International Day of Older Persons, 2024

Syllabus: GS1/ Society, GS3/ Economy

Context

• The International Day of Older Persons, is commemorated on 1 October each year.

About

• Origin: The idea was initiated by the United Nations. It stems from the Vienna International Plan of Action on Aging, which was adopted in 1982 by the World Assembly on Ageing.
  • UN General Assembly Resolution: In 1990, the UN General Assembly formally established October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons through Resolution 45/106.
• Objectives: To raise public awareness about the opportunities and challenges with ageing populations and to mobilize the families, community groups and stakeholders to address the difficulties faced by older people.
• Theme for 2024: ‘Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide’.

Current Demographics of India

• As of 2021, India had around 138 million elderly persons (aged 60 years and above), accounting for roughly 10% of the total population. 
• According to projections, by 2050, the elderly population in India is expected to reach around 319 million, making up approximately 19.5% of the total population.

Reasons for Elderly Population Growth

• Increasing Life Expectancy: The life expectancy in India has increased from around 50 years in 1970 to approximately 70 years in 2023 due to better healthcare and living conditions.
• Declining Fertility Rate: India’s fertility rate has declined over the years, leading to a shrinking younger population and a rising proportion of older persons.

Challenges Faced by the Elderly population

• Health Issues: Older persons in India commonly face non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and arthritis. 
• Economic Dependency: Many elderly individuals in India are financially dependent on their children or families due to limited pension coverage and savings.
  • Only about 30% of the elderly are covered by some form of a pension scheme.
• Elder Abuse, especially emotional and financial neglect, is an issue in many families. 
• Social Isolation: Changing family structures, with nuclear families becoming more common, resulted in increased social isolation for the elderly, particularly in urban areas.

Government initiatives

• Senior Able Citizens for Re-Employment in Dignity (SACRED) portal to connect senior citizens with job providers in the private sector. 
• Senior care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE), by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, to promote and incentivise senior care products.
• National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP): It was formulated in 1999 to guide the development of policies and programs aimed at promoting the well-being of senior citizens. 
• Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY): Provides physical aids and assisted-living devices to elderly persons belonging to BPL categories and suffering from age-related disabilities.
• Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana: It includes awareness generation/sensitization programmes with school/college students for strengthening Inter-generational bonding.
• Senior Citizens Savings Scheme (SCSS): It is a government-backed savings scheme designed specifically for senior citizens to provide them with a steady source of income.
• The Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) initiative is providing comprehensive healthcare through Health and Wellness Centres.
  • It focuses on preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative care, using multiple traditional health systems like Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH). 

What are the opportunities?

• Silver Economy: It refers to economic activities, goods, and services designed for the growing elderly population.
  • This demographic, particularly those aged 45-64 years, is considered the wealthiest, creating a lucrative market for products and services catering to their specific needs.
• Health and Wellness Industry Growth: Healthcare accounts for one-third of the consumption by older adults and there is a significant opportunity for businesses in senior care, health services, and wellness sectors. 
• Elder Care Services: The rising elderly population will increase the demand for elder care services such as home care assistance, nursing homes, retirement communities, and assisted living facilities.
• Senior-Friendly Tourism: With more disposable income and time, the elderly population is likely to drive demand for senior-friendly travel and tourism.

Concluding remarks

• As India’s aging population increases, there is a critical need for solutions that promote healthy aging, financial security, and social inclusion. 
• Leveraging advancements in health technology, infrastructure, and senior care services, the silver economy can transform aging into a dynamic opportunity for both economic growth and societal well-being.

Annular Solar Eclipse

Syllabus :GS1/ Geography

In News

• On October 2, an annular solar eclipse will be visible in parts of South America, while a partial solar eclipse can be seen in regions including South America, Antarctica, North America, and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, including Hawaii. 

About Solar eclipses

• Solar eclipses occur when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align, causing the Moon to pass between the Sun and Earth. 
• This alignment casts a shadow on Earth, partially or fully blocking the Sun’s light in certain areas. 
• Eclipses are infrequent because the Moon’s orbit is not in the same plane as that of the Sun and Earth. 
• These alignments occur during “eclipse season,” which happens twice a year.

Types

• Total Solar Eclipse: This occurs when the Moon completely blocks the Sun as it passes between the Sun and Earth. Observers in the center of the Moon’s shadow will experience a total eclipse, where the sky darkens, and they can briefly remove their eclipse glasses to view the Sun’s corona.

• Annular Solar Eclipse: This happens when the Moon is at its farthest point from Earth, appearing smaller than the Sun and creating a “ring of fire” effect as it covers the center of the Sun. 
• Partial Solar Eclipse: In this type, the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not perfectly aligned, so only part of the Sun is obscured, giving it a crescent shape. Observers outside the path of totality or annularity will see a partial eclipse.
• Hybrid Solar Eclipse: This occurs when the eclipse shifts between total and annular due to the curvature of the Earth’s surface as the Moon’s shadow moves across the globe.

Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)

Syllabus: GS2/ Polity and Governance

Context

• The Consulate General of India in New York has clarified that rumours circulating on social media regarding OCIs becoming reclassified as “foreigners” are false.

Overseas Citizen of India

• OCI was introduced by the Indian government in 2005. 
• A registered OCI is granted multiple entry, multi-purpose life-long visa for visiting India.
• They are exempted from registration with Foreign Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) or Foreign Registration Officer (FRO) for any length of stay in India.
• OCI cardholders can open special bank accounts in India, they can buy non-farm property and exercise ownership rights and can also apply for a driver’s licence and PAN card.
  • However they are required to seek permission or a permit to visit protected areas in India. 

Eligibility Criteria

• It provides for registration as an OCI of all Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) who were citizens of India on 26th January, 1950, or thereafter, or were eligible to become citizens of India on the said date.
• A foreign national who;
  • Belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15th August, 1947; or
  • A child or a grandchild or a great grandchild of such a citizen; or
  • A minor child of such persons mentioned above; or
  • A minor child whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India is eligible for registration as OCI cardholder.

Who cannot be an OCI? 

• An applicant is not eligible to get an OCI card if his/her parents or grandparents have ever been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh. 
• Foreign military personnel either in service or retired are also not entitled for grant of OCI.

What are OCIs not allowed to do?

• The OCI card holder is not entitled to vote; to be a member of a Legislative Assembly or of a Legislative Council or of Parliament; to hold Indian constitutional posts such as that of the President, Vice President, Judge of the Supreme Court or High Court. 
• He or she cannot normally hold employment in the government.

Bail Provisions under PMLA

Syllabus: GS2/Polity and Governance

Context

• The Supreme Court recently held that constitutional courts cannot allow provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to become instruments in the hands of the Enforcement Directorate to continue incarceration for a long time.

The Prevention of Money-Laundering Act (PMLA)

• It was enacted by Parliament of India under Article 253 of Constitution in 2002 to prevent money laundering and provide for the confiscation of property derived from or involved in money laundering.
• PMLA and the Rules notified there under came into force with effect from 2005, and it was further amended in 2009 and in 2012.
• Director, FIU-IND and Director (Enforcement) have been conferred with exclusive and concurrent powers under relevant sections of the Act to implement the provisions of the Act.
• The offence under the PMLA mainly involves money laundering obtained through criminal activities (e.g., drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption).

Bail Provisions under the Law

• Section 45 of the PMLA, which deals with bail, first states that no court can grant bail for offences under this law, and then proceeds to mention a few exceptions. 
  • The negative language in the provision itself shows that bail is not the rule but the exception under PMLA.
• The provision makes it mandatory to hear the public prosecutor in all bail applications, and when the prosecutor opposes bail, the court is required to apply a twin test.
  • These two conditions are: (i) that there are “reasonable grounds for believing that [the accused] is not guilty of such offence”; and (ii) that “he is not likely to commit any offence while on bail”.
• There are similar provisions in several other laws that deal with serious offences — for example, Section 36AC of The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, Section 37 of The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and Section 43D(5) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967.

Supreme Court’s Take on the Law

• To address concerns raised by ED regarding possible tampering with witnesses or evidence, the court imposed strict conditions on bail, including:
  • regular appearance before the deputy director of ED; 
  • appearance before the investigating officer of the scheduled offences; 
  • restraint against contacting any prosecution witnesses or victims related to the scheduled offences; 
  • full cooperation with the trial and a refrain from asking for adjournments.

About Directorate of Enforcement (ED) – Established: It was established in 1956 with the formation of an ‘Enforcement Unit’ under the aegis of the Department of Economic Affairs and handled Exchange Control Laws violations under Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947 (FERA 1947). 1. A year later, the Enforcement Unit was renamed the Enforcement Directorate.  – It is a multi-disciplinary organization mandated with investigation of the offence of money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws. The statutory functions of the Directorate include enforcement of following Acts: – The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA): It is a criminal law enacted to prevent money, ED has been given the responsibility to enforce the provisions of the PMLA. 1. It does so by conducting investigations to trace the assets derived from proceeds of crime, to provisionally attach the property and to ensure prosecution of the offenders and confiscation of the property by the Special court. – The Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA): It is a civil law enacted to consolidate and amend the laws relating to facilitate external trade and payments. 1. ED has been given the responsibility to conduct investigation into suspected contraventions of foreign exchange laws and regulations, to adjudicate and impose penalties on those adjudged to have contravened the law. – The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 (FEOA): This law was enacted to deter economic offenders from evading the process of Indian law by remaining outside the jurisdiction of Indian courts.  1. It is a law whereby the Directorate is mandated to attach the properties of the fugitive economic offenders who have escaped from India warranting arrest and provide for the confiscation of their properties to the Central Government.

Conclusion

• While the PMLA provisions have faced scrutiny, the Supreme Court has consistently upheld their validity, emphasising the need to combat money laundering effectively. 
• The balance between law enforcement powers and individual rights remains a critical aspect of this legal framework.

Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP) 2024

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• The Union Government is set to unveil the Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP) 2024.

Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP)

• It was launched by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in 2014-2015, aims to improve the ease of doing business and enhance the overall business environment in the country.
• Key Objectives:
  • Simplification of Regulatory Processes: Streamlining business regulations to reduce compliance burdens.
  • Digitization: Encouraging digital platforms for business registration, licensing, and other regulatory requirements.
  • Stakeholder Engagement: Involving businesses in the reform process to ensure their needs are met.
  • Benchmarking: Comparing India’s business environment with other countries to identify areas for improvement.
• Major Areas of Focus:
  • Starting a Business: Reducing the time and cost involved in starting a business.
  • Construction Permits: Streamlining processes for obtaining construction permits.
  • Labor Regulation: Simplifying labor laws and improving compliance mechanisms.
  • Trade and Customs: Enhancing the efficiency of trade processes and customs clearance.
• Implementation:The BRAP consists of a series of annual action plans, where states are evaluated on their reform efforts.
  • States that perform well are recognized and rewarded, creating a competitive environment for reforms.

BRAP 2024

• It is set to establish a seamless business regulatory framework across the country, enhancing the ease of doing business.
• Led by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), BRAP 2024 introduces next-generation reforms that address the needs of both businesses and citizens. 
• BRAP 2024 continues to streamline processes, reduce compliance burdens, and implement digital solutions to make India a preferred global investment hub.
  • BRAP has expanded beyond its initial scope, covering critical sectors such as Labour, Environment, Taxes, Land Administration, Utility Permits, Inspection and Construction.

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade

• It was established in 1995, and in the year 2000 the Department of Industrial Development was merged with it. 
• It is working under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• This department is responsible for formulation and implementation of promotional and developmental measures for growth of the industrial sector, keeping in view the national priorities and socio-economic objectives.

BharatGen: World’s First Government-funded Multimodal Large Language Model

Syllabus: GS3/ Science & Technology

In News

• “BharatGen” world’s first government-funded multimodal LLM initiative launched by the Ministry of Science & Technology.

About BharatGen

• Aim: To revolutionize public service delivery and enhance citizen engagement by developing foundational models in language, speech, and computer vision. 
• Implementation: By IIT Bombay under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS)
• Key Features of BharatGen:
  • Multilingual and multimodal foundation models.
  • Building and training based on India-centric datasets.
  • Open-source platform for fostering AI research and innovation.
• The project is expected to be completed by 2026, with ongoing research, development, and scaling of AI applications.

Significance

• BharatGen will address both text and speech, ensuring representation across India’s diverse linguistic landscape. By using multilingual datasets, it will capture the nuances of Indian languages, which are often underrepresented in global AI models.
  • This emphasis on data sovereignty gives India greater control over its digital resources and narrative.
• BharatGen will democratize AI access across government, education, and private sectors, ensuring AI benefits all segments of society, particularly underserved Indian languages. 
• BharatGen aligns with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat by developing AI models specifically for India. By building these technologies domestically

What are Large Language Models?

• Large language models, also known as LLMs, are very large deep learning models that are pre-trained on vast amounts of data. 
• Large Language Models (LLMs) use machine learning techniques to recognize, interpret, and generate human languages or other complex data. 
• Their capabilities also extend to handling structured and unstructured data, including speech, images, and other multimodal inputs, which enhances their utility in fields like customer service, healthcare, and education. 

Generative AI (GenAI) – It is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology that automatically generates content in response to prompts written in natural language conversational interfaces. – Rather than simply curating existing web pages, by drawing on existing content, GenAI actually produces new content. – The content can appear in formats that comprise all symbolic representations of human thinking: texts written in natural language, images (including photographs to digital paintings and cartoons), videos, music and software code. – GenAI is trained using data collected from web pages, social media conversations and other online media. It generates its content by statistically analysing the distributions of words, pixels or other elements in the data that it has ingested and identifying and repeating common patterns. – In November 2022, OpenAI released ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) to the public.