Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CSE
Topics Covered
- OTT Platforms
- PLI Scheme
- Viability Gap Funding
- Recession
- Facts for Prelims
1 . OTT Platform
Context : Union government has brought Over The Top (OTT) platforms, or video streaming service providers such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and others as well as digital news and current affairs content under the ambit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
What are OTT platforms?
- OTT, or over-the-top platforms, are audio and video hosting and streaming services which started out as content hosting platforms, but soon branched out into the production and release of short movies, feature films, documentaries and web-series themselves.
- These platforms offer a range of content and use artificial intelligence to suggest users the content they are likely to view based on their past viewership on the platform. Most OTT platforms generally offer some content for free and charge a monthly subscription fee for premium content which is generally unavailable elsewhere.
- The premium content is usually produced and marketed by the OTT platform themselves, in association with established production houses which historically have made feature films.
Issues identified with OTT Platforms
- The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has found a vast swathe of unregulated content in these platforms.
- Print was regulated by the Press Council of India and Television, both News and Entertainment, were being regulated by the Cable Networks Regulation Act (2005), content on online but OTT platforms and Online news portals escaped any architecture of regulation
Self Regulation
- Anticipating the government’s intervention, in January 2019, eight video streaming services had signed a self-regulatory code that laid down a set of guiding principles for content on these platforms.
- The code adopted by the OTTs prohibited five types of content. This includes content that deliberately and maliciously disrespects the national emblem or national flag, any visual or story line that promotes child pornography, any content that “maliciously” intends to outrage religious sentiments, content that “deliberately and maliciously” promotes or encourages terrorism and, lastly, any content that has been banned for exhibition or distribution by law or court.
- The government had refused to support this code.
Triggering Point
- Recently Supreme Court of India had issued notice to the Centre and the Internet and Mobile Association of India, on a petition to regulate OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime etc.
About the New regulatory Framework
- A notification from the Cabinet Secretariat on November 9, said that films and audio-visual programs made available by online content providers and news and current affairs content on online platform will be under the purview of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
How does the Ministry propose to regulate news and OTT online?
- There is no guidelines released yet on how ministry is going to regulate these platforms but it seems like it will be on the similar lines of Programme code for Television content
- Programme Code that governs content on TV and which found an outlet in the Cable Television Network Regulation Act, 1995, may serve as a template to frame rules for online content. The Programme Code lists several dont’s that channels are required to observe and follow.
- Currently, the Electronic Media Monitoring Centre, which was set up in 2008, is entrusted with the work of monitoring content on TV. It puts out reports on violations of the Programme Code.
- The findings go to an inter-ministerial committee. There is a possibility that the brief of the monitoring service could be extended to include online content.
- However, monitoring content 24×7 has its own challenges. Whether the Ministry will set up a committee involving the public to look into complaints received remains to be seen.
Implication for the platforms
- The central government’s move to bring the OTT platforms under the I&B Ministry could also mean that these platforms would have to apply for certification and approval of the content they wish to stream. This in itself could give rise to many conflicts as most OTT platforms have content that could otherwise be censored by the certification boards in India.
2 . Production Linked Incentive Scheme
Context : The government unveiled a production-linked incentive scheme to encourage domestic manufacturing investments in ten more sectors, with an estimated outlay of about ₹1.46 lakh crore over the next five years.
Background
- Earlier, the government had announced a production linked incentive or PLI scheme for medical devices, mobile phones and specified active pharmaceutical ingredients, with a proposed outlay of ₹51,311 crore.
About Production Linked Incentive Scheme
- In order to boost domestic manufacturing and cut down on import bills, the central government in March this year introduced a scheme that aims to give companies incentives on incremental sales from products manufactured in domestic units. Apart from inviting foreign companies to set shop in India, the scheme also aims to encourage local companies to set up or expand existing manufacturing units.
- So far, the scheme has been rolled out for mobile and allied equipment as well as pharmaceutical ingredients and medical devices manufacturing. These sectors are labour intensive and are likely, and the hope is that they would create new jobs for the ballooning employable workforce of India. Now the scheme has been extended to more sectors
- The PLI scheme will be implemented by the concerned ministries/departments
New sectors covered
- ACC Battery
- Electronic/Tech Products (Semiconductor Fab, display fab, laptops, servers, IoT devices)
- Automobiles & components
- Pharma (Biopharma, patented/drugs nearing patent expiry, key starting materials, autoimmune drugs)
- Telecom Networking Products (Core transmission equipment, 4G/5G, switches, router)
- Textiles – MMF segment and technical textiles
- Food Products (Ready-to-eat, fruit & veg, mozzarella cheese)
- High Efficiency Solar PV Modules
- White Goods ( LED, ACs)
- Speciality steel
Selection criteria for New sectors
- The ten sectors had been identified on the basis of their potential to create jobs and make India self-reliant, include food processing, telecom, electronics, textiles, speciality steel, automobiles and auto components, solar photo-voltaic modules and white goods such as air conditioners and LEDs.
- Several more pharmaceutical products have been brought under the aegis of the PLI scheme, including complex generics, anti-cancer and diabetic drugs, in-vitro diagnostic devices and special empty capsules.
Benefits
- The PLI scheme across these 10 key specific sectors will make Indian manufacturers globally competitive, attract investment in the areas of core competency and cutting-edge technology; ensure efficiencies; create economies of scale; enhance exports and make India an integral part of the global supply chain
- The Automotive Components Manufacturers Association of India expressed hope that the high outlay for the sector under the PLI will encourage industry to become a net exporter and help reduce import dependence.
- The sectors covered under the PLI scheme are strategic, technology intensive and also important from the perspective of employment generation in the country.
3 . Viability Gap Funding (VGF)
Context : The government expanded the provision of financial support by means of viability gap funding for public private partnerships (PPPs) in infrastructure projects to include critical social sector investments in sectors such as health, education, water and waste treatment.
About the News
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the continuation of the scheme for financial support to PPPs in infrastructure that has been in place since 2006, till 2024-25
- “The viability gap funding [VGF] provided for economic infrastructure will now be extended to social infrastructure
- A total of ₹8,100 crore has been allocated under this programme between 2020-21 and 2024-25, of which ₹2,100 crore will be devoted to social sector projects.
- Under two new schemes, private sector projects in areas like waste water treatment, solid waste management, health, water supply and education, could get 30% of total project cost from the Centre, States could contribute with another 30% and the rest can be private sector investments.
- These projects should entail full recovery of operating costs to qualify for the VGF.
About Viability Gap Funding
- Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Means a grant one-time or deferred, provided to support infrastructure projects that are economically justified but fall short of financial viability.
- The lack of financial viability usually arises from long gestation periods and the inability to increase user charges to commercial levels.
- Infrastructure projects also involve externalities that are not adequately captured in direct financial returns to the project sponsor. Through the provision of a catalytic grant assistance of the capital costs, several projects may become bankable and help mobilise private investment in infrastructure.
Govt Scheme for Viability Gap Funding
- Government of India has notified a scheme for Viability Gap Funding to infrastructure projects that are to be undertaken through Public Private Partnerships.
- It will be a Plan Scheme to be administered by the Ministry of Finance with suitable budgetary provisions to be made in the Annual Plans on a year-to- year basis.
- The quantum of VGF provided under this scheme is in the form of a capital grant at the stage of project construction.
4 . Recession
Context : India’s economy rebounded sharply in the wake of the reopening from lockdowns, slowing the pace of its contraction to 8.6% in the second quarter. The estimate implies that India is likely to have entered a technical recession in the first half of 2020-21
About Recession
- Recession is defined as a fall in the overall economic activity for two consecutive quarters (six months) accompanied by a decline in income, sales and employment.
- In independent India’s history, four such years of negative GDP growth were registered. They saw contraction of -1.2% (FY58), -3.66% (FY66), -0.32% (FY73) and -5.2% (FY80).
Current Status of Economy
- An Economic Activity Index, which tracks real-time data from 27 monthly indicators, showed the economy had rebounded sharply from May/June, with industry normalising faster than contact-intensive service sectors, pointing to a short-lived contraction.
- The index nowcasts GDP growth at (-) 8.6% in Q2, implying that India is likely to have entered a technical recession in the first half’
- Recent RBI report observed that “the unrelenting pressure of inflation” was the foremost risk, the RBI warned that a hit to external demand from the second wave and financially stressed households and companies could also undermine the recovery.
5 . Facts for Prelims
Operation Thunder 2020
- Operation Thunder is the operation against environmental crime was held from September 14 to October 11.
- “Operation Thunder 2020” is the fourth in a series of “Thunder” operations carried out annually since 2017.
- It is coordinated by the Interpol and the World Customs Organisation which involved law enforcement agencies in 103 countries.
- It resulted in large seizures of protected wildlife and forestry specimens and products, triggering arrests and investigations worldwide, said the Interpol.
- Focusing on pre-identified routes and hotspots, ‘Operation Thunder 2020’ resulted in more than 2,000 seizures of wildlife and forestry products. In total, 699 offenders were apprehended and at least one Interpol Red Notice has already been requested based on information gained during the operation
- The participating countries focused mainly on the species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
Change in FCRA Rules
- The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has relaxed norms for farmer, student, religious and other groups who are not directly aligned to any political party to receive foreign funds if the groups are not involved in “active politics”
- Clause V of Rule 3 (FCRA 2011) qualified a political group as, “organisations of farmers, workers, students, youths based on caste, community , religion, language or otherwise, which is not directly aligned to any political party, but whose objectives as stated in the memorandum of association, or activities gathered through other material evidence, include steps towards advancement of political interests of such groups”.
- The other 2011 clause (VI) qualified a group as political if the “organisation by whatever name called habitually engages itself in or employs common methods of political action like rasta roko, jail bharo, rail roko, bandh or hartal in support of public causes”. A new clause has been inserted which says that groups mentioned in Clause V and VI will only be considered a political group by the Centre if they participate in “active politics or party politics”.
- As per the FCRA, members of legislatures, political parties, government officials, judges and media persons are prohibited from receiving any foreign contribution