Maratha Quota Law: Reservation in India (GS-2 Mains)
Maratha Reservation:
- Maharashtra Assembly passed a bill granting 10% reservation for Marathas in education and government jobs.
- Based on the report by Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (Justice Sunil B Shukre).
- Argues “exceptional circumstances” justify exceeding the 50% reservation limit set by the Supreme Court.
Reservation System in India:
- Existing reservation: SC (15%), ST (7.5%), OBC (27%) for central government jobs.
- EWS category (10%) reservation introduced by 103rd Amendment (2019).
- Many states (Haryana, Tamil Nadu, etc.) have laws exceeding 50% limit, facing legal challenges.
Constitutional Provisions:
- Article 16: Equality for all, with exception for reservations for backward classes.
- Articles 16(4A) & 335: Reservations for SC/ST to improve representation.
- 103rd Amendment: Introduced EWS reservation.
Arguments For Reservation:
- Addresses social injustice; shouldn’t be replaced by economic reservations.
- Fulfills constitutional mandate for substantive equality.
- Promotes representation of SC/ST in higher positions.
Arguments Against Reservation:
- Discourages merit and creates unfair advantage for reserved candidates.
- Economic status should be the criteria, not caste.
- Reservations should be temporary and not for promotions.
- Lowers overall caliber in institutions due to lower cutoffs for reserved candidates.
Way Forward:
- Quotas can lead to discrimination against other communities.
- Policymakers need a balanced approach to reservation policies.
Indira Sawhney Judgement (Mandal Commission Case):
- Backward classes can be identified by caste, not just economic status.
- Upheld 27% quota for backward classes, with a 50% limit for total reservations.
- Reservations only for initial appointments, not promotions.
- Creamy layer exclusion among backward classes.
Maldives Signs Defence Pact with China: Implications for India (GS-2 Mains)
Background:
- Maldives signed a military agreement with China to receive military assistance grants.
- This follows a period of strained relations with India, including:
- Undiplomatic remarks by Maldivian ministers against India.
- Request for withdrawal of Indian military personnel.
- China visit by Maldivian President and call to reclaim top tourist spot from India.
- Maldivian election campaign rhetoric against India.
- Decision not to renew agreement on Indian hydrographic survey.
Historical India-Maldives Ties:
- Strong cultural, historical, and economic links for centuries.
- Close cooperation on maritime security, counterbalancing China, and climate change.
- India is a major source of essentials, education, trade, and disaster relief for Maldives.
Significance of Maldives for India:
- Strategic location near India’s coast and trade routes.
- Partner in maritime security, countering piracy and terrorism.
- Opportunity to counterbalance China’s growing influence.
Challenges:
- Political instability in Maldives.
- China’s economic and military influence (debt-trap diplomacy, potential military ambitions).
- Non-traditional threats like piracy, extremism, and climate change.
- Trade imbalance and communication gaps.
Overcoming Challenges:
- Open communication, focus on common interests, and respect for sovereignty.
- Strengthen people-to-people ties and address internal issues.
Way Ahead:
- Both India and Maldives need to address current tensions and cooperate on areas of mutual interest.
- Acknowledge and address challenges to build a stronger, more resilient partnership.
Women, Business and the Law 2024 Report (GS-1 & 3 Mains)
World Bank Report on Women’s Economic Opportunity
- Measures laws affecting women’s economic participation in 190 economies.
- Focuses on areas like mobility, workplace, pay, parenthood, and entrepreneurship.
Key Findings:
- Globally, women have only two-thirds (64%) of legal rights available to men.
- Pay gap exists: women earn 77 cents per dollar earned by men.
- Only 44% of legal provisions supporting female entrepreneurship are in place.
- Nationality rights discrimination: women in 28 economies can’t pass nationality to children equally.
- Retirement age gap: women often retire earlier than men and have lower pension benefits.
Significance of Women’s Participation:
- Closing the gender gap in employment could raise global GDP by over 20%.
- Eliminating the gap would double the current global growth rate.
India’s Performance:
- Ranked 113th with a score of 74.4%, a slight improvement but ranking decline from previous years.
- Indian women have 60% of legal rights compared to men, lower than the global average.
- India outperforms South Asian counterparts (45.9% legal protections for women).
- Lowest score in pay gap indicator. Recommendations for improvement include:
- Mandating equal pay for equal work.
- Permitting women to work night shifts.
- Allowing women in industrial jobs.
- India scored higher than global and South Asian averages in supportive frameworks, but childcare needs improvement.
Recommendations from the Report:
- Reform laws and policies to empower women in work and business.
- Improve laws on safety, childcare, and business opportunities for women.
- Establish frameworks to support implementation of gender equality laws.
- Enact legal reforms for equal pay, removing restrictions on women’s work.
- Expand parental leave and prohibit firing pregnant women.
- Prohibit sexual harassment and provide childcare support.
- Implement quotas for women on corporate boards and gender-sensitive procurement processes.
- Ensure equal retirement benefits for women, considering childcare absences.
MethaneSAT: Tracking Methane Emissions for Climate Action (GS-3: Environment)
About MethaneSAT:
- Launched satellite to track and measure methane emissions globally.
- Developed by a consortium including Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Google.
- Orbits Earth 15 times a day, focusing on monitoring oil and gas sector.
Why Track Methane?
- Second largest contributor to global warming after CO2.
- Over 20 years, 80 times more potent at warming than CO2 (UNEP).
- Contributes to formation of harmful ground-level ozone.
- Main source: Fossil fuel operations (40% of human-caused emissions).
MethaneSAT’s Capabilities:
- Detects methane concentration differences as low as 3 parts per billion.
- Wide-camera view (200km x 200km) to identify large emitters (“super emitters”).
- Data analysis using Google’s cloud computing and AI.
Benefits:
- Publicly available data to identify emission sources and trends.
- Enables stakeholders and regulators to take action to reduce methane emissions.
Prelims
India’s First National Dolphin Research Centre Established
- Inaugurated in Patna, Bihar, to study the endangered Gangetic dolphin.
- Bihar holds nearly half of India’s estimated 3,000 Gangetic dolphins.
Ganges River Dolphin (Susu):
- Scientific name: Platanista gangetica
- Found in Ganges, Brahmaputra rivers & tributaries (India, Bangladesh, Nepal)
- Freshwater habitat; blind, relies on echolocation for navigation and hunting
- Brownish, stocky body; lives in turbulent waters with sufficient fish
- Indicator of river ecosystem health; controls fish & crustacean populations
- National Aquatic Animal (2009); Endangered (IUCN)
Threats:
- Habitat degradation (pollution, construction)
- Accidental deaths in fishing nets (bycatch), poaching
Conservation Efforts:
- Project Dolphin: Tech-driven conservation of dolphins & habitat
- National Dolphin Day (Oct 5th) raises awareness
- Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (VGDS) established
- 2016 Wildlife Institute of India Dolphin Conservation Action Plan
Shanan Hydropower Project Dispute
- 110 MW hydel project in Himachal Pradesh, leased to Punjab in 1925 by the British.
- 99-year lease expired on March 2, 2024.
- Dispute between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh over control after lease expiry.
- Central government ordered status quo to be maintained.
INS Jatayu Commissioned in Lakshadweep
- New Indian Navy base on Minicoy Island for enhanced security.
- Minicoy is strategically located near vital Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs).
- Second naval base in Lakshadweep after INS Dweeprakshak in Kavaratti.
Lakshadweep Archipelago:
- Group of 36 islands around 400 km west of Kerala.
- Union Territory with 12 atolls, 3 reefs, 10 inhabited islands.
- 3 subgroups: Laccadive, Amindivi, and Minicoy.
- 32 sq km land area but 400,000 sq km Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
- Capital: Kavaratti.