Exam View: The missing monuments; Reasons for the missing monuments; The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958.

Context: The re-introduction of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Amendment Bill has sparked concerns over the future of India’s protected monuments and archaeological sites.

Decoding the editorial: The missing monuments

In December 2022, the Ministry of Culture, under which the ASI is housed, told Parliament that 50 of India’s 3,693 centrally protected monuments had gone missing.

• The Afghan-era Barakhamba graveyard:
  • The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) tried to rediscover the cemetery using modern scientific instruments, but it appears unlikely they will be able to recover it from the quicksand of urbanisation.
• Lal Mahal in Nizamuddin area:
  • The renowned Muslim traveller and scholar from Morocco, Ibn Battuta, is said to have stayed here in the 14th century.
  • The 800-year-old Lal Mahal is not a notified building and so access to it is not available to conservationists or even the ASI. Since it was not listed, it was encroached.
  • It falls in a zone declared prohibited for construction activities by the ASI, as it is only 20 metres from a centrally protected monument, Bada Khamba.

Reasons for the missing monuments

• Bricks and pillars, sculptures, bas reliefs, and carved beams are frequently stolen from historical monuments.
• Often, families encroach and move into a 16th or 17th-century structure and simply make it home.
  • With no documentation or oversight, and given the immense pressure of population and poverty, such instances are impossible to prevent.
• They are not considered of ‘national importance’.
• There is no digital method to keep a watch on the existing structures.
• Most protected monuments like the Kos Minar did not have guards.
• There is a communication gap between the ASI and the State government.
  • The Kos Minar area in Haryana was simply sold off to HUDA and they made commercial and residential buildings on it. The ASI blames the government, the government blames the ASI, and it’s an endless blame game.

The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958

• The AMASR (Amendment) Bill was introduced in 2017 and cleared by the Lok Sabha.
• It became the subject of intense debate because of two provisions.
  • It allowed the government to take up infrastructure projects within a 100-metre radius of heritage monuments in a bid to strike a balance between heritage and development.
    • The original Act prohibits construction, even for public works, in this area.
  • The amendment introduced a new definition of “public works”.
    • It includes the construction of any infrastructure that is financed and carried out by the central government for public purposes.
    • This infrastructure must be necessary for public safety and security and must be based on a specific instance of danger to public safety.
    • Also, there should be no reasonable alternative to carrying out construction in the prohibited area.
  • In the Rajya Sabha, the Amendment Bill was referred to a Select Committee in 2018. The report said:
    • Modern construction activities have been undertaken in Britain, Italy, France, for development of infrastructural activities very close to the historical structures in those countries without having any impact on structures.
    • But the decision to permit construction works in the vicinity of Centrally protected monuments should be done on a case-by-case basis by a body of experts.
    • There is no logic or scientific basis behind the limits imposed by the present blanket ban.
    • It was suggested that the appointment of the Committee should be left at the Ministry level each time a decision is to be taken on a big project.
    • Such a Committee of experts should hold public hearings for transparency.
  • The government is seeking to re-introduce the controversial AMASR (Amendment) Bill in 2023.

Source:https://frontline.thehindu.com/arts-and-culture/heritage/missing-monuments-of-india-tell-a-tale-of-neglect-amasr-amendment-bill-controversy-over-future-of-protected-monuments/article66841840.ece

In News: The Andhra Pradesh government has started removing “dotted lands” in the state from the prohibited list, restoring full rights of selling or pledging these lands to the farmers who own them.

About Dotted Lands

• Dotted lands are disputed lands for which there are no clear ownership documents. In dotted land one or more individuals, the government’s Revenue Department lay claim over the land.
• These lands are known as “dotted lands’’ because, during the British era, land ownership surveys and resettlement of land records were taken up, and local revenue officials who were tasked with identifying government-owned and privately-owned lands put dots in the ownership column if more than one person claimed ownership, or if ownership could not be clearly established.

Why do these ownership disputes arise?

• Dispute happens if landowners did not leave clear wills passing on land to their heirs or children, and if a dispute arose because more than one heir lay claim over the land.
• Land deemed by the government to belong to the state, but was under occupation by private parties.
• Land records that are in question since more than 100 years old, and had been locked up in the prohibited list in and registers.
• Government officials left the ownership column blank indicating their disputed status as per Section 22A of the Registration Act.

Government's Initiative to Resolve Dotted Lands Issue:

• The Andhra Pradesh government introduced a Bill to grant land titles to farmers cultivating dotted lands for over 12 years.
• Removal of dots and entries from land registers will provide clear land ownership documents to approximately 97,000 farmers.
• Landowners/farmers can utilize the lands as collateral for obtaining loans, in urban areas, dotted lands have been illegally sold and houses have been constructed, which cannot be taxed. apply for financial assistance for crop support, sell the lands, or gift them to family members.
• Through “Jagananna Saswatha Bhu Hakku Bhu Raksha Scheme” of the Andhra Pradesh Government, digital records of this land will be prepared so that no one can tamper with the records in the future.
• Under this Scheme, Andhra Pradesh government has provided 7,92,238 permanent title deeds to farmers in 2,000 villages in the first phase.

India’s Initiatives for Digital Land Records to Reduce Land Disputes

=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/andhra-pradesh-dotted-lands-dispute-explained-8616395/

In News: Union Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Department of Fertilisers for revision in Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for. Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potash (K) and Sulphur (S) for Rabi Season 2022-23 and approved NBS rates for Kharif Season 2023 for P&K fertilisers.

About the Nutrient Based Subsidy Scheme:

• The NBS has been implemented since 2010 by the Department of Fertilisers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.
• Under the NBS policy, a fixed rate of subsidy on per kg basis is announced on nutrients namely Nitrogen (N), Phosphate (P), Potash (K) and Sulphur (S) by the government on an annual basis. It does not include urea-based
• Moreover, fertilisers fortified with secondary nutrients and micronutrients such as sulphur, zinc, boron, iron, manganese, and copper are given additional subsidies.
• Objectives of the NBS scheme:
  • To ensure the nation’s food security.
  • To improve agricultural productivity.
  • To ensure the balanced application of fertilisers.
• Government is making available fertilisers, namely Urea and 25 grades for P&K fertilisers to farmers at subsidised prices through fertiliser manufacturers/importers.
• The Cabinet decision will have the two-fold benefit of ensuring availability of DAP and other P&K fertilisers to farmers at subsidised, affordable and reasonable prices during Kharif season and will also ensure rationalisation of subsidy on P&K fertilisers.
• Government will be providing a subsidy of Rs. 38,000 crores for the Kharif 2023 to fulfil its commitment of providing quality and subsidised P&K fertilisers to farmers.

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1924767

In News: Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launched Information and Communication Technology initiatives namely AHMIS (Ayush Health Management Information System) and eLMS (Education Learning Management System) at National AYUSH Mission Conclave.

About the AYUSH Mission:

• The National AYUSH Mission (NAM) was launched in September 2014 by the Department of AYUSH under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, but now it is implemented by the Ministry of Ayush.
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme that involves expansion of the AYUSH sector to promote holistic health of Indians.
• NAM provides support to state and union territories for co-location of Ayush facilities in Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs).
• The collaboration between modern and traditional medicine through integration of AYUSH systems in central government hospitals helps in establishing multiple systems of medicine at a single platform facilitating cross-referrals and true integration of different systems of medicine.
• India’s heritage of traditional medicine advocates and adopts a holistic perspective towards health with a focus on wellness at its foundation.
• The initiatives of ‘Heal by India’ and ‘Heal in India’ has led to an increasing inflow of patients from around the world, who are travelling to India to receive treatment. It has also led to rapid growth in demand for medical professionals from India trained both in modern and traditional medicine.
• India is developing a WHO-Global Centre for Traditional Medicine at Jamnagar, Gujarat, making India a global leader in Traditional Medicine.

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1925182

In News: RBI recently came up with a regulatory framework for banks to accept green deposits from customers where banks that accept green deposits will have to disclose more information on how they invest these deposits.

About Green Deposits:

• Green deposits are investments where banks promise to earmark the money they receive as green deposits towards environment-friendly projects. For example, a bank can promise to invest the green deposits towards financing renewable energy projects.
• Green deposit is one product among other financial products such as green bonds that help investors put money into environmentally sustainable projects.
• RBI’s framework for the acceptance of green deposits lays down certain conditions on banks such as:
• Banks will have to come up with a set of rules or policies approved by their respective boards that need to be followed while investing green deposits from customers.
• Banks will have to disclose regular information about the amount of green deposits received, how these deposits were allocated towards various green projects, and the impact of such investments on the environment
• RBI has come up with a list of sectors that can be classified as sustainable and thus eligible to receive green deposits namely renewable energy, waste management, clean transportation, energy efficiency, and afforestation.

• The new rules are aimed at preventing green washing, which refers to making misleading claims about the positive environmental impact of an activity.
• Depositors who care about the environment may get some satisfaction from investing their money in environmentally sustainable investment products.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/explained-what-are-rbi-regulations-on-green-deposits/article66866265.ece

In News: The Ministry of Finance clarifies that no Tax Collection at Source (TCS) will be imposed on individual payments using international debit and credit cards up to Rs 7 lakh in a financial year from July 1, 2023.

About Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS):

• The Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) allows resident individuals, including minors, to remit a certain amount of money abroad for permissible transactions.
• It allows individuals to freely remit up to USD 2,50,000 per financial year (April - March) for any permissible current or capital account transaction or a combination of both.
• Resident individuals can use the LRS to avail foreign exchange facilities for various purposes, as outlined under the FEM (CAT) Rules 2000.
• Some of the allowed purposes includes expenses to diversify investment portfolios, support family members abroad, pursue education or medical treatment abroad, and engage in other permissible transactions.
• The LRS imposes a limit of USD 2,50,000 per financial year, and prior approval from the Reserve Bank is required for remittances exceeding this specified limit.
• The scheme aims to facilitate ease of foreign exchange transactions for individuals and provide a framework for managing foreign exchange flows.
• The LRS has certain restrictions and guidelines to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and prevent misuse of funds.
• The LRS is an important tool for individuals seeking to engage in legal and permissible foreign exchange transactions within the specified limits.
• Previously, the government had amended Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to bring international credit card spending under the Liberalized Remittance Scheme (LRS).
• In this regard, the government had increased TCS for foreign remittances under LRS from 5% to 20% (except for education and medical purposes) to be effective from July 1, 2023.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/lrs

In News: Tata Consumer Products announces to delist its global depository receipts (GDRs) from the London Stock Exchange and Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

About Global Depository Receipts (GDRs):

• Global depository receipts (GDRs) are negotiable financial instruments issued by a depository bank that represent foreign company shares.
• These are used by Indian companies to access foreign funds and gain access to international capital markets.
• GDRs are traded and listed independently from the underlying shares and can be converted into shares.
• It allows investors to gain access to international companies' capital markets without dealing with language, currency, or tax restrictions.
• These are overlooked by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) which has published a framework to issue Depository Receipts (DR).
• GDRs are denominated in foreign currencies, and the shares are denominated in the deposit receipt issuer's local currency.
• GDRs offer a range of advantages including diversification, liquidity, and access to global investors,
• However, they also have disadvantages such as administrative costs, potential liquidity issues, and exposure to economic and political risks.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/markets/tata-consumer-products-to-delist-gdrs-from-june-23/article66858443.ece

In News: NIA's conducts “Operation Dhvast”, in 8 States

About Operation Dhvast:

• It is a mega crackdown on Terrorist-Gangster Nexus by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in collaboration with Punjab Police and Haryana
• The operation targeted the nexus between terrorists, gangsters, and drug smugglers in eight states with raids conducted on more than 300 locations.
• The objective of the operation was to dismantle the terror network and disrupt their funding and support infrastructure.
• The operation also aimed to apprehend weapon suppliers, financiers, logistic providers, and hawala operators associated with the criminal gangs.
• Suspects were detained in multiple locations across Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chandigarh, and Madhya Pradesh.
• The operation highlighted the involvement of organized networks operating from abroad, and the role of prisons as hubs for criminal activities and gang wars.

National Investigation Agency (NIA)

• The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is a premier counter-terrorism agency in India established in 2009 as a specialized agency to combat terrorism and other related crimes.
• It operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs and has the authority to investigate and prosecute offenses related to terrorism, radicalization, organized crime, and funding of such activities.
• Its primary mandate is to maintain national security by effectively tackling terrorism and promoting peace and harmony in the country.
• NIA works in close coordination with other law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies to gather intelligence, conduct investigations related to national security.

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/operation-dhwast-nia-mega-crackdown-8-states-gangster-and-terrorist-2380611-2023-05-17

Why in news? Recently, Supreme Court said that holding the power to nominate aldermen to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) may arm the Lieutenant Governor with muscle to destabilise a democratically elected local body.

About:

• Alderman” refers to a member of a city council or municipal body, with exact responsibilities depending on the location of its usage. It is derived from Old English.
• Etymologically, the word comes from the combination of “old” and “man”, meaning older man or experienced person.
• The word originally referred to elders of a clan or tribe, though soon it became a term for king’s viceroys, regardless of age.
• Soon, it denoted a more specific title – “chief magistrate of a county,” having both civil and military duties.
• In the 12th century CE, as guilds became increasingly associated with municipal governments, the term came to be used for officers of municipal bodies. This is the sense in which it is used till date.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/l-g-can-destabilise-mcd-with-power-to-appoint-aldermen-says-sc/article66863177.ece#:~:text=The%20Supreme%20Court%20on%20May,a%20democratically%2Delected%20local%20body.&text=A%20three%2Djudge%20Bench%20headed%20by%20Chief%20Justice%20of%20India%20D.Y

Why in news? Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) celebrated World Bee Day on May 20th, 2023 at Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh.

About:

• World Bee Day is an annual event that is celebrated on May 20th to raise awareness about the importance of bees and other pollinators for the environment, food security and biodiversity.
• The date was chosen to commemorate the birthday of Anton Janša, a pioneer of modern beekeeping from Slovenia.
• The United Nations General Assembly declared World Bee Day in 2017, following a proposal by Slovenia and the support of 115 countries.
• The event aimed to promote and popularise beekeeping nationwide through the National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM) under the Atma-Nirbhar Bharat initiative.
• The Theme of 2023 is “Bee engaged in pollinator-friendly agricultural production”.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1925502

Why in news? Recently, The National Medical Commission (NMC) issued a notification that obliges doctors to seek a transfer of their practice license when they move to another state.

About:

• The National Medical Commission Act of 2019 establishes the National Medical Commission (NMC), which is responsible for the creation and regulation of all elements of medical education, practice, and institutions.
• NMC consists of 25 members including:
• The Chairperson, Presidents of Postgraduate Medical Education Boards, and Presidents of Undergraduate Medical Education Boards
• Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
• Director General of Health Services.
• There are four boards in the NMC:
• Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB)
• Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB)
• Medical Assessment and Rating Board
• Ethics and Medical Registration Board
• The draft National Medical Commission (NMC) bill 2022 seeks to introduce a fifth autonomous body under the country’s apex medical education regulator to conduct the National Exit Test (NExT)

https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/may/18/doctors-peeved-at-nmc-notificationon-licence-transfer-2576217.html

Why in news? Recently, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) emphasized the need for avoided carbon emissions via reduced generation and utilization of power from conventional sources at CEO Round Table in Bangkok, Thailand.

About:

• IREDA was set up in 1987 as a specialized non-banking finance agency for the renewable energy sector.
• IREDA plays a key role in the renewable energy project financing which gives confidence to the financial institutions/banks to lend in the sector.
• IREDA is a Mini Ratna (Category – I) Government of India Enterprise under the administrative control of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
• It offers a credit enhancement guarantee scheme to support the issuance of bonds by wind and solar energy project developers.
• By providing unconditional and irrevocable partial credit guarantees, IREDA aims to enhance the credit rating of bonds for renewable energy projects.
• The amount raised by credit enhanced bonds shall only serve to repay existing debt partially or fully.

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1925552

Why in news? Recently, the Central Bureau of Investigation searched 12 locations in Delhi and Rajasthan in connection with a case alleging corruption in the award of civil works related to the Kiru hydro-electric power project in Jammu and Kashmir.

About:

• Kiru Hydro Electric Project is proposed on River Chenab, located in Kishtwar district of the Jammu & Kashmir.
• The project is being developed by Chenab Valley Power Projects, a joint venture between National Hydroelectric Power Corporation, Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation and Power Trading Corporation.
• The project is envisaged as a Run of River Scheme & designed complying with the requirements of Indus Water Treaty 1960.
• The project will address the energy deficiency in the Northern region of India.
• It will simultaneously improve the transportation, education, medical, and road transportation network in the region.
• Beneficiary States: J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Rajasthan, Union territories of Chandigarh & Delhi.
• Dam Type: Concrete gravity.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/insurance-scam-case-cbi-searches-at-nine-locations-in-jammu-and-kashmir-delhi/article66860030.ece

Why in news? Recently, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development pledged further support for war-torn Ukraine as shareholders consider a proposal to boost EBRD capital by 3 billion-5 billion euros.

About:

• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is an international financial institution with the mandate to promote transition towards a sustainable, open market economy and to foster innovation.
• The EBRD was created in April 1991 to help Eastern European and ex-Soviet countries transitioning into democracies by developing free-market economies after the fall of communism.
• Headquarters: London
• It is publicly owned by shareholders in 69 countries. It only supports countries that are committed to democratic principles.
• Despite its public sector shareholders, it invests mainly in private enterprises, together with commercial partners.
• The bank finances large and small projects in a variety of sectors including public works, agribusiness, natural resources, and municipal infrastructure.
• India has become the 69th shareholder of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in July 2018.

https://theprint.in/world/ebrd-pledges-more-support-for-ukraine-eyes-capital-boost/1581166/