Comprehensive News Analysis 25-05-2022

E. Editorials

Category: POLITY

1. A new road for India’s Fiscal Federalism

Syllabus: GS II, Polity, Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure

Prelims: GST, IGST

Mains: Reforms required in India’s fiscal federalism.

Context: 

The Supreme Court has delivered a ruling on the levy of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST). As a consequence of the new ruling, a new road has been carved out for India’s fiscal federalism. 

The Background:

• The apex court, in the case of Union of India vs Mohit Minerals, questioned the validity of a levy of IGST on ocean freight paid by foreign sellers to foreign shipping lines. 
• This tax has been declared illegal by the Gujarat High Court.
• According to the Supreme Court, the tax levied on importers constituted double taxation. 
• Therefore, it was asserted by the apex court that the importers who were already paying tax on the composite supply of goods could not be charged with additional taxes on a perceived service. 
• The judgement was delivered by taking into account the technical readings of various laws, especially the Central GST Act. 

Points to be considered:

• The court’s ruling cannot be interpreted as the limited purview of a legislature (whether Parliament or the States) to make the recommendations of the GST Council binding on the executive bodies through statutory laws. 
• However, in the court’s ruling, constitutional power cannot be limited through statute. 
• It must be noted that Article 246A, which was introduced by the 101st Constitutional Amendment Act, consists of the provision that empowers equal powers to both Union and the States to legislate on GST. It does not discriminate based on the allocation of authority. 
• The court pointed out that the provisions in the Constitution are not clear about treating the recommendations of the GST Council as a binding decision and transforming them into legislation. 
• The court defined Indian federalism as a dialogue between cooperative and uncooperative federalism where the federal units have the liberty to employ different means of persuasion ranging from collaboration to contestation. 
• The judgement of the Mohit Minerals case has paved the way for states to exercise their independent powers to legislate on GST freely. 

Addressing the concerns:

• Awarding the states the liberty to legislate on GST might have the possibility of further complicating the taxation regimes and a rising discontent between the centre and the states. 
• The judgement on GST is perceived as contradictory to the idea of ‘One Nation One Tax’ with which the new tax regime was introduced. 

Way Ahead:

• More clarity is required to define the qualification of the GST Council to act as a decision-making authority and to what extent their recommendations are to be considered. 
• GST was introduced with the perception of establishing a pooled sovereignty. Such sovereignty has been contested with the major allegation of having a centralising tendency. 
• The judgement of the Supreme Court that has conferred liberty to the States to make laws on GST can open the doorway to more cooperative federalism, reforming and simplifying the existing tax regime.

Category: SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. Serving those who serve

Syllabus: GS II, Social Justice, Issues relating to health

Prelims: WHO, about ASHA workers

Mains: The necessity to address the challenges of healthcare workers and assure them of a safety net. 

Context:

 The WHO Director General’s Global Health Leaders Awards 2022 recognised and felicitated the contributions of India’s healthcare workers (ASHA – Accredited Social Health Activists). 

Details:

• The acknowledgement of healthcare workers by the WHO has been a remarkable expression of gratitude and encouragement to nurture the confidence of those workers. 
• Oftentimes the efforts of the healthcare workers go unnoticed and unrecognised. However, this recognition by an international organisation is much appreciated and was much needed. 
• The relentless efforts of the ASHA workers to deliver healthcare services in rural areas were witnessed prominently during the pandemic. 
• These workers are always at the forefront of combating any disease or infection faced by the country. 
• ASHA workers from India were honoured for playing a crucial role in linking the community with the health system ensuring access for rural people to primary healthcare. 
• The healthcare workers are the backbone of developing an inclusive healthcare system. 
• They render their services in difficult hours of an unprecedented convergence of inequity, conflict, food scarcity, climate crisis/disasters, and pandemics. 

Who are ASHA Workers?

• These are workers who act as volunteers from within the community and are trained to provide information and aid to people for availing benefits of various healthcare schemes of the government. 
• They function as the bridge between marginalised communities and primary health centres, sub-centres and district hospitals. 
• The role of these volunteers has been defined by the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM 2005). 
• The ASHA workers are primarily married, widowed or divorced women between the ages of 25 to 45 years from within the community. 
• Eligibility criteria include good communication skills, and leadership skills, and should have studied at least till the 8th standard, as per the programme guidelines. 

Image source: www.mhtf.org

Challenges faced by the healthcare workers:

• Very low remuneration
• Lack of health benefits assured to them
• Lack of job security
• Many female healthcare workers are prone to harassment
• Vulnerability to violence especially during emergencies like the pandemic
• Inadequate protection is provided to workers who are exposed to hazardous public health works

Ways Suggested:

• The Government must act responsibly to employ the healthcare workers for a fixed tenure and with job security. 
• The government agencies need to ensure the welfare, safety and security of the ASHA workers and healthcare workers. 
• The women healthcare workers must be provided with hygienic conditions of sanitation and other facilities. 
• The ASHA workers must be provided with pension and health insurance.

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Lessons from Russia for India

Syllabus: GS II, International Relations, Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Mains: Interventions required for a powerful military weapons system in India. 

Context: 

The article analyses the implications of the failure of Russian weaponry on the Indian military weapons system. 

The perspective:

• The Russian invasion of Ukraine has unveiled major loopholes in the Russian military forces and can act as the clarion call for India to upgrade its weaponry as it uses a significant amount of Russian-origin weapons systems. 
• A corollary to this is the low morale among Russian soldiers consisting of a large number of conscripts and poor command. 
• The military effectiveness of Russia has been declining over the years with weak command competence. 

Key Takeaways for India:

• Russia’s ineffective military performance makes it necessary for India to invest more in sensors, electronic warfare, greater digitisation, satellite communications and unmanned systems. 
• These advanced technologies in the defence sector must not only be used for reconnaissance and surveillance but also for attack operations. 
• All these will require precise military competence and coordination among the troops. 

Read about Defence Reforms in India in the linked article.

• India will also need to develop greater missile forces for the enhancement of its offensive potential. 
• The combined arms warfare of the Indian Armed Forces needs to be developed in terms of its efficiencies. 
• Therefore, it is evident that no amount of advanced technology can be an alternative to low morale and training, weak command, and poor tactics and strategy. 

Read about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the linked article.