An Arabian Valentine
Editorials & Articles Analysis – 14th Feb 2024
Old-fashioned trust and credibility bind India-UAE ties
Context
- The article highlights the significant personal relationship between PM Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, emphasizing diplomatic ties, economic collaborations, and regional concerns during Modi’s UAE visit
Deep Personal Relationship:
- Personal rapport between PM Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed characterized by trust and credibility.
- Deviation from transactional diplomacy, emphasizing strategic interests and regular interactions.
Key Visits and Interactions:
- Ongoing third visit by PM Modi within eight months, showcasing the dynamic India-UAE relationship.
- Various interactions, including bilateral visits, COP28, G-20 Summit, and Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.
Temple Inauguration and Cultural Ties:
- Unique timing of the visit aligned with the religious calendar for the inauguration of a grand Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi.
- PM Modi’s requested in 2015 for land, fulfilling the religious and spiritual needs of the UAE’s large Hindu community.
- Excitement within the 3.5 million Indian community in the UAE and the mega event “Ahlan Modi.”
Strategic Diplomacy and Global Presence:
- Prime Minister’s role as guest of honor at the 11th World Government Summit in Dubai, focusing on ‘Shaping Future Governments.’
- Platform for India to present views before an influential global audience.
- Strengthening India’s economic ties and global presence.
Economic Initiatives and Agreements:
- Launch of Bharat Mart to boost exports of Indian MSMEs, providing facilities in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone Area.
- India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) reinforces the UAE’s position as India’s third-largest trading partner.
- CEPA and Bharat Mart combination potential to boost India’s manufactured goods exports and reduce transaction costs.
Other Major Achievements:
- Initiation of the master’s program in energy transition and sustainability by the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in Abu Dhabi.
- UAE’s rising investments as the fourth highest source of foreign direct investment into India in 2022-23.
- Indian Oil Corporation’s 14-year deal to buy liquefied natural gas from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company for India’s energy security.
- Progress in discussions on sensitive areas of defense cooperation.
Regional Security Concerns:
- Talks addressing the deteriorating regional situation, including the war in Gaza and Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
- Potential risks to India’s economic growth, emphasizing the need for coordination with regional players like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
Conclusion:
- In conclusion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE reflects the enduring personal rapport with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, shaping a robust bilateral relationship.
- Beyond ceremonial events, the visit highlights economic collaborations, strategic partnerships, and joint efforts to address regional challenges, enhancing India-UAE ties.
Why India needs deep industrialisation
Context
- The article discusses India’s economic challenges post-COVID-19, focusing on historical industrial stagnation, proposing high-skill services-led growth, and critiquing potential pitfalls and cultural factors inhibiting progress
Introduction: The Economic Landscape Post-COVID-19
- The global economic landscape has undergone significant shifts in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- A retreat from globalization is evident, and nations are embracing industrial policy and state-led economic interventions.
- Notable examples include the Inflation Reduction Act in the U.S., the European Green Deal, and India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat.
- While India has sustained growth post-pandemic, it faces challenges like premature deindustrialization and a skewed distribution of economic benefits.
India’s Historical Industrial Stagnation
- India has struggled with industrialization over its 75-year history, with manufacturing consistently contributing below 20% to output and employment, except during the ‘Dream Run’ of 2003-08.
- Despite economic reforms in 1991 promising labor-intensive industrialization, the reality remains stagnant.
- India is at a critical juncture with stagnating industrial investment, rising unemployment, and an expanding trade deficit fueled by imported goods.
Rajan and Lamba’s Unconventional Perspective
- In “Breaking the Mould: Reimagining India’s Economic Future,” Raghuram Rajan and Rohit Lamba propose a departure from traditional manufacturing-led growth.
- Instead, they advocate for high-skill, services-driven growth powered by information technology.
Potential Pitfalls of Services-Led Growth
- Poor Employment Elasticity: Services-led growth has poor employment elasticity. The service sector cannot absorb labor exiting agriculture as effectively as manufacturing could. Moreover, it demands a highly skilled workforce, exacerbating inequality.
- Inequality Concerns: The relative wages in the service sector, particularly for workers with a college degree, are much higher than those without. This leads to higher inequality compared to manufacturing-led growth.
- Education Disparities: Early investments in higher education have led to the neglect of mass school education. This has created an unequal distribution of human capital, favoring the traditional elite over first-generation graduates from rural areas and small towns.
Culturally Rooted Diagnosis for Industrial Stagnation
- Lack of Mass Education: The absence of mass education, linked to cultural factors, has been a hindrance to industrialization. Joel Mokyr’s perspective suggests that the rise of useful knowledge is crucial for technological progress and economic growth.
- Undervaluation of Vocational Skills: Certain occupations essential for manufacturing, such as electrical and welding, are undervalued in Indian culture, hindering organic innovation. Vocational skills are underappreciated even if they command higher wages.
- Social Divide and Caste System: Fault lines in education and economic opportunities reflect both new and old class divides rooted in India’s caste system. The poor quality of state-run schools and colleges exacerbates these disparities.
Conclusion: The Need for Deep Industrialization
- To address India’s economic challenges, there is a call for deep industrialization rather than solely relying on the service sector.
- Mass education, a revaluation of labor, and a focus on inclusive economic growth are identified as crucial for building the foundations of a more robust and equitable society.
Context:
- In the closing stages of his second term as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi embarked on a significant journey to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, culminating in two landmark events: the inauguration of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) temple in Abu Dhabi and the release of eight Indian ex-naval personnel detained on espionage charges in Doha.
- These events underscore a pivotal moment in Modi’s diplomatic efforts and signify a notable transformation in India’s relations with the Gulf region over the past decade.
- This article delves into the factors driving this transformation, encompassing diplomatic, political, religious, economic, and security dimensions
Diplomatic Engagement:
- Under Modi’s leadership, India has substantially increased its diplomatic engagements with the Middle East, a region historically not prioritized in Indian foreign policy.
- In stark contrast to the limited visits by his predecessors, Modi has visited the Middle East fifteen times since assuming office in 2014, enhancing India’s diplomatic footprint in the region.
- Notably, his visits to the UAE and Qatar mark significant milestones, reflecting a proactive approach to nurturing relationships with Gulf leaders.
Personal Diplomacy:
- Modi’s recognition of the importance of personal relationships with Gulf leaders has been instrumental in advancing bilateral ties.
- By fostering direct connections with Gulf monarchs, Modi has leveraged mutual trust and political give-and-take to elevate India’s standing in the region.
- This emphasis on personal diplomacy underscores a strategic shift in India’s approach towards Gulf countries.
Political Engagement:
- India’s engagement with the Gulf has transcended symbolic gestures of support for Arab causes to encompass a more substantive political dialogue.
- The establishment of strategic alliances such as the I2U2 group and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor signals a departure from India’s previous focus on declaratory positions to a more proactive engagement in regional geopolitics.
Religious Lens:
- India’s past tendency to view the Gulf through a religious lens, exacerbated by Pakistan’s outreach seeking Islamic solidarity, hindered diplomatic progress.
- However, Modi’s administration has demonstrated a pragmatic approach, discarding the Pakistan-centric obsession and focusing on fostering goodwill and cooperation with Gulf nations.
Religious Tolerance and Social Reform:
- The construction of the Swaminarayan temple in Abu Dhabi reflects a broader trend of growing religious tolerance and social reform in the Gulf, which has the potential to counter religious extremism emanating from the region and foster harmony across diverse communities.
Economic Partnership:
- The economic dimension of India’s relationship with the Gulf has evolved from a transactional to a strategic partnership, driven by the Gulf’s emergence as a major center of global capitalism.
- Modi’s emphasis on leveraging Gulf cooperation for India’s economic modernization aligns with the Gulf’s diversification efforts beyond oil and presents vast opportunities for collaboration in various sectors.
Security Collaboration:
- Collaboration between India and Gulf nations in counter-terrorism has expanded significantly, albeit with untapped potential in the defense domain.
- As Gulf countries seek to diversify their defense partnerships, India’s role as a regional security provider becomes increasingly significant, necessitating deeper military cooperation and joint development initiatives.
Conclusion:
- Modi’s recent engagements in the Gulf epitomize the culmination of a decade-long transformation in India’s relations with the region.
- By prioritizing diplomatic, political, economic, and security dimensions, India has forged a comprehensive partnership with Gulf countries, characterized by mutual respect, cooperation, and shared strategic interests.
- As India looks towards deeper engagement in the region, opportunities abound for further collaboration to promote prosperity and stability in the Western Indian Ocean and beyond.
| Why is the Gulf Region Crucial for India? |
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Farmers’ Protest and MSP Demand
Why in news?
- A major demand of the farmers protesting in Delhi is for the enactment of a law to guarantee minimum support prices (MSP) for all crops, as per the formula recommended by the Dr M S Swaminathan Commission.
- This comes at a time when a committee appointed by the central government in July 2022 continues to deliberate on ways to make MSP more effective and transparent.
What’s in today’s article?
- MSP Regime in India (Background, about MSP, objectives, crops covered, associated issues)
- 2022 Committee
Minimum Support Price (MSP) Regime in India:
- Background:
- The Food-Grain Enquiry Committee, established by the Nehru administration in 1957, was the first attempt to address the agricultural earning issue.
- However, it turned out to be insignificant.
- Then, in 1964, Lal Bahadur Shastri formed the Food Grain Price Committee (under LK Jha), to push for a MSP regime.
- Despite the fact that the report was quickly accepted by the Shastri government, the first MSP announcement was made in 1967.
- Thus, the MSP regime came into existence as a policy decision and the government set up the Agricultural Prices Commission for fixing MSP for crops.
- The commission was renamed as the CACP in 1985.
- The Food-Grain Enquiry Committee, established by the Nehru administration in 1957, was the first attempt to address the agricultural earning issue.
- About MSP:
- MSP is a form of market intervention (a policy decision not enforceable by law) by the Government to insure agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices during bumper production years.
- These are announced by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (Chaired by the Prime Minister of India).
- The recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) at the beginning of the sowing season for certain crops forms the basis of these announcements.
- The CACP considers the following factors when recommending MSPs –
- A commodity’s demand and supply;
- Its cost of production;
- Market price trends (both domestic and international);
- Inter-crop price parity;
- The terms of trade between agriculture and non-agriculture (the ratio of farm input and farm output prices);
- A minimum of 50% as a margin over cost of production; and
- The likely implications of an MSP on consumers of that product.
- Objectives
- MSPs are a guarantee price for farmer’s produce from the Government to prevent the farmers from distress sales and to procure food grains for public distribution.
- E.g., if the market price for a commodity falls below the specified minimum price due to bumper production and a market glut, government agencies will buy the entire quantity supplied by farmers at the announced minimum price.
- Crops covered:
- Government announces MSPs for 22 mandated crops and fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane (total 23).
- Crops covered by MSPs include:
- 7 types of cereals (paddy, wheat, maize, bajra, jowar, ragi and barley),
- 5 types of pulses (chana, arhar/tur, urad, moong and masur),
- 7 oilseeds (rapeseed-mustard, groundnut, soyabean, sunflower, sesamum, safflower, nigerseed),
- 4 commercial crops (cotton, sugarcane, copra, raw jute).
2022 Committee
- Background
- This panel was constituted seven months after farmers who had gathered at Delhi’s border called off their year-long protest, after the Prime Minister announced the repeal of the farm laws.
- The committee’s subject matter has three points: MSP, natural farming, and crop diversification.
- However, the terms of reference do not include a legal guarantee for MSP.
- About
- The committee was notified by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in July 2022.
- The committee, which has 26 members, is headed by Sanjay Agrawal, a former agriculture secretary.
Term of reference of the committee:
- To promote Zero budget natural farming (ZBNF).
- ZBNF guides farmers toward sustainable farming practices, which helps to retain soil fertility, ensure chemical-free agriculture, and ensure low production costs (zero cost), thereby increasing farmers’ income.
- To provide suggestions on 5 points regarding natural farming including –
- Suggestions for programmes and schemes for value chain development, protocol validation and research for future needs.
- Support for area expansion under the Indian Natural Farming System by publicity and through involvement and contribution of farmer organizations.
- To change crop patterns keeping in mind the changing needs of the country.
- To recommend measures to strengthen the Agricultural Marketing System in response to the country’s changing needs.
- This is to ensure higher value to farmers through remunerative prices for their produce by capitalizing on domestic and export opportunities.
- To provide suggestions on 4 points related to crop diversification including –
- Mapping of existing cropping patterns of agro-ecological zones of producer and consumer states;
- Strategy for diversification policy to change the cropping pattern according to the changing needs of the country;
- Arrangement for agricultural diversification and system to ensure remunerative prices for the sale of new crops;
- Review and suggestion on micro irrigation scheme.
- To make MSP more effective and transparent.
- It will also make recommendations to give CACP more autonomy as well as measures to make it more scientific.
Revised Policy Guidelines for Setting up Community Radio Stations (CRS) in India
Why in News?
- With a view to ensure the growth of the community radio sector, the Information and Broadcasting Minister released revised policy guidelines for setting up CRSs in India on the occasion of World Radio Day (February 13th).
- The guidelines were released during the Regional Community Radio Sammelan (South) at Anna University, Chennai, to celebrate 20 years of Community Radio in India.
What’s in Today’s Article?
- What are Community Radio Stations (CRS)?
- Significance of the Community Radio
- Establishment of CRS in India
- About the Revised Policy Guidelines
What are Community Radio Stations (CRS)?
- Community Radio is an important third tier in Radio Broadcasting, distinct from Public Service Radio broadcasting and Commercial Radio.
- CRSs are low power Radio Stations, which are meant to be set-up and operated by local communities.
- In 2002, the Government of India approved a policy for the grant of licence, for setting up of CRSs, to well established educational institutions.
- The Policy Guidelines were amended in 2006 permitting community-based organisations such as ICAR institutions, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Registered Societies; Public charitable Trusts; etc., to own and operate CRSs.
- This was to allow greater participation on issues relating to development and social change.
Significance of the Community Radio:
- They provide a platform to communities to air local voices on issues concerning Health, Nutrition, Education, Agriculture,
- Since the Community Radio broadcast is in local languages and dialects, people are able to relate to it instantly.
- Community Radio also has the potential to strengthen people’s participation in development programmes through its holistic approach.
- In a country like India, where every state has its own language and distinctive cultural identity, CRSs are also a repository of local folk music and cultural heritage.
- The unique position of CRS is an instrument of positive social change, which makes it an ideal tool for community empowerment.
Establishment of CRS in India:
- The first Community Radio in India was started on 1st February 2004 at Anna University, Chennai.
- Later, licences were granted for setting up CRSs at well-established educational institutions including IITs/IIMs.
- The Government decided to broaden the policy by bringing ‘Non-profit’ organisations like civil society and voluntary organisations under its ambit.
- The Government has been taking several proactive steps enabling ease of registration by making the process for submission of applications completely online.
- The sector has grown substantially and the number of CRSs has increased from 140 in 2014 to 481 in 2023 (out of which 155 were added in the last two years).
- In the next three years the target is to create more than 1000 CRSs in India.
About the Revised Policy Guidelines:
- The guidelines include an increase in advertising rate to ₹74 per 10 seconds and advertising time to 12 minutes per hour.
- The licensee will set up an advisory and content committee comprising members of the local community, with 50% representation for women.
- The guidelines provide that an eligible organisation operating in multiple districts would be allowed to set up a maximum of six CRS’ in different districts of operation, provided it fulfils certain conditions laid by the Ministry.
- The initial time period for the ‘Grant of Permission Agreement’ has been increased to 10 years.
- The validity of the Letter of Intent issued to an organisation has been fixed at one year.
- A buffer of three months is given to the applicant for unforeseen circumstances, and the timeline for the complete application process has also been fixed.
- The revised policy guidelines are expected to fuel growth of the community radio sector.
Rights of Forest-Dwellers in India
What’s in Today’s Article?
- Background (Context of the Article)
- About FRA (Objectives, Rights, Eligibility, Gram Sabha, etc.)
- New Notification by Thanthai Periyar Sanctuary (Details, Implementation of FRA by TN)
Background:
- Earlier this month, the notification of the Thanthai Periyar Sanctuary in Erode district of Tamil Nadu triggered concerns among forest-dwellers around it.
- They expressed fear that this may lead to their rights under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA) being denied.
- They have accused the district and State administrations of violating relevant laws.
- The Thanthai Periyar Sanctuary is located between the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu, the Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary and the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary of Karnataka.
- Six tribal forest villages — denied basic rights and facilities because these are not revenue villages — have been excluded from the sanctuary.
- These settlements are confined to an arbitrary area of 3.42 sq. km.
About Forest Rights Act, 2006:
- The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 recognizes the rights of the forest dwelling tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers to forest resources, on which these communities were dependent for a variety of needs, including livelihood, habitation and other socio-cultural needs.
- Objectives:
- To undo the historical injustice occurred to the forest dwelling communities.
- To ensure land tenure, livelihood and food security of the forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers.
- To strengthen the conservation regime of the forests by including the responsibilities and authority on Forest Rights holders for sustainable use, conservation of biodiversity and maintenance of ecological balance.
What Rights Do Forest Dwellers Get Under the Act?
- The Forest Rights Act, 2006 recognises three types of Rights:
- Land Rights:
- The Act gives the forest dwellers the right to ownership to land farmed by them, subject to a maximum of 4 hectares per family.
- Ownership is only for land that is actually being cultivated by the concerned family and no new lands can be granted.
- The land cannot be sold or transferred to anyone except by inheritance.
- Use Rights:
- The rights of the dwellers extend to extracting Minor Forest Produce (such as tendu patta, herbs, medicinal plants etc.), grazing areas, to pastoralist routes, etc.
- Minor forest produce does not include timber.
- Right to Protect and Conserve:
- The Act gives the forest dwelling communities the right to protect and manage the forest.
- This is vital for the thousands of village communities who are protecting their forests and wildlife against threats from forest mafias, industries and land grabbers.
- Land Rights:
Who Can Claim These Rights?
- Members or community of the Scheduled Tribes who primarily reside in and who depend on the forests or forest lands for bona fide livelihood needs.
- It can also be claimed by any member or community who has for at least three generations (75 years) prior to 13th December, 2005 primarily resided in forests land for bona fide livelihood needs.
How Are These Rights Recognised?
- Section 6 of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 provides a transparent three step procedure for deciding on who gets rights:
- Step-1: Gram Sabha makes a recommendation – i.e. who has been cultivating land for how long, which minor forest produce to be collected, etc.
- Step-2: The Gram Sabha’s recommendation goes through two stages of screening committees at the Taluka and District levels.
- Step-3: The District Level Committee makes the final decision. The committees have six members – three government officers and three elected persons.
About Gram Sabha:
- Gram Sabha is a body consisting of all persons whose names are included in the electoral rolls for the Panchayat at the village level.
- The term is defined in the Constitution of India under Article 243(b).
What Are the Rights in the Thanthai Periyar Sanctuary?
- As per the new notification, cattle-grazers can no longer graze in the Thanthai Periyar Sanctuary.
- Bargur cattle, a traditional breed native to the Bargur forest hills, may now be prevented from accessing their traditional grazing grounds.
- In March 2022, the Madras High Court revised an older order imposing a total ban on cattle grazing in all the forests of Tamil Nadu and restricted the ban to national parks, sanctuaries, and tiger reserves.
- Tamil Nadu is the only State in the country where there is such a ban.
- This order is despite the FRA, which recognised “grazing (both settled or transhumant) and traditional seasonal resource access of nomadic or pastoralist communities” in all forests.