6 December 2024

• Polity: Law Minister Arjun Meghwal raised the absence of a formal judicial code of conduct, pointing to the 1997 "Restatement of Values of Judicial Life" as the sole framework.
• Economy: UPI Lite wallet limits were raised (2,000 to 5,000 rupees) and per-transaction caps increased (500 to 1,000 rupees), improving low-value digital payments.
• International: The Syrian civil war offensive by HTS neared its climax: Aleppo had fallen, and rebel forces were advancing toward Hama and Homs.
• Bilateral: India-Bhutan cooperation on the Gelephu Mindfulness City project and the Punatsangchhu-II hydropower plant was in focus.

GS area: Polity (Judiciary)

The Union Law Minister drew attention to the absence of a binding statutory code of conduct for Indian judges following the Allahabad High Court judge controversy.

• Current framework: The Supreme Court's "Restatement of Values of Judicial Life" (1997) sets out guidelines on judicial conduct. It is a resolution adopted by the Full Court, not a statute.
• Constitutional provisions: Articles 124 and 217 govern the appointment and removal of Supreme Court and High Court judges respectively. Removal requires "proved misbehaviour or incapacity" established through the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.
• In-house procedure: Since 1997, the Supreme Court has an in-house inquiry mechanism where the Chief Justice investigates complaints against judges confidentially.
• Challenges: The restatement has no enforcement mechanism beyond peer pressure. The in-house procedure is opaque. The Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill, which aimed to create binding standards, was never passed.
• Tension: Judicial accountability and judicial independence are in permanent tension. Any external oversight mechanism risks political weaponisation. Any internal-only mechanism risks self-protection.

Static linkage: Polity (judiciary, separation of powers, judicial accountability).

GS area: Economy, Science and Technology

The Reserve Bank of India raised UPI Lite limits in December 2024.

• UPI Lite: A feature that stores a small wallet balance on the user's device rather than debiting the bank account for each transaction. This enables near-instant payments without internet authentication.
• New wallet limit: Raised from 2,000 to 5,000 rupees.
• New per-transaction limit: Raised from 500 to 1,000 rupees.
• PIN requirement: UPI Lite transactions do not require a PIN, making them suitable for small, quick purchases.
• Relevance: Low-value transactions dominate India's digital payment volume. UPI Lite reduces server load on the banking system and works in areas with poor connectivity.
• Operator: NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) developed UPI Lite. RBI regulates it as a prepaid payment instrument.

Static linkage: Economy (digital payments, NPCI, RBI regulation).

GS area: Governance, Economy

The Anna Chakra tool, developed to optimise the Public Distribution System (PDS) supply chain, was showcased in December 2024.

• What it does: Uses advanced route optimisation algorithms to plan last-mile delivery of foodgrains from FCI godowns to fair price shops.
• Coverage: Operational in 30 states and Union Territories.
• Scale of PDS: India's PDS is the world's largest food security system. The National Food Security Act, 2013 covers about 81 crore beneficiaries.
• Companion tool: SCAN (Subsidy Claim Application for NFSA) portal automates subsidy claims with a digital workflow, replacing manual processes and speeding up settlements.
• Food subsidy context: India's food subsidy bill was about 2.05 lakh crore rupees in FY 2023-24, covering wheat, rice and coarse grain.

Static linkage: Governance (PDS, NFSA, food security).

GS area: International Relations, Economy

Bhutan is developing the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) in southern Bhutan, near the Indian border, with Indian support.

• Location: Gelephu is in Sarpang district, bordering Assam. The city is being designed as a sustainable, wellbeing-focused special economic zone.
• India's role: Infrastructure connectivity, energy supply and investment facilitation. India is Bhutan's largest trade and development partner.
• Punatsangchhu-II hydropower project: India is providing technical and financial assistance. The project feeds into the Brahmaputra basin system. Bhutan exports surplus hydropower to India, a key feature of the bilateral relationship.
• Bhutan-India ties: Bhutan's entire defence and foreign policy orientation is anchored in the India-Bhutan Friendship Treaty of 2007. Bhutan does not have formal diplomatic relations with the US or China.

Static linkage: International relations (South Asia, India-Bhutan), economy (hydropower).

GS area: Environment, Governance

The 16th GRIHA Summit was held in December 2024, themed "Climate Action in Built Environment." GRIHA V 6.0 was launched.

• GRIHA: Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment. It is India's own green building rating system.
• Developed by: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in collaboration with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
• Scope of green buildings: Buildings contribute about 33 per cent of global energy consumption and significant carbon emissions. Green rating systems assess energy efficiency, water conservation, materials use and indoor air quality.
• GRIHA V 6.0: Updated criteria incorporating embodied carbon, adaptive reuse of materials, and enhanced occupant well-being parameters.

Static linkage: Environment (green buildings, energy efficiency), governance.

GS area: International Relations, Geography

The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led offensive in Syria continued to advance toward Hama after capturing Aleppo.

• HTS: Hayat Tahrir al-Sham was formed on 28 January 2017 as a merger of jihadist factions. Its leader is Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani (now Ahmed al-Sharaa). It emerged from al-Qaeda's Syrian branch, Jabhat Fatah al-Sham. The US, UN and Turkey designate it as a terrorist organisation.
• Idlib: HTS had controlled the northwestern province of Idlib, home to over 3 million people, for several years before the December offensive.
• Aleppo: Syria's second-largest city, captured by rebels on 1 December 2024. A UNESCO World Heritage site.
• India's 90 nationals: About 90 Indian nationals were in Syria as of December 2024, including 14 working in UN organisations. MEA issued advisories against travel.
• MEA response: India called for stability, sovereignty and an inclusive Syrian-led political process.

Static linkage: International relations (West Asia, geopolitics), geography (Syria).

• Gait analysis in policing: India's law enforcement agencies are exploring gait analysis (identifying individuals by walking patterns from CCTV footage). It is already in use in the UK, China and Canada. It raises civil liberty concerns but can help identify suspects wearing masks.
• Rangeen Machhli App: ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) launched this app under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) in 8 languages to promote the ornamental fish sector and connect fishers to markets.