29 May 2023

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

1 – National Human Rights Commission: GS II – Statutory and Non-Statutory Bodies

Context:

• The National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC-India) has had its accreditation postponed by the UN-backed Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) for the second time in ten years.

GANHRI:

• GAHNRI, a global network of NHRIs, was formerly known as the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs).
• The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) provides secretariat support, and it is organised as a non-profit entity (in accordance with Swiss legislation).
• It manages the interaction between NHRIs and the UN system for protecting human rights.

Principles of Paris:

• They were established in 1991 and ratified by the UN General Assembly (1993) and UN Human Rights Commission (1992).
• They offer the global standards that NHRIs can be evaluated against.

They outlined six key requirements that NHRIs must adhere to. Which are:

• Competence and authority.
• freedom from governmental control.
• Guaranteed independence by law or the constitution.
• sufficient resources.
• adequate investigative authority.

GANHRI Accreditation: Its Importance:

• Institutions having “A status” accreditation have complied completely with the Paris Principles.
• It is the only non-UN organisation with an internal accreditation process that allows access to UN committees as well as speaking privileges and seating at human rights treaty bodies.

NHRC-India:

About:

• It was created on October 12th, 1993, in accordance with the Paris Principles, and is governed by the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA) of 1993 [Amended in 2019].

Objective:

• a watchdog for the advancement and defence of Indian citizens’ human rights. According to the PHRA, human rights are those that protect an individual’s life, liberty, equality, and dignity and are enshrined in the Indian Constitution or international treaties and are upheld by Indian courts.

Composition:

• A Chairperson who has served as the Chief Justice of India or a Judge of the SC. Two members who are currently or have previously served as the Chief Justice of an HC.

7 ex-officio participants:

• National Commission for Minorities, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, NCSC, NCST, NCBC, NCW, and the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities.

Appointment:

• By the President of India, on the advice of a committee made up of the Prime Minister (Chairperson), the Union Home Minister, the Lok Sabha Speaker, the Rajya Sabha Deputy Speaker, and the President of the Lok Sabha.
• Only after consulting with the CJI may the sitting SC Judge or sitting Chief Justice of any HC be appointed.

Functions:

• the defence of human rights and the suggestion of actions for their successful execution.
• investigation of allegations of human rights violations or negligence on the part of a public employee in preventing such violations.
• Makes recommendations to the GoI for the efficient implementation of treaties and other international instruments after doing research on them.
• Review the obstacles to the exercise of human rights and suggest suitable solutions.
• conduct and encourage human rights-related research.
• to travel to jails and observe how the prisoners are doing.
• Participate in human rights education across diverse societal groups and raise awareness among the general public.
• Support the initiatives of NGOs and organisations engaged in human rights education, etc.

Why has NHRC-India accreditation been postponed?

• political involvement in appointments; lack of independence.
• responsibility and a lack of diversity (in the leadership and workforce).
• inadequate protection for vulnerable communities, religious minorities, and human rights advocates.
• involving the police in investigations into abuses of human rights.
• inadequate engagement with civil society.
• The aforementioned goes against the “Paris Principles.”

Way Forward:

• The government ought to make its judgements enforceable.
• Human rights advocates, members of civil society, and others should be included in NHRCs.
• The NHRC ought to have a team of impartial investigators.

Source The Hindu

2 – Decarbonizing Transport Sector: GS III – Infrastructure-related issues

Context:

• The ITF Transport Outlook 2023 states that taking immediate action to decarbonize transport will aid in attaining the 2015 Paris Agreement’s objectives.
• The International Transport Forum (ITF) presented the ITF Transport Outlook 2023 at the Leipzig Transport Summit.

Context:

• The Annual Summit of Transport Ministers is organised by a Transport Policy Think Tank that is administratively integrated with the OECD but politically independent.

Leipzig Transport Summit (Germany):

• The ITF’s 64 member countries’ transport ministers convened under the event’s theme, “Transport Enabling Sustainable Economies.”
• The yearly Summit is currently being presided over by the United Kingdom.

ITF Transport Outlook 2023’s High Lights:

• The transport sector may still lower its CO2 emissions by nearly 80% over the next 25 years (relative to 2019) if decarbonization efforts are advanced.
• This decline will make it possible to achieve the Paris Agreement objective of keeping the rise in global temperature to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

To achieve this highly ambitious scenario:

• Look for a grouping of policies that work in harmony to reduce pointless travel activity.
• Improve transportation efficiency by switching to carbon-free modes of transportation.
• Increase the use of affordable fuels and technology to move more people and products while producing less emissions.

A benefit of achieving this ambitious goal is:

• With aggressive policies in place, the total capital expenditure requirements for essential infrastructure (roads, rails, airports, and ports) will be 5% lower than under the status quo.

Policy suggestions:

Initiatives:

• The ITF’s Decarbonising Transport initiative encourages carbon-neutral transport to slow global warming.
• Forum for Decarbonizing Transport in India: The initiative, which was started by NITI Aayog and WRI India, intends to reduce Asia’s peak level of GHG emissions (from the transportation sector).
• Electric vehicles: National Electric Mobility Mission Plan, FAME Scheme, PLI Scheme incentives, etc.
• CNG and other alternative fuels, ethanol blends, hybrid cars, BS (VI) standards, etc.

Source The Hindu

3 – Sengol: GS I – Indian Culture

Context:

• A historic “sengol” sceptre (a Symbol of Transfer of Power) that was given to Jawaharlal Nehru on the eve of Independence will be presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of the new Parliament building.

What the Problem Is:

• The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) received a letter from renowned dancer Padma Subrahmanyam that sparked a thorough investigation into the famous Sengol, a sceptre from Tamil Nadu. On August 15, 1947, the Sengol ritual was found to have taken place soon before Nehru’s famous midnight speech. Up until this point, the sceptre had been stored at his home-turned-museum in Prayagraj.

Regarding the “sengol” sceptre:

The “sengol” sceptre is what?

• The “sengol” sceptre is a five-foot-long, stick-like object coated in gold and made of silver. At the summit of the sceptre is a carving of a bull known as a Nandi. This is done to serve as a reminder to everyone of the value of equitable and fair leadership in the nation.

Significance:

• It stands for the idea that whomever bears it ought to exercise fair and just judgement when making decisions. It is thought to be related to the Chola dynasty, a long-gone Tamil Nadu empire.
• The name “Sengol” derives from the Tamil word “semmai,” which means excellence; it stands for the personification of strength and authority.

According to C Rajagopalachari:

• Rajagopalachari, the previous Governor-General of India, proposed utilising the “Sengol” sceptre for the ceremonial handover of power. Rajaji recommended the “Sengol” sceptre when Lord Mountbatten, the Viceroy of British India, requested for a suitable emblem. The ancient Chola dynasty’s equivalent ceremonial, in which authority was transferred from one monarch to another, served as inspiration for him.

The “Aanai” Order:

• In the Chola tradition, an order known as “aanai” was given to the new monarch during the ceremonial of power transfer in addition to the presentation of the sceptre. This order stands for the obligation to uphold the tenets of “dharma” with steadfast fidelity, ensuring the realm is one of justice and fairness.

Vummidi Bangaru Chetty created it:

• The ‘Sengol’ sceptre was created by goldsmith Vummidi Bangaru Chetty of Chennai, who took on the historic duty of creating this emblem.

Source The PIB

4 – India Bangladesh Rail Link: GS II – International Relations

Context:

• Bangladesh has received 20 Broad Gauge locomotives from the Indian Ministry of Railways to help with the growing number of passenger and freight train operations.

Three passenger train pairs now run between India and Bangladesh. Which are:

• Maitree Express travels between Kolkata and Dhaka.
• Bandhan Express travels between Kolkata and Khulna.
• Mitali Express connects New Jalpaiguri and Dhaka.

Additional projected parts include:

• Rail connection between Akhaura and Agartala.
• railway between Mahihasan and Shahbazpur.

Additional train connections between India and its neighbours include:

• Janakpur-Jaynagar Railway (Jaynagar-Kurtha), India-Nepal.
• Thar Express (Jodhpur-Karachi) between India and Pakistan (indefinitely stopped).
• The Trilateral High Way between India and Myanmar is currently under construction.
• In addition, the Indian government has offered to let Bangladesh use the PM-GATI SHAKTI IT system, which offers comprehensive geographical data for better planning and streamlining.

Source The Hindu