The Assam Tribune Analysis

22-12-2020

ARTICLE CONTENTS

Cinema halls in State facing serious crisis

Ready for talks but govt must offer solution: Farmer leaders

Scrapping laws after protests will hurt democracy: Athawale

Vietnam important partner in Indo-Pacific vision: PM Modi

Take an objective view, China tells India

India, Israel to share know-how on climate resilient infra

New COVID-19 strain is driving S Africa’s virus resurgence

Modi moots broader agenda for talks on global growth

Finmin releases weekly instalment of Rs 6,000 cr to States/UTs

Power Minister unveils rules to protect electricity consumers

AHECL, OIL sign MoU on exploration, production

GDP growth likely to turn positive in Q3: NCAER

Sati Sadhani

Bornadi languishing due to neglect of BTC, State govt

EDITORIAL DISCUSSION

Nepal crisis

Mathematics, god and mysticism

Where is my job?

Empowering women

GENERAL STUDIES 1: CULTURE

1. Cinema halls in State facing serious crisis

Assamese film industry is staring at an uncertain future as cinema halls are facing serious crisis and

a number of halls have already closed down and some others are on the verge of closure. The All

Assam Cinema Hall Owners ’Association is of the view that the crisis faced by the halls compounded

due to the COVID-19 pandemic and without immediate support from the Government, it would be

difficult for the halls to survive.

Talking to The Assam Tribune, president of the Association, Chinmoy Sarma pointed out that the

Government should immediately come forward to help the owners of the halls as was done by

some other states of the country.

He said that the cinema halls were closed due to the pandemic in March this year and though the

Government allowed reopening of the halls from October 15 with 50 per cent capacity, most of the

halls in the State are yet to resume normal operations. He said that it would not be viable for most

of the halls to operate with 50 per cent capacity.

Sarma said that after the lockdown was imposed, the major problem faced by the halls is the fixed

charge of connected load of electricity and the halls also have to pay a penalty for not using the

fixed charge. He pointed out that despite the fact that the halls are not in operation, the fixed

charge and the penalty were not waived and most of the hall owners are not in a position to pay

the amount. He called upon the Government to waive the same for the period when the cinema

halls were not in operation.

He also requested the Government to give a special package for the employees of the halls as most

of the hall owners are not in a position to pay their salaries. The general secretary of mar Bora said

that several prominent cinema halls of Guwahati are on the verge of closure. He said that in the

past few years, a number of halls were converted to godowns and market complexes and the

lockdown added to the problems of the remaining halls.

He said that the Assam State Power Distribution Company Limited has already disconnected the

power supply of several halls because of the failure of the owners to pay the bills during the

lockdown period. “I have 15 halls all over the State and electricity connection has been

disconnected in 10 of them,” he added. Bora said that Assamese film industry would not survive if

the cinema halls close down and the Government should immediately formulate a policy for the

revival of the halls.

GENERAL STUDIES 2: POLITY

1. Ready for talks but govt must offer solution: Farmer leaders

Farmer leaders on Monday said they are always ready for dialogue as long as the government is

offering a “concrete solution”, but claimed that there is nothing new in the Centre’s latest letter to

them seeking a date for the next round of talks. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait

said that the government, in its letter, mentioned that it wants to hold talks over its earlier

proposal of amendments in the new agri laws.

“On this issue (government’s proposal), we did not talk to them earlier. We are currently discussing

how to respond to the government letter,” Tikait told PTI. The sixth round of talks on December 9

was cancelled. In the letter to 40 union leaders, the Agriculture Ministry Joint Secretary Vivek

Aggarwal on Sunday asked them to specify their concerns over its earlier proposal of amendments

in the laws and choose a convenient date for the next round of talks so that the ongoing agitation

could end at the earliest.

“There is nothing new in their letter. We have already rejected the government’s proposal to

amend the new farm laws. In its letter, the government has asked us to discuss its proposal and

convey a date to it for another round of talks. “Don’t they know our demand? We just want a

complete repeal of the new agriculture laws,” another farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said.

In the letter, the Union Agriculture Joint Secretary said the Centre is making all efforts with “an

open heart” to find an appropriate solution to resolve all concerns raised by farmers. The officer

said that in its draft proposal sent on December 9, the government had proposed to make

necessary amendments on at least seven issues, including providing a “written assurance” to the

farmers that the existing minimum support price (MSP) system would continue.

2. Scrapping laws after protests will hurt democracy: Athawale

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday said if the Centre starts withdrawing laws passed in

Parliament bowing to protests, then the parliamentary democracy and the Constitution “would be

in danger”. Talking to reporters here, Athawale, whose Republican Party of India(A) is a constituent

of the NDA, also expressed confidence that the BJP will win more than 200 seats in the forthcoming

West Bengal Assembly elections and form the next government in that state.

To a question on the ongoing farmers’ protest at Delhi borders over their demand for a repeal of

the Centre’s three new farm laws, Athawale said the demand is “illegitimate”. “The law has been

passed by majority in Parliament. If such laws are withdrawn because there are protests against it,

then it would be a precedent for every law passed on the floor of the House, which will put the

Constitution and parliamentary democracy in danger,” he said.

Athawale said farmers should accept the compromise formula suggested by the central

government. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing farmers in Madhya Pradesh

recently, said there will be no impact on the Minimum Support Price and Agricultural Produce

Market Committees due to the new laws,” he said.

The PM has also ruled out any coercive measures to take away land of farmers, as is being

projected by the protesters, he said. The minister said farmers have the right to seek clarification

over the farm laws from the central government. “But, in this case (current agitation), I feel the

farmers have been misled and instigated,” he claimed. “The farmers are on roads bearing the cold

winter for 25 days. They should withdraw the protest and accept the compromise formula. The

government is ready for discussion,” he added.

Athawale also said that the BJP will win more than 200 seats in the forthcoming West Bengal

Assembly polls. “The party will form the next government there,” he claimed. The Union Minister

of State for Social Justice was speaking after meeting Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Both the

leaders discussed issues related to the Scheduled Caste (SC) population in the coastal state. “The

RPI(A) has a good presence in West Bengal. There is 36 per cent SC population in the state. We

would be asking for four to five seats in West Bengal polls with the BJP.

I will discuss the issue with BJP president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah,” Athawale

said. He claimed Amit Shah’s recent visit to West Bengal has proved that the days of Chief Minister

Mamata Banerjee’s government are numbered.

Mamata Benerjee is “getting baffled”, which reflects in acts like the recent attack on Nadda’s

convoy in West Bengal, the Union minister said.

Athawale also claimed that the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government, comprising the

Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, “will collapse on its own and will not complete two years of its

tenure, in the wake of the internal differences within the coalition”. “We are not interested in

destabilising the Maharashtra government. But, if the government collapses on its own, we (NDA)

will form the government as we have 117 MLAs in the state,” the RPI(A) leader said.

GENERAL STUDIES 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Vietnam important partner in Indo-Pacific vision: PM Modi

Describing Vietnam as an important partner in India’s Indo-Pacific vision, Prime Minister Narendra

Modi on Monday said cooperation between the two countries can contribute to maintaining peace

and stability in the region.

At a virtual summit with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Modi said India looks at its

ties with Vietnam with a long-term and strategic perspective. “Vietnam is an important pillar of

India’s Act East policy,” Modi said in his opening remarks, adding the scope of the comprehensive

strategic partnership between the two countries has expanded significantly. “Peace, stability and

prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region is our common aim. Our cooperation can make an important

contribution in maintaining peace and stability in the region,” said Modi.

He also complimented Vietnam for the way the country handled the coronavirus pandemic. India

and Vietnam upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016 and

defence cooperation has been one of the most significant elements in the fast-expanding bilateral

ties.

Both countries have stakes in the Indo-Pacific and are aiming to explore the potential for further

cooperation in the region. At the East Asia Summit in Bangkok last year, Prime Minister Modi

proposed setting up of the Indo-Pacific Ocean’s Initiative (IPOI) to conserve and sustainably use the

maritime domain and to make meaningful efforts to create a safe and secure maritime domain.

2. Take an objective view, China tells India

Chinese-Pak air force drills

China on Monday defended the ongoing joint exercises of its air force with that of Pakistan, saying

the drills were not directed against any third country and India should view them objectively.

The Air Forces of China and Pakistan are holding their annual exercises Shaheen (Eagle)-IX since the

second week of December in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province. The exercises followed the recent

visit of China’s Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe to Pakistan during which the all-weather

allies signed a new memorandum of understanding, details of which were not disclosed.

Asked whether the exercises between two air forces were aimed at conveying a message to New

Delhi, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here that drills

were part of “routine arrangement”.

“As all-weather Strategic Cooperation Partners, China and Pakistan have friendly exchanges and

cooperation in many areas including politics, economy, military, and security,” he said. “We are

committed to jointly upholding regional peace and stability. The relevant cooperation is a routine

arrangement between the two militaries,” he said.

Take an objective view, China tells India Chinese-Pak air force drills “It is not targeting any third

party. We hope that (the) relevant Party can view this in an objective manner,” Wang said, without

directly naming India.

The joint air force exercises, which will conclude in late in December, is a project within the 2020

cooperation plan of the two militaries, the Chinese military said early on The drills will promote the

development of China-Pakistan “mil-to-mil” relationships, deepen practical cooperation between

the two air forces, and improve the actual-combat training level of the two sides, it said.

Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday visited an airbase to witness the joint drills

and emphasised combat readiness and improved interoperability with China.

All weather friends, China and Pakistan share close military ties with Beijing emerging as a major

weapons provider to Pakistan in recent years. China also helps Pakistan to jointly produce JF-17

fighter jets which were recently upgraded with the new Block-3 version. The exercises are being

held in the midst of an eight-month-long military standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in

eastern Ladakh.

3. India, Israel to share know-how on climate resilient infra

India and Israel on Monday signed an agreement to cooperate in the fields of health and medicine,

including sharing of expertise in building climate resilient infrastructure and support to ‘green

healthcare’.

The agreement was signed between Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabi Ashkenazi, and India’s

Ambassador to Israel, Sanjeev Singla, on behalf of the Indian government. The new pact replaces

the previous one signed in September 2003, a press statement said.

Ashkenazi expressed satisfaction on the ongoing cooperation between the two countries,

underlining the joint efforts in dealing with COVID-19. India has lost 1,45,810 lives to COVID-19,

with over 10- million confirmed infections, according to its health ministry. The coronavirus has

claimed 3,109 lives in Israel. Ashkenazi emphasised on further strengthening cooperation in the

sector of water management.

The new agreement includes sharing of expertise for facilitating climate resilient infrastructure, as

well as providing support for development of “green healthcare”, i.e. climate-resilient hospitals. “In

the wake of our ongoing cooperation on COVID- 19, this agreement strengthens our existing

cooperation in health and medicine. In particular, we look to deepening our efforts on digital

health and medical devices,” Singla told PTI.

The agreement will expedite cooperation in exchange and training of medical doctors and other

health professionals, assistance in development of human resources, and setting up of health care

facilities.

It will also facilitate the exchange of information regarding regulation of pharmaceutical, medical

devices and cosmetics. The two countries have also committed to share their expertise for

vulnerability assessment for health of citizens against climate risk and public health actions

targeted towards mitigation and adaptation, as well as facilitating climate-resilient infrastructure

(hospitals) promoting “green healthcare”.

The agreement pushes to promote mutual research in various areas of relevance and also

encourages the participation of representatives from both countries in round tables, seminars,

symposia, workshops and conferences on issues of cooperation.

GENERAL STUDIES 3: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

1. New COVID-19 strain is driving S Africa’s virus resurgence

South Africa has announced that a new variant of the COVID-19 virus is driving the current

resurgence of the disease, with higher numbers of confirmed cases, hospitalisations and deaths.

The new variant, known as 501.V2, is dominant among new confirmed infections in South Africa,

according to health officials and scientists leading the country’s virus strategy. “It is still very early

but at this stage, the preliminary data suggests the virus that is now dominating in the second wave

is spreading faster than the first wave,” professor Salim Abdool Karim, chairman of the

government’s Ministerial Advisory Committee, said in a briefing to journalists.

South Africa may see “many more cases” in the new wave than it experienced in the first surge of

the disease, said Abdool Karim.

South Africa currently has more than 8,500 people hospitalised with COVID-19, surpassing the

previous high of 8,300 recorded in August.

“We are seeing a much earlier and much sharper rise in the second wave or resurgence than we

anticipated,” prof Ian Sanne, a member of the advisory committee, told South Africa’s News24. The

new strain, different from the one in Britain, appears to be more infectious than the original virus.

South African scientists are studying if the vaccines against COVID-19 will also offer protection

against the new strain.

GENERAL STUDIES 3: ECONOMY

1. Modi moots broader agenda for talks on global growth

Asserting that growth patterns must follow a human-centric approach, Prime Minister Narendra

Modi today said discussions on global growth cannot happen only among a few as the “table must

be bigger” and the agenda broader.

The Prime Minister’s remarks at the the 6th Indo-Japan Samwad Conference assume significance as

they come at a time when India has been pushing for reformed multilateralism at the UN and other

global fora, calling for representation reflecting contemporary realities. Modi, in his message at the

conference via video link, said hostility will never achieve peace and in the past, humanity took the

path of confrontation instead of collaboration.

“From Imperialism to the World Wars. From the arms race to the space race. We had dialogues but

they were aimed at pulling others down. Now, let us rise together,” Modi said.

Noting that this is the first Samwad of a new decade which is happening at a critical moment of

human history, Modi said, “our actions today will shape the discourse in the coming days”.

2. Finmin releases weekly instalment of Rs 6,000 cr to States/UTs

The Finance Ministry today released the eighth weekly instalment of Rs 6,000 crore to the

States/UTs to meet the GST compensation shortfall, taking the total amount released so far under

this window to Rs 48,000 crore.

“The Ministry of Finance has released the 8th weekly instalment of Rs 6,000 crore to the States to

meet the GST compensation shortfall. Out of this, an amount of Rs 5,516.60 crore has been

released to 23 States and an amount of Rs 483.40 crore has been released to the 3 Union

Territories (UT) with Legislative Assembly (Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir & Puducherry),” it said in a

statement.

The remaining five States – Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim – do not

have a gap in revenue on account of GST implementation. The Centre had set up a special

borrowing window in October, 2020 to meet the estimated shortfall of Rs 1.10-lakh crore in

revenue arising on account of implementation of GST.

The borrowings are being done through this window by the Centre on behalf of the States and UTs.

The amount borrowed so far was released to the States on October 23, November 2, 9 and 23,

December 1, 7, 14 and 21, 2020.

3. Power Minister unveils rules to protect electricity consumers

Power Minister RK Singh today issued a set of rules to ensure the rights of electricity consumers,

asserting that now the consumer is not “powerless”.

The rules provide for penalties for power distribution utilities (discoms) for not maintaining

mandated standards of services under the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules.

“Now the consumer is not powerless... (discoms) have to provide service... if these (rules) are not

adhered to, there would be penalty,” Singh told reporters in a virtual media briefing on the rules.

The Ministry of Power has promulgated rules laying down the rights of consumers.

While issuing these rules, Singh said that these rules shall empower the con sumers of electricity.

“These rules emanate from the conviction that the power systems exist to serve the consumers

and the consumers have rights to get the services and reliable, quality electricity. Distribution

companies across the country are monopolies, whether government or private, and the consumer

has no alternative, therefore it was necessary that the consumers’ rights be laid down in rules and

a system for enforcement of these rights be put in place,” he added.

The rules provide that it’s the duty of every distribution licensee to supply electricity on request

made by an owner or occupier of any premises in line with the provisions of the Electricity Act. It is

the right of consumer to have minimum standards of service for supply of electricity from the

distribution licensee, it says.

The rules also provide for transparent, simple and timebound processes for release of new

connection and modification in existing connection. The rules provide that the applicant for

electricity connection has option for online application.

Besides, the discoms would have to provide or modify an electricity connection within a maximum

time period of seven days in metro cities; 15 days in other municipal areas and 30 days in rural

areas.

The rules also provide that no connection shall be given without a meter and it shall be the smart

pre-payment meter or pre-payment meter. Their would be provision for testing of meters as wells

replacement of defective or burnt or stolen ones.

The rules also provide for transparency in applicable consumer tariff and bills. Under the rules, the

consumer shall have the option to pay bills online or offline. Besides, there would be provision for

advance payment of bills.

To ensure reliability of supply, the rules say that the discoms shall supply 24x7 power to all

consumers. However, the Commission (power regulator) may specify lower hours of supply for

some categories of consumers like agriculture.

Discoms are also mandated to put in place a mechanism, preferably with automated tools to the

extent possible, for monitoring and restoring outages.

4. AHECL, OIL sign MoU on exploration, production

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Assam Hydrocarbon and Energy Company Ltd

and Oil India Ltd was signed today in the presence of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at Assam

Administrative Staff College here.

As per the MoU, AHECL would receive ten per cent participating interest in exploration and

production of crude oil and natural gas in the Namrup Block allotted to OIL covering an area of 125

sq km. It is first real business venture of AHECL since its inception in 2006. Chief Minister Sonowal,

in his speech, congratulated AHECL for such a tie-up with a Navratna company like OIL and urged

OIL officials to handhold the State government PSU in furthering its business interests and

achieving growth.

He also appreciated OIL for its success in exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in

Assam and NE region overcoming all challenges. Stressing the need to realise Hydrocarbon Vision

2030 for North-east formulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government,

Sonowal said that the natural resources of the region must be harnessed by all NE States to achieve

full growth potential of the region at a rapid pace.

He also said that Assam has a rich history of oil exploration and production, and oil and natural gas

sector has played a pivotal role in Assam’s development. Lauding the efforts of NRL in increasing its

production capacity from three metric tonne to nine metric tonne, he hoped that AHECL would

perform well in exploration and production of hydrocarbon energy in the State.

Sonowal also highlighted the success of Advantage Assam: Global Investors’ Summit in attracting

investment to the tune Rs 79 thousand crore to Assam out of which Rs 54 thousand crore has

already landed. Minister of Mines and Minerals Sum Ronghang, media and legal advisers to the

Chief Minister Hrishikesh Goswami and Santanu Bharali, OIL CMD Sushil Chandra Mishra, AHECL

Chairman Ponakan Baruah, MD of AHECL VS Bhaskar were also present in today’s meeting.

5. GDP growth likely to turn positive in Q3: NCAER

Having witnessed a contraction in the first half of the current financial year, India’s GDP growth is

likely to turn positive at 0.1 per cent in the October-December quarter, economic think-tank NCAER

said.

The NCAER, in its mid-year review of the Indian economy, also forecast 2 per cent growth in the

fourth quarter (January-March 2021). The overall contraction in the current fiscal is likely to be

contained at 7.3 per cent.

India’s economy contracted by 23.9 per cent in the first quarter of the current fiscal on the account

of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The contraction narrowed to 7.5 per cent in the second

quarter.

“The sharp recovery of GDP in Q2, the bowstring effect, was a welcome surprise. We have

accordingly revised our forecast of annual contraction to (-) 7.3 per cent. The revised growth

forecast for Q3 and Q4 are 0.1 per cent and 2 per cent respectively,” the NCAER’s midyear

economic review said.

Earlier, the NCAER had estimated the GDP contraction for the full year at 12.6 per cent. It further

said the ongoing recovery notwithstanding, the long-term effect of sharp contraction in 2020-21 is

likely to be long-lasting. The economy will have to grow at more than the previous trend rate for it

to catch up with its pre-pandemic growth path, it said.

“Conventional macroeconomic policies alone will not do. These will have to be supported by deep

and wide-ranging reforms, especially in the financial sector, power and foreign trade. “Additional

reforms in health, education, labour and land are also urgent, but these will require close

coordination between the Centre and States in a spirit of cooperative federalism since these are in

the main State subjects in the 7th Schedule of the Constitution,” the think-tank added.

NCAER also estimated that the combined fiscal deficit of the Centre plus States will amount to over

14 per cent of GDP for the full financial year after factoring in the projected 7.3 per cent economic

contraction.

“Even if we count only the fiscal impulse, i.e., the excess of the 2020-21 fiscal deficit over that of

2019-20, this amounts to a stimulus of over 7 per cent of GDP. “Taken together with RBI liquidity

infusion of well over 6 per cent of GDP, this translates to a very significant total stimulus that

compares well with most emerging market economies,” it said. Nevertheless, the fiscal stimulus

could have been much more effective on several counts, it added.

GENERAL STUDIES 5: ASSAM CULTURE

1. Sati Sadhani

Social activist Minati Borthakur has been selected for the Sati Sadhani Award, 2020.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will confer the award at a programme to be held at

Dhakuakhana on December 24. The award carries Rs 2 lakh and a citation.

GENERAL STUDIES 5: ASSAM ENVIRONMENT

1. Bornadi languishing due to neglect of BTC, State govt

The picturesque Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary in Udalguri district bordering Bhutan continues to bear

the brunt of neglect and apathy by the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) and the State

government. While its flagship species, the critically-endangered pygmy hog, has become almost

extinct in the face of rapidly shrinking grassland habitat, the sanctuary, which is part of the larger

Manas Tiger Reserve complex, besides forming a contiguous stretch with the Bhutan forests on the

north, suffers from a shocking lack of manpower, infrastructure and amenities.

The 26.21-sq km sanctuary is currently manned by just 13 staff including officials, and three of

those are on the verge of retirement. Of the total seven camps, only the Nalapara camp is

functional and the rest of the camps at Ghopakana, Bamuninala, Alongjhar, Rajagarh, Pilkjara and

Guabari stand abandoned.

“It is not possible to stay in these ramshackle camps and there is also acute shortage of

manpower,” range officer Alok Pathak told The Assam Tribune. Of the two vehicles, one is in

running condition in addition to three motorcycles.

It hardly merits surprise that this sorry situation is adversely affecting the sanctuary’s security.

“Round-theclock patrolling is impossible with this skeletal staff and barring one, all the camps are

abandoned. We have been helped by two NGO volunteers in patrolling,” he added.

The sanctuary is a major elephant habitat and has around 25 resident elephants in addition to the

many that take shelter seasonally while migrating. “The sanctuary has human settlements and tea

gardens right on its boundary and we need manpower to monitor elephant movement,” Pathak

said. Water shortage during the lean winter is another persisting problem in the sanctuary. There

are five artificial ponds dug by the forest authorities to ensure water supply to the wildlife but lack

of maintenance has reduced their water retention capacity.

Almost all the ponds are now covered with water hyacinths and weeds. “We had submitted a

proposal for solar-powered water reservoirs to ensure adequate water level in the ponds, but

things have not materialized yet. Also pending with the authorities is a proposal for restoration of

50 hectares of grassland habitat,” another forest official said.

Conservationist Pranjal Bezbaruah said that unless appropriate measures such as uprooting,

burning, replanting, etc., were taken to restore Bornadi’s grassland, it would severely impact its

fauna and flora. “Bornadi’s grasslands have shrunk drastically due to the onslaught of invasive

weeds. There are scientific methods of grassland restoration and those need to be applied here

after soil testing to see which intervention would be best for it,” he said.

Conservationist and Honorary Wildlife Warden of Udalguri Jayanta Kumar Das blamed the

authorities for the plight of Bornadi and said that grassland restoration measures should have been

taken long back. “It is always difficult to do restoration once vast stretches have come under

invasive weeds. The security and infrastructure of the sanctuary also needs urgent augmentation,”

he said.

Poor grassland management and attack of invasive species apart, mounting anthropogenic

pressures have taken a toll on the sanctuary. With croplands expanding right up to the boundaries

of Bornadi, the sanctuary’s much-needed buffer areas have vanished. “Till 20 years back there used

to be a green buffer along the southern boundary, but that has disappeared as the land was

allotted injudiciously by the government authorities for crop cultivation,” Das said.

Among the oldest protected areas of the State, Bornadi was declared a reserve forest in 1942 and

elevated to a wildlife sanctuary in 1980 to enhance long-term conservation prospects of the pygmy

hog and the hispid hare.

Bornadi also shelters elephant, tiger, leopard, black leopard, gaur, pangolin, capped langur, slow

loris, sambar, barking deer, hog deer, wild dog, porcupine, etc., and a sizeable avian population,

including four species of the hornbill, and migratory birds. The sanctuary – acclaimed for its scenic

beauty – is bordered by the rivers Bornadi and Nalanadi in the west and east respectively.

EDITORIAL DISCUSSION

GENERAL STUDIES 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Nepal crisis

As far as infighting within a major political party is concerned, India, especially the Congress party,

can learn a thing or two from the Nepal Communist Party (NCP)! In fact, ever since the abolition of

the monarchy, the coming over-ground of the Maoists and their intrusion into politics, Nepal’s

experience of becoming a democratic republic has not been a pleasant one, so much so that

members of the public are openly expressing the view that perhaps they had been better off under

the monarchy!

There has been continuing political instability even after the 2017 elections to the 275-member

Lower House of Parliament whereby the NCP had formed the Government and elected KP Sharma

Oli as Prime Minister after a power sharing arrangement with another NCP supremo Pushpa Kamal

Dahal, popularly known as Prachanda.

But the arrangement hardly seems to have worked, if the over eight months long tussle between

the two factions of 68-year-old party chairman Oli, and 66-year-old Prachanda, also the executive

chair of the party and former premier, was anything to go by. Oli and his associates had been

constantly criticizing Oli’s handling of the Covid-19 and the devastated economy, and pressuring

him to either leave the premiership or the reins of the party.

With a no-trust motion being tabled by 91 Parliamentarians of his own party, Oli retaliated by

getting the President to dissolve Parliament! This has thrust Nepal into a crisis since her

Constitution does not have provision for dissolution of the House, which means that the step would

be facing legal challenges.

Oli has taken the extreme step after losing majority support in key sections of the ruling party, the

central secretariat, standing committee and central committee. In fact, the 43-member standing

committee had been scheduled to discuss a ‘political resolution’ submitted by Prachanda listing

serious charges of corruption and nepotism against Oli, before the latter pre-empted the move.

One serious bone of contention has been a newly promulgated ordinance that empowers the

Prime Minister to recommend appointments to constitutional commissions, thereby effectively

bringing these key commissions under his control.

With Oli being set to continue as caretaker Prime Minister, it is clear that he, at least for the time

being, has swept the carpet from beneath his rival’s feet. It is an open secret that Oli enjoys the

blessings of Beijing which has empowered him to take such a dramatic, and some would say

patently illegal, action.

With protests already breaking out in the streets of Kathmandu and Oli holding an emergency

meeting with the National Security Council and giving ‘strict instructions’ to maintain law and order

throughout the country, there is no telling which way the wind will blow. But all evidence points to

greater political instability which would be particularly unfortunate for a nation already reeling

from economic woes.

GENERAL STUDIES 3: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

1. Mathematics, god and mysticism

A glimpse through ancient mathematics reveals a close relationship of the subject, basically

numbers, with mysticism. Pythagoras (570-495 BC) and other philosophers of that time believed

that because mathematical concepts were easier to regulate and classify than physical ones, they

had greater actuality. His belief in monotheism was closely related to his understanding of the

concept of numbers.

For Pythagoras and all other Greek mathematicians, a number was what we now call a whole

number, one of the quantities 1, 2, 3 and so forth. Pythagoras did not even accept 1 as a number;

he thought of it as some sort of primitive element, generating numbers through the operation of

addition: 1+1 = 2, 1+1+1 = 3.

For them, just asonehas a meaning, so did two, three, four, and each of the entities one generated.

Since one was not a number, two was considered to be the first number and represented a female.

Three was considered the first odd number and represented the male and harmony.

Four was not only the first perfect square but also the number of ‘God’s great name’, because after

writing God’s Hebrew name, J-E-H-O-V-A, and removing the conventionally less significant vowels,

God’s name consists of the four letters J-H-V-H. Pythagoras began his theory of numbers by

discovering the numerical relationship between numbers and musical notes. He found that the

vibrations in stringed instruments could be mathematically explained.

His axiom ‘reality is mathematical’ was based on his unshakable belief in harmony as the organizing

principle of the cosmos. Combining this axiom with Keats’ equivalence, ‘beauty is truth, truth

beauty’, yields the Pythagorean principle ‘truth is mathematically harmonious’. Plato (428-348 BC)

asserted that there was a single creator of all things.

The creator first established a structure for the heavens and then produced the substance of the

material world. In performing these acts, the creator employed mathematical principles: Number

mysticism and harmony determined the form of the heaven; aesthetics and geometry, the

structure of matter.

Plato distinguished between two worlds – the world of perfect forms and the imperfect world of

experience. The otherworldly realms of forms, of mathematical objects and truths, is the world of

being – the Platonic realm. The objects in the material world are weak approximations of their

perfect, real forms. The creator modelled the construction of matter on mathematically beautiful

forms from the world of being, attaching triangles together to produce harmonious geometric

structures from the four elements: earth, water, air and water. It may be noted that in those days,

earth, water, air and fire were considered as the fundamental elements of nature.

St Augustine of Hippo (354-430) wrote: “Numbers are the Universal language offered by the deity

to humans as confirmation of the truth.” Similar to Pythagoras, he too believed that everything had

numerical relationships and it was up to the mind to seek and investigate the secrets of these

relationships or have them revealed by divine grace.

The numbers 3, 6 and 7 hold strong spiritual meaning in the Bible: the creation of the world in 6

days; Jesus asked God 3 times if he could avoid crucifixion and was crucified at 3 in the afternoon; 7

symbolizes the unity of the four corners of the earth with the Holy Trinity. French poet Salluste du

Bartas (1544-1590) associated one with ‘the infinite’ because one not only generated all the

counting numbers and the list of counting numbers is without end, but also becauseone was

considered to be the mystical source of everything; one was ‘potentially in all’ while having ‘all in

it’. He also attributed divinity to the number 10, as 10 = 1+2+3+4, thus combining the origin of all

numbers: female, male and perfection.

The Pythagoreans represented one as a point, two as a line segment, three as a polygon, and four

as volume or shape. Thus, ten manifested all dimensions and was inclusive of all geometric forms.

Ten shared this property with the cosmos and so was considered to have cosmological significance.

The idea of infinity is an intriguing and perplexing concept that baffled mathematicians. It has

debunked Euclid’s notion “the whole is greater than a part”. The infinite has been invoked by

philosophers to describe the true nature of a reality forever outside our direct experience, and by

theologians to contrast the divine from the earthly, and so place God beyond human

comprehension. For poets, the infinite has represented mystical insight and truth that cannot be

gained through rational analysis or scientific theories.

Mathematical genius Ramanujan (1887-1920) was a mystical person. Most of his results were

without proof and he attributed his mathematical discoveries to divine revelation received from

Hindu goddess Namagiri, the consort of lion-god Narasimha. Sometimes at midnight, he would

wake up and start writing formulas and equations in his notebook. On being asked, he would say

that he worked out mathematics inspired by goddess Namagiri in his dreams and now jolting down

the results. Once he remarked to a friend: “An equation has no meaning for me unless it expresses

a thought of God.” As Ramanujan’s family was conservative Brahmin, they were initially very

reluctant to send him to England. It is said that Ramanujan prayed to Goddess Namagiri for three

consecutive days seeking her guidance in this matter.

Then Ramanujan’s mother had a dream where she saw her son sitting among a group of Europeans

with a big halo surrounding him. She interpreted the dream as a signal from Goddess Namagiri that

her son may be sent to England. Once, when a friend inquired of Ramanujan about his research,

Ramanujan replied that Lord Narasimha had appeared in his dream and told him that the time had

not come for making public the fruits of his research. Today is the birth anniversary of this great

mathematician, the man who knew infinity, and whose mathematical prudence is an awe for us.

GENERAL STUDIES 3: ECONOMY

1. Where is my job?

India is a young country with 50% of its population below the age of 25 years and 65% below 35. It

faces the task of educating this large population, providing skills and job opportunities. But there

has been a mammoth increase of 6.1% in the unemployment rate – the highest in the last four

decades. Similar is the scenario in Assam.

The 2016 Assam Assembly elections saw a sea of promises alluring the youth. In fact, politicians

campaigning for the BJP promised creation of 25 lakhs jobs in five years. In the vision document of

the BJP, it promised setting up more than 100 BPOs in the State to absorb the existing unemployed

talent pool, leveraging the tourism industry to absorb unemployed youth in the State, conducting

jobfairs in major cities, invite big employers in sectors like hospitality, security, BPO, IT and other

services, incorporating skill development and vocational training as mandatory components of all

courses and syllabi in the education institutes of Assam, creating single window clearance systems

towards increased ease of business, building 30 new ITIs in the State and leverage PMMY for job

creation, etc.

All these have remained unfulfilled. The number of unemployed has risen by 5% during 2013-14

and 2017-18 as stated in the State Innovation Transformation Aayog report. The number of

educated registered unemployed has increased from 1,23,319 in 2015 to 16,99,997 till December

31, 2018. Now the Covid-19 has made it worse. It has been estimated by the same report that an

estimated ‘67 lakh people’s livelihood will face vulnerabilities of myriad kind... and that

unemployment in the State will further increase by 15.7 to 27.1 lakhs’.

But it is to be remembered that prior to Covid-19, the situation has been alarming. The seriousness

of the unemployment problem is also evident from the number of candidates applying for filling up

the posts and the number of vacancies. For example, for the 5,494 constable, 597 SI and 173 junior

secretariat assistant posts, the number of applicants were 4,66,000 and 73,000 respectively.

Whenever the government announces vacancies to fill up, the youths are filled with hope but, at

the same time, there is a feeling of mistrust. The Sonowal Government had earlier won the

credibility with the declaration of zero tolerance against corruption but the way allegations of

corruption and politically-motivated appointments cropped up recently has marred the image of

the Government.

A major concern is that the growth rate of the State Domestic Product has fallen from 16% in 2015-

16 to 6% in 2018-19. If the economic growth cannot be maintained, there will definitely be a crisis

in jobs. Advantage Assam and various other initiatives were introduced with a lot of humdrum, but

these have yielded little result. In fact, existing public sector industries such as the paper mills,

plywood mills, Namrup fertilizers, etc., are in a dire state or closed.

A look into the sector of MSMEs reveals that during the recent years, 775 small and medium

industries which is onethird of the total, 40 out of 47 small industries in the Export Promotion Parks

have closed down.

Another question is the non-functionality of the employment exchanges. The employment

exchanges are meant to register all the unemployed youth and provide employment opportunities

as and when necessary. In fact, ‘upgrading and digitally connecting all employment exchanges of

Assam to help the unemployed’ was one of the promises made by the BJP in its vision document.

But how much have we achieved? The employment exchanges have only been namesake for if we

look into data, only 985 vacancies have been filled up through them. Another important question

of jobless people is availing the benefit of unemployment allowance.

For example, France, which is the most generous country to provide unemployment benefits.

People who have been completely unemployed or lost jobs need to register themselves with the

‘Pôle Emploi’ job centres. Persons who have been completely unemployed can receive around 514

euros per month. Can we not think of such a system?

On the other hand, those who are employed in a contractual form suffer from lack of social

security. The questions of regularization of various contractual jobs such as the venture school

teachers, contractual TET teachers, high school teachers, workers in National Health Mission, etc.,

cannot be ignored.

Unemployment is also a threat even to those who are employed, specifically to those in the private

sector. In face of the large army of youths seeking job, the bargaining power of the workers to

increase their wages is weakened. Hence, it affects the purchasing power of the people and thus

affects the overall economic growth.

This unemployment scenario of Assam has to be changed. For this, the agri economy of the State

must be boosted. The Government has been promoting agri-entrepreneurship. But at a time when

the majority of people do not own land pattas, procuring a loan is not easy. To make loans

accessible, the Government for the time being can issue land certificates with collateral value

specifically to the youths registered in the unemployment exchanges.

The Government should be the guarantor in the process. To boost the agricultural sector, the crop

procurement process, providing MSPs and thus securing the market is of utmost necessity. This will

go a long way in increasing the purchasing power of the people which will naturally increase

consumption and demand.

On the other hand, one of the major hindrances in the path of industrialization is the lack of

infrastructure. Assam still lacks a double rail line. There is a lack of power supply too. Infrastructural

development is a must to get a significant increase in investment.

The Chief Minister of the State has recently instructed various departments to fill up the existing

vacancies. This indeed is a welcome step. But the youths of the State who were a major force in

pushing forward the ruling party both in the State and at the Centre are now desperate. They

wanted the Government to concretely implement a realistic plan. To cover up the failure of

fulfilling the promises of Jati, Mati, Bheti, the Government has now put forwarded the rhetoric of

Amar Pothar, Amar Bojar. However, for now, the youths are raising a single question, where is my

job?

GENERAL STUDIES 5: ASSAM GOVERNANCE

1. Empowering women

The Chief Minister on Sunday ceremoniously handed over scooter keys to five meritorious girl

students of Kamrup district who had secured first division in the HS examination. Under a scheme

aimed at woman empowerment, the Government would provide scooters to such girl students

across the State, with Kamrup and Kamrup Metro districts alone accounting for 22,245 students.

The Chief Minister asserted that the scooters presented on the occasion would carry the success

stories of the girl students to every nook and corner and transform the lives of many girl students

besides inspiring many more. This may be true but at the same time, one also needs to look at the

broader picture and make meaningful interventions to effect changes from the grassroots.

In order to make lasting transformation and make woman empowerment a reality, much more

needs to be done. Many areas in the State lack educational facilities, more so for women. And even

when there are facilities, the access is often denied to many, with those coming from poor financial

and social background not in a position to avail the facilities for various reasons.

A look at the percentage of boy and girl students in our schools makes it abundantly clear that

women are in a disadvantageous position to pursue education due to financial and social factors.

Similar is the case with access to healthcare, as healthcare facilities still remain out of bound for

vast segments of women in the State. It is easy to say that the 21st century is the age of women

and women are increasingly comingout of their homes to make a mark in their chosen fields.

No doubt, things have improved compared to what it had been a few decades back but the reality

is that a large number of women are still not in a position effect changes in their lives precisely due

to their lack of access to education and healthcare. This is where the Government needs to

intervene in the strongest possible manner. Women empowerment will remain a mere slogan

unless adequate investments are made to address the basic concerns that continue toshackle

women from birth to adulthood and beyond.

The governments – both at the Central and in the State – have come up with several schemes

aimed at benefiting women. These initiatives could definitely provide some succour to women but

the larger picture must not bemissed by making such interventions. Government investment in the

all-important spheres of making education and healthcare accessible to women and children is still

not up to the mark and this should change.

If we want our future generations to be healthy and educated, the transformation has to be

achieved only by empowering them from the grassroots. And investing heavily in women is the

surest way to do so because it is women who give birth, and nourish and nurture our future

generations.