THE ASSAM TRIBUNE ANALYSIS Date -07 September 2020

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE ANALYSISTHE ASSAM TRIBUNE ANALYSISDate Date -- 07 September 202007 September 2020

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NEWS ARTICLES


CONTENTS

EDITORIALS

oChinese threat DPIIT starts exercise for next year

Ease of doing business ranking ofStates/Uts

Govt releases draft guidelines onadvertising

Govt expands support to agarbattiartisans


oChinese threatoCAA, NRC and implementingClause 6

NEWS ARTICLES




DPIIT starts exercise for next year Ease of doing business ranking of States/UTs(General Studies-3: Economic Development)

oThe Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has started theexercise for the ranking of States and Union Territories in terms of ease of doing


exercise for the ranking of States and Union Territories in terms of ease of doingbusiness for the next year.

oDPIIT Secretary Guruprasad Mohapatra said that the ease of doing business ranking ofStates and UTs for next year would be released by March 2021.


o Last year, the department had identified 181 reform points and for 2021, it hasshared 301 such points with the States and UTs. The ranking is based on theimplementation of BRAP and feedback received. It started in 2015.

oThe action plan cover12 business regulatory areas such as access to information,single-window system, labour, and environment.


single-window system, labour, and environment.

oSo far, rankings have been released for 2015, 2016, 2017-18 and 2019. Theexercise is aimed at promoting competition among States with a view to improving thebusiness climate to attract domestic as well as foreign investments.

oTo help laggard States improve the ranking, Mohapatra said that “for next year, wehave sent the reform agenda and we plan to engage with them in select groups, region-wise. We will hold several rounds of meetings with them”.


oIn the 2019 rankings, released by the DPIIT on September 5, Andhra Pradesh for thethird time in a row has topped the chart. Registering a jump of 10 places in the rankings,Uttar Pradesh occupied the second position in 2019 as against 12th in 2018.

oTelangana slipped to the third position from second in 2018. Among the laggard Statesand UTs in the ranking, Bihar was at 26th, Kerala 28th place, Manipur (31), Meghalaya


and UTs in the ranking, Bihar was at 26th, Kerala 28th place, Manipur (31), Meghalaya(32), Nagaland (33), Odisha (34), Sikkim (35) and Tripura (36).

oAs part of the economic package, the Centre on May 17 raised the borrowing limit ofStates from 3 per cent of gross state domestic product (GSDP) to 5 per cent in 2020-o21, which will make available an additional Rs 4.28-lakh crore.

oHowever, part of the increased borrowing limit would be linked to specific reforms –universalisation of One Nation-One Ration Card, ease of doing business, powerdistribution and urban local body revenues.


oThe Secretary said that this “shows the commitment of the Central governmentthat reforms are the only way to every activity”.

o“We are going much beyond the World Bank’s rankings. Reducing complianceburden is the major exercise we are doing now,” he added.



Govt releases draft guidelines on advertising(General Studies-2: Governance)

oThe government has come out with a comprehensive set of draft guidelines onadvertising under which ‘disclaimers’ that are not easily noticeable by or legible oreasily understandable to an ordinary consumer will be treated as misleadingadvertisements under the Consumer Protection Act.


advertisements under the Consumer Protection Act.

oThe violation of these guidelines would face action by the recently established CentralConsumer Protection Authority. The draft guidelines, on which the Consumer AffairsMinistry has sought public comments by September 18, are applicable to companieswhose products or services are advertised as well as to advertisement agencies andendorsers.

oAccording to the draft guidelines, a disclaimer should be clear, prominent enough and legible. “It should be clearly visible to a normally-sighted person reading the marketing communication once, from a reasonable distance and at a reasonable speed.”


oThe disclaimers used in advertisements should be in “same language” as the claim ofthe advertisement, the font should be in the “same font” as the claim and placedisclaimers on packaging in a “prominent and visible space”.

oIf the claim is presented as voice over (VO), then the disclaimer should be displayed insync with the VO, it said.


oThat apart, a disclaimer should not attempt to hide material information with respect tothe claim, the omission/absence of which is likely to make the advertisement deceptiveor conceal its commercial intent. A disclaimer should not attempt to correct a misleadingclaim made in an advertisement, it added.

oThe draft guidelines also specify that an advertisement should not describe a product orservice as “free”, “without charge” or other similar terms, if the consumer has to payanything other than the cost while purchasing a product or service for delivery of thesame.


oOn those who endorse advertisements, the guidelines propose that they should takedue care to ensure that all descriptions, claims and comparisons that they endorse orthat are made in advertisements they appear in are capable of being objectivelyascertained and are capable of substantiation.



Govt expands support to agarbatti artisans(General Studies-3: Economic Development)

oThe government has expanded the support to artisans involved in agarbatti making aspart of a programme aimed at making India self-reliant in production of incense sticks.

oThe MSME Ministry had recently approved the ‘Khadi Agarbatti Aatmanirbhar Mission’


oThe MSME Ministry had recently approved the ‘Khadi Agarbatti Aatmanirbhar Mission’towards creating employment for the unemployed and migrant workers in different parts ofthe country, handholding artisans and supporting the local agarbatti industry.

oFurther to its launching the support programme on July 30, 2020, the Ministry has lookedat all aspects of the industry, beyond just supply of machines for making agarbatti.

oThis includes ensuring supply of inputs and raw materials, the demand for which hasincreased hugely in last one year.


oThe current consumption of agarbatti in the country is approximately 1,490 MT perday. However, per day production of agarbatti in India is just 760 MT. The deficit ismet through imports primarily from China and Vietnam.

oTo make India self-reliant in this sector, the total size of the programme has beenincreased to more than Rs 55 crore, which will include immediate support to about


increased to more than Rs 55 crore, which will include immediate support to about1,500 artisans of about Rs 3.45 crore, development of two centres of excellencecosting at Rs 2.20 crore.

oThe two centres of excellence will be developed at IITs/NITs and at Fragrance andFlavour Development Centre, Kannauj, besides setting up of 10 new SFURTI(Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries) clusters at a cost ofabout Rs 50 crore, benefitting about 5,000 additional artisans.

EDITORIALSEDITORIALS


Chinese Threat(General Studies-3: Security)

oWith tension brewing along the India-China border, particularly in Ladakh sector, thereis a need for augmenting security measures along the McMahon Line in ArunachalPradesh to prevent any intrusion by the Chinese army.


oIt is a fact that the Indian Army is now better prepared to deal with any intrusionattempt by the Chinese than the time of the 1962 war when India was caught off guard.

oApart from a few minor skirmishes, the international border in Arunachal Pradesh hasremained peaceful for years.

oThere have been incidents of incursions by the Chinese troops patrolling the border inthese parts, but those issues could be resolved at the local level. But at the same time,there is a need for keeping a close watch along the border as proper anticipation andthreat analysis can avert untoward situations.


oMoreover, because of the terrain, it will not be possible for the Chinese to try andventure into Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh during the winter months.

oOn the other hand, deployments of the armed forces in this region has increasedconsiderably and the region can also boast of deployment of the Sukhoi squadrons, while,a base of the Rafale fighter aircraft is also set to be established in this part of the country,which will give a boost to India’s defences.


which will give a boost to India’s defences.

oAnother positive aspect is that in recent years, the Government of India has been givingstress on improving infrastructure including road communication along the internationalborders, which will definitely facilitate movement of men and material in case of anyeventuality.

oHowever, one major threat is that the Chinese agencies may try to use the militantgroups of the Northeast to create disturbance in the area and several prominent securityanalysts have also warned that such action of the Chinese is a clear possibility.


oIt is an established fact that the Chinese agencies have been helping out the militantgroups of the Northeast directly or indirectly for years right from the beginning ofinsurgency in Nagaland.

oAccording to information available with the Indian security and intelligence agencies, thecommander-in-chief of the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent), PareshBaruah, is still in Yunan province of China and that is why, the possibility of the Chinese


Baruah, is still in Yunan province of China and that is why, the possibility of the Chineseinstigating the militants to indulge in violence in this region cannot be ruled out.

oThough militancy is on the wane in this region and the strength of the militant outfits isdwindling, only a handful of people can be used for subversive activities like plantingexplosives.

oThe police forces of the Northeast and other security forces operating on the groundshould not lower their guards and must keep a close watch on the situation to preventany such attempts by the militants.


CAA, NRC and implementing Clause 6(General Studies on Assam: Polity, Governance)

oRecently, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) unilaterally decided to put the reporton the contentious Clause 6 of the Assam Accord prepared by the CentralGovernment-constituted Justice (retired) Biplab Kumar Sarma-led high-powered


Government-constituted Justice (retired) Biplab Kumar Sarma-led high-poweredcommittee in the public domain.

oThe AASU, a part of the 13-member high-powered committee, took the decision citingtransparency because both the Central and State governments have been sitting on thereport for six months.

oThe report was submitted to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on February25 last.


oClause 6 is the core of the Assam Accord, a consequence of the six-year-long anti-foreigners movement. It states that necessary constitutional, legislative andadministrative safeguards shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote thecultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the ‘Assamese people’.

oHowever this key clause of the Assam Accord has been in abeyance since the Accord wassigned in 1985 because of a prolonged debate over the definition of ‘Assamese people’.


signed in 1985 because of a prolonged debate over the definition of ‘Assamese people’.

oFor over three decades, no government has shown the political will to resolve the issue andimplement Clause 6. The NDA Government’s initiative of appointing a high-poweredcommittee and the panel’s recommendations to break the impasse so that Clause 6 can beimplemented must be assessed against this background.

oThe panel has defined ‘Assamese people’ as all Indian citizens, irrespective oflanguage or religion, who have been residing in Assam on or before January 1,1951.


oThe panel’s definition therefore includes all the people from the Assamese, indigenoustribes and ethnic communities as well as all other citizens of India who were domiciled inAssam on the stipulated date including their descendants.

oSignificantly, the panel has not found it appropriate to keep the definition of ‘Assamesepeople’ confined within the narrow parameters of language, ethnicity or community.


oInstead, it has preferred to give credence to the centuries of socio-cultural evolutionin Assam which has established a multiracial, multi-ethnic, multilingual and multi-religious pluralistic society where socio-communal harmony has been the norm ratherthan the exception.

oIt is also important not to confuse the cut-off date of January 1, 1951 for defining‘Assamese people’ with the cut-off date of March 25, 1971 for determining illegalimmigrants.


oWith the National Register of Citizens (NRC) published, the Citizenship (Amendment)Act (CAA) a law, what will be the implications for Assam and the ‘Assamese people’ ifClause 6 of the Assam Accord is implemented as recommended?

oPolitically, the recommendation of 1951 as the base year for contesting elections andreservation of 65% to 100% seats in Parliament, State Assembly, local bodies, etc.,for ‘Assamese people’ will secure their political relevance and clout.


for ‘Assamese people’ will secure their political relevance and clout.

oAn Upper House is proposed for all those left unrepresented.

oSocio-culturally, there will be special laws to protect, preserve and promote thesocial, cultural and linguistic identity of the ‘Assamese people’.

oThere will also be constitutional safeguards for protection of Assamese and otherindigenous languages and provisions for use of local languages in the Barak Valley, hilland Bodoland autonomous districts.


oEmployment in Central and State government or public and private sector enterpriseslocated in Assam is a major problem for the locals.

oThe committee has recommended 100% job reservation in Grade III and IV and 70%reservation in Grade I and II for ‘Assamese people’. Land rights will rest with the‘Assamese people’ and there will be strict restriction on transfer of land to non-Assamesepeople.


people.

oDemographically, Clause 6 will not change the existing population pattern of Assam.Instead, with the new CAA and omissions and commissions in the NRC, in future thedemographic balance will continue to tilt against the ‘Assamese people’.

oThis will put immense pressure on the State’s fast eroding land area and scarceeconomic resources endangering socio-communal harmony. Re-verification of the NRC,sealing the Indo-Bangladesh border and strict vigilance on inter-State borders iscrucial for Assam’s future stability and socio-economic welfare.


oThe NRC 1951 was revised under the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue ofNational Identity Cards) Rules 2003.

oUnder Rule 10 of this provision, once the NRC is published, the power to remove anynames from the list if entered based on false information or documents is vested with theRegistrar General of India or his nominee, the District Commissioner/Magistrate.


oHence, there is no need to approach the Supreme Court or New Delhi to rectify the NRC.

oThe State Government must also increase vigilance on the inter-State borders to thwartattempts by illegal immigrants to sneak into Assam to take advantage of the newCitizenship law.

oPertinently, except for Meghalaya and Tripura, all the neighbouring States are under theInner Line Permit regime.


oMoreover, under the Sixth Schedule the new citizenship law is not applicable in Assam’s Hilldistricts. Consequently, there may be a flow of migrants from these districts to theBrahmaputra and Barak valleys raising their population density.

oThe Central Governement can no longer ignore the porous Indo-Bangladesh border whichis a national security threat and also aggravating the illegal migrants’ problem. Nor should itoverlook the fact that Assam has already taken the burden of all illegal immigrants from


overlook the fact that Assam has already taken the burden of all illegal immigrants from1951 to 1971, approximately 20 lakhs.

oUnder Article 6 of the Constitution of India, the cut-off date for migration to India fromerstwhile Pakistan is July 19, 1948.These critical matters concerning the future of Assammust not be subject to political expediency like the four-decade-old illegal immigrantsproblem.

oNor should the ‘Assamese people’ be swayed by political or emotive rhetoric. TheGovernment should act objectively so that these issues are satisfactorily and quicklyresolved and the focus is more on tackling the serious problems of perennial floods,erosion, unemployment and development.

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE ANALYSIS Date -07 September 2020

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