Daily News Simplified - DNS · 1/27/2020 · • The Asia-Pacific Group of FATF declared that...

Daily News Simplified - DNS 27 01 2020

Notes

SL. NO. TOPICS

THE HINDU PAGE NO.

1 The Hype over hypersonics 09

2 The four Phases of constitutional interpretation 08

3 Black and grey 08

4 Fund crunch hits MGNREGA scheme 01

5 Palestinians threaten to quit Oslo Accords 12

Dated: 27. Jan. 2020 DNS Notes - Revision Title 1. The Hype over hypersonics (Page 09)

Syllabus Mains: Paper III – Science & Technology

Theme Defense Technology

Highlights The Avangard is a nuclear-capable, hypersonic boost-glide vehicle which has been recently deployed by Russia. The missile is capable of hitting target in excess of 6000 km and can travel at a speed of 20 Mach (20 times the speed of sound). The missile is capable of carrying nuclear or conventional payloads. Another very notable feature of the missile is that it can be manoeuvred as well and this makes the Avangard unstoppable. What is a hypersonic weapon? A hypersonic weapon is a missile that travels at Mach 5 or higher, which is at least five times faster than the speed of sound. This means that a hypersonic weapon can travel about one mile per second. Hypersonic glide vehicles. How it works? This type of hypersonic missile utilises re-entry vehicles. Initially, the missile is launched into space on an arching trajectory, where the warheads are released and fall towards the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds. Rather than leaving the payload at the mercy of gravitational forces – as is the case for traditional ICBMs – the warheads are attached to a glide vehicle which re-enters the atmosphere, and through its aerodynamic shape it can ride the shockwaves generated by its own lift as it breaches the speed of sound, giving it enough speed to overcome existing missile defence systems. The glide vehicle surfs on the atmosphere between 40-100km in altitude and reaches its destination by leveraging aerodynamic forces. When hypersonic missiles become operational, the gap between missile defence systems and missile offence will be huge. Simply put, there is no single operational missile defence system that is capable of intercepting a hypersonic missile. The Differences between Subsonic, Supersonic and Hypersonic

• Subsonic missiles are slower than the speed of sound. Most well-known missiles fall into this category, such as the US Tomahawk cruise missile, the French Exocet, and the Indian Nirbhay. Subsonic missiles travel at a speed around Mach-0.9 (705 mph). Nevertheless, they still play a huge role in modern battlefields. Not only are they substantially cheaper to produce, but subsonic missiles provide an additional layer of strategic value due to its low speed and small size. Once a subsonic missile has been launched, it can loiter in proximity to its intended target, as a result of its fuel efficiency. This, combined with its comparatively low speed, gives senior military decision-makers ample time to decide if a strike should be continued or abandoned. Comparatively, a hypersonic or supersonic missile compresses the time afforded to senior decisions makers into a matter of minutes.

• Supersonic missiles exceed the speed of sound (Mach 1) but they not faster than Mach-3. Most supersonic missiles travel at a speed between Mach-2 and Mach-3, which is up to 2,300 mph. The most well-known supersonic missile is the Indian/Russian BrahMos, currently the fastest operational supersonic missile capable of speeds around 2,100–2,300 mph.

• Hypersonic missiles exceed Mach-5 (3,800 mph) and are five times faster than the speed of sound. There are no current systems able to counter them.

Dated: 27. Jan. 2020 DNS Notes - Revision

Why this is an important event? 1. Induction of hypersonic glide vehicles complicate the security concerns in the current scheme as both Russia and the USA are nuclear weapon countries. At the same time, both countries would not like any kind of erosion in their nuclear deterrence. Deployment of hypersonic glide missiles brings ambiguity in type of warhead (conventional or nuclear) and the destination. The adversary will always be on high alert when such missile is detected and there will be a confusion regarding the nuclear capability of such missile and also for the target of such missiles (as target could be nuclear missile arsenal of the adversary). This may lead to a trigger-ready situation in case of conflict between two nuclear power countries. 2. We have seen arms race during the cold war and this missile may again trigger arms race as the US will try to strengthen its Ballistic Missile Defence and/or look for counter measures to defeat hypersonics. This may bring instability in otherwise stable arrangement that we see today. 3. Another implication of this development can be militarization of outer space and this may further destabilize global dynamics.

Personal Notes


Title 2. The four Phases of constitutional interpretation (The Hindu Page 08)

Syllabus Mains: Paper II: Polity and Governance Theme Role of Judiciary

Highlights Context : The article highlights the way in which Judiciary has interpreted the Constitution of India over the last 70 years since the constitution came into force on 26th January 1950

Phase I: Textbook Interpretation

• In its early years, the Supreme Court adopted a textualist approach, focusing on the plain meaning of the words used in the Constitution. A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras (1950) was one of the early decisions in which the Court was called upon to interpret the fundamental rights under Part III

• Amongst the most controversial questions in Indian constitutional law has been whether there are any limitations on Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution, especially fundamental rights. In its early years, the Court read the Constitution literally, concluding that there were no such limitations.

Phase II: Focus on overall structure and essence of the Constitution

• In the leading case of Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973), the Court concluded that Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution did not extend to altering its “basic structure” — an open-ended catalogue of features that lies within the exclusive control of the Court. When Parliament attempted to overturn this decision by amending the Constitution yet again, the Court, relying on structuralist justifications, decisively rejected that attempt.

• In Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978) the Court conceived of the fundamental rights as a cohesive bill of rights rather than a miscellaneous grouping of constitutional guarantees. The right to life was incrementally interpreted to include a wide range of rights such as clean air, speedy trial, and free legal aid. This paved the way for the Supreme Court to play an unprecedented role in the governance of the nation.

Phase III: Panchayati Eclecticism

• In the third phase, the Supreme Court’s interpretive philosophy turned far more result-oriented than it had ever been.

• The Court often surrendered its responsibility of engaging in a thorough rights reasoning of the issues before it.

• Two factors underpinned this institutional failure. • First, the changing structure of the Court, which at its inception began with eight

judges, grew to a sanctioned strength of 31; it is currently 34. It began to sit in panels of two or three judges, effectively transforming it into a “polyvocal” group of about a


dozen sub-Supreme Courts. • Second, the Court began deciding cases based on a certain conception of its own role —

whether as sentinel of democracy or protector of the market economy. This unique decision-making process sidelined reason-giving in preference to arriving at outcomes that match the Court’s perception.

• The failure to give reasons contributed not only to methodological incoherence but also to serious doctrinal incoherence and inconsistency across the law.

Phase IV: Focus on purpose of constitution

• In the fourth phase, the Court is focusing on the purpose for which the Constitution has been enacted. The Court is now beginning to interpret the Constitution in accordance with its revolutionary and transformative potential.

• With about a dozen significant Constitution Bench decisions from the Supreme Court since September 2018, there has been a renaissance in decision-making by Constitution Benches. This includes the Court’s decisions striking down Section 377 and the criminal offence of adultery, and including the office of the Chief Justice of India within the scope of the Right to Information Act.

Dated: 27. Jan. 2020 DNS Notes - Revision Personal Notes

Title 3. Black and grey (The Hindu Page 08)

Syllabus Mains: GS Paper II – International Relations

Theme Terror Financing

Highlights Context • Recently the Asia-Pacific Group of FATF in Beijing cleared Pakistan on 14 out 27 action

plans prescribed last year when it was grey-listed by FATF plenary in October 2019. • Accordingly Pakistan is most likely to escape blacklisting in FATF plenary to be held in

February this year. Background

• The Asia-Pacific Group of FATF declared that Pakistan had progressed in its efforts to avoid blacklisting.

• While India wants blacklisting of Pakistan, the softening of stand in APG meeting comes as a disappointment to India.

• Pakistan was placed on the grey list in 2018 by FATF and directed to take 27-point actions with respect to terror funding and money laundering.

• Accordingly FATF directed Pakistan to freeze the funds of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and other Taliban-affiliated groups.

About FATF

• The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an intergovernmental body established in 1989 by the Group of Seven (G-7) countries in Paris, France. It was formed with the intention to examine and develop measures to combat money laundering.

• The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating: Money laundering; Terrorist financing; and threats to the integrity of the international financial system.

• Recently, FATF has placed Pakistan in its Grey List. Moreover, it has made recommendations for India’s Prevention of Money laundering Act, 2002. Let us understand both the actions of FATF.


• FATF has formed 40 recommendations against money laundering and 9 special recommendations against terrorist financing, which forms the commonly known ‘40+9’ FATF Standards.

• FATF issues a list of ‘Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories’ (NCCTs), commonly called the (FATF Blacklist). These countries or territories are considered to be uncooperative in international efforts against money laundering and terrorism financing.

• The (FATF Grey List) is a list of countries or territories with deficiencies in anti-money laundering and/or countering the financing of terrorism, for which they have developed an action plan with the FATF.

Grey List – Pakistan • Pakistan was put on the grey list in 2012 after the completion of an earlier Mutual

Evaluation by FATF, and therefore had to follow the action plan suggested by FATF. In 2015, it was taken off the grey list, after the FATF was satisfied with Pakistan’s measures undertaken to counter terror financing.

• The US, along with the UK, France and Germany, started a process at the FATF to co-sponsor a motion to nominate Pakistan as a country having strategic deficiencies in countering financing of terrorism. This motion was passed in March, 2018.

• FATF in June, 2018 placed Pakistan on the ‘grey list’ for failing to curb anti-terror financing despite after submitting a 26-point action plan to FATF.

• The other countries on the list are Ethiopia, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia and Yemen

Reasons for softening of stand

• US is back on table with respect to peace talks with Taliban. • For Taliban to agree to a peaceful intra-Afghan dialogue, US needs Pakistan to play a

major role. • As a result US-Pakistan relations have improved in the recent times and this explains

the softening of stand of the west including US, UK, France and Germany who were the initial sponsors of grey-listing of Pakistan in FATF.

What next? • Given the softening of stand, black-listing is highly unlikely. • For Pakistan to come out of grey-list it would need an extra 12 votes in addition to

continued support from China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and West Asian countries that it already gets.

Personal Notes


Title 4. Fund crunch hits MGNREGA scheme (The Hindu Page 01)

Syllabus Mains: Paper II: Polity and Governance

Theme Government Schemes

Highlights Context:

• The Centre is on the verge of running out of funds for the crucial Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme.

• More than 96% of the allocated money has already been spent or is needed to pay pending dues, with less than ₹2,500 crore left to sustain the scheme for the next two months.

• Fifteen States are already in the red. According to the scheme’s financial statement as on January 26, Rajasthan has the highest negative net balance of ₹620 crore, followed by ₹323 crore in Uttar Pradesh.

• The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Guarantee Act, scheme has been allocated Rs.

60,000 crore in the Budget of 2019-20. However, this budget is less than the amount spent in the current year.

Various issues being faced in the implementation of this scheme: States facing finance crunch

• Several states are also facing finance crunch on MGNREGA funds and hence people are denied work in many states. Ministry of Rural Development, which administers the scheme had asked for a supplementary allocation in early January of 2019.

• Due to lack of funds, denial of work and long-term delay in payments, rural workers feel discouraged from registering with MGNREGA.

About MGNREGA – The promise of MGNREGA is to enhance livelihood security by providing atleast 100 days of wage employment every year to households. Further, if work is not allotted within 15 days, applicants are entitled to an employment allowance. Thus, under MGNREGA, providing work becomes legal entitlement. The Problems Unemployment Allowance: The MGNREGA is a demand-driven programme, i.e., work must be provided within 15 days of demanding work failing which the Centre must pay an unemployment allowance (UA). The work demanded by labourers is to be fed into the MGNREGA Management Information System (MIS) but this information not fed and thereby suppressed at the source. Under-provision of Work: There is a lack of offline alternatives to capture work demand from labourers, which means that data on the MIS is the only available. Both work demand data and employment-generated data are available at a panchayat level. However aggregate data at the national level are only presented for employment generated. This therefore hide the extent of under-provision of work. Lack of Funds: The fund allocation for MGNREGA continuously gets exhausted before completion of Financial Year. Apart from this, majority of States still highlight a continued lack of funds. This shows that funds are not being allocated based on actual demand in first stage.


Delay in Compensation: The mandate is to pay wages within 15 days else workers are entitled to a delay compensation. While this delay by the Central government (called stage 2 delays) is captured in the system, it is intentionally suppressed to avoid paying delay compensation.

Personal Notes

Title 5. Palestinians threaten to quit Oslo Accords (The Hindu Page 12)

Syllabus Mains: GS Paper II – International Relations

Theme Israel – Palestine

Dated: 27. Jan. 2020 DNS Notes - Revision Highlights

Personal Notes

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