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Newspaper Analysis and Summary– 10th December 2013

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ISRO to refine Mars craft course tomorrow- The Hindu

ISRO plans to do the first of its four small, planned course corrections on the Mars-bound Indian

spacecraft at dawn on Wednesday. The spacecraft, ejected from the earth‘s orbit on December 1,

was on Monday said to be cruising some 23 lakh km away from earth. Controllers of its various

systems met at tracking centre ISTRAC in the evening to take stock of its situation and plan the

operation, called trajectory correction manoeuvre (TCM). Team ISRO calls it fine-tuning of its

course.

This TCM is needed as the spacecraft slightly overachieved its parameter, which can happen during

operations such as the crucial December 1 manoeuvre, said M. Annadurai, Programme Director of

the Mars Orbiter Mission. Monday‘s meeting was to take stock, finalise the duration of firing the

smaller thrusters — tentatively for about 40 seconds at 6.30 a.m. on December 11 — and the rest of

the TCM-1 strategy. This time, all eight small 22-Newton thrusters on the spacecraft would be used

to minutely slow it down. The activity, as also the three similar remote shots planned next year,

would ensure that the spacecraft travelled at a specific speed and kept its date with Mars in

September next year, he explained to The Hindu .

Dr. Annadurai said, ―We have a fair idea of the trend of its 10-month behaviour, such as its position

and velocity.‖ On December 1, while steering the spacecraft away from the earth, the trans-Mars

injection (TMI) gave it a small extra speed of 2 km a second. Mars, too, is moving at 30 km a

second in its own path. As such the spacecraft‘s motion should be occasionally synchronised for its

rendezvous with Mars in September 2014, he said. Currently it was under the sole influence of

sun‘s forces. The signals were coming at a delay of eight seconds and this would get longer. For the

December 1 move and the earlier six orbit-raising moves, the ISRO engineers used the larger 440-

Newton liquid motor. The other corrections or TCMs are due next year in April, August and mid-

September, the last one 10 days before the spacecraft reaches and begins to orbit Mars.

Nobel laureate bats for genetically-modified crops- The Hindu

Scientists and others, who are in favour of genetically-modified (GM) food crops, have got support

from an unexpected quarter — a Nobel laureate. Richard J. Roberts, who won the Nobel Prize for

physiology or medicine in 1993, on Monday made a forceful case for promoting research on GM

food crops and their use for public consumption, saying they were needed to at least take care of

vitamin and other deficiencies in the developing world. Describing the protest by ―green‖ parties in

Europe against GM crops as a ―crime against humanity,‖ he particularly drew attention to the

project to produce a GM rice variety for tackling the problem of Vitamin A deficiency in India and

other countries. ―The green parties are playing politics. About one-and-a-half [million] to two

million children are affected by Vitamin A deficiency. It‘s a crime against humanity … If I can get

support from a philanthropist, I will file a case in the international court of justice.‘‘

Addressing a plenary lecture at the ongoing science conclave in the Indian Institute of Information

Technology here, Professor Roberts also stressed the need for scientists to create awareness among

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the public and politicians on the scientific facts behind GM crops and other such contentious issues.

―There is need for more science in politics and less politics in science.‖ The science conclave is

being organised since 2008 by the Ministries of Human Resource Development and Science and

Technology, as part of an exercise to promote science and technology as a viable career for bright

youngsters. Participants include science leaders from India and abroad, and school and college

students.

ENVIRONMENT

NTPC reaffirms commitment to Katwa project- The Hindu

The National Thermal Power Corporation, which has been facing land problems at its proposed

Katwa project in West Bengal‘s Bardhaman district, has reaffirmed its commitment to the project.

NTPC chairman Arup Roy Chowdhury on Monday met State Power Minister Manish Gupta in this

regard. They discussed the project and the government was informed that the NTPC was planning

to start work on the project, a source in the government said. It is learnt that the matter is set to be

placed before the NTPC board shortly. The NTPC, the country‘s largest thermal power generator,

has 550 acres for the project, which was acquired by the Left Front government. It hit a roadblock

while trying to acquire an additional 150 acres, which was required for the township and the fly ash

pond.

While the earlier requirement for a project of this size was pegged at 1050 acres, current

technology and some modifications have paved the way for implementing the project on 700 acres.

There are indications that the NTPC will now buy the land directly from the owners. It is learnt that

while the township may be located elsewhere, alternate ways of disposing of the fly ash have to be

found. One of the options being considered is export. ―We respect the State government‘s land

policy,‖ Mr. Roy Chowdhury said. It may be mentioned that the NTPC chief had said In May, 2011

— when Mamata Banerjee came to power — that the company was keen to invest in West Bengal.

CULTURE

More than 1.60 lakh people visit Hornbill Festival – The Hindu

The biggest indigenous festival of the Northeast and the annual tourism promotional festival

organised by the Nagaland government — The Hornbill Festival — has so far attracted over 1.60-

lakh visitors, including foreign tourists, who thronged the picturesque Naga heritage village, some

12 km from the State capital. The Tourism Department figures indicated that the 10-day-long

festivities, which entered the eighth day on Sunday, witnessed 1,61,784 tourists, including 1,347

foreign tourists, 14,237 domestic tourists and 1,311,35 locals.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the festivities at Kisama, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu

Rio said that there had an been overwhelming response from tourists and other people. He hoped

more number of people would be visiting the festival in the years to come. He said Nagaland had

become a safe destination for tourists who during the festival could witness the beautiful culture

and tradition of different tribes of the State. The festival, inaugurated by President Pranab

Mukherjee on December 1, will conclude on Tuesday evening.

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POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

India’s mid-day meal scheme ranked 12th among lower-middle-income

countries- The Hindu

A global report by the World Food Project (WFP) for 2013 on 169 countries has said that India has

the largest school feeding programme in the world, catering to over 114 million children, but stands

12thamong 35 lower-middle-income countries covering 79 per cent of its total number of school-

going children. The report titled ―State of School Feeding Worldwide, 2013‖ draws from a global

survey conducted by WFP in 2012 and a series of case studies and peer reviewed technical working

papers undertaken in collaboration with partner countries.

The report lauds India‘s mid-day meal scheme as ―a good example of a mixed implementation

approach‖ with two procurement processes — one for food grains, which are subsidised Centrally

through the government-owned Food Corporation of India, and one for other items like fresh fruits

or vegetables, procured at the State level. The report notes that gross primary enrolment grew

between 2001-2002 and 2007-2008 in India, following the implementation of the mid-day meal

programme, particularly among Scheduled Castes and Tribes.

The report adds an important rider — ―school feeding can only help if the other major elements that

are prerequisites for learning — such as teachers, textbooks, curriculum and an environment

conducive to learning — are also in place.‖ It warns that care should be taken to avoid using

teachers or education staff to prepare food, since this ―merely taxes the system that school-feeding

programmes aim to enhance.‖ The report also says that the nutritional impact of the programme is

yet to be evaluated. ―The links with health and nutrition could be strengthened considerably by

better coordination between sectors. Other weaknesses remain, such as insufficient allocation of

budget for food transportation and infrastructure.‖ Late disbursement of government funds too has

a negative impact.

In a significant recommendation, the report proposes linking the programme to the agriculture

sector which ―can potentially benefit the entire community as well as the children.‖ Countries like

Brazil, Chile and Scotland have demonstrated the effectiveness of purchasing school food locally in

order to simultaneously ―feed children better and stimulate the local economy.‖

NOTA did many candidates in- The Hindu

Political parties have chosen to remain indifferent to ‗None of the Above‘ (NOTA), an option given

to voters for the first time to reject all contestants, saying it is irrelevant because it did not impact

the outcome of the recent Assembly elections. While in Chhattisgarh, 3.07 per cent of the valid

votes went to NOTA — the highest among the four States for which results were declared on

Sunday — in Delhi, it was 0.63 per cent. Voters in Mizoram did not find the option interesting:

very few exercised the choice, with figures ranging from 36 to less than 200 hits.

Interestingly, in Chhattisgarh even a marginal difference in vote share makes or mars government

formation. This time, the difference is less than 0.75 per cent between the winning Bharatiya Janata

Party and the Congress). For some, the trend means that parties should put up acceptable candidates

and avoid dubious ones, but parties say that since it does not impact the outcome, it is irrelevant.

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―All it [NOTA] has done is to give voters a right to exercise, which is a fundamental right; but there

was neither clarity on what it meant nor its consequences,‖ D. Raja of the Communist Party of

India told The Hindu .

Going through the results for every State, it is obvious that in more than 60 per cent of the

constituencies, the third highest number of votes went to NOTA. This suggests that the option

attracted those who never go to vote — possibly out of disenchantment with the system — and

provided voters with an opportunity to express themselves rather than abstaining. The NOTA‘s

figures in the Left Wing Extremists-dominated areas of Bastar may as well be an expression of

disenchantment with electoral politics, as espoused by the Maoists, as it may be an individual

voter‘s dislike for the candidates in fray in places like Chitrakot, where more than 10,000 voters

chose the option. In the Konta constituency in Chhattisgarh, where CPI candidate Manish Kunjam

secured third position, the difference of votes was just 2,100, whereas 4,000 voters chose NOTA.

Agreeing that some of those who opted for NOTA could have voted for a party if NOTA was not

there, Mr. Raja said it was too early to say what made people choose NOTA, instead of abstaining.

―Maybe, anxiety or lack of clarity.‖Interestingly, the percentage of NOTA voters was high in the

tribal belts of Rajasthan, compared with urban areas. The total percentage of NOTA in the State

was 1.92 per cent. According to the Election Commission, the tribal district of Dungarpur in south

Rajasthan tops the list of 33 districts where the maximum NOTA voting was recorded. Madhya

Pradesh recorded 1.92 per cent votes on NOTA.

Last-mile attempt to re-energise MGNREGA- The Hindu

The initial phase of Kaam Maango Abhiyan, an awareness campaign the Ministry for Rural

Development launched on December 6 to increase the demand for work under the Mahatma Gandhi

National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), has shown significant promise. The

campaign is focussing on six districts: Sitapur (Uttar Pradesh); Nashik (Maharashtra); Raichur

(Karnataka); Katihar (Bihar); West Singhbum (Jharkhand); and Sundergarh (Odisha). It will create

a model for a nationwide campaign to be launched on February 2, which is celebrated as the

MGNREGA Day.

It will involve training of officials, mass awareness drives through padyatras and institutionalising

the monthly Rozgar Diwas in every panchayat for people to register their demand and grievances.

The Abhiyan has made an immediate impact in Nashik, where 98 per cent of the gram panchayats

have shown a rise in person days of work demanded as of December 8, compared with the

Management Information System data on November 18. The highest rise is in the Surgane,

Tondwal, Chandori and Devdongari gram panchayats. Especially in Devdongari, it is 813 per cent

higher than what it was 15 days ago.

―Kaam Maango Abhiyan is a last-mile attempt to re-energise the MGNREGA. This momentum and

energy shall hopefully sustain itself,‖ a Ministry official told The Hindu . In Uttar Pradesh, in just

three weeks, 700 gram panchayats have demanded work. ―We have observed that the demand

under MGNREGA is not being registered. The system is not efficiently acknowledging this

demand. Thanks to the Abhiyan, the State governments are focussing on understanding demand,‖

the official said. Incidentally, the Uttar Pradesh government has been running a simultaneous

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campaign in all districts, called ‗Kaam Lo Abhiyan.‘ In the first phase of padyatras, 30,000

applications for work have been registered across seven blocks of 132 gram panchayats in Bihar.

Sources say Bihar has effectively mobilised people, and volunteers have been stopping off at

panchayat bhawans, putting out information about MGNREGA. Odisha has registered 37,000 work

applications across 250 gram panchayats. ―This indicates the reach of the Abhiyan to the most

isolated areas. All demands for work must be accepted and are monitored by the Centre every day.

We are learning lessons from each district. MGNREGA is not dead; the system stopped

responding. This is the key message,‖ the official explained.

Amid protests, JPC report on 2G tabled in Lok Sabha- The Hindu

The report of the 30-member Joint Parliamentary Committee, headed by P.C. Chacko, that went

into allocation and pricing of telecom licences and spectrum, was tabled in the Lok Sabha on

Monday amid protests by the BJP, the Trinamool Congress and the Left parties as Speaker Meira

Kumar refused to allow any objection or discussion at the presentation stage. DMK members led by

T.R. Baalu, who too have been demanding discussion on the issue, came to the well and shouted

slogans before walking out in protest against the Speaker‘s decision.

Ruling out any discussion at the presentation stage, Ms. Kumar referred to the request already

received from Yashwant Sinha (BJP), Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) and Kalyan Banerjee (TMC). She

said: ―There is no provision in the rules which permits discussion or raising of objections before

presentation of a report which has been duly adopted by a JPC.‖ The Opposition members wanted

to record their objections regarding the alleged violation of some rules during the deliberations in

the JPC.

Later, Mr. Chacko presented the JPC report to the House. The report, which was made public on

September 29, when it was given to the Speaker by Mr. Chacko, contains as many as seven dissent

notes given by members of the BJP, the CPI(M), the CPI, the DMK, the AIADMK, the Trinamool

Congress and the BJD. It exonerated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P.

Chidambaram of any wrongdoing. It said Dr. Singh was misled by the then Communications

Minister, A. Raja, about the procedure to be followed by the Department of Telecom regarding

issuance of UAS licences. Meanwhile, Mr. Sinha and Mr. Dasgupta told journalists outside the

House that a ―fraud‖ and ―fabricated‖ document was tabled in the Lok Sabha in violation of rules

which had set a ―bad precedent.‖ Mr. Gupta said: ―This is a perverse report and fraud report and

cannot be considered to be a JPC report.‖

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Bangladesh : U.N. envoy hopeful of solution- The Hindu

U.N. special envoy Oscar Fernandez-Taranco is optimistic of finding a solution to Bangladesh‘s

political impasse — if certain conditions are met. Speaking to media for the first time since he

landed here on Friday last, Mr. Fernandez-Taranco outlined four factors for achieving a

breakthrough: ―If we have a political will, if we have leadership, if we have an attitude of

compromise, and, most importantly, if we are engaged in a peaceful dialogue.‖ It was not clear

what explained his optimism because he was not yet sharing with the media details of his

discussions with political parties, the Prime Minister, the Opposition leader, the chief election

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commissioner and a section of the civil society as well as the Dhaka-based envoys of India, U.S.

and Russia.

Transport blockade extended-But soon after the U.N. assistant secretary general expressed his

optimism, the BNP-led alliance extended its 72-hour transport blockade by another 72 hours ,

stretching it to Friday morning.―We are extending our agitation because our demand for holding the

polls under a non-political caretaker dispensation has not been met,‖ said BNP spokesperson

Salahuddin Ahmed, in a video message sent to the media from an undisclosed location. Upset with

the BNP‘s determination to persist with the violent agitation, the ruling Awami League, whose

leaders have been reposing hope on Mr. Taranco‘s Bangladesh mission so far , indicated they

would go ahead with the parliament polls slated for Jan 5 .

Tech giants unite to demand surveillance reform- The Hindu

Internet giants Google, Microsoft and Apple were among a group of companies that sent an open

letter to U.S. President Barack Obama, calling for the scaleback of the expansive surveillance

programmes of the National Security Agency (NSA), which, they suggested, was eroding public

trust. Eight household names of the tech world including Facebook, Twitter, AOL, Yahoo and

LinkedIn announced that they had formed an alliance called the Reform Government Surveillance

group, which alluded to the revelations made by Edward Snowden, former NSA contractor-turned

whistleblower and called for surveillance reform.

On the alliance‘s website, reformgovernmentsurveillance.com, the companies said, ―The balance in

many countries has tipped too far in favour of the state and away from the rights of the individual…

that are enshrined in our Constitution.‖ The coming-together of these eight traditionally fierce

rivals marks an unprecedented challenge to the NSA‘s far-reaching surveillance of Internet

communications, which has faced rigorous interrogation following Mr. Snowden‘s exposés in

several newspapers, including The Hindu , since June 2013.

This week, the eight companies addressed the President and members of the U.S. Congress and said

they were committed to keeping their users‘ data secure through the latest encryption technology

―to prevent unauthorised surveillance on our networks and by pushing back on government

requests to ensure that they are legal and reasonable in scope‖. They also called upon the U.S.

intelligence community to ensure that the government surveillance efforts ―are clearly restricted by

law, proportionate to the risks, transparent and subject to independent oversight‖. Following this

summer‘s revelations on the scale of mass global surveillance, Congressional oversight committees

grilled NSA chief Keith Alexander and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on whether

any rules stemming from the governing Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act were flouted by the

Agency.

Principles

Among the principles the alliance outlined as desirable were limiting governments‘ authority to

collect users‘ information, oversight and accountability, transparency about government demands

and respecting the free flow of information . A principle likely to be relevant to India‘s concerns

about the NSA‘s surveillance is the alliance‘s argument that ―Governments should not require

service providers to locate infrastructure within a country‘s borders or operate locally.‖

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Following The Hindu ‘s publication of top-secret NSA documents provided by Mr. Snowden on the

extent of the NSA‘s spying on targets within India, New Delhi was said to be discussing the

prospect of having e-mail service providers located within its territory and under its control. Last

week, the Indian government also said to have stepped up its discussions with the U.S. on the

spying programmes after revelations that its diplomatic posts in Washington and New York were

among the surveillance targets of the NSA.

Call for restraint after Singapore witnesses violence in more than 40 years -

The Hindu

Singapore faced shocking scenes of burning cars and littered streets on Monday following a riot by

South Asian workers in the worst outbreak of violence in more than 40 years in the tightly

controlled city-state. The hour-long disturbances on Sunday night, triggered when an Indian

construction worker was struck and killed by a private bus in the Little India district, compelled

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to order the creation of a special committee to investigate the

incident.

Police said about 400 people were involved in the riot, and that 27 South Asian workers had been

arrested on charges punishable by up to seven years in prison as well as caning. Mr. Lee said there

could be ―no excuse‖ for the rampage that left 39 police and civil defence staff injured, and 25

vehicles — including 16 police cars — damaged or torched. He reminded Singaporeans that ―the

vast majority of foreign workers here obey our laws. We must not let this bad incident tarnish our

views of workers here. Nor should we condone hateful or xenophobic comments, especially

online‖.

Mr. Lee added that the committee of inquiry to be convened by the Interior Ministry would review

the factors that led to the riot, as well as existing measures to manage areas where foreign workers

congregate. Singapore is one of the wealthiest places in the world, but the island republic of 5.4

million people depends heavily on guest workers, with labourers from South Asia dominating

sectors like construction. Widely regarded as one of the world‘s safest societies, the city-state

prides itself on social order and racial harmony, and many citizens expressed dismay over the

mayhem.

Police said the 27 men arrested were aged between 23 and 45, and included 24 Indian nationals,

two Bangladeshis and one Singapore permanent resident. Analysts played down suggestions that

the riot, which was brought under control by elite police commandoes, could be an indication of

wider discontent among poorly paid migrant workers. The incident triggered online attacks on

foreign workers, whose large presence has been a hot political topic in recent years. Others called

for calm and warned against stoking racial hatred. The victim was identified as Sakthivel

Kumaravelu (33), who worked for a scaffolding company.

Cause of the riot-Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew, an MP for the affected district, said the cause

of the riot was still unclear, but that ―alcohol could have been a contributory factor‖. There have

already been calls to curb alcohol consumption in public places in the congested Little India

precinct. Sunday‘s violence was the first riot in Singapore since racial disturbances in 1969. Since

then, the government has imposed strict controls on protests. Ethnic Chinese make up 74 per cent

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of Singapore‘s resident population of 3.8 million, with Malay Muslims accounting for 13.3 per

cent, followed by ethnic Indians, Eurasians and other racial groups.

ECONOMY

Waking up the world to climate change – The Hindu

When Gwyn Prins and Steve Rayner published The Wrong Trousers in 2007, they famously

attributed the failure of the Kyoto Protocol not to the fact that the developing countries did not have

legally binding commitments as it was fashionable to do. Rather, they argued that a tame solution

of a top-down international treaty was being imposed on a fundamentally wicked problem. In other

words, addressing climate change was inherently different from negotiating reductions in nuclear

warheads or ozone depleting substances where targets and timetables make sense.

Mike Berners-Lee and Duncan Clark in The Burning Question resuscitate the numbers game again.

And, they do so with frightening lucidity. Opening with an honest admission by Bill McKibben in

the preface about how ―ineffective‖ the fight against climate change has been over the last 20 years

or so, the book initially walks us through a few figures. For example, if we want a 75% chance of

staying below two degrees of warming, we can burn 565 gigatons of carbon dioxide by 2050.

However, as we are growing emissions at the rate of around 3% per year, we will exhaust this

budget of 565 gigatons within the next 16 years. By itself, 565 gigatons might not mean much. But,

when McKibben compares this number against the total carbon dioxide equivalent of proven fossil

fuel reserves of 2,795 gigatons, we are forced to reckon with the reality that we would need to keep

80% of these reserves under the ground to stay below two degrees of warming. Perhaps indicating

the recalcitrance of fossil fuel-heavy companies and revenue-dependent states, these are proven

reserves and have already entered the balance sheets of companies and revenue forecasts.

The climate convention has long avoided tackling this elephant in the room. As Christiana

Figueres, Executive Secretary of UN climate convention, prepared her remarks for the World Coal

Summit, hosted concurrently with the annual climate negotiations in Warsaw, activist organizations

cried foul and asked her to deny any legitimacy to the summit by not attending. Fortunately, she

pressed forward, arguing that she should not just be preaching to the choir. This shift perhaps could

be more momentous than is being recognized. As Berners-Lee and Clark would recommend, we

may finally be starting to address both the users and producers of fossil fuels. Greater engagement

with this industry would also mean that developing carbon capture technologies is not an admission

of defeat but of relentless pragmatism. After all, the authors reveal energy resources rarely vanish

away- they merely get dwarfed as total energy consumption keeps going up. With the IPCC

announcing climate change as ―unequivocal,‖ and climate skeptics being pushed to the fringes, all

of this ultimately begs the question -- if the science is this clear, why have we as collective

humanity not woken up to this threat? How are we to understand political inaction with scientific

consensus?

Why are we not more outraged about this? What can we as individuals do? If we are only

squeezing the balloon by opting for a metro ride instead of taking the cab, what really is the point

of living green? Or, how do we justify promoting many such autonomous actions if they really

have no discernible effect on emissions? The answer perhaps lies in the space that these actions

create — both within our larger communities as well as our own psychological processes. Even

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more, if these actions can create these social ‗ripple effects‘ so that the groundswell takes over, they

will be what could save us.

Yet, will this cultural change come in time for us to act before we hit climate tipping points? The

case for outrage becomes quite strong. At the end, we may come back to square one. If we need a

global deal based on a carbon budget, this will inevitably involve devising a burden sharing

agreement. But that is exactly what countries have tried to do so far and they have failed. They

failed to such an extreme that we have reverted to the exact opposite: we have instituted a bottom-

up system where countries announce what they will be doing. And, developments in Warsaw

indicate that this seems to be the direction we are heading in for the foreseeable future. However, it

would be unfair to stop there. Berners-Lee and Clark‘s effort at making the carbon budget so

tangible is meant to rankle and awake.

We may not end up following the path to a global agreement they outline but they will have woken

us up in the process. And, that would make reading The Burning Question worth it.

Nokia owes Rs.21,153 cr., IT Dept tells Delhi HC – The Hindu

The Income Tax Department has informed the Delhi High Court that Nokia India and Nokia

Corporation owed it Rs.21,153 crore as total tax liability (existing and anticipated), including

penalty during 2006-13. The amount payable by Nokia has been arrived at by the I-T Department

on the basis that the mobile manufacturing firm does not discharge its TDS liability on royalty

payments, and is not entitled to any deduction under tax laws for operating from a special economic

zone (SEZ).

The submission has been made by the I-T Department in its reply to Nokia‘s plea for unfreezing of

its assets in India prior to its $7.20-billion deal with Microsoft. In case the TDS liability is paid and

the deduction under tax laws for operating from a SEZ is available to Nokia, then its total tax

liability (existing and anticipated), including penalty would be Rs.14,200 crore. Meanwhile, a

bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjeev Sachdeva adjourned the hearing on Nokia‘s plea to

Tuesday.

‗No official tax claim‘: However, Nokia said it had not been served with ‗any official claim‘ of the

Income Tax (I-T) Department, which had told the Delhi High Court that the mobile company owed

it Rs.21,153 crore as tax liability (existing and anticipated), including penalty. The company, in a

statement, said that in the recent months it had seen and read about many claims from the I-T

Department and added that these were ‗without merit‘, and it would defend itself ‗vigorously‘ in

the court.

―We have not been served with any official claim, so we cannot comment on this. We want to

stress that our main focus right now is to remove the freeze on our Indian assets, including

Chennai, before the deadline of December 12. ―In recent months, we have seen and read about

many claims from the tax authorities. We feel they are without merit and will defend ourselves

vigorously in court,‖ the statement said.

Offers to pay Rs.3,000 crore : A senior Nokia official, meanwhile, said it had offered to pay about

Rs.3,000 crore to the government to resolve the tax row so that its Chennai manufacturing plant

could be de-frozen for sale to Microsoft Corporation. Since the facility would have no use for

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Nokia post the Microsoft deal, they would try to find another buyer for it, the official told PTI.

Nokia also offered the government that it would deposit Rs.700 crore so that it could continue to

fight the case, besides its offer that if the authorities allowed sale of the Chennai unit, the firm

would deposit the cash generated out of it with them, which would be a minimum of Rs.2,250

crore.

Iranian market keeps Indian tea exporters guessing – The Hindu

Indian tea exporters are cautiously optimistic about the opportunities that are likely to emerge in the

Iranian tea market following the signing of the accord between the super-powers and Iran. Tea

exports to the sanctions-hit country have been rising in recent times after a sharp drop in 2010,

post-sanctions. It started picking up after the Indian government created an alternative rupee-based

settlement mechanism through which five Iranian banks were designated to open letters of credit

and interact with city-based-UCO bank.

High-value market

India had worked its way into this high-value market, increasing exports from 1.5 million kg in

2003 to 14.5 million kg in 2008. It collapsed to around 3 million kg in 2010 in the wake of U.S.

sanctions and consequential payment problems. Referring to the gains that Indian tea exports made

in the market through the financial pathway enabled by UCO Bank, Monojit Dasgupta, Secretary

General of the Indian Tea Association, said : ―Latest statistics show that between January and July,

2013, India exported 10.8 million kg of tea to Iran valued at Rs. 252.3 crore. This compares with

the exports of 3.5 million kg of tea valued at Rs. 64.7 crore exported a year ago. Among the major

Indian tea exporters are: McLeod Russel Ltd., Goodricke, M K Shah Exports, Rossel Tea, Warren

Tea and Andrew Yule. Indian exporters are somewhat circumspect that competition may now also

move in as the deal may ease international trading with Iran.

Mauritius, India agree to ‘LoB’ clause – The Hindu

Mauritius has agreed to include a ‗limitation of benefits (LoB)‘ clause in its revised tax treaty with

India. While specific details of this clause in the India-Mauritius tax treaty are being ironed out,

LoB clauses are typically aimed at preventing ‗treaty shopping‘ or inappropriate use of tax pacts by

third-country investors. The LoB clause limits treaty benefits to those who meet certain conditions,

including those related to business, residency and investment commitments of the entity seeking

benefit of a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA).

―Mauritius and India have agreed on the principle of including a limitation of benefits (LoB) clause

in the treaty,‖ the island nation‘s Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Marc Hein told

PTI. The FSC is Mauritius‘ integrated regulator for global business companies and non-banking

financial services sector. ―This LoB clause will have the effect of bringing even more substance to

companies which want to be tax resident in Mauritius,‖ said Mr. Hein, who was here to participate

in an international taxation conference. He added that ―there is already a mechanism to prevent

misuse, and the further obligations should alleviate the fears of the Indian authorities.‘‘

EDITORIALS

Not just about the islands- The Hindu

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In late November, China announced that it now had an Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) in

the East China Sea. This development led to an immediate spiking of tensions with its neighbours,

Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, as well as with the United States. In response, the United States

sent two B-52 bombers into the air zone claimed by China. A couple of days later, Japan and South

Korea followed suit, sending aircraft into the zone without informing the Chinese authorities.

While the U.S. has now at least advised its passenger airlines to follow the rules of the Chinese

ADIZ, Tokyo has explicitly refused to do so. For those bemused by China‘s sudden announcement

and the flurry of international attention that has accompanied it, here is a handy guide to the issue.

What is an ADIZ?

It‘s a section of international airspace over which a country declares its right to identify aircraft,

ostensibly to protect itself from foreign threat. It‘s a product of customary international law but it‘s

not jurisdictional.

What happens once an ADIZ is established?

A country would use radar to detect unexpected aircraft flying in the ADIZ and observe them. This

would sort some, if not most, into the category of being unthreatening. Using radio, it would query

those it was concerned about. The country may ask who they are and what they are doing. If they

are not a security threat, that would be sufficient. If the country was still not sure, it would launch

an aircraft to intercept and observe. The country would not have the authority to do anything else

unless it thought the aircraft was a direct threat to the country.

What‘s the problem with China declaring an ADIZ?

Well, the problem is that China‘s ADIZ overlaps with the ADIZ that was created by the U.S. after

World War-II and transferred to Japan in 1969. Japan sees this as an affront to its sovereignty. The

bigger problem is that China‘s ADIZ encompasses the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands claimed by both

China and Japan. This is the first time an overlapping ADIZ has been declared in an area where

there is a sovereignty dispute. As a result, with China monitoring the space, and the U.S. and

China‘s neighbours defying it, there is now an increased risk of either a deliberate or accidental

incident involving military aircraft. Some are also concerned that China thinks the ADIZ will

strengthen its claim over the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands.

Is it Diaoyu or Senkaku? And what‘s the history issue that crops up in every article?

The Chinese call the islands Diaoyudao. The Japanese call them Senkaku. Impartial observers try to

get both names in. The ―history problem‖ (lishi wenti) as China terms it, refers to the history of

Japanese colonialism in China. Japan, once a vassal state of imperial China, subjugated and

humiliated the Chinese not once but twice in different periods of time — in the late 1800s, and

again, in the 1930s. Japan‘s domination and exploitation of China, along with the conquests of

Western powers, falls under the ―century of humiliation‖ (bainian guochi) in the Chinese historical

narrative.

The Diaoyudao islands were considered lost during this period when Japan formally annexed them

in 1895. The suffering at the hands of Japan was particularly shocking for China and the issue

remains hugely sensitive, not just because Japan was considered an inferior vassal state at the

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beginning of this tumultuous period, but also because modern Japan is seen as unremorseful of the

atrocities it inflicted on China.

So why did China suddenly declare the ADIZ? Is it just about controlling Diaoyu/Senkaku?

That depends on whom you talk to. Chinese foreign policy decision-making is highly opaque, so all

anyone can do is to speculate and there have been a number of speculative theories. First, China

could be redefining the status quo. China feels it has a right to an ADIZ to protect its sovereignty

over both its territory as well as its claimed maritime spaces. After all, Japan has an ADIZ.

Moreover, Japan‘s ADIZ comes within 130 km of China‘s territory; therefore it‘s only fair that

China‘s ADIZ extends to within 130 km of Japan‘s territory. Second, it could be a direct challenge

to Japan‘s administration of Diaoyu/Senkaku. Japan has administrative control over the islands; this

could be China‘s attempt at a different kind of parallel control.

Third, this could be not about Diaoyu/Senkaku but rather about bigger maritime security issues in

the East China Sea and asserting Chinese dominance. The New York Times quoted an unnamed

adviser to President Obama saying, ―It‘s pretty clear this isn‘t about the islands.‖

Fourth, it could be a combination of domestic political pressure from Chinese nationalists in the

media and the PLA, and President Xi Jinping feeling his way into his new role. Japan is a domestic

hot button issue and any move by the government that could be interpreted as pushback against

Japan would appeal to a small but highly vocal section of nationalists in the media as well as the

PLA, which tends to take stronger stances on Chinese territorial sovereignty than the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs. That, combined with President Xi‘s relatively new leadership, could be a way for

him to consolidate his authority.

What does this mean for India?

Well, hawks would immediately jump to the conclusion that China is more aggressive in its foreign

policy, which does not bode well for its relations with India. Certainly, China‘s announcement of

the ADIZ was unexpected. It was done without any consultation with Japan and has thus been seen

as very disrespectful. It has also been called unnecessary. Since the ADIZ is not jurisdictional, it

makes no legal difference to China‘s claim over Diaoyu/Senkaku.

A more sober look, however, would take into account a few additional facts. First, many countries

have an ADIZ and establishing one is not surprising in itself. It‘s possible the Chinese government

did not realise that the establishment of the ADIZ would lead to this strong backlash. In their eyes,

they were establishing parity with Japan, not needling it. Second, China backed off from their

initial terming of the ADIZ as ―emergency defensive measures‖ and insisted that they just want

notification from aircraft entering the airspace, and are not about to respond with force.

Third, as The Diplomat pointed out, China is engaging in ―lawfare‖ — using international

institutions to achieve strategic goals. This is indicative of acceptance rather than the rejection of

the current international order. Fourth, because China, like all other countries, has a right to an

ADIZ, the ADIZ itself should not be the problem. Rather, China‘s actions should be scrutinised.

If Japanese planes flying towards Diaoyu/Senkaku are intercepted on a regular basis, that would be

more of an issue than the establishment of the ADIZ itself, unexpected though it may have been.

Last, unpalatable as this may be to the Indian power elite, given the focus on the ―China threat‖,

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India, currently at least, simply does not factor into China‘s strategic priorities. China is intently

focused on the United States. Implicitly, this may actually be a good thing, leading to maintenance

of the status quo for the foreseeable future

Making human rights a reality- The Hindu

Today, December 10, is commemorated internationally as Human Rights Day. The UN General

Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 with a view to bringing a

common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations. It was primarily meant to promote

a simple yet powerful idea that all human beings are born free and equal in terms of dignity and

rights. With the Declaration, it was made clear that rights are not conferred by any government;

they are the birthright of all people. It does not matter what country we live in, who our leaders are,

or even who we are. Because we are human, we have rights. And because we have rights,

governments are bound to protect them.

In the 65 years since the Declaration was adopted, many nations including India have made

progress in making human rights a human reality. Gradually, the barricades that previously

prohibited people from enjoying the full measure of liberty, dignity, and humanity have come

down. Public interest litigation and the judicial activism of the Supreme Court played a major role

in expanding the scope of human rights and in giving it much-needed legitimacy through some

important verdicts. In many places, indiscriminate laws have been repealed, legal and social

practices that degraded humans have been abolished, vulnerable groups have been given due

recognition and their lives made secure. These progressive judicial pronouncements were a reaction

to social action groups and movements seeking judicial intervention to persuade and pressure

governments to defend and fulfil the rights of the most marginalised. This progress was not that

effortless. People had to fight, organise and campaign in public and private forums to change not

only laws, but hearts and minds.

However, there is still much to be done to secure that assurance, that actuality, and progress for all

people. We have repeatedly witnessed such human rights violations: awareness about human rights

needs to be made universal. Our endeavour should be to mould a society with no gender

discrimination and no violence. When women are empowered, that ensures stable societies.

Likewise, when leaders of nations empower people through futurist policies, the prosperity of the

nations becomes certain. When religion transforms into a spiritual force, people become

enlightened citizens with a value system.

While there is acceptance of universal respect and adherence to human rights, infringement of

internationally recognised norms continues unabated in almost all parts of the world. The overall

situation has been characterised by large-scale breaches of civil and political rights, as well as

economic, social and cultural rights. It is a fact that India, being the world‘s most populous

democracy, continues to have considerable human rights problems despite making commitments to

deal with some of the most prevalent abuses.

Colonial approach-Though India took many proactive steps and followed a welfare state model, the

police and the bureaucracy have remained largely colonial in their approach and sought to exert

control and power over citizens. The feudal and communal characteristics of the Indian polity,

coupled with a colonial bureaucracy, dampened the spirit of freedom, rights and affirmative action

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enshrined in the Constitution. The country has a booming civil society, free media, and an

independent judiciary. However, ongoing violent practices that harm vulnerable groups, corruption,

and lack of accountability for their perpetrators, lead to human rights violations. Many women,

children, Dalits, tribal communities, religious minorities, people with disabilities, and sexual and

gender minorities stay marginalised and continue to suffer discrimination because of the

government‘s failure to train public officials in stopping discriminatory behaviour. Issues

pertaining to police brutality, extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests and detention, bonded

labour, inhuman and degrading treatment of prisoners, custodial deaths, corruption, labour and

migrant rights, sexual violence, refugees, internally displaced people, terrorism, poverty, human

trafficking and so on, remain. Continuous attempts are being made by the National Human Rights

Commission to address such human rights issues. Some of these issues are being monitored as

programmes on the directions of the Supreme Court.

Human Rights Day is an occasion for us to analyse the journey that our nation has undertaken so

far on the path sketched by the Constitution, and prepare jointly to make dignity with human rights

for all our countrymen a reality. Though scepticism still exists in some quarters, there has been a

greater level of acknowledgment of the need to encourage and guard human rights, in spite of the

abuse of the human rights discourse by the new imperialist forces. If human rights need to have

genuine meaning, they must be correlated to public involvement, and this participation should be

preceded by empowerment of the people.

A sense of empowerment necessitates a sense of dignity, self-worth and the ability to ask questions

with a spirit of legal entitlements and political consciousness based on rights. A process of political

empowerment and a sense of rights empower citizens to participate in the public sphere. The

splendour of human rights has to be maintained with nobility and glory. There cannot be any

wearing down of values, deterioration of quality or any cobwebs in the procedure.

When the definition of poverty harms the poor- The Hindu

The idea that poverty is determined, defined and measured by a group of people mostly unaffected

by it is an intriguing one. Numerous definitions and studies globally tell us what poverty is, how it

is measured — extreme and the moderate (there are categories!). Though surprisingly, none of

these definitions has been evolved by or in consultation with the poor themselves. The arrogance of

economists is such that they endeavour and succeed, in some measure, to estimate and tell us how

poor we should feel and why. It is little surprise then that Rahul Gandhi thinks that poverty is a

state of the mind. He is absolutely correct. It is a state in the mind of self-indulgent economists with

little or no engagement of the poor.

Narendra Modi is no different. He attributes malnutrition in girls to vanity and the desire to control

weight. The rest of India, which sees stunted, underweight, undernourished girls everywhere,

somehow never makes this mistake. But our leaders make these mistakes nonchalantly,

unapologetically and brazenly. What helps them do so? Arbitrary definitions of poverty determined

by groups of economists, often employed by the government, who use numbers to obfuscate the

poverty debate in India and elsewhere.

Every year, the government claims that the poverty numbers have fallen thanks to the hard work of

these economists. According to whom — the poor? What allows a group of people to define

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poverty for a nation without consulting those that make up that category? We rarely ask the poor

what poverty means to them and what change in lifestyle would make them poverty-free. Have

Indian economists and the leaders ever wondered if the poor continue to be poor because we don‘t

understand poverty sufficiently? Or perhaps, the poor understand poverty too well?

The questions are sufficiently intriguing. The answers are harder to find. There is a poverty line in

India and elsewhere, which tells us how we can measure poverty. The global poverty line for

extreme poverty is $1.25 and for moderate poverty is $2. In India, until recently, we measured

poverty in terms of calorific value.

The much-criticised Tendulkar committee based its definition on purchasing power parity. More

recently, another panel was set up under Dr. Rangarajan to define poverty. In the U.S., the poverty

line is determined by the basic cost of food for a family multiplied by three. This figure is adjusted

for inflation every year.

Before considering differing definitions, it‘s important to consider calmly for a moment what the

poverty line denotes. Is life just above the poverty line so much better than life right below it? In

purely practical terms, are nutrition, health and well-being radically better as we cross this

imaginary poverty line? It might be worthwhile to ask the poor. After all, they are experts on the

subject.

A survey among the Indian or global poor on what poverty is would lead to a definition widely

divergent from that of governments and economists. The poor, across India and the world, will

probably be in concurrence. What does this tell us? That the business of poverty measurement is an

extremely useful one. A poorly-created poverty measurement index easily misrepresents and often

reduces the poverty in a society. In doing so, it decreases the responsibility of the privileged and the

powerful to improve the condition of the less privileged.

Logic of measurement

It also misinforms the primary discourse in a society deeply wedded to the logic of measurement

and numbers. Poverty, as the poor experience it, is a concept which has little or no resonance

amongst any other class. In the long-term, such discourses fracture societies, eventually leading to

unrest, inequality, internalised dissatisfaction and eventual conflict. The point to consider, then, is

who should define poverty and why the poor should not lead this process? Poverty, as defined by

the poor, must converge at some point with the state‘s definition. Why? Because if our definitions

of what poverty is can be so vastly divergent, how can any programmes designed for poverty

alleviation ever truly succeed? There is a need to recognise that poverty is multi-dimensional. After

all, despite rising above the poverty line, millions of Indians continue to lack access to safe water,

sanitation, housing, nutrition, health and education.

Unless we take into account what poverty means to the poor, measuring or reducing it will continue

to remain a game of deliberate obfuscation. We can continue to measure poverty inadequately and

pat ourselves on reducing extreme poverty year on year. Or we can have a more considered,

nuanced and inclusive discussion on what poverty is. Until then, poverty will continue to be ‗a state

of mind of a young stunted girl participating in a beauty contest in Gujarat‘ — that way both Rahul

and Modi will be right. The poor, however, will continue to be wronged.

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Speaking the same language- Indian Express

The emperor and empress of Japan's recent trip to India is a landmark in the history of bilateral ties.

For the couple, the visit would have been tinged with nostalgia — the last time they were in India

was for their honeymoon in 1960. During that trip, they laid the foundation stone for the India

International Centre in New Delhi, which has since become well known for organising programmes

on art and culture, as well as seminars and conferences to promote understanding between India

and various other nations, including Japan. During their more recent visit here they visited

Kalakshetra in Chennai, indicating their keen interest in Indian art and culture. Apart from meeting

high dignitaries, they also interacted with various sections of people in India — academics, artists,

scientists, schoolchildren. Japanese nationals in India also got a rare opportunity to interact with the

emperor and empress.

The visit signifies the growing importance Japan has accorded to India in all spheres, and of the

greater interactions between the people of both countries to promote mutual understanding. While

our postwar relations with Japan started on a note of mutual respect and empathy, its decision to

ally with the US while India preferred to remain non-aligned drew the two countries apart.

However, even in this period of distance, certain ties survived. Japan was the first country to extend

aid to the tune of $50 million to India, as early as in 1958. India continued to hold first place in

Japan's overseas development assistance grants and loans programme, used for infrastructure

development.

The notion that good relations between nations can only be built on mutual understanding and

respect led to India and Japan offering scholarships for higher studies in all fields to those who

wished to study in the other country. There is no doubt that, because of Japan's phenomenal

economic growth, it was able to contribute more to this endeavour. However, the Euro- and US-

centric attitudes of Indians often discouraged them from opting for Japan as a higher education

destination.The normalisation of Japan's relations with China in 1972 opened up the latter as a

destination for Japanese investment and products. India's importance to Japan therefore declined.

There have been misunderstandings because of the lack of timely dialogue between the two

countries, but never a period of outright hostility. The prompt assistance Japan gave India to tide it

through the 1991 balance of payments crisis opened up a new phase in bilateral ties. Soon after,

India launched its Look East policy and liberalised its economy. India's economic reforms were

promoted in Japan by its media and several economic organisations. Large Japanese companies,

such as Toyota, Mitsubishi and Sony, established a presence in India. In spite of opposition from

China, Japan took the momentous decision to support India's becoming an integral part of the East

Asia Summit.

On the cultural front, the Japan Foundation — a counterpart to the Indian Council for Cultural

Relations — established an office in India in 1994 and facilitated an increased number of academic

and cultural exchanges. Even as early as 1910, Japanese universities offered courses in Indian

languages. But the study of the Japanese language — a means to understand the development and

various other aspects of the country — only started in the late 1950s in India. It was only in 2004,

as a result of initiatives to promote economic relations between the two countries, that a definite

target for the promotion of Japanese language education in India was set. It was decided that

Japanese could be introduced even at the secondary level in schools in India, to help students

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overcome the language barrier. As a part of its policy of globalisation, Japan has started the Global

30 programme, in which select Japanese universities will impart education in English. Scholarships

have also been instituted. However, Japan is still not viewed as a destination for higher education

among young Indian students, who still look towards the West, particularly English-speaking

countries.

It is hoped that the recently concluded visit will facilitate a change in attitudes and there will be

more interactions between the young of both countries. This will promote mutual understanding

and the realisation that we have many similarities in our traditions and values.

Talk of war and peace – The Hindu

The denial by Nawaz Sharif of his ―fourth war over Kashmir‖ remark, and his reiteration that

problems with India have to be resolved through peaceful methods, came not a moment too soon.

The Pakistan Prime Minister had been quoted as saying that ―Kashmir is a flashpoint and can

trigger a fourth war between the two nuclear powers at any time,‖ in his address to the ―Azad

Jammu and Kashmir Council‖ in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Denying that he had ever made such

a remark, his office put out a transcript of his speech that had no mention of the word war. This is

the second time that Mr. Sharif has had to deny words attributed to him on India, the first when he

was said to have made a personal remark against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. It can only

mean one of two things: either Mr. Sharif speaks without thinking through the impact of his words,

only to regret it later; or what he says is deliberately distorted. Both have the same effect, of

vitiating the already bad bilateral atmosphere. In this instance, the reported talk of war set off

alarms in India, and was even seen in the context of the recent change at the top in the Pakistan

Army. The normally unflappable Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in the thick of election season,

jumped in to respond with the remark that Pakistan would not be able to win a war against India ―in

my lifetime‖. The episode has shown up Pakistan and India in poor light for their inability to act

like mature nations, falling back instead on vocabulary more typical of quarrelsome people trying

to settle scores.

Prime Minister Sharif was right to point out that Kashmir is a key issue in the list of problems

between the two countries. A resolution to the issue was close in 2006. Mr. Sharif would do well to

examine dispassionately the merits of the Musharraf-era proposals despite the bad history between

him and Pakistan‘s former military ruler. This and the host of other issues, including Siachen,

should be reason enough for the two countries to get back to the negotiating table quickly. But

inexplicably, even the simple directive by the two Prime Ministers at their September meeting in

New York asking their militaries to take steps to strengthen the ceasefire on the Line of Control has

not been carried out. For Mr. Sharif, who both before and after his election made no secret of his

desire to make peace with India, the time to take ownership of his government‘s India policy is

now, when his mandate is fresh. It would also help put the lid on anti-Pakistan rhetoric on the

Indian side in the run-up to the 2014 elections, and prevent the atmosphere from worsening.

Bali burden - Indian Express

Given that India has stakes in the success of multilateralism, the lack of an agreement at the Bali

summit would have been a disaster. It has to be said, then, that India's hardball tactics worked. Bali

did not fail while India largely got what it was fighting for — the right to hike its food subsidies till

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such time that various distortions in the global subsidy agreement aren't fixed. For instance, subsidy

calculations are based on 1986-88 prices while global wheat prices have more than doubled since.

While developed countries were willing to offer a ceasefire for four years, India managed to extend

this till the time an agreement is reached. During this period, no country can take India to the

WTO's dispute settlement board (DSB) arguing that its food subsidies are excessive.

But caveats need to be added, and a larger examination must be made to ascertain whether Indian

agriculture will benefit from this in the long run. First, the caveat. No country can take India to the

DSB as long as its food subsidies, under the Food Security Act, for instance, do not distort global

trade. But in a situation where the Food Corporation of India has excessive foodgrain stocks and

these are liquidated at prices lower than what it costs the FCI, this can be construed as trade-

distorting and can invite action by the WTO.

The larger issue relates to India's gains. Right now, India wants to be free to offer farmers whatever

minimum support prices (MSPs) it wants to buy their crops. But given that too much of wheat and

rice is being grown relative to other crops, and that too in states where it should not be grown —

India would save a lot of water if cultivation of these crops shifted to states like Bihar and West

Bengal — farmers need to be incentivised differently. The Bali win means MSPs can simply be

hiked for other crops, but how do you incentivise farmers in Bihar and West Bengal to move to

wheat and rice if the FCI does little procurement there? This is where the UIDAI comes in. India

now has a system in place that can deliver income support directly — in keeping with farm acreage,

for instance — which will make farming more efficient and, under the WTO system, is not

considered trade-distortive. The win at Bali means India is free to expand its inefficient system of

subsidies till a fiscal breakdown. A pyrrhic victory, at best.

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