Context:

Recently, a 62-years-old woman approached senior administrative officials seeking permission for euthanasia on failing to remove illegal possession from her property.                                                                           

About Euthanasia:

• Etymology: The word ‘euthanasia’ is a product of two Greek words ‘eu’ meaning ‘good’ and ‘thanatos’ meaning ‘death’. 
• Euthanasia refers to the practice under which an individual intentionally ends their life to get relief from an incurable condition, or intolerable suffering.
• Euthanasia falls under the category of assisted dying, which also includes assisted suicide. 
  • Euthanasia is when an individual ends another person’s life painlessly whereas under assisted suicide a physician assists a patient in ending their life usually by lethal injection. 

Types of Euthanasia:

• Active euthanasia: It involves an active intervention to end a person’s life with substances or external force, such as administering a lethal injection.
• Passive euthanasia: It refers to withdrawing life support or treatment that is essential to keep a terminally ill person alive.
• Voluntary euthanasia: It takes place with the consent of the patient. 
• Involuntary euthanasia: It is administered without the patient’s consent.

Indian Judiciary on Euthanasia:

• Aruna Ramchandra Shanbaug v. Union of India (2011): In this case, the Supreme Court had held that passive euthanasia can be allowed under exceptional circumstances.
• Common Cause vs. Union of India (2018): The Supreme Court allowed passive euthanasia while recognising the living wills of terminally-ill patients who could go into a permanent vegetative state, and issued guidelines regulating this procedure.
  • Living Will: A living will is a legal document that specifies the type of medical care that an individual does or does not want in the event they are unable to communicate their wishes.
  • It is also known as an advance directive.
• In 2023 the Supreme Court modified the guidelines to make the right to die with dignity more accessible.

Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Customary Religious Practices:

• Prayopavesa (literally resolving to die through fasting) is a practice in Hinduism that denotes the suicide by fasting of a person who has no desire or ambition left, and no responsibilities remaining in life.
• A similar practice exists in Jainism, termed Santhara. 
• In Tamil culture, it is called Vatakkiruttal and  Sokushinbutsu in Buddhism.

Global Trends:

• Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium: These Countries allow both euthanasia and assisted suicide for anyone who faces “unbearable suffering” that has no chance of improvement.
• Switzerland:  Switzerland has banned euthanasia but allows assisted dying in the presence of a doctor or physician.
• Canada:  Canada had announced that euthanasia and assisted dying would be allowed for mentally ill patients by March 2023; however, the decision has been widely criticized, and the move may be delayed.
• United States: USA has different laws in different states. Euthanasia is allowed in some states like Washington, Oregon, and Montana.
• United Kingdom: The United Kingdom considers it illegal and equivalent to manslaughter.

Institutional Recommendations:

• The Law Commission of India in its 196th Report recommended that there must be a law made to protect terminally ill patients who refuse medical treatment, artificial nutrition, or hydration from Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code.

Way Forward:

• Public Discourse and Education: Public education campaigns, debates, and forums can help raise awareness, promote understanding, and address concerns related to end-of-life choices.
• Legal Framework: Establishing a comprehensive legal framework is essential which outlines the conditions for accessing euthanasia. 
• Safeguards and Protections: Any legislation surrounding euthanasia must include robust safeguards to protect vulnerable individuals. 
• Medical Ethics and Professional Guidelines: Collaboration between policymakers, medical professionals, and ethics committees is necessary to develop guidelines and protocols for healthcare practitioners.
• Palliative Care: Enhancing palliative care options can offer alternative choices for those considering euthanasia.

News Source: TOI

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Context: Union Power Ministry aims to raise around ₹15,000 crore through asset monetization in FY24.

• The Indian Government has monetised assets worth ₹1.32 trillion in FY23, against a target of ₹1.62 trillion, while it has set a target of ₹1.79-trillion for FY 2023-24.

About Asset Monetization:

• It is the process of creating new/alternative sources of revenue by unlocking the economic value of underutilised public assets. 
  • A public asset can be any property owned by a public body, roads, airports, railways, stations, pipelines, mobile towers, transmission lines, etc., or even land that remains unutilised. 
• It offers public infrastructure to the institutional investors or private sector through structured mechanisms.
• Aim: To innovate and enrich an asset which has remained unresponsive in terms of yielding economic value. 
• Objective:
  1. Bring in private sector efficiency to enhance economic value.
  2. Create greater financial leverage through value engineering.
  3. Optimise risk allocation.
  4. Channelize funds to bridge the investment gap.
• Asset monetization does not necessarily mean disinvestment of the asset. 
  • It aims to tap the private sector investment for new infrastructure creation and to protect and unlock the value of assets to give healthy returns.

Asset Monetisation Models:

• Direct Contractual models: Brownfield Public-private Partnership (PPP) Concessions
  • Operate, Maintain & Transfer (OMT): A private entity is expected to maintain and operate an asset for a defined amount of time. Private investors invest in the operation and maintenance of roadways and recover their investment costs through toll taxes, land value capture income, etc.
  • Toll, Operate & Transfer (TOT): Publicly funded operational projects, such as highways, are monetised for two years and put out to bid. The investors make a one-time lump-sum investment in exchange for a 15- to 30-year right to earn an appropriation fee.
  • Operations, Maintenance & Development (OMD): The private sector raises money based on the strength of the existing assets and/or gets project financing in addition to equity contributions. The operational asset is leased to a private party for upgrading and O&M throughout the concession period.
  • ​​​​​​​Rehabilitate Operate Maintain Transfer (ROMT): An existing asset should ideally be upgraded or augmented before operations and revenue collection can be resumed.
• Structure Financing Models
  • ​​​​​​​Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs): Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) use funds gathered from various investors to make direct investments in infrastructure. 
  • Real estate Investment Trusts (REITs): The firm owns, manages, or finances real estate and the capital is raised from investors, which is then invested.

Advantages of Asset Monetisation:

• New revenue sources for public-sector organizations: Monetization of underutilized public investments will help PSUs get financial resources and, in the long term, will lead to more effective use of these resources.
• Multiplier impact: Private owners increase productivity and decrease expenses. This scale impact of privatization will likely increase the volume of productive employment.
• Improved Efficiency: There will be a higher level of automation which will result in improved and quality services to customers.
• Better economic prosperity: As the Private sector is able to produce more resources, the economy will be revitalized, and revenues from monetized assets will contribute to the construction of new infrastructure and the complete recycling of future assets. 

Asset Monetization in India:

1. Vijay Kelkar Panel: In India, the idea of asset monetisation was first suggested by a committee led by Vijay Kelkar in 2012 on the roadmap for fiscal consolidation.
   • It recommended monetisation to raise resources for further development and financing infrastructure needs.
2. Union Budget 2021-22: Monetization of assets was highlighted as one of the three pillars for improved and sustainable infrastructure funding in the country.
3. National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP):  It is an asset monetisation programme, announced in budget 2021. 

• Aim: To serve as a roadmap for the asset monetisation of several brownfield infrastructure assets across sectors including roads, railways, aviation, power, oil and gas, and warehousing.
  • It could act as a land bank housing information about all assets that have been lined up for utilisation by strategic investors or private sector companies. 
  • It will assess the potential value of unused and underutilised government assets.
• Target of NMP: To raise Rs 6 trillion through asset monetisation of the central government, over a four-year period, from FY22 to FY25. 
• Bringing in private capital for infra creation: NMP focuses on brownfield assets in which investments have already been made but are underutilised.
• Ownership of the assets will be retained by the Centre. 
• Top five sectors in terms of contribution to NMP are roads (27%) followed by railways (25%), power (15%), oil and gas pipelines (8%), and telecom (6%).

Advantages of the National Monetization Pipeline (NMP): 

• Augment Funding: It will help the government to further invest the amount in developing new public infrastructure, pay the debt, develop new means and schemes inviting more private sector investments, increase the efficiency in the performance of the assets to reduce the Incremental Capital Output Ratio (ICAR) and boost the GDP growth.
• Supporting NIP: Proceeds from the NMP are expected to account for about 14% of the total outlay for infrastructure under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP).
• Employment Creation: The 360 degrees of growth will give rise to employment opportunities across the cities, towns and villages, leading to a better quality of life.
• Sustainable Debt: It allows an opportunity for debt reduction and improved performance of assets for various ministries. 
• Attract FDI: It can help attract higher foreign institutional investments in the country through vehicles such as infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs).

Challenges Regarding Asset Monetisation:

• Regulatory Hurdles: Lack of clarity and stability of the regulatory environment affect the value realised from monetisation or in extreme cases, may make it infeasible to monetise an asset as in the case of passenger train privatisation.
• Monopoly: It would likely result in monopolization and inflation due to the disinvestment of critical infrastructures. 
  • Example: Experience of leasing out six airports for 50 years to a single bidder has created the apprehension of transferring of taxpayer-funded assets to a handful of business groups.
• Family Gold Concept: Public assets in sectors like airports, railways, roads, power, ports, gas pipelines, mining and telecom, which have been created with taxpayers’ money over the past 70 years, are being offered to private players via long term leases of 25-50 years.
• Profit Maximization: Private investors would be apprehensive in investing on leased assets more than what is needed to maximise their profits during the lease period.
  • Example: Singapore had to nationalise its suburban trains and signaling systems because the main private operator had underinvested in maintenance, leading to frequent breakdowns and stranded, angry passengers.
• Consumer at Mercy: The successful bidder may raise the utility price steeply and the consumer ends up bearing the cost.
  • Example: In New South Wales, electricity prices doubled in five years after poles and wires were privatised. 
• Poor Previous Experience: Past experience of the government’s attempt to monetise brownfield assets has not been encouraging. 
  • For example, the Indian Railways initiated on July 1, 2020, the formal process of inviting private parties to run 150 trains.
  • When bids were opened, there was no bidder for nine clusters while there were only two for three clusters. 
• Poor Return Value: Residual life of the returned asset may not be long. In such cases, asset monetisation virtually amounts to sale.
• True Value of Asset:  It is very difficult to get the correct valuation of asset right over a long-term horizon, say, 25 years due to the involvement of many uncertainties.

Way Forward:

• Policy Support: It will help make the policy makers more open and at the same time bring private investors forward to have trust and assurance in the system to invest in the progress and development of the State in long term infrastructure projects.
• Ensuring Accountability: Government could create a central body that could monitor the progress of monetisation of assets across industries, while also assisting various line ministries and departments in identifying and addressing hurdles in undertaking the process of monetisation.
• Centralised Body: It will enable to break the departmental silo and create overall priorities and decision enabling as a whole centrally. 
• Identifying Assets: IT enabled support with initiative like ‘Asset Management Portal’, which brings all related Assets at one platform and make it transparent in terms of visibility and decision making to take the initiative forward to build on existing infrastructure.
• Innovative Financial Model: Bonds, like infrastructure debt funds, need to be given more considerationl to realise efficiency.
• Assurance to Investor: Provide reassurance to investors about the risk characteristics of their assets. Support from the central government – in the form of structured guarantees or creation of asset bundles that are a mix of central and state assets – could be beneficial.
• Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvIT) route to monetisation may minimise the risks of incorrect valuation or an increase in price to the consumer. 
  • InvIT is akin to a mutual fund, which enables direct investment of small amounts of money from possible individual/institutional investors in infrastructure to earn a small portion of income as return.
• Alternative Dispute-Resolution Mechanism: Efficient and effective dispute resolution mechanisms will naturally and automatically accrue to the design and execution of the project.

News Source: Livemint

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Context: 

Recently, the first meeting of the Global Gibbon Network (GGN) was held in Haikou, China which discussed  the conservation status of India’s only ape.

About Hoolock Gibbon:

• Gibbons are the smallest and fastest of all apes.
• The hoolock gibbon is one of 20 species of apes and is the only ape found in India.
• Habitat: They live in tropical and subtropical forests in the southeastern part of Asia. 
• Population: The estimated population of hoolock gibbons is 12,000. 
• Threats: Felling of trees for infrastructure projects.
• The Hoolock Gibbon is categorized into two types: 
  • Both species are protected under the Indian (Wildlife) Protection Act of 1972 and included in Schedule 1.

Study on Gibbons: 

• American naturalist R. Harlan was the first to describe the hoolock gibbon, characterised by their vigorous vocal displays, from Assam in 1834. 
• Over the decades, zoologists thought the northeast housed two species of the ape — the eastern hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys) found in a specific region of Arunachal Pradesh and the western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) distributed elsewhere in the northeast. 
• A study led by Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in 2021 proved there is only one species of ape in India. 
  • It debunked earlier research that the eastern hoolock gibbon was a separate species based on the colour of its coat. 

About Global Gibbon Network (GGN):

• Novel initiative: In 2020, the International Gibbon Day (celebrated on 24th october) event brought together representatives from 20 gibbon conservation organizations. During this event, they launched the Global Gibbon Conservation Network Initiative. 
• GGN: The initiative aimed to establish a Global Gibbon Network (GGN) and urged worldwide collaboration for gibbon conservation.
• Organized by: Hainan Institute of National Parks and Eco Foundation Global.
• Aim: To protect and preserve Asia’s unique heritage, specifically the singing Gibbon and their habitats, by promoting participatory conservation policies, legislations and actions.

News Source: The Hindu

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Context:

Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) Stated that all accused have a ‘Right to silence’ and investigators cannot force them to speak up or admit guilt as emphasising that the Constitution accords every person a right against self-incrimination.

Supreme Court’s observations on the Right to Silence:

• The Constitution grants the right to remain silent: The court emphasised that the Constitution of India gives individuals the right against self-incrimination, stating that no one can be forced to be a witness against themselves.
• Cooperation does not mean confession: The court clarified that cooperation with an investigation should not be seen as an admission of guilt. 
  • Remaining silent cannot be considered non-cooperation, as individuals have the right to choose not to speak.
• Prosecution’s burden of proof: It is the responsibility of the prosecution to prove the accused’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt. 
• Refusing confession doesn’t limit freedom: The court stated that an accused person cannot be deprived of their freedom solely because they have not admitted to the alleged crimes. 

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Constitutional Provisions:

• Article 20: It grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person, whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation. It contains three provisions in that direction:
  • No ex-post-facto law, No double jeopardy, No self-incrimination.
  • No self-incrimination: No person accused of any offense shall be compelled to be a witness against himself.
• Article 20(3): It states that “no person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself.” 
  • The protection of this clause is limited only to criminal proceedings. Therefore, under civil proceedings, a person cannot refuse to answer a question using the defence of Article 20(3).

Supreme Court Rulings:

• The State of Bombay versus Kathi Kalu Oghad (1961): The Supreme Court ruled that obtaining photographs, fingerprints, signatures, and thumb impressions would not violate the right against self-incrimination of an accused. 
• Ritesh Sinha versus State of Uttar Pradesh (2019): The Supreme Court in its ruling broadened the parameters of handwriting samples to include voice samples, adding that this would not violate the right against self-incrimination.
• Selvi v State of Karnataka (2010): The Supreme Court held that a narcoanalysis test without the consent of the accused would amount to violation of the right against self-incrimination.

News Source: The Hindustan Times

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Context: 

A 2023 survey by Thales Cloud Security revealed that in India, 68% of businesses consider more than 40% of their cloud-stored data as sensitive. 

• Additionally, 35% of Indian organizations reported data breaches in the cloud environment last year.

About Cloud Storage:

• Cloud storage is a method of storing digital data on off-site servers. 
• Need for Cloud Storage:
  • Companies use it to avoid the costs and maintenance of operating their own data centers. 
  • Cloud storage offers scalability and security features such as physical security, encryption, and access management.

Challenges Associated with Cloud Storage:

• Incompatible systems: Deploying legacy IT systems that are not compatible with cloud storage can pose challenges in data integration and security.
• Third-party architecture: Relying on third-party providers for data storage introduces risks if their architecture or security measures are not up to standards.
• Weak authentication: The use of weak authentication practices and easily guessable passwords can lead to unauthorised access to sensitive data.
• Insecure APIs: Vulnerabilities in Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) used for accessing and managing cloud storage can expose data to unauthorised access or manipulation.
• Inadequate security controls: Poorly designed or inadequate security controls can leave data vulnerable to breaches or unauthorised access.
• Internal threats: Human error within an organisation can result in accidental exposure or mishandling of data stored in the cloud.

Way Forward: 

• Change passwords: In response to data breaches, users are advised to change their passwords. This helps protect their accounts from unauthorised access.
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Setting up 2FA adds an extra layer of security by requiring a secondary form of verification, reducing the risk of unauthorised access.
• Monitor accounts: Users should regularly monitor their accounts for any suspicious activity or unauthorised transactions. This helps identify potential security breaches or fraudulent actions.
• Be cautious of suspicious activity: Users should be vigilant and watch out for any suspicious SMS messages or emails that may indicate phishing scams or unauthorised access attempts.

News Source: The Hindu

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Context: 

• India and the UK are currently in negotiations to address contentious issues in the ongoing talks for the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Key Points: 

• The India-UK FTA is regarded as the most extensive trade deal undertaken by India. The agreement will set a precedent for future trade pacts, including those with the EU and the EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland).

What is a free trade agreement (FTA)?

• A FTA is a treaty between two or more countries that aims at eliminating trade tariffs. 
• These agreements are developed between countries as per international trade laws. 
• They help to create an open yet competitive international marketplace by reducing the barriers to imports and exports between countries.

What Are the Types of Trade Agreements?

• Free Trade Agreement: Two countries may agree to enter into a partnership whereby they can freely trade with each other.  For example, a free trade agreement in India with Sri Lanka and strategic conglomerates like ASEAN ensures zero trade barriers.
• Preferential Trade Agreement: When two or more partners allow preferential entry of certain products, it is a preferential trade agreement. In such agreements, the partners generally lift any duties on such products. It is crucial to note that all interested parties must agree to preferential access. For example, India maintains a preferential trade agreement with Afghanistan.
• Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement: It deals with the regulatory aspects of trade and have many inclusions concerning trade negotiations. It also includes trade negotiations on investment, service provisioning, and other areas of potential economic partnership. India maintains CEPA with Japan and South Korea.
• Framework Agreement: True to its name, this form of agreement lays the framework and scope of potential agreements between partner nations. This provides scope for future liberalization. India follows signed framework agreements with Japan and the ASEAN countries.  

Rules of origin: 

• These are the criteria needed to determine the national source of a product. Their importance is derived from the fact that duties and restrictions in several cases depend upon the source of imports.

Rules of origin (ROO) are used:

• To implement measures and instruments of commercial policy such as anti-dumping duties and safeguard measures.
• To determine whether imported products shall receive most-favoured-nation (MFN) treatment or preferential treatment.
• For the purpose of trade statistics.
• For the application of labelling and marking requirements.
• For government procurement.

Provision of RO in GATT:

• Lack of specific rules: GATT has no specific rules governing the determination of the country of origin of goods in international commerce. 
  • Each contracting party is free to determine its own origin rules, and could even maintain several different rules of origin depending on the purpose of the particular regulation. 

Concept of Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN): 

The MFN concept requires countries that are part of the World Trade Organisation to accord the most favourable tariff and regulatory treatment given to the products or services of any one member at the time of import or export of “like products” to all other members.

News Source: Indian Express

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Context:

• India and Indonesia have announced the launch of the “India – Indonesia Economic and Financial Dialogue”. 
• The platform unveiled during the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting, seeks to strengthen cooperation between the two nations and foster a shared understanding on global issues.

About Economic and Financial Dialogue(EFD):

• Joint collaboration: The EFD Dialogue will enhance  collaboration on bilateral and international economic and financial matters by bringing together economic policymakers and financial regulators from both countries. 
• Areas of cooperation: Macroeconomic challenges and global economic prospects, bilateral investment relations, field of fintech for financial inclusion and cooperation in G20 and ASEAN matters.
• Mutual learning and policy coordination: Given the similarities between India and Indonesia as fast-growing economies, and their active roles in multilateral organisations such as G-20, WTO, and East Asia Summit, this dialogue promises to offer a unique opportunity for mutual learning and policy coordination.
• Economic and financial stability: The EFD Dialogue will not only deepen the bilateral relationship between India and Indonesia, but also contribute to the broader economic and financial stability of Southeast Asia and the world.

G20:

• The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union (EU). 
• It works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change mitigation and sustainable development.
• The G20 was founded in 1999 in response to several world economic crises. 
• Since 2008, it has convened meeting at least once a year, with summits involving each member’s head of government or state, finance minister, or foreign minister, and other high-ranking officials.

News Source: pib

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Context: 

• Of the 20 translocated Cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia, five mortalities of adult individuals have been reported from Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, till date. 

Key Points: 

• As per the preliminary analysis by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the apex body entrusted with the implementation of Project Cheetah, all mortalities are due to natural causes. 

Project Cheetah: 

• Cheetah reintroduction: The Government of India has launched the ambitious project on bringing back Cheetahs to India. Under the  Project, a total of 20 radio collared Cheetahs were brought from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, in a first ever transcontinental wild to wild translocation. 
• Implementing Agency: The Project Cheetah is being implemented by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory body under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in collaboration with Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Cheetah experts from Namibia and South Africa. 

Asiatic Cheetah:

• Fastest land mammal: It is the fastest land mammal and the only cat without retractable claws — the grip helps it accelerate faster than any sports car (0-100 km/hr in 3 seconds). 
• Physical features: Cheetahs have a relatively small, rounded head in proportion to their body size. 
• Camouflage: The most recognizable feature of a cheetah is its coat, which is adorned with a pattern of round or oval-shaped spots, known as rosettes. These spots serve as camouflage in their natural habitats.
• Extinctions from India: In 1952, the cheetah was officially declared extinct from India
• Lifespan: Cheetahs in the wild (both male and female combined) have an average age span of 10 – 12 years. 
• Gestation: The gestation (pregnancy) period for the cheetah is 93 days.
• IUCN status: The asiatic cheetah is listed as Critically Endangered species by the IUCN Red List surviving only in Iran. 

Comparison From African Cheetah:

• Distribution: The African cheetah is spread out across Africa from Northwest Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa while asiatic cheetah left only in Iran.
• Size: The Asiatic cheetah is slightly smaller and slender than the African cheetah. The neck is much smaller and longer. Their legs are also slender. African cheetahs, on the other hand, have a slightly bigger build with sturdier legs and necks. Their heads are also bigger compared side by side with the Asiatic cheetahs.
• Population: There are about 10,000 of them left in the African wild. The Asiatic cheetah, on the other hand, is listed as a critically endangered animal with less than 100 individuals left in the wild in Iran.

News Source: pib

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