Supreme court refuses plea for including madrasas, Vedic schools under RTE

The Supreme Court has refused to intervene in a petition challenging sections of the Right to Education Act of 2009 which exclude vedic pathsalas , madrasas and institutions imparting religious education from its ambit.

• The Court observed that the exclusion of these institutions was specifically inserted into the 2009 Act by an amendment of August 2012 and since then there has never been any controversy in the past decade.

What’s the issue?

The petitioner said, Right of a child should not be restricted only to free education, but must be extended to have equal quality education without discrimination on the ground of child’s social economic and cultural background. Therefore, the court may declare Sections 1(4) and 1(5) of the 2009 Act arbitrary and irrational.

Sections 1(4) and 1(5) of the 2009 Act:

Section 1(5) of the Act states, “Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to madrasas, Vedic pathshalas and educational institutions primarily imparting religious instruction”.

Section 1(4) says, “Subject to the provisions of Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution, the provisions of this Act shall apply to conferment of rights on children to free and compulsory education.

• Article 29 and 30 contain provisions securing rights of minorities and minority-run institutions.

Constitutional Provisions regarding Minority Educational Institutions:

Article 30(1) recognizes linguistic and religious minorities but not those based on race, ethnicity.

• It recognizes the right of religious and linguistic minorities to establish and administer educational institutions, in effect recognizing the role educational institutions play in preserving distinct culture.
• A majority community can also establish and administer educational institutions but they will not enjoy special rights under Article 30(1)(a).

 

Special rights enjoyed by religious minority institutions are:

1. Under Art 30(1)(a), MEI enjoy right to education as a Fundamental Right. In case the property is taken over by state, due compensation to be provided to establish institutions elsewhere
2. Under Article 15(5), MEIs are not considered for reservation
3. Under Right to Education Act, MEI not required to provide admission to children in the age group of 6-14 years upto 25% of enrolment reserved for economically backward section of society
4. In St Stephens vs Delhi University case, 1992, SC ruled that MEIs can have 50% seats reserved for minorities
5. In TMA Pai & others vs State of Karnataka & others 2002 case, SC ruled that MEIs can have separate admission process which is fair, transparent and merit based. They can also separate fee structure but should not charge capitation fee.

 

Karnataka hijab row: Freedom of religion and attire

Recently, six students were banned from entering a college in Karnataka’s Udupi district for wearing a hijab. The issue throws up legal questions on reading the freedom of religion and whether the right to wear a hijab is constitutionally protected or not.

How is religious freedom protected under Indian Constitution?

Article 25(1) of the Constitution of India guarantees the freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion. It is a right that guarantees negative liberty — which means that the state shall ensure that there is no interference or obstacle to exercising this freedom.

Limitations: Like all fundamental rights, the state can restrict the right for grounds of public order, decency, morality, health and other state interests.

Observations made by the Supreme Court in this matter:

• People have a right under the Constitution to profess, practise and propagate religion (Article 25).
• Every person is the final judge of his/her choice of religion or who their life partner should be. Courts cannot sit in judgment of a person’s choice of religion or life partner.
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Shirur Mutt case in 1954: The doctrine of “essentiality” was invented by the Supreme Court. The court held that the term “religion” will cover all rituals and practices “integral” to a religion, and took upon itself the responsibility of determining the essential and non-essential practices of a religion.

 

What are the court’s rulings on Hijab?

In Amna Bint Basheer v Central Board of Secondary Education (2016), the Kerala High Court held that the practice of wearing a hijab constitutes an essential religious practise but did not quash the dress code prescribed by CBSE. It rather provided additional safeguards, such as examining students wearing full sleeves when needed.

In Fathima Tasneem v State of Kerala (2018), Kerala HC held that collective rights of an institution would be given primacy over the individual rights of the petitioner. The case involved two girls who wanted to wear the headscarf. The school refused to allow the headscarf. However, the court dismissed the appeal as students were no more in the rolls of the respondent-School.

Recent Step-By-Step Developments on Hijab Row

HIJAB ROW BEGINS ON NEW YEAR DAY 2022

Muslim girl students of the state-run PU College in Karnataka's Udupi alleged on Saturday, January 1, 2022, that they were denied entry into the classroom for wearing hijab.

Allegedly, principal Rudra Gowda did not permit them to wear hijab in the classrooms. Gowda said the rule was being followed to ensure uniformity in classrooms.

SAFFRON SHAWLS EMERGE

On January 3, a section of college students in Karnataka's Koppa district wore saffron scarves protesting allegedly against allowing Muslim women to wear hijab inside the classroom.

The students of the government-run college in Balagadi village claimed that if hijab was allowed inside, then saffron scarves could be sported too.

MEETINGS, PROTEST TAKE PLACE OVER HIJAB ROW

On Wednesday, January 19, a meeting was conducted between students, parents, government officials and the school management of the state-run PU College in Karnataka's Udupi, with the aim of solving the issue of the Hijab row.

However, according to those who participated in the meeting, no conclusion was reached.

The very next day, the five girls began protesting outside the school. They held placards as a sign of protest against the decision not to allow them to attend classes while wearing hijabs.

K’TAKA GOVT SETS UP EXPERT PANEL TO SOLVE HIJAB ROW

On January 26, the Karnataka government set up an expert committee to resolve the issue involving hijabs inside classrooms. It was announced that all girls should adhere to uniform rules until the committee's recommendations came.

WRIT PLEA ON HIJAB ROW IN HIGH COURT

On January 31, a writ petition was filed in the Karnataka High Court by a Muslim girl student from Udupi seeking a declaration that wearing a hijab is a fundamental right.

The plea stated that the Indian constitution guarantees the Freedom of Conscience and the right to profess, practise and propagate religion.

HIJAB ROW SPILLS OVER TO SHIVAMOGGA DISTRICT

Another hijab row broke out at Bhadravati in Karnataka’s Shivamogga district on Wednesday, February 2. Students of Sir MV Government college protested against certain students wearing hijabs in the classroom.

HINDU GROUPS ‘FORCE’ BOYS TO WEAR SAFFRON SHAWLS

On February 4, allegations emerged that Hindu groups were ‘forcing’ boys to wear saffron shawls in pre-university college classrooms in Udupi.

According to reports, this incident took place even after Muslim girls in the college removed their hijabs before entering the campus. The principal, however, intervened in the matter to stop Hindu outfits from enforcing a ‘saffron shawl campaign’.

On the same day, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagan (DMK) MP Senthil Kumar, representing Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri constituency, raised the Karnataka hijab row in Parliament.

He sought to know why students wearing hijab were not allowed to attend classes. He urged the central government to take action in the matter.

CM BOMMAI HOLDS MEETING OVER HIJAB ROW

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday, February 5, held a meeting with Primary and Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh and top government officials, regarding the government's stand on the ongoing hijab row.

On Tuesday, February 8, the Karnataka High Court will hear the petitions filed by five girls studying in a government Pre-university college in Udupi, questioning hijab restrictions in colleges.

TWO HELD FOR FLASHING KNIVES DURING HIJAB ROW IN UDUPI

At least two people were detained by police for flashing knives during the ongoing hijab-saffron shawl row in the Kundapur town of Udupi district in Karnataka on Friday, February 5.

GIRLS STAGE WALKOUT AFTER NOT BEING ALLOWED TO CLASSES WITH HIJAB

On Monday morning , February 7, three students wearing hijabs walked into Kalavara Varadaraj government College in Koteshwara town of Karnataka’s Udupi district.

Upon seeing this, other students began wearing saffron shawls as a sign of protest. The principal convinced them to not wear the saffron shawls and they entered. The principal asked the girls to remove their hijabs too.

Not willing to budge, the three girls with hijabs walked out of the college.

On the same day, in Mandya district, a large number of students in Mandya district of Karnataka turned up to college wearing saffron shawls and chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

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Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana

The Government has clarified that Aadhaar of Husbands is not mandatory under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, PMMVY, to facilitate the inclusion of single mothers and abandoned mothers.

 About PMMVY:

It is a Maternity Benefit Programme that is implemented in all the districts of the country in accordance with the provision of the National Food Security Act, 2013.

• The direct benefit cash transfer is to help expectant mothers meet enhanced nutritional requirements as well as to partially compensate them for wage loss during their pregnancy.
• The scheme was announced on December 31, 2016. It is being implemented in all districts of the country with effect from 1st January, 2017.

 

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Beneficiaries:

• All Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM), excluding those who are in regular employment with the Central Government or the State Governments or PSUs or those who are in receipt of similar benefits under any law for the time being in force.
• All eligible Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers who have their pregnancy on or after 1st January 2017 for the first child in the family.

 

Benefits:

Beneficiaries receive a cash benefit of Rs. 5,000 in three installments on fulfilling the following conditions:

• Early registration of pregnancy
• Ante-natal check-up
• Registration of the birth of the child Completion of the first cycle of vaccination for the first living child of the family.

The eligible beneficiaries also receive cash incentive under Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY). Thus, on an average, a woman gets Rs. 6,000.

 

Proposed reforms:

The Centre is likely to soon extend the benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) — currently applicable to eligible pregnant women and lactating mothers for the first child in the family to the second one — only if the child born is a girl.

• Move aimed at discouraging pre-birth sex selection.

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SC to weigh between ‘national security’, judicial scrutiny

  Overview:

The Supreme Court is all set to examine whether the Centre can expect a free pass on matters pertaining to national security.

What’s the issue?

The question whether the state can use ‘national security’ as a ground to limit judicial scrutiny has come up for scrutiny in the MediaOne TV channel case.

The government has cited national security reasons in the Kerala High Court for canceling telecast permission to the Malayalam news channel.

• Recently, in its Pegasus snooping case order, the Supreme Court observed that the Centre cannot expect a ‘free pass’ from the courts as soon as it raises the ‘spectre of national security’.

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Observations made by the supreme court on this matter:

Scope of judicial review is limited in matters involving national security. However, this does not mean that the state gets a free pass every time the spectre of ‘national security’ is raised.

What harm can this cause?

One of the major concerns raised by citizens recently is the “chilling effect” such state actions endure to have on free speech, especially in the media.

What has the Supreme Court said in the Anuradha Basin case?

Anuradha Bhasin case concerned Internet restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir in the backdrop of the abrogation of Article 370.

• The court had ruled that any order of the state which restricts the fundamental rights of speech or expression should be backed by reasons.
• The courts should be convinced that the state acted in a responsible manner and did not take away rights in an “implied fashion or a casual or cavalier man.

Other related cases:

In Government of India v. Cricket Association of Bengal and Shreya Singhal v. The Union of India cases, the court has observed that there is no dispute that freedom of speech and expression includes the right to disseminate information to as wide a section of the population as is possible. The wider range of circulation of information or its greater impact cannot restrict the content of the right nor can it justify its denial.

What is Judicial Review?

Judicial review is the power of Judiciary to review any act or order of Legislative and Executive wings and to pronounce upon the constitutional validity when challenged by the affected person.

Judicial review present in India:

1. The power of Judicial Review comes from the Constitution of India itself (Articles 13, 32, 136, 142 and 147 of the Constitution).
2. The power of judicial review is evoked to protect and enforce the fundamental rights guaranteed in Part III of the Constitution.
3. Article 13 of the Constitution prohibits the Parliament and the state legislatures from making laws that “may take away or abridge the fundamental rights” guaranteed to the citizens of the country.
4. The provisions of Article 13 ensure the protection of the fundamental rights and consider any law “inconsistent with or in derogation of the fundamental rights” as void.

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The Budget’s vision

 CONTEXT:

1. The new decade’s first budget presented by Finance Minister (FM) is a vision document for the nation in the post-COVID world.
2. Its six pillars carry the government’s message of further excellence in the country’s growth journey through “reform, perform and transform”.
3. The government managed to prioritise and balance both lives and livelihoods through the roller coaster ride of the last year.

 

The preface to reform

 CONTEXT:

1. India was once a leading economic power whose textile and manufactured products ruled the world’s markets. But the country’s welfare policies enacted to protect certain sections were captured by select groups to preserve the status quo for decades.
2. The great economic power declined, leading a new government to dismantle the entrenched “welfare policies”.
3. Widespread protests followed, bringing the whole country to a halt. Naysayers (who today stand to lose the benefits from regulatory capture) are more vocal than aye-sayers, who are the silent majority and

The ghost of ADM Jabalpur

 CONTEXT:

“By far the most numerous and most flagrant violations of personal liberty and individual rights are performed by governments.”   ~  John Hospers (American philosopher and political activist)

1. Anyone who is not in sync with the present government or its policies is branded anti-national, urban Naxal or a member

THE FARM REALITY CHECK

 CONTEXT:

1. Seven years of low crude prices, five years of above normal monsoon topped by good agriculture production, and everything looked positive for a strong economic performance.
2. But, the promises made in 2017 of doubling farmers’ income by 2022 for instance, seemed hollow.
3. In Union Budget 2021-22, the two departments—Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare and Department of Agricultural Research and Education— under the Agriculture Ministry have been allocated a total amount of Rs 1,31,531.19 crore, lower than the current financial year’s budget estimates (BE) of Rs 1,42,762.35 crore, but a little higher than RE of Rs 1,24,520.3 crore.

The farmer’s right to protest

 CONTEXT:

1. Approach of the central and state governments in dealing with the farmers’ agitation is wholly contrary. Not only are they flouting the Constitution but they are also disobeying the Supreme Court by not allowing farmers to assemble peaceably, to move freely and to speak freely. 

 

CONSTUTIONAL DEBATE:

1. On December 1 and 2, 1948, the Constituent

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code allows the market to make the most efficient choice

 WHO FACILITATES THE INSOLVENCY RESOLUTION UNDER THE CODE?

1. Adjudicating authorities: The proceedings of the resolution process will be adjudicated by the National Companies Law Tribunal (NCLT), for companies; and the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), for individuals. The duties of the authorities will include approval to initiate the resolution process, appoint the insolvency professional, and approve the final decision of creditors.

Budget’s strategy of fiscal consolidation, compressing expenditure, could prove to be a costly miscalculation

 CONTEXT:

1. 2020 was not an ordinary year. It faced with managing the economic fallout of a once-in-a-century crisis, the expectations from the Union budget were of a completely different order of magnitude.
2. The challenge before the finance minister was how to enhance public spending, without raising taxes, while adopting a credible path for fiscal consolidation.
3. It appears as though expectations of a quicker recovery of the formal economy in 2021-22, and concerns over high debt levels, seem to have persuaded the government not to opt for aggressive spending in the immediate term, but focus on consolidation.

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Yes Bank put under moratorium till April 3

The government has put private sector lender Yes Bank under moratorium till April 3, 2020, and capped deposit withdrawal at Rs. 50,000 after a severe deterioration of the bank’s financial position.

Harappan site of Rakhigarh

Harappan site of Rakhigarh

• Looking at the mounds at the Harappan site of Rakhigarhi, where locals dry cow dung cakes and dump garbage, there is little to show the thousands of years of history beneath. But the Centre is moving ahead with its plan to develop the site as a tourist hub and set up a museum, and this has got residents in two villages in Haryana’s Hisar district — Rakhi Khas and Rakhi Shahpur — known as Rakhigarhi worried.
• After Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the government’s plan to fund five on­site museums, including the under-construction museum initiated by the Haryana government at Rakhigarhi, in her Budget speech on February 1, there is excitement and concern here. The Archaeological Survey of India has started planning the project. Union Tourism and Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel visited the site

Villagers concern

• A former sarpanch, or local head, Dinesh, told the Minister, “We are happy that there will be work in our villages, but we are scared about what will happen to us. Already, people are anxious about the rehabilitation of homes around mound numbers four and five.”

फारस की खाड़ी के संकट में भारत का दांव

यह हमारी विदेश नीति पर एक दुखद टिप्पणी है कि अमेरिका ने जनरल कासिम सुलेमानी की हत्या के अपने फैसले के बारे में भारत को सूचना देने की जहमत भी नहीं उठाई। अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति डोनाल्ड ट्रंप ने दावा किया कि ईरानी नेता जनरल सुलेमानी नई दिल्ली में एक आतंकवादी हमले में शामिल थे। वह संभवतः वर्ष 2012 में इस्राइली राजनयिकों पर हुए हमले का जिक्र कर रहे थे। उनके विदेश मंत्री माइक पोम्पियो ने संयुक्त राष्ट्र सुरक्षा परिषद के सभी स्थायी सदस्यों के साथ-साथ जर्मनी और अफगानिस्तान तक से बात की, लेकिन भारत को छोड़ दिया। इसलिए विदेश मंत्री एस जयशंकर ने रविवार को पोम्पियो और ईरान के विदेश मंत्री जावेद जरीफ को फोन करके दोनों पक्षों से संयम बरतने की अपील की। और उसके बाद प्रधानमंत्री मोदी ने भी ट्रंप को फोन किया। हमलोगों के विपरीत अमेरिका अब खाड़ी के तेल पर निर्भर नहीं है। वह अपने सहयोगियों-इस्राइल, सऊदी अरब, और खाड़ी के शेखशाही की सुरक्षा के लिए ज्यादा चिंतित है। अमेरिकी नीति इस क्षेत्र की राजनीति को संचालित कर रही है, जो इस क्षेत्र के लिए आपदा हो सकती है। याद कीजिए उस अमेरिकी युद्ध को, जिसने इराक को तबाह करके हमें इस्लामिक स्टेट जैसा आतंकी संगठन दिया। और वह युद्ध इस झूठ पर शुरू किया गया था कि सद्दाम हुसैन के पास परमाणु हथियार थे। ईरान के खिलाफ अमेरिकी युद्ध का ईरान और उस क्षेत्र के लिए, जिसमें भारत भी शामिल है, और भी विनाशकारी परिणाम हो सकता है।

एकता की कवायद में उजागर अंतर्विरोध

संसद के बजट सत्र से पहले विपक्षी एकजुटता का संदेश देने के लिए आयोजित बैठक अंतर्विरोधों को ही उजागर कर गयी। संसद के शीतकालीन सत्र से ही नागरिकता संशोधन अधिनियम (सीएए), राष्ट्रीय नागरिकता रजिस्टर (एनआरसी) और नेशनल रजिस्टर ऑफ पापुलेशन (एनआरपी) के विरोध में देश के विभिन्न हिस्सों में प्रदर्शन चल रहे हैं। देश की राजधानी दिल्ली स्थित जामिया मिल्लिया समेत कुछ राज्यों के विश्वविद्यालय परिसरों में भी इन मुद्दों पर छात्रों का मुखर विरोध सामने आया है। कहीं-कहीं यह विरोध हिंसक भी हुआ है तो जवाब में पुलिसिया दमन की शिकायतें भी सामने आयी हैं। कहना नहीं होगा कि नागरिकता की पहचान से जुड़ी उपरोक्त तीनों प्रक्रियाओं पर केंद्र सरकार और उसकी अगुअा भाजपा को घेरे जाने के जवाब में दूसरी ओर से समर्थन में भी सुर मुखर हुए हैं और प्रदर्शन भी। देश के सबसे प्रतिष्ठित शिक्षा संस्थानों में शुमार जेएनयू में नकाबपोश हिंसा के मूल में तो कारण फीस वृद्धि और रजिस्ट्रेशन प्रक्रिया जैसे मुद्दे रहे हैं, लेकिन राजनीतिक दलों की सक्रियता के बाद वहां भी नागरिकता-निवासियों की पहचान से जुड़े केंद्र की भाजपानीत राजग सरकार के तीनों फैसले भी एजेंडे पर आ गये हैं। ऐसे में यह स्वाभाविक ही था कि विपक्षी दल संसद के बजट सत्र में सरकार को इन विवादों समेत तमाम मुद्दों पर घेरने की कवायद करें। आर्थिक मंदी, बढ़ती बेरोजगारी और बेलगाम महंगाई जैसी चुनौतियों को भी ध्यान में रखें तो कहा जा सकता है कि मोदी सरकार अपने शासनकाल के सबसे कठिन दौर से गुजर रही है। कांग्रेस की अंतरिम अध्यक्ष सोनिया गांधी द्वारा सोमवार को दिल्ली में बुलायी गयी विपक्षी दलों की बैठक इसी विपक्षी एकजुटता का संदेश देने की कवायद का हिस्सा थी। बेशक इस बैठक में 15 दलों के नेताओं ने हिस्सा लिया, लेकिन उससे बड़ी खबर यह रही कि तृणमूल कांग्रेस, सपा, बसपा, द्रमुक, टीडीपी, आप और शिवसेना सरीखे महत्वपूर्ण दल इससे दूर ही रहे। इन दलों ने अलग-अलग कारणों से बैठक से दूर रहने के संकेत दिये हैं, पर कुल मिलाकर जो संदेश गया है, वह विपक्षी अंतर्विरोंधों का ही है।

Optimal delivery or mere optics in Bodo peace deal? (Mint)

Context:

• The Bodo peace deal poses tricky questions for India in general and far-eastern India in particular.
• The deal was announced on 27 January in New Delhi in an attempt to bring closure to a conflict in the homelands of the Bodo people—or Boro, as they call themselves—in Assam.
• A formal surrender-and-integrate ceremony is intended for later this week.

Background:

• Four factions of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), along with an influential Bodo students’ organization and a Bodo civilian pressure group, signed the peace agreement with the central and Assam governments.
• Among other concessions, the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts, the name given to Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang and Udalguri, the four contiguous districts bordering Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh, will now be known as Bodoland Territorial Region.

Our expectations could mutate in response to the coronavirus (Mint)

Context:

• In December 2019, an outbreak of viral pneumonia of unknown etiology emerged in Wuhan, a city in the central Chinese province of Hubei.
• A few weeks later, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Chinese health authorities announced the discovery of a novel coronavirus, known now as 2019-nCoV, as being responsible for the pneumonia.

Vulnerability:

• The outbreak led to an unprecedented escalation and an equally unprecedented response.
• The two most important questions asked in a fast-evolving pandemic of this nature are:
• How deadly is the disease, and;
• Can it be contained?

Govt yet to shed ‘charity approach’ towards persons with disabilities (Indian Express)

Context:

• The aspirations of persons with disabilities in Union Budget 2020 were once again shattered with the Finance Minister announcing a meagre amount of Rs 9500 crore for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
• The charity approach toward persons with disabilities can be still seen with them featuring under the care group of the development agenda and not under the aspirational group.
• This in itself sets persons with disabilities a step backwards in the line of inclusion.

Background:

• The official documents still continue to refer to the 1995 Persons with Disabilities Act for detailing their statutory obligations concerning persons with disabilities.
• The faulty policy-making blatantly ignores the newly enacted Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and diverges from the social approach towards disability adopted under the new Act.

What Brexit means for the EU and its partners (The Hindu)

Context:

• On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom left the European Union.

A structured exit:

• This is largely thanks to the Withdrawal Agreement that we negotiated with the U.K., which enabled us to secure “an orderly Brexit”.
• One that, at least for now, minimises disruption for our citizens, businesses, public administrations, as well as for our international partners.
• Under this agreement, the EU and the U.K. agreed on a transition period, until the end of 2020 at least, during which the U.K. will continue to participate in the EU’s Customs Union and in the Single Market, and to apply EU law, even if it is no longer a Member State.
• During this period, the U.K. will also continue to abide by the international agreements of the EU, as we made clear in a note verbale to our international partners.

THE FLAWED SPIN TO INDIA’S COTTON STORY

Introduction:

Bt Cotton is a genetically modified organism or genetically modified pest-resistant variety of cotton.

Genetically Modified (GM) pest resistant Bt cotton hybrids have captured the Indian market since their introduction in 2002.

These now cover over 95% of the area under cotton, with the seeds produced entirely by the private sector. google.com, pub-7341165678315820, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0

India’s cotton production in 2019 is projected as the highest ever: 354 lakh bales.

Bt cotton’s role in increasing India’s cotton production, which GM proponents have highlighted as being instrumental, has also been used to argue for extending GM technology to increase food crop yield.