THE BILL 2023 TO MODIFY MULTI-STATE COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES

GS Paper-II

 

Curriculum: Issues resulting from the Design and Implementation of Government Policies and Interventions for Development in Various Sectors

 

The Lok Sabha approved the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill 2023.

India’s cooperatives and the problems they encounter

Meaning: Members who actively engage in its policies and decision-making govern cooperatives, which are voluntary, democratic, and autonomous organisations.

 

Activities to advance them:

  • After gaining independence, the first five-year plan (1951–1956) placed a strong focus on the use of cooperatives for a variety of community development initiatives.
  • The 97th Amendment (2011) added Article 43B to the Indian Constitution’s DPSP.

o In accordance with Article 43B, States shall work to encourage cooperative societies’ voluntary establishment, autonomous operation, democratic control, and professional management.

 

Problems that the cooperatives encounter

  • Governance inadequacies
  • Politicisation and the overreaching role of the state
  • Unable to guarantee active membership
  • Insufficient efforts to generate capital
  • Inability to recruit and keep qualified professionals
  • Cooperative board elections have been put off indefinitely.

 

Multi-state Co-operative Societies: What Are They?

  • Societies that operate in multiple states (like FPOs) are governed by the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act of 2002.
  • According to a Supreme Court decision, Part IXB of the Indian Constitution, which was also added by the 97th amendment, only applies to multi-state cooperative societies because states have the authority to regulate state cooperative societies.

 

An amendment to the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act 2002 is sought by the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill 2023.

 

Features of the 2002 Act 2023 Bill

Board member elections are handled by the current board of the organisation. Cooperative Election Authority: To carry out such elections, the federal government will create the Authority. It will have a chairperson, VC, and up to three members chosen by the central government based on a selection committee’s recommendations.

Cooperative society mergers and divisions must be approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the members present and voting during a general meeting, enables, according to the regulations of each individual state, the merger of a state cooperative society with an already-existing multi-state cooperative society.

Cooperative Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Development Fund for Sick Cooperative Societies: Multistate Cooperative Societies that have been profitable for the previous three fiscal years shall finance the Fund.

Restrictions on government share redemption Certain government authorities may redeem their shares in a multi-state cooperative society in accordance with the bylaws of the organisation. Without their previous consent, the central and state governments’ shares cannot be redeemed.

Cooperative Ombudsman for the Redress of Complaints: The central government will designate one or more of these Ombudsmen with territorial jurisdiction.

Within three months of the receipt of the complaint, they must finish the investigation and decision-making process.

Appeals: Central Registrar, chosen by the national government; deadline: one month.

 

The significance of the Bill

  • It would enhance cooperatives by enhancing their openness and putting in place a system of frequent elections.
  • The Bill seeks to align its provisions with those in Part IXB of the Constitution and address concerns relating to the management and governance of cooperative organisations.

 

Concerns with the Bill

  • Charging healthy societies: A Fund that will be financed by donations from successful multi-state cooperative societies will be used to resuscitate sick multi-state cooperative societies.

 

  • Reduce the autonomy and independence of cooperatives by giving the government the authority to impose restrictions on the redemption of its shares in multi-state cooperative societies.

 

 

INDUSTRY COALITION FOR RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

 

GS Paper-III

Environment and Conservation Syllabus

Context: The Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC) was established by the Union Minister of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change.

 

Where?

  • It was unveiled in Chennai, India, concurrently with the fourth meeting of the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) and Environment and Climate Ministers.
  • The ECSWG gathers to talk about current environmental concerns and encourage international cooperation for a resilient and sustainable future.

 

Original occupants:

  • Up to 39 multinational firms (MNCs) from industries like electronics, FMCG, and steel joined RECEIC.
  • In order to address environmental difficulties brought on by trash, including plastics, microplastics, e-waste, and chemical waste, they promised to implement resource efficiency and circular economy concepts.

 

Describe the RECEIC.

  • Developed during India’s G20 Presidency, it is intended to be an industry-driven, self-sustaining project that will continue to run long after India leaves the G20.

 

  • This coalition’s goals include:

o Promote and facilitate increased inter-company cooperation,

o Develop cutting-edge skills across all value chains and sectors,

o Bring lessons learned from the coalition members’ varied and worldwide experiences, and Encourage local private sector activity to improve resource efficiency and hasten the transition to a circular economy.

  • The alliance is organised around the three guiding pillars of collaboration in technology, partnerships for impact, and financing for scale.

 

Relevance of the RECEIC:

  • It would be crucial in developing collaboration, fostering innovation, increasing technological cooperation and knowledge transfer, and facilitating the exchange of GSPREP to improve access to finance.
  • It will help advance important global priorities and goals established by the G20 and other international fora.
  • RECEIC will also serve as a broad platform that enables businesses to address knowledge gaps and coordination issues among G20 members.

 

The Indian government has made additional attempts to advance a circular economy.

  • The 2016 E-Waste (Management) Rules: These rules aim to prevent the incorrect disposal of electronic devices and to advance environmentally friendly e-waste management techniques.

 

2022 The Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules

o It establishes guidelines for Extended Producers’ Responsibility (EPR). An environmental protection technique known as EPR holds the product’s maker accountable for the product’s complete life cycle.

o As a result of this, plastic waste processors produced EPR certificates worth 2.6 million tonnes, of which 1.51 million tonnes were acquired by PIBOs (Producers, Importers, and Brand Owners).

  • Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban 2.0: The 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), source segregation of rubbish, scientific processing of municipal solid waste, etc. are all emphasised.

 

Indian circular economy challenges:

  • Due to restrictions on the supply chain, a lack of financial incentives to invest in recycling and remanufacturing procedures, etc., industries are hesitant to implement the circular economy model.
  • The idea of a circular economy and its advantages are not widely known in India.
  • The circular economy may not be well supported by India’s current infrastructure. For instance, inadequate waste management and recycling infrastructure.
  • In India, there is cultural opposition to the idea of product reuse and recycling.

 

Conclusion:

Resource efficiency and the circular economy have the ability to move goals from words to deeds through an industry-led coalition. Changes in behaviour are a crucial prerequisite for this transition, though.

 

Prelims:

Talk about the advantages of implementing a circular economy strategy for sustainability, resource efficiency, and environmental preservation.

 

 

THE CLIMATE IN ASIA IN 2022

 

GS Paper-III

Environment and Conservation Syllabus

Asia is the world’s most disaster-prone region, according to the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) State of climate in Asia 2022 study.

 

Regarding the report:

  • The WMO released one of a number of regional State of the Climate reports during a meeting of the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

One of the five regional commissions under the control of the UN Economic and Social Council is UN ESCAP, which has its headquarters in Bangkok and was established in 1947.

 

Report highlights include:

  • In Asia in 2022, 81 weather-, climate-, and water-related disasters directly impacted more than 50 million people.
  • Less disasters occurred in the area in 2022 than in 2021 (more than 100 natural hazards).
  • However, in 2022, the consequences of such disasters were far more severe, with an increase in the number of fatalities, individuals affected, and financial losses.

o As an illustration, 5,879 Asians lost their lives in natural disasters in 2022, a 55% increase from 2021.

Pakistan paid for 42% of the damage’s economic cost, which totaled more than $36 billion.

 

Droughts and floods in 2022:

  • Flood-related economic losses were more than the average for the previous 20 years (2002–2021).

o The main reason for this was the significant economic losses brought on by the floods in Pakistan ($15 billion), China ($5 billion), and India ($4.2 billion).

  • Drought-related economic losses ($7.6 billion), which were about 200% higher than the 20-year norm, primarily affected China.

o The economic toll of the drought had more than doubled since 2021.

 

upcoming obstacles:

  • Asia is warming more quickly than the typical continent because it has the most land mass that reaches all the way to the Arctic.

o 2022 was either the second- or third-warmest year on record, according to estimates of the mean temperature over Asia, which was 0.73°C higher than the average between 1991 and 2020.

  • Global glacier and ice melt, rising sea levels, and prospect of further socioeconomic devastation.

 

For instance, sea level is increasing at a pace of more than 4 mm per year in the western tropical Pacific region and the north-east Indian Ocean.

  • Agriculture will be impacted by the anticipated rise in the frequency and severity of extreme events over much of Asia.

o The agriculture sector is responsible for more than 25% of all climate-related loss and damage.

 

Way Forward:

  • Because early warnings are one of the best strategies to lessen the effects of disasters, there are huge gaps in these systems that need to be filled.
  • The agricultural sector must be at the centre of any planning for climate adaptation.