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Amid polls in five states and with general elections just around the corner, the Union Cabinet has cleared the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) — which aims to provide free foodgrains to 81.35 crore people under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) — for five years beginning January.
The scheme is estimated to cost the government Rs 11.80 lakh in subsidies in five years, said an official statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the extension of the scheme, which was to end this December, during election rallies in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in November.
The Union government had launched the PMGKAY in April 2020 in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. Under the PMGKAY, an additional quantity of 5 kg of free foodgrains was provided to every person on top of their NFSA entitlement of subsidised foodgrains.
Under the NFSA, the government provides rice at Rs 3 per kg, wheat at Rs 2 per kg and coarse grains at Rs 1 per kg.
Manipur’s UNLF bids farewell to arms (Page no. 1)
(GS Paper 3, Internal Security)
In the first known instance of a valley-based insurgent group (VBIG) from Manipur entering into a peace pact with the Centre, the Union government said that the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), a Meitei insurgent outfit, has signed a Peace Agreement with the Government of India and the Government of Manipur.
This was announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah who called it a “historic milestone”. In a post on X, Shah said, “UNLF, the oldest valley-based armed group of Manipur, has agreed to renounce violence and join the mainstream. I welcome them to the democratic processes and wish them all the best in their journey on the path of peace and progress.”
Sources in New Delhi said the agreement at the moment is largely on suspension of operations (SoO) which would largely translate into both the UNLF and the security forces not undertaking operations against each other.
In due course, sources said, areas would be identified to build camps for UNLF within the valley where their cadres would stay along with their arms and ammunition under the supervision of the Manipur government and the armed forces.
Decision 2023
Pakistan beats India in vote to bag UNESCO vice chair role (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 2, International Organisation)
Pakistan defeated India in an election at the UNESCO executive board for the post of vice chair last week, in which Islamabad’s candidate got 38 votes while India’s received 18.
Pakistan’s victory of being elected as vice chair of the UNESCO Executive Board for 2023-2025 from the Asia Pacific Group, is being seen as a major setback for Indian diplomats in the UN.
Sources said that the Ministry of External Affairs and Human Resource Development ministry — which handles Unesco in the Indian government and appoints the Indian representative in Paris — were assessing reasons and the impact of the defeat.
Sources said India’s representative at the Unesco Vishal Sharma, a political appointee, was asked about the reasons for India’s dismal performance, where it garnered less than 50 per cent of votes. The elections transpired during the 218th session of the Unesco executive board held in Paris last Friday.
In response to this development, a statement from Pakistan foreign office expressed gratitude to the executive board members and all Unesco member states for their overwhelming support and trust in Pakistan’s candidature.
Goals derailed, world meets in Dubai to bring climate on track (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
All indications are that time may have already run out on efforts to keep the global rise in temperatures within 1.5 degree Celsius from pre-industrial times.
And yet, world leaders, business corporations, climate negotiators and activists are congregating in Dubai for the next two weeks to make one more attempt towards that goal, keeping a glimmer of hope by committing to some enhanced and effective climate action in the short term.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is among those travelling to Dubai for COP28, the climate conference which begins tomorrow and which, like every year, will see a range of global leaders, heads of states and governments.
Modi, who will make an appearance at the climate conference for the third time, after his visits to Paris in 2015 and Glasgow in 2021, would be in Dubai on the first two days of the conference, utilising this opportunity to also hold bilateral meetings with other leaders.
This is important in the context of the ongoing Israel-Gaza war almost next door that has altered regional geopolitics and significant implications for India. Israeli President Issac Herzog and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are also among those scheduled to attend.
US President Joe Biden, who came for the last two conferences, is not expected to travel to Dubai this year, neither is Chinese President Xi Jinping slated to attend.
But more than 130 other heads of states or governments, including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, are coming.
Editorial
We moved a mountain (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 3, Infrastructure)
Deepawali is one of the most enthusiastically celebrated festivals in the country. This year, it was not so for the families of the 41 workers who got trapped behind a cave-in at the Silkyara tunnel site in Uttarakhand on the morning of November 12, the day of the festival.
The long ordeal that followed was watched by the whole nation with bated breath and deep concern. The journey was a rollercoaster of emotions, with moments of anticipation that the ordeal would soon end followed by disappointment as tactic after tactic failed, until eventually, the mountain relented.
The first attempt at using heavy earth-moving machines was not productive. An Auger drilling machine was operationalised; the first low-power Auger was replaced with one that had a higher capacity, and airlifted to the site by the Air Force.
This seemed like a simple and quick method to reach the trapped workers, but it was not to be. Meanwhile, a system was set up for supplying food and water to them through a pipe.
Mercifully, they were not trapped in a dark and confined space; they had electricity and 2 km of finished tunnel behind them. A communication system was established, which helped keep their spirits up.
Ideas Page
Stepping up, together (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 2, International Organisation)
Today marks 365 days since India assumed the G20 presidency. It is a moment to reflect, recommit, and rejuvenate the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — “One Earth, One Family, One Future”.
As we undertook this responsibility last year, the global landscape grappled with multifaceted challenges: Recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, looming climate threats, financial instability, and debt distress in developing nations — all amid declining multilateralism. In the midst of conflicts and competition, development cooperation suffered, impeding progress.
Assuming the G20 chair, India sought to offer the world an alternative to the status quo, a shift from a GDP-centric to human-centric progress. India aimed to remind the world of what unites us, rather than what divides us.
Finally, the global conversation had to evolve — the interests of the few had to give way to the aspirations of the many. This required a fundamental reform of multilateralism as we knew it.
Inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive — these four words defined our approach as G20 president, and the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration (NDLD), unanimously adopted by all G20 members, is testimony to our commitment to deliver on these principles.
Express Network
Cabinet approves Rs 24000 crore scheme for vulnerable groups (Page no. 14)
(GS Paper 2, Social Justice)
The Union Cabinet has approved the wide-ranging Rs 24,104-crore tribal welfare scheme announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month.
The Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) is one of the largest Central schemes and the largest targeting the tribal community in terms of outlay.
The scheme aims to provide a number of facilities to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). These include housing, drinking water and sanitation, access to education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
The scheme provides for around 4.9 lakh pucca houses at a cost of Rs 2.39 lakh per house; 500 hostels at Rs 2.75 crore per unit; 2,500 Anganwadi centres; installation of mobile towers in 3,000 villages; and 8,000 km of road connectivity, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs said.
The Union Cabinet cleared the scheme Tuesday night. The Centre’s share is Rs 15,336 crore and states will contribute Rs 8,768 crore. Nine ministries will be involved in carrying out the interventions.
Explained
India at the climate summit (Page no. 15)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
As the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, India is a crucial player in the global fight against climate change.
Commensurate to its rising influence in international economic and geopolitical affairs, India has, in the last few years, become increasingly proactive at the annual climate change conference, also known as the Conference of Parties (to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change), or simply COP.
It is not very well-known that India had hosted one of these conferences — COP8, way back in 2008. COPs used to be much simpler affairs at that time, attended only by climate negotiators and some environment ministers.
They were very different from the extremely high-profile events that recent COPs have become. At least three of these, COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, COP21 in Paris in 2015 and COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, saw over 100 heads of states or governments flying in, making them the largest congregation of world leaders ever.
History of UNLF, Meitei insurgent group that signed peace deal with centre (Page no. 15)
(GS Paper 3, Internal Security)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the signing of a peace agreement with the Meitei separatist group United National Liberation Front (UNLF) in Manipur, terming it a “historic milestone.”
The Home Minister also expressed the hope that this would encourage other valley-based insurgent groups (VBIGs) to participate in a peace process.
The UNLF was formed on November 24, 1964, and is the oldest valley-based insurgent group — distinct from the insurgent groups active in the state’s Naga-dominated and Kuki-Zomi dominated hills.
It was formed with the demand of secession from India under the leadership of Arembam Samarendra Singh, who was the general secretary of the group. Two of the top central committee leaders — Khalalung Kamei and Thangkhopao Singsit — were a Naga and a Kuki.
The UNLF is believed to have received its initial training from the NSCN (IM), the largest Naga insurgent group. Its armed wing, the Manipur People’s Army, was formed in 1990 and over the years, it has carried out multiple attacks targeting Indian security personnel.
World
Lanka, creditor nations agree in principle on restructuring of debt (Page no. 16)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
A group of Sri Lanka’s creditor nations and Colombo reached an agreement in principle on debt restructuring for the South Asian nation, Japanese top financial diplomat Masato Kanda said.
Japan co-chairs this group, together with France and India, which is comprised of 14 nations. China is Sri Lanka’s largest bilateral creditor and has not joined this group as a formal member.
Sri Lanka’s finance ministry said the agreement in principle covered approximately $5.9 billion of outstanding public debt and consisted of a mix of long-term maturity extension and reduction in interest rates.
Mired in its worst financial crisis in decades, Sri Lanka has been trying to reach restructuring deals with creditors since last year.
“The fact that we agreed in principle with Sri Lanka today on debt restructuring conditions is a major achievement,” Kanda told reporters. “I expect this case will be applied as a leading case in dealing with debt problems in middle income nations.”
Economy
Govt clears 16th FC terms, disaster management funds review on cards (Page no. 17)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
In a departure from convention, the Union Cabinet late on Tuesday approved the terms of reference for the Sixteenth Finance Commission (SFC) without revealing the names of its chairman and members.
Announcing the decision in a press briefing, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said the chairman and members will be appointed “as soon as possible” as the commission has to finish its report in two years.
The SFC has to submit its report by October 31, 2025, covering a period of five years that will come into effect on April 1, 2026. The recommendations of the Fifteenth Finance Commission (FFC), chaired by N K Singh, are valid till March 31, 2025.
The terms of reference released by the Cabinet mostly contained the constitutionally mandated provisions such as distribution of net proceeds of taxes between the Centre and the states and among states, principles that should govern the grants-in-aid of the revenues of the states out of the Consolidated Fund of India, and measures needed to supplement the resources of panchayats and municipalities in the states.