3rd October 2024

Article: 3^rd October, 2024

Topic: International Day of Older Persons

Relevance: GS Paper: 1 – Society

Source: WHO

Context

• The 1st October is always observed as the International Day of Older Persons.

About

• Origin: The United Nations came up with the concept first. It originated with the World Assembly on Aging’s 1982 adoption of the Vienna International Plan of Action on Aging.

• UN General Assembly Resolution: By passing Resolution 45/106 in 1990, the UN General Assembly formally declared October 1st to be the International Day of Older People.
• The goals are to increase public knowledge of the benefits and drawbacks of an aging population and to inspire families, community organizations, and other interested parties to take action to alleviate the problems that older people face.
• “Aging with Dignity: The Significance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide” is the theme for 2024.
  
  

India’s Current Demographics

• Approximately 138 million Indians were considered elderly as of 2021 (60 years of age and older), making up 10% of the country’s total population.
• Forecasts indicate that by 2050, aged people in India will number about 319 million, or about 19.5% of the country’s total population.
  
  

Causes of the Rise in the Elderly Population

• Increasing Life Expectancy: Better living conditions and access to healthcare have led to an increase in India’s life expectancy, which rose from about 50 years in 1970 to about 70 years in 2023.
• Reduced Fertility Rate: As a result of India’s declining fertility rate over time, the proportion of younger people in the country has increased while that of older people has decreased.
  
  

Challenges the Elderly Population Faces

• Concerns regarding health: Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular issues, and arthritis.
• Economic Dependency: Due to limited pension coverage and savings, a large number of elderly people in India are dependent on their children or families for financial support.
• Elder abuse is a problem in many families, particularly when it comes to emotional and financial neglect.
• Social Isolation: The rise in nuclear families and other altered family structures has led to a rise in social isolation among the elderly, especially in cities.
  
  

Governmental campaigns

• Seniors can connect with private sector employers through the Senior Able Citizens for Re-Employment in Dignity (SACRED) portal.

• The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment established the Senior Care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE) to market and reward senior care products.

• The National Policy for the Elderly (NPOP): It was created in 1999 to provide direction for the creation of laws and initiatives meant to advance the welfare of senior citizens.
• The Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) assists elderly individuals with age-related disabilities who fall under the BPL categories by providing them with assisted living devices and physical aids.

• The goal of the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana is to strengthen intergenerational bonds through awareness-raising and sensitization campaigns with school and college students.
• The SCSS, or Senior Citizens Savings Scheme: It is a savings program supported by the government that is intended especially for senior citizens to give them a reliable source of income.

• Through Health and Wellness Centers, the Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) initiative offers comprehensive healthcare.
• Using a variety of conventional health systems, including Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy, it focuses on preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative care.

What are the opportunities?

• The term “silver economy” describes businesses, products, and services geared toward the aging population.

• Since this group is thought to be the wealthiest—especially those between the ages of 45 and 64—there is a sizable market for goods and services that are tailored to meet their particular requirements.
• Growth in the Health and Wellness Industry: Senior care, health services, and wellness businesses have a lot of room to grow.
• Approximately one-third of older adults’ consumption goes toward healthcare.
• Elder Care Services: As the number of senior citizens rises, there will be a greater need for assisted living communities, nursing homes, and home care assistance.
• Senior-Friendly Travel and Tourism: The demand for senior-friendly travel and tourism is expected to be driven by the elderly population, who have more time and disposable income.

Conclusion

• Solutions that support social inclusion, financial security, and healthy aging are desperately needed as India’s aging population rises.
• By utilizing developments in senior care services, infrastructure, and health technology, the silver economy can turn aging into a positive force for social progress and economic expansion.

Also Read Topics & Concepts:

Prelims Practice Questions

Q. Consider the following statements regarding Senior Able Citizens for Re-Employment in Dignity (SACRED) portal.

1. The goal is to come up with strategies that will guarantee senior citizens lead independent, dignified, empowered, and healthy lives.
2. NIC will be in charge of developing the portal.

Which of the above statements are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: c

Explanation

The goal is to come up with strategies that will guarantee senior citizens lead independent, dignified, empowered, and healthy lives.
It is an IT portal designed to provide a single platform for senior citizens looking for work and employers. An organization chosen through an open process will create and manage the portal.
NIC will be in charge of developing the portal.

Mains Model Questions Q. To what extent have the welfare schemes addressed the main problems that India’s elderly population faces?

Introduction:

The National Commission on Population estimates that by 2036, the proportion of elderly people in India’s population—which was nearly 9% in 2011—may have increased to 18%. The goal of India’s policies and welfare programs for the elderly has been to offer security and support, but a number of obstacles and constraints have made it difficult to assess how effective they have been.

Body:

Plans and initiatives for the well-being of India’s senior citizens:

• The Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) gives elderly people who are below the poverty line a monthly pension.
• Annapurna Scheme: Seniors who qualify receive free food grains.
• Primary, secondary, and tertiary health care facilities are provided by the National Programme for the Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE).
• The Integrated Program for the Elderly (IPOP): By offering financial support for senior citizen homes, day care facilities, healthcare services, and awareness campaigns, it focuses on the welfare of senior citizens.
• The Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana will provide pension benefits to senior citizens on a guaranteed monthly basis.
• The SCSS, or Senior Citizen Savings Scheme: It is a government-sponsored savings program with higher interest rates available to people over 60.
  
  

Concerns about guaranteeing the efficacy of welfare programs:

• Restricted coverage: Strict qualifying requirements hinder inclusivity and effectiveness by excluding elderly people who are above the poverty line but still face financial difficulties.
• Bureaucratic procedures: Difficult application procedures prevent senior citizens from participating because limited mobility, education, and information access, discouraging their involvement.
• Implementation challenges: Corruption, payment delays, and ineffective delivery mechanisms are some of the reasons why schemes’ impact is hampered by difficulties in implementation and monitoring.
• Insufficient infrastructure for healthcare: Seniors’ general well-being is impacted by limited access to specialized services caused by inadequate geriatric healthcare in rural areas.
• Inadequate pension amounts: Insufficient pension amounts jeopardize elderly people’s ability to maintain their standard of living in the face of growing costs.

Conclusion: The government is ensuring the well-being and dignity of our elderly population through programs like the SAMPANN Project, SACRED Portal for Elderly, SAGE (Senior Care Ageing Growth Engine) Initiative, and others, allowing them to live fulfilling lives and get the support they deserve. Together, we can build a society that is welcoming and helpful to our senior citizens.

Article: 3^rd October, 2024

Topic: Overseas Citizen of India

Relevance: GS Paper: 2 – Polity & Governance

Source: Indian Express

Context

• The Indian Consulate General in New York has made it clear that the social media rumors that OCIs are going to be reclassified as “foreigners” are untrue.

Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)

• The Indian government introduced the Overseas Citizen of India program in 2005.
• An Indian visa with multiple entries and multiple purposes is granted to a registered OCI for an indefinite stay.
• For the duration of their visit in India, they are not required to register with the Foreign Registration Officer (FRO) or the Foreign Regional Registration Officer (FRRO).
• In addition to applying for a PAN card and driver’s license, OCI cardholders can purchase non-farm property, exercise their ownership rights, and open special bank accounts in India.
• However, in order to visit India’s protected areas, they must apply for a permit or permission.
  
  

Qualifications

• It allows all Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) who were citizens of India on January 26, 1950, or later, or who were eligible to become citizens on that date, to register as OCIs.
• Belonged to an area that joined India after August 15, 1947; or been such a citizen’s child, grandchild, or great-grandchild; or
  – a minor offspring of the aforementioned individuals; or
  – A minor child may register to receive an OCI card if both of their parents, or just one of their parents, is an Indian citizen.
  
  

Can someone not be an OCI?

• If a candidate’s parents or grandparents were ever citizens of Bangladesh or Pakistan, they are ineligible to receive an OCI card.
• OCI grants are also not available to foreign military personnel, either active or retired.
  
  

What cannot be done by OCIs?

• The holder of an OCI card is not eligible to vote, hold any Indian constitutional office, including that of President or Vice President, or serve as a judge on the Supreme Court or High Court, or as a member of Parliament or a Legislative Assembly.
• Normally, he or she is not allowed to work for the government.

Also Read Topics & Concepts:

Prelims Practice Questions

Q. Consider the following statements about the distinctions and similarities between a “Non-Resident Indian (NRI)” and an “Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)”.:
1. Voting in the parliamentary elections is permitted for NRIs only; OCIs are not eligible.
2. In India, neither OCIs nor NRIs are permitted to buy or own any kind of real estate.
3. An OCI must apply for a visa each time they visit India; NRIs are exempt from this requirement.

Which of the above statements are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 2
4. 1, 2, 3

Ans: a

Explanation

• It is possible for NRIs and OCIs to invest in and buy real estate, including both commercial and residential buildings. They aren’t permitted to purchase agricultural land, though.
• NRIs receive nearly all of the same benefits as regular citizens. Therefore, a visa is not required for him to visit India. In a similar vein, holders of OCIs benefit from multiple entry lifetime visas for any purpose. Put differently, an OCI holder does not have to apply for a visa each time they wish to travel to India. Except for properties used for agricultural purposes, such as plantations, farmhouses, and agricultural land, non-resident aliens (NRIs) are permitted to purchase a variety of commercial and residential properties.

Mains Model Questions Q. “Indian citizens carry multiple identities, but the country does not permit dual citizenship.” Examine.

Introduction:

The only citizenship that India grants its citizens is Indian citizenship. States citizens of the United States of America hold dual citizenship, unlike their Indian counterparts. The idea of dual state citizenship does not exist in India. However, Indian citizens have two identities in their minds: one is that of an Indian, and the other is that of their state or region.

Body:

Dual identities despite a single citizenship:

• There’s a sense of national pride in a specific region and a desire for greater political autonomy. It is a combination of political and socioeconomic elements rather than merely a geographical area.
• Loving one’s culture, region, language, etc., as well as one’s nation of India fosters brotherhood and unity based on shared languages, religious beliefs, and historical backgrounds. It also supports the preservation of a particular regional group’s unique identity.
• It is clear that sub-state actors are growing more powerful within a country. Nationalism is pushed after independence, and the idea of a single citizenship is suppressed. the idea of one nation, as well as by granting citizenship, in addition to a single judiciary, all India services, and a powerful central government.
• Indians now have a strong sense of place, love, and allegiance to their single nation thanks to the son of soil theory.

Conclusion: It is imperative that a realistic conceptual understanding of regionalism be developed, with an emphasis on justice and a judicial perspective on the trajectory of political parties. If this goal is accomplished, regionalism—the notion that various communities speak distinct languages and are connected to specific cultural expressions—as well as thinking globally, acting globally, and practically perceiving human unity in diversity will all become very possible.

Article: 3^rd October, 2024

Topic: PMLA cannot become a tool to detain people

Relevance: GS Paper: 2 – Polity

Source: Hindustan Times

Context

• The Prevention of Money Laundering Act’s provisions cannot be used by the Enforcement Directorate as a means of long-term incarceration, according to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court.
  
  

The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)

• It was passed by the Indian Parliament in 2002 in accordance with Article 253 of the Constitution to outlaw money laundering and to provide for the seizure of assets obtained through or connected to money laundering.
• With effect from 2005, the PMLA and the Rules notified under it were further amended in 2009 and 2012.
• Under pertinent Act sections, the Director, FIU-IND, and Director (Enforcement) have been granted exclusive and concurrent powers to carry out Act provisions.
• Money obtained through illegal means (e.g., drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption) is the primary offence under the PMLA.

Bail Provisions

• Section 45 of the PMLA addresses bail provisions. It begins by stating that no court may grant bail for offenses against this law, but it then lists a few exceptions.
• According to the provision, the court must use a twin test in cases where the public prosecutor objects to bail and requires that the prosecutor be heard in every bail application.
• Similar provisions can be found in a number of other laws that address serious offenses, such as Sections 43D (5) of the Unlawful

Activities Prevention Act, 1967, Section 37 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and Section 36AC of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

The Supreme Court’s View of the Case

• The court placed stringent conditions on bail in order to allay ED’s worries about potential witness or evidence tampering. These conditions included:
  – regular meeting with the ED deputy director;
• appearance for the scheduled offenses before the investigating officer;
• refrain from getting in touch with any prosecution witnesses or victims involved in the planned offenses;
• complete compliance with the trial and a refusal to request postponements.
  
  

Conclusion

• Despite criticism of the PMLA provisions, the Supreme Court has continuously maintained their legality, highlighting the necessity of successfully combating money laundering.
• This legal framework’s continued emphasis on striking a balance between individual rights and law enforcement authority is essential.

Also Read Topics & Concepts:

Prelims Practice Questions

Q. Consider the following statements regarding PMLA

1) Under the act, an investigation cannot begin without a filed complaint.
2) The onus of establishing innocence rests with the accused under PMLA.

Which of the above statements are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: b

Explanation

An ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) is filed in the event of PMLA. It is comparable to the FIR, not provided to the accused, and regarded as a “internal document.”

This onus has been transferred to the accused under PMLA; they must now demonstrate their innocence. In general, all persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Mains Model Questions Q. Analyze the effectiveness of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in prosecuting cases involving money laundering, taking into account the obstacles to its implementation, safeguards against abuse, and effectiveness.

Introduction:

India’s defense against the scourge of money laundering is the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, which forbids and punishes the conversion of black money into white. The PMLA has been the focus of praise for its goals and criticism for its difficulties in execution, prosecutorial efficacy, and misuse potential ever since it was passed and changed.

Body:

An outline of the PMLA

• Definition and Procedures: This section defines money laundering and describes the procedures that are involved, such as placement, layering, and integration, with the goal of hiding the source of funds that were obtained illegally.
• Goals: Intended to stop money laundering, facilitate the seizure of assets obtained through money laundering, and address related matters.
  
  

Difficulties with Implementation

• Legal Ambiguities: The Act’s focus is diluted by measures like the expanding list of “scheduled offences” and the retroactive application of definitions, which attempt to close loopholes but nevertheless leave room for interpretation.
• Low Conviction Rate: The difficulties in prosecuting crimes under the PMLA are highlighted by the disproportionately low number of convictions between 2012 and 2018 compared to the number of cases filed.
  
  

Prosecution’s Efficacy

• Judicial Proceedings: The Act deviates from the general rule that confessions made to police officers are not admissible in court by allowing statements made before the Enforcement Directorate to be admissible.
• International and Organized Crime: Money laundering plays a vital role in the functioning of international and organized crime, impacting the social and economic fabric of countries. The Act seeks to address these issues head-on, but there are obstacles in the way of accomplishing its goals.
  
  

Protections Against Abuse

• Strict Provisions: The Act’s strict provisions and the extensive authority it grants enforcement agencies call for safeguards to avoid abuse and strike a balance between the protection of individual rights and efficient enforcement.
  
  
  

Conclusion: An important step in the Indian government’s fight against money laundering and the crimes that underpin it is the PMLA. Despite having admirable goals and being essential to protect the nation’s economic integrity, the Act has been difficult to implement. These include questions about the possibility of abusing its strict provisions, legal ambiguities, and a low conviction rate. Notwithstanding these obstacles, recent changes and a targeted enforcement strategy point to a shift in the direction of a more equitable and successful application of the law. The ongoing improvement and balancing of enforcement authority with protections for personal freedoms will be essential in ensuring the PMLA fulfills its intended purpose without overreaching its bounds.

Article: 3^rd October, 2024

Topic: BharatGen

Relevance: GS Paper: 3 – Science & Technology

Source: indiaai.gov.in

Context

• The Ministry of Science & Technology launched the world’s first government-funded multimodal LLM initiative, called “BharatGen.”
  
  

About BharatGen

• Goal: By creating fundamental models for language, speech, and computer vision, we hope to transform public service delivery and increase citizen engagement.
• The National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) is being implemented by IIT Bombay.
  
  

Principal Elements of BharatGen:

• foundation models that are multilingual and multimodal.
• Construction and instruction using datasets with a focus on India.
• a platform that is open-source that promotes innovation in AI research.
• It is anticipated that the project will be finished by 2026, with continuous research, development, and application scaling for AI.
  
  

Importance

• BharatGen will handle speech as well as text, guaranteeing representation in India’s wide range of linguistic environments. It will be able to capture the subtleties of Indian languages, which are frequently underrepresented in global AI, by utilizing multilingual datasets.
• BharatGen will ensure that AI benefits all facets of society, especially underserved Indian languages, by democratizing access to AI across the public, private, and educational sectors.
• By creating AI models especially for India, BharatGen supports the goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat. By developing these technologies at home
  
  

What are Large Language Models?

• Large language models, or LLMs for short, are extremely large deep learning models that have undergone extensive pre-training on copious amounts of data.
• Large Language Models (LLMs) generate, understand, and recognize complex data, including human languages, by utilizing machine learning techniques.
• In addition, they can handle speech, images, and other multimodal inputs in addition to handling structured and unstructured data, which increases their usefulness in industries like education, healthcare, and customer service.

Generative AI (GenAI) – It is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) technology that responds to commands in natural language conversational interfaces by automatically creating content.
– GenAI creates original content by utilizing pre-existing material, as opposed to merely curating it.
– All symbolic representations of human thought are included in the content, which can be found in the following formats: software code, videos, photographs, digital paintings and cartoons, texts written in natural language, and images.
– Data gathered from websites, social media discussions, and other online media is used to train GenAI. It creates its content by finding and repeating common patterns in the distributions of words, pixels, and other elements in the data it has ingested through statistical analysis.
– OpenAI launched ChatGPT (Chat Generative) to the public in November 2022.

Also Read Topics & Concepts:

Prelims Practice Questions

Q. Consider the following statements regarding Generative AI

1. It is a subset of artificial intelligence in which machine learning algorithms are used to generate new data.
2. It can support medical professionals in diagnosing patients.
3. It can assist in the creation and simulation of intricate architecture, engineering, and design.

Which of the above statements are correct?

1. 1 and 3
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 2
4. 1, 2, 3

Ans: d

Explanation

A subset of artificial intelligence known as “generative AI” uses machine learning algorithms to produce new data. It can help health professionals with their medical diagnosis. Complex engineering, design, and architecture can also be created and simulated with its assistance.

Mains Model Questions Q. What is Generative AI? Draw attention to its implications?

Introduction:

The area of artificial intelligence known as generative artificial intelligence, or GenAI, is capable of producing any type of data, including text, images, audio, code, simulations, 3D objects, videos, and more. While drawing inspiration from the available data, it also produces novel and surprising results. OpenAI, an AI start-up located in San Francisco, recently introduced ChatGPT, or Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer.

To create new, previously undiscovered content that is similar to the training data, generative AI first trains a model on a sizable dataset. Techniques like image and music generation, as well as neural machine translation, can be used for this.

Body:

Benefits:

• Lessen the workload for human researchers: It can assist in sorting through a large amount of legal research materials and generating an accurate, detailed, and useful synopsis. It can therefore free up many hours of human research time so that researchers can concentrate on more challenging and fascinating issues.
• Assisting with design: It can also assist in modeling and producing intricate engineering, architecture, and design. It can facilitate the testing and iterative development of innovative designs more quickly.
• Treatments for personalized health:It can assist medical professionals in diagnosing patients. AI can provide novel and tailored treatment options based on a patient’s medical background and symptoms. DeepMind AlphaFold, for example, is able to predict the protein’s shape.

Issues:

• Deepfakes: Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to produce synthetic media, including audio, video, and image, through the use of machine learning techniques like deepfakes. Such artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content may be hard or impossible to discern from actual media, raising major ethical concerns.
• Error issue: Generative AI raises the possibility of an error issue by utilizing machine learning to infer data.
• Increase in Biases: According to recent research, larger and more complex systems frequently have a higher propensity to incorporate implicit social biases into their training sets. Within online communities, these AI biases may manifest as ableist, racist, or sexist behaviors.
• Risk of unemployment: If generative AI replaces human laborers by automating operations or tasks that they had previously completed, this could result in job displacement.

Conclusion: Generative AI developers and users should think about the possible effects and make sure the technology is applied morally and sensibly.