Thiruvalluvar, Fencing Myanmar Border, PM-AASHA

(General Studies II – Polity section – Indian Constitution—Historical Underpinnings, Evolution, Features, Amendments, Significant Provisions and Basic Structure.)

• Article 31C, introduced by the 25th Amendment in 1971, protects laws enacted to distribute resources for the common good (Article 39(b)) and prevent wealth concentration (Article 39(c)) from being challenged under Articles 14 and 19.
• Article 39 lists directive principles that guide lawmaking but are not enforceable in court.

Historical Context –

• Article 31C was introduced following the Bank Nationalisation Case (Rustom Cavasjee Cooper vs Union of India, 1970) where the Supreme Court blocked the government from acquiring banks due to inadequate compensation provisions.
• The 25th Amendment aimed to overcome these hurdles by making laws to implement Articles 39(b) and 39(c) immune to challenges under Articles 14, 19, and 31.

Key Legal Developments –

• Kesavananda Bharati Case (1973): The Supreme Court struck down part of Article 31C, allowing courts to examine if laws align with Articles 39(b) and 39(c).
• 42nd Amendment (1976): Expanded Article 31C to cover all directive principles, but was partly struck down by the Supreme Court in Minerva Mills v. Union of India (1980), limiting Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution.

Note:

• Article 39(b) and 39(c) are specifically protected under Article 31C.
• Laws enacted to give effect to these directives (39(b) & 39(c)) cannot be challenged on the grounds of being inconsistent with Art 14 & Art 19.
• Article 14 – Right to Equality & Article 19 – Protection of certain rights regarding freedom of speech, etc.

Current Case –

• The SC is reviewing Chapter VIII-A of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Act, 1976 (MHADA), which allows the government to acquire old, unsafe buildings in Mumbai to ensure community resources serve the common good, under Article 39(b).
• The case questions if “material resources of the community” includes private property like cessed buildings.
• The SC must decide if Article 31C survived post-Minerva Mills or if it was entirely invalidated.

Arguments –

• Petitioners argue the original Article 31C ceased to exist after the 42nd Amendment, so its invalidation in Minerva Mills means it doesn’t revive.
• The Centre contends the doctrine of revival applies, meaning the post-Kesavananda Bharati version of Article 31C should be reinstated.

Thus, in light of balancing individual rights and the state’s directive principles aimed at social and economic justice, Article 31C plays a crucial role. It reflects the constitutional commitment to ensure that material resources serve the common good and prevent wealth concentration.

• Up to ₹5 lakh will be provided to tribal households for converting existing homes into tourist homestays or building new ones.

• This initiative is part of the Swadesh Darshan scheme under the Ministry of Tourism and is aimed at tapping the tourist potential of tribal areas and providing alternative livelihoods.
• The goal is to set up 1,000 homestays in tribal villages with tourist potential.
• It is one of the interventions under the umbrella package under the Pradhan Mantri-Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PMJUGA).

Dig Deeper: Read about various schemes launched for Tribals in the context of conflict between the Forest Rights Act and Wildlife Protection Act.

• The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) schemes and fixed the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for the upcoming rabi season.
• The scheme aims to ensure remunerative prices for farmers and control price volatility of essential commodities to benefit consumers.
• The total financial outlay for PM-AASHA is ₹35,000 crore during the 15th Finance Commission cycle, up to 2025-26.
• Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) for Fertilizers:
• The Cabinet fixed the NBS rates for phosphatic and potassic (P and K) fertilizers for the upcoming rabi season.
• Applicable to all imported fertilisers except Ammonium Sulphate.
• Urea-based fertilisers are not under NBS.
• The budgetary requirement for this subsidy is ₹24,475.53 crore.
• The subsidy rationalization aligns with international price trends, ensuring fertilizers are available to farmers at affordable prices.

Dig Deeper: Read about the Price Stabilisation Fund and Price Deficit Payment Scheme.

• The Union government has approved:
• Chandrayaan-4 mission to bring moon rocks to Earth
• Venus Orbiter Mission
• Expansion Plan of the Gaganyaan project, aimed at building an Indian space station.
• Chandrayaan-4 Mission to collect lunar samples and return them safely to Earth.
• Chandrayaan-4 will involve multiple launches and include a space docking experiment scheduled for later this year.
• Gaganyaan Program Expansion: The program now includes plans for an Indian space station by 2035 and a crewed lunar mission by 2040.
• Next-Generation Launch Vehicle: Approval was granted for the development of a new launch vehicle capable of carrying heavier payloads, essential for future space station and lunar missions.
• With long-term goals including the establishment of a self-sustained space station and manned lunar expeditions.

Dig Deeper: Read about Axiom-4 Mission.

• The Union government has approved a ₹31,000 crore to strengthen security by fencing the Myanmar border and road construction.
• Total length of 1,643 km, covering Arunachal Pradesh (520 Km), Nagaland (215 Km), Manipur (398), and Mizoram (510 km).
• 30 km of the border has already been fenced, with 10 km near Moreh completed and another 21 km in progress.
• The Myanmar border was identified as a key factor in ethnic violence in Manipur.
• Fencing aims to enhance border security and prevent illegal crossings.

Dig Deeper: List various elements involved in the Civil War of Myanmar.

• The cabinet approves the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) as a section 8 company under the Companies Act, 2013.
• To be established in Mumbai, Maharashtra and FICCI and CII to represent industry bodies as a partner with the government of India.
• To act as a pinnacle institution to anchor the AVCG-XR ecosystem in India.
• It will foster the creation of indigenous intellectual property (IP) and build the future of India’s digital creative economy.
• It will be modelled after premier institutions like IITs and IIMs, and also will act as an incubation centre for start-ups in this field.

Dig Deeper: Read about immersive technologies like Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR) and 3D modelling & animation.

• The Madras High Court has refused to shift the annual celebration of ‘Tiruvalluvar day’ from the second day of Tamil month Thai (Pausa), as it is being followed now, to the Vaikasi (Vaisakha) Anusha Natchathiram day.
• Tiruvalluvar is the author of Tirukkural, a highly celebrated compendium of 1,330 couplets containing life lessons.
• While little is known about Thiruvalluvar’s life, his work has had a profound influence on philosophy, ethics, and everyday life.
• Tiruvalluvar is believed to have been a native of Mylapore, Chennai.
• The Tirukkural is considered a cornerstone of Tamil literature and culture, often referred to as the Tamil Veda.
• The Tirukkural is believed to have been written between the 3rd century BCE and the 5th century CE.
• The Tirukkural is divided into three sections: Virtuous Conduct (Aram), Prosperity (Porul), and Pleasure (Kamam).
• These align with the four Purusharthas of Vedic Hinduism—Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha, though Moksha is not directly addressed.
• The Tirukkural contains references to Vedic concepts, including duties of Brahmins, deities, and virtues like protecting cows.
• The text is celebrated for its relevance to daily life, with its wisdom touching various aspects of ethics, morality, and conduct.
• The text stresses the significance of virtue, ethical conduct, and spiritual wisdom.

Dig Deeper: Read about the Bhakti Traditions of Tamil Nadu.