WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:03.960 In this episode, we talk about NASA's invitation to Israel 2 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:07.519 to join its Moon based program and the implications this 3 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:10.279 partnership could have for India's space ambitions. 4 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:11.599 We also talk. 5 00:00:11.480 --> 00:00:15.279 About Sharkan Chief Minister Heymans Rain announcing the decision to 6 00:00:15.400 --> 00:00:19.839 cancel the jsc CJL examination and all exams conducted by 7 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:24.160 Testing Agency TSR Data Processing Private Limited. But we begin 8 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:27.359 today by discussing the government's move to send the Foreign 9 00:00:27.399 --> 00:00:35.920 Contribution Regulation Amendment or FCR Bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee. Hi, 10 00:00:36.280 --> 00:00:38.759 i am Aherri Kananda, and you are listening to three 11 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:46.679 things in an Express News show. Over the past few weeks, 12 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:50.159 the FCR bill has drawn strong objections from the opposition 13 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:53.880 and from church groups, especially over provisions linked to foreign 14 00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:54.799 funded assets. 15 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:57.159 So, you know, there. 16 00:00:57.000 --> 00:01:00.640 Are so many NGOs which we come across in our life. 17 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:03.600 Every citizen knows about some of the other angeo. Many 18 00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:06.120 of these angos get foreign funds. 19 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:10.159 That's the Indian expresses Deep Timari, who has been reporting 20 00:01:10.159 --> 00:01:11.120 on this for the paper. 21 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:15.519 Now, to regulate these foreign funds because you don't want 22 00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:19.120 some ill gotten money, you know, coming into NGOs. You 23 00:01:19.159 --> 00:01:23.680 don't want some foreign power trying to influence outcomes of 24 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:25.599 democratic process in India. 25 00:01:25.680 --> 00:01:28.000 So to regulate these kinds of things. 26 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:31.799 There is an act called Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, and 27 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:35.040 this Act has been amended various times in the past 28 00:01:35.239 --> 00:01:37.640 to suit situations or to meet. 29 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:39.719 New challenges of regulation. 30 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:45.000 Similarly, in March this year, the government brought this amendment 31 00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:49.239 bill called Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment built twenty twenty six. 32 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:51.120 Now around this bill. 33 00:01:50.920 --> 00:01:53.640 There has been a lot of controversy since then and 34 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:58.439 basically what the government has been saying that this way 35 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:04.879 has been brought keeping in mind national security and financial transparency, 36 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:08.360 basically saying that foreign money can potentially be used to 37 00:02:08.439 --> 00:02:12.439 influence activities in India. The government wants tighter security or 38 00:02:12.439 --> 00:02:17.759 foreign contributions. It argues that organizations receive foreign funds, receiving 39 00:02:17.800 --> 00:02:20.919 foreign funds must be accountable for how those funds are. 40 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:24.120 Used and so now instead of pushing it through the 41 00:02:24.120 --> 00:02:27.520 looks ABA immediately, the government has referred it to a JPC, 42 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:30.719 essentially a committee made up of members from both the 43 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:34.080 houses of the Parliament. Now, the question that arises is 44 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:37.719 what such committees can actually do and whether their recommendations 45 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:41.280 are binding and so to understand what exactly a Joint 46 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:45.159 Parliamentary Committee is and why the FCRA bill's referral to 47 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:49.879 a JPC is politically significant. Michaeleeague Chashama talks to Deepiman 48 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:50.759 in this segment. 49 00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:55.319 Ditiman, could you help us understand why the bill is 50 00:02:55.400 --> 00:02:59.240 facing such strong opposition, like what makes it so contentious? 51 00:03:00.439 --> 00:03:02.400 This is not just another regulatory bill. 52 00:03:02.680 --> 00:03:06.479 Actually, this will directly affects the ability of civil society 53 00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:09.400 organizations to receive foreign funding. That is why you know 54 00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:13.840 there is this political and constitutional question around it, because 55 00:03:14.199 --> 00:03:16.639 you know, there are certain provisions in this bill which 56 00:03:16.680 --> 00:03:21.439 have come for criticism from both NGOs and religious organizations, 57 00:03:21.560 --> 00:03:23.840 especially the minority religious organizations. 58 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:28.400 So basically what this bill largely. 59 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:31.120 Intends to do is, I mean, there is a proposed 60 00:03:31.159 --> 00:03:34.520 power being given to the government through a designated authority 61 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:37.560 in the bill to deal with the assets of organizations 62 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:42.319 whose FCRA registration is either canceled or not renewed, or 63 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:45.759 you know, they just choose not to renew their FCRA, 64 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:50.319 And then what happens is that those assets actually get 65 00:03:50.439 --> 00:03:54.120 vested with the designated authority, which is created by the government, 66 00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:57.000 and then the designated authority decides what to do with 67 00:03:57.080 --> 00:04:00.919 those assets. In fact, if the NGO does not renew 68 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:06.159 its FCRA, or if despite its attempts to renew its FCIRA, 69 00:04:06.319 --> 00:04:08.919 it is not renewed by the government, then the government 70 00:04:08.919 --> 00:04:11.879 can effectively take control of all its assets. 71 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:14.400 And this is not just true. 72 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:18.319 Of Jews who have created there as it's say in 73 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:23.040 terms of buildings or bank accounts or whatever, merely or 74 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:26.480 completely through FCIRA. You know, the contentious provisions in the 75 00:04:26.519 --> 00:04:29.519 bill which everybody is talking about, is that even if 76 00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:33.439 say a church is built, you know, so ten percent 77 00:04:33.480 --> 00:04:36.240 of the funds that the church has used are you know, 78 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:40.240 foreign contributions. But church has raised substantial amount of money 79 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:44.120 domestically and ninety percent of the church is built with 80 00:04:44.199 --> 00:04:49.680 domestic funds. Still, if the FCR registration of the organization 81 00:04:49.800 --> 00:04:53.040 which is running the church gets canceled for whatever reason, 82 00:04:53.600 --> 00:04:57.639 then the designated authority can take over the whole church 83 00:04:57.959 --> 00:05:01.000 because ten percent of the church is built with foreign funds. 84 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:04.600 And so, given the controversial nature of the bill, how 85 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:07.360 do we read the government's decision to send it to 86 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:11.040 a joint parliamentary committee instead of simply pushing it to 87 00:05:11.079 --> 00:05:11.680 the luks. 88 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:15.439 Abah Okay, So there has been considerable opposition to the 89 00:05:15.480 --> 00:05:19.000 bill since it was introduced in Luksaba in March and 90 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:23.560 since then opposition parties as well as Christian organizations have 91 00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:25.680 protested against it. 92 00:05:25.800 --> 00:05:27.240 They have expressed their fears. 93 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:30.079 You know, Chief ministers from northeastern states have come and 94 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:34.319 met Union Home Minister am DMK MPP Wilson who also 95 00:05:34.360 --> 00:05:35.839 heads a minority association. 96 00:05:36.360 --> 00:05:37.800 He has come along with. 97 00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:40.839 A delegation of church leaders and met Union Home Minister 98 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:42.839 and said that, you know, this bill should either be 99 00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:46.319 withdrawn or sent to a joint parliamentary committee. So there 100 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:50.040 has been a sort of all encompassing demand from minority 101 00:05:50.120 --> 00:05:53.319 organizations as well as opposition parties that this bill should 102 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:56.560 either be withdrawn or sent to a joint parliamentary committee. 103 00:05:56.600 --> 00:05:59.360 And that is why, you know, the government has relented 104 00:05:59.480 --> 00:06:02.759 and sent it. Although the simple question is as to 105 00:06:03.240 --> 00:06:06.000 why would a government which has the numbers and only 106 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:09.800 needs simple majority to pass a bill, you know, relent 107 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:12.680 to opposition demands. It hasn't done so on many other 108 00:06:12.839 --> 00:06:17.680 bills on which the oppositions demanded withdrawal or minority organizations 109 00:06:17.720 --> 00:06:20.720 have you know, expressed fears. For example, on what will 110 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:23.279 minority organizations expressed. 111 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:25.759 Considerable anxiety and did not want it passed at all. 112 00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:28.800 But that work also went to a JPC, but it 113 00:06:28.920 --> 00:06:32.480 largely came out as the government's built. So in this 114 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:36.759 case the key is basically politics and there are two 115 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:41.600 strands of this. One is the BJP is trying very 116 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:45.560 hard to make in roads into Kerala. It is very 117 00:06:45.560 --> 00:06:50.079 desirous of having electoral success in Kerala and in Kerala 118 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:53.639 its plans will not be successful if it cannot be 119 00:06:53.959 --> 00:06:57.879 will if it cannot win the confidence of the Christian community. Secondly, 120 00:06:58.120 --> 00:07:03.240 in Tamil Nadu. Again there is significant Christian population in Tamilado. 121 00:07:03.240 --> 00:07:06.160 Also BGP is trying to make in roads, but more 122 00:07:06.199 --> 00:07:09.839 importantly in Tamiladu, BJP is trying to win over the 123 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:14.600 DMK because it wants to pass the Delimitation Bill, which 124 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:17.800 will not pass the Master of Flow Sabha until the 125 00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:21.959 DMK supports it because it is a constitutional amendment bill 126 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:23.879 and will require two third majority. 127 00:07:24.519 --> 00:07:27.360 Right, And for our listeners hearing the term JPC for 128 00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:30.639 the first time, could you help us understand how is 129 00:07:30.839 --> 00:07:34.360 a JPC different from say a select committee or a 130 00:07:34.360 --> 00:07:36.800 standing committee, Like what pass does it have? 131 00:07:37.480 --> 00:07:37.800 Okay? 132 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:41.800 So the Parliament has several committees which have a specific purpose. 133 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:45.160 As you mentioned, standing committees are sort of permanent committees 134 00:07:45.399 --> 00:07:48.199 which are basically department related. So there is a Home 135 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:51.680 Ministry Standing Committee, there, External Affairs Standing Committee is there, 136 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:54.199 so you know there are different departments of the government, 137 00:07:54.439 --> 00:07:57.279 and corresponding to that, there are you know, committees which 138 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:01.360 look into their work. Sys there were see assess action 139 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:04.839 taken by the government, you know, express concerns over certain things, 140 00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:08.199 so they do a regular assessment of the work of 141 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:11.160 that ministry. Then there are ad hoc committees. Ad hoc 142 00:08:11.160 --> 00:08:15.959 committees are essentially committees which are constituted for a specific 143 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:18.879 purpose and then cease to exist after that. So these 144 00:08:18.920 --> 00:08:22.759 are essentially select committees in joint parliamentary committees. The difference 145 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:26.600 between select committee and joint parliamentary committee is that select 146 00:08:26.600 --> 00:08:29.279 committee is of one house, either of Luksaba or the 147 00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:33.039 Raja Shaba. A joint parliamentary committee comprises of members from 148 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:35.960 both the houses Louksawa as well as Rajasaba, so it 149 00:08:36.039 --> 00:08:40.600 is more representative, it is more comprehensive and so generally 150 00:08:40.639 --> 00:08:44.600 politically contentious bills are generally sent to joint parliamentary committee, 151 00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:48.480 so that everybody from Opposition as well as Treasury and 152 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:50.679 the views of both the houses can be taken on 153 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:54.759 board and it can be deliberated and discussed and debated, 154 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:57.799 and then a final conclusion and final set of recommendations 155 00:08:57.799 --> 00:08:58.639 can come about. 156 00:08:59.080 --> 00:09:03.159 And the obvious question here is if the government already 157 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:06.519 has a majority in Parliament and so will likely have 158 00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:10.799 a majority inside the GPC two, so how independent can 159 00:09:10.840 --> 00:09:11.799 the committee really be? 160 00:09:12.519 --> 00:09:17.000 Yeah, well, that's the principal limitation of any parliamentary committee, 161 00:09:17.320 --> 00:09:20.759 because a parliamentary committee is essentially a representation of the parliament. 162 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:23.559 So a party which has a majority in Parliament will 163 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:27.159 also have a majority in the committee. And as it happens, generally, 164 00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:31.240 joint parliamentary committees eventually tend to have their chairperson also 165 00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:34.200 from the ruling party. So that is a limitation which 166 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:37.759 is there, but that does not essentially make a joint 167 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:42.159 parliamentary committee useless. There are very few occasions when a 168 00:09:42.279 --> 00:09:46.000 joint parliamentary committee has been able to alter a bay 169 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:51.080 in a very significant way that it completely changes the 170 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:56.000 legal framework imagined by the government. So generally it so 171 00:09:56.159 --> 00:09:59.879 happens that when bills go there, they come out more 172 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:02.399 or less as the government has wanted it to be, 173 00:10:02.440 --> 00:10:06.759 with certain suggestions, with certain changes included. There have been 174 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:10.320 some rare occasions in the past when bills or regulations 175 00:10:10.360 --> 00:10:13.759 have seen substantial changes, but those have largely been matters 176 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:16.679 which have not been politically contentious or have not been 177 00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:19.039 any ideological project of a government. 178 00:10:19.240 --> 00:10:21.360 For example, if we look at the Works Bill. 179 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:23.720 You know, when Works Bill went it was a very 180 00:10:23.799 --> 00:10:28.799 acrimonious proceeding in the GPC, and there were even incidents 181 00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:31.240 where a bottle was broken on the table by an 182 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:35.919 opposition member. There were daily arguments, there were daily you know, 183 00:10:36.039 --> 00:10:38.960 bites by your position members that this GPC has become 184 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:42.159 a joke or whatever. So those kinds of things were happening, 185 00:10:42.200 --> 00:10:45.200 and eventually when the bill came out it was more 186 00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:48.039 or less what the government had sent in. Because the 187 00:10:48.039 --> 00:10:51.399 government had majority, it prevailed over, you know, pushing through 188 00:10:51.399 --> 00:10:52.720 the provisions that it wanted to. 189 00:10:53.399 --> 00:10:56.360 So then how do we see the committee's role in 190 00:10:56.600 --> 00:10:59.279 providing recommendations for the substance of the bills. 191 00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:03.679 It's not entirely a useless exercise because the GPC has 192 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:07.559 the powers to call witnesses to deliberate on a. 193 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:10.639 Bill clause by clause everything. You know. 194 00:11:10.919 --> 00:11:13.360 One thing I must mention here that the whole idea 195 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:17.759 of creating parliamentary committees, the intent was that Parliament and 196 00:11:17.799 --> 00:11:19.960 the floor of the House is too busy, it has 197 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:22.639 too many things to do. Probably when a bill comes 198 00:11:22.679 --> 00:11:24.840 to the House, it wit grant two days three days 199 00:11:24.840 --> 00:11:27.360 to debate it. That's not good enough when you know, 200 00:11:27.720 --> 00:11:30.919 a bill which has far reaching consequences is brought to 201 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:34.279 the Parliament. So a parliamentary committee can take three months 202 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:37.639 six months to deliberate on a bill. That is considerable time. 203 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:41.000 It can call witnesses, it can call experts, it can 204 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:45.279 go through documents, it can call you know, government representatives 205 00:11:45.320 --> 00:11:48.200 and take their deposition and then arrive at a conclusion 206 00:11:48.360 --> 00:11:52.039 or a set of recommendations. So that makes the exercise 207 00:11:52.120 --> 00:11:56.519 very comprehensive. Also different views. You know, even if the 208 00:11:56.600 --> 00:12:00.279 JPC does not change the law, or if the bill 209 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:03.240 finally comes in the form that the Government had sent 210 00:12:03.320 --> 00:12:06.799 it to the JPC, still you know, all the deliberations, 211 00:12:06.840 --> 00:12:10.279 all the discussions and all the views of the opposition, 212 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:11.759 all of that will. 213 00:12:11.559 --> 00:12:12.440 Go on record. 214 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:15.679 And this is a debate which cannot be squarely ignored 215 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:19.720 by the government, okay, because they ultimately reach public discourse, 216 00:12:19.960 --> 00:12:22.440 so the government is bound to answer them. The government 217 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:26.960 is bound to clarify on your doubts and suspicions that 218 00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:30.200 people have about provisions of a bill, right and deepayment. 219 00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:34.039 Earlier, you spoke of how GPCs are now used mainly 220 00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:38.159 for contentious bills, and we're also witnessing fewer and fewer 221 00:12:38.200 --> 00:12:42.440 bills being sent to parliamentary committees at all. So how 222 00:12:42.440 --> 00:12:44.440 do we understand this broader trend? 223 00:12:44.679 --> 00:12:47.879 Okay, if we look at the two upa eras you know, 224 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:52.279 around sixty to seventy percent bills went to committees. But 225 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:55.080 when the more the government came its first term saw 226 00:12:55.159 --> 00:12:58.039 only twenty five percent bills going to committees, and then 227 00:12:58.080 --> 00:13:00.840 the second term so only sixteen percent going two committees. 228 00:13:00.919 --> 00:13:06.720 So that shows the government's declining trust on parliamentary committees. 229 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:10.159 Or it feels that the parliamentary committees at the end 230 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:13.960 of the day delay its legislative agenda, because if a 231 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:16.759 bill goes to the parliamentary committee, you know, it will 232 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:20.120 take three months six months to come out with recommendations. 233 00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:22.200 So somewhere one. 234 00:13:22.039 --> 00:13:27.240 Could argue that this democratic process of you know, greater deliberations, 235 00:13:27.320 --> 00:13:31.320 evidence seeking, questioning provisions brought in by the government and 236 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:35.320 forcing the government to clarify its stand is sort of declining, 237 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:38.919 which is not a very good sign for a parliamentary democracy, 238 00:13:39.080 --> 00:13:43.519 because parliamentary democracy is about debate and discussion and. 239 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:47.039 Circling back to this bill specifically, what parts of the 240 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:50.360 FCRA could the JPC realistically change? 241 00:13:51.080 --> 00:13:52.320 It is difficult to say. 242 00:13:52.600 --> 00:13:56.000 Is the government, as I told you, the government has majority, 243 00:13:56.039 --> 00:13:58.600 The government will have majority in the GPC as well. 244 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:01.039 The opposition can put for its views. 245 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:06.679 If the government does not want to incorporate its suggestions 246 00:14:06.840 --> 00:14:10.879 or its recommendations, the opposition will have no choice but 247 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:12.039 to record. 248 00:14:11.799 --> 00:14:15.360 Its dissent in a discent note, which is allowed in 249 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:18.799 a joint Parliamentary Committee. But beyond that, they can. 250 00:14:18.679 --> 00:14:22.519 Substantially alter a bill if the government does not want 251 00:14:22.519 --> 00:14:23.320 the bill altered. 252 00:14:23.559 --> 00:14:24.480 Is not possible. 253 00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:27.600 However, what it will do is it will force the 254 00:14:27.639 --> 00:14:32.399 government to answer all the contentious questions because it can call, 255 00:14:32.679 --> 00:14:36.559 you know, secretaries, it can call government officials, It can 256 00:14:36.600 --> 00:14:39.639 seek clarifications from the government. It can call witnesses, it 257 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:43.279 can call experts who can come and depose even opposition 258 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:46.399 can call experts who can come and depose and say 259 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:48.720 what is the problem with the bill, and then the 260 00:14:48.759 --> 00:14:51.960 government will have to answer, and all those things will 261 00:14:51.960 --> 00:14:54.679 be recorded, will go into the JPC records. 262 00:14:54.799 --> 00:14:56.919 What it does is it brings the whole. 263 00:14:56.679 --> 00:15:00.480 Debate into public discourse because these matters will in some 264 00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:03.879 or the other way sort of be reported, come out 265 00:15:03.879 --> 00:15:07.879 in the newspapers, be discussed on television, and then you 266 00:15:07.879 --> 00:15:11.120 know the government will have to answer them and you know, 267 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:14.279 inform the public as to why the bill that it 268 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:16.879 is bringing is in their interest or is in the 269 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:19.799 national interest, and why nobody needs to fear it. And 270 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:22.600 if it is not able to answer, probably it will 271 00:15:22.600 --> 00:15:25.600 have to bring in or accommodate certain changes. So that 272 00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:27.960 is the kind of impact that you know a GPC 273 00:15:28.039 --> 00:15:28.399 can have. 274 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:35.919 And next we turn to an invitation from the US 275 00:15:36.200 --> 00:15:40.399 that could have major implications for India's space program. You see, 276 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:43.840 NASA is currently working on its Moon based program, an 277 00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:47.639 ambitious effort to establish a permanent research station on the 278 00:15:47.639 --> 00:15:52.120 Moon where astronauts could live and conduct research for extended periods. 279 00:15:52.519 --> 00:15:56.120 And now the US Space Agency has invited ISRU to 280 00:15:56.159 --> 00:15:59.039 be a part of this program. The invitation comes at 281 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:02.080 a time when the India US relationship is facing a 282 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:07.080 number of complicated challenges, making the move particularly significant forst Row. 283 00:16:07.159 --> 00:16:10.000 Being part of such a program could have important implications, 284 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:13.600 especially as India works towards projects such as the Baret 285 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:17.720 Antharich Station, its planted space station. But the question is 286 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:21.559 why does NASA need international partners for this project and 287 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:23.519 what would India gain from being a part of it. 288 00:16:23.879 --> 00:16:26.440 To answer these questions, we speak to the Indian expresses 289 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:30.559 Amit Absina, who writes on signs for the paper. Amitab 290 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:34.279 firstly tell us about the Moon based project. What does 291 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:37.320 it involve and what are its objectives? 292 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:43.000 So basically around twenty eighteen, twenty nineteen, the US said, no, 293 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:45.600 we are going to go back to the Moon. After 294 00:16:46.039 --> 00:16:50.120 all these fifty years, so the Apollo program had finished 295 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:54.399 in nineteen seventy two and no human being has ever 296 00:16:54.600 --> 00:16:58.200 landed on the Moon after that. And now that we 297 00:16:58.279 --> 00:17:02.399 are going back to the Moon, this is qualitatively very different. 298 00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:05.440 We are going there not just to make a point, 299 00:17:05.799 --> 00:17:09.279 but to make it a productive voyage in the sense 300 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:13.160 that now we want to sort of set up a 301 00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:16.240 base on the Moon. Now, of course that is not 302 00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:19.079 going to happen immediately, but the idea is that once 303 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:22.599 we go back to the Moon. Now we are already 304 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:25.960 thinking in terms of setting up a permanent research station 305 00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:31.440 wherein you know, people astronauts and also rowboats, would you know, 306 00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:36.440 inhabit the lunar surface for prolonged periods of time, for 307 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:39.000 a few months or a few weeks, No, it depends 308 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:41.400 on how it comes up at a later point of 309 00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:45.920 time and then carry out research activities, possibly also indulge 310 00:17:45.960 --> 00:17:50.079 in some sort of resource extraction from the lunar surface. 311 00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:54.000 So now it's going to be a much more meaningful exercise, 312 00:17:54.440 --> 00:17:57.920 and at some point in the future the idea is 313 00:17:57.960 --> 00:18:03.799 also to use the mode as the launching pad for 314 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:05.720 deep space missions. 315 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:09.920 But Amada, why does NASA want other countries to be 316 00:18:09.960 --> 00:18:10.960 a part of the project. 317 00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:16.519 So, mainly because massive amount of equipment, building materials, all 318 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:19.319 sorts of things would have to be carried from Earth, 319 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:21.880 that multiple trips would have to be made to the 320 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:25.759 Moon and then things need to be constructed there. This 321 00:18:25.880 --> 00:18:28.599 infrastructure needs to be set up, so it's a very 322 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:32.599 very challenging, time consuming exercise. Now that is the reason 323 00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:36.720 why the United States probably would be looking at partners 324 00:18:36.839 --> 00:18:40.319 And what is also relevant in this context is the 325 00:18:40.359 --> 00:18:45.200 fact that while NASA has unveieled a very ambitious lunar program, 326 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:49.119 it has also seen under the current Donald Trump administration 327 00:18:49.559 --> 00:18:53.160 as significant reduction in its funds. I think for the 328 00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:57.839 last year NASA saw its budget being cut by almost 329 00:18:57.880 --> 00:19:00.200 twenty five percent if I remember the figure correct, but 330 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:05.000 somewhere very significant reduction in their funds. Also, to a 331 00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:10.079 very large part, NASA is not building most of the 332 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:14.839 rocket spacecraft these days. A lot of it is now outsourced, 333 00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:19.079 at least the hardware part is outsourced to private commercial companies. 334 00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:23.000 So NASA is seeking partnership both from the private sector 335 00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:25.680 as well as from other countries to make this Moon 336 00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:29.279 based program work. It realizes it's not in a position 337 00:19:29.319 --> 00:19:30.319 to do it alone. 338 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:33.680 Right and when it comes to the Moon based project, 339 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:38.519 what significance does this invitation hold for ISROE and India's 340 00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:39.880 ambitions in the sector. 341 00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:43.799 So one of the things, of course is India gets 342 00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:49.400 first hand experience and exposure to these complex projects. Right now, 343 00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:53.440 India is doing it all on its own. Its human 344 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:59.720 spaceflight program, Gaganayan is in almost entirely indigenous. The Barat Antharik. 345 00:20:00.119 --> 00:20:03.680 The station is supposed to be an entirely indigenous program, 346 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:07.759 and so is the Man to the Moon project that 347 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:10.039 is supposed to happen in twenty forty. So all these 348 00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:13.240 are being developed indigenously. Of course, you know, some sort 349 00:20:13.240 --> 00:20:16.960 of cooperation and help all those things keep happening, because 350 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:20.680 space agencies do work together, they do collaborate with each other. 351 00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:24.319 But these are supposed to be indigenous programs. Now, if 352 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:27.839 India joins the Moon based program, then you know there 353 00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:33.400 is every chance because NASA has already executed these complex 354 00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:37.920 missions in the past. It has a running human spaceflight program. 355 00:20:37.960 --> 00:20:42.960 It routinely sends astronauts into space to the International Space Station. 356 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:46.160 At least it is the only country to have landed 357 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:50.400 humans on the Moon. So NASA's technology and their space 358 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:53.839 program is fairly well developed, probably the best in the world, 359 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:57.480 the most advanced in the world. So India can benefit 360 00:20:57.759 --> 00:21:04.039 from working together and that experience can actually help India 361 00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:09.880 fast track its own indigenous program. The other thing, of course, 362 00:21:10.119 --> 00:21:14.680 is while no it is good to have these indigenous programs, 363 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:20.160 and it is extremely important to have these capabilities, it 364 00:21:20.200 --> 00:21:25.839 would also be increasingly difficult for India to operate all 365 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:29.720 these programs entirely on its own. 366 00:21:30.119 --> 00:21:33.119 Right, And in that regard, how will this contribute to 367 00:21:33.240 --> 00:21:37.119 India's plans of creating an Indian space station, that is 368 00:21:37.240 --> 00:21:38.839 the part X station. 369 00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:43.680 Right, So there is no way that by twenty thirty 370 00:21:43.720 --> 00:21:49.400 five the Indian space research ecosystem would be so mature 371 00:21:49.720 --> 00:21:54.200 as to be meeting the entire space station all for 372 00:21:54.319 --> 00:21:58.680 itself for the entire year. Even the International Space Station 373 00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:02.160 that is running, and the previous space stations, they have 374 00:22:02.359 --> 00:22:05.599 usually been shared by a lot of them have been 375 00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:09.640 some of them were like used only by Russia, some 376 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:13.359 of the Russian stations, but this particular one International Space 377 00:22:13.359 --> 00:22:18.559 Station has been constantly shared by the United States and Russia. 378 00:22:18.680 --> 00:22:21.559 So if India sets up this space station, it's very 379 00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:24.319 unlikely that it will be able to use the entire 380 00:22:24.400 --> 00:22:28.839 capacity on its own. Similarly, once it has demonstrated that 381 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:33.240 it has capabilities to launch humans into space and take 382 00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:37.319 humans to Moon again, it would be extremely difficult to 383 00:22:37.640 --> 00:22:42.079 sustain these programs single handed league for a prolonged period 384 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:45.039 of time, because you know, it's not just about cost, 385 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:48.920 but also whether you are getting you have the requirement 386 00:22:49.559 --> 00:22:54.319 for sending such missions. Later on, once having demonstrated your capability. 387 00:22:54.519 --> 00:22:57.759 So those are the other reasons why it makes a 388 00:22:57.799 --> 00:23:01.359 lot of sense for India to actually collect and increasingly 389 00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:05.279 it's just like the United States is seeking partners right now, 390 00:23:05.319 --> 00:23:08.200 it makes a lot of sense for India also to 391 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:13.319 partner with other countries while you know, developing its indigenous 392 00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:17.119 program and while acquiring the capabilities. 393 00:23:21.720 --> 00:23:24.880 And finally we turn our attention to Jharkhund where Earlier 394 00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:27.799 this week, Chief Minister him And Surain announced that the 395 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:32.160 State Cabinet has decided to cancel the JSSC CGL examination 396 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:36.759 and all examinations conducted by the testing Agency TSR Data 397 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:40.519 Processing Private Limited, adding that approbe had also been ordered 398 00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:44.400 into examinations conducted by the state government since twenty fourteen. 399 00:23:45.400 --> 00:24:01.599 Our Cabinet sc ur Tura Chada Josh. 400 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:06.920 For those who may not know that JSCCGL is a 401 00:24:06.920 --> 00:24:11.079