06 02 20 - Amazon Web Services...Cooperative banks to come under Reserve Bank Purview (The Hindu Page 16) Syllabus Prelims: Indian economy GS III: Indian Economy Theme Co-operative

Daily News Simplified - DNS 06 02 20

Notes

SL. NO. TOPICS

THE HINDU PAGE NO.

1 Course correction for the speaker’s office 10

2 Purifying water 10

3 Fashioning the framework of a New India 10

4 Co-operative banks to come under Reserve Bank purview 16

5 Navy will have its third Scorpene sub this year 09

6 Trust formed for Ram temple construction: PM 01

Dated: 06-Feb-2020 DNS Notes Title 1. Course correction for the speaker’s office (The Hindu – Pg. 10)

Syllabus Prelims: Polity & Governance Mains: GS Paper II - Polity & Governance

Theme Parliament should rethink as to whether disqualification petitions ought to be entrusted to a Speaker

Highlights Context: 1) Recently, the Supreme Court of India while adjudicating upon the matter relating to the disqualification of MLAs in the Manipur Legislative Assembly under the Tenth Schedule in Keisham Meghachandra Singh vs. the Hon’ble Speaker Manipur Legislative Assembly & Ors. made a significant suggestion. 2) It recommended that Parliament should rethink as to whether disqualification petitions ought to be entrusted to a Speaker as a quasi-judicial authority when such a Speaker continues to belong to a particular political party either de jure or de facto.

In this context let us first understand the constitutional provisions related to the office of speaker of Parliament.

Dated: 06-Feb-2020 DNS Notes

Let us quickly visit the main role of the speaker: Now the basics of the 10th Schedule have been discussed many times in the DNS, let


us just revise the role of the Speaker with regard to the disqualification provisions:

It is also important for you to know that what are the other spheres in which the speaker acts as an “Arbiter”:

• While facilitating the business of the House and to maintain decorum in the House, the Speaker has ‘extensive functions to perform in matters regulatory, administrative and judicial, falling under her domain. Speaker enjoys vast authority under the Constitution and the Rules.

• Speaker is the ‘ultimate interpreter and arbiter of those provisions which relate to the functioning of the House. Her decisions are final and binding and ordinarily cannot be easily challenged.

• Speaker decides the duration of debates, can discipline members and even override decisions by committees.

What are the issues related to the speaker adjudicating such matters?

• While adjudicating on the matters related to disqualification, the speaker sometimes act in a partisan manner.

o And the reason behind this is that the tenure of speaker is dependent on the ruling majority.

• Since the electoral system and conventions in India have ‘not developed to ensure protection to the office of speaker, we need to make changes:

So what are the changes recommended by the author?

1. Speakers should renounce all political affiliations, membership and activity once they have been elected, both within the Assembly and in the country as a whole.

a. Author has made comparison with the United Kingdom where the ‘main characteristic of the Speaker of the House of Commons is neutrality.

b. In practice, once elected, the Speaker gives up all-partisan affiliation, as in other Parliaments of British tradition, but remains in office until retirement, even though the majority may change.

c. She does not express any political views during debates and is an election candidate without any ticket’.

2. Transferring the power of the speaker to adjudicate on matters of 10th schedule disqualification: a) Parliament may seriously consider a Constitutional amendment to substitute

the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies with a ‘permanent Tribunal headed by a retired Supreme Court judge or a retired Chief Justice


of a High Court, or some other outside independent mechanism. b) In this regard 2nd ARC has also made the recommendation to transfer the

disqualification powers to President/governor on the recommendation of Election Commission.

c) This is to ensure that such disputes are decided both swiftly and impartially, thus giving teeth to the provisions contained in the Tenth Schedule, which are so vital in the proper functioning of India’s democracy’, according to a media report. More than such advice, what is interesting is the underlying reasoning which revolves around the nature of functions exercised by the Speaker.


Personal Notes

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Title 2. Purifying water (The Hindu Pg. No. 10)

Dated: 06-Feb-2020 DNS Notes Syllabus Prelims: Environment & Ecology

Mains: GS Paper II - Environment & Ecology Theme BIS-Standard water at the consumer end Highlights Context: This editorial highlights about government’s notification on Regulation on Use of Membrane

based Water Purification System and also about ranking of cities based on quality of drinking water supplied. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in water

• Total Dissolved Solids represents the total concentration of dissolved substances in water. TDS is made up of inorganic salts, as well as a small amount of organic matter. Common inorganic salts that can be found in water include calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium, which are all cations, and carbonates, nitrates, bicarbonates, chlorides and sulfates, which are all anions. Cations are positively charged ions and anions are negatively charged ions.

• This notification has been provided keeping in view of too much water wastage during the process of RO filtration. It has been observed that around 80% of water gets wasted during treatment of water through RO and it also cut levels of Calcium and Magnesium which are essential nutrients of water.

Applicability of Draft Notification

• The notification mainly deals with rules for commercial suppliers and for integration of systems that inform consumers about TDS levels, a major determinant of water quality.

• Membrane based water purification system (MWPS) installed or operated for supply of potable drinking water except seawater Reverse Osmosis systems either at Point of Use (households, institutional, community) or Point of entry (Common, community, housing society), or Commercial and Industrial premises for portable or process water quality requirements.

• Regulations pertaining to discarded element shall be applicable to all filtration based purification or wastewater treatment system, where polymer based membrane is used and discarded at the end of its life.

• The notification’s primary aim should be to persuade authorities to upgrade and supply BIS-standard water at the consumer’s end so that there will be no need to install RO system for purification of water.

Important Features

• Installation or use of Membrane Based Water Purification System (MWPS) shall be prohibited, at the Point of Use or at the Point of Entry for purification of supplied water which is within acceptable limit for drinking water prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standard 10500:2012 - Drinking Water Specification, unless

ü MWPS to be used has an integrated system with operational zero reject discharge facility and has adequate storage capacity with dispensing arrangement for use of reject water, and the use is made in compliance to the Guidelines for Management of Reject Water to be prescribed by CPCB.

ü MWPS installed by commercial or industrial purpose shall operate within the provision of The Water (Prevention and Control of Water Pollution) Act, 1974.

Rankings of Cities on Quality of Piped Drinking Water

• Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide tap water to all households by 2024. In order to ensure that clean and safe drinking water is provided to all, Department of Consumer Affairs decided to undertake a study through the Bureau of India Standards (BIS) on the quality of piped drinking water being supplied in the country and also rank the States, Smart Cities and even Districts based on the quality of tap water.

• A vast majority of the samples have failed to comply with the requirements of IS 10500:2012 in one or more parameters.

Indian Standard Drinking Water Specification


• Drinking water is water intended for human consumption for drinking and cooking purposes

from any source. It includes water (treated or untreated) supplied by any means for human consumption.

• Drinking water shall comply with the requirements given in Tables 1 to 4. Drinking water shall also comply with bacteriological requirements, virological requirements and biological requirements.






Personal Notes


Title 3. Fashioning the framework of a New India (Page number 10) Syllabus Prelims: Indian Economy

Mains: GS III – Indian Economy Theme Slowdown in Indian Economy Highlights Context

• The article flags some of the shortcomings of the budget to address the slowdown which could be tackled by adopting the principle of inclusive growth.

• Besides the optics with which we view the slowdown has to shift focusing on the bottom rungs of the society which is the driver of consumption.

The slowdown in the economy is evident as shown below Decelerating growth rate: 5% (Lowest in last 26 quarters)

• This is mainly on account of slowdown in manufacturing and construction sector. • The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector too has declined, in turn

raising the burden of NPAs of the banking sector. • Economy has witnessed a credit crunch which is highlighted by the Financial Stability

Report of the Reserve Bank of India (2019). • Besides according to advance estimates of Ministry of Statistics and Programme

Implementation, the Gross fixed capital formation which indicates investment levels in an economy is expected to grow by 1% in 2020.

• Besides the Private Final Consumption Expenditure which indicates demand levels is


said to decelerate to 5.8% from 8% last year.

Impact of the slowdown

• The slowdown in the economy has the worst impact on the bottom 30%-40% of the population.

• This exacerbates the problem of absolute poverty (30%), hunger (India’s rank 112), malnourishment (15.2%), low literacy levels (74%), unemployment etc.

• In addition with exports declining, the economy depends on domestic demand for growth.

As a result the natural course correction should be 1. to increase consumption expenditure by putting more money into the hands of people. 2. to increase government expenditure when investments are coming down.

• Increasing private final consumption expenditure is done in 2 ways, either provide jobs

or give money in the hand of people by way of grants. • Providing jobs requires human capital formation which requires more investment in

health and education. A mere 8% increase in health expenditure and 4.8% increase in education is not adequate.

• This leads to sub-optimal use of the labour force in the economy which is a waste of demographic dividend.

What should be done?

• Expand quality of basic health for all and ensuring quality education to all which will by itself generate large-scale employment in the government;

• Besides this will also expand productive employment increasing the global competitiveness of our production units.

• More impetus should have been given to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) because in addition to generating employment it triggers a virtuous cycle of expanding gross capital formation which in turn increases the labour-absorbing capacity of the economy.


Personal Notes

Title 4. Cooperative banks to come under Reserve Bank Purview (The Hindu Page 16)

Syllabus Prelims: Indian economy GS III: Indian Economy

Theme Co-operative banks regulations

Highlights • In the wake of the recent Punjab & Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank crisis, the Union Cabinet has approved amendments to the Banking Regulation Act to bring 1,540 cooperative banks under the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulation.

• Co-operative banks will be audited as per RBI Rules. • Appointments of CEOs will require prior RBI approval • RBI will have right to supersede in case of failure or crisis in such co-operative banks.

Personal Notes


Title 5. Navy will have its third Scorpene sub this year (The Hindu Page 09)

Syllabus Prelims: Science & Technology Mains: GS Paper III – Security issues

Theme Indigenisation of submarine arm

Highlights The News • In the backdrop of Defence Expo, it was announced that Indian Navy is all set to induct

the 3rd Scorpene Class Submarine, Karanj by December this year. In brief: Project-75

• Project 75 represents a key milestone in indigenization of submarine production in India.

• Under Project-75, 6 Scorpene class submarines are being constructed by Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai, with Transfer of Technology from France.

• The 6 Scorpene class submarines will be the core of India’s conventional attack submarine arm.

• Project-75 is expected to be completed by 2022. 6 Submarines of Project 75

• Kalavari • Kandheri • Karanj: To be inducted by December 2020. • Vela, Vagir and Vagsheer will be inducted by 2022. • Note: While the first four submarines will be conventional, the two will be equipped

with the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system in order to stay underwater for longer duration.

Title 6. Trust formed for Ram temple construction: PM (The Hindu Page 10)

Syllabus Prelims: Social Issues Mains: GS Paper III – Social Issues

Theme Construction and management of the Ram temple

Highlights Context: Prime Minister of India announced in Parliament a trust to oversee the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya, as ordered by the Supreme Court. On the basis of the SC direction Union Government has given approval to create 15 member 'Shri Ram Janma Bhoomi Tirtha Kshetra' trust. The Trust will be free to take all decisions regarding creation Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The entire land which is approx 67.703 acre shall be transferred to the trust.


Judgment of SC on Construction of Temple • SC held that the onus is on the Central Government to constitute a trust within three months and

hand over the disputed site to the trust. • Besides, the government will also make necessary provisions under the Ayodhya Act of 1993 for

management of the newly created trust and the powers of trustees in matters relating to construction and management of the temple.



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06 02 20 - Amazon Web Services...Cooperative banks to come under Reserve Bank Purview (The Hindu Page 16) Syllabus Prelims: Indian economy GS III: Indian Economy Theme Co-operative