everydayquiz #THE HINDU #BUSINESS STANDARD #INDIAN EXPRESS
THE HINDU: Bridging cricket’s
credibility deficit
The committee headed by former Chief
Justice of India R.M. Lodha has not disappointed cricket fans who favour a
thorough overhaul of cricket administration in the country.
Under intense
judicial scrutiny ever since the betting scandal hit the Indian Premier League
in 2013, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has been seen by many as a
cosy club of individuals who treat the various regional units as part of their
personal fiefdom. The BCCI
suffered from a serious credibility deficit as cricket-lovers were convinced that the businessmen and
politicians who run the cash-rich body in an opaque manner were not working
entirely in the game’s interest. The Supreme Court appointed the Lodha
committee last year to suggest ways to rid cricket administration of its many
obvious ills, such as lack of transparency and accountability. The panel has mooted sweeping reforms in the board’s structure and
functioning. The proposed measures could radically alter the way the BCCI
functions as well as vastly improve its public image and impart much-needed
credibility: restricted tenures, bar on holding more than one office at a time,
limits on terms, cooling-off periods between the holding of one office and
another, and steps to prevent the sort of conflict of interest that was
brazenly in view for many years. One significant suggestion is that government
servants and ministers be kept out of cricket administration. Even if the
political class as a whole is not barred, it will at least prevent influential
politicians in government eyeing the spoils of office in cricket
administration.
The report has two major
suggestions related to public policy. One is the radical idea of legalising betting in
cricket. Betting cast a dark shadow on the IPL and led to two franchises being
suspended. Many will welcome such legalisation as that will bring in an element
of regulation and monitoring. Its implementation, however, will hinge on
suitable local legislation across the country. The BCCI will have to ensure strict
adherence to the condition that players, managers,
officials or anyone associated with cricket are not allowed to participate in
betting. Another idea is that the BCCI — which the Supreme Court held last year
to be a body discharging a public function — be brought under the ambit of the
Right to Information Act. It does sound attractive. However, it will both
require legislative change and a balancing rule that unnecessary queries are
not directed towards decisions made by captains and selectors of the national
and domestic teams. It is not difficult to guess that the BCCI would prefer the
report to be non-binding and that it would contest some of the recommendations
before the Supreme Court. A restructured cricket board and an equitable system
of voting by and in all its affiliated units will surely be in the game’s
interest. What ultimately matters is that cricket should not suffer because of
whimsical individuals holding on to key posts in the administration and working
to cover up instead of preventing unsavoury developments
o·ver·haul
Take apart (a piece of machinery
or equipment) in order to examine it and repair it if necessary.
thor·ough
Complete with regard to every
detail; not superficial or partial.
scru·ti·ny
Critical observation or
examination.
co·zy
Giving a feeling of comfort,
warmth, and relaxation.
fief
An estate of land, especially one
held on condition of feudal service
o·paque
Not able to be seen through; not
transparent.
al·ter
Change or cause to change in
character or composition, typically in a comparatively small but significant
way.
bar
Fasten (something, especially a
door or window) with a bar or bars.
hinge
A movable joint or mechanism on
which a door, gate, or lid swings as it opens and closes, or that connects
linked objects.
am·bit
The scope, extent, or bounds of
something.
whim·si·cal
Playfully quaint or fanciful,
especially in an appealing and amusing way.
un·sa·vor·y
Disagreeable to taste, smell, or
look at.
THE HINDU: A dangerous escalation
The execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, an
influential Shia cleric, by Saudi Arabia has expectedly led to a flare-up of
sectarian passions in West Asia. Sheikh Nimr was the most prominent religious
leader of the Kingdom’s Shia minority, which has long been subjected to
institutionalised segregation by the Sunni monarchy of the al-Saud family. He
was the driving force behind the 2011 protests in the country’s east, inspired
by Arab Spring protests elsewhere. Moreover, Sheikh Nimr was a respected cleric
among the Shia community in general. He had spent years in Iran’s Shia
seminaries. Tehran had repeatedly asked Riyadh to pardon him. By executing him,
ignoring all those pleas, Saudi
Arabia has dangerously escalated its rivalry with Iran. Within days, the
stand-off has snowballed into a full-blown diplomatic crisis with sectarian
overtones. Saudi missions in Tehran and Mashhad were ransacked by protesters.
In return, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Sudan have cut diplomatic relations with
Iran, while the United Arab Emirates has downgraded ties.
West Asia is already
witnessing sectarian conflicts. Iraq, which is torn apart on sectarian lines,
is taking baby steps under the new Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, to rebuild
national unity. The country witnessed a bloody phase of sectarian strife in the
aftermath of the U.S. invasion. Parts of the country, including the second
largest city, Mosul, are still under the control of Islamic State, which is
carrying out a systematic campaign against non-Sunni religious groups. In
Yemen, the Shia Houthi rebels are fighting forces loyal to a Saudi-protected
government led by Sunnis. In Bahrain, the wounds
of a Shia rebellion which was crushed by
a Sunni monarch with the help of the Saudis are still not healed. By executing
Sheikh Nimr, Riyadh has poured oil into this sectarian fire, for which the
region will have to pay a huge price. For decades, one of the main sources of
instability in West Asia has been the
cold war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Though the ultimate goal of both
nations has been regional supremacy, they use sectarianism as a vehicle to
maximise their interests. While Riyadh has the support of Sunni monarchs and
dictators in the Arab world, Iran is aligned with Iraq and Syria, besides its
proxies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. This sets the
stage for a dangerous Shia-Sunni conflict across the region. Unless tensions
are dialled down between these two heavyweights, there will not be peace in
West Asia. Both the U.S. and Russia, allies of Saudi Arabia and Iran
respectively, have called for calm. Moscow has reportedly offered to mediate
between Riyadh and Tehran. The U.S. and Russia should use their influence to
rein in further escalation of tensions. Unchecked, the Saudi-Iran rivalry could
plunge the region, already torn apart by invasions, civil wars and terrorism,
into further chaos.
seg·re·ga·tion
The action or state of setting
someone or something apart from other people or things or being set apart.
ex·e·cu·tion
The carrying out or putting into
effect of a plan, order, or course of action.OR HANGED
par·don
The action of forgiving or being
forgiven for an error or offense.
ran·sack
Go hurriedly through (a place)
stealing things and causing damage.
strife
Angry or bitter disagreement over
fundamental issues; conflict.
rein
A long, narrow strap attached at
one end to a horse's bit, typically used in pairs to guide or check a horse
while riding or driving.
es·ca·la·tion
A rapid increase; a rise
plunge
Jump or dive quickly and
energetically.
in·va·sion
An instance of invading a country
or region with an armed force.
cha·os
Complete disorder and confusion.
BUSINESS STANDARD: Raising excise on petrol,
diesel is a good move
The
Union government raised the excise duty on petrol and diesel last Saturday,
taking advantage of falling international crude oil prices. This was the third
such duty increase in the current financial year. But this round, too, did not
cause prices at the pump to rise. This is because the oil marketing companies
are still left with a surplus after absorbing the impact of the higher excise
duty and passing on the benefit of lower retail prices that they have been
announcing periodically over the past year and a half. All this has been
possible because, since June 2014, international crude oil prices have declined
about 70 per cent. Petrol prices have been cut in small doses on 20 occasions
and diesel prices too have seen a reduction on 16 occasions. According to one
estimate, consumers of petrol and diesel have gained over Rs 60,000 crore
between April and October 2015, even as the government is likely to garner
additional revenue of Rs 10,000 crore from the three excise hikes in the
current financial year. This will be over and above an extra Rs 22,000 crore
collected on account of the four such increases in 2014-15.
The government's strategy of increasing duty, even while oil marketing companies effect moderate price cuts, reflects a mature and prudent response to the decline in international crude oil prices. India imports crude oil in large quantities to meet almost 80 per cent of its total domestic demand. Passing on the entire benefit of the fall in crude oil prices to the oil refining companies or the consumers would count as poor policy, unmindful of the basic principles of taxing scarce non-renewable resources like petroleum products. The logic of higher duty gets stronger in a situation when crude oil prices are steadily moving in a southward direction and the country's dependence on imported crude oil continues to rise. Thus, the government deserves to be complimented on the correctness of its response - undeterred as it has been by populist demands for ushering in the promised good days through lower prices. The extra revenue mobilised through the duty increases will hopefully be used for productive purposes like helping the government ramp up its capital expenditure. The only discordant note comes from hints that the excise duty may be reduced if crude oil prices start rising. This would only be warranted in order to smooth out runaway inflation in the case of short, sharp increases in international crude oil prices. The promise of such duty cuts needlessly raises expectations that would later need to be managed.
Another oil sector development that shows the government's firm commitment to subsidies reform is its decision to roll out the direct benefits transfer scheme for payment of subsidy to consumers of kerosene in 26 districts across eight states from April 1, 2016. This is expected to curtail the government's subsidy bill on kerosene, which was estimated at Rs 24,800 crore in 2014-15. In a bid to get more states to persuade kerosene users to join the scheme, the Centre has agreed to share as much as three-fourths of its subsidy savings on kerosene with the states in the first two years. The sharing formula would be reduced gradually in the subsequent years. But this is a commendable start to prevent diversion and misuse of the fuel - and in the process ensure better targeting of subsidies.
The government's strategy of increasing duty, even while oil marketing companies effect moderate price cuts, reflects a mature and prudent response to the decline in international crude oil prices. India imports crude oil in large quantities to meet almost 80 per cent of its total domestic demand. Passing on the entire benefit of the fall in crude oil prices to the oil refining companies or the consumers would count as poor policy, unmindful of the basic principles of taxing scarce non-renewable resources like petroleum products. The logic of higher duty gets stronger in a situation when crude oil prices are steadily moving in a southward direction and the country's dependence on imported crude oil continues to rise. Thus, the government deserves to be complimented on the correctness of its response - undeterred as it has been by populist demands for ushering in the promised good days through lower prices. The extra revenue mobilised through the duty increases will hopefully be used for productive purposes like helping the government ramp up its capital expenditure. The only discordant note comes from hints that the excise duty may be reduced if crude oil prices start rising. This would only be warranted in order to smooth out runaway inflation in the case of short, sharp increases in international crude oil prices. The promise of such duty cuts needlessly raises expectations that would later need to be managed.
Another oil sector development that shows the government's firm commitment to subsidies reform is its decision to roll out the direct benefits transfer scheme for payment of subsidy to consumers of kerosene in 26 districts across eight states from April 1, 2016. This is expected to curtail the government's subsidy bill on kerosene, which was estimated at Rs 24,800 crore in 2014-15. In a bid to get more states to persuade kerosene users to join the scheme, the Centre has agreed to share as much as three-fourths of its subsidy savings on kerosene with the states in the first two years. The sharing formula would be reduced gradually in the subsequent years. But this is a commendable start to prevent diversion and misuse of the fuel - and in the process ensure better targeting of subsidies.
gar·ner
Gather or collect (something,
especially information or approval).
pru·dent
Acting with or showing care and
thought for the future.
scarce
(especially of food, money, or
some other resource) insufficient for the demand.
com·pli·ment
Politely congratulate or praise
(someone) for something.
un·de·terred
Persevering with something
despite setbacks.
ush·er
Show or guide (someone)
somewhere.
dis·cord·ant
Disagreeing or incongruous.
cur·tail
Reduce in extent or quantity;
impose a restriction on
per·suade
Cause (someone) to do something
through reasoning or argument
com·mend·a·ble
Deserving praise.
INDIAN EXPRESS: Doing their bit
Among the lakhs of Delhi residents
taking to the government’s odd-even rule, apparently cheerfully, are high
constitutional functionaries who are, on paper, exempted from the policy. Chief
Justice of India T.S. Thakur and his brother judge, Justice A.K. Sikri, are
carpooling to work. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and members of his council of
ministers were pointedly not exempted from the rule — the AAP, which rails
against the capital’s “VIP culture” every chance it gets, is obviously making a
political point. The point is well made. An eye-catching example is being
set, not just for ordinary citizens, but also for “VIPs”, by the chief minister
himself adhering to the spirit of the policy and carpooling with colleagues
Gopal Rai and Satyendar Jain, even as his deputy, Manish Sisodia, cycles to
work. Pollution is a great leveller — it affects the high and mighty as well as
the rest. As Justice Thakur had said, “All is not well with Delhi”, and at this
time when all hands are needed on deck, these dignitaries are showing the way.
It’s early days yet, but so far the
buy-in by citizens has also been heartening. As Health Minister Jain pointed
out, the close to 2,000 chalans issued on Monday, the critical first working
day after the rule came into effect, represent a minuscule proportion of the 20
lakh-odd registered cars in Delhi. A project of this scale, and compliance with
it, cannot be railroaded by government diktat or the fear of chalans alone. Its
success depends on citizens taking ownership of it.
India has a long history of leaders
leading by example. By making small sacrifices in the fight against pollution,
the judges and ministers of Delhi underscore the gravity of the problem, and
encourage people to take charge of the search for solutions
ex·empt
Free (a person or organization)
from an obligation or liability imposed on others.
car·pool
Form or participate in a carpool.
dig·ni·tar·y
A person considered to be
important because of high rank or office.
heart·en
Make more cheerful or confident.
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