12th JUNE, 2024

‘Two Hundred and Fifty-Thousand Democracies: A Review of Village Government in India’

Working Paper
Policy Research Working Paper released by the World Bank Group analyzed the role of 73rd Constitutional Amendment in shaping
India’s democratic trajectory.
Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992 enshrined certain basic and essential features of Panchayati Raj Institutions
(PRIs) in the Constitution to impart certainty, continuity, and strength to them.
Key Findings of the Paper
Lack of Funds: PRIs rely almost entirely on grants made by state and national authorities.
Lack of Functionaries: Scarcity of Panchayat Secretaries. e.g.,
on average, 0.67 Panchayat Secretaries per Gram Panchayat, About 73rd Constitutional Amendment
with the number falling to 0.33 in states like Uttar Pradesh. It added Part IX to the Constitution covering provisions from
Recentralisation Process: Autonomy of local governments are Article 243 to 243-O.
being eroded due to MIS-based beneficiary selection, digital Salient Features
tracking of beneficiaries, etc.
Gram Sabha: Permanent unit consisting of all the persons
Effects of reservation: Reservation for women and castes
registered in the electoral rolls relating to a village.
changed profile of households that produce candidates.
3-tiers of PRIs: At the village level, intermediate level, and
Key Recommendations district level.
Build local tax capacity: Build better property records, give However, the states with population below 20 Lakh may not
Panchayats more freedom to levy taxes, etc. have the intermediate level.
Strengthen Gram Sabhas: Increase their frequency and Reservation: Provision of reservation of seats for SCs and STs
expand their powers to encompass critical areas such as at every level of Panchayat in proportion to their population.
village planning and the selection of beneficiaries for public
It also provides for 1/3rd reservation of seats for women.
programs.
SHG-Panchayat linkages: Creating more convergence and coordination between the two would also improve the functioning
of Panchayats and balance their decisions more towards the needs of women.

“Raising Ambition, Accelerating Action: Towards Enhanced NDCs for Forests" report

Report published by UN Environment Programme (UNEP) reveals major gaps in forest protection, management, and restoration
in current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
NDCs embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to impacts of climate change. They are updated
every five years, starting from 2020.
Key Findings
An average of 5.6 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent was emitted from tropical deforestation per year between 2019 and 2023
for top 20 countries.
Only 8 countries include explicit quantified targets to reduce deforestation and all fall short of global ambition to halt
deforestation by 2030.
Only 38% of Parties to UNFCCC include measures to reduce conversion of forests and other ecosystems.
Drivers of Deforestation
Agriculture: It is a major cause of deforestation. e.g., International Agreements to prevent deforestation
Deforestation rates in Indonesia are linked to fluctuations in REDD+ mechanism: Efforts to reduce emissions from
market prices of oil palm. deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) adopted at
Land-use policies: Lack of effective and enforced land-use UNFCCC COP13.
policies. e.g., High deforestation rates in Brazilian Amazon New York Declaration on Forests: Aimed to halve deforestation
attributed to reduction in environmental policies. by 2020.
Key Recommendations Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use: To
NDC targets should be designed with inclusivity, considering halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.
diverse needs and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples and
local communities. Bonn Challenge: Global goal to bring 150 million hectares of
deforested and degraded land into restoration by 2020, and 350
Emphasize on retaining primary forests rather than replacing million hectares by 2030.
them with planted forests.
Strengthening, enhancing & aligning forest-based measures mentioned in NDCs and clearly defined national policies.

AHMEDABAD | BENGALURU | BHOPAL | CHANDIGARH | DELHI | GUWAHATI | HYDERABAD | JAIPUR | JODHPUR | LUCKNOW | PRAYAGRAJ | PUNE | RANCHI 1/4
 Study on Urbanization and regional climate change-linked warming of Indian cities

The study based on data from 141 prominent Indian cities showcases that cities are vulnerable to the compounding effects of
both climate change and urbanization.
Key Findings:
Urbanization alone has led to an overall 60% enhancement in warming in Indian cities, with eastern Tier-II cities leading the
way.
Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect: The altered thermodynamic, aerodynamic properties of the cities tend to trap more heat,
making cities warmer than their rural and suburban counterparts.
Cities are experiencing enhanced warming — almost double—relative to the entire Indian domain.
While urbanization and associated energy demands contribute to emissions and climate change, cities are on frontlines of
climate change impacts due to dense population and infrastructure.
Urbanisation driving warming in Indian Cities
Reduction in vegetation and green spaces.
Concrete and asphalt store heat during day and release it during night, preventing evaporative cooling that typically occurs in
natural landscapes.
Increased human activities, vehicular emissions, and Steps taken by India:
industrial output contribute to higher levels of greenhouse National Mission on Sustainable Habitat (NMSH) 2021-2030:
gases, further amplifying the heat. Promote low-carbon urban growth and build resilience of cities.
Way Forward: ‘Ease of Living Index’ (launched in 2018) to improve urban
Pace and course of urbanisation must be carefully planned systems to enhance the livability of cities.
using strong scientific information. Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF) 2.0:
Comprehensive city-level climate-action plans are needed will facilitate cities to adopt, implement and disseminate best
for sustainable urban development. practices.
Strategic implementation of policies targeting climate resilience.

United Nations proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology

Year 2025 was chosen as it recognizes 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics.
Quantum Science and Technology refers to the study and application of the principles of quantum mechanics, which governs
the behaviour of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic scales.
Foundational concepts of quantum mechanics
Wave-particle duality: Extremely small objects have characteristics of both particles (tiny pieces of matter) and waves
(disturbance or variation that transfers energy).
Quantum superposition: In quantum mechanics, a particle or system can exist in a superposition of multiple states
simultaneously, until it is measured.
Entanglement: Two particles are linked up in a certain way, affects one another and remain linked irrespective of the distance.
Uncertainty Principle: We cannot know both the position and speed of a particle, such as photon or electron, with perfect
accuracy at the same time.
Applications
Industry and infrastructure: Drives technological innovation and secures financial infrastructures through quantum
communication.
Health & well-being: Quantum photonics is advancing medical imaging and diagnosis and Quantum chemistry is supporting
development of new vaccines and drugs.
Climate action: More energy-efficient and affordable solar cells, low-emission LED light sources and improving accuracy of
long-term climate models.

India’s Initiatives in the field of Quantum Technology

National Quantum Mission (2023): Aims to seed, nurture, and scale up scientific and industrial R&D and create a vibrant & innovative
ecosystem in Quantum Technology.
Quantum Enabled Science & Technology (QuEST): A research program to build quantum capabilities.
Quantum Computing Applications Lab (QCAL): To accelerate quantum computing-led research and development and enable new
scientific discoveries.

AHMEDABAD | BENGALURU | BHOPAL | CHANDIGARH | DELHI | GUWAHATI | HYDERABAD | JAIPUR | JODHPUR | LUCKNOW | PRAYAGRAJ | PUNE | RANCHI 2/4
 Centre releases Rs 1.39 trillion instalment Karnataka government’s temporary ban
of tax devolution to states on a film triggers Freedom of Artistic
Expression debate
This cumulative amount comprises the regular monthly devo-
lution along with an additional instalment to accelerate devel- Karnataka government issued a temporary ban of 2 weeks on
opment and capital spending in states.
release of a Hindi film to prevent any potential religious dis-
Interim Budget 2024-25 has a provision of Rs. 12,19,783 cord and preserve communal harmony in the state.
crore towards devolution of taxes to States.
Freedom of artistic expression is the principle that an
Devolution of Taxes to States
artist should be unrestrained by law or convention in the
Article 270 of the Constitution provides for distribution making of his or her art.
of net tax proceeds collected by the Union government
(corporation tax, personal income tax, central GST, etc.) Freedom of Artistic Expression in India
between Union and states.
Supreme Court in Rangarajan v. P. Jagjivan Ram Case
This devolution is based on the recommendation of the (1989) held that movies enjoy the rights guaranteed
Finance Commission (FC) constituted every five years under Article 19(1)(a) [Right to Freedom of Speech and
as per Article 280.
Expression].
This divisible pool does not include cess and surcharge
levied by the Centre. Provisions for freedom of opinion and expression are
also enshrined under the Universal Declaration of Human
Basis of Devolution
Rights (UDHR) as well as International Covenant on Civil
Vertical Devolution: Share of states from divisible
and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which India is signatory.
pool which presently stands at 41% based on the
recommendations of the 15th FC. Why do films stand on a slightly different plane from other
Horizontal Devolution: It refers to distribution among the forms of expression? (SC observations in Rangarajan v. P.
states from the share allocated to states based on various Jagjivan Ram Case)
criteria. The combination of act and speech, sight and sound
As per 15th FC, the assigned criteria with their weights in semi darkness of the theatre with elimination of all
are: Income Distance (45%), Area (15%), Population, distracting ideas will have a strong impact on the minds of
2011 (15%), Demographic performance (12.5), Forest the viewers and can affect emotions.
and Ecology (10%), and Tax and fiscal efforts (2.5%).
Therefore, it cannot be equated with other modes of
Grants to States communication and censorship by prior constraint is,
Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grant: It is provided under therefore, not only desirable but also necessary.
Article 275 of the Constitution as per FC recommendations.
Sector-Specific Grants: 15th FC has recommended such grant
to states for 8 sectors including health, education, agricultural
reforms etc.
State-Specific Grants: 15th FC recommended these in areas
of social needs, administrative governance and infrastructure,
water and sanitation, preservation of culture and historical
monuments, high-cost physical infrastructure and tourism.

Also in News

Snow Leopard (Panthera Uncia) Notified Disasters

Research has found that Snow leopards also eat plants despite being Heatwave events have reopened discussions on inclusion of heat-
carnivorous. wave as notified disasters under the Disaster Management (DM) Act,
About Snow Leopards 2005.
Habitat: Inhabits mountains of Central and South Asia with 12 About Notified Disasters
snow leopard range countries including India.
Currently, there are around 718 snow leopards in India. DM Act 2005 provides for allocation and utilization of resources
Their distribution coincides closely with distribution of their from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State
principal prey, ibex and blue sheep (bharal). Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
Snow leopard is the state animal of Himachal Pradesh and Money in these funds can be utilized only for response and
Ladakh. management of notified disasters.
Characteristics: Have short forelimbs and long hind limbs for
traversing in rugged mountainous environments. Presently, there are 12 Notified Disasters including Cyclone,
drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide,
Conservation Status:
IUCN: Vulnerable avalanche, cloud burst, pest attack, frost & cold wave.
CITES: Appendix I In 2020, government treated Covid-19 as notified disaster as
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I a special one-time dispensation.
AHMEDABAD | BENGALURU | BHOPAL | CHANDIGARH | DELHI | GUWAHATI | HYDERABAD | JAIPUR | JODHPUR | LUCKNOW | PRAYAGRAJ | PUNE | RANCHI 3/4
 Prevention of Arms Race in Outer Space
Quality Council of India (QCI)
(PAROS)
Quality Council of India (QCI) celebrates World Accreditation Day, a In a recent joint statement, BRICS Ministers for Foreign Affairs em-
global initiative to promote the value of accreditation (formal recog- phasized the need to discuss a legal multilateral instrument on
nition of meeting established quality standards). PAROS.
About QCI About PAROS Treaty
QCI is a non-profit organization registered under the Societies In 2008, draft treaty submitted to the Conference on Disarmament
aims to refrain State Parties from placing objects carrying any
Registration Act XXI of 1860.
type of weapon into orbit, installing weapons on celestial bodies,
It was established as a National body for Accreditation in 1996. and threatening to use force against objects in outer space.
QCI was set up through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model It would complement and reaffirm the importance of the 1967
as an independent autonomous organization. Outer Space Treaty.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion designated

as the nodal point for all matters connected with quality and QCI. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera onboard NA-

SA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured images of a
JIMEX mysterious pit on the side of an ancient volcano on Mars.
About MRO
Bilateral Japan – India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX) 2024 commenced Launched in 2005, it is the second longest-lived spacecraft to
at Yokosuka in Japan. orbit Mars.
This is the eighth edition, since its inception in 2012. Objective: To gain better knowledge of distribution and history of
water on Mars.
It’s telecommunications systems provide a crucial service for
Martian spacecraft, serving as the first link in a communications
bridge back to Earth.
Multi-Drug Resistant Pathogens

Researchers from IIT Madras and NASA are studying multi-drug re-
sistant (MDR) pathogens, particularly Enterobacter bugandensis, on Vidyut Rakshak
the International Space Station (ISS).
It is a prevalent nosocomial (hospital acquired infection) Indian Army launched Vidyut Rakshak Monitoring System as part of
pathogen found on surface within ISS. its modernisation drive.
Enterobacter species are on the WHO priority list for developing About Vidyut Rakshak
new antimicrobials. Vidyut Rakshak is an Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled integrated
Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) Pathogens generator monitoring, protection and control system.
Pathogens (bacteria, virus, fungi, parasites, etc. that causes IoT is a network of interrelated devices that connect and
exchange data with other IoT devices and the cloud.
disease) that have become resistant to antimicrobial drugs like
antibiotics, antifungal etc. Indigenously developed by the Army Design Bureau (ADB).
They occur either naturally through genetic changes or may get It integrates and automates operation of multiple generators
accelerated due to the misuse or overuse of antimicrobials. from a single system remotely.

Places in News Malawi (Capital: Lilongwe)

Malawi Vice President was killed in a plane crash in the Chikangawa mountain range.
Political Features
It is a landlocked country in southeastern Africa.
Neighbouring countries: Mozambique (East and South), Zambia (West), and Tanzania (North).
Geographical Features
Relief: 4 basic regions - Great African Rift Valley, central plateaus, the highlands, and the isolated
mountains.
Major Lakes: Lake Malawi and Lake Chilwa.
Major Rivers: Rukuru, Dwangwa, Lilongwe, Bua, etc.
Major Ranges: Mt. Mulanje, Mt. Nakodzwe, Mt. Dzole, Mt. Namasile, etc.
Highest Peak: Sapitwa peak (in Mt. Mulanje)

AHMEDABAD | BENGALURU | BHOPAL | CHANDIGARH | DELHI | GUWAHATI | HYDERABAD | JAIPUR | JODHPUR | LUCKNOW | PRAYAGRAJ | PUNE | RANCHI 4/4
4/4