ARTICLES TO BE DISCUSS

• VEHICLE SCRAPPING LAUNCHED

• SUPREME COURT ON CRIMINALISATION OF POLITICS
• WOMEN IN COMBAT ROLE IN ITBP
• NATIONAL MISSION ON EDIBLE OIL
• RETREAT OF GLACIERS IN LADAKH
• PUSA DECOMPOSER TEHNOLOGY
• BALWANT MORESHWAR PURANDARE
Deepak Yadav Education

Deepak Yadav Education

 .
GS -II

POLITY & GOVERNANCE

VEHICLE SCRAPPING LAUNCHED
 ABOUT
Recently, the Prime Minister while addressing the Investor
Summit in Gujarat via video conferencing launched the
Vehicle Scrapping Policy/National Automobile Scrappage
Policy.

The Summit will invite investment for setting up vehicle

scrapping infrastructure under the Vehicle Scrapping
Policy.

The Vehicle Scrapping Policy was

announced in March 2021 by the government.
 AIM
Reducing the population of old and defective
vehicles, bringing down vehicular air pollutants,
improving road and vehicular safety.
 PROVISIONS
Fitness Test:
Old vehicles will have to pass a fitness test before
re-registration and as per the policy government
commercial vehicles more than 15 years
old and private vehicles which are over 20 years old
will be scrapped.

Old vehicles will be tested at authorized Automated

Fitness Center and will not be scrapped merely on
the basis of age.
Emission test, braking system, safety components
will be tested and the vehicles which fail in the
fitness test will be scrapped.

If the old vehicle passes the test, the owner can

continue to use it, but the charges for
reregistration will be much steeper.
 ROAD TAX REBATE
The state governments may be advised to offer a
road-tax rebate of up to 25% for personal
vehicles and up to 15% for commercial vehicles to
provide incentive to owners of old vehicles to scrap
old and unfit vehicles.
 VEHICLE DISCOUNT
Vehicle manufacturers will also give a discount of
5% to people who will produce the 'Scrapping
Certificate' and registration fees will be waived
off on the purchase of a new vehicle.
 SIGNIFICANCE
Creation of Scrap yards:

It will lead to creation of more scrap yards in the

country and effective recovery of waste from old
vehicles.

India had to import 23,000 crore worth of scrap

steel during the last year as India’s scrapping is not
productive and India is not able to recover energy and
rare earth metals.
 Employment:

In the new fitness centers, 35 thousand people will get

employment and an investment of Rs 10,000 crores will be pumped
in.
Improved Revenue:

This will boost sales of heavy and medium commercial vehicles that
had been in the contraction zone as a result of economic slowdown
triggered by the bankruptcy of IL&FS (Infrastructure Leasing &
Financial Services) and Covid-19 pandemic.

The government treasury is expected to get around Rs 30,000 to

40,000 crores of money through Goods and Services Tax (GST) from
this policy.
 Reduce Pollution:
It will play a major role in modernising the vehicular
population as it will help in phasing out the unfit and
polluting vehicles across the country and promote a
circular economy and waste to wealth campaign.

As older vehicles pollute the environment 10 to 12

times more, and estimated that 17 lakh medium and heavy
commercial vehicles are more than 15 years old.
 Reduce Pollution:
It will play a major role in modernising the vehicular
population as it will help in phasing out the unfit and
polluting vehicles across the country and promote a
circular economy and waste to wealth campaign.

As older vehicles pollute the environment 10 to 12

times more, and estimated that 17 lakh medium and heavy
commercial vehicles are more than 15 years old.
SUPREME COURT ON CRIMINALISATION
OF POLITICS
 Why in News
• Recently, the Supreme Court in the two different judgements has
raised concerns about the menace of criminalisation in politics.

• In one case, it found nine political parties guilty of contempt for not
following in letter and spirit its February 13, 2020 direction.

• In another case, it has issued directions that no criminal case against

MPs or MLAs can be withdrawn without an approval of the high
court of the concerned state.
 Case I: Political Parties Parties
Penalised for Contempt:
February 13, 2020 Order:

• The February 2020 order required political parties to publish details

of criminal cases against its candidates on their websites, a
local vernacular newspaper, national newspaper and social media
accounts.

• This is to be done within 48 hours of candidate selection or not less

than two weeks before the first date for filing of nominations, whichever
is earlier.
 Case II: Approval of High Court for
Withdrawing Criminal Cases against
MPs/MLAs:
Background:

• The Bench was hearing a pending PIL (Public Interest Litigation)

seeking establishment of fast-track courts for cases against
legislators.

• In November 2017, the Supreme Court had ordered setting-up of

Special Courts in each state to try the pending cases.

• Accordingly, 12 such courts were set up across the country.

 Criminalisation of Politics
• About:

• It means the participation of criminals in politics which includes that

criminals can contest in the elections and get elected as members of
the Parliament and the State legislature.

• It takes place primarily due to the nexus between politicians and

criminals.
 Reasons:
Lack of Enforcement:
• Several laws and court judgments have not helped much, due to the lack of
enforcement of laws and judgments.

• Narrow Self-interests:
• Publishing of the entire criminal history of candidates fielded by political
parties may not be very effective, as a major chunk of voters tend to vote
through a narrow prism of community interests like caste or religion.

• Use of Muscle and Money Power:

• Candidates with serious records seem to do well despite their public image,
largely due to their ability to finance their own elections and bring substantive
resources to their respective parties.

• Also, sometimes voters are left with no options, as all competing candidates have
criminal records.
 Effects:
Against the Principle of Free and Fair Election:
• It limits the choice of voters to elect a suitable candidate.
• It is against the ethos of free and fair election which is the bedrock of a
democracy.

• Affecting Good Governance:

• The major problem is that the law-breakers become law-
makers, this affects the efficacy of the democratic process in
delivering good governance.

• These unhealthy tendencies in the democratic system reflect a poor image

of the nature of India’s state institutions and the quality of its elected
representatives.
 • Affecting Integrity of Public Servants:

• It also leads to increased circulation of black money during and

after elections, which in turn increases corruption in society and
affects the working of public servants.

• Causes Social Disharmony:

• It introduces a culture of violence in society and sets a bad

precedent for the youth to follow and reduces people's faith in
democracy as a system of governance.
WOMEN IN COMBAT ROLE IN ITBP
 • Why in News
• For the first time, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) inducted
women officers in the combat role. Two women officers joined it as
Assistant Commandants (AC).
 ABOUT
• Women officers joining the ITBP as officers have served in combat
roles earlier as well.

• However, it was only in 2016 when the appointment of women as

combat officers through the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)
entrance exam conducted by the UPSC (
Union Public Service Commission) was approved.
Status of Women in the Indian Armed Forces (under
the Ministry of Defence):

The Army, Air Force and Navy began inducting women as short-
service commission (SSC) officers in 1992.

• This was the first time when women were allowed to join the
military outside the medical stream.

• One of the turning points for women in the military came in 2015
when Indian Air Force (IAF) decided to induct them into the
fighter stream.
• In 2020, the Supreme Court (SC) ordered the central government to
grant Permanent Commission (PC) to women officers in the Army's
non-combat support units on par with their male counterparts.

• The SC had rejected the government’s stand of women officers’

physiological limitations as being based on "sex stereotypes" and
"gender discrimination against women”.

• Women officers have been granted PC in the Indian Army in all the
ten branches where women are inducted for SSC.

• Women are now eligible to occupy all the command

appointments, at par with male officers, which would open avenues
for further promotions to higher ranks for them.
 • In early 2021, the Indian Navy deployed four women officers on
warships after a gap of almost 25 years.

• India’s aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya and fleet tanker INS

Shakti are the warships that have been assigned their first women
crews since the late 1990s.

• In May 2021, the Army inducted the first batch of women into the
Corps of Military Police, the first time that women joined the
military in the non-officer cadre.

• However, Women are still not allowed in combat arms like

Infantry and Armored Corps.
 • Issues with Women in Combat Role:
Physical Issues:
The natural physical differences in stature, strength, and body
composition between the sexes make women more vulnerable to certain
types of injuries and medical problems.

• Pre-entry physical fitness levels tend to be lower in most women

recruits compared with men.

• Hence, when standards of training remain same for the two

genders, there is a higher probability of injuries among the women.
 • Physiological Issues:
The natural processes of menstruation and pregnancy make women
particularly vulnerable in combat situations.

• Lack of privacy and sanitation can result in an increased incidence of

genitourinary infections.
• The effect of prolonged deployment in difficult terrains and grueling
physical activity on the reproductive health of women is still
unknown.

• Social and Psychological Issues:

Women tend to be more attached to their families, particularly their
children.

• This translates into greater mental stress and requirement of social

support to sustain themselves during prolonged separations from
 • Counter-Arguments:
Gender is not a Hindrance:
As long as an applicant is qualified for a position, one’s gender is arbitrary. In
the modern high technology battlefield, technical expertise and decision-
making skills are increasingly more valuable than simple brute strength.

• Military Readiness:
Allowing a mixed gender force keeps the military strong. The armed forces are
severely troubled by falling retention and recruitment rates. This can be
addressed by allowing women in the combat role.

• Global Scenario:
When women officially became eligible for combat positions in the American
military in 2013, it was widely hailed as another step towards the equality of
sexes. In 2018, the UK military lifted a ban on women serving in close combat
ground roles, clearing the way for them to serve in elite special forces.
AGRICULTURE
GS -III
NATIONAL MISSION ON EDIBLE OIL
 • Why in News
• Recently, the Prime Minister has announced a new national initiative
on palm oil production to help increase farm incomes.
• The scheme, called National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm (NMEO-
OP), for self-reliance in edible oil involves investment of over Rs.
11,000 crore (over a five year period).
 •Aims:
• To harness domestic edible oil prices that are dictated by
expensive palm oil imports.

• To raise the domestic production of palm oil by three times to 11

lakh MT by 2025-26.

• This will involve raising the area under oil palm

cultivation to 10 lakh hectares by 2025-26 and 16.7 lakh
hectares by 2029-30.
 • Features:
• The special emphasis of the scheme will be in India’s north-
eastern states and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands due to
the conducive weather conditions in the regions.

• Under the scheme, oil palm farmers will be provided

financial assistance and will get remuneration under a price
and viability formula.
 • Significance of the Scheme:
Reduction in Import dependance:

• It is expected to incentivise production of palm oil to reduce

dependence on imports and help farmers cash in on the huge
market.

• India is the largest consumer of vegetable oil in the world. Of

this, palm oil imports are almost 55% of its total vegetable oil
imports.
 • Rise in Yields:
• India produces less than half of the roughly 2.4 crore tonnes of
edible oil that it consumes annually. It imports the rest, buying
palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, soyoil from Brazil and
Argentina, and sunflower oil, mainly from Russia and Ukraine.

• In India, 94.1% of its palm oil is used in food products, especially

for cooking purposes. This makes palm oil extremely critical to
India’s edible oils economy.
 • Edible Oil Economy
• There are two major features, which have significantly contributed to
the development of this sector. One was the setting up of the
Technology Mission on Oilseeds in 1986 which was converted into a
National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP) in 2014.

• Further it was merged with

NFSM (National Food Security Mission).

• This gave a thrust to Government's efforts for augmenting the

production of oilseeds. This is evident by the very impressive increase
in the production of oilseeds from about 11.3 million tons in 1986-87
to 33.22 million tons in 2019-20.
• The other dominant feature which has had significant impact on the
present status of edible oilseeds/oil industry has been the program of
liberalization under which the Government's economic policy
allows greater freedom to the open market and encourages healthy
competition and self regulation rather than protection and control.

• The Yellow Revolution is one of the colour revolutions that was

launched to increase the production of Edible oilseeds in the country
to meet domestic demand.
 • Oils Commonly Used in India:
• Groundnut, mustard, rapeseed, sesame, safflower, linseed, niger seed,
castor are the major traditionally cultivated oilseeds.
• Soybean and sunflower have also assumed importance in recent
years.
• Coconut is most important amongst the plantation crops.
ENVIRONMENT
GS -III
RETREAT OF GLACIERS IN LADAKH
 • Why in News
• According to a recent study by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan
Geology (WIHG), the Pensilungpa Glacier located in Ladakh’s
Zanskar Valley is retreating due to increase in temperature and
decrease in precipitation during winters.

• This study assesses the impact of climate change on glaciers. Earlier,

the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) also assessed
that the
Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) mountain ranges could lose up to t
wo-third of its ice
by 2100.

• WIHG is an autonomous body under the

Department of Science and Technology located in Dehradun,
 •Findings:
Rate of Decline:

• The glacier is now retreating at an average rate of 6.7

plus/minus 3 metre per annum.

• Glaciers may retreat when their ice melts more quickly than
snowfall can accumulate and form new glacial ice.
• Impact of rise in the Air Temperature:
• Due to continuous rise in the air temperature in line with the
global trend, the melting would increase, and it is possible that
the precipitation of summer periods at higher altitudes will
change from snow to rain, and that may influence the summer
and winter pattern.
 • Impact:
Impact on Human Life:

• It will impact the water, food, energy security and agriculture,

including soil loss due to soil erosion, landslides and floods.

• Glacial lakes may also form due to the accumulation of melted ice,
which may result in Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) and even
shifting global climate by dumping freshwater into the oceans and so
altering their circulation.

• Initiative for Himalayan Ecosystem:

• National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem: It is one
of the 8 national missions under the
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
SHORT
NEWS
 • PUSA DECOMPOSER TECHNOLOGY
• Multiple efforts have been made to demonstrate the new low cost
capsule i.e. Pusa Decomposer Technology developed by ICAR -
Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi for crop
residue management across the country as given below:
 • About:

• IARI has licensed this technology to 12 companies for mass

multiplication and marketing of the Pusa Decomposer. In addition,
ICAR – IARI, New Delhi has produced about 20000 packets of Pusa
decomposer at its own facility for use by the farmers.

• A weekly You Tube channel of IARI named Pusa Samachar also

regularly ran the programme on “Pusa Decomposer Technology” for
the benefit of farmers.
 • BALWANT MORESHWAR PURANDARE
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid rich tributes to Baba
Saheb Purandare ji on entering the 100th year of his life.
 • Balwant Moreshwar Purandare (born 1922), popularly known as
Babasaheb Purandare is a writer and theatre personality from
Maharashtra.

• His works are mostly based on the events related to the life of Shivaji,
the 17th-century founder of the Maratha Empire; as a result he is termed
as Shiv-Shahir ("Shivaji's bard").

• He is mostly known for his popular play on Shivaji Jaanta Raja

• In 2015, he was awarded with Maharashtra Bhushan Award,

Maharashtra's highest civilian award. He was awarded with Padma
Vibhushan in 2019.
Thank You
SHORT
NEWS
SOCIAL
ISSUES
GS -I
 .
GS -II

POLITY & GOVERNANCE

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HISTORY
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