23 Sep 2020: Indian Express Editorial Analysis

Indian Express Editorial Analysis
23 September 2020

1) The custodian-

GS 2- Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these

 

CONTEXT:

  1. Deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh is known to be a mild-mannered man.
  2. In his letter to the chairman of Rajya Sabha, in which he put on record his decision to observe a one-day fast because of the unruly scenes in the Upper House on Sunday, he invoked(used) the values of Gandhi, JP, Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpoori Thakur.
  3. Tuesday morning, he showed up with homemade tea for the eight Opposition MPs suspended for the Sunday fracas(disturbances), who were protesting their punishment by sitting overnight on dharna in the Parliament premises.

 

 

DENIAL TO DIVISION OF VOTES:

  1. The peace, or tea, offering, applauded by the Prime Minister, was indeed a graceful gesture. And yet, the question won’t go away.
  2. Why did Dy. Chairperson not display this generosity(kindness) of spirit inside the House on Sunday?
  3. On that day, the sequence of events may have been very different if the Deputy Chairperson had showed even mere adherence(follow) to procedure — if he had allowed a division of votes when the voice vote was challenged.
  4. After all, the rule book says that in such a situation, “votes shall be taken by operating the automatic vote recorder or by members going into the lobbies”.
  5. A division of votes may be demanded when there is no consensus(agreement), and even when the outcome is predictable — for parties and members to put on record their position on a bill.
  6. Deputy Chairperson denied a division of votes on two controversial bills, on which an important BJP ally had just withdrawn a minister.
  7. He also refused the Opposition’s demand for them to be sent to a select committee on the grounds of disorder in the House — even as, amid the same disorder, he helped pushed them through.
  8. The job of the presiding(sitting) officer is to run the House, not just to ensure that the government’s business is done.
  9. Any response to unruly behaviour must be consistent with the democratic spirit, and not seen to be influenced by the stand of the party he belongs to or is supported by.
  10. Sunday’s events in Rajya Sabha, and the suspension of eight MPs, is especially disquieting(saddening) when the Parliament session is truncated(shortened), Question Hour is suspended and Zero Hour is abbreviated in the name of the pandemic.

 

UPHOLDING RULES:

  1. Opposition who is already shrinking in corner of the House is being denied its right to have its say, and the government is using Parliament to have its way.
  2. The Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha has a special responsibility to look beyond the Treasury Benches and accommodate other voices and views.
  3. After all, in the absence of the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, the Deputy Chairperson is the custodian of its dignity and prestige, and of the rights and privileges of its members — all its members.
  4. Sunday’s events in Rajya Sabha and their aftermath are also troubling because at their centre are pieces of legislation whose reformist intent is being undermined by the manner in which they have been passed.
  5. The only way out of this mess is the institutional one. The rules of the democracy game must be upheld, not the majority’s right of way.

 

CONCLUSION:

Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, as is his wont, is gentle and graceful. His chair calls on him to be firm and fair as well.

 

 

2) What labour needs-

GS 2- Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability

 

CONTEXT:

On Tuesday, the Lok Sabha passed new versions of three labour codes, namely, the Industrial Code Bill 2020, the Code on Social Security Bill 2020, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code Bill 2020.

 

OVERDUE:

  1. Amending stringent and archaic(old) labour laws has long been on the policy agenda.
  2. Yet, there hasn’t been much movement on this issue because of the manner in which the debate has been framed — labour reform is often reduced to giving firms the power to hire and fire workers, without having to seek the government’s permission.
  3. While there is indeed a strong argument for more flexible labour markets, at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the lack of basic safety nets for large sections of the labour force.
  4. And given the widespread distrust due to their unplanned and forced exit from cities, the first steps should be aimed at addressing distress and restoring the trust of the workforce, and creating some sort of social security architecture.

 

 

SOCIAL SECURITY:

  1. To be fair, firms need to be provided flexibility in order to deal with the vicissitudes(ups and downs) of business cycles.
  2. However, doing away with standing orders for firms with less than 300 workers, which will essentially cover most firms, is tantamount(equals) to watering down the basic rights of workers in most organisations, affecting their bargaining power.
  3. The other initiatives in the bills which include widening the ambit of social security by including inter-state migrant workers and gig economy workers are steps in the right direction.
  4. As is ensuring direct fixed-term contracts, maintaining a database of migrant workers, and an adequately funded social security fund.
  5. However, questions are likely to be raised over the design and coverage of such schemes, and how portability of benefits will be ensured.
  6. Further, given the temporary nature of workers in the gig economy, how will this framework work?
  7. There can be no argument against the need to amend the existing labour laws in India.
  8. However, considering the extent of economic distress in the country, concerns of labour must be placed at the centre of such policy initiatives.
  9. At a time of acute precarity(uncertain), instead of moving in a direction of a reasonably flexible labour market with a degree of social security, the government should not be seen to be taking steps in the opposite direction.

 

CONCLUSION:

Especially at a time of acute economic distress, concerns of workers must be placed at centre of labour law changes.

 

 

3) Ministry of Happiness-

GS 2- Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability

 

CONTEXT:

  1. Happiness economics has finally received global recognition.
  2. It implies that economic indicators such as the gross national product, per capita income, healthcare facility, employment and wealth must be related with national happiness.
  3. The World Happiness Report, 2020 has ranked 156 countries by happiness of their citizens based on six key variables — income, healthy life expectancy(expect to live), social support, freedom, trust and generosity(kind).
  4. Finland, despite not having the highest GDP, tops the list due to its social safety, personal freedom and a work-life balance while materially superior countries are ranked lower.
  5. The results mean that growth in happiness is not always accompanied by growth in economic prosperity.

 

 

PARADOX:

  1. A somewhat similar phenomenon called “Easterlin paradox” was observed by Richard Easterlin in post-World War USA.
  2. This paradox(self contradiction) showed decline in happiness at a very high level of economic growth.
  3. One reason for this paradox may be skewed distribution of income and wealth resulting in growing economic inequality accompanying economic growth.
  4. These findings give some hope that national happiness can be increased even if material prosperity is not among the highest.
  5. If people are covered by a social safety net, they have little to worry about healthcare, education, unemployment or old-age pension.
  6. In today’s bleak(exposed) global scenario, both economically and health-wise, increasing the happiness quotient becomes all the more important.
  7. The term Gross National Happiness was coined in 1979 by Bhutan and was determined by nine domains and four pillars.
  8. In 2011, the United Nations recognised the achievement of happiness as a fundamental human goal, and decided to observe March 20 as the International Day of Happiness.
  9. Thanks to global surveys, there is now an increasing awareness of this goal.
  10. India, Canada, Brazil, the US, UK, UAE, the Philippines and Thailand have undertaken efforts to measure and increase happiness and well-being beyond GDP.

 

 

HAPPINESS CAMPS:

  1. Various states in India have taken up this task in the right earnest(serious) and started happiness counselling.
  2. The Way to Happiness Foundation International conducts workshops across schools and the Delhi Police.
  3. Happiness classes are included in Delhi schools based on the triad for happiness.
  4. Gujarat University recently introduced a certificate course in “Happiness Counselling” through meditation, yoga, neurology, social activities, music, food and dance.
  5. Madhya Pradesh has set up a happiness department and organises “Happiness Camps” to teach positive outlook towards life. Andhra Pradesh has come up with a “Happiness Index” department to measure development in the state.
  6. We need a paradigm(model) shift together with an effective mechanism to deliver the skill of happiness.
  7. Social and economic tensions need to be addressed for positivity, mental peace and happiness.
  8. India has made tremendous progress in economic prosperity and healthcare infrastructure. We now need to focus on social safety networks.
  9. A scheme may be framed which allows volunteers to serve old or ailing people and their service hours get deposited in a social service bank account.
  10. In return, the volunteers can claim the same number of service hours in their own old age.
  11. This can create a wonderful chain of service and make each generation assured of old-age care, thus taking some social burden off the back of the government.
  12. Some more actions are required. While employment of women is necessary for growth in GDP, their safety and dignity is absolutely necessary for social harmony and happiness.
  13. Media, movies and market can create awareness towards this social responsibility.

 

COMPASSION:

  1. For the safety of life, traffic and cleanliness, all stray animals should be removed from the roads, parks and office buildings.
  2. All such stray animals may be looked after by animal-loving people and organisations.
  3. Compassion for animals should not mean blocking traffic, roads or parks. For enduring(experience) mental peace, litigation needs to be minimised through minimum laws codified in simple language.
  4. Delivery of justice has to be speeded up with decisions in simple language and in the minimum length possible to save the precious time of all.
  5. We see a growth of charitable and religious trusts, flush with funds, proliferating in an unorganised manner.
  6. They all claim to be working for all the noble objectives possible under the sun. Still there are deprived people at every nook and corner.
  7. These trusts must work in tandem(coordination) with the government to achieve plan objectives in areas like education, skill centres, hospitals, helping orphans/unemployed/old people, protection of women and environment.
  8. Their growth should be allowed only in the areas where it is required.
  9. This will contain their mushroom growth in an unorganised manner and will complement/supplement the government’s efforts to achieve Plan objectives through better utilisation of voluntary funds.

 

CONCLUSION:

  1. Our deeply divided society has to be patched up with peaceful, reconciliatory(restore) and diplomatic means like education, awareness and social safety net.
  2. We need a Ministry of Happiness with academicians, economists, psychologists and social thinkers to map the road to happiness forever.
  3. The quest(search) of humanity for another habitable planet must begin with making our own planet happy and liveable.