GS-I: Status of Policing in India Report 2019

Context

A new report titled “Status of Policing in India Report 2019 Police Adequacy and Working Conditions” was released by Common Cause and the Lokniti programme of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS).

A key finding of the report:

• 28% of police personnel believe that pressure from politicians is the biggest hindrance in a crime investigation. The other obstacles cited were related to society, legal systems and internal working systems in the police.
• 38% of personnel reported always facing pressure from politicians in cases of crime involving influential persons. Roughly one-third also reported “always” facing pressure from their seniors in the police force.
• 50 % of police personnel feel that Muslims are likely to be “naturally prone” to committing crimes.
• 35 % of police personnel think it is natural for a mob to punish the “culprit” in cases of cow slaughter, and 43 % think it is natural for a mob to punish someone accused of rape.
• 37 per cent of personnel feel that for minor offences, a small punishment should be handed out by the police rather than a legal trial.

Working Condition :

• More than one-third of police personnel would be willing to give up their profession if they were given a chance to join another job with the same salaries and perks
• Three in four personnel said the workload made it difficult for them to do their job well and was affecting their physical and mental health.
• The survey found that except for Nagaland, the average working hours of police officers were between 11 and 18 hours.
• An average police officer works for 14 hours a day, six hours more than what the Model Police Act recommends.
• A quarter of the respondents said they worked for more than 16 hours a day.
• Other than working overtime, every second police personnel reported not getting any weekly off day.

Rule of law?

• Every third police personnel surveyed agreed with the statement that for minor offences, a minor punishment handed down to the accused by the police was better than a legal trial.
• About 20% of personnel agreed with the statement that killing dangerous criminals was better than a legal trial.
• A three-fourths majority believed it was alright for the police to adopt a violent attitude towards criminals.

Minorities at risk

• One in two police personnel surveyed feel that Muslims are likely to be “naturally prone” to committing crimes.
• It also found that 35 per cent of police personnel interviewed for the survey think it is natural for a mob to punish the “culprit” in cases of cow slaughter, and 43 per cent think it is natural for a mob to punish someone accused of rape.

GS-I: Hurricane Dorian

News

Hurricane Dorian is to hit the east coast of Florida as a “major” hurricane, in Category 3 or possibly Category 4.

What do the categories mean?

• Powerful winds are what define a hurricane, so they are named and classified based on how hard their winds are blowing.
• To qualify as a hurricane, a storm must have sustained winds of 74 mph or more.
• All hurricanes are dangerous, but some pack more punch than others.
• So meteorologists try to quantify each storm’s destructive power by using the Saffir-Simpson scale placing it in one of five categories based on sustained wind speed.

Saffir-Simpson scale

Category 1, 74 to 95 mph: These storms’ winds may knock down some trees and power lines and do a bit of damage to buildings.

Category 2, 96 to 110 mph: These storms are likely to uproot many trees, disrupt electric power over wide areas and do significant roof and siding damage.

Category 3, 111 to 129 mph: These are major storms that can take roofs off even well-constructed houses and knock out electric and water systems for days or weeks. Roads will be blocked by falling trees and poles. Dorian is forecast to be at least this strong when it makes landfall.

Category 4, 130 to 156 mph: These major storms do catastrophic damage, felling most trees and power poles and wrecking some buildings. Affected areas may be uninhabitable for days or weeks afterward.

Category 5, 157 mph or more: Storms this powerful are rare, and when they strike, they are immensely destructive. Few structures will come through a direct hit unscathed, and a large percentage of frame buildings will be destroyed. Recovery may take weeks or months.

What is the difference between hurricane, a cyclone, and a typhoon?

• The only difference between a hurricane, a cyclone, and a typhoon is the location where the storm occurs.
• In the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, the term “hurricane” is used.
• The same type of disturbance in the Northwest Pacific is called a “typhoon” and “cyclones” occur in the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean.
• A tropical cyclone is a generic term used by meteorologists to describe a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has closed, low-level circulation.

GS-III: Revised FDI Norms

News

Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for the review of Foreign Direct Investment in various sectors. This will result in making India a more attractive FDI destination, leading to benefits of increased investments, employment and growth.

Revised Norms

• 100% FDI under automatic route is permitted for the sale of coal, for coal mining activities including associated processing infrastructure.
• The government has allowed 100% FDI through the automatic route for contract manufacturing.
• It will augment the Make in India initiative and will attract global companies in India looking to establish alternative manufacturing hubs.
• Easing norms for FDI in Single Brand Retail Trading (SBRT): Retail trading through online trade by SBRT, can also be undertaken prior to the opening of brick and mortar stores (it should be opened within 2 years from the date of start of online retail).
• Online sales will lead to the creation of jobs in logistics, digital payments, customer care, training and product skilling.
• It has been decided to permit 26% FDI under the government route for uploading/ streaming of News & Current Affairs through Digital Media, along the lines of print media.
• In India, FDI policy provisions have been progressively liberalized across various sectors in recent years to make India an attractive investment destination.
• Some of the sectors include Defence, Construction Development, Trading, Pharmaceuticals, Power Exchanges, Insurance, Pension, Other Financial Services, Asset reconstruction Companies, Broadcasting and Civil Aviation.
• Due to these measures, the total FDI into India from 2014-15 to 2018-19 has been $ 286 billion.
• Despite the dim global picture (UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2019), India continues to remain a preferred and attractive destination for global FDI flows.
• India seeks to use this potential to attract far more foreign investment which can be achieved inter-alia by further liberalizing and simplifying the FDI policy regime.