Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority -- NSRA (An Overview)

The 2014 "Nuclear materials security Index"  prepared by Washington based Nuclear Threat Initiative(NTI) has ranked India 23 out of 25 countries with weapons-usable nuclear material......It has rightly pointed out the absence of independant nuclear regulatory authority in India to ensure safety and security in India’s civilian nuclear sector. India should take this seriously given the long standing desire to integrate itself in global nuclear regime and be member of international groups like NSG.

Who presently looks after this than ?

Presently AERB is tasked with regulating the safety and security, but it not an autonomous body and depends on DAE for all practical purposes.

CAG report of 2012 and PAC report of 2013 too emphasized the need for truly autonomous body. 

( Precisely what happens is that there is a cosy relationship which exists between the AERB and the DAE, which is responsible for managing nuclear energy in India. The CAG noted that “the AERB chairman … works in a capacity similar to any head of department in [the] DAE.” So, the AERB, which reports to the Atomic Energy Commission that is chaired by the secretary of the DAE, is effectively charged with regulating its own boss. Moreover, some of the most hazardous facilities operated by the DAE — reprocessing plants — do not even come under the AERB. )

Necessity of setting of NSRA:

• Absence of an independent regulatory mechanism in India for ensuring a safety and security measures for civilian nuclear facilities.

• Currently Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) does the regulatory mechanism regarding the safety and security measures of civil nuclear facilities. But it is not an independent body and is under Department of Atomic energy. So, AERB is not able to deliver its duties properly.

• Some dreadful incidents in recent past such as Mayapuri case in Delhi and Fukushima case of Japan triggered the need of an strong and independent regulatory body.

Proposed structure :

• The Council of NSRA consists of PM as the chair and its ministers as members of the council responsible for appointing the chairperson and other members of the authority

• The NSRA Bill doesn’t clearly says that which facilities should be under its authority as the Bill says that the Central Government on the name of defence and security, exempt any radioactive material, nuclear material etc and the premises where these materials are found or the areas associated from the jurisdiction of the authority.

• NSRA is excluded from the purview of RTI Act.

• NSRA will submit its annual report to the parliament.

Functions:

The NSRA aims to take measures to ensure that use of Nuclear Material is safe for workers, public and environment.

• It implements guidelines and policies for nuclear safety

• Provide grants of approvals for exploring, mining and use of nuclear material

• Advises government in case of any disaster caused by Nuclear material

Key Issues and Analysis

• The Council (search committeee)  includes the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, who also heads the department that controls nuclear plants.  This may lead to a conflict of interest.

• The Chairperson of the NSRA will be on the search committee for other members.  This may affect the independence of other members.

• The Bill allows the central government to regulate certain nuclear facilities on its own.  Such facilities would not be under any other independent regulatory authority.

• The Bill permits the central government to establish other regulatory bodies for regulating exempted facilities or activities.  The extent of Parliamentary oversight over these bodies is not clear.

• Members of the NSRA may be removed without a judicial inquiry.  The process differs from the procedure under other legislations.

• The NSRA’s orders can be appealed before an Appellate Authority, which is not a standing body.  It is not clear how an appeal may be filed if the Appellate Authority is not constituted.

• The penalty for all offences under the Bill is the same.  It is unclear whether the gravity of these offences is the same in all cases.

BUT as v have the new government at the centre ....v might expect these issues will be taken under consideration before placing the bill before the PARLIAMENT !!!

MORAL of the STORY 

---- It’s better to be safe than sorry

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Miscellaneous 

                         

INDIAN MARTIAL ARTS :: -- INDIA Ke RANG

Martial arts is a part of India’s ancient culture and a traditional games.Originally a traditional form of martial art that started in South India, and now it has different names and different forms in the culture of the regions in India. Khusti The Indian Wrestling is also a part of Indian Martial arts found throughout the India. Indian martial arts has an important influence in the development of modern Asian martial arts. Nowadays a sense of self-defense and for fitness lots of people are opting for martial arts.As in other respects of Indian culture, Indian martial arts can be roughly divided into northern and southern styles.

Kalarippayattu (asked in UPSC Prelim 2014) : 

• Kalarippayattu is a famous Indian martial art from land of attraction Kerala and one of the oldest fighting systems in existence. 
• It is practiced in most of the part of south India. 
• A kalari is the school or training hall where martial arts are taught. 
• It includes strikes, kicks and some weapon based practiced, 
• Footwork patterns is most important key in Kalarippayattu. 
• It is the best Indian martial art that has been used in many movies to make it popular, like Ashoka and The myth.

Silambam: 

• Silambamis, a weapon-based Indian martial art from Tamil Nadu. 
• Every states has it own style of martial arts. 
• A wide variety of weapons are used in silamban, some of which are not found anywhere else in the world. 
• Silambam art also used animal movements of snake, tiger, eagle forms and footwork patterns is play a key role here as well. 
• Another part of Silambam is Kuttu varisai, it is the unarmed kind of martial art.

   

Gatka: 

• Gatkais weapon-based Indian martial art basically created by the Sikhs of Punjab.
• There are many weapons used in Gatka like, Stick, Talwar, kirpan and kataar. 
• The attacking and defense methods are based upon the positions of the hands feet and nature of weapons used. 
• It is also displayed during the different celebrations or at fairs in Punjab.
• The sport form is played by two opponents wielding wooden staves called gatka. These sticks may be paired with a shield. Points are scored for making contact with the stick. 
• The other weapons are not used for sparring, but their techniques are taught through forms training.
• It is based on the basic principle of unification of the mind, body and spirit in a rhythm of life to train a saint-soldier to be able to defend himself/herself.

Musti yuddha: 

• It is unarmed martial art from the oldest city of India “Varanasi“. 
• Technique used in this martial arts are punches, kicks, knees and elbow strikes. 
• This style is a complete art of physical, mental and spiritual development. 
• This art is very rarely visible but was very popular in middle age.

Thang Ta: 

• Thang Ta is popular term for the ancient Manipuri Martial Art also known as HUYEN LALLONG. 
• Manipuri martial arts with swords and spears, is a strong yet gracefully sophisticated art.
• The Manipuri art of huyen lalong was once practiced by the state's indigenous hill tribes who would engage in duels governed by strict rules of conduct. 
• The armed component called thang-ta is named after the system's main weapons, the thang (sword) and ta (spear). Practitioners spar through cheibi gatka in which a foam sword is used together with a shield. 
• Unarmed huyen lalong is called sarit-sarak and is used in conjunction with thang-ta when the fighter loses their weapon

Lathi: 

• Lathi is an ancient armed martial art of India. 
• It also refers one of the world’s oldest weapons used in martial arts. 
• Lathi or stick martial arts practiced in Punjab and Bengal region of India. 
• Lathi still remains a popular sport in Indian villages.

Mardani Khel: 

• Mardani Khel is an armed method of martial art created by the Maratha. 
• This traditional martial art of Maharashtra is practiced in kolhapur.

Pari-khanda: 

• Pari-khandaa style of sword and shield fighting from Bihar. 
• This art is created by the rajputs. 
• Pari-khanda steps and techniques are also used in Chau dance.

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Miscellaneous facts related to the topic := 

• The Vishnu Purana text describes dhanuveda as one of the traditional eighteen branches of "applied knowledge" or upaveda.

• The malla-yuddha (wrestling match) between Bhima and Jarasandha lasts 27 days. Similarly, the dwandayuddha between Parasurama and Bhishma lasts for 30 days, while that between Krishna and Jambavan lasts for 28 days. Likewise, the dwandwayudda between Bali and Dundubhi, a demon in the form of a water buffalo, lasts for 45 days.

• The Manusmriti tells that if a warrior's topknot comes loose during such a fight or duel, the opponent must give him time to bind his hair before continuing.

• Kashmiri swordsmanship is said to have an ancient history, but it was only much later that it acquired its modern name of sqay. Sqay survived a decline following the partition of India by adopting competitive methodologies of karate and taekwondo. Types of competition include sparring, breaking, and forms or khawankay. Pracitioners spar using fake swords called tora which are paired with a shield. Sparring is point-based, the points being awarded for successful hits with the tora or with the foot.

• Kick-fighting (aki kiti) is the preserve of tribes from Nagaland. While the entire Naga population of northeast India and northwest Myanmar was traditionally known for their skill with broadswords (dao) and other weapons, disputes among tribesmen and between tribes were settled with a solely kick-based form of unarmed fighting. The goal is to either drive the opponent to their knees or outside of the ring. Only the feet are used to strike, and even blocking must be done with the legs.

• The Kannada fighting arts are taught exclusively at traditional training halls or garadi mane. Disciplines include unarmed combat (kai varase), staff-fighting (kolu varase) and sword-fighting (katti varase) among various other weapons. These are most often seen today      only during choreographed demonstrations at festivals

Why is INDIA right by not signing the TRADE FACILITATION AGREEMENT (TFA) ?

WTO AND STAND OF INDIA-

India’s strong stand on food security at the World Trade Organization (WTO) has threatened to derail the first multilateral trade agreement reached in the last two decades. Developed countries have complained that India is going back on its promise made at Bali last December where it was agreed that the Trade Facilitation Agreement will be made a WTO rule by 31 July, while a permanent solution to the food security issue will be found only by 2017. India has maintained that different timelines for various elements of the Bali package is against the WTO rules of a single undertaking where everything need to be implemented simultaneously.

First understand the SCENE ..thru the pics...!

Take a look at the logic of India’s position:

1■ -India’s complaint is justified. According to the WTO rule, public stockholdings must not exceed 10% of the value of foodgrains produced and calculated at the base price of 1986-88. You cannot calculate current food subsidy limits by 1986-88 prices. That beats all logic.

2 ■ For most of the developing countries including India, public stockholding for food security is a livelihood issue, a matter which should not be even debated at WTO.

3 ■ Developed countries lose nothing if they allow higher public stockholding by developing countries after putting in place a mechanism with reasonable limits to ensure developing countries do not dump their excess cereals at rock bottom prices in the international market.

4■ Allowing developing countries to continue to provide price support to their farmers will be a big confidence booster in multilateral trade, given that the focus of the ongoing Doha round of negotiations is supposed to be on “development”. Developed countries can claim moral victory and fast-track the remaining issues of the Doha round once they oblige the food security demand of the developing countries.

5■ Food security is the foundation upon which the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger stand. Forcing developing countries and Least Developed Countries to agree to anything which may compromise their right to food security will not only compromise basic human dignity but also go against the UN declaration to which all countries are a signatory.

6■ The government support to farmers in developed countries are way ahead of what developing countries can even afford to provide. For example, while India provides about $12 billion farm subsidy to its 500 million farmers, the US provides around $120 billion to its 2 million farmers. The figures could be contested, but not the trends.

7■ Lastly, there is wide realisation in India at the state and central government level about the rising burden of subsidies and there is a serious move to make it more targeted through the use of technology as in the case of the Direct Benefits Transfer programme. To expect it to happen at the pace developed countries wish means one does not understand the complexities of a country like India.

"Technology Development Fund" :: A page from Budget 2014-15

Technology Development Fund was established in 2011 as follow up to the twin funds recommended by Kelkar committe.

What is the objective of Technology Development Fund ?

TDF objective:  It aims to provide necessary resources to public and private sector companies, including SMEs, as well as academic and scientific institutions to support research and development of Defence systems that enhance cutting-edge technology capability in the country.

What actually did the Kelkar Committee recommend ?

Kelkar committe recommendations : The committee was set up 2005 to suggest measures for acquisition procedures and private participation. It recommended setting up two funds which are:

(a) Strategic Defence Industry Fund(SDIF)

(b) Defence Technology Product Development Fund(DTPDF)

SDIF  got initial disapproval from Finance ministry due to its not lapsable nature. It also created burden on already stressed revenue budget of defence sector. But the pronouncement of Defence procurement policy of 2006, calling for upto 80% investment from MoD served the raison d’etre of SDIF.

DTPDF/TDF  

• TDF  was delayed due to absence of any scheme to utilise it. 
• A similar technology fund is available with DRDO, a principal arm for technology development for defence sector, thus creating confusion and overlapping. 
• It also suffers from the problem of its control i.e. the fund dispersal need legislative approval everytime. 
• It has to be distributed among three services, each getting a token amount insufficient to meet its purpose.

This fund however remained unutilised for which purposefully it is hence relaunched in 2014 budget with a sum of Rs 100 crore. It is a non-lapsable fund which will require the approval of parliament to utilise the sum of money.

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(A similar effort made more than five years back ran aground because it was not found feasible to create a 'fund' and, more importantly, framing the scheme proved to be a greater challenge.The new proposal should also not end the same way as the effort to make budgetary provisions for assistance to small and medium enterprises for technology development. A budget head was opened for this purpose several years back but efforts at formulating a scheme to operationalise the idea did not succeed.The past experience would come in handy while formulating the scheme for the proposed Technology Development Fund. )

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The Kelkar Committee had recommended the following regarding the acquisition procedures and enabling a greater participation of Private sector in defence production

Acquisition Procedure 

1. Prepare a 15 year long plan as the base of acquisition programme

2. Setting up professional agency for defence acquisitions

3. To promote transparency in decision making

Participation of Private Sector 

1. Information sharing between Armed forces and Industry

2. Identification of Entry points for Private sector in acquisition process

3. Policy framework for SME participation in defence production

4. Providing funds to Private Companies and SMEs for developing cutting edge technologies

5. Awarding the Private companies for developing technologies

The acquisition procedure suggested will certainly help avoid lobbing and futuristic acquisition, however, setting up a separate professional agency for acquisition can be avoided by involving experts in acquisition at MoD level with transparent process in place.

The Private participation is already in place, companies like Godrej, L&T, Tata do provide lots of key component to DRDO. However, they should be encouraged to pursue R&D instead of just manufacturing. The Technology development fund does so to some extent but its just meager amount to bring about any big leap in ‘Make’ Policy of India.

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Miscellaneous !!

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2.)


 

What signing of SERVICES and INVESTMENT pact with ASEAN means for INDIA ?

The 10 members ASEAN and India share an ancient and deep economic, cultural and societal ties which in contemporary times has received a greater thrust by India’s ‘Look East’ policy and the reciprocation of the same from the ASEAN member countries.

The economic ministers of the member states of ASEAN and Indian representatives assembled in Myanmar are expected to sign a services and investment trade pact. By signing this India takes an apprehensive step not only of “look east”, but also “act east”.




So what ACTUALLY 
is going to be signed ?

What now is going to be signed is the  free trade agreement(FTA) on services and investment (we already have signed one on TRADE )


REACH ?

The FTA if signed will be one of the largest FTAs in which the population of  1.8 billion with the combined GDP of $2.8 trillion.

Benefits:

1. India being a net-exporter of services and the ASEAN countries net-importer of services, there is no doubt that both the sides are to be immensely benefited.

2. India’s strength in services will counter balance the strength of some ASEAN nations in primary goods and manufacturing.

3. This agreement will help India gain a greater market access for its professionals in some developed ASEAN member countries.

4. This agreement not only bring monetary benefits but also, benefit the customers by increasing competetion and introduction of more products and shelved prices.

5. This strengthens India’s vision of the world regarding look east policy and also places India in the evolving global economy.

6. By signing this agreement India can overcome the primary hurdles to the services free trade agreement which was subjected to apprehensive attitude of Philippines and Indonesia to India’s growing power in services segment.

7. It will also help in countering CHINESE DOMINANCE in the region .

How  can it benefit North - East ? 

Will help in North east region development and connectivity ,Manipur development as medical tourist spot,effective counter terrorism operations etc.

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Various stakeholders deriving benefit out of India’s services and investment pacts can be divided into two group: Domestic beneficiaries and ASEAN beneficiaries.

DOMESTIC BENEFICIARIES

(a) Government: Relaxation and syncronisation of investment regime will attract huge FDI from ASEAN who are preferred by Western MNCs to route their FDI to India.
(b) Service sector: Service sector, a growth driver of Indian economy since liberalisation will get new markets to foray.
(c) Factor and Non-Factor services: Especially labour and capital will have better options to explore.
(d) Infrastructure: New government’s dream of smart cities is linked with collaboration from SE Asian countries like Singapore.
(e) Education sector: Increased demand for service related skills will boost, diversify and raise the level of education sector to global standards.

ASEAN BENEFICIARIES

(a) Labour supply: ASEAN can access the technically skilled and globally cherished pool of Indian Engineers, Doctors and Research personnel.
(b) Economy: The productive capacity of ASEAN, that has stagnated offlate, will be rekindled with access to Indian market.
(c) Collaborative enterprise: In globally contested negotiation platforms ASEAN will get support of India’s diplomatic might.
(d) Regional strength: Emergence of regional bloc will leverage both ASEAN and India’s stand in globalisation process.

CERTAIN APPREHENSIONS ::--

Apart from multifarious benefits there are certain apprehension among ASEAN nations especially considering the advancement of Indian service sector. The competetion India offers in global market in areas like software, KPO, BPO etc. especially to Philippines and Thailand need to addressed if a sutainable and mutually prosperous FTA is to evolve.

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MISCELLANEOUS :- 

1.) Despite strong pressure from the US, India managed to remove any mention of the recent fiasco over the WTO’s trade facilitation agreement (TFA) in the final document of East Asia Summit economic ministers meeting.

2.)