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Explainer: What is ‘e-Office’ initiative of the Government?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 29, 2020
COVID-19 has pushed many organizations go the online route to continue business. The Government’s e-Office initiative is meant to take the government working online. It was initially launched in 2008 during the UPA. Here is a detailed explainer on the initiative.
The lockdown imposed across the country to contain the spread of COVID-19 has disrupted the regular proceedings in many walks of life. The fear of infection has restricted the movement of people despite the lockdown relaxations.
One of the major changes observed during this time is the shift to online services. Most of the businesses have started providing online services and there has been a general expansion in the scope of and the demand for online services.
While private enterprises are making an effort towards an online shift, what about the government? Are the any initiatives driven by the government to shift its working online?
We take a look at one such online initiative of the government, ‘e-Office’, which was launched years ago.
E-Office is a Mission-Mode project as part of e-Governance Initiatives
The Second Administrative Reforms Commission has in its 11th report emphasized the need for implementing e-Governance as a key step towards achieving good governance. The report titled ‘Promoting e-Governance: The SMART Way Forward’ was released in December, 2008 and laid down the goals and the broader framework for developing e-governance initiatives across the central government as well the state governments. The emphasis was to use technology to transform the governance to provide better services to citizens.
Even prior to this, there have been isolated efforts taken up by governments at different administrative levels to bring technology into governance and make it more efficient. However, the need for developing a holistic framework was identified in this report. The National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) was formulated by Department of Information Technology (DIT) and Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DAR&PG).
The then UPA government approved 27 Mission Mode Projects (MMPs) under NeGP on 18 May, 2006 out of which e-Office is one of the MMPs, with DAR&PG identified as the nodal agency for implementing the project.
e-Office is aimed at improving government process and Service delivery mechanisms
e-Office was approved by the Cabinet to be implemented as part of the 11 Five Year Plan. e-Office is a ‘paper-less initiative’ with the main aim to significantly improve the operational efficiency of Government Ministries and Departments through improvement in the workflow mechanism and office procedure manuals.
The Objectives laid out for e-Office are to improve productivity, quality, resource management, turnaround time and increase transparency in the age old manual process in government offices with an electronic files system.
The vision of E-office is to achieve a simplified, responsive, effective & transparent working of all government offices. e-Office is built on ‘Open Architecture’ platform which enables it to be a reusable framework that can be replicated across the governments at central, state and district level.
The integrated file and record management systems developed under e-office help to:
Initially, when the project was launched in 2008, the expectation was to convert government offices into paperless offices within a period of 5 years.  The project was launched in the following 3 pilot sites in September’2010:
7 Key products developed by e-Office
Over a period of time, e-Office under the aegis of National Information Centre has developed 7 products as part of the e-Office Suite.
The features provided by the aforementioned 6 services are highlighted in the below infographic.
Apart from these 6 products, CAMS (Collaboration & Messaging Services) is the 7th product developed as part of e-Office suite. It facilitates effective communication and sharing of information in real time. It uses Open Architecture which enables the integration of different e-Office Services.
More than 400 different Ministries & Departments of Central & State Government use e-Office
As per the information of provided on e-Office website, as on date, a total of  454 clients across different departments and ministries of the Central Government and different State governments that are using e-Office suite of products.
Type
No. of Departments
Remarks
Central
238
State
214
SPV
1
Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN)
International
1
Government of Sri Lanka
Prior to 2014, about 96 departments of Central Government used e-Office, which has more than doubled in the past 6 years to 238. A steeper increase is observed in various departments of different state governments. Prior to 2016, only 45 departments across state governments used e-Office which has more than quadrupled  during the six-year period of 2014-20. There have no new implementations recorded post 2018.
Departments in the states of West Bengal, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra & Kerala are among the states which have adopted e-Office. The extent of departments adopting e-Office in each of these states is not the same and varies in each of the states.
India is categorized  as a ‘High’ EGDI countries as per UN E-Governance Survey-2020
The United Nations E-Governance Survey Categorizes the countries into four different categories as per EGDI ( E-Governance Development Index)  with the categories being:
As per the latest survey conducted in 2020, India is categorized as ‘High’ in E-Governance Development Index. South Africa, Mexico, Iran, Indonesia, most of Latin American countries are under this category.
USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, China, Russia, Australia, Thailand, Singapore and most of Western European Countries etc. are categorized as ‘Very-High’ on EGDI.
India earlier broke into the top 100 of e-governance rankings for the first time in 2018. Most of the countries categorized under ‘Very High’ under EGDI are developed countries, with others being rapidly developing countries. E-governance forms a key component of India’s push towards a developed nation.
Ease of transacting in governance has a ripple effect on its interaction with the public which forms a key feature of a participative democracy. The initiative towards digital online transactions is considered favourably in India’s climb up the rankings. Taking advantage of the current times to encourage online transactions and services of the government could further bolster India’s position in these rankings.


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Explainer: What is Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) or 112
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 4, 2019
In
February this year, the government launched the Emergency Response Support System
(ERSS) or the 112 number. But what is 112? When can this number be used? Here
is an explainer.
The recent incident involving thebrutal rape and murder of a female veterinary doctor in Hyderabad, has reignitedthe debate around emergency response and support system in India.
People on various platforms,including the Home Minister of Telangana state have quipped that the victim ought have calledthe emergency number of Police i.e. 100 and sought assistance. There are otheremergency numbers that are being floated in the media as emergency numbers.
In this context, we look at the EmergencyResponse Support System (ERSS) -112 which was launched by the Ministry of HomeAffairs (MHA) earlier in the year.
112 – Pan-India Single number system
launched
Over the years, there have beendifferent emergency numbers for various emergency services. Traditionally 100for Police, 101 for Fire Brigade and 102 for Ambulance services have beenassociated for emergencies.
Additionally, 108 is an emergencyresponse service for medical, police and fire emergencies operated in aPublic-Private Partnership model. This service is available across 15 statesand 2 Union territories.
Globally, various countries have asingle emergency number which can be dialled for emergencies. For Example, 911in USA. This helps in addressing the challenge of remembering multiple numbersfor different type of emergencies.
To overcome this handicap prevailingin India and to create awareness among the public, the Government of India hasenvisioned a single emergency number across India.
Accordingly, Government of India launched Emergency Response Support System(ERSS), with a single Emergency Number -112, to address different emergencieson 19 January, 2019.
The existing emergency numbers likePolice-100, Fire–101, Ambulance-108, Woman & Child Care-181 etc. are nowintegrated into the unified number.
Prior to the national wide launch,112 has been earlier introduced in Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
ERSS is an initiative under
Nirbhaya Fund Scheme and overseen by MHA
The ERSS initiativewas launched under Nirbhaya Fund Scheme, which is anon-lapsable corpus fund constituted for safety and security of women by theGovernment of India in the aftermath of the Nirbhaya incident.
The scheme is be acollaborative effort of Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA), Ministry of Women andChild Development and Centre for Development (MWCD) & Advanced Computing(C-DAC).
The setting up anddeployment of ERSS across the states and Union Territories is undertaken byMHA. Meanwhile, C-DAC which has experience of working with various policedepartments in setting up distress response systems is entrusted with theresponsibility of providing all the technical support  to design, develop, customise and implement ERSSacross the country. MWCD being the nodal agency for all the schemes underNirbhaya Fund is also involved in this initiative.
Multiple modes of
contact under ERSS
ERSS is designed suchthat the emergency requests can be received through multiple modes, even thoughthe number is a single Pan-India number of 112.
The multiple modesthrough which the emergency signals can be received by ERSS include:
All the emergencysignals that are received via ERSS are handled by Public Safety Answering Point(PSAP) which is set up in the capital cities of all the States & UTs. It isan automated set up, which can receive the various distress signals receivedand would  direct them to the concernedagency like Police, Fire & Rescue etc.
The system has a trackof all the rescue and service vehicles of these agencies in a real-time map andcan reach out to the appropriate vehicle which can then reach out to those inemergency in a shorter span of time.
Emergency signal via mobile
phone
The ERSS is designedfor optimum utility of a mobile handset at the times of distress or emergency.
There are multipleways through which mobile device becomes handy under such situations.
Dialling 112 , would connect tothe ERSS system who would then direct to the relevant agency. The language ofcommunication is the local language of the respective state. In case the caller  does not speak the local language,English/Hindi are the available alternatives.
Incase calling up 112 is not feasible, an individual facing an emergencysituation can press the Power Button on the smart phone 3times, which would send out a signal. As highlighted earlier, PSAP is equippedto track the location of the sender of signal and respond to the emergency.
Thedistress signal is also available on non-smart phones i.e. feature phones. Bylong pressing either ‘5’ or ‘9’ on the key pad, a panic signal would be sent.
‘112India’ mobile application is part of ERSS initiative. This App is available both on Android as well as iOS. Through this App, a person indistress can reach out to the nearest and relevant emergency service. The Appsends out the user details , which includes Name, age, emergency contacts etc.along with the location information to PSAP/Control room.
Thefeatures of the App include:
Anotherfeature of ‘112 India’ mobile app is its ‘SHOUT’ feature. Under this,volunteers can register themselves and in case of any emergency, an alert issent to these local volunteers who are in vicinity. Once a volunteer markstheir consent to help, the volunteer details ( contact, photo ) etc. are sentto the person in emergency. This is especially helpful for women & childrenin any distress situation.
Theservices which can be availed through ERSS include the following.
Bihar, Jharkhand & Haryana among the states where ERSS needs to be
yet implemented
Asper the data available on www.ners.in , ERSS is not yetimplemented in all the states. Eight (8) states, which include – Haryana,Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, Meghalaya. Manipur, Sikkim and Odisha are yet toimplement this system. Meanwhile, efforts are on or the implementation inKarnataka and Tripura.
Non-genuine calls on 112 can lead to legal action
The112 facility is supposed to be used judicially. Continuous calls even mademistakenly  can lead to legal actionagainst the caller.  Since the number isfree as is the case with most of the emergency numbers, there is scope for non-genuinecalls being made which can interrupt the services and obstruct the facility forpeople who are in real need.
Fewof the instances where in non-genuine calls are made could include:
Anysuch calls can lead to strict legal and criminal action.
There is a need to create awareness about ‘112’
Theidea of having a single number pan India for all the emergencies is a step inthe right direction. With the multitude of emergency numbers available, it is achallenge even for the educated and informed citizens to remember of all thesenumbers. Hence 112 is definitely  progressive, especially during emergencies,where it could be a challenge to recall the emergency number.
Itis less than a year since the launch of 112. Hence, we do not yet have any comprehensivedata regarding the effectiveness of ERSS.
However,there is an imminent need to increase awareness about 112 number as well as the112-India app.

source: news-factly

created: December 4, 2019

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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Explainer: What is Geographical Indication (GI)? Why is it important?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 28, 2019
The ‘Odisha Rasagola’
recently received the GI tag. But what is the GI tag? Why is it important? Here is an explainer.
Be it sipping a cup of delicate Darjeelingtea or adding some extra Swiss Gruyere cheese to the lasagne, many products wecome across in our daily lives can be linked to some geographical locationwhich proudly holds the patronage and authority to secure recognition andprotection of their product in the market. The product can be a food,handicraft or agricultural product that is unique to the place and is popularacross other parts. This story explains in detail what Geographical Indicationsare and why are they important.
What is a Geographical Indication (GI)?
According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), a Geographical Indication (abbreviated as GI) is a distinctive signassociated with products which have a specific origin and which determines thequalities possessed by the product. For instance, tea is produced in differentparts of the world. But what sets apart Darjeeling tea from the rest of the teaproducers is its flavour, quality and the area where it is grown which cannotbe replicated elsewhere. Since GIs are an intangible asset born out of thecreativity of human mind and are used in commerce, they have always beenconsidered intellectual properties. Usually, the names of GIs will also havethe place of origin (is evident from the name, Darjeeling tea). GIs aredifferent from ‘Appellations of Origin and Trademarks’. Apart from agriculturalproducts and food items, human skills such as art and craft which are unique toa particular area, made out of locally available natural resources and evenindustrial products can also qualify as a GI. A few famous examples of GIs areSwiss Watches, Beaujolais (red wine produced in Eastern France), Pinggu Peachesof China, Ceylon Tea from Sri Lanka and Idaho – potatoes produced in IdahoState of the US.
TRIPs agreement among the member states of WTO first described GI
The term ‘Geographical Indication’ wasinitially defined in section 3 of ‘Agreement on Trade Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights’, also known as the TRIPS agreement. The agreement, adoptedin 1994, is an international legal agreement between all the countries whichare members of the World Trade Organisation. Prior to this, in the ParisConvention of 1883, appellation of origins and indications of source werereferred to with respect to Intellectual Property. The TRIPS agreement hasbestowed the member states with the obligation to provide legal means to ensurethat duplication of the good does not take place and to prevent unfaircompetition. The members of WTO must provide protection for their product.
Germany had the largest number of GIs registered as of 2017
According to WIPO, as of 2017, Germanyhad the largest number of registered GIs- about 14,073 followed by Austria with8749. China was next in line with 8507 GIs. Ukraine, Republic of Moldova,Georgia and Bosnia & Herzegovina had more than 3000. India had 305 GIs asof 2017. Countries like Singapore, Uzbekistan and Philippines did not have any.
GI Act was passed in 1999 in India
GI rights are territorial. There is not anyinternational right for GIs. GI rights vary from country to country. In India, The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act was passed in December 1999 and came into effect in 2003. It comes under thepurview of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Under this Act, the GeographicalIndications Registry was introduced, in which a register on GIs has to bemaintained which contains the details of the GI along with the basic details ofthe proprietors and authorised users. The classification of goods is done inaccordance with the International classification of goods for registering GIs.
Goods which contradict any of the existinglaws or hurt the sentiments of people or even hold generic names are notentitled to GI status in India. Generic GIs are that whose name not onlyrepresents the origin but also has become a customary term for the product.Homonymous GIs are those whose name sound alike or are spelt alike but theorigin of the products are different. Appropriate steps to differentiatebetween homonymous GIs need to be taken in order to avoid misleading consumers.
GI Protection lasts for duration of ten years after which it must be
renewed
In order to apply for the status, anassociation of producers or an organisation registered under law representingthe people who want to get the GI registration for a product, should applymentioning the quality, features and reputation which enable the qualificationof the product under the category. The application must be filed along with therequisite particulars at the office of the Geographical Indications Registryand should be accompanied by a fee of Rs. 5000. The acceptance ordenial of the application lies in the hands of the Registrar. Upon approval andregistration of the product, a certificate will be issued to the applicant aswell as the authorised users. The time period for which a product will beregistered is 10 years. It may be renewed once the period is over based on theprovisions of the act.
The registered proprietor has the right toobtain relief in case someone infringes on the GI as per the act. This can be acase in which another product from a different origin carries a similar namewhich deceives/misleads people. The case can also be one which involves the useof GI in dishonest industrial matters.
Falsifying GI or misuse of GI is liable to imprisonment and penalty
Anyone who uses the GI without the consentof the authorised user or makes a similar one which deceives people or someone comesup with a deceiving GI resembling the original on packages, he/she is liable tobe imprisoned for a period between 6 months and up to three years in additionto a penalty between Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 2 lakhs. Similar punishment is alsoapplicable for those who sell products which carry false GI unless proveninnocent. Any such repeat offences will carry a minimum penalty of Rs. One lakh(which may extend up to Rs. Two lakhs) and an imprisonment between 1 to 3years. If anyone is accused of using GI for a product which has not beenregistered, he/she is liable to face three years imprisonment and penalty aswell.
Around the globe, GIs have played a crucial role in trade and economy. Not only does it help in branding of goods and marketing strategies, it also has helped in preservation of traditional knowledge and cultural practices. GIs have also contributed to rural development by aiding the regional producers.  The list of registered GIs in India can be accessed from the GI registry website. In the next story, we look at the GIs registered in India and their regional spread.
Featured Image: Geographical Indication Introduction

created: September 28, 2019


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Explainer: What are the new Telemedicine guidelines notified by Govt?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 23, 2020
In the wake of the challenges posed by COVID induced lockdown, telemedicine has emerged as a solution to provide healthcare facilities. The government has also recently issued guidelines for telemedicine practice. What is in these guidelines? Here is an explainer.
With the advancements made in Information and Communication Technology, often abbreviated as ICT, people’s lives have changed drastically. Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic that is wreaking havoc across the globe, ICT is playing a vital role in navigating through the situation. Telemedicine or telehealth is one such technological intervention which has gained momentum during COVID induced lockdown.
In India, the Ministry of Health issued guidelines on telemedicine practices on 25 March 2020, the first day of national lockdown. It was prepared in collaboration with NITI Aayog. Not only does this prove useful at a time when there are restrictions on movement, but also helps in reducing crowd in hospitals, bringing down the risk of infection. Later, on 12 May 2020, the government published the guidelines in the gazette, incorporating the same into the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002. This means consultation through telemedicine by a Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 is now permitted as per the notified guidelines. The notification also states that these guidelines are not applicable to the use of digital technology to conduct surgical or invasive procedure remotely.
Telemedicine has been given a legal status in India
The guidelines have adopted the definition of telemedicine as given by World Health Organization (WHO). The definition is as follows,
‘The delivery of health care services, where distance is a critical factor, by all health care professionals using information and communication technologies for the exchange of valid information for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease and injuries, research and evaluation, and for the continuing education of health care providers, all in the interests of advancing the health of individuals and their communities.’
Telehealth is a broader term which includes health and health related services including telemedicine. It is defined as,
‘The delivery and facilitation of health and health-related services including medical care, provider and patient education, health information services, and self-care via telecommunications and digital communication technologies.’
For now, Registered Medical Practitioners are authorized to practice telemedicine
To begin with, only RMPs are authorized to practice telemedicine. An RMP is any person who is enrolled in the State Medical Register or Indian Medical Register under the Indian Medical Council Act. All ethical norms and standards applicable for in-person consultation are also applicable in case of telemedicine practice.
Currently, RMPs must follow the guidelines issued by the Board of Governors (BoG) of MCI. However, an online course of three years duration will soon be notified by BoG. Once the course is approved and becomes operational, only those RMPs who complete the course will be allowed to consult online.
Any mode of communication can be used
Consultation can take place through any mode of communication such as audio, video, or texts. A person can access the service through any means such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Hangouts, among many others. There are also dedicated applications and websites for telemedicine services. Depending on the case, it is up to the RMP to decide whether online consultation will suffice or if an in-person consultation is required. Even the mode of communication is left to the discretion of the RMP which in turn is dependent on the patient’s diagnosis/treatment.
Consultations should not be anonymous, and patient’s consent is important
No telemedicine consultation should be anonymous as per the guidelines. While the RMP must verify and confirm a patient’s basic details such as name, age, contact details, address, etc., the patient should also be provided with the RMP’s credentials and basic contact information. In other words, both patient and the RMP need to know each other’s identity.
Patient’s consent is another important issue addressed in the guidelines. If a patient initiates the consultation, it means they have given their consent. Suppose an RMP initiates consultation, then an explicit consent must be recorded from the patient.
There are two types of consultation, first consultation and follow up consultation. First consult is when a patient is consulting the RMP for the first time, or after more than six months from the previous consultation, or if they consult the RMP for a different illness. Follow up consultation is when a patient consults the same RMP for the same health condition or within six months from previous consultation.
RMPs can impart health education, counsel, or prescribe medicines as per requirement
Based on diagnosis, the RMP can provide health education such as advice on habits and hygiene practice, counselling like food restrictions and giving out do’s and don’ts. Prescription of medicines can be done only if the RMP is sure that enough relevant information has been collected. The Government of India will notify from time to time, the list of medicines which can be prescribed online.
There are four categories of medicines based on potential for abuse
There are four categories of medicines which have been listed out – List O, List A, List B, and Prohibited List.
List O consists of medicines which are safe to be prescribed through any mode of tele-consultation, audio, video, or text. The list consists of ‘over the counter’ medicines such as paracetamol, ORS solutions, Cough syrup, etc.
List A comprises of medicines which can be prescribed for patients in their first consultation which should be through video, or for re-filling or re-prescribing in case of follow up consultation. The list would include those medicines which are safe and have a low potential for abuse.
List B consists of medication which can be prescribed to a patient who is undergoing follow up consultation in addition to those medicines which were already prescribed for the same medical condition.
Prohibited list comprises of medicines which have the potential to be abused and affect the person or society. These cannot be prescribed through tele-consultation. Medicines listed in Schedule X of Drug and Cosmetic Act and Rules or any Narcotic and Psychotropic substance listed in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Act, 1985 fall under this list.
The RMP must send a copy of the signed prescription to the patient via email or message.
Legal provisions of IT Act, IMC Act, and privacy laws/rules are applicable
The IT Act and data protection & privacy laws/ rules issued by the government are applicable in case of telemedicine practice as well. Protection of patient privacy and confidentiality are as per the IMC Act. However, if the breach of confidentiality is due to technology breach or by someone else, RMP will not be held responsible.
RMP must maintain a record of telemedicine interaction such as phone logs, chats, videos, etc. The documents and reports submitted by the patient during consultation, prescription copies must also be retained by the RMP.
The patient must be provided an invoice or receipt for the fee charged for the consultation. Fee applicable here is just as that applicable for an in-person consultation.
Telemedicine service has the potential to address some major problems in healthcare
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a challenge in extending normal healthcare services. On one hand, existing resources are being diverted towards containing the virus and treating the affected. On the other hand, even existing health facilities are not working normally because of the restrictions in place. Thus, promoting telemedicine fills the critical gap, especially for those who are in need of a doctor consultation.
Telemedicine applications in mobile phones and websites are already available in India. Even major hospital chains in India provide online healthcare services. One main advantage of telemedicine is that it avoids self-medication. It also acts as an enabler and if channelled properly, can help medical services reach remote areas too. There are separate guidelines for telemedicine practice among AYUSH health practitioners.
However, one has to understand that not all diagnosis or treatment can be done online. The mode of communication & the ability to articulate the symptoms also plays a major role. For instance, if e-mail is used as the mode of communication, the understanding of the patient’s condition by the RMP will solely depend on the articulation in the mail. Similarly, technological limitations such as network speed etc. can also affect telemedicine practice.
Featured Image: Telemedicine guidelines


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Explainer: What is Khelo India Scheme?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 8, 2019
Development of Sports is usually not an important focus area for governments. Is the Khelo India scheme any different? What are the features of this scheme?
The Sportseco-system in India leaves much to be desired in an international context.Right from the scope of identifying talent, to the infrastructure in place tonurture the talent – India has over the years been lagging on this front.
Many initiativeshave been taken up by successive governments to improve sports infrastructureand the overall functioning across the country. While there has been a lot ofimprovement over the years, a lot is yet to be achieved.
‘Khelo India’is a new initiative by the current NDA government to improve the sportsinfrastructure in India as well as to identify and nurture sports talent.
New scheme
formed by merger of earlier schemes
Prior to thelaunch of Khelo India, sports promotion and development in India was carriedout through three separate schemes:
These threeprogramme were merged into a single central sector scheme ‘Khelo India:
National Programme for Development of Sports’ from thefinancial year 2016-17. The program is run under the aegis of Union Ministry ofYouth & Sports.
Identification
and nurturing of talent main aim of Khelo India Scheme
One of the keyobjectives of the scheme is to identify talented athletes from across thecountry and nurture the talent through guidance and developed infrastructural facilities.In this context, Khelo India has four objectives:
To facilitate these objectives Khelo India Scheme has four components.
a.Competition: Sports competition would be held at Block/District/State and National level.
Thecompetitions are conducted for different age-groups:
The competitions for above 36 age group are in context of encouraging general health. Physically challenged athletes have a separate set of competitions.  The first edition of Khelo India School games were held in New Delhi between 30 January 2018 and 07 February 2018.
A larger event, Khelo India Youth Games was held in Pune, Maharashtra between 09 January to 20 January 2019. The next edition would be held in Guwahati, Assam in 2020.
b. Sponsorship: Under Khelo India Scheme, the funding for sports promotion and development has switched from centrally aided scheme to Central Sector Scheme. The State and local authorities would continue to be involved but within the capacity of assistance regarding, identifying land for infrastructure, conducting competitions etc. Another unique aspect of the scheme would be the encouragement for PPP (Public -Private Partnership), where in the organizers of the events are free to invite private sponsors to contribute financially and in kind. The funds can be used in creation and upgradation of the sporting facilities.
c. Talent: As indicated earlier, one of the key purposes of the scheme is to identify sporting talent.  Talented sportspersons among the participants form the competitions conducted at District, State and National levels are identified under the age groups of 6-12 and 12-18.
These selectedcandidates are eligible for scholarships or admission into SAI (SportsAuthority of India) Centres and Sports Academies. The athletes are selected forLong Term Athlete Development (LTAD) programme, where they would receive trainingin the accredited academies and SAI centers.
The support isin the nature of expert coaches, sports equipment, boarding & lodging,sports kits, competition exposure, educational expenses, medical. Insurance,stipends etc.  Sporting talent selectedfor LTAD receive financial
assistance of Rs. 5 lakh per annum.
As per a press release on 08 July 2019, the concerned minister responding to a question in Rajya Sabha stated that 2,437 individuals across 20 sports disciplines are selected under Talent Search & Development of Khelo India.
d. Infrastructure:
Prior to KheloIndia Scheme, USIS (Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme) was mandated with theresponsibility of creating sports infrastructure. However, this scheme is nowmerged into the Khelo India Scheme.
Under the newscheme, infrastructure is being developed both in the existing SAI Centres aswell as identifying new spaces for sports infrastructure. Currently Khelo Indiaprovides Infrastructure support for 46 recognized
SAI Centres.
To meet theobjectives of Khelo India, the entire programme is divided in 12 verticals asmentioned in the below picture.
Online Registration for Khelo India
Athletes andcoaches can register for Khelo India, through online registration link. There are threeoptions for registration as new user – Athlete, Coach or Technical Official.
Selecting thesuitable option, leads to an online form:
Along with personal details (Including Aadhaar), furnishing the details of the respective sport is mandatory.
25 sport disciplines are enlisted apart from disciplines for Para-athletes. Once the details are entered, the profile can be created.
Once the details are entered, the profile can be created.
Rs. 199.31 crores released to States/UTs in 2018-19 under Khelo India scheme
Responding toquestion in Lok Sabha on 25 July 2019, the concerned minister for Sports stated that for
2018-19, a sum of Rs. 199.31 crores was allocated to the states/UTs forsanctioned infrastructure projects and for the conduct of sports competitions.
This amount isless than the sanctioned amount of Rs. 223.27 crores in 2017-18. During2016-17, the first year for Khelo India scheme a total of 108.48 crores wassanctioned.
Over the lastthree years, Uttar Pradesh has received the highest amount with Rs. 59.93crores, followed by Arunachal Pradesh with Rs. 58.82 crores. Rajasthan receivedthe third highest amount over the three years with Rs. 56.48 crores.
Among thelarger states, Bihar has received the least amount over the three years withonly Rs.0.76 crores.
In a press release on 27June, 2019, the Government of India provided details of the key achievements of Khelo India Scheme. It remains to be seen if these changes to the scheme result in any substantial improvement in India’s performance in multilateral competitions.

created: October 8, 2019


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Explainer: What is Minimum Wage & its related legislation?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 19, 2020
The government recently increased the daily minimum wage rate under MGNREGA by Rs. 20. What is minimum wage and what is the legislation that mandates such a wage? Here is an explainer.
Addressing the nation on 12May 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a call for ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharath Abhiyan’- Self-Reliant India Movement. He further announced a Special economic package worth Rs.20 lakh crore to tide over the COVID-19 crisis.  Following this announcement, the government had over the next few days provided details of the economic package in five tranches.
As part of the 5th and last tranche of measures, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced a Rs. 40,000 crore increase in the allocation for MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme).  As per government estimates this would help generate nearly 300 crore person days of work and provide livelihood for the migrant workers who returned home during nationwide lockdown.
This follows an earlier announcement made as part of the Rs. 1.7 lakh crore relief package – ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana’. The government of India had on 26 March 2020 announced an increase in the MGNREGA wage by Rs. 20.  This would imply that those who find work under MGREGS would receive minimum daily wage of Rs. 202 instead of earlier wage of Rs.182. This amounts to increase in the annual income by Rs. 2000, provided they find 100 days of work. As per government’s announcement, this is expected to benefit 13.62 crore families.
The hike in NREGS wages is part of the regular yearly activity
However, the revision in NREGS wages is part of the routine yearly revision and is not a new relief & support measure announced by the government. It has to be mentioned that the increase announced this year is the highest in the recent years.
Since there is no guarantee on the availability of work, the increase of Rs. 20 and resultant addition of Rs. 2000 to annual income is not a given. Further, a review of the wage revision notification highlights the differences in the wages offered in respective states. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh offer the least i.e. Rs.190 per day whereas Haryana has the highest wage under NREGS with Rs.3 09 per day. The variation is dependent on various local factors. The rates provided in the notification is for unskilled labour.
Few experts have also pointed out that the wages under MGNREGA are lower than the minimum wages earned by Agricultural labour in few of the states.  It ought to be noted that MGNREGA was delinked from Minimum Wages Act as per the provisions in Section 6 of MGNREGA 2005.
While there is discussion around minimum wage and if that is sufficient, there are apprehensions by experts regarding the efficacy of Minimum Wages ACT,1948 in ensuring minimum wages.
In this context, we explain in detail the Minimum Wages act,1948 and its scope.
Fixing minimum wages for workers is a key part of Minimum Wages Act,1948
The concept of ‘Living Wage’ is enshrined in the Directive Principles of State Policy in the constitution. The Minimum Wages Act, 1948 thus is based on Article 43, of Indian Constitution.
The Central advisory council appointed a ‘Tripartite Committee of Fair Wage’, to provision for a law to be brought forward in the first session of the Constituent Assembly in November 1948. The committee came up with the concept of minimum wage which not only guarantees bare substances and preserves efficiency but also provides for education, medical requirements and some level of comfort.
Accordingly, Minimum Wages Act, 1948 was introduced which provided both the Central and State governments the jurisdiction to fix minimum wages for certain employment types.
The act provides for the definition of a wage under Section 2 (h), which refers to all the remuneration that can be expressed in terms of monetary value. It also highlights the exclusions  that cannot be considered to be wages.
Section 3 of the act provides for
The Act further specifies the scope of the government to fix different types of rates:
The scope of the government extends to fixing varied rates for – different types of scheduled employment, different classes of works, localities, age group etc. The wages can also be fixed for varied periods – hour, day, month & larger wage periods.
Detailed Provisions included under Minimum Wage Act, 1948
The Minimum Wage Act, 1948 lays down in detail the various provisions concerning fixing of the Minimum Wages and the tenets to ensure the implementation of the same.
A snapshot of the provisions is given below.
Provision
Section
Details
Fixing of minimum Wages
3
Minimum Rate of Wages
4
Fixing & revising Minimum wages
5
Wages in Kind
11
Although Minimum wages under the act needs to be paid by cash, payment can be done wholly or partly in kind, by notifying in the official Gazette.
Payment of Minimum Rate of Wages
12
Fixing hours – Normal working day
13
Government can:
Overtime
14
Wages for two or more classes
16
In case an employee is engaged in work relating to two or more classes, the payment would be made in different rates as per the time occupied in each of the class of work.
Maintenance of Registers and Records
18
Every employer is required to maintain register & records of – Particulars of employees, work performed by them, wages and other details required.
Inspection
19
Respective government can notify through an Official Gazette, appoint inspectors and determine on their functions and local limits.
Claims
20
The Government may appoint Labour Commissioner or Workmen’s Compensation or any officer (not below the rank of Labour commissioner) with experience of judge of civil court to hear any claims regarding payment less than minimum wages or for only part of the days for which work was done.
Penalties
22
Any employer who contravenes any of the provisions will be punishable with:
Issues exist in implementation
The Minimum Wages Act,1948 was one of the first legislations made after India gained Independence. This stems out of the need to provide safeguards to the workers, in contrast to the exploitative conditions which existed prior to independence. The act was a result of earlier initiatives which helped to lay foundation to provide minimum wages to workers, especially those in the unorganized sector who constitute a major portion of the workforce. Labour and fixing of minimum wages are part of the concurrent list, which has provided scope for both the central government and State governments to identify the various types of employments across the country and to combine them with varying local and national factors in determine decent minimum wage for the works done.  This act provides for the basic framework and mechanism to determine the minimum wages in the country.
There are other acts also which affect labour & their wages like
The Code of Wages, 2019, was enacted recently to combine similar legislations and simplify procedures under various wage legislations. The code replaced the following acts
In spite of all these efforts, there are quite a few issues in enforcement of Minimum wage laws and the support extended , especially to the workers in unorganized sector. The new wage Code pegs the Minimum wage at Rs.178 per day, which is considered as insufficient in current times, leaving a large section of the unorganized workers in a lurch.
In the next story, we analyse the current minimum wage rates across the states as well as the national standard for various sectors and types of employments and compare the same from a global perspective.
Featured Image: Minimum Wage & related legislation


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Explainer: What is new about the Consumer Protection Act, 2019?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 16, 2019
The Consumer Protection act, 2019 was recently passed by both houses of parliament. How does this differ from the 1986 act and what is in it for the consumers? Here is an explainer.
The new Consumer Protection bill was passed by the
Parliament on 06 August 2019 when it was passed through a voice vote in theRajya Sabha. The bill was earlier presented and passed in the Lok Sabha on 30 July 2019.This bill would replace Consumer
Protection Act, 1986.
But how is the new act different from the 1986 act? We look at someof the important aspects of the 2019 act and how consumers can benefit fromthese provisions.
Central Regulatory Authority & Product Liability among key features
of the new act
Consumer
Protection Act, 2019 has proposed certain new provisions which were notpart in the earlier Consumer Protection Act, 1986.  Few of the key provisions which vary from theearlier Consumer Protection act are the following
What are the Rights of the Consumers?
The new bill has defined 6 rights of
the consumers. Which include:
What is the role of the Central Consumer Protection Authority?
One of the important provisions of the new act is the proposal toset up a Central
Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) by the Central Government. The statedpurpose of CCPA would be ‘to promote, protect and enforce the rights of the
consumers.’
An investigative wing headed by a Director General would conductinquires and investigations into any violations relating to consumer rights,unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements. The earlier ConsumerProtection Act, 1986 did not have any such provision for a regulator.
The important functions of CCPA would include:
In the statement of objects & reasons of the new bill, it ismentioned that the ‘establishment of an executive agency like the CCPA to
promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers; make interventions when
necessary to prevent consumer detriment arising from unfair trade practices and
to initiate class action including enforcing recall, refund and return of
products, etc. fills an institutional void in the regulatory regime. Currently,
the task of prevention of or acting against unfair trade practices is not
vested in any authority. This has been provided for in a manner that the role
envisaged for the CCPA complements that of the sector regulators and
duplication, overlap or potential conflict is avoided.’
Then what about the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions?
Like in the case of the 1986 act,  Consumer
Disputes Redressal Commissions (CDRCs) would be setup at various levels. TheCDRCs would be set up at multiple levels – district, state and national.
Consumers can file complaints with the CDRCs regarding any of thefollowing.
Complaints for all these can be filed in the district level CDRCsand all these complaints can be made online (electronically).
Jurisdiction of CDRCs: Each of theselevels of CDRCs have varying jurisdiction based on the value of goods andservices for which the complaint is being made.
What is the appellate process?
The parties involved in the complaint have the right to appeal inthe higher forums in respect to any ruling provided in the respective CDRCs.
What about product liability?
Product
Liability is a key aspect introduced in this bill that would benefit theconsumers. Under the provisions of this bill, a manufacturer or a serviceprovider would be required to compensate the consumer in case of any loss orinjury due to a manufacturing defect in the product or a poor service.
This differs from the existing provision where only the cost of theproduct was compensated by the manufacturer or the service provider and not thecost of the loss or injury as in the current proposal. The provision forseeking compensation for the loss or injury was only through the civil courts,which have been observed to take a long time to resolve.
E-Commerce would also be covered
E-Commerce has been gaining traction over the past few years and ConsumerProtection Act, 1986 does not have any provisions to deal with thesetransactions.  As per the new act, allthe laws that apply for direct selling would also be applicable for E-Commerce.
One of the key guidelines in this regard is that the E-Commerceplatforms (Amazon, Flipkart etc.) are required to disclose the details of thesellers. Apart from the manufacturers, product liability would also include thesellers as well as the service providers i.e. the e-commerce aggregators.
Guidelines regarding Misleading advertising and Endorsers
The bill lays down guidelines for any misleading
advertisements for a product or service whicheffects the consumer. It could lead to a prison term of two years and a finewhich can be up to Rs. 10 Lakhs. Any subsequent offence could lead to animprisonment of up to 5 yeas and a fine extending to Rs. 50 Lakhs.
The new bill, has provisions which allow CCPA tofix the liability even on the endorser of any misleading advertisement. It canalso prohibit an endorser from making endorsement for any product or service for a periodof one year if found necessary. Any subsequent violation could result inprohibition from endorsing any product or service for a period of 3 years. Thisis expected to make the brand ambassadors exercise due diligence on theveracity of the claims being made about a product or a service before choosingbrands to endorse.
The bill simplifies consumer litigation and
takes cognizance of emerging trends, but implementation remains a challenge
The electronic filing of complaints &permission to attend the hearing through video conference are very importantsteps in simplifying the process of complaints. Further, the idea of mediationcould also help in quicker disposal of cases. With the inclusion of E-commerceunder the gambit of consumer laws, the bill takes cognizance of the emergingtrends in the marketplace.
However, it remains to be seen how all the new provisions will be implemented since it will require augmenting the physical & human resources at every level and that will require additional allocation of funds both by the Central & State Governments.
Featured Image: Consumer Protection Act, 2019

created: September 16, 2019


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Explainer: What is ‘Pooled Testing’ and how is it being done in India?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 27, 2020
Pooled testing has been followed worldwide as an effective tool to assess the spread of any infectious disease. Even for COVID-19, pooled testing has been used in multiple countries. The Health Ministry recently issued guidelines for pooled testing in India.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization has repeatedly emphasized on extensive testing for COVID-19 in various countries.  He asked each country to detect, test, isolate, and treat every case, and trace contacts. The need for rigorous & optimal testing has been emphasized by one and all.
The testing strategy around the world is also evolving, to meet with the ever changing situation & increase in the number of cases. As on 25 May 2020, India has reported over 1.38 Lakh confirmed COVID-19 cases with 4021 deaths, according to the data released by the Ministry of Health. Around 30.3 Lakh samples are reported to have been tested as of 25 May 2020. The testing capacity around the country has increased substantially in the last few weeks.
Pooled testing is one such testing method which helps in increasing the testing capacity. Introduced in 1940s, pooled testing has been used widely for testing infections such as influenza, chlamydia, malaria, and even during the early stages of the HIV pandemic. Now, this method has been employed for detection of SARS- COV-2 (COVID-19).
What is pooled testing method?
Currently, in order to test an individual sample for COVID-19, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction Test or RT-PCR Test is used. Pooled testing method involves testing samples from multiple individuals together using the same method. That is, under pooled testing, multiple samples are tested using one RT-PCR test kit. If this pool of samples gives a negative result, one can arrive at a conclusion that all the samples tested, are free of the virus. In case the result turns out positive, it means that at least one person has been infected with the virus. Thus, each of the sample in the pool is tested individually to identify who is/are infected.
Recommended pool size is five samples at a time
Pooled testing not only increases the testing capacity, but also helps in saving limited resources including kits, reagents, expense etc. However, the optimal pool size, or the optimal number of samples that can be tested at a time, to get accurate result, is restricted to five samples in USA, Israel, and Germany. Even in India, studies conducted in DHR/ICMR Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) at King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow recommended pooling of at most five samples. If more than five samples are used, the concentration of virus might end up being low, which will result in false negatives. However, use of more than five samples in each pool is permitted only for research.
Pooled testing is recommended only in areas with low prevalence of COVID-19
ICMR, as per the advisory released on 14 April 2020, recommended the use of pooled testing only in areas where the prevalence of COVID-19 is low, with positivity less than 2% (positivity refers to number of positive samples out of every 100 samples tested). In those areas with positivity between 2 to 5%, pooling of samples should be considered only for community survey or surveillance among asymptomatic individuals. Samples of those individuals who have had contact with confirmed cases and health care workers in direct contact with COVID-19 patients should be tested individually without pooling. In areas with positivity more than 5%, pooling of samples is not recommended. Thus, it is necessary that identification of hotspots and non-hotspots be carried out prior to implementing pooled testing.
Pooled testing suggested for migrants & returnees in quarantine facilities in green zones
On 14 May 2020, the Health Ministry released guidelines on using pooled testing for migrants/returnees from abroad/ green zones. As per the guidelines, the Ministry has decided that one time RT-PCR based pooled sampling for surveillance purposes is to be used for migrant workers and international passengers in institutional quarantine facilities and hotels designated for quarantine in green zones and in districts where no case has been reported in 21 days.
What is the process?
A cohort of 25 persons will be identified. Throat/Nasal swabs will be collected from them by trained laboratory personnel wearing appropriate protective gear. The samples are to be aliquoted and pooled samples from 25 specimens will be tested in the laboratory by RT-PCR method. The result is to be conveyed to the concerned facility within 24 hours. If any pooled sample is tested positive, then individual test of each sample will be conducted as mentioned earlier.
Pooled testing is useful for determining the prevalence of infection in a community or group
The method of pooled testing has been found to be effective in curbing spread in some countries like Germany, Israel, and the USA. Germany has been lauded for its aggressive testing and low mortality. In San Francisco Bay Area of the USA, testing of pooled samples helped the researchers at Stanford to identify the prevalence of COVID-19, according to a medical news report published by Stanford.
The Stanford Clinical Virology Laboratory tested the nasal/oral swabs collected from 2,888 people who had sought care at Stanford Health Care between 01 January and 26 February 2020 but were tested negative for the common respiratory viruses. The researchers grouped the samples into 292 sets of nine or 10 and conducted pooled testing for SARS-COV-2. Of these, two sets were tested to be positive. Conducting individual tests of the samples falling in these two categories showed that two individuals, one from each set, were infected with the coronavirus. The prevalence of the infection helped the researchers prepare diagnoses.
Why India needs pooled testing?
In the initial days, there was all round criticism about conducting fewer tests. A study by ORF reveals that, as on 24 May 2020,  the number of COVID-19 tests per million population shows that UK conducted over 49,352 tests per million population, USA conducted 43,404, and Germany conducted 42,923 tests. France conducted only 21,218 tests whereas India conducted only 2,135 tests per million population. In the past few weeks, as the number of tests conducted in India increased, the percentage of positive cases has also increased.  Considering India’s large population, there is a need for increased testing. Pooled testing is one method which would be useful in areas which are less affected thus saving valuable testing kits for areas which are highly affected.
Some states and union territories have started using pooled testing method
Andaman and Nicobar Islands is among the first in the country to start pooled testing of samples from suspected patients. The chief secretary of the union territory tweeted that only a quarter of the test kits were used by pooling samples. Uttar Pradesh has also been reported to have started pooled testing of samples. Gradually other states are also adopting this method.
Doing more with less is important while #AndamanFightsCOVID19
We pool samples thus using one fourth of test kits. Thus more tests on average in our islands.#StayAtHome
Featured Image: Pooled Testing


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Explainer: What is proposed in the ‘Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020’?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 16, 2020
The Government of India has circulated the draft ‘Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020’ for stakeholder comments. Certain provisions of the bill have been criticized by state governments. What are these provisions? Here is an explainer.
The Ministry of Power circulated the draft Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020 on 17 April 2020 and sought stakeholder comments. This comes at a time when the entire nation is grappling with COVID-19. Following the requests of stakeholders, the final date for submission of comments has been extended to 05 June 2020. Many states have opposed the bill citing it to be ‘draconian’, including Telangana.
India became the third largest generator of electricity in the world
The power sector is vital for any country’s economic development. Along with urbanization and industrialization, the demand for power in the country is only expected to grow. Thermal energy has been the primary source of fuel for power generation in the country, accounting for almost two-thirds of the total installed power capacity, followed by renewable energy sources such as small hydro project, wind and solar energy. Between fiscal year 2006 and 2018, India’s installed capacity for power generation witnessed a compound annual growth rate of 8.9%- an increase from 124 GW to 344 GW, making India the third largest generator of electricity in the world as per a NITI Aayog report.
Electricity Act 2003 is a consolidated version of older laws related to generation, transmission, and distribution
The current amendment bill seeks to make crucial changes to the Electricity Act of 2003, which covers laws pertaining to the generation of electricity, its transmission, distribution, trading, and usage, in addition to the development of the electricity sector. The 2003 Act is a consolidated version of older laws such as the Indian Electricity Act 1910, the Electricity Supply Act, 1948, and the Electricity Regulatory Commissions Act 1998. Since the enactment of the 2003 Act, direct investments were made, public private partnerships were introduced in the sector, and transparent tariff mechanisms were followed. In short, the Act brought about with it, structural, operational, and financial reforms. However, these reforms have not been fully effective.
DISCOMs face many challenges resulting in their poor financial health
The power sector in India faces many challenges. DISCOMs, or Distribution Companies, have mounting losses. Their accumulated losses- ‘Average Technical and Commercial losses’, are on a rise, according to NITI Aayog’s study on power distribution in India in 2019. This is because of power theft, and inefficient payment collection procedures in place. As losses increase, some state owned DISCOMs are dependent on loans for their functioning. Thus, the interest cost and loans together increase the burden of the DISCOMs thereby resulting in greater financial problems, which may result in their reduced ability to buy power. Even their efforts to supply electricity to the rural areas are hampered. Ultimately, the poor financial health of DISCOMs can also take a toll on investments in the sector.
Even the insufficient tariff hikes and delay in revision have been cited as reasons for the woes of DISCOMs. Some other major issues faced by the power sector include poor operational performances, and the inadequate improvement in cross-subsidy levels.
GoI’s version – Electricity Amendment Bill to uplift the commercial & investment activities
What calls for the amendment, as mentioned in the bill, are the critical issues which have significantly affected the commercial and investment activities in the sector. Further, it has also been mentioned that some provisions of the existing act were unable to cope up with the rapid development of electricity sector. The bill was first introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2014 , the year in which the Narendra Modi led NDA government was first formed. But the bill lapsed after dissolution of Lok Sabha in 2019. The draft was later circulated for stakeholder consultation in 2018 as well.
Following the abrogation of Article 370, the draft bill extends the provisions to Jammu and Kashmir also, which have been excluded in the current legislation.
Cross subsidy to be removed and consumers will be paid subsidy through DBT
Currently, states collect power tariff factoring cross subsidy. The bill provides for Commissions to determine tariffs that are reflective of cost, so that DISCOMs can recover their cost. The Commissions will determine the tariff without considering subsidy, as per the draft provisions of the amendment bill. The government shall then transfer the subsidy to consumers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), like in the case of LPG. This means that consumers will have to pay the whole amount first. The immediate impact of removing these subsidies could be on farmers in states like Telangana who currently get free electricity. Consumers who avail subsidies in states like Delhi could also be affected.
A new category of licensee, distribution sub-licensee or franchisees, has been introduced under distribution licensee, as a person who has been authorized by distribution licensee to distribute electricity on its behalf. For instance, the outsourced agencies DISCOMs use for billing, meter reading, and more in an area or city, may fall in this category. DISCOMs may have more independence in introducing private players as sub-licensees. Promoting the use of renewable sources of energy for producing electricity has also been considered in the bill.
Further, cross border trade has been given prominence under the bill by giving it a statutory status. Load dispatch centers will have to monitor payment security mechanism before scheduling dispatch of electricity as per contracts.
ECEA to be established for dealing with cases of contract enforcement
The draft amendment bill proposes the establishment of Electricity Contract Enforcement Authority (ECEA) – a separate body to exclusively investigate cases of contract enforcement between generation, distribution or transmission companies or licensees. It would be headed by a retired High Court Judge and would be given the powers of civil court. However, ECEA’s status will be lesser than that of the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity, APTEL. APTEL has the powers and authority as a High Court.
Multiple committees for selection to various posts in commissions and APTEL have been proposed to be replaced by a single selection committee. It has also been proposed to have uniform qualifications for appointments of Chairperson and Members of Central and State Commissions since the responsibilities assigned to them are similar.
The amendment has been criticized for multiple reasons
The proposed draft amendment bill has been criticized for multiple reasons. The three main reasons are discussed below.
Firstly, the bill has been criticized for giving the Central Government more power to determine tariff and regulations in the power sector, in spite of it falling under the concurrent list. Cost reflective tariff has raised concerns for states like Telangana which provide free electricity to the farming sector. However, supply of free electricity to the agricultural sector has been a point of debate for a long time since there is no upper limit for consumption, which can result in exploitation of the benefit, by even industries.
Secondly, formation of ECEA has also been criticized as a move towards centralization of power. Furthermore, multiple selection committees will be replaced by a single committee if the bill becomes an act, which can possibly result in states not having adequate representation and the centre exercising more power in these appointments.
Thirdly, recognition of franchisees and sub- licensees, even though it supports DISCOMs, is also a bone of contention as it might open the sector to private players.
Rs. 90,000 crore liquidity injection for revival of DISCOMs post lockdown induced loss
The power sector is one among the many sectors that have been significantly hit by the current lockdown as commercial and industrial units are shut. The only power demand during lockdown was that of domestic and agriculture, both of which have a lower tariff. The government announced recently Rs. 90,000 crores liquidity injection for DISCOMs, to help revive them. Loans will be given to power distribution companies by Power Finance Corp (PFC) and Rural Electrification Corp (REC) against receivables.
Featured Image: Electricity Amendment Bill


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Explainer: What is the actual estimate of ‘Gold’ in UP’s Sonbhadra?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 24, 2020
After all the media outlets reported the exaggerated claim of 3350 tonnes of Gold in Sonbhadra district of UP, the GSI clarified saying this number is false. But what is the actual estimate of gold reserves in this district as per official documents available in the public domain? Here is a detailed explainer.
The Uttar Pradesh Mining department officials allegedly told the media that they have found 3350-tonne gold reserves in the Sonbhadra district. Almost every media house wrote about it and went onto say that India would now have the world’s 2 largest gold reserves. Even Union Ministers tweeted these stories and shared the excitement.
India will now have the world's 2nd largest gold reserves. The massive Gold discovery in Sonebhadra will further catalyze growth of this beautiful aspirational district, bring positive change in the lives of the people & usher an era of transformation.
https://t.co/8qLBn8Mhbz
Some on social media even went to the extent oflinking it with the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and that its LordShri Ram’s divine act.
However, this excitement was short-lived as the Geological Survey of India (GSI) distanced itself from these claims and issued a clarification saying that the probable conservative figure of gold which can be unearthed in Sonapahari is estimated to be around 160 kgs and not 3350 tonnes as mentioned in media reports.
As per GSI study,the probable conservative figure of gold which can be unearthed is estimated to be around 160 kgs and not 3350 tonnes as mentioned in media reports.
For more details, read the GSI press release below!#GSI #UncoveringIndia #Sonbhadra #UttarPradesh #Gold pic.twitter.com/KvY5ffZsGh
But what is the actual estimate of gold in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district? What does available data from various official documents in the public domain tell us? Here is a detailed explainer.
Where does it
all begin?
The Geological Survey of India (GSI), an organization under the Ministry of Mines is taskedwith mineral resource assessment in the country. GSI carries out fieldexplorations and then a report is handed over to the relevant state government,both for information and any further action if necessary.
The Government ofIndia follows the exploration norms as set forth by the United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC).
The exploration for any mineral deposit involves four stages namely, Reconnaissance Survey (G4), Preliminary Exploration (G3), General Exploration (G2) and Detailed Exploration (G1). These stages of exploration lead to four resource categories namely Reconnaissance Mineral Resource, Inferred Mineral Resource, Indicated Mineral Resource and Measured Mineral Resource respectively reflecting the degree of geological assurance.
Different exploration norms are defined for different types of minerals. The norms for Gold are given below. Further details on each of these stages and what these mean are available on the website of the Indian Bureau of Mines.
What are the
quality norms of Gold ore reserve?
The quality of any gold ore reserve is defined as per the norms set by the ‘World Gold Council’. As per these norms, a high-quality underground mine is one having a density between 8 and 10 g/t, (grams per tonne of milled ore) while a low-quality underground mine has a gold ore density of 1 to 4 g/t. Most of the gold ore reserves found in UP were the low-quality ones whose density is less than 4 g/t.
What about
exploration in UP’s Sonbhadra district?
As mentioned by the GSI in their clarification, the field exploration in Sonbhadra district (Sonapahari & other areas) was initially carried out between 1998-2000. A Lok Sabha answer from the year 2001 mentions the probable gold reserve in Gurharpahar block of UP.
Further, new Gold deposit areas were identified in the Sonapahari area during exploration activities undertaken in 2008-09. In addition to this, multiple other investigations were also carried out by the GSI in both Sonbhadra & Jhansi districts between 2002-03 and 2009-10. Such investigations continued even after 2010.
There are multiple other responses the government provided in the Lok Sabha which talk about exploration activities being undertaken in a few other places of the Sonbhadra district like Parsoi and Hardi.
While investigations continue, the GSI as it clarified in the tweet, did not carry on with further activities in some areas of Sonbhadra district as it was not economically feasible.
What is the total estimate in the Sonbhadra district?
The GSI publishes a briefing book for every region that shows detailed estimates ofvarious minerals.
As per the latest briefing book (as of June 2018) of the ‘Northern Region’, the total estimate in Sonapahari is 0.053 million tonnes of grade 3.03 g/t and is at the G3 stage of exploration as per the UNFC standards. In other words,  the total gold estimate here would be around 160 kgs (0.053*1000000*3.03/1000).
In Gurharpahar ofthe same district, the total gold estimate would be around 7500 kgs(7.29*1000000*1.03/1000). Even in Hardi & Parsoi, the estimates are very low and the gold ore reservefound are of low-quality.
These
estimates are not accounted for in the National Mineral Inventory
The Indian Bureauof Mines (IBM) under the Ministry of Mines publishes the National Mineral Inventory (NMI). The NMI is a comprehensivedocument covering various aspects of mineral deposits. The data is collectedfrom agencies engaged in the exploration, development and exploitationactivities. The reserves and resources in the NMI are further categorised intoeight standard terminologies with ten codes, based on the quantum of exploration,feasibility assessment and economic viability. All of these are based on UNFCstandards.
The latest NMI wasreleased for the year 2015 which has mineral-wise and state-wise details ofreserves. The gold ore reserves identified in Sonbhadra district find a mentionneither in the Gold related chapter of the NMI nor in the UP specific chapter. This could be because of the low-quality grade foundin this district leading to lack of economic viability and that theseexplorations are at UNFC-G3 stage.
Media falls
for sensational numbers without basic fact-checking
Basic research of the official documents ( all of them available in the public domain) indicates that the numbers quoted by the UP officials were exaggerated. The media reporting gave rise to all kinds of misinformation around this issue. Though the clarification from GSI was also carried by all the media outlets, it was a little too late in the day.
Featured Image: Gold in UP’s Sonbhadra

created: February 24, 2020


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Explainer: What is the actual spending by various Central Government Departments in 2017-18
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 25, 2019
In an earlier article, we looked the actual expenditure by the government compared to estimates. In this piece, we look at some key departments namely Agriculture, Defence, Health & Family Welfare, Revenue, New & Renewable energy and the trend in actual expenditure Vs estimates.
In every Union Budget, theGovernment of India makes provision for the expenditure during the nextfinancial year. In the earlier article, we learnt that the financeministry makes these budget allocations based on the requests received fromeach of the ministries after due consultation.
A good portion of the expendituregoes into the different schemes sponsored and run by the central government. Wedid a detailed study of the estimated expenditure for 2017-18 and the actualexpenditure on the central government schemes in the earlier article. We would now focus on the estimatedexpenditure for 2017-18 in some of the important departments/ministries and theactual figures for the year.
Actual Revenue
expenditure is higher while Capital expenditure is lower than estimates
The estimated total expenditure of
Ministries & Departments for 2017-18 was ₹ 21,46,734 crores, but the actual expenditure was marginally lower with ₹ 21,41,973 crores being spent.  Theactual Revenue expenditure was more i.e. ₹ 18,78,833 crores when compared to the estimate expenditure of ₹ 18,36,933 crores. However, the actual capital expenditure was lower at ₹ 2,63,139 crores compared to the estimated expenditure of ₹3,09,800 crores.
The expenditure on the schemes sponsored by central governmentand the central sector schemes form a major share of the central government’sexpenditure, with the other two major heads being (i) Establishment Expenditureof the Centre (ii) Other Central Sector Expenditure.
We have covered in detail the estimates vs actuals for 2017-18 of thecentral government schemes in an earlier explainer article.  Let us have a quick look at theestimates and actuals for the other two heads of expenditure.
The actual ‘Establishment Expenditure’ of the Centre is higher than theestimated expenditure for the year 2017-18, because the increase in the revenueexpenditure by ₹ 35657 crores than estimated. The establishment expenditure includes  salaries, medical expenses, wages, overtimeallowances, foreign travel expenses, domestic travel expenses, office expenses,materials and supplies, publications, advertising and publicity, training,other administrative expenses, POL, cost of ration, clothing and tentage,professional services, rent rates and taxes, royalty, pensionary charges,rewards and minor works, motor vehicles, information technology etc.
Even under the “Other Central Sector Expenditure”, the actualexpenditure is higher than the Estimated expenditure for the year 2017-18. Theactual revenue expenditure is in excess of ₹ 10,822 crores than theestimated. However, the actual capital expenditure was only 45% of the estimates.The actual capital spending is ₹ 5,754 crores compared to the estimated expenditure of ₹ 12,904 crores. Theexpenditure items under this head include provisions made for the Centralexpenditure on PSUs, autonomous bodies etc. and other expenditure not coveredin the category of schemes or establishment expenditure.
It has to be noted that Capital expenditure relates to either creationof an asset or paying off a debt, whereas revenue expenditure is a currentexpenditure which includes administration costs and other expenditure. Underboth the above mentioned heads, it can be observed that there is an excessamount spent on such revenue expenditure at the cost of lower spending on the allocationfor capital expenditure.
The expenditure outlay in the Union Budget is spread across 100Ministries/Departments. In this story, we look at the actual expenditure of fewof the key Ministries/Departments compared to the estimates for 2017-18.
Department of Agriculture – Actual expenditure on Centrally sponsored schemes
19% less than the estimates
The total estimates of expenditure under “Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare ‘is ₹ 41,855 crores whereasthe actual expenditure for 2017-18 is ₹ 37,396 crores i.e. nearly 10.65 % less than the estimate.   The actual spending on Centrally sponsoredschemes is 19% less than the estimated expenditure.
Central sponsored schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna (PMKSY),Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna, National Food Security Mission, National Missionon Horticulture, National Project on Soil Health and Fertility, IntegratedScheme on Agriculture Marketing etc. are few the schemes whose actualexpenditure for 2017-18 was less than the estimates.
Ministry of Defence – Actual Capital Expenditure more than the estimates
The actual capital expenditure in the Ministry of Defence  was higher than the estimates for 2017-18 across all the three services of Indian Armed Forces – Army, Navy andAirforce. However, the actual expenditure on other heads i.e. OrdinanceFactories, R&D are less than the estimates. Although estimate allocationwas done for Technology Development to the tune of ₹ 44.63 cores, there wasno actual expenditure under this head. The total actual expenditure is ₹ 90,438.4 crores whichis ₹ 3,950.39 crores morethan the estimated numbers for 2017-18. Purchase of equipment and machinery isformed a major part of the capital outlay, followed by construction works.
Even in the case of revenue expenditure in the Ministry of Defence, forsalaries, pensions etc., the actual expenditure is around ₹ 9340 crores more thanthe estimates for 2017-18.
Department of Health and Family Welfare –
Actual expenditure more than estimates under Centre’s support for Immunization
and Pulse Polio program
The estimated expenditure for Department of Health and FamilyWelfare was ₹ 47,352 crores, however the actual expenditure is to the tune of ₹ 51,381 crores. While most of the heads under the department did notshow much variance between the estimated expenditure and actual expenditure,the major difference was the excess actual expenditure under National RuralHealth mission.
National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is aCentrally sponsored Scheme focussed on improving the health conditions in theRural areas. Under this mission, the Centre contributes for a Pool fund whichincludes programmes such as immunization, pulse polio programme, Iodinedeficiency disorders control programme etc. The estimated expenditure for thispool fund was ₹ 4,566 crores, while the actualexpenditure overshot the estimate by ₹3,073 crores (actual amount : ₹ 7640 crores). In other words, the actual expenditure on NRHM is 65% morethan the estimates.
Department of Revenue: Excess actual
expenditure due to GST Compensation Fund
The estimate of expenditure for Revenue Department in theMinistry of Finance for year 2017-18 was only ₹ 500 which was majorly towards the establishment expenditure of theCentral Government. However during 2017-18 , the Central Government hasimplemented Goods & Services Tax. Hence, as a compensation to thestates, ₹ 56,146 crores was transferred to Compensation for GST Fund.
Therefore the actual total expenditure of Department of Revenue for theyear 2017-18 was ₹ 58,117 crores due to the transferof money to the GST compensation fund.
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy- Actual expenditure
less than estimates for Solar Energy under Central Sector Schemes
Investment into New and renewable Energyresources is a critical aspect for National development through securing energysecurity. Non-renewable resources are not only running out but are also harmfulfor the environment. Hence the focus of any progressive nation is to findalternate and sustainable energy sources. Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Hydropower and other green alternatives are classified as renewable energy sources.
As a step in the right direction, CentralGovernment has estimated an expenditure of ₹ 5472 crores. However, the actual expenditure by the department for 2017-18 is only₹ 3644 crores. The difference between the estimate and actual is due to lowerexpenditure in the case of solar energy under Central Sector Scheme of GridInteractive Renewable Power. The estimate expenditure was ₹ 2661 crores while the actual expenditure for 2017-18 is ₹ 1001 crores i.e. only 37.63% of the estimated expenditure.
Increase in revenue and administrative
expenditure at cost of Govt schemes and Capital estimates
The departments highlighted in the article areamong the 100 different departments for which the Union budget allocates funds inthe budget. These departments had larger variance between the estimates andactuals. Few of the departments did not utilise the funds allocated as part of budget2017-18 with the actual numbers being lower than estimates. Few otherdepartment have incurred a greater expenditure than what was estimated. Acommon trend among most of such department is the excess of revenue expenditureespecially administrative expenses. This in turn has effected the designatedexpenditure for capital expenditure and in few cases also impacted the fundsfor central schemes.


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What is the BharatNet program and what is its status of implementation?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 16, 2020
Connecting every village & every rural household with broadband internet has been on the agenda of every government in the last decade. The UPA launched the National Optical Fiber Network which the NDA renamed as BharatNet. What is this program and what is the current status of implementation? Here are the details.
In her budget speech on 01 February 2020, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the government’s vision is to provide digital connectivity to all public institutions at Gram Panchayat level. For the same, the government has proposed to allocate ₹ 6000 crores in 2020-21 to ‘BharatNet’ programme to link one lakh gram panchayats by providing Fibre to the Home connections (FTTH).
What exactly is BharatNet? When was it conceived and what is the currentstatus of implementation?
BharatNet programme was earlier known as National
Optical Fiber Network during the UPA
With a vision to connect over 2,50,000 Gram Panchayats across the country, the Manmohan Singh led UPA government initiated the National Optical Fiber Network (NOFN) programme in 2011. Like in the case of a few other schemes, the Modi government renamed the programme as BharatNet programme. The programme aims at taking broadband connectivity to every nook and corner of the country by using optical fiber. It is considered the biggest rural telecom project in the world. The project is now an integral part of the current government’s Digital India initiative- the flagship programme to empower citizens digitally and to bridge the digital gap between rural and urban India.
Through BharatNet, the government envisages providing a minimum of 100 Mbps bandwidth at each Gram Panchayat so that online services can be accessed by everyone, especially those in rural India. This includes e-governance, e-learning, e-banking, e-commerce and e-health services. The Infrastructure is a national asset and non-discriminatory access will be provided to all telecom service providers. In short, the central government is laying broadband internet infrastructure that can be used by governments and service providers.
BBNL manages and takes care of the operation of BharatNet
Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) is a special purpose vehicle, set up by the government of Indiaunder the Department of Telecommunications for management, establishment, andoperation of BharatNet. It was incorporated in 2012 as a PSU under the Companies Act.
Deadlines have been modified time and again
The program was originally planned to be implemented in a phased manner. Deadlines were set by the UPA government for each of the three phases. They had ambitious deadlines to complete the entire project in two years– by 2013. This was further extended to
But, after the NDA came to power in 2014, these deadlines were extendedup to March 2017. Nonetheless, the first phase of connecting more than one lakhpanchayats was completed in only December 2017. The implementation wasundertaken by three Central PSUs, namely, BSNL, RailTel, and Powergrid.Currently, phase – II to connect the remaining 1.5 lakh panchayats is underimplementation. The government is expecting to complete the project by August2021.
Phase II of the project is currently under execution
Under Phase -II, implementation is done through the State Model, Private Sector Model, and CPSU Model. Not only will this phase include an optimum mix of channels for connectivity (Optical Fibre Cables, Radio and Satellites), but will also be providing last-mile connectivity through Wi-Fi or similar technology to ensure that internet is available at the home/office. This is based on the recommendations of the committee on National Open Fiber Network which submitted its report in 2015.
About eight states have opted for State-led model while the satellite model is being implemented mostly in states which have a difficult terrain. Uttar Pradesh is implementing the project through both BSNL (CPSU Led) and PPP Model.
As on 06 March 2020, Optical Fiber Cables has been laid for over 4.27lakh kilometres connecting more than 1.5 Lakh gram panchayats. Around 1.37 lakhof these have been made service ready as per the latest data on BBNL website.
Government cited various reasons in Lok Sabha for the delay in project
Even though the government had set March 2019 as the target forcompletion of the ‘mega‘ project, there has been a significant delay due tomany reasons as listed by the government in the Lok Sabha. The reasons behindthis delay as answered in Lok Sabha are as follows,
Funds are earmarked as a whole, not state-wise
Funds for BharatNet are allocated as a whole and not state-wise. A lump sum amount is allocated and disbursed from Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to BBNL for implementation of BharatNet. USOF’s task is to make sure that people in rural areas have access to telecom connectivity at an affordable and reasonable rate. It was established in 2002.
The initial estimate for the entire project was ₹ 20,000 crores. As on 07 July 2014, USOF had released a grant of ₹ 919 crores and BBNL had utilized only ₹ 463 crores in the project. The committee on the NOFN  re-estimated the total cost of the project at ₹ 72,778 crores- more than three times the initial estimate after the NDA came to power.
For Phase I, more than ₹ 9,000 crores were spent with Madhya Pradesh
accounting for 11%
For phase I, an amount of ₹ 11,148 crores was approved, out of which ₹ 10,286 was allocated to BBNL. A total of ₹ 9,027 crores was spent for BharatNet phase I. State-wise expenditure is given in the following chart. Madhya Pradesh spent the most and is the only state to have spent more than ₹ 1000 crores. Maharashtra has spent the second highest with ₹ 998.9 crores. Expenses in Gujarat includes union territories- Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli too.
Maharashtra has received the maximum fund till date- more than 13% of
amount disbursed to states
Combining the funds disbursed for both phase I & II, Maharashtra has accounted for almost ₹1,933 crores while UP and Gujarat have received more than ₹ 1,600 crores each as per Lok Sabha answer provided on 05 February 2020. Madhya Pradesh too has received more than ₹ 1,000 crores. These four states alone account for 46.5% of the amount disbursed to states. Overall, the states have been given a total of ₹ 14,313 crores. In fact, numbers suggest that including the payment towards BSNL and TCIL, a total of ₹ 19,595 crores have been disbursed. For 2020-21, the finance minister has proposed to allocate ₹ 6,000 crores for BharatNet programme.
Only 59 gram panchayats covered by the end of UPA’s term
As per BBNL’s annual report, as on 31 March 2014, a pilot project was executed in 59 Gram Panchayats in only 3 states despite 2013 being the initial target to complete the project. Thus, there was very little progress during the UPA despite the hype about the project. In the subsequent financial year of 2014-15, the NDA government connected 10,955 panchayats. The number of panchayats connected each year up to 28 January 2018 has been represented in the chart below. More than 50% of the proposed panchayats were connected by the end of 2018. Latest data reveals that more than 1.5 Lakh panchayats have been connected.
Every now and then, the BBNL website is updated with the latest status ofBharatNet programme. The current status of the project is as follows:
An ambitious project marred with delays
Connecting every village with the internet is an ambitious idea that has the potential to bring about a large-scale change in the lives of rural Indians. Such connectivity can have a profound impact on governance and the economy. A lot of time and money are saved since tedious processes are streamlined and made simpler, thanks to the advent of technology. Further, transparency and accessibility are two main factors which improve with technology. However, the project has been marred with delays and multiple extensions. The quality of connectivity and the range of services provided at the last mile remain the key.


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Explainer: What is Conference of Parties (COP)?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 2, 2021
COP26 is being held in Glasgow, UK at a time when many believe that the world has reached a critical stage as far as climate change is concerned. But what is ‘Conference of Parties’ and why is it important? Here is an explainer.
This year, the UK in partnership with Italy is hosting the twenty-sixth session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), popularly known as COP26, from 31 October to 12 November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. In this global summit, more than 190 world leaders including the Indian Prime Minister are participating, along with tens of thousands of negotiators, government representatives, businesses, and citizens. The twelve days of talks are aimed at accelerating the global action towards attaining the goals of the Paris Agreement and UNFCCC. The summit was originally scheduled to be held from 9 November to 19 November 2020 but was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNFCC was signed in 1992 and came into force in 1994
In 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Earth Summit, was convened in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where the leaders of more than 100 countries met to discuss the urgent issues of environmental protection and socio-economic development. In this conference, countries signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which took effect later in 1994. A total of 197 countries have ratified the Convention and are termed as Parties to the Convention. The main objective of the UNFCCC is to achieve the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous interference with the climate system.
‘Conference of the Parties’ is held every year to discuss and review climate actions
Since then, for nearly three decades, the United Nations has brought together all the countries which ratified the Convention or the Parties to the Convention for global climate summits known as ‘Conference of the Parties’ or COP making climate change a matter of global priority. The conferences are held on an annual basis and are considered the supreme decision-making body of the Convention. All the Parties to the Convention are represented at the COP by the respective leaders. The implementation of the Convention is reviewed, strategies are re-evaluated, and legal instruments are built. In short, decisions required to promote the effective implementation of the Convention are taken in these conferences. Meanwhile, the national communications and emission inventories submitted by Parties are reviewed. The COP also assesses the effectiveness of the measures adopted by the Parties and their progress with respect to attaining the objective of the Convention.
The first COP was held in Germany
The first Conference of the Parties or COP1 was held in Berlin, Germany in 1995 after the UNFCCC came into force in 1994. The COP meets in Bonn, the seat of the secretariat unless a Party offers to host the session. Currently, COP26 is taking place in Glasgow. COP25 was initially planned to take place in Brazil but the country withdrew its offer and instead the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC) had to host the conference.  Ultimately, Chile hosted the conference in Madrid with logistical support from the Government of Spain. The only year when the conference was not held was 2020. The list of COPs and the details of the host is below.
Paris agreement was signed in COP21 to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees
COP21 took place in Paris in 2015. In this conference, for the first time, all the countries consented to work together to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees and aim for 1.5 degrees compared to the preindustrial levels. The target of 1.5 degrees was arrived at because each fraction of a degree rise in global temperature has a drastic effect resulting in the loss of many lives and destroying livelihoods. The 196 Parties at the COP21 in Paris signed the Paris Agreement to commit to the targets.
Countries are obliged to share NDCs under Paris Agreement every five years
Under the Paris Agreement, the countries had also committed to proposing their national plans by estimating the number of greenhouse emissions that they would cut on. Each country must create an outline and communicate their post-2020 climate actions, also known as their Nationally Determined Contributions (or NDCs) that the country intends to achieve. NDCs constitute the national climate plans which focus on climate actions, including climate-related targets, policies, and other measures rolled out by governments that are being implemented in response to climate change and as a contribution to global climate action.
Under the Paris Agreement in 2015, the Parties agreed that every five years, they would come back with an updated plan that would reflect their highest ambition at that time. Thus, in COP26, countries will be updating their plans for cutting down emissions. Moreover, the commitments in the agreement that the Parties signed onto have not been achieved. In fact, the world is not even close to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. COP26 is also considered to be an event that many believe is the “world’s best last chance to get runaway climate change under control”.
IPCC report has given a ‘code red for humanity’
In August 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its assessment report on Earth’s climate prior to COP26. It noted that unless there are immediate, rapid, and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting global warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C will be impossible to achieve.
Further, the report noted that the effect of climate change will further increase in all regions. For a 1.5°C of global warming, increasing heat waves, longer warm seasons, and shorter cold seasons will be witnessed. At 2°C of global warming, heat extremes would more often reach critical tolerance thresholds for agriculture and health. The evidence in the report also noted that carbon dioxide (CO) was the main driver of climate change, though there are other greenhouse gases and air pollutants which affect the climate.
COP26’s key goal is to reach net-zero carbon emissions by the middle of the century
The key goal of this year’s COP is to reach net-zero carbon emissions by the middle of the century (2050). Further, it also aims to increase climate finance to aid poorer countries that are the most vulnerable to climate change, to shift to clean energy, and help adapt to climate change. The focus will also be to encourage countries affected by climate change to protect and restore ecosystems, build defences, put warning systems in place and make infrastructure and agriculture more resilient to avoid loss of homes, livelihoods, and lives. Similarly, phasing out usage of coal, and measures to preserve, restore, and regenerate natural carbon sinks will also be discussed.
India aimed to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33% to 35% by 2030
India’s commitments during COP21 when the Paris Agreement was signed are listed below.
India will highlight climate justice COP26
This year, according to the Prime Minister’s statement, India would be highlighting the need to comprehensively address climate change issues including equitable distribution of carbon space, support for mitigation, adaptation, and resilience-building measures, mobilization of finance, technology transfer, and importance of sustainable lifestyles for green and inclusive growth. The country’s ambitious action on expanding clean and renewable energy, energy efficiency, afforestation, and biodiversity will also be shared.
PM Shri @narendramodi to highlight the need to comprehensively address climate change issues @COP26.
Read the departure statement⬇ pic.twitter.com/6y5BfaGWSe
Featured Image: Conference of Parties

created: November 2, 2021