Syllabus subtopic: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Prelims and Mains focus: about the Mahadayi Project and its significance, concerns of the states associated

News: In a reprieve to Goa, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) on Wednesday kept in abeyance its letter earlier written to Karnataka stating that its proposed Kalasa Banduri project on Mahadayi river does not need an environment clearance (EC).

Context

The MoEF’s move comes after Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who is in New Delhi to attend the GST Council meeting, met Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday, seeking withdrawal of the letter.

Kalasa Banduri Project

• The Kalasa Banduri project is aimed at providing drinking water to three important districts of north Karnataka — Belagavi, Gadag and Dharwad — which go parched in summer due to acute water scarcity.

• The project involves diverting water from Mahadayi river, the lifeline of Goa, into the Malaprabha river.

Mahadayi River Dispute

• There have been ongoing protests in Karnataka on the issue of sharing of Mahadayi river waters.

• Mahadayi river originates in Karnataka before flowing into Goa where it is called Mandovi.

• Karnataka is seeking release of 7.56 tmcft water by Goa from the river for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, which is being opposed by Goa.

• The project involves building barrages across Kalasa and Banduri, tributaries of Mahadayi river, to divert water to the Malaprabha which meets drinking water needs of the north Karnataka districts of Dharwad, Belagavi, Bagalkot and Gadag.

• Goa is of the view that it has no problem in providing "reasonable and justified" amount of 0.1 TMC of water to Karnataka for its drinking needs.

• The matter is pending before the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal.

Syllabus subtopic: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Prelims and Mains focus: about the key issues raised by the states in the meeting, Ayushmaan Bharat

News: In a pre-Budget consultation held with the Centre on Wednesday, state finance ministers pitched for more funds, relaxation in fiscal deficit target and settlement of pending Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) payments.

Who attented the meeting?

The meeting was attended by Chief Ministers of Goa, Haryana and Puducherry, Deputy Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Tripura as well as 17 Finance Ministers/Ministers representing their states. Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs Anurag Singh Thakur also attended the meeting.

Issues raised by various States

• Both Bihar and Kerala had suggested raising the fiscal deficit limit for states to 4 per cent, while Delhi raised the issue of stagnation of share in central taxes for union territories with legislature since 2001-02, and West Bengal flagged the issue of budgetary resources amounting to Rs 7,300 crore for cyclone relief not having reached the state.

• Delhi has also asked for augmentation of financial assistance to tackle the issue of stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, which has an impact on air pollution in the region.

Key takeaways from the meeting

• The biggest take home from pre-Budget discussion of FMs is suggestion by Bihar and Kerala to raise the fiscal deficit limit to 4 per cent. It was agreed to large number of states. In current year real expenditure of states will decline — a crazy macro outcome in time of recession.

• Cutting across political divide State FMs demanded raising fiscal deficit, larger central allocation for programs Ayushman Bharat, social pensions and MGNREGS, support to farmers, interest subvention to SHGs and streamlining of central devolution to avoid ways and means crisis.

Ayushmaan Bharat

India-Bangladesh technical talks on sharing of river water cancelled

Syllabus subtopic: India and its neighbourhood - relations.

Prelims and Mains focus: about Indo-Bangladesh Joint River Commission and its significance; rivers shared by India and Bangladesh

News: The India-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission’s technical-level talks that were scheduled to begin on Thursday were cancelled at the last minute, an official of the Ministry of Jal Shakti said on Wednesday.

What was the reason?

• Though the official didn’t mention any specific reason for cancellation of the talks, he said, “It was a request from the Bangladesh side.”

• However, sources said the meeting was postponed due to the delay in the exchange of data on six common rivers which was updated several years ago.

• Noting that the meeting was scheduled to be held on December 19-20, the official said the new date of the meeting has not been finalised yet.

• The cancellation of the meeting comes at a time when the country is witnessing protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act passed by Parliament earlier this month. Last week, Bangladesh Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, too, cancelled their scheduled visits to India.

Rivers shared by India and Bangladesh

• India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers and a Joint River Commission is functioning since June 1972. Besides this, technical level meetings are held regularly.

Indo-Bangladesh Joint River Commission

• An Indo-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) is functioning since 1972. It was established with a view to maintaining liaison in order to ensure the most effective joint effort in maximizing the benefits of common river systems. The JRC is headed by Water Resources Ministers of both countries. 37th meeting of the JRC was held in New Delhi from 17th – 20th March 2010, wherein various matters pertaining to cooperation in the Water Resources sector with Bangladesh were discussed.

• A new chapter in Indo-Bangladesh relations opened up with the signing of a Treaty by the Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh on 12th December 1996 on the sharing of Ganga/Ganges waters. The Treaty shall remain in force for a period of thirty years to be renewable by mutual consent. For monitoring the implementation of the Treaty, a Joint Committee has been set up.

• Discussions have been continuing with Bangladesh for sharing of waters of the Teesta & Feni rivers besides other six common rivers namely; Manu, Muhri, Khowai, Gumti, Jaldhaka and Torsa. Govt. of India is in its endeavour to conclude the agreement of the sharing of waters of the Teesta and Feni rivers with Bangladesh, which is acceptable to all parties concerned and which protects the interests of all stakeholders.

• There exists a system of Transmission of flood forecasting data on major rivers like Ganga, Teesta, Brahmputra and Barak during the monsoon season from India to Bangladesh. The transmission of flood forecasting information during the monsoon has enabled the civil and military authorities in Bangladesh to shift the population affected by floods to safer places.

The Teesta River dispute

Syllabus subtopic: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.

Prelims and Mains focus: about the first global refugee forum and its significance; the refugee crisis around the world and its consequences, about UNHCR

News: Stressing that India has welcomed refugees from all over the world, the government on Wednesday defended the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Geneva and said it is dealing with the problem through ``democracy and due proces``.

Remarks made by the Permanent Representative of India to UN

• In a statement at the First Global Refugee Forum by Permanent Representative of India to the UN, Geneva, Rajiv K Chander said Pakistan is a self-proclaimed champion of human rights that has shrunk the size of its own minority community from 23 per cent in 1947 to 3 per cent by subjecting them to draconian blasphemy laws, systemic persecution, blatant abuse and forced conversions.

• Throughout history, India has welcomed refugees from all over the world. The Zoroastrians who had sought refuge in India from 7th century onwards, now known as the Parsis, are a vibrant and important community in our democratic polity. The Jews who were persecuted in the 16th century had sought refuge in Cochin in South India where the synagogue they built exists to date.

• Closer to our times, thousands and thousands have sought refuge in India from some of our neighbouring countries, including more than 10 million in 1971 from erstwhile East Pakistan, after which Bangladesh was born.

About the First Global Refugee Forum

• The forum is organized by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Govt. of Switzerland in Geneva with the aim of generating new approaches and commitments from a variety of actors to assist and respond to refugee needs more effectively.

• Being conducted for the first time with the participation of representatives from the states, U.N. Agencies, nongovernmental organizations and many other international actors, the forum, in its words, "comes at the end of a tumultuous decade," which has been marked by various refugee crises.

• While host countries such as Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon contributed large amounts of their resources for the refugee communities, the West had a disappointing record of refusing to tackle the problem. Still, the Global Refugee Forum kicked off with the hope of coming up with substantial, concrete solutions to the issue.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

• It is a UN Refugee Agency and a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting the rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.

• It was created in 1950 to help millions of Europeans who had fled or lost their homes.

• It is headquartered at Geneva, Switzerland.