Current Affairs

 

Left Wing Extremism About: 

• Left-wing extremism, also known as leftwing terrorism or radical left-wing movements, refers to political ideologies and groups that advocate for significant societal and political change through revolutionary means. 
• LWE groups may target government institutions, law enforcement agencies, or private property to further their agenda. 
• The LWE movement in India originated in a 1967 uprising in Naxalbari, West Bengal. 

Presence of LWE in India: 

• According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, 90 districts in 10 states are affected by LWE, although in varying degrees. The states are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and West Bengal. 
• The most affected states are Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Bihar, where the LWE groups have a strong presence and carry out frequent attacks on security forces and civilians 
• Reasons behind Left Wing Extremism Inequitable Development: 
• Many of the LWE-affected areas are among the least developed regions of the country, with high levels of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, malnutrition, and social exclusion.
• The LWE groups exploit the grievances of the marginalized sections of the society, especially the tribals, who have been deprived of their land, forest, and mineral rights by the state and private actors.
  Governance Deficit: 
• The LWE-affected areas suffer from a lack of effective governance, administration, and service delivery. The state institutions are often weak, corrupt, or absent, leaving a vacuum that is filled by the LWE groups. 
• The LWE groups also use violence and intimidation to disrupt the democratic processes, such as elections, panchayats, and development schemes. 

Ideological Appeal: 

• The LWE groups claim to represent the interests of the oppressed and exploited classes, and propagate a radical ideology that rejects parliamentary democracy and advocates armed revolution. 
• They draw inspiration from the teachings of Mao Zedong, the Chinese communist leader, and the Naxalbari uprising of 1967, which was led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist). 
• Some of the LWE groups also have links with other extremist and separatist movements in India and abroad. 
• Steps have been taken by the Government Security Measures: 
• Deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs): 
• The government has deployed CAPFs like CRPF, BSF, and ITBP in LWE-affected areas to conduct counter-insurgency operations and strengthen police presence. 

Strengthening State Police: 

• The government provides financial and logistical support to states for modernizing their police forces, improving intelligence gathering, and training personnel in counter-insurgency tactics. 
• Establishment of specialized units: 
• Specialized units like Cobra Commandos and Greyhounds have been created to carry out targeted operations against Naxalite leaders and camps. 

Development Initiatives: 

• Integrated Development Projects: The government has launched various schemes like the Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP) and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) to improve infrastructure, provide livelihood opportunities, and address basic needs like education and healthcare in LWE-affected areas. 
• Skill development programs: The government provides skill development training to youth in LWE-affected areas to make them employable and reduce their vulnerability to Naxalite recruitment. 

Promotion of sustainable livelihoods: 

• Schemes like Van Dhan Vikas Kendras and MGNREGA aim to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for tribal communities through forest-based activities and rural employment programs. 

Ensuring Rights and Entitlements: 

• Land rights: The government is taking steps to address the issue of land alienation faced by tribal communities, which is a major cause of Naxalite grievances. 
• Forest rights: The Forest Rights Act, 2006, recognizes the traditional rights of tribal communities over forest resources and aims to empower them through community forest management. 
• Grievance redressal mechanisms: The government has established grievance redressal mechanisms to address the concerns of local communities and ensure that their rights are protected. 

Other Measures: SAMADHAN Doctrine: 

• The solution to the LWE problem is not possible with any silver bullet. For this short term, medium term and long-term policies need to be formulated at different levels. 
• Thus ‘SAMADHAN’ stands for: 

• S – Smart Leadership 
• A – Aggressive Strategy 
• M – Motivation and Training 
• A – Actionable Intelligence 
• D – Dashboard Based KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and KRAs (Key Result Areas) 
• H – Harnessing Technology 
• A – Action plan for each Theatre 
• N – No access to Financing 

Other Measures: 

SMART Police: 

• SMART Police is an acronym for Strategic Management & Alternative Response Tactics, which refers to the application of data-driven approaches by police authorities. 
• SMART Police aims to improve the quality and efficiency of policing by using various sources of data, such as crime statistics, citizen feedback, social media, etc., to inform decision making and resource allocation. 
• SMART Police also includes alternatives to police dispatch, such as online reports, telephone reporting units, and false alarm reduction. 

Impact of these Measures 

• The last eight years have seen a significant decline in left-wing extremism violence as well as the geographical spread of LWE. 
• There has been a reduction in incidents in 2022 as compared to 2013. The number of incidents of violence perpetrated by left-wing extremists was 413 in 2022-23. 
• There has been a 75% reduction (397 to 98) in left-wing extremism related deaths in 2022 as compared to 2013. 
• In 2022 the resultant deaths and casualties to security forces reduced by 33% and by 68%, respectively in comparison to 2021.

Uniform Civil Code About: 

• The Uniform Civil Code is mentioned in Article 44 of the Indian Constitution, which is part of the Directive Principles of State Policy. 
• These principles are not legally enforceable but are meant to guide the state in making policies. 
• It has been supported by some as a way to promote national integration and gender justice, but opposed by others as a threat to religious freedom and diversity. 
• The only state in India that has a UCC is Goa, which retained its common family law known as the Goa Civil Code after it was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961. 
• The rest of India follows different personal laws based on their religious or community identity. 

Personal Laws in India: 

• Currently, not only Muslims but also Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs, Parsis, and Jews are governed by their own personal laws. 
• Personal laws are determined based on religious identity. 
• The reformed Hindu Personal Law still incorporates certain traditional practices. 
• Differences arise when Hindus and Muslims marry under the Special Marriage Act, where Hindus continue to be governed by Hindu Personal Law, but Muslims are not. 

Challenges in Implementing UCC Diverse Personal Laws and Customary Practices:

• India is a country of diverse religions, cultures and traditions. 
• Each community has its own set of personal laws and customs that govern their civil matters. 
• These laws and practices vary widely across regions, sects and groups. 
• To find a common ground and uniformity among such diversity is very difficult and complex. 
• Moreover, many personal laws are not codified or documented, but are based on oral or written sources that are often ambiguous or contradictory. 

Resistance from Religious and Minority Groups: 

• Many religious and minority group's view UCC as an infringement on their religious freedom and cultural autonomy. They fear that UCC would impose a majoritarian or homogenous law that would disregard their identity and diversity. They also argue that UCC would violate their constitutional rights under Article 25, which guarantees the freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion. 

Lack of Political Will and Consensus: 

• There is a lack of political will and consensus among the government, the legislature, the judiciary and the civil society to initiate and implement UCC. 
• There are also apprehensions that UCC could provoke communal tensions and conflicts in the society. 

Practical Difficulties and Complexities: 

• UCC would require a massive exercise of drafting, codifying, harmonizing and rationalizing the various personal laws and practices in India. 
• It would require a wide consultation and participation of various stakeholders, including religious leaders, legal experts, women’s organizations, etc. 
• It would also require a robust mechanism of enforcement and awareness to ensure compliance and acceptance of UCC by the people. 

Benefits of UCC National Integration and Secularism:

• UCC would promote national integration and secularism by creating a common identity and sense of belonging among all citizens. 
• It would also reduce the communal and sectarian conflicts that arise due to different personal laws. 
• It would uphold the constitutional values of equality, fraternity and dignity for all. 

Gender Justice and Equality:

• UCC would ensure gender justice and equality by removing the discrimination and oppression faced by women under various personal laws. 
• It would grant equal rights and status to women in matters of marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, maintenance, etc. 
• It would also empower women to challenge the patriarchal and regressive practices that violate their fundamental rights. 

Simplification and Rationalization of the Legal System: 

• UCC would simplify and rationalize the legal system by removing the complexities and contradictions of multiple personal laws. 
• It would harmonise the civil and criminal laws by removing the anomalies and loopholes that arise due to different personal laws. 
• It would make the law more accessible and understandable for the common people. 

Modernisation and Reform of Outdated and Regressive Practices: 

• UCC would modernise and reform the outdated and regressive practices that are prevalent in some personal laws. 
• It would eliminate the practices that are against the human rights and values enshrined in the Constitution of India, such as triple talaq, polygamy, child marriage, etc. 
• It would also accommodate the changing social realities and aspirations of the people.

News: - 

• A recent United Nations report titled World Economic Situation and Prospects report for 2024 forecasts a decline in global inflation in 2024, but warns of a simultaneous rise in food inflation, particularly in developing nations. 
• The implications of this phenomenon, coupled with climate-related challenges and geopolitical tensions, pose threats to food security, poverty alleviation, and economic growth. 

Key Highlights of the World Economic Situation and Prospects Report for 2024 Global GDP Growth: 

• The report forecasts a deceleration in global gross domestic product (GDP) growth, from an estimated 2.7% in 2023 to 2.4% in 2024. 
• Developing economies, in particular, are struggling to recover from pandemic-induced losses, with many facing high debt and investment shortfalls. 
• It is anticipated that many low-income and vulnerable nations will experience only moderate growth in the upcoming years. 
• The reasons are persistently high interest rates, escalating geopolitical conflicts, slow international trade and an increase in climate-related calamities. 

India’s Perspective: 

• South Asia grew by an estimated 5.3% in 2023 and is projected to increase by 5.2% in 2024, driven by a robust expansion in India, which remains the fastest growing large economy in the world. 
• India is projected to grow by 6.2% in 2024, supported by domestic demand and growth in manufacturing and services. 

Inflation: 

• Global inflation, a key concern over the past two years, shows signs of easing. 
• Global headline inflation fell from 8.1% in 2022 to an estimated 5.7% in 2023 and is projected to decline to 3.9% in 2024. 
• Headline inflation measures the total inflation within an economy, which includes commodities like food and energy prices. 
• The decline in inflation was attributed to ongoing moderation in international commodity prices and a decrease in demand due to monetary tightening by the UN. 
• However, food price inflation remains critical, exacerbating food insecurity and poverty, particularly in developing countries. 
• An estimated 238 million people experienced acute food insecurity in 2023, an increase of 21.6 million from 2022.
• Weak local currencies, climate related shocks and limited pass through from international prices to local prices will be the causes of this ongoing increase in food inflation. 
• The resurgence of El Nino can disrupt climate patterns, leading to both excessive and insufficient precipitation affecting food production. 
• These events have direct economic impacts, such as damage to infrastructure, agriculture, and livelihoods. 
• Studies project significant economic losses due to climate change. 
• Estimates suggest a potential 10% reduction in global GDP by 2100, considering events like the Greenland ice shelf collapse. 
• Without mitigation, models indicate a potential 23% decrease in average global incomes by 2100. IPCC estimates predict a range of 10 to 23% global GDP losses by 2100 due to temperature impacts alone. 

Investment: 

• Global investment growth is expected to remain low due to economic uncertainties, high debt burdens, and rising interest rates.
• Developed nations prioritize sustainable sectors like green energy and digital infrastructure. 
• Developing countries grapple with capital flight and reduced foreign direct investment. 
• Geopolitical tensions impact regional investment flows, contributing to low global investment growth amid economic uncertainties and rising interest rates. 
• Investment in the energy sector, especially in clean energy, is growing but not at a pace sufficient to meet the net-zero-emissions goal by 2050. 
• Report estimates USD 150 trillion needed by 2050 for energy transition and infrastructure, requiring USD 5.3 trillion annually for the global energy sector alone. 
• Despite this, climate finance falls short of requirements, emphasizing the crucial need for massive scaling up. 
• The report calls for effective operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund and increased financing commitments to aid vulnerable countries facing climate disasters. 

Labour Market: 

• The global labour market displays divergent trends between developed and developing countries post-pandemic.’ 

Developed Countries: 

• Experienced a robust recovery with low unemployment rates, notably 3.7% in the US and 6.0% in the EU in 2023, coupled with rising nominal wages and narrowing wage inequality. 
• However, real income losses and labour shortages pose challenges.

Developing Countries: 

• Mixed progress with varied unemployment trends (e.g., China, Brazil, Türkiye, Russia report declines). Persistent issues are informal employment, gender gaps, and high youth unemployment. 
• Globally, the decline in female labor force participation to 47.2% in 2023 (compared to 48.1% in 2013). 
• Artificial Intelligence(AI) Impact on Global Employment: 
• Since ChatGPT's introduction in 2022, AI adoption has rapidly advanced. 
• One-third of global firms now use generative AI, with 40% planning to expand AI investment. 
• AI could reduce demand for low-skilled jobs, disproportionately impacting women and lower income countries. Also, there’s a significant gender gap in AI professions. 

Trade: 

• Global trade growth weakened to 0.6% in 2023, anticipated to recover to 2.4% in 2024. 
• The report points to a shift in consumer spending from goods to services, rising geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and the lingering effects of the pandemic as factors impeding global trade.

News: - 

• The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP), West Bengal also commonly known as Darjeeling zoo has achieved international recognition from the World Association for Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) for its successful conservation breeding programme (CBC) for snow leopards. 
• This recognition is a testament to the zoo's dedication to wildlife conservation and the preservation of endangered species. 
• The membership consists of nearly 400 leading institutions and organisations around the world, and this number continues to grow. 
• Conservation Efforts of Snow Leopards in the Darjeeling Zoo 

About: 

• Darjeeling Zoo has the only conservative breeding programme for snow leopards in India.
• Apart from snow leopards, it has conservative breeding programmes for red pandas, mountain orals and pheasants.  Darjeeling zoo is the largest high altitude zoo in India. 

Conservation Breeding Programme: 

• The first ex-situ conservation breeding program started in 1986 as a Snow Leopard conservation breeding project. 
• The CBC at Darjeeling Zoo recorded the first birth of a snow leopard in 1989. Since then, 77 snow leopards have been born at the zoo, marking a remarkable achievement in wildlife conservation. 
• The zoo's success in breeding snow leopards can be attributed to careful pairing of male and female snow leopards, creating a natural environment within the enclosures, and using a wide genetic pool to avoid inbreeding. 
• Before pairing, the snow leopards are kept in adjoining enclosures to develop courtship. Once their compatibility is observed, they are paired and kept in the same enclosure. 
• Pregnant female leopards are separated and kept under 24X7 CCTV surveillance, with regular blood tests and monitoring of body weight.
• The zoo practices the highest biosecurity protocols for all captive animals, including regular screening for parasites, deworming, and advanced veterinary facilities.