Why is it in the News?

Recently, the RBI released a report saying, the return to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) by a few states would put a huge burden on their finances, restricting them from undertaking capital expenditure to drive the growth.

What is the Old Pension Scheme (OPS)?

• The Old Pension Scheme (OPS), popularly OPS, is for state and central government employees who have completed 10 or more years of service.
• The appeal of the Old Pension Scheme lies in its commitment to provide a guaranteed or 'defined' benefit to retirees, classifying it as a 'Defined Benefit Scheme.'
• It provides government employees with pensions based on their final salary, amounting to 50% of the last drawn salary.
• For instance, if a government employee's final monthly salary upon retirement was Rs 10,000, they would receive a guaranteed pension of Rs 5,000.
• Similar to government employees' salaries, pension payouts increased with government-declared dearness allowance (DA) hikes.
• The Central government discontinued OPS in 2003.

What were the issues with the OPS?

• The primary concern was the unfunded nature of the pension liability, lacking a dedicated corpus that could grow over time to meet payment needs.
• The annual Government of India budget allocated funds for pensions without a clear strategy for sustaining future payments.
• The 'pay-as-you-go' approach raised inter-generational equity concerns, burdening the present generation with the escalating load of pension responsibilities.
• Recently, the RBI expressed alarm over some states, including Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, reverting to the OPS, citing it as a significant fiscal challenge.
• The RBI warned that by deferring current expenses to the future, states risk accumulating unfunded pension liabilities in the years to come.

What is the New Pension Scheme (NPS)?

• Introduced by the Central government in 2004 as an alternative to OPS, NPS is accessible to employees across public, private, and unorganized sectors, excluding those in the armed forces.
• This pension initiative encourages individuals to invest in a pension account regularly during their employment.
• Upon retirement, subscribers can withdraw a specific percentage of the accumulated corpus.
• The remaining amount is disbursed as a monthly pension post-retirement.
• Regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

How does NPS differ from OPS?

• Old Pension Scheme (OPS) ensures a fixed and guaranteed pension amount.
• In contrast, the National Pension Scheme (NPS) is an investment-cum-pension scheme, exposing returns to market volatility.
• NPS contributions are defined, but benefits are contingent on market performance.

Why is it in the News?

The NAMO Drone Didi Scheme provides new work opportunities to women and makes them the backbone of the rural economy.

What is the NAMO Drone Didi Scheme?

• The Prime Minister has recently approved the Central Sector Scheme (NAMO Drone Didi Scheme) for providing Drones to the Women Self Help Groups (SHGs), with an outlay of Rs. 1261 Crore.
• The scheme aims to provide drones to 15,000 selected Women SHGs during the period 2023-24 to 2025-2026 for providing rental services to farmers for agriculture purposes.
• The scheme seeks to empower women Self Help Groups (SHGs) and bring new technologies through drone services in the agriculture sector.

The highlights of this scheme are as follows:

• Departments involved: The scheme converges the resources and efforts of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW); Department of Rural Development (DoRD); Department of Fertilizers (DoF); Women SHGs and Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs).
• Identification of SHGs: The women SHGs would be identified from the total 89 lakh SHGs formed under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana.
• Financial Assistance:
• Central Financial Assistance covering 80% of drone costs up to a maximum of Rs. 8 Lakh will be provided.
• The remaining amount can be raised through the National Agriculture Infra Financing Facility (AIF) with a provision of interest subvention @ 3% on the AIF loan.
• Training:
• One of the members of SHGs will be trained in drone piloting skills and agriculture purposes of nutrient and pesticide application.
• Another member will be trained as a drone technician.
• This will allow them to not just operate the drone but also repair and maintain it.
• Nano Fertilizers: The scheme also promotes the use of Nano Fertilizers like Nano Urea and Nano DAP through drone services.
• Opportunities for Start-ups: The scheme not only empowers women but also opens avenues for dynamic start-ups in the field of drone aeronautics, tapping into significant untapped potential in this emerging sector.

Significance of the NAMO Drone Didi Scheme:

• Empowering Rural Women: Fosters technological empowerment of rural women, positioning them as the backbone of the rural economy.
• Places drone technology in the hands of women pilots from Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
• Modernizing Agricultural Practices: Addresses the imperative to modernize agricultural practices.
• Aims to elevate agricultural productivity through cutting-edge technology, contributing to a new agricultural revolution.
• Job Opportunities in Drone Aeronautics: Creates opportunities in the emerging field of drone aeronautics with substantial untapped potential.
• Opens avenues for rural women as pilots, mechanics, and spare-part dealers.
• Efficient Fertigation System Development: Facilitates the development of an efficient fertigation system.
• Introduces innovative liquid fertilizers like Nano Urea and Nano DAP with foliar application.
• Time-Efficient Spraying System: Automation of the spraying system through agri-drones ensures a time-saving and efficient application system.
• Equitable Agrarian Family Culture: Contributes to making the agrarian family culture more equitable and robust.

Why is it in the News?

The Supreme Court recently held that the declaration of State emergency under Article 356 and the subsequent actions of the President should have a “reasonable nexus”.

What is Article 356 of the Indian Constitution?

Article 356 of the Constitution of India is based on Section 93 of the Government of India Act, 1935. According to Article 356, the President's Rule can be imposed on any state of India on the grounds of the failure of the constitutional machinery.

There are two types:

• If the President receives a report from the state's Governor or otherwise is convinced or satisfied that the state's situation is such that the state government cannot carry on the governance according to the provisions of the Constitution.
• Article 365: As per this Article, President's Rule can be imposed if any state fails to comply with all directions given by the Union on matters it is empowered to.

In simple words, President's Rule is when the state government is suspended and the central government directly administers the state through the office of the governor (centrally appointed. It is also called State Emergency or Constitutional Emergency.

President's Rule:

• Parliamentary approval is necessary for the imposition of the President's Rule on any state.
• The proclamation of President's Rule should be approved in both Houses of Parliament within two months of its issue.
• The approval is through a simple majority.
• The President's Rule is initially for a period of six months.
• Later, it can be extended for a period of three years with parliamentary approval, every six months.
• The 44th Amendment to the Constitution (1978) brought in some constraints on the imposition of the President's Rule beyond a period of one year. It says that the President's Rule cannot be extended beyond one year unless:
• There is a national emergency in India.
• The Election Commission of India certifies that it is necessary to continue the President's Rule in the state because of difficulties in conducting assembly elections in the state.

What happens after the President's Rule is imposed?

• The governor carries on with the administration of the state on behalf of the President. He or she takes the help of the state's Chief Secretary and other advisors/administrators whom he or she can appoint.
• The President has the power to declare that the state legislature's powers will be exercised by the Parliament.
• The state legislative assembly would be either suspended or dissolved by the President.
• When the Parliament is not in session, the President can promulgate ordinances with respect to the state's administration.

When is the President's Rule imposed?

• President's Rule is typically imposed when any of the following circumstances occur:
• The state legislature is unable to elect a leader as the Chief Minister within the time prescribed by the state's governor.
• Breakdown of a coalition in the state government, resulting in the Chief Minister having minority support in the legislature, and the CM is unable to prove a majority within the time prescribed by the governor.
• A vote of no confidence in the legislative assembly leads to a loss of majority.
• Postponement of elections due to unavoidable reasons such as a natural disaster, epidemic, or war.

Revocation of President's Rule:

• President's Rule can be revoked anytime after such a proclamation has been made by a subsequent proclamation by the President.
• A proclamation of revocation does not require approval by the Parliament.
• This occurs when the leader of a political party produces letters indicating majority support for him in the assembly and stakes his claim to form the state government.

Why is it in the News?

Web browsers are our digital passports to the vast universe of the internet. Their simplicity is deceptive: beneath their user-friendly interfaces lies a world of intricate processes that transform clicks into the web pages we interact with every day.

What are web browsers?

• Fundamentally, the browser is an application that people use to send and receive messages via the internet.
• In other words, the browser is a program that runs on our device, with its purpose being to fetch information in different formats from the internet and show it on the device.
• It also does the reverse, receiving your input (say, a click), translating it to code, and transmitting it to some other machine across the internet.
• In the year 1990, the English computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee introduced the concept of the World Wide Web also named ‘WorldWideWeb’.

What Constitutes a Web Browser?

Web browsers today comprise numerous essential components, each representing a sophisticated technology. Additionally, they depend on various supporting technologies and adhere to established standards governing the functioning of the Internet.

• Request and Response: When we enter a website's URL, the browser sends a request to a server, asking for the specific web page.
• The server processes the request and sends back a response containing the information needed to construct the page.
• This response, akin to a digital blueprint, travels back to our browser.
• Deconstructing the Response: The server's response comprises various files encoded in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
• HTML outlines the webpage structure, CSS adds style and aesthetics, while JavaScript brings interactivity, making the page dynamic and engaging.
• Rendering: The browser deciphers HTML, applies CSS for styling, and executes JavaScript for interactivity, rapidly assembling the final webpage.
• Rendering engines are crucial technology enabling quick and cohesive visual presentation.
• Managing Data: Browsers use cookies for retaining site preferences and cache for storing frequently accessed files.
• Cookies act like post-it notes, preserving login status and preferences, while the cache accelerates page loading by retrieving stored files instead of downloading them again.
• Security: Browsers prioritize security by employing encryption protocols like HTTPS for data exchange.
• They create secure 'tunnels' to shield information during transmission. Warning systems alert users about potential threats, enhancing overall online safety.

As technology advances, web browsers are on a trajectory of continuous evolution. They are integrating state-of-the-art technologies such as WebAssembly, facilitating near-native performance within the browser. The future holds promises of support for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences, offering immersive online interactions. Privacy features are also being fortified, empowering users with enhanced control over their digital presence.

Why is it in the News?

After four days of deadlock, a new draft agreement text emerged at the COP28 climate meeting that severely watered down earlier provisions on fossil fuel elimination but singled out coal for a rapid phase-down, which could be problematic for India.

Context:

• The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP 28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is underway in the United Arab Emirates from November 30 to December 12, 2023.
• During the climate meeting on December 10, negotiators took an initial step toward enhancing action on adapting to climate change.
• A draft text outlining potential "global goals" on adaptation was introduced for the first time, serving as a starting point for further negotiations.
• Negotiators are actively discussing various topics, including the contentious issue of fossil fuel phase-out, in informal sessions to find common ground.
• The draft document is titled 'Global Goal on Adaptation' (GGA) and aims to establish a shared global objective for adaptation, similar to the global goal of limiting temperature rise below the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold for mitigation.
• This initiative addresses a longstanding demand from developing countries, emphasizing the need for increased focus and resource mobilisation for adaptation efforts.
• Notably, the draft removes the term 'phasing out' of fossil fuels but includes stronger language against coal, urging a "rapid phase-down of unabated coal," a point that may face objections from major consumers like India, Indonesia, and China, all developing countries heavily reliant on coal power.

Responses to the Draft Text 'Global Goal on Adaptation':

• The European Union (EU) and certain small island states promptly dismissed the draft agreement text.
• The EU climate commissioner criticized the overall insufficiency of the text, deeming it inadequate in addressing the climate change challenge.
• Primary dissatisfaction arose from the weakening of a provision related to the use of fossil fuels.
• The draft initially urged countries to "reduce both consumption and production of fossil fuels, in a just, orderly, and equitable manner."
• Notably, fossil fuels, responsible for nearly 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, have never been explicitly mentioned in prior COP decisions.
• While previous decisions emphasized the need to cut emissions, they avoided specifying actions for emission reduction.
• COP28 marked the first formal discussion of a fossil fuel phase-out but attempts to incorporate a robust provision faced resistance from oil-producing nations like Saudi Arabia and Russia.
• India, while not offering an immediate reaction to the draft agreement, has consistently asserted that singling out coal for accelerated reduction is discriminatory.