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Daily News Simplified - DNS

22 06 20 Notes

SL. NO. TOPICS

THE HINDUPAGE NO.

1 Secrecy of ballot is key to free and fair elections: SC 09

2 Jal Jeevan Mission 09

3 India’s continuing two-front conundrum - Lead Article 06

4 Fighting Double Pandemic + Silent Victim of Violence 06,07

5 Operation Samundra Setu 09

6 Hyderabad drugs get DCGI Approval 10

Dated: 22-June-2020 DNS Notes

Title 1. Secrecy of ballot is key to free and fair elections: SC (Page number 09) Syllabus Mains: GS Paper II - Polity & Governance Theme Election Highlights

Context: Supreme Court has highlighted that secrecy of ballot is the cornerstone of free and fair elections. Importance of Secrecy of Ballot

The Court highlighted that choice of a voter should be free and the secret ballot system in a democracy ensures such freedom.

The principle of secrecy of ballots is an important postulate of constitutional democracy and accordingly has been laid down as a statutory law under Section 94 of The Representation of the People Act, 1951 to protect secrecy of the ballot.

Section 94 - Secrecy of voting not to be infringed — No witness or other person shall be required to state for whom he has voted at an election. Provided that this section shall not apply to such witness or other person where he has voted by open ballot.

Even a remote or distinct possibility that a voter can be forced to disclose for whom she has voted would act as a positive constraint and a check on the freedom to exercise of franchise.

Can a voter voluntarily waive the privilege of non-disclosure? Supreme Court held that a voter can also voluntarily waive the privilege of

non-disclosure. Elaborating on this point, the Court stated that the privilege ends when the voter decides to waive the privilege and instead volunteers to disclose as to whom she had voted.

No one can prevent a voter from disclosing whom he/she has voted for if they so want to do. Nor can a complaint be entertained from any, including the person who wants to keep the voter’s mouth sealed as to why he/she disclosed for whom she voted.


Personal Notes


Title 2. Jal Jeevan Mission (Pg.no 09)Syllabus Prelims: Economy

GS Paper III - EconomyTheme Government SchemesHighlights

Context: Ministry of Jal Shakti has asked for additional Rs. 82,000 crore from 15th Finance Commission for Jal Jeevan Mission which aims at providing potable water at service level of 55 litre per capita per day (lpcd) to every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) by 2024. Problems highlighted by Jal Shakti Ministry to 15th Finance Commission

In a presentation made to the Commission this week, the Ministry showed that there had been a 45% shortfall in financing the JJM by both the Centre and the States in its first year of 2019-20.

The planned Central share for the year was Rs. 20,798 crore, but the Ministry received only Rs. 12,000 crore.

The share due from States was Rs. 8,329 crore, but the shortfall was more than Rs. 4,200 crore. Similarly, in 2020-21 as well, there has been a 32% shortfall at the Central level.

The Ministry pitched for additional funding of Rs. 82,000 crore to meet the need for capital intensive projects in water scarce areas, and areas where the water has been contaminated by arsenic or flouride, or has high-salinity levels.

The Ministry also wants to control the flow of the Commission’s funds to panchayats for water and sanitation.

In its interim report for 2020-21, the Commission had allocated Rs. 30,375 crore as tied grants to rural local bodies for drinking water and sanitation in order to ensure additional funds to the local bodies over and above the funds allocated under the centrally sponsored schemes, Swachh Bharat and Jal Jeevan Missions.

Suggestions of Jal Shakti Ministry The Jal Shakti Ministry highlighted that there are no guidelines available to

Panchayats to identify important work needed for Jal Jeevan Mission and no criteria or indicators to assess the performance of Panchayati raj institutions regarding use of tied grants of Rs. 30,375 crores provided to rural local bodies for drinking water and sanitation.

Accordingly, Jal Shakti Ministry has proposed to Finance Commission that the tied grants worth Rs. 30,375 crore be placed with the Jal Shakti Ministry and no with Panchayati Raj Institutions for lack of any regulatory monitoring. The Ministry would in turn release it to the panchayats, to ensure that they follow the JJM’s five-year village action plans.


Personal Notes


Title 3. India’s continuing two-front conundrum - Lead Article (The Hindu Pg. No. 06)

Syllabus GS Paper II – International relations Theme India – China Highlights

Context : Author in this article highlights that when it comes to internal security, India has always been obsessed with Pakistan ignoring the threats posed by China. He supports his argument by pointing to the similar mistake done by the then government in 1950-60s, which led to the Sino-India war of 1962. Thus India has not been focusing properly on the threats emanating from the two fronts of Pakistan and China. Lessons from past wars 1962 war

India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Defence Minister V.K. Krishna Menon had both believed that the threat to India’s security came principally from Pakistan. Both failed to contemplate a war between India and China.

The then prime minister had developed good personal rapport with the Chinese premier

Zou en-lai. Despite that a war between the two countries could not be avoided.

A similar situation is being faced today.

There has been an obsession concerning the threat from Pakistan, together with a degree of complacency vis-à-vis China.

The interactions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at

Wuhan (April 2018) and Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu (October 2019) made the authorities ignore any imminent threat from Chinese side.

India’s complacency and misjudgement in 1962 were not because of lack of warning

signs from China.

Indian leaders had apparently convinced themselves that the Chinese would not attack.

Apparently a similar situation was witnessed in the recent escalation by the Chinese side on the western border.

1971 war

In 1971, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi took account of a possible Chinese move in support of Pakistan.

India, therefore, took out an insurance policy in the form of the Treaty of Peace,

Friendship and Cooperation between the Government of India and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Ignoring the Chinese obsession of dominating affairs in Asia.


Nehru in 1964 - China wanted the Asian world to realise that they are the top dog in Asia and that any person or any country in Asia should remember that”.

Nehru had written to U.S. President John F. Kennedy that China was making a bid for

leadership, not just of Asia, but “as a first step in their bid for world leadership”.

So far as India was concerned, China’s aim was not to acquire territory: the real aim was “to force on India a political settlement which will involve India re-orienting its policies to suit the pattern of Chinese global policies”.

Lessons for the present

Although circumstances are different today, India continues to face the two-front conundrum.

India must assess its options in a balanced way. There is a need for a long-term vision, executed with patience and perseverance.

Personal Notes

Title 4. Fighting Double Pandemic + Silent Victim of Violence (Page number 06 & 07)

Syllabus Mains – Paper 2 – Social Issues Theme Impact of COVID Highlights Context:

The mortality, morbidity, vaccines, economy have been the most talked about terms


during lockdown. But what is lost in this chaos is a very social important perspective and that is how this

over all lockdown has impacted women. And there are solid evidences on the impact of essential lockdown measures and the

economic fallout of the pandemic on gender-based and domestic violence, paints a frightening picture.

SO we will first discuss the evidences regarding the over all condition of women and then we will discuss the measures which can be taken once the situation betters.

Evidences to support the claim: More number cases dealing with domestic violence have been filled during

Lockdown. o Considering the fact that there is high level of under reporting in cases of

violence against women, the actual increase in instances of violence would be much larger.

Increasing distress calls o This has been substantiated by surging numbers of emergency calls to

helplines — with rises of anything between 25% and 300%,


Internet searches o Dramatic increases in Internet searches for support for those affected by

domestic violence, and higher numbers of domestic homicides. Lack of medical care

o There have been reports of women being prevented from seeing doctors, and female doctors being spat on while testing other women for COVID-19.

Women have greater chances of exposure to Covid-19o Women do three times as much unpaid care work at home compared to men,

and make up 70% of workers in the health and social care sectors. They are squarely in infection’s path.

Rising inequality in access to education during covido As we all know, during the present COVID-19 pandemic, mass school closures

are increasing the learning gaps between girls and boys, and putting many more girls at risk of sexual exploitation, early pregnancy and early or forced marriage. They also mean that children are unable to report abuse to a trusted teacher. And with restrictions on home visits by police and health workers, violence shelters being converted into health facilities, and courts being forced to close, many victims may find themselves trapped and feeling abandoned.

SO what are the measures that can be taken? Health sector reform

o All evidence points to a clear link between weak health systems and vulnerabilities to domestic violence. So urgent action needs to be taken to ensure that during this COVID-19 pandemic, victims of abuse are able to access the health care they need, including mental health services.

Financial independenceo As we know that MSME sector holds the key for our vulnerable sector, but

Lockdown has also hit this sector hardest. o SO it is important that post COVID-19 policies should include dedicated funding

and support for micro, small and medium sized businesses and the informal sector, which are predominantly led by women — many of whom need the assurance of financial independence to escape from dangerous domestic situations.


.

Personal Notes

Title 5. Operation Samundra Setu (Page number 09) Syllabus Prelims – Current Events of National & international importance Theme India & its Neighbours


Highlights

Context: Indian Naval Ship Airavat entered the port of Male at Maldives today as part of the Indian Navy's ongoing Op Samudra Setu, under the aegis of the Indian Government's Op Vande Bharat to bring back Indian nationals from foreign shores.

A total of 198 Indian citizens embarked the ship today as she prepared to bring them home to the port of Tuticorin in Tamilnadu in this, the fifth instance of a naval ship entering Male under Op Samudra Setu.

Till date the Indian Navy has brought home 2386 Indians from Maldives alone. 195 of those embarked belong to Tamilnadu while the remaining are from Pondicherry.

Personal Notes


Title 6. Hyderabad drugs get DCGI Approval (Page number10) Syllabus Prelims Theme COVID – Treatment Highlights

Context: India’s drug regulator granted Cipla Ltd. and Hetero Labs the approval to produce and sell a generic version of Gilead Sciences Inc.’s (GILD) coronavirus drug candidate remdesivir. The two Indian drugmakers have been granted regulatory approval by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for restricted emergency use in the country. Hetero’s generic version of remdesivir will be marketed under the brand name Covifor in India, while Cipla’s generic version of remedisvir will be called Cipremi. Cipla and Hetero Labs have already entered into non-exclusive licensing agreements with US pharma giant Gilead Sciences, which is the patent holder of the drug remdesivir.

The DCGI had granted approval for use of Remdesivir in the treatment of suspected or laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in adults and children, hospitalised with severe symptoms of the disease.

Covifor (Remdesivir) will be available in a 100-mg vial (injectable) which has to be administered intravenously in a hospital setting under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner.

Since the product has been approved for emergency use and in hospital/institutional set up only, it will not be retailed through chemists. Instead Covifor will be made available to hospitals treating COVID-19 patients.

The product is being launched under a licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences Inc to expand access to COVID-19 treatment in low and middle-income countries.

Besides Hetero, other drug makers, including Jubilant Lifesciences, Mylan, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Biocon company Syngene and Zydus Cadila Healthcare have entered into deals with Gilead.

Personal Notes

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