 A very good evening aspirants, I welcome you all to the daily Hindu newspaper analysis brought to you by Shankar A.S. Academy for the date of 10th June 2023. Displayed here are the list of articles that we are going to discuss today. Now without wasting any time, let us get into our discussion. This news article reports about the trilateral maritime partnership exercise that held in Gulf of Oman. Navies of three countries participated in the event which includes India, France and UAE. In this context, let us quickly go through the location of Gulf of Oman. See, Gulf of Oman is the northwest arm of Arabian Sea. The Gulf is 200 miles wide between Kepal Haad in Oman and Guaderbe on the Pakistan-Iran border. It connects with the Persian Gulf to the northwest through the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway that links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. In other words, the Gulf connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz which then empties into Persian Gulf. And it is bordered by Pakistan and Iran in the north by the United Arab Emirates in the west and by Oman in the south. The capital of Oman is located on the coast of the Gulf. The major Iranian cities that are located on the coastline of Gulf of Oman are Guaderbe, Jask and Chabah. Knowing about Gulf of Oman is very important because it is the only entrance from the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean into the Persian Gulf. The world's major oil exporters and importers have a joint interest in its security. Some of the significant islands that are located on the Gulf of Oman include Shaitan Island, Al Fahal Island, Daminiath Islands and the Sawadi Islands. The major international shipping ports that are situated in the Gulf of Oman include Port Sultan Kubu Smutra in Muscat Oman, Chabahar Port in Iran, the Port of Fujairah and Khor Fakhan Container Terminal in the United Arab Emirates. Talking about its ecology, see in 2018, scientists confirmed the Gulf of Oman contains one of the world's largest marine dead zones where the ocean contains very little or no oxygen and marine wildlife cannot exist. That's all. With this, let us move on to our next article for the discussion. Look at this article from the editorial page. The article talks about the electricity sector in India. See, the Electricity Act of 2003 brought about significant changes in the electricity sector. It separated the generation, transmission and distribution into separate companies. The article highlights the success of competitive procurement and long-term power purchase agreements because they drive private investment and reduce electricity prices. It explains why the UK's model of full deregulation and competition was not suitable for India due to potential price shocks. The article further emphasizes the importance of distribution companies, that is, this comes in ensuring a reliable electricity supply. So, in this discussion, we'll analyze this news article to get a better picture of it. Before that, the syllabus relevant to this article is given here. As I already mentioned, the article talks about how the Electricity Act of 2003 in India brought about significant changes in the electricity industry. Basically, the Act separated the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity into separate companies. It also provided the framework for the dismantling of state electricity boards. Here, the goal was to promote competition, protect consumer interests and ensure the supply of electricity to everyone. To explain this, let us use an example. Imagine you have a pizza making business. In the past, you used to handle everything from making the dough to delivering the pizzas. But now, under the new law, you decide to separate the task. One company will focus on making the dough, another on delivering the pizzas and the third on selling them to customers. By doing so, the government wanted to promote the competition among companies. More competition means more efficiency. After the reforms, the electricity generation in India has seen a lot of private investment. This means that more companies are investing their money to build power plants and generate electricity. The power plants started competing through long-term agreements to sell electricity to distribution companies. This competition resulted in lower prices for consumers compared to the old system. We know more competition means less price. Additionally, the Act played a crucial role in the success of national solar machine in India. It made solar power one of the cheapest sources of electricity in the country. Now, let us compare this with Eurotide Kingdom's model of electricity reform in the early 1990s. In the UK, they have a different approach to electricity reform. They created a power pool where all electricity generators would submit bits to supply electricity for the next day. The bits were arranged from the lowest to highest price. Then the price at which the total demand would be met will become the pool price for the electricity. However, in India, we did not adopt this model because it would have led to a sudden increase in electricity prices. For example, if the price of electricity from the most expensive power plant was set as the standard, then the price of electricity from other power plants also have to be purchased at the same price. This would have caused a big shock for consumers. So, instead, we continued with long-term contracts between power plants and distribution companies so that prices were determined individually. This ensured a gradual decrease in prices as power plants aged or in other words depreciated. This is because as the plant depreciates, the fixed cost component in the tariff declines. Therefore, older the plant, the cheaper its electricity. So, the current system that India has adopted has kept the prices of electricity stable. If we have gone for the UK model where the bits happen daily, it would have been difficult to keep a check on the price. But with long-term power purchase agreements, the price will be stable for a long period of time. Besides this, the discounts have helped to achieve the milestone of rural electrification. See, the discounts have the responsibility of supplying electricity to meet the demand of consumers. They enter into long-term contracts and thereby they ensure a reliable power supply. Besides this, in India, if you are a customer who consumes a load of 1 megawatt and above, then you have the right to choose where you buy your electricity from. You can buy directly from the power generators and pay the discount only for using the distribution network. However, the article mentioned few challenges. One of them is cross subsidy. This means that higher-end consumers like big businesses pay more for electricity to support lower-end consumers like households whose tariff are lower. It's like some customers are paying little extra for their pizza to help others who can't afford to pay so much for their pizza. The cost of pizza is say 100 rupees, but rich customers have to pay 120 rupees and the poor customers have to pay only 80 rupees. This is how cross subsidy works. This cross subsidy surcharge acts as a barrier and prevents many large consumers from utilizing open access. Then the article also mentions power exchange, which are like marketplaces for electricity trading. Power exchanges allow power generators to sell any surplus electricity they have. The prices on these exchanges can be volatile depending on the demand. When the demand is low, the prices may be lower and when the demand is high, the prices can go up. So the prices in these exchanges can be volatile especially during the high demand periods. This may require price caps so that everyone can afford it to pay. Now let us discuss the challenges faced by the discounts. See, discounts are often seen as the weak link in the electricity supply chain. This is because of the rising losses and difficulties in paying generators on time. These problems stem from issues in the political and economic domain. It includes the inability of regulators to determine the cost-reflective tariffs and misgovernance in some states. In certain cases, privatization as seen in Delhi may be the solution to address these challenges. Now, the article raises a question about the idea of doing away with the discounts and relying solely on the free market to solve the problems in power sector. It argues that the challenges faced by the discounts are not just about implementing the reforms. Discounts also face political and governance issues. Simply removing the discounts may not solve the underlying problems. It is like saying that getting rid of delivery companies will solve all the challenges in a business. It is not that simple. Also, the transition to renewable energy sources is progressing. Discounts play a vital role in projecting future demand and entering into contracts to meet the growing electricity needs. Without them, the entire system would collapse and you might face power shortages again. To summarize, the article emphasizes the importance of distribution companies in the electricity sector. They play a crucial role in ensuring a reliable supply of electricity to consumers. The article also highlights the challenges and complexities of implementing reforms in the power sector. It is important to consider the lessons learned from other countries' experience such as the UK and think through the consequences of any proposed changes. I hope this explanation helped you to understand the key points of this article. That is all with this. Let us move on to our next article. The crux of the article is that, ongoing Australian High Commissioner to India, Barry O'Farrell stated that Australia aims to stabilize its relation with China, not normalize them. He compared Australia's approach to that of India and highlighted that both countries engage in dialogue with China to resolve bilateral issues and prevent further instability in the region. He also clarified that AUKUS agreement is not an alliance but a technology transfer agreement. He also mentioned that Australia supports the status quo in Taiwan. He acknowledged that Australian businesses learned during the COVID-19 pandemic that operating in a non-democracy like China can result in sudden market access restrictions. He also emphasized the importance of the Indian diaspora in Australia and the deepening relationship between India and Australia. In this context, let us use this opportunity to learn about the AUKUS. See, AUKUS is a security partnership between three countries, Australia, the UK and the US. The main goal of AUKUS is to promote freedom and openness in the Indo-Pacific region, specifically in the South China Sea. One important aspect of the partnership is that, the US and the UK will help Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines that are armed with conventional weapons. In addition to submarines, the countries will also collaborate on advanced technologies such as cyber security, artificial intelligence, quantum technology and undersea capabilities. This partnership is significant because it strengthens Australia's naval power and serves as a challenge to China's ambition in the region. By working together, these countries aim to have better military coordination in Indo-Pacific which can help to address the regional security concerns. For India, the AUKUS partnership can offer some benefits by countering China's encirclement and providing access to advanced military expertise in the region. You may also wonder how this AUKUS is different from QUAD. See, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or QUAD is a strategic dialogue between the United States, India, Australia and Japan. It has a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. Whereas AUKUS is more like a technology sharing arrangement. AUKUS, as I earlier told, is a trilateral security alliance that allows the USA and the UK to help Australia to develop nuclear-powered submarines. That's all with this. Let us move on to our next topic. Take a look at this news article. The news article talks about the study result conducted by the World Health Organization which is commissioned by the Jal Shakti Ministry. The study says that if the centre succeeds in its Jaljiven mission, it would avert to close 4 lakh deaths from diarrhea. In this context, let us learn few facts about the Jaljiven mission. See, the government of India has restructured and subsumed the ongoing national rural drinking water program into Jaljiven mission. This is done to provide functional household tap connection to every rural household. That is Hargar-Nalseh Jal by 2024. From this itself, we can easily find out the vision of the program. So, the mission is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India. Now, coming to the works done under the mission. The works or schemes carried out under the mission includes firstly, in village it develops water supply infrastructure for tap water connection to every household. Then it develops reliable drinking water source and augmentation of existing sources. Then it works on transfer of water. It is a multi-village scheme. Water is transferred to villages where quality and quantity issues are there in local water sources. Then it works on technological intervention for treatment to make the water portable. This is done where water quality is an issue but quantity is sufficient. Then it works on retrofitting of completed and ongoing piped water supply schemes to provide functional household tap connections and raise the service level. Then it works on grey water management as well. Finally, it works on the capacity building of various stakeholders and support activities to facilitate the implementation of the scheme. With this information, let us know about the service delivery. See the goal of Jaljiven mission is to provide functional household tap connection to every household with service level at the rate of 55 litres per capita per day. So far, we saw the features of the mission. Now, we shall see the institutional mechanism at different levels. See at national level, there is the national Jaljiven mission. At state level, there is state water and sanitation mission. At district level, there is district water and sanitation mission. Then finally, at panjayat level, there are Pani Samithi, village water and sanitation committee user group. That is all about this Jaljiven mission. Now, let us move on to our next article. Take a look at this news article. According to the news article, yesterday Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin have said that state government might move the court against Governor Aaron Ravi for withholding ascent to bills. In this context, let us quickly go through the veto powers of governor. But before that, firstly, we will see what is veto power. It is the power or right vested with one branch of a government to cancel or postpone the decisions or enactments of another branch. In Indian context, it denotes the right of the president or governor to reject bills passed by the legislature. Know that there are three types of veto powers. First one is absolute veto. It means the power to withhold the ascent to the bill. The second one is suspensive veto. It gives the power to return the bill to legislature for reconsideration. The last one is pocket veto. It is the power to not act upon a bill. Now, let us see the veto powers of the governor. In Indian constitution, article 200 and 201 governs the veto powers of governor. Now, let us see about them. When a bill is presented to governor for his ascent, four cases are possible. The first case is that he can give his ascent to the bill. After the ascent, the bill becomes an act. The second case is that he can withhold the ascent to the bill. This is absolute veto. The third case is that he can return the bill to state legislature for reconsideration. Here, you should know two things. One is, governor cannot return a money bill. And the other one is, if a bill is passed again by the legislature without any amendments, now governor cannot withhold his ascent. So here, governor enjoys only suspensive veto. The fourth case is that it is important to note that here he cannot withhold his ascent after the bill is passed again by legislature. But he can reserve the bill for the consideration of president. This is as per article 201 of Indian constitution. This is the fourth case. These are the four cases possible while giving ascent to an ordinary bill. This is about the veto powers of governor. Now, let us compare it with president. President's veto powers are governed by article 111. See, with respect to ordinary bills, president has three options. Firstly, the president can give an ascent to the bill. Then, the president can withhold the ascent. That is absolute veto. Or the president can return the bill for reconsideration of the houses. Here, like the governor, president also enjoys only suspensive veto. This is because if the bill is passed again without any amendments by the houses, then president cannot withhold the ascent. Here also, president cannot return a money bill. One important point to note here is that if governor reserves a state money bill for consideration of president, then also president cannot return the state money bill. One more important point to note here is that, let us say, governor has reserved a bill and it is not a money bill. Now, the president is returning the bill for reconsideration of state legislature. And the bill is passed again with or without amendments and sent to president. In this case, president is not bound to give his ascent. That is all regarding the veto powers of governor. With this, let us move on to our next part of discussion. That is, prelims practice questions discussion. Now, let us take up our first question. Five countries are given and we have to choose which among them are part of Five Eye Alliance. The Five Eye Alliance is an intelligence sharing partnership among five countries, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The alliance was originally formed during the post World War II era to enhance the cooperation and intelligence sharing among these countries. India is not a part of it. So, the correct answer here is option C, four only. Now, let us move on to our next question. Here, five countries are given and we have to find which of the above mentioned countries share their border with Gulf of Oman. Here, the correct answer is option D, only four. Among these five countries, Saudi Arabia does not share its border with Gulf of Oman. But Iran, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Pakistan share their border with Gulf of Oman. Now, let us move on to our next question. In this question, three statements are given and we have to find which of the statements are correct regarding the Jal Jeevan mission. The first statement says that it aims to provide piped drinking water to all rural households by 2024. Yes, this statement is correct. The second statement says it aims to provide 25 liters of tap water per person per day to all households by 2024. This statement is incorrect. Jal Jeevan mission aims to provide 55 liters of tap water per person per day to all households by 2024. Hence, statement two is wrong. The third statement says that Goa has become the first Harjul state to provide 100% household tap connections in rural area. Yes, this statement is also correct. Goa is the first state to provide 100% household tap connections in rural areas. And take a note that Jal Shakti ministry is the nodal ministry for the implementation of the scheme. So, the correct answer for this question is option B, only two. And this is your quiz question. Think well and post the correct answer in the comment section. This is your main practice question for the day. Interested aspirants can write the answers and post them in comment section as well. With this, we have come to end of our discussion. You can share your thoughts in comment section. And if you found this video useful, hit the like button. Do share it with fellow aspirants. And don't forget to subscribe Shankar IS Academy's YouTube channel for more UPSC related content. Thanks for listening patiently. Have a nice day.