ent. The =ondon communiCuT, for its part, notes
that the current Transitional 1ederal ;overnment >T1;? mandate ends in ugust, and proposes that a caretaker authority govern Somalia until
a ne" constitution is endorsed by a referendum and a ne" e-ecutive and parliament are elected.
The communi8uP3 however3 sas nothin' a*out standards for ship*oard 'uards3 ru#es of en'a'ement3 or #ia*i#it for harm or dama'e to
third parties. Secondly, it rules out impunity for pirates, but ignores the "arlords "ho have devastated Somalia. Thirdly, a purely military
response sidesteps the need to address the absence of sovereign authority. Somalia's T1; "as represented in =ondon, but so "ere
representatives of three northern provinces5 moreover, the Loint 1inancial .anagement 3oard created by the conference "ill mean de facto
"estern economic control over Somali finances. In the "ar!torn south, the T1; has recaptured most of the capital, .ogadishu, from the
e-treme Islamist al!Shabaab grouping, but the 2enyan and Ethiopian forces "hich helped them "ill not leave soon, especially as instability on
the border could cost 2enya tourism revenue. Sadly, the =ondon communiCuT makes no attempt to address the creation of physical
infrastructure in Somalia, "hich "ould enable the flourishing, clan!based Somali civil society to provide a foundation for the political
reconstitution the country needs. The conference, in effect, focused more on the threats piracy poses to foreign commercial interests than on
Somalia itself. Fhich is a pity, since a lasting solution to the problems at sea can only be found on land.


A wa-e up
ca## for
Co#om*o
International
ffairs
The passage of the 9nited 'ations #uman (ights Council resolution on Sri =anka is proof that the international community disapproves of the
manner in "hich the (a/apaksa government is addressing the fallout of its rmageddon moment of mid!.ay $%%A. The resolution, backed by
India, asks Sri =anka credibly to investigate allegations of rights violations in the course of its "ar against the =TTE. The "ording of the
resolution "as t"eaked by India to say the implementation assistance the 9nited 'ations Commissioner for #uman (ights "ill provide must
be "ith Sri =anka's )concurrence+. Jet, Colombo must not misread this concession.
A time for
/ndia to stand
up and *e
counted
International
organisation
The Forld 3ank is at a turning point, and India has a ma/or voice in deciding its future. The serious candidates >1inance .inister Kr. 'go<i
Ikon/o!I"eala of 'igeria and Kr. Lim Jong 2im of the 9nited States? present the 1&% countries "ho sit on the 3oard of the Forld 3ank "ith a
clear choice bet"een visions of the Forld 3ank.
Two visions
@ision Ine is the Forld 3ank as a full!service development institution that provides loans and grants and development advice to promote
economic development through capable administration that allo"s governments to carry out their core functions M economic management,
la" and order, education, infrastructure, regulation and environmental management. This is the role that the 3ank has played over decades in
India and a role that continues to evolve as India's financial capacity gro"s and its development needs change. This is similar for other gro"ing
countries M during my time as Forld 3ank Country Kirector for 3ra<il, the 3ank's focus "as that of a partner assisting 3ra<il address "hat
no"!*resident Kilma (oussef defined as )helping address the paradigmatic challenges+ >"hich included finding a balance bet"een
development and conservation in the ma<on, building a platform for inclusive gro"th in the poor northeast and modernising the public
sector?. To lead an institution "ith this vision, the Cualifications for the *resident are clearH e-posure to the breadth of development issues in a
"ide variety of countries, e-perience in setting economic and financial policy, and e-perience in managing a multi!cultural large organisation.
@ision T"o is that of the Forld 3ank as an aid agency implementing the vision of )the anointed+ in rich countries. In the 9.S. this means the
vision of domestic charities, "hich care little about or are hostile to economic gro"th but see development as being focused on health rights
for the poorest, and see ';Is as the central delivery mechanism for these services. This vision is manifest in the appointment of the
dministrator of 9SIK M a young physician "hose main "orking e-perience is in the ;ates 1oundation "hich champions the social sectors,
and "hich opposes a role for 9SIK in critical areas like infrastructure development.
The candidates
The beauty of the contest for the *resident of the Forld 3ank is that there are t"o serious candidates, one aligning "ith each of these visions.
In the one hand is .inister 'go<i, "ho is the former 1oreign .inister and also former number t"o in the Forld 3ank, a "oman "ith deep
e-perience throughout the developing "orld, "ho is "idely respected for her courage and demonstrated capability in diplomacy, strategy and
management.
In the other hand is the 9.S. nominee, Kr. Lim Jong 2im, an academic physician "ho has done fine "ork on comple- medical issues >like

Source: The Hindu www.visionias.wordpress.com 0G

tuberculosis? and "ho helped found an ';I "hich gets funds from rich people to help address the health needs of the poor in #aiti and
("anda. side from his first five years in 2orea, he has not lived in a developing country, has no e-perience in development issues in countries
"hich have gro"n out of poverty, has no e-perience in finance, economics, business or regulation, and has a "orld vie" >as sho"n in Dyin$ for
0rowth , his only published non!medical "ork? that economic gro"th leads to more poverty. #is "ritings and "ork sho" no interest in the
road follo"ed by countries that have escaped from poverty >like his native 2orea?, and no grasp of the development choices by these
countries.
*resident Ibama is sending Kr. 2im on a road trip to seven countries, including India. If India is to be true to its claimed and proper role in the
"orld, it "ill >a? define the Cualifications it sees as necessary for the /ob >b? ob/ectively assess .inister 'go<i and Kr 2im against these
Cualifications. If this process is follo"ed, the outcome is obvious. In the "ords of fello" #arvard *rofessor and former Forld 3ank economist
=ant *ritchett )>2im's nomination? is an embarrassment to the 9.S. Jou cannot "ith a straight face say this person is the most Cualified to lead
the Forld 3ank.+ #o"ever, there is no doubt that the Ibama administration, "hich "ill not "ant the embarrassment of facing accusations of
)"ho lost the Forld 3ank7+ in an election year, "ill strong!arm countries into acCuiescing "ith its frivolous choice. This is a time for India to
stand up and be counted.

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