PM IAS NOV 05 NEWS ANALYSIS

Office of Governor – Issues & Recommendations

In News

• Recently, Tamil Nadu‘s ruling party intended to sign a joint petition with the opposition, asking the Indian President to immediately remove their Governor.

More about the news

• Other states:
  • Governors in several states, including Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, etc. have also expressed disagreements with the government on various issues.
• Issues:
  • The role, powers, and discretion of the Governor’s Office in multiple States have been the subject of constitutional, political, and legal debate for decades.
• What have been the friction points?
  • Allegations of the Centre using the Governor’s position to destabilise state governments have been made since the 1950s.
  • In recent years, the issues have been largely about the 
    • Selection of the party to form a government, 
    • Deadline for proving the majority, 
    • Sitting on Bills, and 
    • Passing negative remarks on the state administration.

About the office of Governor

• About:
  • He/she is the Chief Executive Head of a State.
  • The governor is a nominal (titular or constitutional) head. 
  • Acts as an agent of the central government.
• Appointment of Governor:
  • Under Article 155 and 156 of the Constitution, a Governor is appointed by the President and holds office “during the pleasure of the President”.
• Qualifications: 
  • The Constitution lays down only two qualifications for the appointment of a person as a governor.
    • He/she should be a citizen of India.
    • He/she should have completed the age of 35 years.
• Tenure:
  • A Governor holds office for a term of five years from the date on which he/she enters upon the office.
  • However, this term of five years is subject to the pleasure of the President.
• In relation to the Council of Ministers:
  • Article 163 of the Constitution says the Governor will normally be aided and advised by the Council of Ministers except in those functions which require his discretion.
• The Governor enjoys certain powers granted under the Constitution, such as:
  • Giving or withholding assent to a Bill passed by the state legislature, 
  • Assenting to the convening of the state legislative assembly, 
  • Determining the time needed for a party to prove its majority, and 
  • Which party must be called first do so, generally after a hung verdict in an election.
  • All these powers have been flashpoints recently.
• Removal:
  • No impeachment:
    • While the Governor’s duties and responsibilities lie in a particular state, there is no provision for impeaching the Governor.
  • Withdrawal of pleasure:
    • As the President works on the aid and advice of Prime Minister and the council of ministers, in effect, the Governor can be appointed and removed by the central government.
    • If this pleasure is withdrawn before completion of the five-year term, the Governor has to step down. 
      • Thus, a Governor is a representative of the Union government in states. 
• Challenges of the post of Governor:
• No constitutional provisions in case of disagreement:
  • There are no provisions laid down in the Constitution for the manner in which the Governor and the state must engage publicly when there is a difference of opinion. 
• On the security of tenure & pleasure of President:
  • Since the Governor holds office “on the pleasure of the President”, questions have been raised on
    • Whether the Governor has any security of tenure, and 
    • If the President is obligated to show reasons for recalling a Governor.

Opinion of Supreme Court and various Committees

• Supreme Court on President’s power:
  • In its judgment, the Supreme Court, while noting that the President can remove the Governor from office has noted that the power to remove can’t be exercised in an “arbitrary, capricious or unreasonable manner”.
  • The power will have to be exercised in rare and exceptional circumstances for valid and compelling reason.
  • A Governor cannot be removed on the ground that: 
    • He is out of sync with the policies and ideologies of the Union Government or the party in power at the Centre. 
    • Nor can he be removed on the ground that the Union Government has lost confidence in him.
• Committee recommendations on the removal process:
  • Over the years, several panels and commissions have recommended reforms in how Governors are appointed and how they function.
  • Security of tenure:
    • The Sarkaria Commission had recommended that Governors are not sacked before completing their five-year tenure, except in “rare and compelling” circumstances. 
  • Proposal for the introduction of impeachment:
    • Recommendations have also been made for a provision to impeach the Governor by the Assembly. 
  • Independence of Governors:
    • Punchhi Commission report stated that Governors were expected to be independent, and to act in a manner devoid of any political consideration. 
    • It pointed out that independence of such actions would include keeping the State Legislature and the political executive shielded from the political will of the Union Government.
  • However, none of these have been implemented.

Way Ahead 

• At a time when regional political forces are actively seeking to be heard by the Centre, it may be time that the provisions relating to the Governor’s role are amended.
• Identifying areas of discretion, fixing a time-frame for them to act, and making it explicit that they are obliged to go by Cabinet advice on dealing with Bills can be considered.

India and Kyrgyz Republic

In News

• Recently, the 10th Session of the India-Kyrgyz Republic Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation (IKIGC).

More about the news

• About:
  • The 10th session of IKIGC was held in a virtual format. 
  • A Protocol of the 10th session of the IKIGC was signed between India and the Kyrgyz Republic.
• Both sides discussed mutual cooperation and steps to further enhance them in the fields of:
  • Trade & Economy, 
  • Development Partnership, 
  • Investment, 
  • Digitalization, 
  • Intellectual Property, 
  • Agriculture, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, 
  • Textiles, 
  • Education, 
  • Environment, 
  • Standardization & Metrology, 
  • Banking, 
  • Transport, 
  • Labour, 
  • Mining and 
  • Power sectors. 
• Trade relations:
  • Emphasis was given to increase the bilateral trade and investment opportunities. The sides agreed to take necessary measures to increase the interaction of exporters and importers of the two countries and expand the trading basket.

India-Kyrgyz Republic Bilateral Relations

• Historical ties:
  • Historically, India has had close contacts with Central Asia, especially countries that were part of the ancient Silk Route, including Kyrgyz Republic. 
  • During the Soviet era, India and the then Kyrgyz Republic had limited political, economic and cultural contacts.
• Anniversary of Diplomatic relations:
  • India was among the first Nations to establish a diplomatic relationship with the Kyrgyz Republic in March 1992 
    • The 2022 marked the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relationships between the two nations.
• Strategic relationship:
  • The visit of the Indian Prime Minister to the Kyrgyz Republic in June 2019 had raised the relationship between two nations to the level of strategic partnership. 
  • The 10th India- Kyrgyz Republic Foreign Office Consultations took place in Bishkek on 20 April, 2019. 
• International ties:
  • Political ties with the Kyrgyz Republic have been traditionally warm and friendly. 
  • Kyrgyz Republic supported India in securing full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and also supports India’s bid for permanent seat at UNSC. 
  • Both countries share common concerns on threats of terrorism, extremism and drug–trafficking. 
• Trade & Commerece Cooperation:
  • The India- Kyrgyz Republic Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation was set up in 1992.
  • Connectivity:
    • Connectivity remains one of the biggest challenges for trade between India and Kyrgyz Republic. 
  • Technical assistance:
    • Technical assistance under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Program, particularly in terms of human resources development, is an important component of India’s economic involvement in Kyrgyz Republic. 
• Defence Cooperation:
  • Agreement on Defence Cooperation, signed in July 2015, has been an important milestone that has laid the framework for defence cooperation between the two sides. 
  • Joint Special Forces Exercise KHANJAR has now become an annual affair. 
    • The sixth ‘Khanjar’ exercise was conducted between Indian and Kyrgyz Special Forces in March, 2019 in Bishkek. 
    • Fifth exercise was conducted in India in CIJW School, Varaingte (Mizoram) in 2018. 
    • India – Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise, 2022:
      • The 9th Edition of this exercise was recently concluded in April 2022. 
      • Besides sharing special skills and techniques between participating Special Forces contingents, the joint training further strengthened the existing bond between India and Kyrgyzstan.
• Cultural ties:
  • There is a great appreciation for Indian culture. 
  • Kyrgyz Republic has established an India Study Centre in the prestigious National Library of Kyrgyz Republic on 14 November 2014. 
    • The Center is running with the help of volunteers and imparts training in English and Hindi languages, Yoga and Kathak. 
    • Another center has been opened in Kara Balta, near Bishkek. Numerous Kathak, yoga, Indian dance, fusion music and Bollywood workshops/concerts have been organized to propagate and popularise Indian culture and traditions.

Kyrgyzstan-­Tajikistan ConflictRecent clash:Recently, nearly 100 people have been killed and scores injured in violent border clashes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.A ceasefire, brokered by Russia, was recently agreed upon after the clashes.Issue:The two landlocked countries share a 1,000-km long border, a large part of which is disputed. While regular talks have tried to resolve the issue, one of the crucial points of disagreement remains over the map which should be used for demarcation purposes. Reasons behind the clashes:There have been flare-ups in the past as well over sharing water and land resources.The current clashes are replaying old pre- and post-Soviet era legacies. Russia-led CSTO:It is important to note that both Kyrgyztan and Tajikistan are Russian military bases.The border dispute between the nations is a part of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).Frozen conflicts in the region:Frozen conflicts:In international relations parlance, conflicts that ended in a stalemate or without a peace treaty are known as frozen conflicts. The frozen conflicts of the post-Soviet era are increasingly threatening regional peace. Armenia and Azerbaijan: Recently clashes also broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Ferghana valley: Regions like Ferghana valley continue to be a site of struggle and frequent violent outbursts, with the location consisting primarily of Tajiks, Kyrgyz, and Uzbeks, who have historically shared common sociological specificities, economic activities, and religious practices.

Portal on National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)

In News

Recently, the Union Agriculture Minister launched a portal on the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) for the benefit of the farming community.

Key Points

• The NMNF portal: 
  • It is developed by the Agriculture ministry
  • It was launched in the first steering committee meeting of the National Natural Farming Mission here.
  • The portal contains all the information about the mission, implementation outline, resources, implementation progress, farmer registration, blog etc., which will be useful for the farmers. 
• Coordination among authorities: 
  • The officers are required to coordinate with the state governments and central departments and enable market linkage so that the farmers get more ease in selling their products.
• Jal Shakti Ministry: 
  • It has made a roadmap to promote natural farming and identified 75 Sahakar Ganga villages in the first phase by signing an MoU with Sahkar Bharti and training has been given to the farmers.
• Area under: 
  • More than 4.78 lakh hectares of the additional area have been brought under natural farming in 17 states from December 2021. 
  • 7.33 lakh farmers have taken initiative in natural farming.
• Training: 
  • About 23,000 programmes have been organised for the sanitisation and training of farmers. Natural farming is being implemented in 1.48 lakh hectares on the banks of river Ganga in four states, the statement added.

Natural Farming

• Origin: 
  • This farming approach was introduced by Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer and philosopher, in his 1975 book The One-Straw Revolution.
• About: 
  • It is a production system which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetically compounded fertilisers, pesticides, growth regulators, genetically modified organisms and livestock food additives. 
  • This system rely upon crop rotations, use of crop residues, animal manures, legumes, green manures, 
• Features: 
  • Chemical Free: Natural farming refers to the type of agriculture in which the use of chemicals like pesticides, fertilisers, growth regulators, food additives, genetically modified organisms are entirely shunned.
  • Use of Alternatives Systems: In place of chemical based inputs, natural farming utilises methods like crop rotation, use of green manures and compost, biological pest control and mechanical cultivation.
  • Additional Practices: Natural farming systems can be complemented with practices like crop rotation (planting different crops sequentially), mulching (see inset), intercropping (planting different crops simultaneously in a field) and seed soaking with liquid manure, to increase the yields in a field.

Significance

• Reduced Dependency: The mission will help in promoting natural farming in the country. Natural farming will reduce dependency on purchased inputs and will help to ease smallholder farmers from credit burden.
• Crop Yield: Natural farming is more productive as compared to chemical-based farming. 
• Reduction in the Costs: As the inputs are produced by the farmers on the farm itself, the costs would be decreased substantially.

• Income and Livelihood: This approach not only leads to minimise cost of cultivation (as inputs are produced on-field), it also fetches a premium price for the produce. 
• Soil Health: Natural farming leads to better soil health as it does not deplete the macro-nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) and micro-nutrients (iron, manganese, zinc and copper), organic carbon as well as rhizosphere microbiome in the soil, unlike the conventional chemical-based practices.
• Environment: Natural farming leads to lesser carbon emissions, in addition to promoting carbon sequestration. It also promotes soil respiration, growth of beneficial organisms like earthworms, soil enzymes and microbial biomass increase.
• Water-use efficiency: Use of natural methods of farming leads to more efficient use of soil moisture, leading to an increase in the levels of water table, prevents over-extraction of groundwater and promotes aquifer recharge.
• Food Quality: It promotes the growth of nutrient content and improves the physical attributes of vegetables like tomato, cabbage and cowpea, fetching better prices in the market.

Challenges to Natural Farming

• Yields drop: India’s first organic state, Sikkim, has started seeing decline in its yields after a few years.
• Conviction among Policy Makers: As of now, policy makers fear for the food security of the nation and are non-committal on any major changes in the agriculture sector. 
• Resistance by the Chemical inputs-based industry: The chemical-based farming has a strong backing in the form of multi-million-dollar agro-chemical industry, which has fought tooth and nail to sustain the application of chemicals in agriculture.
• Lack of Consensus among the Scientific community: Though agreeing to its health and environmental benefits, the scientific community is divided on the impact of natural agriculture on crop yields.

Way Ahead

• The mission of natural farming in the country can be taken forward with everyone’s cooperation.
• India needs to move forward on the path of natural farming and take full advantage of the global opportunities that are emerging.
• The villages of India have shown that villages can not only bring change but can also lead the change.

Employees’ Pension (Amendment) Scheme, 2014

In News

• Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) upheld the Employees’ Pension (Amendment) Scheme, 2014 of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organistion (EPFO) as “legal and valid”.

Key Points

• Background: 
  • An appeal was filed by the EPFO challenging the decisions of the Kerala, Rajasthan and Delhi High Courts quashing the 2014 amendments on determination of pensionable salary” under the EPS of 1995.
• Extraordinary Power of the Supreme Court:
  • The court used its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to allow eligible employees who had not opted for enhanced pension coverage prior to the 2014 amendments, to jointly do so with their employers within the next four months.
• Struck down provision:
  • The court struck down a requirement in the 2014 amendments that employees who go beyond the salary threshold (of ?15,000 per month) should contribute monthly to the pension scheme at the rate of 1.16% of their salary.
• Ultra vires Requirement:
  • The requirement was ultra vires to the provisions of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
• Time to authorities:
  • Operations are suspended for 6 months to enable the authorities to make adjustments in the scheme so that the additional contribution can be generated from other legitimate sources within the scope of the Act.
  • This could include enhancing the rate of contribution of the employers.
• Dispute: 
  • It primarily concerned the controversial amendments made to clause 11 of the EPS-1995. 
• EPS Amendment of 2014:
  • It had raised the pensionable salary cap to Rs 15,000 a month from Rs 6,500 a month.
  • Allowed only existing members (as on September 1, 2014) along with their employers exercise the option to contribute 8.33 per cent on their actual salaries (if it exceeded the cap) towards the pension fund. 
  • This was extendable by another six months at the discretion of the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner. 
  • It, however, excluded new members who earned above Rs.15,000 and joined after September 2014 from the scheme completely.

About Employees’ Provident Funds (EPF) scheme

• EPF is a mandatory savings scheme under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. 
• It is managed under the aegis of Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).
• It covers every establishment in which 20 or more persons are employed (and certain other establishments which may be notified by the Central Government even if they employ less than 20 persons each).
• The employee has to pay a certain contribution towards the provident fund and the same amount is paid by the employer on a monthly basis. 
  • At the end of retirement or during the service (under some circumstances), the employee gets the lump sum amount including the interest on PF contributed which gets accrued
• The Central Board of Trustee, which is a key decision making body for EPFO, takes a call on the interest rates that have to be provided on the provident fund deposits, every year.
  • Once CBT decides an interest rate on EPF deposits for a fiscal year, it is sent to the Ministry of Finance for concurrence.
  • EPFO provides a rate of interest only after it is ratified by the government through the finance ministry.
• In 2021, the interest rates on deposits were set at 8.5% and the rates for the current financial year will depend on the income projections for the year.
• EPFO and EPS: 
  • All organised sector employees in India who are enrolled with the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) automatically become members of the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) as well. 
  • Once you enrol in the EPF, your employer deducts 12% of your basic pay plus dearness allowance every month towards your retirement corpus, with your employer making a matching contribution.

Challenges of Jobless growth 

• For Working women: 
  • Between 2010 and 2020, the number of working women in India dropped to 19% from 26%, according to data compiled by the World Bank. 
  • CMIE estimated that female labour force participation plummeted to 9% by 2022.
• Affects Demographic Dividend: 
  • A growing reserve of frustrated, unemployed youth threatens to turn India’s demographic dividend of having a young population into a curse. 
• Declining Agriculture Employment: 
  • The proportion of Indians employed in agriculture had been falling for decades, but this process flattened some years ago and was reversed by the covid crisis.
  • Those who move out of farming mostly find themselves in low-paying construction work and informal services.
• Skill shortages:
  • India’s economic growth has been largely services led, with a small pool of skills at the upper end, given a glaring failure in mass education.
  • India presents a paradox of skill shortages while being labour surplus.

Way Ahead

• It is the government’s responsibility to take initiative and create adequate roles for unemployed people within the main economy.
• Government support for enhancing infrastructure is  particularly essential for small and medium-sized enterprises.

BEIDOU SATELLITE SYSTEM

In News

• Recently, China released its official whitepaper titled “China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System in the New Era”. 

Background

What is the BeiDou navigation system?

• Background
  • China initiated BeiDou in 1994 with aims to integrate its application in different sectors, including fishery, agriculture, special care, mass-market applications, forestry and public security. 
• Global navigation network 
  • BDS is a global navigation network alongside the US’ GPS, (Global Positioning System) Russia’s GLONASS and the European Union’s Galileo.
  • India too is building its navigational system called the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), with an operational name of NAVIC.
• Accuracy
  • It uses a network of satellites and can provide positional accuracies of under ten metres (GPS provides positioning accuracies of under 2.2 metres).
• Constellation 
  • BDS has a constellation of 30 satellites in orbit and began its international outreach once the set up was finished in 2018.

Global Outreach

• It is now in use in more than half of the world’s countries. 
• China is also helping several BRI partners including Pakistan and Sri Lanka launch communication satellites.
• Pakistan in 2014 became the first foreign country to set up a Beidou network. 
• Saudi Arabia is using Beidou in surveying and mapping, positioning people and vehicles in the desert.
• Tajikistan is using BDS to monitor dams and lakes with precision.
• Lebanon is using BDS at Beirut port for marine survey and construction. 
• In Burkina Faso, it is being used for survey and construction of hospitals. 
• Beidou has set up a first of three Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) for its network in Thailand in 2013, to serve as a hub for ASEAN. 
  • CORS in Thailand and Sri Lanka will extend the BDS coverage at least 3,000 km more towards Southeast Asia and South Asia. 
• China and Russia have signed a strategic framework on their two navigation systems, taking forward a 2015 deal on interoperability between Beidou and GLONASS.

Applications

• Used in guiding drones.
• Autonomous cars.
• In agriculture and forestry.
• Launching with Chinese mobile phone companies using Chinese chips.
• Satellite-powered messaging for smartphones that provides for connectivity in remote areas even in the absence of ground reception.
• For the Chinese military, the BeiDou provides an independent navigation system especially for its missile launches reducing dependence on GPS which could deny access to certain areas in times of conflict.
• It has been deeply integrated with emerging technologies such as big data, the internet of things, and artificial intelligence, fostering new business forms based on BDS.

Significance

• Short message communication service: It is the world’s first navigation satellite system to provide a global short message communication service.
• Alternative to GPS: The BDS could also serve as a backup if GPS goes down entirely.
• High accuracy and coverage: BDS has achieved global coverage with world-class accuracy.

Way Forward

• China is strengthening regional cooperation with organisations such as ASEAN, the African Union, the League of Arab States, and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. 

Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) TechnologyAn autonomous regional satellite navigation system, also known as Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), is developed by ISRO.It has been designed to provide accurate position information service to users in India as well as the region extending up to 1500 km from its boundary.It will provide two types of services:Standard Positioning Service (SPS): provided to all the users.Restricted Service (RS): It is an encrypted service provided only to the authorised users. The IRNSS System is expected to provide a position accuracy of better than 20 m in the primary service area.Presently, it consists of 7 active satellites located at a distance of approximately 36,000 Km.3 satellites are in Geostationary Orbit (GEO).4 satellites are in inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO).