Context

Tamil Nadu’s latest application in the Supreme Court of India on the Mullaperiyar dam row shows that even 10 years after the Court’s decisive judgment the dispute remains unresolved.

Mullaperiyar Dam Dispute

• Accusations by Tamil Nadu: In response to Kerala’s rebuttal in a case initiated by an activist, Tamil Nadu, as the owner state benefiting from the dam, has alleged that Kerala, where the dam is situated, is raising concerns about the safety of the 129-year-old structure while deliberately impeding essential maintenance work.
• Stalled Efforts: Despite the establishment of three panels, including a Supervisory Committee with technical representation from both states since June 2022, and two sub-committees, one under the National Executive Committee of the National Disaster Management Authority
• • It  aimed at ensuring readiness to address any dam-related disasters, progress towards resolving lingering issues remains elusive.
• Grievance of Tamil nadu: Tamil Nadu’s complaint is that the revamped Supervisory Committee, empowered by the Dam Safety Act of 2021, has “significantly fallen short” in ensuring Kerala and its authorities authorize and support dam reinforcement and associated endeavors.
• Timely Dam Safety Evaluation: Tamil Nadu has additionally been advocating for the expeditious completion of a thorough dam safety assessment within five years, by December 30, 2026, as mandated by the 2021 legislation.

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Resolution Process

• Judicial Intervention: Despite unresolved issues, judicial intervention has seen the adoption of rule curve, a tool in decision-making for smooth operation of the dam’s shutters, especially during floods, and the gate operation schedule, notwithstanding Kerala’s reservations. 
• Proposal for Mega Car Parking: Apart from the dam-related issues, the proposal of a mega car parking project of the Kerala government is a matter of litigation  
• Dispute in the survey: The conclusion of the Survey of India that the project site is outside the leased area has been disputed by Tamil Nadu.
• Calls for Bilateral Talks: Kerala has placed a strong emphasis on dam safety and seeks to proceed with caution. 
  • It is now imperative for the two states, which share amicable relations, to reinitiate bilateral negotiations to address pending issues, while also preserving their right to seek legal remedies.
• Delay in Court judgements: Courts take their own time to arrive at their conclusion, even though Tamil Nadu has a more favourable track record with the Supreme Court than the other State on Mullaperiyar, going by the 2006 and 2014 judgments. 
• Political Proactivity: As water and dam safety can be used by some elements to arouse emotions, the political leadership in both States should be proactive in thrashing out the differences.
• Fostering Understanding Between States: The proposed talks, even in the event of not leading to any major breakthrough, may at least provide both States an opportunity to appreciate each other’s position better and leave no room for vested interests to vitiate the atmosphere. 

Conclusion

With technical and judicial efforts to resolve the Mullaperiyar Dam dispute largely exhausted, a political resolution is now seen as an important step towards an Friendly solution. Considering the potential risks involved, finding a solution is critical for the safety and well-being of millions.

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Context

The Prime Minister’s vision to establish India as a prominent global gaming hub has received renewed attention as he engaged with seven of the top gamers in the country.

Key Takeaways from the Discussion

• Promoting Indian Games & Women’s Inclusion: Some of the key takeaways from the discussion included the opportunity offered by the increasing number of games based on Indian mythology and the scope to encourage the participation of women, besides fostering innovation.
• Gaming Career Perception: The players also highlighted the issue around the perception of gaming as a career in India. 

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Rapid Growth of Online Gaming in India

• Growth in Indian Online Gaming Industry: The online gaming industry in India has seen a rapid expansion of 28% CAGR between FY20 and FY23. Projections indicate further growth to ₹33,243 crore by FY28, with a sustained 15% CAGR. 
• Catalyst for Investment and Employment: This sector not only attracts significant foreign and domestic investments but also generates substantial direct and indirect employment. Leveraging India’s IT prowess, the industry holds natural potential for India. 
• Enormous Growth Potential: Significantly, although the global gaming industry surpassed $300 billion in 2021, surpassing the combined markets of the movie and music industries, the online gaming sector in India only accounts for 1.1% of the global online gaming revenue. Therefore, there is immense potential for expansion.
• India’s Tech and Economic Goals: Online gaming presents a significant multi-billion-dollar opportunity for Indian start-ups and can also serve as a crucial component of ‘India Techade’ and the aspiration for a $1 trillion digital economy.
• Advancements in Gaming Sector: The sector has experienced various favorable advancements, such as the formation of the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comic, and Extended Reality. 

Challenges Associated with Online Gaming Industry

• Implementing IT Rules of 2021: Despite the provision of self-regulatory bodies within the IT Rules of 2021 intended to regulate the industry, the effective implementation of these rules is pending, thus nullifying their intended impact.
• Taxation Uncertainty: The gaming industry, especially startups, faces uncertainty due to recent tax changes. 
  • In a meeting held by the Goods and Services Tax Council in July 2023, it was decided to impose a 28% tax rate on the total face value of bets, irrespective of whether the activity is deemed a game of skill or chance.
  • Before this, online gaming firms in India were subjected to an 18% GST rate since the introduction of the indirect tax system in July 2017. 
• Tax Impact on Industry Sustainability: Though initially boosting tax revenue, this measure raises apprehensions about the gaming industry’s long-term viability and its potential impact on job creation within the sector.

Way Forward to the Online Gaming in India

• Leveraging India’s Cultural Heritage: Significant advantage lies in tapping India’s rich cultural heritage (stories, legends, and folklore). 
  • With an increasing number of games inspired by Indian mythology, there is a unique opportunity to cater to domestic and international audiences.
• Promoting Women in Gaming for Diversity:There is a deliberate push to promote women’s involvement in the gaming sector, promoting diversity and inclusivity as perceptions regarding gaming as a viable career choice evolve.
• Importance of Self-Regulation: In an industry driven by innovation and fast-evolving technology, the role of self-regulation is crucial. 
  • NITI Aayog’s discussion paper with draft guiding principles for the online fantasy gaming sector also proposed a self-regulatory model of governance with a self-regulatory organisation at its helm.
• Tapping Talented Individuals: India stands to benefit from a growing pool of talented individuals driving innovation and pushing boundaries in the gaming landscape.

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Conclusion

India stands at the threshold of a transformative era in the gaming industry. By fostering an enabling environment for skill gaming, promoting diversity and inclusion, and capitalising on its rich cultural narratives, India can not only realise its vision of a $1-trillion digital economy.

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Context

Last month, a sunbeam reignited a debate on the role of science and religion in Indian society.

About Surya Tilak Project (Sunbeam)

• IIA Contribution to ‘Surya Tilak Project’: Department of Science and Technology (DST) announced that the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) had significantly contributed to the ‘surya tilak project at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
• Surya Tilak project: The ‘surya tilak project’ involved directing a beam of sunlight precisely onto Ram Lalla’s forehead. 
  • The IIA, known for designing mirrors and lenses for capturing light from celestial bodies, contributed by designing a system to manipulate light to achieve this effect.

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Primary Objections Regarding the Surya Tilak Project

• Astrophysicists’ Involvement: Certain scientists’ contention was that the system could have been designed by a college-level student, thus questioning the necessity of engaging India’s top astrophysicists and astronomers.
• Constitutional Concerns: A major objection was raised regarding the participation of the IIA, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), in a religious event, which was seen as conflicting with the Constitution’s emphasis on ‘scientific temper.’
• Specific Concerns regarding IIA: The Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) was responsible for setting up the ‘surya tilak’ system, yet no objections were raised regarding its involvement. 
  • This suggests that either the CBRI’s expertise isn’t considered ‘scientific,‘ or the concern lies in the association of astronomers and astrophysicists with a religious event. 

Historical Context of Scientific Temper in India

• Origins of Scientific Temper in India: The concept of scientific temper, although coined during the Nehruvian era, finds its roots in the reformist ideologies championed by figures such as Raja Ram Mohan Roy and P.C. Ray.
  • Later, in post-independence India, scientists and technology leaders like Satish Dhawan, Abdur Rahman, and P.M. Bhargava, who helmed some of the country’s foremost scientific institutions, further propagated and advanced this notion.
• Scientific Rationality and Religious Intersection: From the era of Ram Mohan Roy to the contemporary times, this principle underscores a broader dedication to rational inquiry and evidence-driven reasoning.
  • It notably emerges in Indian public discourse, especially when scientific methodologies intersect with religious rituals and beliefs.
• Challenges to Scientific Temper in Recent Decades: Over the past twenty years, discussions on scientific temper have been provoked by initiatives to incorporate Vedic astrology into college curricula and claims suggesting that ancient Indians possessed aviation technology.

Calendar Reform and Modernization in India

• Efforts to Modernize Local Calendars: The most salient example of this was an attempt by a scientific committee constituted by Jawaharlal Nehru and led by the eminent astrophysicist Meghnad Saha, to put India’s 30-odd local calendars (panchangas) on a more scientific footing.
• Analysis by the Calendar Reform Committee: The committee, known as the Calendar Reform Committee, conducted an extensive examination not only of the timekeeping mechanisms within Indian calendars but also delved deeply into the historical evolution of calendars across various civilizations.
• Creation of the Indian National Calendar: The committee’s 1956 report resulted in the establishment of the Indian National Calendar, which rectified anomalies through the addition of leap years, standardization of month lengths to 30 or 31 days, and the establishment of Indian Standard Time.
• Limited Adoption of Calendar Reforms: Despite being enforced by an Act of Parliament, only the last of these has been adopted into everyday life.
• Lack of Widespread Adoption: Today, except for government gazettes, there is no trace of this Gregorian-scale innovation, and a plethora of religious and secular ‘new years’ still proliferate.
• Retaining Cultural Significance in Timekeeping: The Calendar, while attempting to correct tradition, took pains to retain Indianness. As per this Calendar, the present is Vaisakha 1946. The makers specified that it would be useful for astrologers to calculate religious festivals. 

Diverse Approaches in Indian Scientific Endeavors

• DST’s Sole Reliance on PAC: If the DST had exclusively relied on the Positional Astronomy Centre (PAC), a division of the India Meteorological Department established following the Calendar committee report, it would not have required the involvement of the IIA.
• PAC’s Annual Publication for Astronomical Guidance: The Positional Astronomy Centre (PAC) issues a yearly document containing details of public holidays, a plethora of festivals, positions of celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, and key planets, aiding both astronomers and astrologers alike.
• DST’s Support for Diverse Scientific Studies: In addition to backing conventional scientific fields, the DST has funded projects like SATYAM (Science and Technology of Yoga and Meditation), which, despite extensive research, has not uncovered new insights into yoga and meditation. 
• Exploring Medicinal Potential of Cow-Derived Substances: Another initiative, the Scientific Validation and Research on Panchgavya, led by the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, explores the medicinal properties of cow-derived substances.  

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Conclusion

This approach mirrors Indian secularism’s inclusivity of diverse religious practices, contrasting with the European model of church-state separation. Indian science, when confronted with religious contexts, tends to exhibit a balanced stance.

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