31 October 2023

• Rashtriya Ekta Diwas: October 31 is observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day), the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875-1950).
• Baba Farid anniversary: the 850th birth anniversary of Sufi poet Baba Farid (Fariduddin Ganjshakar) fell this week; his verses are included in the Guru Granth Sahib.
• JioSpaceFiber: Reliance Jio announced India's first satellite gigabit internet service using medium earth orbit satellites.
• Coal in India's energy mix: data showed coal accounts for 55 per cent of India's energy needs and 72 per cent of electricity generation.

GS area: Modern India History, Polity, Governance

October 31 is Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, declared by the Government of India in 2014 on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875-1950).

• Sardar Patel's contributions:
  • Home Minister (1947-50): India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister.
  • Integration of princely states: oversaw the political integration of over 560 princely states into the Indian Union. The key instrument used was the Instrument of Accession.
  • Hyderabad: Operation Polo (September 1948); Indian Army "police action" that compelled Hyderabad to accede after the Nizam refused.
  • Junagadh: accession via referendum (October 1947), despite Pakistan's claim.
  • Goa: Patel proposed forcible integration (he died before it was achieved; liberation in 1961 under Operation Vijay).
  • Statue of Unity: the world's tallest statue (182 metres), unveiled by PM Modi in October 2018, on Patel's birth anniversary. Located at Kevadia, Gujarat, near the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
• Unification of Civil Services: Patel created the All India Services (IAS, IPS) to serve as the "steel frame" of independent India; these services transcend state boundaries.
• Bismarck parallel: Patel is often compared to Otto von Bismarck (German unifier) and Camillo Cavour (Italian unifier).

Static linkage: Modern India history, polity.

GS area: Economy, Environment

Ministry of Coal data released in October 2023 underscored the depth of India's coal dependence.

• Share in energy: coal supplies approximately 55 per cent of India's total primary energy needs.
• Share in electricity: coal-based thermal power plants generate approximately 72 per cent of India's electricity.
• Reserve states: India has the world's fourth-largest proven coal reserves. State-wise reserves:
  • Jharkhand (25.6%)
  • Odisha (23.4%)
  • Chhattisgarh (17.5%)
  • West Bengal (10.6%)
  • Madhya Pradesh (8.6%)
• Coal India Limited (CIL): the world's largest coal mining company (by production volume). Accounts for over 80 per cent of India's coal production.
• China's dominance: China produces about 52 per cent of the world's coal. India is the second-largest producer and consumer.
• Transition challenge: India's NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) commits to 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030. The coal fleet will not be retired immediately; a "just transition" for coal-dependent communities and states is needed.
• PM KUSUM, Roof-top Solar, PLI for Solar: India's policy tools to shift electricity generation away from coal, without disrupting baseload.

Static linkage: Economy, environment.

GS area: Polity, Governance

A Supreme Court case on disqualification proceedings raised questions about the Speaker's role and the demand for an independent tribunal.

• Constitutional provisions:
  • Article 93: the Lok Sabha elects a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker.
  • Article 178: State Legislative Assemblies elect a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker.
  • Tenth Schedule (Anti-Defection Law, 1985): the Speaker decides disqualification petitions. If a member voluntarily gives up party membership or votes against party direction (whip), they can be disqualified.
• Concern: the Speaker is elected by the majority party and often acts in its interest when adjudicating disqualification cases involving government legislators.
• Key Supreme Court judgments:
  • Kihoto Hollohan v. Zachillhu (1992): upheld the Tenth Schedule constitutionality but held Speaker's decisions are subject to judicial review.
  • Nabam Rebia v. Dy. Speaker (2016): when the Speaker faces a disqualification notice themselves, they cannot decide disqualification proceedings.
  • Keisham Meghachandra Singh v. Speaker (2020): the Supreme Court set a 3-month deadline for Speakers to decide disqualification petitions.
• Reform proposal: committees have recommended an independent Election Commission-like tribunal for disqualification decisions.

Static linkage: Polity, governance.

GS area: Science and Technology, Economy

Reliance Jio announced India's first satellite-based gigabit internet service, JioSpaceFiber, in October 2023.

• Technology: uses medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites from SES (a Luxembourg-based satellite operator). MEO satellites orbit at 8,000-20,000 km altitude, offering lower latency than GEO (geostationary) satellites.
• GEO vs MEO vs LEO:
  • GEO (36,000 km): high latency (~600 ms). Used by older satellite internet services (VSAT).
  • MEO (8,000-20,000 km): medium latency (~100-130 ms). SES O3b system used by JioSpaceFiber.
  • LEO (<2,000 km): lowest latency (20-40 ms). Used by Starlink (SpaceX).
• Speed: JioSpaceFiber claims gigabit-class (1 Gbps) speeds.
• Target markets: remote rural areas, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and enterprises in hard-to-reach locations.
• IN-SPACe approval: satellite internet services require IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre) and DoT (Department of Telecommunications) approvals.
• Competition: Starlink (Elon Musk) is awaiting regulatory approval in India. Amazon Kuiper is a future entrant. JioSpaceFiber is the first to launch commercially.

Static linkage: Science and technology, economy.

GS area: Environment, International Relations

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced the 2023 Champions of the Earth awards.

• Champions of the Earth: UNEP's highest environmental honour. Instituted in 2005. Six categories: Lifetime Achievement, Leadership, Policy Leadership, Science and Innovation, Inspiration and Action, Entrepreneurial Vision.
• 2023 awardees in Policy Leadership category: recognition for plastic pollution action. The Global Plastics Treaty negotiations (Inter-governmental Negotiating Committee / INC) were under way in 2023; champions recognised for driving plastic lifecycle reduction policies.
• Plastic pollution context: approximately 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced annually. 85 per cent enters landfills, water bodies, or is incinerated. The INC process aims to conclude a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution by end of 2024.
• India's past awardees: PM Narendra Modi (2018, Policy Leadership, for the International Solar Alliance and Single-Use Plastic commitment); Purnima Devi Barman (2022, Inspiration and Action, for grassroots stork conservation).
• India at INC: India has been an active participant in plastics treaty negotiations, emphasising differentiated responsibilities for developing nations and producer country accountability.

Static linkage: Environment, international relations.

GS area: Art and Culture, Modern India History

The 850th birth anniversary of Fariduddin Ganjshakar (popularly known as Baba Farid) was commemorated.

• Born: 1173 CE (approximately) in Kothiwal, Multan region (present-day Pakistan).
• Sufi Order: the Chishti Order. Baba Farid was a disciple of Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki (Delhi) and was the spiritual teacher of Nizamuddin Auliya (Delhi).
• Language: composed in early Punjabi (Old Punjabi/Lehnda). His verses (sakhis, shlokas) are among the earliest written examples of Punjabi literature.
• Guru Granth Sahib: 4 shlokas and 112 hymns of Baba Farid are included in the Guru Granth Sahib, the primary scripture of Sikhism. This reflects the multi-faith respect for Sufi poetry in the Bhakti-Sufi tradition.
• Faridkot: the city of Faridkot in Punjab (now in Pakistan: Pakpattan; in India: Faridkot district) is named after him.
• Chishti Order in India: founded in India by Moinuddin Chishti (Ajmer). Other prominent Chishti saints: Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, Baba Farid, Nizamuddin Auliya, Amir Khusrau.

Static linkage: Art and culture, history.

• Amangarh Tiger Reserve (UP): a wildlife reserve in Bijnor district, Uttar Pradesh, that extends the Jim Corbett National Park ecosystem. Covers 578 sq km; supports tigers that were earlier displaced by tourism zones in Jim Corbett.
• Venezuela: Nicolas Maduro's government and the opposition agreed to a one-year roadmap for 2024 presidential elections in Barbados talks; Maria Corina Machado had won the opposition primary in October 2023.