27 February 2023

• Climate: northwest and west India recorded temperatures 3 to 5 degrees Celsius above normal in late February. The IMD issued heat wave advisories for Gujarat and Rajasthan.
• Women and law: India has only 801 Protection Officers for 4.4 lakh registered domestic violence cases across all districts. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 requires Protection Officers in every district.
• Labour: India's unemployment rate was 4.1 per cent in 2021-22 per the Periodic Labour Force Survey. Female labour force participation reached 32.8 per cent, up from 23.3 per cent in 2018-19.
• Fintech: G20 members discussed a framework for regulating cryptocurrency assets. The FSB-IMF synthesis paper is the key deliverable.

GS area: Geography (climate), Disaster Management

India experienced an unusual early heat wave in February 2023, particularly in western and north-western states:

• IMD heat wave definition: a heat wave is declared when the maximum temperature reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains (37 degrees Celsius for hilly regions; 30 degrees Celsius for coastal regions) and the departure from normal is at least 4.5 degrees Celsius.
• February 2023 anomaly: temperatures were 3 to 5 degrees Celsius above normal in Gujarat, Rajasthan and parts of Maharashtra. This is highly unusual for February.
• Cause: an anticyclone formed over south Gujarat, compressing warm air and blocking sea breezes from the Arabian Sea. The La Nina's end removed a moderating influence on temperatures.
• Agricultural impact: wheat is at its grain-filling stage in February. High temperatures at this stage reduce grain weight and can cause permanent damage to the standing crop.
• Climate attribution: repeated early heat waves are consistent with global warming patterns for the Indian subcontinent. The IMF/IMD both project increasing frequency and intensity of heat wave events.
• Cold wave vs heat wave: a cold wave is declared when minimum temperature falls to 4 degrees Celsius or below (or departure from normal exceeds 4.5 degrees Celsius below). Both extremes have mortality consequences.

Static linkage: Physical Geography (heat waves, IMD, climate change).

GS area: Governance, Society (women's rights)

A Supreme Court hearing in February 2023 highlighted the severe shortage of Protection Officers mandated under the Domestic Violence Act:

• Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005: one of the key women's protection laws. Covers actual acts of domestic violence and the threat of violence. Includes physical, sexual, emotional, verbal and economic abuse within domestic relationships.
• Civil remedy: the DV Act provides civil remedies (protection orders, residence orders, maintenance orders) alongside criminal remedies. This distinguishes it from the IPC's Section 498A.
• Protection Officers: every district is required to have at least one Protection Officer (PO) to assist aggrieved women with applications, support access to shelters, and coordinate with police and courts. POs are the front-line interface between the Act and the victim.
• Gap highlighted by the court: India has only 801 Protection Officers for 4.4 lakh registered DV cases across all districts. Many districts had no PO at all.
• Consequence: without POs, women must navigate courts and police directly. Applications under the DV Act become practically inaccessible.
• Section 498A IPC: the parallel criminal provision against cruelty by husbands and relatives. Section 498A is non-bailable and cognisable; the DV Act provides additional civil relief.

Static linkage: Society, Governance (women's rights, DV Act, judicial enforcement of social legislation).

GS area: Economy (labour, social statistics)

The Annual Report of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for 2021-22 was released:

• Unemployment rate: 4.1 per cent (usual principal and subsidiary status basis). This is an improvement over earlier years but still a concern given underemployment.
• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): 55.2 per cent (all ages, both sexes). LFPR = (Employed + Unemployed) / Working-Age Population.
• Female LFPR: 32.8 per cent in 2021-22, up from 23.3 per cent in 2018-19. The increase reflects a shift toward self-employment in agriculture and MGNREGS-driven rural employment.
• Worker Population Ratio (WPR): the share of working-age persons actually employed. The gap between LFPR and WPR is the unemployment rate.
• PLFS methodology: the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation conducts the PLFS annually and quarterly. The quarterly (urban) report gives more real-time unemployment data.
• UPSC distinction: usual status (usual principal + subsidiary status) covers persons employed for at least 30 days. Current weekly status covers the reference week only. Different metrics give different unemployment rates. UPSC often tests this distinction.

Static linkage: Economy (labour market, PLFS, female labour force participation).

GS area: Economy (fintech), International Relations

India's G20 Presidency pushed cryptocurrency regulation as a priority:

• Why now: the FTX collapse in November 2022 (one of the largest crypto exchange failures) exposed risks of unregulated crypto markets. Contagion spread across multiple exchanges and funds.
• FSB-IMF synthesis paper: the Financial Stability Board (FSB) and IMF were tasked at the G20 Finance Ministers' meeting to develop a comprehensive synthesis paper. The paper would recommend a global regulatory framework.
• Approaches under discussion: outright bans (China's approach), comprehensive regulation treating crypto like securities (EU's MiCA regulation), or restricted frameworks.
• India's 2022 tax approach: India imposed a 30 per cent flat tax on crypto gains and a 1 per cent TDS on crypto transactions in the Union Budget 2022-23. This generates tax data without banning the asset class.
• Stablecoins: a subset of crypto assets that peg their value to fiat currencies. Considered lower risk than unbacked tokens but systemic if used widely for payments.
• India's CBDC: the digital rupee (e-Rupee), launched as a pilot by the RBI in 2022, is a Central Bank Digital Currency. It is distinct from private cryptocurrencies and is fully sovereign.

Static linkage: Economy (cryptocurrency, CBDC, fintech regulation).

GS area: Society (culture, tribal affairs)

The Unying Festival of the Adi tribal community of Arunachal Pradesh was celebrated in February 2023:

• Unying: the spring festival of the Adi community. It marks the new year and the beginning of the cultivation cycle. Celebrated with traditional dances, songs, communal feasts and the worship of nature spirits.
• Adi community: one of the largest tribal communities in Arunachal Pradesh. Predominantly in East Siang, Upper Siang, Siang, Shi-Yomi and parts of West Siang districts. Speak Adi language (Tibeto-Burman family).
• Relationship with nature: the Adi celebrate nature as sacred. Their festivals are tied to agricultural and ecological cycles. Animistic practices invoke harmony between humans and the environment.
• Arunachal's tribal diversity: Arunachal Pradesh has more than 100 distinct tribes and sub-tribes. The state has the highest proportion of Scheduled Tribe population (68 per cent, per 2011 Census) of any state.
• Scheduled Tribes in Arunachal: most tribal communities in Arunachal are listed in the Sixth Schedule. Customary law governs inheritance and land use in many tribal communities.
• Inner Line Permit: non-residents need an Inner Line Permit to enter Arunachal Pradesh. This protects tribal communities from demographic pressure from migration.

Static linkage: Society (tribal culture, Arunachal Pradesh, Scheduled Tribes).

GS area: Polity (media regulation), Governance

The IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 reached their two-year mark in February 2023:

• IT Rules 2021: enacted under the Information Technology Act 2000, Section 69A. Governs digital news publishers, OTT platforms (like Netflix and Amazon Prime) and social media intermediaries.
• Self-regulatory bodies: OTT platforms must establish Grievance Redressal Mechanisms and subscribe to self-regulatory bodies. Three-tier system: platform level, industry body level, government oversight.
• Content categorisation: OTT content is categorised (U, U/A 7+, U/A 13+, U/A 16+, A) with parental lock requirements for higher-rated content.
• Digital news publishers: news and current affairs content on digital platforms must follow the Programme Code, Advertising Code and journalist ethics codes.
• Constitutional challenge: Editors Guild of India and others challenged the Rules as arbitrary restrictions on free speech (Article 19(1)(a)). Multiple High Courts issued differing stays. The matter was consolidated before the Supreme Court.
• Government's view: the Rules provide a light-touch oversight framework appropriate for digital platforms, with content creators retaining editorial freedom.

Static linkage: Polity (media regulation, IT Act, freedom of speech, OTT).

• Millet exports: India's millet exports more than doubled in 2022 compared to 2021. Key markets: UAE, Nepal, Bangladesh, UK and USA. The International Year of Millets (2023) declared by the UN on India's proposal is expected to further boost export demand.
• SPARSH system: System for Pension Administration Rachna and Seva Hindrance for Armed Forces retirees. Digitises pension for defence pensioners directly, eliminating banking intermediaries.
• NCPCR guidelines: National Commission for Protection of Child Rights issued draft guidelines for child influencers on social media platforms, requiring parental consent and limiting working hours.