1. Imprisoned fishermen of India need to be released from Pakistan:-
- The fishermen from Gujarat and Diu are presently in Pakistan jail.
- Their ‘crime’ was crossing the invisible line within the water between the nations.
- The punishment for crossing into the other country’s water by fishing boats may be imprisonment for a few months
- But due to the hostility between countries, they are in years of detention centers even after completing their imprisonment.
Sir Creek dispute:-
- Sir Creek is a 96-km strip of water disputed between India and Pakistan in the Rann of Kutch marshlands.
- The Creek opens up in the Arabian Sea and roughly divides the Kutch region of Gujarat from the Sindh Province of Pakistan.
- The dispute lies in the interpretation of the maritime boundary line between Kutch and Sindh.
- The 1914 verdict states that the boundary between Kutch and Sindh lies ‘to the east of the Creek,’ (Green Line) which effectively implied that the creek belonged to Sindh and, therefore, to Pakistan.
- On the other hand, Sir Creek is navigable most of the year.
- According to international law and the Thalweg principle, a boundary can only be fixed in the middle of the navigable channel, which meant that it has be divided between Sindh and Kutch, and thereby India and Pakistan.
- Pakistan however claims that Sir Creek isn’t navigable but India claims that since it’s navigable in high tide, the boundary should be drawn from the mid channel.
- UNCLOS supports India’s stand on Thalweg principle is to be upheld.
Importance of Sir Creek:-
- Apart from the strategic location, Sir Creek’s core importance is fishing resources. Sir Creek is considered to be among the largest fishing grounds in Asia.
- Another vital reason is presence of great oil and gas concentration under the sea, which are currently unexploited.
2. Centre has no role in choice of capital city:-
- The Central government has filed a counter affidavit in the High Court that it had nothing to do with the State’s policy decision on the capital city.
- The Centre’s affidavit was in response to a writ petition filed by individual under Article 226(high courts to issue the writs).
Background:-
- The Andhra Pradesh Assembly has passed The Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Equal Development of All Regions Bill, 2020.
- This law gives the way for three capitals for the state.
- The three capitals:
- Amaravati-legislative capital.
- Visakhapatnam-executive capital.
- Kurnool-judicial capital.
- Three capitals ensure equal development of different regions of the state.
- Decentralisation is the central theme in recommendations of all major committees.
Challenges ahead:
- Coordinating between legislature and executive in separate cities will be difficult as the time and costs require for travel will be more compare to the single capital.
- All officers and Ministerial staff who may have to be at hand to brief Ministers when the Assembly is in session, will probably have to stay put in Amaravati, leaving behind their other responsibilities.
Several countries in the world and states in india have implemented the concept:-
- In Sri Lanka has Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte(national legislature) and Colombo (national executive and judicial bodies).
- Malaysia has Kuala Lumpur (official and royal capital and national legislature) and Putrajaya (administrative centre and national judiciary).
- Maharashtra has two capitals– Mumbai and Nagpur (which holds the winter session of the state assembly).
- Himachal Pradesh has two capitals at Shimla and Dharamshala (winter).
- The former state of Jammu & Kashmir had Srinagar and Jammu (winter) as capitals.
3. China’s Third Call on Kashmir issue for UNSC Meeting, India Rejects ‘Interference’:-
The move met with little support from the international community.
China should draw proper conclusions from failed attempts.
All countries underlined that Jammu and Kashmir was bilateral issue and did not deserve the time and attention of the council.
Background:-
UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) was established in January 1949.
After the first war in Kashmir (1947-1948), India approached the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
In January 1948, the UNSC adopted Resolution 39, establishing the three-member United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) to investigate and mediate the dispute.
In April 1948, by its Resolution 47, the UNCIP was reconstituted as UNMOGIP.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 47:-
It is concerned with the resolution of the Kashmir conflict.
According to it, Pakistan was to withdraw its nationals who had entered the India for the purpose of fighting and to prevent future intrusions.
The five member UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) reconstituted through this resolution urged India and Pakistan to hold a plebiscite after the restoration of law and order.
UNMOGIP was meant to supervise the Cease Fire Line (CFL) established in Jammu and Kashmir in July 1949 under the Karachi Agreement.
Karachi Agreement:-
After the 1st Indo-Pak armed conflict in 1948, under the supervision of the UNCIP, military representatives of both Pakistan and India met in Karachi and signed the Karachi Agreement on 27 July 1949.
It established a cease-fire line (CFL) in Kashmir.
India’s stand on Resolution 47:
India rejected the UNSC Resolution 47 and maintained that the resolution ignored the military invasion by Pakistan
They placed both nations on an equal diplomatic ground was a dismiss of Pakistan’s aggression.
The Instrument of Accession signed by the Maharaja of Kashmir was ignored in the resolution.
Pakistan’s stand on Resolution 47:-
- It also objected that the minimum presence of Indian forces in Kashmir, as mandated by the resolution.
- It wanted equal representation from the state government (Pakistan held Kashmir).
4. Kisan Rail for Carrying Perishable Farm Produce:-
The first train, carrying vegetables and fruits, will run between Maharashtra and Bihar.
Kisan Rail service:
- It is aimed at seamless supply chain of perishable farm produce in a short duration.
- The trains with agricultural products will run on a weekly basis.
- It will primarily cover regions that produce huge quantities of vegetables, fruits, flowers and other perishable item.
- Aggressive marketing is being done with local farmers, loaders, Agricultural Produce Market Committee and individuals. So that the farmers can make use of service.
Background:-
- The government’s commitment towards doubling farmer’s income by 2022.
- The Budget 2020-21 proposes setting up of Kisan Rail to build a national cold supply chain for perishables including meat, milk and fish.
- Railways set up kisan rails through the PPP arrangement.
- It will comprise refrigerated coaches in Express and Freight trains.
- The budget also proposed the launch of Krishi Udan by Civil Aviation Ministry on international and national routes to transport perishable goods to less accessible areas such as the north-east and tribal districts.
The Railways has already taken the following initiatives towards the development of a cold chain:-
- Refrigerated Parcel Vans for the transportation of highly perishable parcel traffic.
- Reefer (Ventilated Insulated) Rail Containers for the transport of fruits and vegetables across the country.
5. RBI extends debt recast plan for MSMEs:-
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extended the deadline for a one-time restructuring scheme of small business loans.
- The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector contributing over 28% GDP and more than 40% of exports
- MSME is creating employment for about 110 million people.
- CARE Ratings said that this would provide an additional window to MSMEs to restructure their debt.
Restructure Debt:-
- Banks restructure debt by reducing interest rates so that payment is made easier by the borrower. They also provide a facility of terminating a part of the debt in exchange of a portion of the equity of the company that has availed loans.
- The debt restructuring arises when a company is on the verge of bankruptcy.
6. Line of Credit to the Maldives:-
India has extended the Line of Credit to the Maldives in order to expand the fishing facilities in the island country.
The project is regarding investment in fish collection and storage facilities and the setting up of cooked plant and fishmeal plant.
Significance
Fishing is deeply connected to the Maldivian way of life and it is also a key driver in the exports of the country.
India recognizes that the Maldives is globally known for its pole and line artisanal fishing that is sustainable and responsible. This project is going to benefit the country in getting to reach new markets, improving the fish collection and storage capacity
They also create greater value addition to the industry.
The project will also create employment.
This will also improve the bilateral relationship between the two countries.