09 October 2023

MAINS DAILY QUESTIONS & MODEL ANSWERS

Q1. To promote millet production and consumption, India has proposed a project to establish the “Millet International Initiative for Research and Awareness” (MIIRA). Discuss the goals of MIIRA. Emphasise the importance of millet crops for food security and agriculture as well.

GS II – Government Policies and Interventions

Introduction:

• A class of small-grained cereal crops that are used for food and fodder includes millets. Before, they were known as “coarse cereals” or “cereals of the poor.” Because these are so nutritious, the government called them “Nutri-cereals.” To promote millets internationally, the government has decided to start the Millet International Initiative for Research and Awareness (MIIRA). The United Nations Declaration designating 2023 as the International Year of Millets aligns with this as well.

Principal Goals of MIIRA:

• India launched MIIRA because it prioritises food security and nutrition above all else in agriculture during its G20 chairmanship.
• The nutritive value and climate resilience of millets will be taken into consideration during the introduction of MIIRA.
• In addition to promoting millet crop research, MIIRA will seek to establish global connections among millet research institutes.
• In addition to hosting international research conferences and establishing a digital platform to link scholars, the goal is to increase awareness of millet intake.
• India will provide the seed money for MIIRA to get off the ground. Later, each G20 member will need to contribute to the organization’s budget in the form of a membership fee.

Millet crops’ importance to agriculture and food security:

• The main causes of the “food system divide,” according to experts, are policies that have promoted the cultivation of the big three cereals—rice, wheat, and maize—and a lack of understanding of the advantages of millet. Enhancing diversified diets, increasing food security, and lessening over-reliance on commonly farmed crops all depend on increasing millets’ output and promoting their advantages.
• Taking on the population challenge: With an estimated 8.5 billion people on the planet by 2030, food production must increase to keep up with the world’s rapid population growth. By increasing crop diversity, millets can aid in addressing the problems associated with food security.

Agriculture that is sustainable:

• By providing a decreased reliance on artificial fertilisers and pesticides, millet farming facilitates the transition to sustainable farming practises and diversified crop rotations.
• Crop residues have a crucial role in sustaining and boosting soil carbon levels, which is essential for sustainable farming systems, due to their high carbon content.
• Millets have a small water footprint, can thrive without irrigation in extremely low rainfall regimes, and can withstand droughts.

Delivering health advantages:

• Millets are a great source of antioxidants and can improve the potential health benefits of probiotics.
• They support the immune system of the body and are an effective way to combat iron deficiency anaemia and undernutrition in children.
• Millets are a fantastic food choice for people with high blood sugar, diabetes, or gluten sensitivity because they are gluten-free and have a low glycemic index.
• Opportunities for small-scale farmers to make a living: More chances for small-scale farmers can be generated by promoting the production and consumption of these underutilised crops.
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, and SDG 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production are the three primary SDGs that millets may assist achieve. With a 41% share of the global millet market, India is the leading producer. When the UN approved India’s proposal and committed 2023 to raising awareness of these grains, it gave a boost to the country’s attempts to encourage the consumption and production of millet.

Q2. Discuss the problems with India’s bail rules and make recommendations for how they should be changed.

GS II – Judiciary related issues

Introduction:

• A key component of any criminal justice system that ensures the accused has the right to a fair trial is bail. The necessity to protect the fundamental right to liberty guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution gave rise to the practise of giving bail.  The Indian legal system’s Chapter III of the Code of Criminal Procedure contains laws pertaining to bail (CrPC). Through a number of rulings, the Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasised the necessity for bail legislation reform.

Problems with India’s bail regulations:

• Problems with the CrPC: The Supreme Court observed that the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) still includes many pre-independence clauses that limit the freedom of individuals.
• In the Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India judgement, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that the statute contains no precise definition of bail. Only two categories for the offences exist: bailable and non-bailable.
• Amount of Bail Bonds: The court-set amount of bail bonds is one of the main issues with the bail system. The majority of under-trial inmates, or 70.6%, are illiterate or semi-illiterate, which is indicative of a low socioeconomic background and makes it impossible for them to pay the required amount, according to the 268th Law Commission Report.
• Judicial discretion: The matter of bail falls under the murky domain of the criminal justice system and is primarily dependent on the bench’s judgement, often known as judicial discretion. The pursuit of justice has been seriously hampered by discretionary decisions made arbitrarily. Bail is issued in high-profile instances without taking the case’s complexity into account.
• Indiscriminate Arrests: In the Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar case, the Supreme Court stated that an excessive number of arrests, particularly for non-cognizable offences, are not justified. It was highlighted that arrests are not always necessary and must be justified by need, especially in cases of cognisable offences.
• Prejudice against the poor: Justice P.N. Bhagwati pointed out that most people brought before the courts in criminal matters are so impoverished that they would struggle to provide bail by making the required payment.
• Structural Inequalities: The OBC and SC/ST communities comprise two out of every three undertrial prisoners.

Actions to amend India’s bail laws:

• legislative Limit of Bail Bond and Sureties Must Be Fixed: The amount of bail bond and sureties is currently subject to the court’s discretion and has no set legislative limit. It is necessary to provide for several types of bail.
• verify on discretionary powers: It’s important to appropriately verify the judicial officers’ discretionary powers when it comes to setting bail. If an officer is found to be at fault and to have granted bail to the accused without a reasonable basis, that officer’s responsibility may be determined.
• Reducing pre-trial imprisonment: Pre-trial incarceration should be kept to a minimum since it puts an unnecessary strain on the state.
• Verifying the operation of the criminal justice system: The prompt provision of legal aid services during the preliminaries and expedited trial of the accused, as well as the appropriate use of police authority, require immediate attention.
• Guidelines for bail set down by the Supreme Court: In the Satender Kumar Antil v. CBI case, the court encouraged the Centre to devise legislation that would act as a “Bail Act” to expedite the bail process. The court emphasised the need of ensuring that arrests follow the proper procedure and setting a deadline for the processing of bail applications.
• As a result, the law governing bail should strike a compromise between two opposing societal demands. Protecting the public from the misbehaviour of those who are thought to have committed the crime and maintaining the accused’s innocence up until his guilt is established. Enacting separate legislation to reform bail regulations would bring the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom into compliance with international standards.