Current Affairs 16-NOV-2023 (The Hindu)

Death Penalty in India

(D => Pg-6)

Practice Question – Mains GS - II

Q. “The death penalty is not about whether people deserve to die for the crimes they commit. The real question is, do we deserve to kill". In the light of the above statement, discuss the arguments in favor of abolition, and what challenges need to be addressed in implementing this reform?

Death Penalty in India

Introduction

• Section 53 - Indian Penal Code.
• Bachan Singh vs State of Punjab case (1980): SC - death penalty only in 'rarest of rare' cases.
• Death Penalty in India Report:
• Trial courts imposed a total of 144 death sentences in 2021.
• High Courts decided only 39 matters in the same period.
• The Supreme Court decided only 6 cases in 2021 compared to 11 in 2020.

Arguments to Support Abolition of Death Penalty

• High Degree of Subjectivity:
• Difficult to balance mitigating and aggravating factors.
• Death Penalty India Report - 75% of all convicts sentenced to death are from underprivileged categories.
• Irreversible in Nature:
• Wrongly punished with imprisonment - can be compensated.
• Wrongly punished with death penalty - cannot be compensated.
• Inhumane:
• Violation of the right to life.
• Norway, Sweden, Finland - lowest crime rates in the world without having the death penalty.
• Reforming the criminal is important.
• Doesn't Deter Crimes:
• Crimes increasing even with the death penalty.

Arguments Against Abolition of Death Penalty

• Maintaining Deterrence: Without serious punishments like death penalty, deterrence against crimes will be lost.
• National Security:
• Acts like waging war against the State, terrorism erode the National Security framework.
• Example - Ajmal Kasab in 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
• Safety of Citizens:
• Some criminals show no remorse or repentance.
• There is no change of reform and should be awarded the death sentence for the safety of citizens.
• Retribution: Key principle - people should get what they deserve in proportion to the severity of their crime.

Model Conclusion

• More than 100 countries have abolished the death sentence for all offenses.
• Focus on not just eliminating the criminal but also on the elimination of crime.

Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

(D => Pg-10)

Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

About FATF

• Established: 1989 at G7 Summit in Paris
• Objective:
  • Initially focused on combating money laundering
  • In 2001, expanded efforts to combat terrorist financing
  • Works to stop funding for Weapons Of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Working of FATF

• Set International Standards: To prevent illegal activities and harm
• Policy-making Body: Generates political will
• Key Recommendations:
  • 1990 - 40 Recommendations: Comprehensive plan of action to fight against money laundering
  • 2004 - 9 Special Recommendations: Combined with the 40 Recommendations (40+9 Recommendations)
  • 2012 - Recommendations expanded to include financing of proliferation of WMD
• Global Reach: Over 200 jurisdictions around the world

Sessions

• FATF Plenary: Decision-making body, meets thrice a year
• Annual Typologies Workshop: Held once a year, also meets out-of-session

Practice Question – Prelims

Q. In which of the following groups are all four countries members of Financial Action Task Force (FATF)?

a) Germany, Saudi Arabia, Australia, China

b) Indonesia, Japan, Iran, North Korea

c) Mexico, Vietnam, Malaysia, New Zealand

d) Brazil, Myanmar, India, Singapore

Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra

(D => Pg-12)

Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra

• Nationwide programme.
• Aim: Reach out to citizens who are eligible for various central schemes but have not benefitted so far.
• Facilitates efficient information dissemination - specially designed IEC (Information, Education and Communication) Vans.
• Implemented with 'whole of Government’ approach.

Objectives of Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra PVTGs

• Communities identified as most vulnerable among the Scheduled Tribes.
• First used by the Dhebar Commission in 1960.
• Criteria:
• Pre-agricultural level of technology.
• Low level of literacy.
• Economic backwardness.
• A declining or stagnant population.
• 75 PVTGs spread over 18 states and one Union Territory (UT) that is Andaman and Nicobar.

PM-PVTG Mission

• Announced under Union Budget 2023-24 on February 1.
• Aim: Improve socio-economic status of PVTGs by providing basic facilities.
• Road and telecom connectivity.
• Electricity.
• Safe housing.
• Clean drinking water and sanitation.
• Improved access to education.
• Health and nutrition.
• Sustainable livelihood opportunities.
• Convergence of 11 interventions of nine ministries.
• Fund: Rs 24,000 crore allocated.

Practice Question – Prelims

Consider the following statements regarding PM PVTG Mission:

1. It was launched during union budget 2023-24 announcements under one of its 7 priorities for the next 20 years.

2. It aims to provide basic facilities like housing, water, health, etc., in particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTG) areas across the country.

3. The scheme follows the strategic approach of Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) Only one

b) Only two

c) All three

d) None