AMIGOS IAS Daily Current Affairs (17^th Sept 2024)

Centre-State relations and the use of Emergency provisions

GS 2: Polity and Governance: Centre-State Relations

Why is it in the news?

• The recent escalation of violence in Manipur has reignited discussions about Centre-State relations and the application of emergency provisions in India.

An Analysis

Federal Structure of Governance

• India is a federal republic with separate governments at both the Centre and State levels. The Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution delineates the distribution of powers between the Union and the States. Under this framework, maintaining law and order falls under the jurisdiction of State governments.

Emergency Provisions

• The Constitution’s emergency provisions, detailed in Part XVIII, include Articles 355 and 356.

1) Article 355 obligates the Centre to protect States from external threats and internal disturbances and to ensure that State governments adhere to constitutional principles.

2) Article 356 allows for the imposition of President’s Rule if a State Government fails to operate in accordance with the Constitution. Unlike in the U.S. and Australia, India’s Constitution includes provisions for the removal of State governments.

• B.R. Ambedkar designed Article 355 to safeguard against the arbitrary use of Article 356, emphasizing that any intervention by the Centre must be constitutionally mandated.

Judicial Rulings

• Ambedkar hoped that Articles 355 and 356 would rarely be used, but Article 356 has been misused in the past, leading to the dismissal of elected State governments for various reasons, including political motives and law and order issues.
• The Supreme Court’s 1994 judgment in the S.R. Bommai case restricted the use of Article 356, specifying that it should be applied only in cases of a breakdown of constitutional machinery, not merely law and order issues. This decision affirmed that impositions under Article 356 are subject to judicial review.
• Moreover, the interpretation of Article 355 has evolved over time. Initially, in the 1977 State of Rajasthan case, it was narrowly interpreted as justifying the use of Article 356.
• However, subsequent rulings in cases such as Naga People’s Movement of Human Rights (1998), Sarbananda Sonowal (2005), and H.S. Jain (1997) have expanded its scope. These rulings permit broader actions under Article 355 to ensure States’ constitutional compliance and protect their governance.

Suggestions

• The Sarkaria Commission (1987), the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2002), and the Punchhi Commission (2010) have recommended that Article 355 not only imposes a duty on the Union but also grants it the authority to act effectively. They have advised that Article 356 should be used only in extreme cases of urgency.

Conclusion

• In Manipur, the severity of violence, including attacks on civilians and looting, surpasses an ordinary breakdown of law and order.
• The Centre’s decision not to invoke Article 356 may be influenced by political considerations, given that the same party governs both at the Centre and the State level.
• Nevertheless, under Article 355, the Centre should continue to take all necessary actions to restore normalcy promptly.

Current Status of African Cheetah Introduction

GS 3: Environment and Biodiversity: Project Cheetah

Why is it in the news?

• Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh was selected for the introduction of African cheetahs due to its favourable habitat and adequate prey base. Despite this, Project Cheetah has encountered major setbacks, including prolonged captivity and cheetah fatalities.
• The project’s success depends on overcoming these issues by ensuring sufficient habitat, effective scientific management, and community support.

An Analysis

Project Overview

• The Cheetah Action Plan (CAP) aims to introduce African cheetahs into Indian ecosystems to conserve the species and restore savanna habitats. The project also supports international conservation efforts for the Asiatic cheetah by extending its range into protected areas in India.
• The plan projects that the cheetah population will reach Kuno National Park’s capacity in about 15 years and the broader Kuno landscape in 30-40 years, requiring a long-term commitment of at least 25 years from various Indian conservation bodies.

Challenges with Captivity

• The CAP specified that radio-collared male cheetahs should be released from enclosures after one to two months, with females following shortly. However, these timelines have not been met, leading to nearly a year of captivity for the cheetahs.
• This extended confinement contradicts the project’s goals and Namibian policy, which limits captivity for large carnivores to three months. As a result, the cheetahs are now considered unfit for release into the wild.

Cheetah Fatalities and Management Issues

• Several cheetahs have died due to pre-existing health conditions and management failures. Notable fatalities include a Namibian female with a chronic renal ailment, a South African male who succumbed to heart failure, and other deaths from injuries and heat stroke.
• Recent unusual deaths, such as drowning, highlight ongoing management and adaptation challenges.

Reasons for Cheetah’s Location in Kuno

• Kuno was chosen from ten surveyed sites across central India for its suitable habitat and prey base. Despite this, cheetahs remain largely in captivity.
• Plans to release them into Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary have been delayed, now targeting late 2024 or early 2025. Additionally, a captive breeding facility is under construction in Gujarat, and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary is also considered for future releases.

Management and Oversight

• An expert committee led by Rajesh Gopal oversees the project, with high-level decisions managed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• The Wildlife Institute of India provides technical support, while the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department handles field implementation.

Measurable Outcomes and Project Viability

• Short-term goals include achieving a 50% survival rate in the first year, establishing home ranges, successful wild reproduction, and generating eco-tourism revenue. Currently, these goals are unmet due to prolonged captivity.
• Hence, long-term success will be evaluated based on the cheetahs’ integration into the ecosystem, establishment of a viable population, habitat and prey diversity improvement, and local economic benefits through sustainable conservation.

Conclusion

• The project’s long-term goals, such as establishing a viable metapopulation, function as a de facto sunset clause. It will require ongoing management over 15 to 40 years.
• However, a crucial question remains whether India can provide the necessary high-quality habitat (4,000 to 8,000 sq. km) to support a viable free-ranging cheetah population.

Enhancing Large Language Models with Quantum Computing

GS 3: Science and Technology: Quantum Computing

About the news

• Large Language Models (LLMs), developed by companies like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft, have significantly advanced artificial intelligence and natural language processing (NLP).
• These models, known for their ability to generate human-like text, have revolutionized user interactions with technology. However, LLMs face substantial challenges, including high energy consumption and a tendency to produce “hallucinations,” or contextually coherent but factually incorrect information.
• Additionally, while proficient in semantic understanding, LLMs often struggle with syntactic accuracy, impacting their ability to generate grammatically correct text.
• However, Quantum computing presents a promising solution to these challenges. Quantum Natural Language Processing (QNLP) leverages quantum principles such as superposition and entanglement to enhance language models.
• Unlike classical models, QNLP can achieve superior performance with fewer parameters, reducing energy requirements and improving efficiency. This approach enables a more integrated understanding of syntax and semantics, potentially mitigating issues like hallucinations by providing a more precise context for information.
• In addition to language processing, quantum computing is advancing time-series forecasting through quantum generative models (QGen). These models can handle both stationary and nonstationary data more effectively than classical methods.
• Recent research has shown that QGen models, which use fewer parameters than traditional approaches, can accurately forecast trends and detect anomalies in financial and other complex datasets.
• Hence, embracing quantum computing for LLMs and time-series forecasting could revolutionize AI by making models more sustainable, efficient, and accurate. By addressing current limitations and enhancing data processing capabilities, quantum technology holds the potential to significantly advance AI systems and their applications.

Odisha’s Subhadra scheme

GS 2: Polity and Governance: Odisha’s welfare scheme

Why is it in the news?

• Prime Minister Modi to inaugurate Odisha’s new Subhadra Yojana on September 17, aimingto provide financial support to women across the state.

About the scheme

• Each eligible woman, aged 21 to 60, will receive Rs 10,000 annually, divided into two instalments of Rs 5,000 each, deposited directly into their Aadhaar-enabled bank accounts.
• The payments will be made on Rakhi Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) and International Women’s Day each year.
• The scheme is named after Goddess Subhadra, a revered deity in Odisha, highlighting its cultural significance.
• Over the next five years, the program plans to benefit over 1 crore women in the state, with more than 50 lakhs already registered.
• However, eligibility excludes economically well-off families, government employees, and those receiving substantial aid from other government schemes.
• To encourage digital transactions, 100 beneficiaries in each panchayat and urban local body area with the highest number of digital transactions will receive an additional Rs 500.
• The scheme is budgeted at Rs 55,825 crore over five years, with Rs 10,000 crore allocated for the 2024-25 financial year.

TN’s education fund on hold over dispute with NEP 2020

GS 2: Polity and Governance: Centre-state issues over policy implementation

Why is it in the news?

• Tamil Nadu is currently not receiving its Samagra Shiksha funds for this year because the Centre has linked the disbursal to the State’s full implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, including the contentious three-language formula, which the State opposes.
• This dispute has intensified recently, with a public exchange between the Centre and State on X.

More about the news

• Samagra Shiksha is a Centrally-sponsored scheme aimed at improving school education from nursery to Class 12, including teacher training, infrastructure, and vocational education.
• The scheme’s budget from 2021 to 2026 is ₹2.94 lakh crore, with a 60:40 funding split between the Centre and States. Tamil Nadu’s allocation for 2024-25 is ₹3,586 crore, with ₹2,152 crore from the Centre. However, the first quarterly instalment of ₹573 crore has not been released.
• Tamil Nadu CM claims that the Centre is conditioning this funding on signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the PM Schools for Rising India (PM Shri) scheme, which requires full NEP implementation. Tamil Nadu signed a modified MoU without the NEP compliance clause, but the Centre rejected it, leading to the funds being withheld.
• Tamil Nadu objects to several aspects of the NEP 2020, particularly the three-language formula and curriculum changes.
• The State’s draft education policy favours its current 5+3+2+2 structure over the NEP’s inclusion of pre-school years and prefers a five-year age for Class 1 entry, compared to the NEP’s six-year requirement.
• It also opposes the NEP’s proposal for common entrance tests for undergraduate admissions, preferring Class 11 and 12 marks. The State argues that linking Samagra Shiksha funds to NEP compliance infringes on its educational autonomy.
• The NEP 2020 recommends teaching students at least three languages, including the mother tongue or local language until Class 5, with two being native to India. This recommendation has been part of NEP policies since 1968.
• Tamil Nadu, with a history of resistance to mandatory Hindi, follows a two-language policy of Tamil and English, with optional third languages.
• Although NEP 2020 allows flexibility and does not mandate Hindi, Tamil Nadu prefers its bilingual approach, emphasizing Tamil and English proficiency while rejecting the three-language formula as an infringement on its educational and cultural policies.

Arvind Kejriwal’s push for early Delhi assembly elections

GS 2: Polity and Governance: Unique case of Delhi’s elections

Why is it in the news?

• Arvind Kejriwal is set to resign as Delhi CM and has requested Delhi’s Assembly elections be scheduled alongside Maharashtra’s, which must be held before November 26, despite Delhi’s Assembly term ending on February 23, 2025.

What the law says

• The scheduling of Assembly elections in Delhi is determined by the Election Commission of India (ECI), which operates under Article 324 of the Constitution. The ECI is responsible for overseeing and controlling elections and ensures that the election process is completed before the end of the current Assembly’s term.
• According to Section 15(2) of The Representation of the People Act, 1951, elections cannot    be notified less than six months before the Assembly’s term expires, unless the Assembly is dissolved early. Moreover, a Chief Minister cannot directly compel the ECI to conduct elections before the term is completed.
• Under Article 174(2)(b) of the Constitution, the Governor may dissolve the Legislative Assembly “from time to time.” The Council of Ministers can recommend the dissolution to the Governor, who then has the authority to decide.
• If the Assembly is dissolved, the ECI must hold elections within six months. For instance, in September 2018, the Telangana Cabinet recommended dissolving the Assembly before its term ended in June 2019, leading to early elections in 2018.
• However, Delhi’s situation is somewhat unique due to its status as a Union Territory. According to the Section 6(2)(b) of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 while the Lieutenant Governor can dissolve the Assembly, the final decision lies with the Centre.