Art and Culture 

‘Father of cooperative movement’: Who is Tribhuvandas Patel?

When the Lok Sabha passed a Bill recently to set up the Tribhuvan Sahkari University in Gujarat’s Anand, there was jubilation in the hometown of Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel, considered the “father of the cooperative movement” in the country.

Tribhuvandas Patel

• Birth: Born in 1903 in a farming family in Gujarat.
• Participation in Gandhian movements: Civil disobedience, anti-untouchability, rural development, and temperance.

• Jail term: First jailed in Nasik during Salt Satyagraha (1930); later imprisoned in Visapur and pledged lifelong service to the masses.
• Presidency: President of Harijan Sevak Samiti (1948–1983).
• Leadership: Founded Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union Ltd. (KDCMPUL) in 1946 to fight farmer exploitation by Polson Dairy.
• Ideology: Advocated for inclusive milk cooperatives in villages, open to all producers regardless of caste or creed.
• Role in white revolution: Invited Dr. Verghese Kurien to join KDCMPUL, leading to the White Revolution.
• Key figure in establishing:
  • Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF)
  • National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)
  • Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA)
• Ramon Magsaysay Award (1963): For community leadership.
• Padma Bhushan (1964): For social service by Government of India.

Polity 

The Waqf Bill debate - Indian Express

The Government recently introduced the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in Parliament.

Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024

• Aim: Seeks to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, aiming to regulate Waqf properties and resolve disputes.
• Rationale: Government cites loopholes in the 1995 Act, such as lack of judicial oversight and unresolved title disputes.
• Ensures transparency: Proposes unified digital listing for transparency.
• Power to DC: Shifts power to determine Waqf property status from Waqf Tribunal to District Collector.
• Decision on declaration: Govt. property declared as Waqf (before or after the Act) will be treated as non-Waqf until the Collector decides.
• Seeks to prevent misuse of Section 40 of the 1995 Act: Allegedly used to declare private lands as Waqf.
• Replacement: Replaces "Waqf by user" with Waqfnama, affecting long-standing verbally declared Waqf properties.
• Property Survey Changes: Replaces state-appointed Survey Commissioner with District Collector/ Deputy Collector for property surveys.
• Board: Bill allows non-Muslim CEO and at least two non-Muslim state-nominated members on Waqf Boards.

• Concerns:
  • Critics argue this undermines Muslim community’s constitutional right to manage religious affairs.
  • Government claims it promotes expertise and transparency; non-Muslims will not form a majority.

• Application of Limitation Act: Proposes deletion of Section 107 of the 1995 Act, which exempted Waqf Boards from the Limitation Act, 1963.

• Issue: Critics warn this would allow encroachers in possession for over 12 years to claim property via adverse possession.

Dual citizenship is an idea whose time has come - Indian Express 

The 25th anniversary of the Report of the High-Level Committee on the Indian Diaspora is fast approaching. The committee stated that “it is of the opinion that dual citizenship has become a rallying point for the Indian Diaspora’s solidarity with Mother India and that dual citizenship is an idea whose time has come”.

Growing Indian Diaspora

• Increase in no.: Global international migrants have tripled since 1970, now 4% of the world’s population.
• India has the largest emigrant population: 1 in 40 Indians live abroad.

Economic Contributions

• Remittances: India receives the highest global remittances, ~ $130 billion annually.
• Role: Remittances exceed FDI ($42 billion) and help offset trade and current account deficits.
• Change in trends: Shift in remittance sources from Gulf nations to developed economies.

High-Level Committee Recommendations on Indian Diaspora & OCI

• Dual citizenship: Reiterated support for dual citizenship.
• Argued legal and constitutional feasibility: Dismissed security concerns as manageable.
• OCI Scheme (2005) introduced on the Committee’s recommendations:
  • OCI is not dual citizenship; carries restrictions:
  • No voting rights or public office eligibility.
  • Cannot buy agricultural land.
  • Can be revoked; considered a privilege, not a right.

Global Attitudes Toward Migration

• Developed nations: They are tightening migration and citizenship policies.
• Non-citizens: They face increased insecurity and reduced mobility.
• Indians: Many Indians renounce citizenship out of compulsion, not preference.

Policy Recommendations 

• Retention of Citizenship: Indians acquiring foreign nationality should retain Indian citizenship.
• Political Participation: 
  • Voting rights can be extended through in-person or overseas mechanisms.
  • High offices and sensitive services can remain restricted to sole citizens.
  • Local governance participation can be encouraged for dual citizens.
• Legal Framework for Security: 
  • Dual citizenship can be selectively granted based on generational and security criteria.
  • Individual scrutiny preferred over blanket bans.

Broader Implications of Dual Citizenship

• Reinforcing Ties: It would deepen emotional, economic, and knowledge-based connections with the diaspora.
• Acknowledging Evolving Identities: Helps maintain links with future generations without forcing nationality choices.

Due to demography and economics, the world is sure to have ever more of India in it. But for India to make the most of this, India must allow a bit more of the world in, too.

Economy 

Niti Aayog develops portal on finances of States - The Hindu

Amid complaints by Opposition-ruled States that they faced discrimination in the sharing of resources, Union Finance Minister recently launched a website developed by the NITI Aayog and the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) on State finances.

NITI NCAER States Economic Forum Portal

• Overview: Jointly developed by NITI Aayog and National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER).
• Role: Repository of economic, social, and fiscal data from 1990–91 to 2022–23.
• Key Components:
  • State Reports: Macro and fiscal summaries of 28 states using demographic, economic, and fiscal indicators.
  • Data Repository: Categorized data across five sectors – Demography, Economic Structure, Fiscal, Health, and Education.
  • State Fiscal and Economic Dashboard: Graphical trends and quick access to raw data and summary tables.
  • Research and Commentary: Analysis on state finances, fiscal policy, and financial management.
• Significance:
  • Facilitates understanding of long-term macroeconomic, fiscal, and socio-economic trends.
  • Enables benchmarking between states and with national data.
  • Serves as a platform for policy formulation, research, and informed discussions.
  • Provides tools for tracking progress, identifying trends, and supporting evidence-based policymaking.

Environment

Why India needs to clean its air - The Hindu

While initiatives like the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), Bharat VI, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), and targeted efforts to phase out coal-burning industries in the National Capital Region mark important progress, the national response remains fragmented and slow-moving.

Challenges in Achieving Targets

• Sources not addressed: This goal risks failure without addressing detailed, local emission sources like vehicle type, age, and traffic patterns.
• Small budgeting: India’s NCAP budget is small compared to China’s ₹22 lakh crore investment.
• Flaws in NCAP: NCAP’s current metrics rely heavily on ambient air quality data, which can be misleading due to weather/geographic variations.
• Overreliance on high-tech tools: Without tackling core pollution sources, it can be ineffective.
• Risk of elite capture: Urban centers benefit while rural/informal sectors—major emitters—are neglected.
• Lacunae in local agencies: More data doesn’t guarantee action if local agencies lack authority or resources.

Way Forward

• Shifting metrics to activity-based data: E.g., stoves replaced, diesel buses retired for real impact assessment.
• More holistic data: Local bodies need granular, open-source data on emissions sources - burning waste, fuel usage, construction zones, traffic.
• Underutilisation of funds: Only 60% of released NCAP funds (2019–2023) were utilised, indicating institutional misalignment.
• Phased Approach:
  • Phase I: Build local emissions profiles.
  • Phase II: Link funding to targeted, data-driven actions.
  • Phase III: Track emission reductions, not just air quality levels.
• Separate funding streams: For academic research and immediate implementation.
• Policy recommendation: Develop short-term, scalable, and actionable models for policymakers.
• Global Lessons:
  • China: Closed coal plants.
  • Brazil: Used community-led waste systems.
  • California: Reinvested pollution revenue in poor areas.
  • London: Banned coal before adopting tech solutions.

India’s clean air mission must prioritize local empowerment, coordination, and context-based innovation. Sustainable progress lies in people-centered, purpose-driven action—clean air must be a right, not a privilege.
 

Sci and Tech 

Laser allows long-range detection of radioactive materials - The Hindu 

In a new breakthrough, a team of physicists from the U.S. has successfully demonstrated a new way to detect radioactive materials using carbon-dioxide lasers from a distance. 

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Lasers

• Development: Invented by Indian-American scientist C.K.N. Patel.
• Structure: Four-level molecular gas laser using vibrational energy states of CO₂ molecules.
• CO₂ molecule structure: One carbon atom between two oxygen atoms.
• Vibrational modes:
  • Symmetric stretching: Oxygen atoms move simultaneously.
  • Bending mode: Atoms vibrate perpendicular to axis.
  • Asymmetric stretching: Carbon and oxygen atoms move in opposite directions
• Working Principle:
  • Laser action occurs between vibrational energy levels of CO₂.
  • Energy transferred from excited nitrogen (N₂) molecules to CO₂ achieves population inversion.
• Type: Molecular gas, four-level laser.
• Active Medium: Mixture of CO₂, N₂, and He.
• Pumping Method: Electrical discharge.
• Resonator: Concave mirrors.
• Output: Continuous or pulsed, up to 10 kW.
• Wavelength: 9.6 μm and 10.6 μm (infrared region).
• Detection Mechanism:
  • Ionization Process: Radioactive decay emits charged particles (α, β, γ), ionizing air to form plasma.
  • Avalanche Effect: Free electrons trigger chain ionization through collisions.
  • Laser Role: CO₂ laser at 9.2 μm accelerates seed electrons, enhancing sensitivity and minimizing excess ionization.
  • Microplasma Formation: Accelerated electrons create microplasmas that emit detectable optical backscatter.
  • Fluorescence Imaging: Used to study plasma dynamics and seed electron distribution.
  • Mathematical Modeling: Predicts backscatter signals based on seed densities; validated through experiments.