The government of Haryana has declared that it will provide reservations for Backward Classes in urban local bodies.

Topic: GS2.

Context:

• • • On Monday, the government of Haryana declared that the Backward Classes (Block-A) group would be given reservation in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in accordance with the report submitted by the Haryana Backward Classes Commission on the percentage of reservation that should be granted to Backward Classes in municipalities throughout the State.

Issue:

• • • The Haryana government has announced reservations for the Backward Classes (Block-A) category in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) based on the report by the Haryana Backward Classes Commission.
    • Justice Darshan Singh Commission: The commission, headed by Justice Darshan Singh (retd), found that the Block-A castes are not adequately represented in Haryana and need reservation in local bodies and municipalities.
    • The reservation for Block-A castes has been extended because they are relatively less well-off than the Block-B castes, with around 72 castes under Block-A.
    • Every local body/municipality in Haryana with a population of at least 2% of the total urban population of the area shall have at least one councillor belonging to Block-A of the Backward Classes.
    • 8% of the number of offices of Mayors/Presidents shall be reserved for Block-A of Backward Classes in the Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Municipal Committees.
    • The reservation for Backward Classes in local bodies and municipalities will uphold the overall cap of 50% reservation imposed by the Supreme Court.

Constitutional provisions regarding reservation in local bodies:

• • • The Indian Constitution provides for the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in local bodies such as Panchayats and Municipalities. The provisions for reservation in local bodies are mentioned in the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution.
    • The 73rd Amendment, also known as the Panchayati Raj Act, was passed in 1992 and established a three-tier Panchayati Raj system in rural areas, consisting of the Gram Panchayat, the Panchayat Samiti, and the Zilla Parishad. The Amendment mandates that one-third of the total number of seats in these bodies be reserved for women and seats also be reserved for SCs and STs in proportion to their population in the area.
    • The 74th Amendment, also known as the Nagar Palika Act, was passed in 1992 and provided for the establishment of Municipalities in urban areas. The Amendment mandates that one-third of the total number of seats in these bodies be reserved for women and seats also be reserved for SCs, STs, and OBCs in proportion to their population in the area.

Need for the reservation to backward classes in local bodies:

• • • Inadequate representation: Backward classes are not adequately represented in local bodies, which leads to an unrepresentative and undemocratic governance system.
    • Grassroots democracy: Reservation for backward classes in local bodies will lead to a more representative and inclusive grassroots democratic set-up.
    • Social justice: Reservation for backward classes is a means of ensuring social justice and empowering marginalised communities.
    • Overcoming discrimination: Backward classes have been historically discriminated against, and reservation in local bodies is a way of overcoming such discrimination.
    • Political participation: Reservation in local bodies ensures that backward classes can participate in the political process and decision-making.
    • Empowerment: Reservation for backward classes in local bodies is a means of empowering them to take charge of their development and progress.
    • Constitutional mandate: The Indian Constitution mandates reservations for backward classes in local bodies to ensure their representation and participation in governance.
      

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India does not have a law specifically for drug recall.

Topic: GS3.

Context:

• • • Abbott, a multinational pharmaceutical company, issued a public notice in India about a mislabelled batch of medicine, which is a rare occurrence in India where drug recalls due to substandard or mislabelled drugs are not expected.

Is there a drug recall law in India?

• • • The U.S. has a law requiring pharmaceutical companies to recall batches of drugs that fail to meet quality parameters, whereas India does not have such a law.
    • India has been considering creating a mandatory recall law for substandard drugs since 1976, but no law still exists.
    • In 1976, the Drugs Consultative Committee discussed drug recalls and resolved to have greater cooperation between state drug controllers, but no legally binding structure was created to enforce recalls.
    • The issue of mandatory drug recalls has come up repeatedly in regulatory meetings, but they have yet to result in amendments to the law.
    • In 2012, recall guidelines were published by the CDSCO, but they lacked the force of law.

About Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO)

• Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), is the authority under the M/o Health and Family Welfare, that approves new drugs for manufacture and import.
• It is India’s national regulatory body for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
• It serves a similar function to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the US.
• Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) is an office within CDSCO that regulates pharmaceutical and medical devices.

Why the law does not exist?

• • • Three potential factors contribute to the absence of a mandatory drug recall law in India.
    • Firstly, the Drug Regulation Section of the Union Health Ministry may not have the necessary expertise or interest in protecting public health.
    • Secondly, India’s regulatory structure is highly fragmented, making centralisation of regulatory powers and responsibility difficult.
    • Finally, drug regulators may be reluctant to introduce a mandatory recall system due to the potential negative publicity it may bring to India’s pharmaceutical industry.

What happens if substandard drugs are not recorded?

• • • Substandard drugs are not being swiftly removed from the market in India, leading to deaths and adverse health events.
    • Dozens of drugs fail random testing every month, but there is no mandatory recall system in place to ensure their removal from the market.
    • The regulatory system’s lack of transparency and accountability may be due to a desire to avoid public scrutiny.
    • Risk for the public: Without a mandatory recall system, the public remains unaware of the dangers of substandard drugs, and regulators have little incentive to reform the system.
      

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Status of regulations to curtail misleading food advertisements.

Topic: GS3.

Context:

• • • It is important to understand mishaps that can arise from misleading food advertisements.

Regulation on Food Safety in India:

• • • Regulations exist to combat misleading advertisements and claims in India.

• • • FSSAI uses the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising & Claims) Regulations, 2018 for regulating food items,
    • the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)’s regulations cover goods, products, and services.

• • • All claims must be truthful, unambiguous, meaningful, not misleading, and scientifically substantiated.
    • Product claims suggesting prevention, alleviation, treatment, or cure of a disease, disorder or particular psychological condition are prohibited unless expressly permitted under the regulations of the FSS Act, 2006.
    • Nutritional claims must be based on technical data and adequate evidence. Most complaints of misleading ads were related to the nutrition of a product, its benefits, and the ingredient mix not being based on adequate evidence.

What does the term ‘Natural’, ‘Fresh’, ‘Pure’ mean according to FSSAI regulations?

• • • A food product can be referred to as ‘natural’ if it is a single food derived from a recognised natural source with nothing added.
    • ‘Fresh’ can be used for products not processed in any manner except washing, peeling, chilling, trimming, cutting, or irradiation by ionising radiation not exceeding 1 kg.
    • ‘Pure’ is used for single-ingredient foods to which nothing has been added and devoid of all avoidable contamination.
    • ‘Original’ describes food products made to a formulation with a traceable origin that has remained unchanged over time.

Impact of misleading food advertisements:

• • • Misleading advertisements can deceive consumers and make them believe that a food product has particular health benefits or nutritional value that it doesn’t possess.
    • Consumers may make unhealthy food choices based on false or exaggerated claims, harming their health and well-being.
    • Misleading advertisements can also promote unhealthy eating habits, leading to increased rates of obesity, heart disease, and other health problems.
    • False or exaggerated claims about the nutritional value of a food product can also contribute to the spread of misinformation about health and nutrition, making it difficult for consumers to make informed choices.
    • Misleading advertisements can erode consumer trust in food companies and regulatory bodies, which can have broader social and economic consequences.

Ways to curtail misleading food advertisements:

• • • Implementing and enforcing strict regulations: Governments can create regulations that prohibit misleading claims and impose penalties for non-compliance.
    • Empowering consumers: Educating consumers about how to read labels, spot misleading claims, and report violations can help hold companies accountable.
    • Strengthening self-regulation: Industry self-regulatory bodies can develop and enforce codes of conduct that hold members accountable for misleading claims.
    • Increasing transparency: Companies can be required to disclose more information about their products, including ingredients, processing, and nutritional content.
    • Encouraging responsible advertising: Advertisers can be encouraged to focus on the health benefits of their products rather than making misleading or exaggerated claims.
    • Using technology: Advances in technology, such as machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence, can help detect and flag misleading advertisements more quickly and efficiently.
      

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Micro-targeting of voters in election campaigns.

Topic: GS2.

Issue:

• • • Political parties in India are using data-driven approaches to target individual voters with tailor-made messages, which has raised concerns about data privacy.
    • The Personal Data Protection Bill 2019 has provisions to regulate social media intermediaries and their impact on electoral democracy.
    • The use of micro-targeting is not limited to Indian politics and has raised concerns in the United States and Europe as well.
    • The unregulated practice of micro-targeting threatens the informational autonomy of voters and can be misused by political entities.
    • The regulatory framework for the digital world needs supervisory mechanisms and effective law enforcement tools.
    • The liberating potential of the Internet for a liberal democracy can be threatened if demagogues use it to spread fake news and propaganda.
    • The regulatory efforts regarding the influence of the digital revolution have only been reactionary, and the scope of a data protection framework needs to be sensitive to a variety of data usage.
      

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High Court does not have power to direct changes to Scheduled Tribes List: CJI

Topic: GS2.

Issue:

• • • Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud questioned why a 23-year-old Constitution Bench judgment was not shown to the Manipur High Court before it directed the State government to consider the inclusion of the Meetei/Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list.
    • The Constitution Bench had held in November 2000 that no court or State had the power to add, subtract, or modify the Scheduled Tribes List and that a notification specifying Scheduled Tribes can only be amended by a law made by Parliament.
    • Therefore, a High Court does not have the power to direct changes to the Scheduled Tribes List, as it is a Presidential power to designate a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe.
    • The Scheduled Tribes Order must be read as it is, and it is not permissible to say that a tribe, sub-tribe, part of or group of any tribe or tribal community is synonymous to the one mentioned in the Scheduled Tribes Order if they are not so specifically mentioned in it.
      

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Five more cheetahs are to be released in Kuno.

Topic: GS3.

Issue:

• • • Five more cheetahs will be released into the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh before the onset of monsoon in June, according to the Union Environment Ministry.
    • A report submitted by an expert committee to the National Tiger Conservation Authority reviewed the current status of Project Cheetah.
    • Twenty cheetahs have been brought from Namibia and South Africa since September 2022 as part of a translocation programme to reintroduce the wild cat into Indian habitat.
    • Four of the cheetahs have already been released into the wild, with one ranging outside the Kuno National Park and venturing into farms in Uttar Pradesh.
    • The remaining cheetahs will remain in the acclimatisation camps during the monsoon season (June-September) before more animals are released into the Kuno National Park or surrounding areas in a planned manner.
    • Independent experts have raised concerns over space and limited access to prey for the cheetahs at the national park.

About Project Cheetah:

• • • Project Cheetah is an initiative by the Indian government to reintroduce cheetahs into the Indian habitat.
    • The project involves translocating cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa to India and acclimatising them to Indian conditions in special enclosures before releasing them into the wild.
    • The project is aimed at restoring the cheetah’s natural range and establishing a self-sustaining population of cheetahs in India.
    • The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is the nodal body for Project Cheetah.
      

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Coal imports rose 30% in FY23 to 162 mt on demand.

Topic: GS3.

• • • India’s coal imports increased by 30% to 162.46 million tonnes in the 2022-23 financial year compared to 124.99 million tonnes in the previous year.
    • Coking coal imports also rose by 5.44% to 54.46 million tonnes from 51.65 million tonnes in the previous year.
    • Total coal imports, including varieties such as anthracite, PCI coal, met coke, and pet coke rose by more than 24%.
    • India is among the top five coal-producing countries in the world but still depends on imports for some of its coal requirements.