Deepak UPSC Notes

2022-02-23 02:24:30 Necklace of Diamond Strategy Ochish/sharhlash

2022-02-23 02:24:30 String of pearl Ochish/sharhlash

2022-02-23 02:24:30 India - Sri Lanka relations

GS-2
International Relations


The relationship between India and Sri Lanka is more than 2,500 years old.

Both countries have a legacy of intellectual, cultural, religious and linguistic interaction.

In recent years, the relationship has been marked by close contacts at all levels. Trade and investment have grown and there is cooperation in the fields of infrastructure development, education, culture and defence.

In recent years, significant progress in implementation of developmental assistance projects has further cemented the bonds of friendship between the two countries.

The nearly three-decade long armed conflict between the Sri Lankan forces and the LTTE came to an end in May 2009. During the course of the conflict, India supported the right of the Sri Lankan Government to act against terrorist forces.

India's consistent position has been in favour of a negotiated political settlement, which is acceptable to all communities within the framework of a united Sri Lanka and is consistent with democracy, pluralism and respect for human rights.

Commercial Relations

Sri Lanka has long been a priority destination for direct investment from India.

Sri Lanka is one of India’s largest trading partners among the SAARC countries. India in turn is Sri Lanka’s largest trade partner globally.

India’s exports to Sri Lanka amounted to $5.3 billion in 2015-17 whereas its imports from the country were at $743 million.

Trade between the two countries grew particularly rapidly after the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement which came into force in March 2000.

While Sri Lankan exports to India have increased substantially during the past several years since 2000 when ISFTA came into force.

However, there has been a high growth in India’s exports to Sri Lanka, resulting in a widening of the balance of trade. This is largely because of the lack of export capacity from Sri Lanka to service Indian requirement and also due to increase in imports from India because of competitiveness of our exports.

Issues and Conflicts

In recent years, China has extended billions of dollars of loans to the Sri Lankan government for new infrastructure projects, which is not good for India’s strategic depth in Indian Ocean Region.

Sri Lanka also handed over the strategic port of Hambantota, which is expected to play a key role in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, to China on a 99-year lease.

The opposition parties and trade unions in Sri Lanka have already dubbed the port deal as a sellout of their country’s national assets to China.

China has also supplied arms as well as provide huge loans to Sri Lanka for its development.

China also invested sufficiently in the infrastructure of Sri Lanka, which included building of Colombo international container terminal by China Harbor Corporation.

Way Forward

As both countries have a democratic setup there is scope for broadening and deepening the ties.

Both countries should try to work out a permanent solution to the issue of fishermen through bilateral engagements.

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) must be signed to improve the economic cooperation between both countries .

India needs to focus more on its traditional and cultural ties to improve relations with Sri Lanka.

Starting of ferry services between India and Sri Lanka can improve people to people linkages.

Mutual recognition of each other's concerns and interests can improve the relationship between both countries. Ochish/sharhlash

2022-02-23 02:24:30 Economic Crisi in Sri Lanka

GS Paper - 2

India and its Neighbourhood

Recently, Sri Lankan President, has declared an economic emergency to contain rising food prices, a depreciating currency, and rapidly depleting forex reserves.

Factors Responsible for Sri Lankan Economic Crisis:

Underperforming Tourism Industry: The tourism industry, which represents over 10% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and brings in foreign exchange, has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. 

As a result, forex reserves have dropped from over $7.5 billion in 2019 to around $2.8 billion in July 2021.

Depreciating Currency: With the supply of foreign exchange drying up, the amount of money that Sri Lankans have had to shell out to purchase the foreign exchange necessary to import goods has risen. 

Due to this, the value of the Sri Lankan rupee has depreciated by around 8% so far this year.

Rising Inflation: Sri Lanka depends heavily on imports to meet even its basic food supplies, such as sugar, dairy products, wheat, medical supplies. 

So the price of food items has risen in tandem with the depreciating rupee.

Diminishing Inflow of Foregin Currency: The pandemic has affected all major sources of foreign exchange earnings like exports, worker remittances, etc.

Food Shortage: Sri Lankan Government’s recent decision to ban import of chemical fertilizers and adopt an “organic only” approach. 

This overnight shift to organic fertilizers could impact food production severely Ochish/sharhlash

2022-02-23 02:24:30 Freebies in Indian Politics

About: Political parties promise to offer free electricity/water supply, monthly allowance to unemployed, daily wage workers and women as well as gadgets like laptops, smartphones etc. in order to secure the vote of the people. There are arguments both in favor of and against this practice: 

Supporters of such freebies argue that pole promises are essential for voters to know what the party would do if it comes to power and they have the chance to weigh these options.

Those against the freebies point out that this places a huge economic burden on the exchequer of state as well as center (if the elections are held for Lok Sabha). Ochish/sharhlash

2022-02-23 02:24:30 Governance

Delimitation

GS Paper - 2

Indian Constitution

Elections

Statutory Bodies

What is Delimitation?

Delimitation literally means the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country to represent changes in population.

Why Delimitation?

To provide equal representation to equal segments of a population.

Fair division of geographical areas so that one political party doesn’t have an advantage over others in an election.

To follow the principle of “One Vote One Value”.

How delimitation is carried out?

Under Article 82, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census.

Under Article 170, States also get divided into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation Act after every Census.

Once the Act is in force, the Union governmentsets up a Delimitation Commission.

The first delimitation exercise was carried out by the President (with the help of the Election Commission) in 1950-51.

The Delimitation Commission Act was enacted in 1952.

Delimitation Commissions have been set up four times — 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002 under the Acts of 1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002.

Delimitation Commission

The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India.

Composition: 

Retired Supreme Court judge

Chief Election Commissioner

Respective State Election Commissioners

Functions:

To determine the number and boundaries of constituencies to make population of all constituencies nearly equal.

To identify seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, wherever their population is relatively large.

In case of difference of opinion among members of the Commission, the opinion of the majority prevails.

The Delimitation Commission in India is a high power body whose orders have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court. Ochish/sharhlash

2022-02-23 02:24:30 The delimitation commission is an independent body constituted under Article 82 after the Parliament enacted a Delimitation Act after every census.

However, the first delimitation exercise was carried out by the President (with the help of the Election Commission) in 1950-51.

The Delimitation Commission Act was enacted in 1952.

Delimitation Commissions had been set up four times — 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002 under the Acts of 1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002.

There was no delimitation after the 1981 and 1991 Censuses.

Who is Included in a Delimitation Commission?

The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India.

Composition:

Retired Supreme Court judge

Chief Election Commissioner

Respective State Election Commissioners.

Why is Delimitation Needed?

The uneven growth of population in different constituencies in different parts of the country as well as within the same state.

Also, continuous migration of people / electorate from one place to another especially from rural areas to urban areas have resulted in strikingly different sizes of electoral constituencies even within the same State. Ochish/sharhlash

2022-02-23 02:24:30 Interim Report of J&K Delimitation Commission

GS Paper - 2

Indian Constitution

Elections

Statutory Bodies

Why in News

Recently, in its interim report, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Delimitation Commission has proposed significant changes to the electoral map of J&K.

The delimitation exercise had started in June 2021 in the state.

What was the Previous Distribution of J&K Constituencies?

The erstwhile J&K State had an 87-member assembly, with 37 constituencies in the Jammu region and 46 in the Kashmir division and four in Ladakh. Besides, 24 seats are reserved and vacant for Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

J&K lost its special status and was divided into two Union Territories (J&K and Ladakh) after the abrogation of its special status under Article 370, on 5th August, 2019.

What are the Major Recommendations of J&K Delimitation Commission?

About:

Increased Assembly Strength:

The Commission has, as per the mandate granted under the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019, added seven assembly constituencies to J&K, increasing its strength from 87 to 90.

The interim report proposes an increase of six seats for the Jammu province, taking the number of constituencies to 43, and an increase of one seat in the Kashmir province, taking the seat strength to 47, almost bringing the two regions at par with each other.

Reservation in Assemblies:

The Commission has proposed to reserve seven seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs) Hindus that mainly populate the Samba-Kathua-Jammu-Udhampur belt and nine seats for Scheduled Tribes (STs) which will help Gujjar and Bakerwals, mostly non-Kashmiri speaking Muslims inhabiting the Rajouri-Poonch belt in the Jammu province.

Criticism:

Kashmir has Larger Population:

This seat sharing was criticised on the grounds that the Kashmir province has more population at 68.88 lakhs against 53.50 lakhs in the Jammu province.

However, the commission argued that it has taken into account the topography, means of communication and convenience available and not just the population size.

Reorganisation Unconstitutional:

It has been claimed that the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 was “palpably unconstitutional” and it has already been challenged in the Supreme Court.

Criticism:

Kashmir has Larger Population:

This seat sharing was criticised on the grounds that the Kashmir province has more population at 68.88 lakhs against 53.50 lakhs in the Jammu province.

However, the commission argued that it has taken into account the topography, means of communication and convenience available and not just the population size

What is Delimitation?

Delimitation is the act of fixing or redrawing the limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies (Assembly or Lok Sabha seat) in a country or a province having a legislative body, as per the Election Commission.

The delimitation exercise is carried out by an independent high-powered panel known as the Delimitation Commission whose orders have the force of law and cannot be questioned by any court.

The exercise has been carried out over the years to redefine the area of a constituency-based on its population size (based on the last Census).

Aside from changing the limits of a constituency, the process may result in change in the number of seats in a state.

This exercise also involves reservation of Assembly seats for SC & ST in accordance with the Constitution.

The key aim is to have equal representation to equal segments of the population in order to ensure a fair division of geographical areas so that all political parties or candidates contesting elections have a level playing field in terms of a number of voters.

What is the Constitutional Basis for Delimitation?

Under Article 82, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census.

Under Article 170, States also get divided into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation Act after every Census.

Once the Act is in force, the Union government sets up a Delimitation Commission. Ochish/sharhlash

2022-02-23 02:24:30 Map of India Ochish/sharhlash

2022-02-23 02:24:30 North east India Ochish/sharhlash