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Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on October 23, 2024
Daily Insights and Initiatives for UPSC Exam Notes: Comprehensive explanations and high-quality material provided regularly for students
On Section 6A of the Citizenship Act
For Preliminary Examination: Current events of antional and international Importance
For Mains Examination: GS II - Indian Polity & Governance
Context:
In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, which granted citizenship to immigrants who entered Assam before January 1, 1966, and called for stricter implementation of laws against illegal immigration and judicial monitoring of the implementation of immigration and citizenship legislations
Read about:
What is Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955?
What are the questions surrounding Section 6A?
What is the Assam Accord?
Key takeaways:
- The bench held that immigrants entering Assam on or after March 25, 1971, are not eligible for protection under Section 6A, and are therefore deemed illegal immigrants.
- Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud clarified that Section 6A does not violate Articles 6 and 7 of the Constitution, which set a specific cut-off date of January 26, 1950, for granting citizenship to migrants from East and West Pakistan at the time of the Constitution's commencement.
- He stated that the legislative purpose of Section 6A aimed to balance the humanitarian concerns of Indian-origin migrants with the economic and cultural needs of Indian states.
- Although other states have longer borders with Bangladesh, Assam faces a more significant impact from migration in terms of numbers and resources.
- Therefore, the criteria for migration to Assam are reasonable. The March 25, 1971, cut-off date is justified, as it coincides with the eve of the Pakistani Army's Operation Searchlight, launched on March 26, 1971, to suppress the Bangladeshi nationalist movement. Migrants arriving before this event were regarded as part of the Indian partition, and the chosen criteria are logically aligned with Section 6A’s purpose.
- The bench explained that undocumented migrants could have been registered as citizens under Section 5(1)(a) of the Citizenship Act before its amendment in 2003, which then excluded ‘illegal immigrants.’ Thus, the petitioner’s argument that Section 6A is unconstitutional because it allegedly encourages migration to Assam for citizenship purposes is incorrect.
- The ruling also stated that Section 6A aligns with constitutional principles, without violating the concepts of fraternity or Articles 6, 7, 9, 14, 21, 29, 326, and 355 of the Constitution of India. It does not conflict with the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, or international law principles.
- Regarding Section 6A, introduced under the Assam Accord with a specific cut-off date, the Court affirmed its validity, noting that citizenship should not be narrowly interpreted to label one group as citizens and another as ‘illegal immigrants.’
- Agreeing with the majority opinion, CJI Chandrachud emphasized that while the Constitution protects the right to preserve culture, this right must be understood within the framework of India’s multicultural and pluralistic identity.
- The petitioners argued that Section 6A infringes on Article 29 by allowing residents from Bangladesh, who have a different cultural background, to live in Assam and gain citizenship, thereby impacting the preservation of Assamese culture. The Court, however, dismissed this argument
1.What is the position of the Right to Property in India? (UPSC 2021)
(a) Legal right available to citizens only
(b) Legal right available to any person
(c) Fundamental Rights available to citizens only
(d) Neither Fundamental Right nor legal right
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Answer (b)
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Google has announced the first corporate deal to purchase nuclear energy from multiple Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), which will be developed by Kairos Power. The plan involves having the first SMR operational by 2030, with further deployments continuing until 2035. Google stated that this agreement will provide 500 MW of carbon-free power to the U.S. grid and will aid in advancing AI technologies that contribute to scientific progress.
Why nuclear energy?
Running AI models, keeping them constantly available, and managing expanding data centers are all highly energy-intensive processes. According to Google's 2024 Environmental Report, the company's total greenhouse gas emissions increased by 13% year-over-year in 2023, highlighting the difficulty of lowering emissions while increasing computing intensity and expanding infrastructure to support AI development. Google views nuclear energy as a clean, carbon-free, and reliable power source, unlike intermittent solar energy. This makes next-generation nuclear reactors a promising solution for powering data centers and offices with clean energy. Additionally, the smaller, modular design of SMRs allows for faster deployment.
Other companies embracing nuclear energy
In September, Microsoft entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement with Constellation to launch the Crane Clean Energy Center (CCEC) and restart Three Mile Island’s Unit 1, which will add 835 MW of carbon-free energy to the grid. This move is part of Microsoft's efforts to decarbonize the grid as it strives to become carbon-negative. Amazon has also signed multiple agreements to support nuclear energy, partnering with Energy Northwest in Washington and Dominion Energy in Virginia, and investing in X-energy’s SMR projects. Additionally, Amazon announced plans to co-locate a data center next to Talen Energy’s nuclear facility in Pennsylvania for direct access to carbon-free power. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, has supported Oklo, a startup aiming to build a commercial microreactor in Idaho by 2027, and invested in the nuclear fusion company Helion in 2021.
Is nuclear energy really clean?
Nuclear energy’s environmental impact remains debated due to its association with catastrophic events like Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011), which caused long-term environmental damage and health concerns. While Chernobyl highlighted human errors and communication failures, Fukushima demonstrated the risks of natural disasters such as tsunamis leading to nuclear crises. In the U.S., the 1979 Three Mile Island accident involved a malfunctioning valve and human error, causing the release of radioactive gases, though the incident wasn’t deemed highly dangerous to the public. Still, it stands as one of the worst nuclear accidents in U.S. history. Environmental groups, like 'Friends of the Earth,' argue that nuclear energy is neither clean nor safe, pointing to its history of accidents and high costs, and the risks of building plants in earthquake-prone areas.
However, SMRs offer some optimism, as their smaller, more compact design makes them cheaper to build and operate. A U.S. Department of Energy report indicated that SMRs could be deployed in regions that cannot accommodate larger, traditional nuclear plants.
U.S. government perspective
The U.S. government views nuclear energy as a critical component of clean energy strategies and aims to re-establish its leadership in the global nuclear industry, competing with China and Russia. Dr. Rita Baranwal, Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, emphasized that U.S. nuclear plants prevent nearly 500 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, the equivalent of removing 100 million cars from the roads
Follow Up Question
1.With reference to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), consider the following statements:
- SMRs are large nuclear reactors that require extensive water resources for cooling.
- SMRs are designed to produce a smaller amount of electricity compared to traditional nuclear reactors.
- SMRs can be deployed in remote areas with limited infrastructure due to their compact size.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 3 only
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Answer (b)
Statement 1: SMRs are large nuclear reactors that require extensive water resources for cooling. ⌠INCORRECT
Statement 2: SMRs are designed to produce a smaller amount of electricity compared to traditional nuclear reactors. ✓ CORRECT
Statement 3: SMRs can be deployed in remote areas with limited infrastructure due to their compact size. ✓ CORRECT
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- Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Kazan, Russia, on Tuesday (October 22) to participate in the 16th BRICS Summit, marking the first meeting since the group expanded last year. This summit holds particular significance for India as it presents an opportunity for Modi to potentially meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, following the recent agreement between the two nations on disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
- Countries attending the BRICS Summit: BRICS initially consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, representing major non-Western economies. On January 1 this year, BRICS added four new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), now encompassing almost half of the world's population and around one-quarter of the global economy.
- During the summit, PM Modi is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, following their last meeting in July. With Russia facing increasing pressure from Western nations, these discussions highlight India’s strong historical ties with Russia. For Putin, hosting so many global leaders in Russia amid the Ukraine conflict serves as a message to the West that attempts to isolate Moscow have not fully succeeded.
- The acronym BRIC was first introduced in 2001 by Goldman Sachs in a Global Economics Paper titled "The World Needs Better Economic BRICs," which predicted that Brazil, Russia, India, and China would emerge as dominant global economies within 50 years.
- As a formal group, BRIC was established following a meeting of Russian, Indian, and Chinese leaders in St. Petersburg during the G8 Outreach Summit in 2006. The first official BRIC Foreign Ministers' meeting took place later that year at the UN General Assembly in New York.
- The inaugural BRIC Summit occurred in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009. In 2010, South Africa was invited to join, making its first appearance at the 3rd BRICS Summit held in Sanya, China, in 2011.
- The latest expansion followed last year’s summit in South Africa, with invitations extended to Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. While four of these nations officially joined in January, Saudi Arabia has accepted but postponed formal membership, and Argentina declined the invitation due to its new pro-Western President, Javier Milei
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Answer (B)
Statement 1: "The First Summit of BRICS was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009." ⌠INCORRECT
Statement 2: "South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping." ✓ CORRECT
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Production of Energy From Renewable Energy Sources
For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
For Mains Examination: GS III - Environment & Ecology
Context:
The Government has undertaken several measures and initiatives to promote the development of renewable energy (RE), including solar and wind power, as given at Annexure that directly/indirectly incentivize industries to increase the use of RE against the consumption of energy from conventional coal-thermal based power.
Read about:
What is Renewable energy?
Significance of renewable energy
Key takeaways:
The Government of India has implemented numerous measures to enhance and speed up the country's renewable energy capacity, aiming for 500 GW of installed capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030. These measures include:
- Issuing annual renewable energy power bid trajectories of 50 GW by Renewable Energy Implementation Agencies (REIAs) such as Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) from FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28.
- Allowing up to 100 percent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) through the automatic route.
- Waiving Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) charges for inter-state sales of solar and wind power for projects commissioned by June 30, 2025, for Green Hydrogen Projects until December 2030, and for offshore wind projects until December 2032.
- Establishing a Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) trajectory until 2029-30, including a separate RPO for Decentralized Renewable Energy to boost RE consumption.
- Setting up a Project Development Cell to attract and facilitate investments.
- Issuing Standard Bidding Guidelines for a tariff-based competitive bidding process for procuring power from grid-connected solar, wind, and wind-solar projects.
- Launching schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM), PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, the National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules, the National Green Hydrogen Mission, and the development of 1 GW Offshore Wind Energy Projects.
- Establishing Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Parks to provide land and transmission for large-scale RE project installations.
- Laying new transmission lines and creating new sub-station capacities under the Green Energy Corridor Scheme for renewable power evacuation.
- Issuing the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020 for net-metering up to 500 Kilowatts or the electrical sanctioned load, whichever is lower.
- Approving the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for offshore wind energy projects to install and commission 1 GW of offshore wind energy projects (500 MW each off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu)
Read also:
What is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)?
Follow Up Question
1.Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016)
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Answer (A)
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The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme is a government initiative in India aimed at promoting the use of solar energy in the agricultural sector. Launched in 2019, the scheme has three main components:
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Component-A: Decentralized Grid-Connected Renewable Energy Plants
- Installation of grid-connected solar power plants, each with a capacity of up to 2 MW. These plants are typically set up on barren or fallow lands and are connected to the grid, allowing farmers to sell the generated electricity to the power distribution companies (DISCOMs).
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Component-B: Installation of Stand-alone Solar Agriculture Pumps
- Provision of standalone off-grid solar water pumps to farmers, particularly in areas where grid connectivity is not available. This helps farmers to access reliable and clean energy for irrigation, reducing their dependence on diesel-powered pumps and lowering their input costs.
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Component-C: Solarisation of Existing Grid-connected Agriculture Pumps
- Solarization of existing grid-connected agricultural pumps. Farmers can use solar power to meet their irrigation needs and sell any surplus power back to the grid, creating an additional source of income.
Objectives and Benefits
- By providing solar pumps, the scheme aims to reduce the use of diesel in agriculture, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.
- Through the sale of excess solar power to the grid, farmers can generate additional income.
- The scheme supports sustainable agricultural practices by encouraging the use of clean and renewable energy.
- By enhancing the use of decentralized solar power, the scheme aims to improve energy security in rural areas
| The government provides substantial financial assistance for the implementation of the PM-KUSUM scheme. The cost-sharing pattern typically involves contributions from the central government, state governments, and the farmers themselves. Various subsidies and incentives are offered to make the scheme attractive and affordable for farmers |
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Answer (D)
In 2019, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy introduced the KUSUM (Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) program. This initiative encompasses three key elements:
The main goal of PM-KUSUM is to shift farmers away from reliance on fossil fuels like diesel and kerosene, instead promoting the use of solar energy for irrigation pumps. The scheme offers financial support for solarizing grid-connected agricultural pumps, with the central and state governments each providing 30% subsidy, while farmers contribute 40%. To accommodate small farmers, some states permit solar power projects under 500 kW, based on technical and economic viability. Solar installations are allowed on various types of land, including barren, fallow, agricultural, pasture, and marshy areas owned by farmers. The permitted solar capacity can be up to double the pump capacity in kilowatts, with excess power being purchased by the local power distribution company (DISCOM). Initially implemented as a pilot program, states were given flexibility to adopt different approaches, such as net metering, upgrading to BLDC pumps, or other innovative solutions. This initiative is expected to reduce both initial investment and ongoing power costs for farmers |
For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
For Mains Examination: GS II - Indian Polity & Governance
Context:
Cabinet approves implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) during FY 2024-25 to 2028-29 Total outlay of Rs.3,06,137 crore for FY 2024-25 to 2028-29 including Central Share of Rs.2,05,856 crore and State Matching Share of Rs.1,00,281 crore.
Read about:
What is Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (PMAY)?
Significance of PMAY
Key takeaways:
The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has recently approved the Department of Rural Development's proposal for the “Implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) from FY 2024-25 to 2028-29.” This plan includes financial support for building an additional two crore houses, with assistance set at Rs.1.20 lakh for plain areas and Rs.1.30 lakh for the North Eastern Region, as well as the hill states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
Benefits:
- Completion of Existing Targets: The remaining 35 lakh houses not finished by March 31, 2024, will be completed to meet the earlier target of 2.95 crore houses.
- New Construction: Over the next five years (FY 2024-2029), the construction of two crore more houses will address ongoing housing needs. This initiative is expected to benefit approximately 10 crore individuals.
- Improved Living Conditions: The approval aims to provide secure, quality housing with essential amenities to those currently living in inadequate conditions, thus enhancing safety, hygiene, and social inclusion for the beneficiaries.
Background:
To realize the goal of “Housing for All” in rural areas, the Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G) in April 2016. The scheme aims to construct 2.95 crore houses with basic amenities in phases, with the target date set for March 2024
Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-U)
The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) is a flagship scheme launched by the Government of India in June 2015. Its primary goal is to ensure housing for all in urban areas by the year 2022, targeting the construction of affordable housing units for economically weaker sections, low-income groups, and middle-income groups.
Program Highlights:
- Housing Targets:
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- Objective: To provide affordable housing to the urban poor.
- Scope: The scheme aims to build approximately 20 million (2 crore) houses across urban areas by 2022.
- Financial Assistance:
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- Subsidies: The scheme offers financial assistance in the form of interest subsidies on housing loans for eligible beneficiaries under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS).
- Grants: For the construction of houses, financial support is provided through central and state government contributions.
- Eligibility:
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- Beneficiaries: The scheme is designed to assist individuals from economically weaker sections (EWS), low-income groups (LIG), and middle-income groups (MIG).
- Criteria: Beneficiaries must meet specific income criteria and do not own a pucca house in their name.
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Answer (C)
2015 - 2022 The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) was launched in June 2015 with the aim of providing affordable housing for all by the year 2022 |
| Subject | Topic | Description |
| History | Modern Indian History | Company rule and Crown rule 1773 - 1947 |
| History | Modern Indian History | Fall of Mughals |
| History | Modern Indian History | Establishment of British rule in India |
| History | Modern Indian History | Economic Policies of the British |
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