. No.	Topic Name	Prelims/Mains
1.	About the Rohingya Muslims	Prelims & Mains
2.	Details of the Custom Duty	Prelims & Mains
3.	About the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme	Prelims & Mains
4.	Details of the National Security Act	Prelims Specific Topic

 

1 – About the Rohingya Muslims:GS III

Topic à Internal Security related issues

 

·       About:

·       The Rohingya Muslims are the most persecuted group in the world, according to the UN.

·       They purportedly left their houses in 2017 as a result of a military crackdown in Myanmar.

·       The minority Rohingya Muslims have been fleeing into neighbouring Bangladesh and other countries, particularly India, for decades in order to escape bigotry and violence in the largely Buddhist nation of Myanmar.

 

·       What Security Concerns and Issues Affect India?

·       Threat to National Security: It has been established that the Rohingyas’ continual illegal immigration into India and their continued stay there pose a substantial threat to national security.

·       Conflict of Interest: Significant influxes of illegal immigrants have a negative impact on the local population’s interests in certain areas.

·       Political Instability: When politicians start stirring up anti-immigrant sentiment in their country in an effort to obtain political control, it exacerbates already unstable political conditions.

·       Increase in Militancy The continued attacks on Muslims who were believed to be illegal immigrants have been replaced with radicalization.

·       Cross-border human smuggling and the trafficking of women have become particularly prevalent in recent years.

·       Law and Order Issues: The integrity and rule of law of the nation are being threatened by illegal immigrants who engage in illegal and anti-national activities.

 

·       How to Proceed:

·       India has long been a leader in the world for accepting refugees despite not being a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. This emphasises the requirement for a system of refugee protection.

·       Therefore, if India had domestic legislation safeguarding refugees, any oppressive government in the area would have been deterred from oppressing its population and compelling them to relocate to India.

·       India should take the lead in persuading other SAARC members to draught a convention or statement on refugees, according to the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Framework on Refugees.

 

Source à The Indian Express

 

2 – Details of the Custom Duty:GS III

Topic à Indian Economy related issues

 

·       About:

·       A country’s customs office imposes a charge on imports and exports known as a customs duty. Usually, the price of imported items determines it.

·       It is occasionally used as a tool to punish a particular nation by imposing disproportionate import duties on its products.

·       The country’s customs authorities tally the customs duty as a form of tax on the export and import of goods and services.

·       Export duty is the name of the tax imposed on goods that are exported to another country, whereas import duty is the name of the tax imposed on goods that are imported.

·       Import taxes are intended to increase revenue for local governments while also giving locally produced or manufactured goods that are not subject to import tariffs an advantage over their competitors.

·       The value of the imported goods determines the particular and ad valorem customs duty rates.

·       Most imported products need the payment of customs taxes.

·       Pharmaceuticals that save lives, food grains, and fertilisers are exempt from customs charges.

·       The Customs Act of 1962 governs custom duty in India, and the Central Board of Excise & Customs is in charge of all associated matters.

 

·       Factors taken into account for determining customs duties:

·       Several factors, including the following, are taken into account while calculating customs duties:

 

·       The place where the product was bought.

·       Where the products were made.

·       The makeup of the goods.

·       The item’s dimensions, weight, etc.

 

·       The advantages of customs duty:

·       Customs duties work to protect each country’s economy, employment opportunities, environment, and citizens by regulating the flow of commodities into and out of the country, notably restricted and restrictive items.

·       Every good has a set rate of duty that is based on a variety of elements, including where it was purchased, where it was manufactured, and the materials it is made of. This paints a precise picture of how the nation taxes its foreign allies.

·       In compliance with customs legislation, you must also declare whatever you bring into India for the first time. For instance, you must declare any items you purchase outside of India as well as any gifts you receive from outside.

·       Customs duties can be manipulated to promote renewable energy, decrease non-essential imports, increase domestic production, and raise revenue.

·       The duty on numerous inputs can be reduced to support domestic production, while the tax on finished goods can be increased to earn more money.

 

·       The drawbacks of customs duties include:

·       The prevailing consensus is that raising import taxes only serves as an anti-dumping safeguard against another country.

·       The economy is still having trouble as a result of manipulating customs duties. Manufacturers in other industry sectors would tenaciously fight for equivalent protection from imports as a result of a duty cut in one area.

·       Due to the decreased ability of the economy to compete as a result of customs duties, consumers could settle for inferior goods.

·       Raising the import duty offers protection in exchange for local businesses’ ongoing inefficiency, which raises the cost of goods.

·       An environment that is protected would benefit companies that invest in R&D, which would stifle innovation.

·       The rise in customs charge has already been cited by rival nations as an infraction of WTO rules.

·       Although India has used emergency powers in its Customs rules to enact these hikes, it will be tough to persuade players like Japan, the EU, and the US of their necessity.

·       As a result, India’s standing as a trustworthy trading partner would suffer, which would make international markets less amenable to Indian goods.

 

Source à The Hindu

 

3 – About the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme:GS II

Topic à Government Policies and Interventions

 

·       Objective:

·       To extend additional credit, fully guaranteed and free of collateral, to MSMEs, business companies, MUDRA borrowers, and individual borrowers, up to a maximum of 20% of their existing loan as of February 29, 2020.

·       The National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company provides 100% guarantee coverage, whilst banks and non-banking financial institutions (NBFCs) offer loans.

 

·       Eligibility:

·       Borrowers who have credit amounts up to Rs. 50 crore and an annual income cap of Rs. 250 crore are eligible to participate in the scheme as of February 29, 2020.

·       The government increased the maximum amount of outstanding debt and included certain loans granted to professionals like doctors, lawyers, and chartered accountants for business purposes under the Rs. 3 lakh crore-ECLGS program’s scope on August 1.

·       A one-year moratorium on principle payments is included in the four-year loan term offered by the Scheme.

·       The Scheme limits interest rates for banks and other financial institutions (FIs) at 9.25%, while NBFC interest rates are capped at 14%.

 

·       Present circumstances:

·       According to information submitted by Member Lending Institutions on the ECLGS portal, a total of Rs. 2.03 lakh crore has been sanctioned under the Scheme to 60.67 lakh borrowers so far, and a total of Rs. 1.48 lakh crore has been disbursed.

 

Source à The Indian Express

 

4 – Details of the National Security Act:

Prelims Specific Topic

 

·       Details of the National Security Act:

·       The NSA is an anti-preventive detention statute.

·       A person is detained (contained) in preventative detention in order to stop them from committing more crimes or from avoiding prosecution in the future.

·       Article 22 (3) (b) of the Constitution enables preventative detention and limitations on personal freedom for the interest of state security and public safety.

 

·       As stated in Article 22(4):

·       Under a law that permits preventive detention, a person cannot be held for longer than three months unless:

·       An advisory board has reported that there is enough evidence to justify keeping the person in custody.

·       The 44th Amendment Act of 1978 reduced the period of imprisonment without obtaining the opinion of an advisory board from three to two months. Because this provision has not yet taken effect, the previous three-month window is still in effect.

 

·       Time Spent in Prison:

·       An individual can be held for a maximum of 12 months. The sentence could be increased, though, if the government finds fresh proof.

·       A person may be held for up to 10 days before being informed of the charges levelled against them. The defendant won’t be allowed to have legal representation present during the trial, but they are still allowed to appeal to a high court advisory council.

 

·       Concerns surrounding possible law-related abuse:

·       Article 22 (1) of the Indian Constitution states that a person who has been arrested cannot be denied the right to contact and be represented by a lawyer of his choosing.

·       According to Section 50 of the Criminal Procedure Code, everyone who is detained must be informed of the reason(s) for the detention and have the option of posting bail (CRPC).

·       The National Security Act prohibits the person who is being held from exercising any of these rights. Information that the government believes would be detrimental to the interests of the general public may be withheld.

 

Source à The Hindu