Content:
- Kerala passes resolution against offshore mining
- Designing India’s AI Safety Institute
- Government talks big on gender budget, delivers little
- What are the issues around delimitation?
- How the Wallace line explains the difference in species across continents
- States need to protect patients from being fleeced by private hospitals, says SC
- India hit targeted maternal mortality rate of 100 deaths per lakh live births: Nadda
- IMF: overexposure by NBFCs may imperil financial system
Kerala passes resolution against offshore mining
Environmental Concerns:
- Offshore mining poses a severe threat to Kerala’s fragile marine ecosystem.
- Deep-sea biodiversity, including fish populations and coral reefs, could be severely impacted.
- Could lead to ecological imbalances, affecting marine food chains and coastal stability.
Relevance : GS 2 (Governance & Federalism), GS 3 (Environment & Economy, Internal Securuty)
Economic Implications:
- Kerala’s fishing industry—a major livelihood source—faces potential disruption due to depletion of fish resources.
- Loss of marine biodiversity would directly affect fishermen and allied industries.
- Tourism industry (especially coastal tourism) could suffer due to environmental degradation.
National Security Concerns:
- Offshore mining allows private entities access to strategic minerals, raising security concerns.
- The presence of foreign companies or private players in deep-sea mining zones could compromise sovereignty over natural resources.
Political and Federalism Aspects:
- Kerala’s opposition to the Centre’s move reflects tensions over federalism in resource management.
- The amendments to the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002, enabling private participation, have been criticized for ignoring State concerns.
Legal and Policy Issues:
- The 2023 amendment allows the Union Ministry of Mines to auction deep-sea mineral blocks, which Kerala claims was done without sufficient consultation with coastal States.
- Raises questions on environmental clearances and regulatory oversight over private participation in deep-sea mining.
Designing India’s AI Safety Institute
India’s AI Safety Institute (AISI):
- Announced under the Safe and Trusted Pillar of the IndiaAI Mission.
- Aimed at mitigating AI risks while promoting indigenous AI development.
Relevance : GS 3(Technology)
Global Precedents:
- Similar institutes established in the U.K., U.S., Singapore, and Japan.
- Focus areas include risk evaluation, ethical AI, deepfake detection, cybersecurity, and AI governance.
India-Specific Challenges:
- AI bias and discrimination: Risk of unrepresentative datasets.
- Linguistic and technological diversity: Need for inclusive AI solutions.
- Hub-and-Spoke model: Collaboration between government, startups, academia, and industry.
Indigenous AI Development Initiatives:
- Startups like Karya addressing unrepresentative data challenges.
- IndiaAI Mission’s Responsible AI Projects: Ethical AI, watermarking, bias mitigation.
Global Collaboration & Standardization:
- Need for a global AI safety taxonomy to standardize risk assessments.
- India’s AISI should support an international AI model notification framework.
- Reference to the Bletchley Declaration on AI safety.
India’s Role in the Global South:
- Many emerging economies lack resources for AI safety.
- India can lead AI safety governance efforts among Global South nations.
Policy Recommendations for AISI:
- Develop indigenous AI safety tools and frameworks.
- Align with global AI governance frameworks while ensuring local adaptability.
- Strengthen collaboration with UNESCO and other international bodies.
Government talks big on gender budget, delivers little
Context :India’s AI Safety Institute (AISI):
- Announced under the Safe and Trusted Pillar of the IndiaAI Mission.
- Aimed at mitigating AI risks while promoting indigenous AI development.
Relevance : GS 2(Social Issues) , GS 3(Economy)
Global Precedents:
- Similar institutes established in the U.K., U.S., Singapore, and Japan.
- Focus areas include risk evaluation, ethical AI, deepfake detection, cybersecurity, and AI governance.
India-Specific Challenges:
- AI bias and discrimination: Risk of unrepresentative datasets.
- Linguistic and technological diversity: Need for inclusive AI solutions.
- Hub-and-Spoke model: Collaboration between government, startups, academia, and industry.
Indigenous AI Development Initiatives:
- Startups like Karya addressing unrepresentative data challenges.
- IndiaAI Mission’s Responsible AI Projects: Ethical AI, watermarking, bias mitigation.
Global Collaboration & Standardization:
- Need for a global AI safety taxonomy to standardize risk assessments.
- India’s AISI should support an international AI model notification framework.
- Reference to the Bletchley Declaration on AI safety.
India’s Role in the Global South:
- Many emerging economies lack resources for AI safety.
- India can lead AI safety governance efforts among Global South nations.
Policy Recommendations for AISI:
- Develop indigenous AI safety tools and frameworks.
- Align with global AI governance frameworks while ensuring local adaptability.
- Strengthen collaboration with UNESCO and other international bodies.
What are the issues around delimitation?
What is Delimitation?
- Process of fixing the number of seats and boundaries of constituencies for Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.
- Conducted by the Delimitation Commission, constituted by an Act of Parliament.
- Based on Census data:
- 1951, 1961, 1971 Census-based exercises conducted.
- 1971 Census-based seat allocation (543 seats) was frozen to encourage population control measures.
- Re-adjustment due after 2026 based on the first Census thereafter.
Relevance : GS 2(Polity)
Issues Around Delimitation
1. Uneven Population Growth Across States
- States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan saw high population growth.
- Southern States (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh) and smaller northern & northeastern States have lower growth rates.
2. Potential Scenarios for Redistribution
- Scenario 1: Maintain 543 seats but redistribute among States.
- Scenario 2: Increase the total seats to 848 based on projected population.
3. Disadvantage to Southern & Smaller States
- If seat distribution is based on projected population, Southern and smaller northern/northeastern States lose political representation.
- Southern States’ share may reduce from 24% to 19% in Lok Sabha.
- Could impact federalism, violating the Basic Structure Doctrine.
- Loss of political bargaining power for States that implemented population control effectively.
4. Lack of Clarity on ‘Pro-Rata’ Basis
- Home Minister Amit Shah assured no reduction in seats for any State.
- However, the basis of increase (current share or projected population) remains unclear.
Possible Solutions
1. Capping Lok Sabha Seats at 543
- Example: U.S. House of Representatives capped at 435 since 1913, despite population growth.
- India has managed with 543 MPs since 1976 despite population increase from 55 crore to 145 crore.
- Prevents disadvantaging well-performing States in terms of population control.
2. Increase State Legislative Assembly Seats Instead
- MPs mainly legislate on Union matters; State issues handled by State governments.
- Increasing MLAs in State Assemblies ensures better local representation without disturbing national political balance.
3. Ensuring Fair Representation for All Regions
- Safeguards for federal balance should be introduced to prevent disenfranchisement of any region.
- Parliamentary consensus needed to maintain equitable representation across States.
How the Wallace line explains the difference in species across continents
What is the Wallace Line?
- Proposed by Alfred Russel Wallace in the 19th century.
- Marks a sharp boundary in species distribution between Asia and Australia.
- Runs between Bali and Lombok, northward between Borneo and Sulawesi, then curving south of Mindanao.
- Wallace observed distinct species on either side—Asian species like tigers and orangutans versus Australian species like kangaroos and cockatoos.
- Relevance : GS 1(Geography)
Key Findings on Sulawesi
- Sulawesi, despite being close to Borneo, hosts unique species from both Asian and Australian origins.
- Example: Tarsiers and anoas (Asian lineage) vs. dwarf cuscus (Australian marsupial).
- Wallace struggled to categorize Sulawesi, redrawing his line multiple times.
Geological and Evolutionary Explanations
- Tectonic Movements:
- Malay Archipelago formed due to the breakup and drift of landmasses.
- Australia separated from Antarctica, drifting north toward Asia, creating Indonesia’s volcanic islands.
- Climatic and Environmental Factors:
- Oceanic cooling affected species migration.
- Asian species could migrate via tropical islands, while Australian species faced harsher routes.
- Study (2023) on 20,000 species confirmed that environmental conditions influenced species dispersal.
Modern Relevance
- Wallace Line is more of an ecological gradient than a fixed boundary.
- New technologies (evolutionary modeling, computer simulations) refine our understanding of species adaptation.
- Conservation concerns:
- Indo-Malayan archipelago faces high habitat destruction rates.
- Understanding historical species distribution helps predict responses to climate change and habitat loss.
- Experts argue redrawing the line is unnecessary; focus should be on biodiversity conservation instead.
States need to protect patients from being fleeced by private hospitals, says SC
Context : SC’s Directive to States
- Supreme Court urges States to frame guidelines preventing private hospitals from overcharging patients.
- Patients shouldn’t be forced to buy medicines, implants, or devices at inflated prices from hospital-run pharmacies.
- States must ensure fair pricing without discouraging private investment in healthcare.
Relevance : GS 2(Health ,Judiciary)
Court’s Observations
- Private hospitals play a crucial role in filling gaps in public healthcare.
- States should balance regulation with the need for private sector participation.
- The issue falls under State List (health, sanitation, hospitals), requiring State policy decisions.
Background of the Case
- Petition by Siddharth Dalmia highlighted personal experience of exploitation in a private hospital.
- SC refrained from ruling on specific allegations but emphasized sensitizing State governments.
- Court disposed of the petition, focusing on the constitutional framework rather than imposing mandatory conditions.
Significance
- Highlights growing concerns over healthcare affordability and regulation.
- Reinforces the need for State-level policies to ensure fair healthcare practices.
- Balances consumer protection with private sector viability in healthcare.
India hit targeted maternal mortality rate of 100 deaths per lakh live births: Nadda
- Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR): India has met the National Health Policy (NHP) target of 100 deaths per 1 lakh live births.
- MMR Decline (1990-2020): 83% drop in India, higher than the global decline.
- Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): 69% reduction in India vs. 55% global decline.
- Under-5 Mortality Rate: 75% decline in India, outpacing the global 58% drop.
Relevance : GS 2(Health )
Government Strategy & Policy Directions
- Mission Steering Group Meeting: Chaired by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda under National Health Mission (NHM).
- Implementation Focus: Need for effective execution of healthcare schemes at the grassroots level.
- Strengthening CMOs: Enhancing the capacities of Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) through training and capacity-building.
- ASHA Workers’ Role: Emphasis on their empowerment, revised incentives, and honorariums.
Technological & Infrastructure Developments
- New Initiatives: Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri (BHISHM) introduced.
- Quality Assurance: Ensuring efficiency and effectiveness of new health technologies and schemes.
Significance
- Reflects India’s progress in maternal and child healthcare.
- Strengthening health infrastructure and workforce to sustain improvements.
- Highlights need for continued investment in training, technology, and incentives for healthcare workers.
IMF: overexposure by NBFCs may imperil financial system
Context : Key Findings from IMF’s Report (“India Financial System Stability Assessment”)
Relevance : GS 3(Economy )
- NBFC Overexposure to Power & Infrastructure:
- 63% of power sector loans in FY24 came from three large infrastructure financing NBFCs (up from 55% in 2019–20).
- 56% of their lending was financed by market instruments, with increasing reliance on bank borrowings since 2019.
- State-owned NBFCs like IREDA face higher risk.
- Systemic Risk Concerns:
- NBFC stress could spill over into the broader financial system.
- High exposure to infrastructure loans makes them vulnerable to economic shocks.
PSBs’ Vulnerability in a Stagflation Scenario
- IMF stress test results:
- Public Sector Banks (PSBs) may struggle to maintain 9% Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) in a recession.
- PSBs should retain earnings instead of paying dividends to strengthen their capital base.
- Geopolitical risks & monetary policy misalignment could trigger higher interest rates, slowing growth.
Policy Recommendations & Outlook
- Strengthening PSBs’ capital reserves to withstand economic downturns.
- Better risk management for NBFCs, especially in the power & infrastructure sectors.
- Need for regulatory oversight to manage interconnections between NBFCs, banks, and financial markets.
Significance
- Highlights systemic financial risks from concentrated lending in critical sectors.
- Calls for prudential regulation to safeguard economic stability.
- Emphasizes the need for capital buffers in case of economic shocks.
