India’s scores in ICAO air safety audit, Handloom, India’s low-carbon growth, COP27 climate deal
India’s scores in ICAO air safety audit
India’s scores in the ICAO’s air safety oversight audit will improve substantially as the international watchdog’s just-concluded validation mission was highly successful as per the initial reports, regulator DGCA said on 16 November 202. ICAO is the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
What is USOAP?
- Under its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) Continuous Monitoring Approach, an ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) was undertaken from 9 November to 16 November 2022.
- The audit was conducted in the areas of legislation, organisation, personal licensing, operations, airworthiness and aerodromes.
- As per the initial reports, the mission was highly successful. India has done extremely well and our scores will see a substantial improvement putting us in the company of nations with best safety standards and oversight systems.
- India is one of the fastest growing civil aviation markets globally and the sector is slowly recovering after being hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
- The audit result showed that the country’s score declined to 57.44 per cent from 65.82 per cent earlier.
- During the November 2017 visit, the ICAO team assessed five areas — Personnel Licensing and Training, Aircraft Operations, Airworthiness of Aircraft, Primary Aviation Legislation and Civil Aviation Regulations, and Civil Aviation Organisation.
Flashback
- USOAP monitors eight audit areas. They are Primary Aviation Legislation and Civil Aviation Regulations, Civil Aviation Organization, Personnel Licensing and Training, Aircraft Operations and Airworthiness of Aircraft.
- Other areas are Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation, Air Navigation Services, and Aerodromes and Ground Aids.
- In November 2017, ICAO carried out the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme for India and another team of the watchdog came in February 2018.
Handloom in news: Patan Patola
At the G20 summit, Prime Minister gifted traditional artworks from Gujarat- the ‘Patan Patola’ scarf to his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni.
- The ancient art of double ikat or Patola woven in pure silk dates back to the 11th century.
- The Patola fabrics bear an equal intensity of colours and design on both sides.
- This peculiar quality has its origins in an intricate and difficult technique of dyeing or knot dyeing, known as ‘bandhani’, on the warp and weft separately before weaving.
- Patola is woven on primitive hand-operated harness looms made out of rosewood and bamboo strips. The loom lies on a slant.
- The other commonly worn Patola is the Rajkot Patola, woven on a flat loom.
- The process involves warp and weft silk threads that are tied with cotton thread on portions marked with the proposed design.
- This tied portion then remains unexposed to colours while dyeing, which is followed by tying, untying, redyeing and dyeing in different shades.
- Single and primary colours are applied one after another as mixed shades develop by overlapping. This makes the design stand out.
- The last surviving family into Patola weaving is the Salvi family in Patan.
- From the oldest 70-year-old Rohit to the youngest 37-year-old Savan, the entire nine member-family of five men and four women is engaged with this art form.
- The Salvi family shared that before World War II, Indonesia was the major buyer of Patolas.
- Legend has it that King Kumarpal of the Solanki dynasty invited some 700 families of Patola weavers from Jalna (Maharashtra) to settle in Patan in North Gujarat, and the Salvis are among them.
- The family has also been honoured with several national awards.
- While possessing and wearing a Patola is considered a matter of pride, the fabric has largely remained inaccessible to common people because of its high price.
- The base price of a Patola saree in the Patan weave starts from Rs 1.5 lakh up and can go up to Rs 6 lakh.
- A typical 46-inch dupatta or scarf sells in the range of Rs 80,000, depending on the intricacy of the design.
India’s low-carbon growth
With a seven-point agenda, the Indian government for the first time has submitted its Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LDES) at the Conference of Parties (COP27) in Egypt. The agenda focuses on low-carbon electricity and transport systems, energy-efficient urban infrastructure, low-emission industrial systems, carbon mitigation technologies, enhanced forest cover, and economic and financial aspects of low-carbon development.
India’s 7 Strategies
- Low-carbon electricity systems consistent with development
- Integrated, efficient and inclusive low-carbon transport systems
- Energy & material-efficiency in buildings
- Decoupling growth from emissions, and developing an efficient, low-emission industrial system
- CO2 removal and related engineering solutions
- Enhancing forest cover consistent with socioeconomic and ecological considerations
- Increasing climate resilience in poverty eradication and employment creation
India Joins Moscow Talks For Inclusive Government In Afghanistan
- India participated in the recently held meeting of the ‘Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan on November 16 in the Russian capital.
- The Moscow format — one of the several dialogue platforms in Afghanistan — which began before the Taliban takeover of Kabul, consists of Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and India.
- India was represented by J.P Singh Joint Secretary in charge of the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division of the Ministry of External Affairs
The Moscow format was introduced in 2017 on the basis of the six-party framework for consultations between special representatives from Russia, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and India.
- Zamir Kabulov, the Special Representative of the President of Russia for Afghanistan, announced the meeting earlier this month.
- According to Mr. Kabulov’s proposal, the conference would explore some of the detrimental trends that the Taliban had initiated in the previous year.
- It will openly bring attention to the counter-productiveness of the limits placed on the involvement of women in the labour force and girls in the process of gaining education, without forcing our own view of the religious and cultural organization of public life on the Kabul authorities.
- The participants in the meeting talked about matters pertaining to Afghanistan, such as the current humanitarian situation, the ongoing assistance efforts of various stakeholders, intra-Afghan talks, the formation of an inclusive and representative government, efforts to combat terrorist threats, and maintaining regional security.
- According to preliminary indications, no Taliban representatives participated in recent negotiations. Taliban spokespersons have not yet provided an explanation for this absence.
- In addition to the members of the Moscow format, guests from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates were invited to take part in the discussion.
- In the format, a separate group comprising of representatives from India, Russia, and Iran is anticipated to discuss specific issues pertaining to the security situation in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
- On October 20, 2021, the Moscow format had a significant meeting in Moscow, giving regional stakeholders their first opportunity to speak with Taliban leaders.
- Several nations have reopened diplomatic posts in Kabul during the past year, but the Taliban government has not yet been acknowledged on a global scale.
- India has solidified its place as Afghanistan’s top developmental partner and aspires to actively contribute to the effective creation of a suitable atmosphere for the Afghan people to grow.
- India has a significant advantage over other regional powers when it comes to Afghanistan because of its people-centric strategy.
- India also plays a critical and tangible role in the Taliban’s effort to gain internal and global legitimacy due to its closeness, economic size, military prowess, and strong diplomatic network.
- In order to take advantage of India’s growing normative and material capability, the Taliban have been trying to strengthen their ties with India.
- The Taliban are requesting India’s assistance in training Afghan forces and asking India to play a bigger part in the development of Afghanistan by restarting its development assistance programs.
- In some ways, India has reciprocated by reopening its embassy in Kabul and offering humanitarian aid.
- India also sent its first official delegation to Afghanistan in June this year, which paved the way for direct interaction with senior Taliban officials.
Geostrategic significance of Afghanistan to India
- Counterbalance Pakistan and China: Afghanistan is geo-strategically extremely critical as it is vital in terms of our outreach to the Central Asian Republics and as a counterbalance to Pakistan and China.
- Connectivity to Central Asia: For Indian trade with the Central Asian Republics, the flow could be through the sea lanes of communications of the Indian Ocean to Gwadar port, and thereafter by land astride the Delaram highway that India has built-in Afghanistan, to destinations in CAR states.
- The route can also serves as a viable alternative to the BRI if provided the requisite political stability along its whole length.
Some of Projects Undertaken by India
Salma Dam: The 42MW Salma Dam is in Herat province. The hydropower and irrigation project, completed against many odds and inaugurated in 2016, is known as the Afghan-India Friendship Dam. The Salma Dam, or Afghan-India friendship Dam, in Herat.
Zaranj-Delaram Highway: The 218-km Zaranj-Delaram highway built by the Border Roads Organisation. Zaranj is located close to Afghanistan’s border with Iran.
The highway is of strategic importance to New Delhi, as it provides an alternative route into landlocked Afghanistan through Iran’s Chabahar port.
Parliament: India spent $90 million to construct the Afghan Parliament in Kabul. The structure was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, and a block in the building is named after former PM AB Vajpayee.
Stor Palace: The 1919 Rawalpindi Agreement, which led to Afghanistan’s independence, was signed at the Stor Palace in Kabul, which was rebuilt in 2016. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the building. Up until 1965, the structure served as the ministry’s and the Afghan foreign minister’s offices. A tripartite agreement was made in 2009 by India, Afghanistan, and the Aga Khan Development Network for its repair. Between 2013 and 2016, The Aga Khan Trust for Culture finished the undertaking.
Power Infra: Rebuilding power infrastructure in Afghanistan, such as the 220kV DC transmission line from Pul-e-Khumri, the capital of Baghlan province, to the north of Kabul, would help the country’s capital better supply electricity.
Health Infra: After the war, India assisted to rebuild a children’s hospital in Kabul that was in ruins, and it was renamed the Indira Gandhi Institute for Child Health in 1985. Free consultation clinics have been given by “Indian Medical Missions” in a number of locations. The Jaipur Foot has been fitted to thousands of people who lost limbs after stepping on wartime explosives.
Other Projects: India has constructed solar panels in distant areas, Sulabh toilet facilities in Kabul, and donated tables and benches for classrooms. With its vocational training centres, scholarships for Afghan students, civil service mentorship programs, and training for doctors and other professionals, New Delhi has also contributed to capacity building.
U.N. publishes draft COP27 climate deal
The U.N. climate agency published a first draft on 17 November 2022 of what could be the overarching agreement from the COP27 climate summit. The document, labelled a “non-paper” indicating it is still far from the final version, repeats the goal from last year’s Glasgow Climate Pact to “to accelerate measures towards the phase down of unabated coal power and phase out and rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.”
What
- It does not call for a phase down of all fossil fuels, as India and the European Union had requested.
- The text does not include details for launching a fund for loss and damage, a key demand from the most climate vulnerable countries like island nations.
- Rather, it “welcomes” the fact that parties have agreed for the first time to include “matters related to funding arrangements responding to loss and damage” on the summit agenda.
- It does not include a timeline for deciding on whether a separate fund should be created or what it should look like, giving time for negotiators to continue working on the contentious topic.
- The document “stresses the importance of exerting all efforts at all levels to achieve the Paris Agreement temperature goal of holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels.”
- The document is based on requests that delegates from nearly 200 countries have sought to be included in the final deal.
- It will provide a basis for negotiations over the coming days that are likely to substantially flesh out and rework the text.
UGC Asks Universities To Hold Lectures On Loktantra Traditions And Khap Panchayat
In order to celebrate India as the “mother of democracy” on November 26 on Constitution Day, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked universities and colleges to organize lectures on subjects like the “ideal king” in Indian philosophy and khap panchayats and their “democratic traditions.”
What is the Directive from the UGC?
- Jagadesh Kumar, chair of the UGC, wrote to all governors urging them to “push” the institutions in their States to hold similar talks.
- India was referred to as “the mother of democracy” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech from the Red Fort on August 15.
The UGC has provided 15 themes on which universities could hold lectures on the Constitutional Day on 26th November, and these include:
- the concept of the “ideal king“ according to Kautilya as well as Bhagavad Gita,
- India’s “loktantra (self-governance)“,
- Harappans as the pioneering architect of the democratic system in the world,
- khap panchayats and their “democratic traditions,
- the Bhakti tradition responsible for religious reforms,
- democracy as known to ancient Indian Buddhism and Institutions of the Sikhs,
- the tribal democratic traditions in governance,
- tradition of local self-government in ancient and medieval Tamil Nadu.
- The overarching theme for the lectures that has been spelt out by the ICHR is to promote India as a “loktantra ”.
- According to its explanation, the Loktantra stands for “community system oriented towards the welfare of the community”.
- It adds that ancient India was unique because there was no autocracy or aristocracy as there was no concentration of the prestige of birth, influence of wealth and political office, and “India’s Ancient” governance was different from ancient Rome and Greece.
- Sovereignty in Ancient Governance in India is instead rested on “Dharma” which is explained as “law”.
- There are many indications that the ancient form of governance in India was democratic, contrary to the general belief that it was monarchical. There is more evidence in the form of archaeological, literary, numismatic, epigraphical, bhakti, and so on, to emphasize the Loktantrik traditions of Bharat.
- A Khap is a community organisation representing a clan or a group of North Indian castes or clans.
- They are found mostly in North Indian States, particularly among the Jat people of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, but also amongst other states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh although historically the term has also been used among other communities.
- Khaps are formally not affiliated with the elected government bodies or Institution and are instead concerned with the affairs of the Khap it represents.
- A Khap Panchayat is an assembly of Khap elders, and a Sarv Khap is an assembly of many Khap Panchayats.
- It is not affiliated with the democratically elected local assemblies that are also termed Panchayat.
- A Khap Panchayat has no official government recognition or authority, but can exert significant social influence within the community it represents.
Structure: Khap panchayats and their “democratic traditions”
- The Khap consisted of 84 villages. The individual villages were governed by an elected council, known as the Panchayat.
- A unit of seven villages was called a Thamba and 12 Thambas formed the Khap unit of 84 villages.
- Their elected leaders of the village would determine which units would be represented at the Khap level.
- The Sarv Khap (or All Khap) Panchayat (Council) represented all the Khaps. The individual Khaps would elect leaders who would send delegates to represent their Khaps at the Sarv Khap.
- It was a political organization, composed of all the clans, communities, and castes in the region.
- Members of khap panchayats are all male, but they often make decisions affecting women.
Issues with the Khap Panchayat
- Honour Killing in Marriage Issues:The All India Democratic Women’s Association has reported cases where the Khaps are alleged to have initiated threats of murder and violence to couples who marry outside of the caste or clans.
- Prejudice against particular groups: In recent times, the Khap system has attracted criticism from groups, citing the stark prejudice that such groups allegedly hold against others.
- Illegal and Unconstitutional: The Supreme Court of India in various cases has declared Khap Panchayats to be illegal because they often decree or encourage honour killings or other institutionalised atrocities against boys and girls of different castes and religions who wish to get married or have married.
- No representation to Women in Khap Panchayat: All Members of khap panchayats are all male, but they often make decisions affecting women which results in controversies and is unconstitutional and arbitrary in nature.
- The Khap institution, which is considerably older than our democracy and constitution, is difficult to dismantle. The Khaps have strong origins that are built on the ideas of Bhaichara and Hukka-Pani “Interdining,” and what gives them power is a sense of kinship or cultural relativism.
- But Khap Panchayat at present is having few issues in its working. So it needed to reform the Khap Panchayat to regulate it in the best interest of democratic principle of the Indian Constitution.
- For that regulations based on earlier bills: Prevention of Crimes in the Name of ‘Honour’ and Tradition Bill, 2010 and Endangerment of life and Liberty (Protection, Prosecution and other measures) Act, 2011, needs to be enacted earliest as possible.
