‘Telecom sector awaits next frontier in communications via policy reform’ 

Present Global Status of the Indian Market

• Digital Connectivity Advancements:
  • India ranks as the third-largest digitized country globally, after the USA and China.
• Telecommunications Infrastructure:
  • Serves as a key enabler for digital transformation.
  • Enhances connectivity across devices and applications.
  • Contributes to improved living standards and economic growth.
• Policy Reforms:
  • Ambitious reforms aim to make India a leading digital economy.
  • Focus on digital empowerment and inclusivity to sustain growth and competitiveness.

Recommendations Submitted by the Telecom Industry

Reduction in Levy and Tax Burden

• Abolishment of USOF Levy:
  • USOF levy burdens telecom service providers, diverting funds from 5G and network upgrades.
  • USOF is funded by a 5% levy on telecom operators’ Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR).
• Reduction of License Fee:
  • Suggest reducing the license fee from 3% to 1%.
• Clarity in Gross Revenue Definition:
  • Exclude non-telecom activities from tax calculations.

Exemption and Duty Reductions

• Service Tax Exemption on AGR Liabilities:

• • Important for the financial recovery of the industry and efficient 5G rollout.
  • Telecom companies owe over ₹1.5 lakh crore due to AGR.

• Reduction of Customs Duty:

• • Propose zero customs duty for telecom manufacturing.
  • Gradual increase for 4G and 5G products.

• Renewing Customs Duty Exemptions for Submarine Cable Vessels:

• • Prevent future cost increases by renewing exemptions urgently.

Spectrum Allocation

• 6 GHz Spectrum Prioritization:
  • Essential for 5G deployment.
• Strategic Planning for 6G Technologies:
  • Enhance network quality and coverage.
  • Support advanced applications like telemedicine and smart cities.

Telecommunications Act 2023

• Right of Way (RoW) Issues:
  • Addressing RoW for telecom infrastructure.
  • Standardizing RoW rules across states.
  • Simplifying licensing processes.
  • Delinking telecom infrastructure from property taxes for faster 5G deployment.

Implementation of Reforms

• Swift Implementation of Regulatory Reforms:
  • Minimize bureaucratic delays and operational hurdles.
• Creating a Conducive Environment for Investments:
  • Ensure clarity and uniformity in RoW regulations.
  • Improve the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) in the sector.

Conclusion

• Prioritize Swift Implementation:
  • Reduce levies and taxes.
  • Clarify revenue definitions.
  • Allocate spectrum for 5G and future 6G technologies.
  • Boost investor confidence.
  • Accelerate infrastructure development.
  • Enhance digital connectivity nationwide.

Cyber warfare is considered by some defence analysts to be a larger threat than even Al Qaeda or terrorism. What do you understand by Cyberwarfare? Outline the cyber threats which India is vulnerable to and bring out the state of the country’s preparedness to deal with the same. (2013)

Trying juveniles as adults is not the answer 

Incident

• Event: In May, a speeding car allegedly driven by a teenager caused the deaths of two young techies in Pune.

Initial Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) Decision

• Bail Granted: The JJB granted the minor bail with conditions, including writing a 300-word essay on road safety.
• Public Reaction: This decision led to public outrage and criticism from the Maharashtra Deputy CM.

Subsequent Developments

• Bail Canceled: The JJB later revoked the minor’s bail, sending him to an observation home.
• Legal Challenge: This decision was challenged in the Bombay High Court.

Bombay High Court Ruling

• Release Ordered: The Bombay High Court ordered the minor’s release.
• Reasoning: The court deemed the JJB’s remand order illegal.
• Custody: The minor was to be placed in the care of his paternal aunt as per the Juvenile Justice Act.

Amendment in 2021

• Empowering District Magistrates:
  • District Magistrates, including Additional District Magistrates, can now issue adoption orders under Section 61.
  • Aimed at ensuring speedy disposal of cases and enhancing accountability.
• Strengthening Child Welfare Committees (CWCs):
  • Redefined eligibility parameters for CWC member appointments.
  • Introduced criteria for disqualification under Section 28 to ensure competence and capability.
• Categorization of Offences:
  • Offences with a maximum sentence of more than 7 years imprisonment but no minimum sentence or a minimum sentence of less than 7 years are categorized as “serious offences” under Section 2(54).
• Addressing Implementation Challenges:
  • Changes made to clarify the interpretation and scope of various provisions of the Act.

Need for Accountability

• Promoting Justice and Fairness:
  • Ensures juvenile offenders are held responsible in a manner that aligns with justice and fairness principles.
• Preventing Recidivism and Ensuring Rehabilitation:
  • Accountability addresses underlying issues contributing to offending behavior.
• Maintaining Public Confidence and Trust:
  • Enhances public confidence in the juvenile justice system and ensures transparency in decision-making.

Conclusion

• Comprehensive Rehabilitation Programs:
  • Tailored to the individual needs of juvenile offenders.
  • Focus on mental health support, educational opportunities, vocational training, and family reintegration.

Examine the main provisions of the National Child Policy and throw light on the status of its implementation. (2016)

World Heritage Young Professionals Forum, 2024

India Hosting UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee Meeting

• Location: New Delhi
• Theme: “World Heritage in the 21st Century: Building Capacities and Exploring Opportunities for Youth”

About the World Heritage Young Professionals Forum

• Initiative by UNESCO: Engages young professionals in heritage conservation.
• First Forum: Organized in 1995.
• Primary Aim:
  • Engage young professionals in heritage conservation and management.
  • Focus on capacity building, networking, and raising awareness.

Consider the following international agreements: (2014)

1. The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
2. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
3. The World Heritage Convention

Which of the above has / have a bearing on the biodiversity?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

WHY IS MILITANCY ON THE RISE IN JAMMU?

 Recent Incident

• Date: July 8
• Location: Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir
• Event: Militants ambushed two Army vehicles
  • Casualties: 5 soldiers killed, 5 others injured
• Context: Fifth terror attack in the Jammu division since June 9, resulting in 8 security personnel and 10 civilian deaths.

Background

• Resurgence of Militancy:
  • Renewed efforts over the past three years to revive militancy in Jammu.
  • Key areas affected: Chenab Valley (Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi) and south of the Pir Panjal (Rajouri, Poonch).
• Historical Context:
  • Jammu has been largely free of violence for two decades.
  • Previously a militant hotspot in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
  • Recent resurgence has alarmed the security establishment.

Data Insights

• Jammu Region (since 2021):
  • Terror Incidents: 31
  • Security Forces Killed: 47
  • Civilians Killed: 19
  • Terrorists Killed: 48
• Kashmir Valley (since 2021):
  • Terror Incidents: 263
  • Security Forces Killed: 68
  • Civilians Killed: 75
  • Terrorists Killed: 417
• Concern: Frequency and nature of attacks in Jammu, particularly targeting pilgrims and security forces.

Possible Reasons

• Security Thinning:
  • Post-2020 Galwan clashes, a large contingent of the Army was redeployed from Jammu to the China border, weakening the security grid in Jammu.
• Strategic Intent:
  • Experts suggest inimical elements aim to engage and exhaust India on both western (Pakistan) and northern (China) fronts.
• Kashmir Valley Dynamics:
  • Heightened alert and limited space for state-sponsored terrorists in the Valley.
  • Easier to launch attacks in Jammu where security is relatively relaxed.
• Article 370 Context:
  • Post-abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the government claimed security successes in the Valley.
  • Reviving terrorism in Jammu challenges this narrative.
• Demographic Sensitivity:
  • Potential to flare up communal tensions and lead to social unrest.

Infiltration Details

• Security Setup:
  • International Border (IB): 192 km, secured by the Border Security Force (BSF).
  • Line of Control (LoC): 740 km, under Army control.
• Challenges:
  • Tough terrain and forested areas along the LoC.
  • Vulnerable patches along the IB may have facilitated recent infiltrations.

VIBRANT VILLAGES PROGRAMME

Union Home Minister’s Review of Vibrant Villages Programme

• Review Context: Recently conducted by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
• Background:
  • Programme Announcement: Initially announced in the 2022 Budget.
  • Objectives: Comprehensive development of villages along the China border.
  • Focus: Improving quality of life and stemming outmigration from identified border villages.

About Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP)

• Approval: Granted as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in February 2023.
• Financial Outlay: ₹4800 crore allocated for FY 2022-23 to 2025-26.
• Coverage: Targets villages in 46 blocks across 19 districts in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and UT of Ladakh.
• Objectives:
  • Comprehensive village development.
  • Enhancing quality of life and discouraging outmigration.
• Key Interventions:
  • Livelihood Generation: Tourism promotion, cultural heritage preservation.
  • Skill Development & Entrepreneurship: Focused on local capacities.
  • Cooperative Societies: Agriculture, horticulture, medicinal plants.
  • Infrastructure Development: Road connectivity, housing, energy (including renewable), telecom connectivity.
• Outcome Orientation:
  • Establishes outcome indicators at village, household, and individual beneficiary levels for effective monitoring and evaluation.