15 July 2024

• Polity: Supreme Court commented that mandatory menstrual leave policies could be counterproductive to women's employment. Bihar already offers two days.
• Governance: RTI appeal pendency fell to 23,000 in 2023-24 from 35,000 in 2019-20. Over 3.02 crore applications filed in 15 years.
• Food security: PDS covers 75 per cent of rural and 50 per cent of urban populations under NFSA 2013. SMART-PDS initiative targets leakage reduction.
• Species: Dogfish shark species Squalus hima identified by ZSI from Kerala's coast. Liver oil is commercially valuable.

GS area: Social Justice, Governance

The Supreme Court commented during a hearing that mandatory menstrual leave policies could be counterproductive by reinforcing gender stereotypes and discouraging employers from hiring women.

• Scale: About 40 per cent of women are in India's labour force. Around 20 per cent of women experience dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation) severe enough to affect daily functioning.
• Current provisions: Bihar allows two days of paid menstrual leave per month. Zomato (private company) offers 10 days of paid period leave annually. Kerala has a menstrual leave policy for college students.
• International precedent: Spain introduced paid menstrual leave in 2023 but saw low uptake, partly because many women feared stigma in disclosing their status to employers.
• Arguments against mandatory policy: Could reinforce the idea that menstruation is a disability. Employers might avoid hiring women to circumvent the obligation. Female employees themselves may prefer privacy.
• Arguments for a policy: Acknowledges a biological reality that affects productivity and wellbeing. Reducing presenteeism (attending work while unfit) improves output quality.
• Related schemes: Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (Ministry of Health), SABLA (Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls), Swachh Vidyalaya Initiative.

Static linkage: Women's rights (Social Justice), labour law.

GS area: Polity, Governance

The Right to Information Act 2005 is approaching its 20th year. Recent data from the Central Information Commission (CIC) shows progress but also structural gaps.

• Applications filed: Over 3.02 crore RTI applications in the 19 years since the Act came into force.
• Pendency improvement: 35,000 appeals pending in 2019-20 versus 23,000 in 2023-24. Near-100 per cent disposal rate achieved.
• Structural problems: Seven of 11 CIC posts were vacant. This created a bottleneck at the top of the appeals process. States have 3.2 lakh appeals and complaints pending (as of June 2023).
• Denial patterns: 40 per cent of denied RTI requests lacked valid legal reasons (a 2021 study). The Official Secrets Act is frequently cited as a blanket exemption even where it does not legally apply.
• Section 4(1)(b): Requires public authorities to proactively disclose 17 categories of information without waiting for RTI requests. Implementation is uneven. Only 8 states and 2 UTs have fully operational online RTI portals.
• Constitutional basis: The RTI Act flows from the right to information as part of the fundamental right to freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a), which the Supreme Court affirmed in the S.P. Gupta case (1981).

Static linkage: RTI Act (Polity/Governance), transparency and accountability.

GS area: Economy, Governance

The Public Distribution System covers 75 per cent of rural and 50 per cent of urban populations under the National Food Security Act 2013. Reform efforts target the estimated 40 to 50 per cent diversion of grain.

• NFSA 2013: Provides subsidised foodgrains (5 kg per person per month) to about 81.4 crore people. Rice at 3 rupees, wheat at 2 rupees, millets at 1 rupee per kg (since amended to free distribution under PMGKAY).
• SMART-PDS components:
  • One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC): Allows beneficiaries to claim rations at any fair price shop in India. Over 3.6 crore ration cards are ONORC-enabled. Monthly transactions exceeded 3.5 crore across all 36 states and UTs.
  • End-to-End Computerisation: All transactions linked to Aadhaar for identity verification and to reduce ghost beneficiaries.
  • Data analytics: For identifying leakage patterns and targeting inspections.
• Leakage problem: An estimated 40 to 50 per cent of PDS grain is diverted. Causes include ghost beneficiaries, corrupt fair price shop owners, and inadequate transport monitoring.

Static linkage: Food security (Economy/Governance), NFSA.

GS area: Economy, Agriculture

Bihar contributes 85 per cent of India's makhana (fox nuts, Euryale ferox) production. The government is considering declaring an MSP for makhana.

• Cultivation: About 10 lakh people in Bihar are involved in makhana cultivation, primarily in the Mithila region (Darbhanga, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Saharsa districts). Makhana is grown in water bodies.
• GI Tag: Mithila Makhana has a Geographical Indication tag.
• Market problem: Prices are highly volatile. Without MSP protection, farmers are at the mercy of traders during peak harvest.
• MSP for non-cereal crops: MSP exists for 23 crops but is effectively implemented only for wheat and rice procurement. An MSP for makhana would be a political signal more than a procurement mechanism unless supported by a procurement agency.

Static linkage: Agricultural pricing (Economy), GI tags.

GS area: International Relations

India's abstention on the UN General Assembly resolution on Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (14 July) reflects its consistent policy of not taking sides on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

• India's stated position: Conflicts must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. India has voted for ceasefire and humanitarian access resolutions but abstains on those it sees as assigning blame.
• Practical considerations: India imports discounted Russian crude oil (approximately 2 million barrels per day as of early 2024, making Russia India's largest crude supplier). Alienating Russia has economic costs.
• Strategic autonomy: India defines its foreign policy through "strategic autonomy" rather than bloc alignment. This allows it to maintain relationships with conflicting parties (the US, Russia, Ukraine).

Static linkage: India's foreign policy (IR), India-Russia relations.

• Ukraine nuclear safety resolution: India, China, and a cluster of Global South countries abstained. The resolution called on Russia to immediately restore Ukrainian control over the plant. Russia, Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, and Syria voted against.
• Tirzepatide: Drug Controller General of India approved the dual GLP-1/GIP agonist for weight management. Clinical trials showed up to 20.9 per cent body weight reduction. Originally developed for Type 2 diabetes. Weight returns if the drug is discontinued.
• Squalus hima: New dogfish shark species identified by the Zoological Survey of India from Kerala's Arabian Sea coast. Distinguished by vertebrae and tooth counts. Liver oil contains squalene (cosmetics and medicine applications).