Central idea: In an RTI reply, it is revealed that only 329 claims out of 647 filed were settled in the last two financial years under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY).
What is PM Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)?
- The PMJDY is a financial inclusion program launched by the Indian government in 2014.
- It is National Mission for Financial Inclusion to ensure access to financial services, namely, a basic savings & deposit accounts, remittance, credit, insurance, pension in an affordable manner.
- Under the scheme, a basic savings bank deposit (BSBD) account can be opened in any bank branch or Business Correspondent (Bank Mitra) outlet, by persons not having any other account.
Benefits under PMJDY
- One basic savings bank account is opened for unbanked person.
- There is no requirement to maintain any minimum balance in PMJDY accounts.
- Interest is earned on the deposit in PMJDY accounts.
- Rupay Debit card is provided to the account holder.
- Accident Insurance Cover of Rs.1 lakh (enhanced to Rs. 2 lakh to new PMJDY accounts opened after 28.8.2018) is available with RuPay card issued to the PMJDY account holders.
- An overdraft (OD) facility up to Rs. 10,000 to eligible account holders is available.
Why in news?
- In the financial year 2021-22, 341 claims were received for accident insurance cover under the PMJDY scheme.
- Out of these, 182 claims were settled and 48 were rejected.
- No information was provided on the status of the remaining 111 claims.
Is PMJDY a success?
- Dormancy of accounts: The PMJDY scheme has led to an increase in the number of bank accounts in rural areas, but this has not necessarily led to a corresponding increase in transactions due to limited transaction history of many account holders.
- Low or no transactions: Insurance coverage for the account holder is linked to their transaction history, and many accounts remain frozen due to lack of transactions, taking several weeks or months to reactivate.
- False promise of overdraft: The promised overdraft facility of Rs 5000 for new account holders has not been provided as promised, leading to scepticism about the scheme’s success.
- Payments bottleneck: The lack of proper connectivity, electricity, internet, and ATM facilities in rural areas has hindered the activation of RuPay cards and PIN numbers, which should have been considered before implementing such a large-scale program.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Manamadurai Pottery, GI Tag
Mains level: Read the attached story
The Manamadurai pottery recently earned a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
Manamadurai Pottery
- The Vaigai river enriches the clay used for the Manamadurai pottery. Pot making requires expertise as the bottom has to be perfectly round.
- The right proportion of mud, clay and heating makes this product very strong. The main raw materials for making these pots are soil and water.
- The sand, collected from different places of the district, is used for making pottery and dried for two days. The particles of the mud get separated by sieving.
- The slurry is mixed with the sand and lead and graphite are added to the mixture to improve the quality.
- This mixture is now rich in calcium lime, ash, red lead, sodium silicate, manganese, iron, and plasticizing. The pot is also painted in different colours.
What makes these pots unique?
- A unique type of clay is sourced from water bodies like Nedunkulam, Nathapurakki, Sundaranadappu, Seikalathur to make these pots.
- While making these pots, the five elements of nature namely earth, water, fire, sun and air are used.
- The basic material for pottery is mud, which represents the earth. Mud is mixed with water, another element of nature.
- This is followed by baking in fire, adding the third element.
- The air percolates through the pores in the clay, marking the fourth element.
- And finally, the cavity enclosed by the pot or any related article represents space.
Back2Basics: Geographical Indication (GI)
- A GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
- Nodal Agency: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 w.e.f. September 2003.
- GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.
- The tag stands valid for 10 years.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Zero Shadow Day
Mains level: Not Much
Central idea: Many cities across India are experiencing Zero Shadow Day since the sun was directly overhead at that time.
What is Zero Shadow Day?
- Zero Shadow Day is a phenomenon that occurs twice a year at every point on Earth located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
- During Zero Shadow Day, vertical objects appear to cast no shadow at local noon, when the sun is at its zenith directly above the object.
- It occurs when the sun’s location moves from 23.5°N to 23.5°S of Earth’s equator and back, causing the shadow to disappear beneath objects at local noon.
Why does it happen?
- It occurs due to the movement of the sun from south to north during the Uttarayan and back from north to south during Dakshinayan.
- This movement is caused by Earth’s rotation axis being tilted at an angle of roughly 23.5° to the axis of revolution around the sun.
- All places whose latitude equals the angle between the sun’s location and the equator on that day experience Zero Shadow Day, with the shadow disappearing at local noon.
Try this PYQ:
On 21st June, the Sun-
(a) Does not set below the horizon at the Arctic Circle
(b) Does not set below the horizon at Antarctic Circle
(c) Shines vertically overhead at noon on the Equator
(d) Shines vertically overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn
Post your answers here.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Brain Economy, opportunities and challenges
Central Idea
- The nature of labor has changed drastically in the last century, moving from physical labor to skill-based labor to brain-based labor. Technology is driving this change and reshaping industries, and we must adapt to this new reality to stay globally relevant. We need to move away from outdated stereotypes of evil corporations and embrace technology to facilitate meaningful dialogue around the trade-offs in the brain economy.
What is mean by Brain Economy?
- Knowledge-based economy: The Brain Economy refers to the shift towards a knowledge-based economy where the primary source of economic growth is driven by innovation and creativity, and the ability to generate, process, and use knowledge effectively.
- In contrast with labour intensive economy: It is often contrasted with previous economies, such as the Industrial Economy and the Agricultural Economy, which were based on physical labor and the production of tangible goods
“Every successful innovation is built on a graveyard of failures”
Unlimited Capacity of Technology
- The technology will continue to advance and develop beyond just the fields of software, artificial intelligence, and data analytics.
- It will also spread rapidly across other fields such as brain sciences, which includes the study of the brain and its functions; quantum computing, which involves the use of quantum mechanics to perform calculations; genetic engineering, which involves the manipulation of DNA to create new organisms or modify existing ones; 3D printing, which is the process of creating physical objects from digital models; nanotechnology, which involves the manipulation of matter on a molecular or atomic scale.
- The combination of these technologies will lead to new and innovative solutions in various industries.
Potential benefits of the brain economy
- Increased Innovation: Brain-based work is about rapid innovation and creation, driven by technology. This can lead to new products, services, and technologies that can enhance people’s lives.
- Higher Productivity: With advancements in technology and automation, the brain economy has the potential to significantly increase productivity and efficiency.
- Improved Quality of Life: Brain-based work can create jobs that are less physically demanding and more intellectually stimulating. This can lead to an improved quality of life for those who work in the brain economy.
- Economic Growth: The brain economy has the potential to fuel economic growth by creating new industries and opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs.
- Increased Collaboration: The brain economy requires collaboration across different fields, disciplines, and cultures. This can lead to increased cooperation and understanding among people from diverse backgrounds.
- Social Progress: Technology and brain power can be used to address social and environmental challenges, such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and healthcare.
- Flexibility: With technology, brain-based work can be done from anywhere, at any time, providing greater flexibility for workers and businesses.
- Access to Information: Technology has made it easier than ever to access information and knowledge, which can help to create a more informed and educated society.
- Personal Development: Brain-based work requires continuous learning and personal development, which can lead to increased self-awareness, creativity, and adaptability.
- Inequality: The brain economy has the potential to exacerbate inequality by assigning exponentially differential values to body, skill, and brain. This can lead to a widening gap between those who have access to education and training in advanced technology and those who do not.
- Job displacement: The rise of the brain economy may result in the displacement of jobs that require physical labor or lower levels of skill, leading to job losses in certain sectors. This may also require significant retraining and upskilling of workers in order to adapt to the new demands of the economy.
- Ethical dilemmas: As technology continues to evolve and become more integrated into the brain economy, ethical dilemmas around privacy, inclusivity, fairness, and the impact on social issues such as gender parity and wealth sharing may arise.
- Regulatory challenges: The fast-paced nature of technology development in the brain economy may pose regulatory challenges for policymakers and regulators. There may be a need for more agile and responsive regulatory frameworks to keep pace with technological developments.
- Access to technology: Not everyone may have access to the technology required to participate in the brain economy, leading to a digital divide and further exacerbating inequality.
- Societal impacts: The widespread adoption of technology in the brain economy may have significant societal impacts, such as changes to the nature of work, social relationships, and human behavior. It will be important to monitor these impacts and take steps to mitigate any negative effects.
- Environmental impact: The growth of the brain economy may lead to increased energy consumption and environmental impact, particularly as new technologies such as quantum computing and genetic engineering become more prevalent. It will be important to consider the environmental impact of these technologies and take steps to mitigate any negative effects.
How India can balance Brain economy and concerns associated with it?
- Encourage innovation: The government should encourage innovation and research in emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology, by providing funding and incentives to startups, universities, and research institutions.
- Promote digital literacy: The government should promote digital literacy and technology education at all levels of education to equip citizens with the necessary skills to participate in the brain economy.
- Ensure regulatory compliance: The government should ensure that emerging technologies are developed and deployed in compliance with ethical, legal, and social norms. This includes establishing regulatory frameworks, guidelines, and standards for emerging technologies.
- Invest in infrastructure: The government should invest in physical and digital infrastructure, such as broadband networks, data centers, and cloud computing, to support the growth of the brain economy.
- Foster collaboration: The government should foster collaboration between academia, industry, and government to accelerate innovation and create new opportunities for economic growth.
- Protect workers’ rights: The government should ensure that workers in the brain economy are protected by labor laws, including social security benefits, health insurance, and fair wages.
- Address inequality: The government should address the growing inequality in the brain economy by investing in education, training, and social safety nets to ensure that all citizens can participate in the new economy. This includes measures to bridge the urban-rural divide, gender gap, and socio-economic disparities.
Conclusion
- In a country the size of India, it’s impossible to transition everyone to the brain economy overnight. The biggest component of the body economy in India is agriculture. We need our agriculture to be technology-enabled, not body driven. The bigger issue of inequality is the inequality between nations. In the brain economy, the alternative to technology and innovation is total irrelevance. To be a globally relevant player, India needs to embrace the concept of this new world of the brain economy, adapt its mindset and appropriate its resources accordingly.
Mains Question
Q. What do you understand by mean Brain Economy? Discuss the potential advantages and challenges of Brain economy in India and suggest a way ahead.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: PM CARES fund
Mains level: Issues with the fund
Government-run listed firms have contributed at least Rs 2,913.6 crore between 2019-20 and 2021-22 to the controversial Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund.
About PM CARES Fund
- The PM CARES Fund was created on 28 March 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
- The fund will be used for combat, containment and relief efforts against the coronavirus outbreak and similar pandemic like situations in the future.
- The PM is the chairman of the trust. Members will include the defence, home and finance ministers.
- The fund will also enable micro-donations. The minimum donation accepted is ₹10.
Issues over PM-CARES Fund
- No defined purpose: It is deliberately ignored while a new, controversial, unanswerable, and ‘non-accountable vehicle is created; its character is not spelt out till today.
- Non-accountable: The government seems to consider statutory provisions for enquiry and information seeking to be embarrassing obstacles.
- Centralization of donations: It centralises the collection of donations and its utility, which is not only against the federal character but also practically inconvenient. The issue is seeming, the trusteeship of the fund.
Questions and gaps
- Law/statute: The PM CARES Fund was neither created by the Constitution of India nor by any statute.
- Authority: If that is the case, under what authority does it use the designation of the Prime Minister, designated symbols of the nation, the tricolour and the official (gov.in) website of the PMO, and grant tax concessions through an ordinance.
- Collection and dispensation: The amount received by the Fund does not go to the Consolidated Fund of India. If it goes to the CFI, it could have been audited by the CAG.
- Uncontrolled: The This Trust is neither intended to be or is in fact owned, controlled or substantially financed by any instrumentality of the any govt even being chaired by the PM.
Issue over tax benefits
- Income tax: An ordinance was promulgated to amend Income Tax Act, 1961 and declare that the donations to the PM CARES Fund “would qualify for 80G benefits for 100% exemption”.
- CSR Funds: It will also qualify to be counted as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure under the Companies Act, 2013.
- Foreign donations: It has also got exemption under the FCRA [Foreign Contribution Regulation Act] and a separate account for receiving foreign donations has been opened.
What can be inferred from all these?
- The Centre now considers it as another obstacle and has created a new trust with the Prime Minister and his Ministers only.
- The manner in which the PM CARES Fund was set up — with its acronym created to publicise the point that the PM cares for people — shows a bypassing of the statutory obligations of a public authority.
Query and response: Again ironical
- After initial denials, the Government has conceded it to be a public charitable trust, but still maintains that it is not a ‘public authority’.
- The point is that the PMO operates the Fund, but says it cannot supply any information about the PM CARES Fund because it is not a public authority.
Severe interpretations: Is it an Office of Profit?
- If the PM CARES Fund is unconnected with the Government, then the Fund could become an office of profit.
- And that could disqualify him and the three Ministers from holding those constitutional offices.
Conclusion
- In order to uphold transparency, the PM CARES Fund should be declared as a Public Authority under the RTI Act, and all RTI queries answered truthfully.
- The fund should be designated as a “public authority” under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: SCO and its members
Mains level: SCO challenges and opportunities
Central Idea
- The visit of Chinese and Russian defence ministers to attend a ministerial meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Delhi has drawn attention to the broader geopolitical evolution of the SCO. While the clamour for membership shows the attractiveness of the forum, its internal contradictions and inability to cope with intra-state and inter-state conflicts among member states are raising questions about its strategic coherence.
All you need to know about SCO
- Background: After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the then security and economic architecture in the Eurasian region dissolved and new structures had to come up. The original Shanghai Five were China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.
- SCO formation: The SCO was formed in 2001, with Uzbekistan included. It expanded in 2017 to include India and Pakistan. Since its formation, the SCO has focused on regional non-traditional security, with counter-terrorism as a priority.
- Partner countries: Eight Member States are China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan. While four observer states are Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia and six dialogue partners include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Turkey.
- Functionaries of SCO
- Executive Branch: The SCO has an executive branch, which is headed by the Secretary-General and is responsible for the day-to-day functioning of the organization.
- Council of Heads of State: The highest decision-making body of the SCO is the Council of Heads of State, which meets annually to discuss and decide on important issues.
- Council of Heads of Government: The Council of Heads of Government is the second most important decision-making body of the SCO, which meets annually to discuss and decide on economic and trade-related issues.
- Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS): The SCO has RATS, which is responsible for coordinating the efforts of member states in the fight against terrorism, separatism, and extremism.
Facts for prelims
SCO RATS:
- Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is a permanent organ of the SCO which serves to promote cooperation of member states against the three evils of terrorism, separatism and extremism.
- It is headquartered in Tashkent.
- Its head is elected to three-year term.
- Each member state of SCO sends permanent representative to RATS.
|
The SCO paradox
- Shadow over its strategic coherence: Even as the Eurasian forum looks attractive to a growing number of regional states, its internal contradictions are casting a shadow over its strategic coherence.
- Russia-Ukraine war: Russia’s war in Ukraine is raising questions about Moscow’s capacity to sustain primacy in its backyard.
- China’s dominance in Asia: China’s rise is increasing the prospects for Beijing’s emergence as the dominant force in inner Asia.
- Comparison between the long lines for membership at the doors of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the SCO:
- Central European countries towards NATO: Many countries in Central Europe, including Ukraine, want to follow Finland and Sweden into NATO.
- Several countries queuing up to join SCO: Several important regional states in India’s neighbourhood are queuing up to join the SCO, which now has eight members – China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.
- Iran set to join: Iran is set to join the SCO and Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia are observers and would like to follow Tehran.
- Impressive list of dialogue partners: Then there is the impressive list of current and incipient dialogue partners that includes Azerbaijan, Armenia, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates from the Middle East and Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka from the Subcontinent.
- SCO is inclusive: Unlike NATO the SCO is inclusive, and its attractiveness underlines the rise of non-Western security institutions.
- Turkey wants to be part of SCO: Turkey, a long-standing member of NATO, wants to be part of SCO certainly highlights the value of being part of a forum led by Russia and China that today are at loggerheads with the West.
Internal Conflicts and Counter-terrorism Preoccupation
- Internal conflicts becoming high priority: Counter-terrorism has been the principal preoccupation of the SCO for all these years. The internal conflicts within and between the member states and associates are becoming a higher priority for the SCO.
- For example: Afghanistan’s internal instabilities have been a major driver for the SCO. However, for all the talk of the SCO becoming the regional security arbiter, it was a direct deal between the US and the Taliban that reshaped the Afghan dynamic.
- Russia’s Role and Ambitions in Central Asia: Russia’s muscle and Beijing’s money provide a sensible basis for their strategic division of labour in Central Asia to keep the Western powers out of the region. However, if Russia is a protector of the Central Asian regimes, it could also be a potential predator.
- China’s Growing Regional Influence: China’s growing regional influence will come at Russia’s expense, as China becomes the senior partner in the bilateral relationship with Russia after Ukraine. China’s explicit support of the sovereignty of the Central Asian states is a straw in the wind. Shared borders, growing political salience, and rising regional security profiles promise to make China a force to reckon with in Central Asia in the not-too-distant future.
Significance of SCO for India
- Central Asia connection: SCO membership provides India with an opportunity to engage with Central Asian nations, Russia, and China, and work towards promoting regional stability, security, and economic cooperation.
- Security cooperation: SCO focuses on combating terrorism, separatism, and extremism in the region, which is of particular concern to India.
- Consensus over CBT: India has been a victim of cross-border terrorism for decades. India has been working closely with the RATS to share intelligence and coordinate counter-terrorism operations in the region.
- Economic push: SCO has set up mechanisms for trade and economic cooperation, including the SCO Business Council, the SCO Interbank Consortium, and the SCO Development Bank.
- Cultural cooperation: The organization aims to promote cultural exchanges among member states and has set up mechanisms for cooperation in fields such as education, science, and technology
Issues with SCO (Indian context)
- Pakistan’s presence: India has accused Pakistan of using SCO forums to spread propaganda and misinformation against India.
- China’s dominance: India has also expressed concerns over China’s dominance in the organization and its attempts to use the platform to push its strategic interests in the region.
- Limited economic benefits: Despite being a member of the organization for over a decade, India’s trade with other SCO members remains limited and has not been able to tap the full potential of the organization.
- Limited counter-terrorism cooperation: While the primary objective of the organization is to combat terrorism, India has expressed concerns over the limited counter-terrorism cooperation among member states.
- Limited influence: Despite being a major power in the region, India’s voice and concerns have not been adequately represented in the organization.
India’s challenging role in the SCO
- India’s engagement with the SCO all these decades was premised on Russian primacy in the region and Moscow’s support of India’s regional interests.
- For India, a strong and independent Russia is critical for maintaining the inner Asian balance. However, Delhi is in no position to ensure Moscow’s strategic autonomy from Beijing; that depends on Russian strategic choices.
- India’s burden in the SCO must now be to protect its own interests amidst a rapidly changing regional power distribution in China’s favour.
Conclusion
- India, which is chairing the Eurasian regional forum this year, has a range of bilateral problems to discuss with its fellow SCO members. However, its burden in SCO must now be to protect its own interests amidst a rapidly changing regional power distribution in China’s favour. The challenge is particularly demanding as India does not have direct geographic access to the landlocked region.
Mains Question
Q. The clamour for membership is a measure of a forum’s success the increasing clamour for the membership of the SCO is doing well. Discuss and highlight the internal challenges that the SCO is facing.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Genome Sequencing
Mains level: Read the attached story
The Department of Biotechnology recently said that the exercise to sequence 10,000 Indian human genomes and create a database under the Centre-backed Genome India Project is about two-thirds complete.
What is the Genome India Project?
- The Genome India Project has been described by those involved as the “first scratching of the surface of the vast genetic diversity of India”.
- It involves over 20 scientists from institutions including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru and a few IITs.
- It is inspired by the Human Genome Project (HGP 1990-2003) an international programme that led to the decoding of the entire human genome.
About Human Genome Project (HGP)
|
Description |
| Description |
HGP was a global research effort aimed at mapping and sequencing the entire human genome, which is the complete set of genetic instructions for building and maintaining a human being. |
| Timeframe |
Began in 1990 and was completed in 2003. |
| Collaborators |
A collaborative effort involving scientists from many countries. |
| Coordinators |
Institutes of Health (NIH) and the US Department of Energy (DOE), US |
| Achievements |
Scientists were able to identify the location of many human genes and provide information about their structure and organization. |
| Impact |
It has led to the development of new diagnostic tools and therapies for a wide range of genetic disorders and has provided valuable insights into the basic biology of human development and evolution. |
| Fields affected |
Medicine, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. |
What is a Genome?
- Every organism’s genetic code is contained in its Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid (DNA), the building blocks of life.
- The discovery that DNA is structured as a “double helix” by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953, started the quest for understanding how genes dictate life, its traits, and what causes diseases.
- A genome is all the genetic matter in an organism. It is defined as “an organism’s complete set of DNA, including all of its genes.
- Each genome contains all of the information needed to build and maintain that organism.
- In humans, a copy of the entire genome contains more than 3 billion DNA base pairs.
- Each pair consists of 23 pairs of chromosomes for a total of 46 chromosomes, which means that for 23 pairs of chromosomes in each cell, there are roughly 20,500 genes located on them.
What does genome mapping tell us?
- Some of the genes are lined up in a row on each chromosome, while others are lined up quite close to one another and this arrangement might affect the way they are inherited.
- For example, if the genes are placed sufficiently close together, there is a probability that they get inherited as a pair.
- Genome mapping, therefore, essentially means figuring out the location of a specific gene on a particular region of the chromosome and also determining the location of and relative distances between other genes on that chromosome.
How did it help during the pandemic?
- Genomic sequencing became a crucial tool in the fight against COVID-19 to track emerging variants, conduct further studies, and develop vaccines.
- In January 2020, Chinese scientist Yong-Zhen Zhang sequenced the genome of the novel coronavirus and shared it online, allowing researchers to study the virus’s genetic code.
- India also implemented a sequencing framework, the Indian SARS-COV-2 Genomics Consortia (INSACOG), to scan coronavirus samples from patients and flag the presence of variants.
What is the significance of GIP?
- HGP has a major diversity problem as most genomes (over 95%) mapped under HGP have been sourced from urban middle-class white people.
- Thus, HGP should not really be seen as representative of the human genome.
In this context, the GIP aims to vastly add to the available information on the human species and advance the cause, both because of the scale of the Indian population and the diversity here. This diversity can be depicted by:
- Horizontal Diversity: The Indian subcontinent has been the site of huge migrations, where the first migrations were from Africa. Also, there have been periodic migrations by various populations from all around the world, making this a very special case of almost all races and types intermingling genetically.
- Vertical Diversity: There has been endogamy or inter-marriage practised among distinct groups, resulting in some diseases passed on strictly within some groups and some other traits inherited by just some groups.
Its applications
- Personalized Medicine: Genome sequencing can help in the development of personalized medicine. By analyzing a patient’s genetic makeup, doctors can determine the best course of treatment for a particular disease. This approach can help in the early detection of diseases, identifying the risk of inherited diseases, and providing targeted therapies.
- Disease Diagnosis: Genome sequencing can be used to diagnose genetic disorders that are caused by mutations in a single gene, such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia. It can also help in identifying the genetic causes of complex diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.
- Drug Development: Genome sequencing can help in the development of new drugs by identifying targets for drug therapy. It can also help in the identification of biomarkers that can be used to monitor the effectiveness of drugs.
- Agriculture: Genome sequencing can help in the development of improved crops and livestock by identifying genes that control traits such as yield, disease resistance, and quality.
- Forensics: Genome sequencing can be used in forensic investigations to identify suspects by analyzing their DNA. It can also help in identifying missing persons and victims of disasters.
Challenges involved
- Fear of Scientific Racism: In India, a nation divided by identity politics, scientific work in mapping genetic groups may further strengthen the divisions in the society based on the prevalent notion of race.
- Data & Storage: India is yet to pass a Data Privacy Bill with adequate safeguards and launching the GIP before the privacy question is settled could give rise to another set of problems.
- Medical Ethics: In a project that aims only to create a database of genetic information poses a risk of doctors privately performing gene modification.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Temperature Anomaly
Mains level: Not Much
Central idea: Global warming does not mean that each month or each year will be warmer than the previous month or the previous year.
What is Temperature Anomaly?
- This is a measure of how much the actual temperature deviates from the long-term average temperature for a particular location and time period.
- Anomalies are calculated by taking the difference between the actual temperature and the long-term average temperature, and then averaging this difference over a specified period.
- The anomalies are due to land-ocean-atmosphere processes that dynamically determine the weather and climate.
- It is a useful tool for understanding changes in climate over time, as they allow scientists to compare temperatures from different time periods and locations.
- For example, a temperature anomaly of +2°C in a particular region in a given year means that the temperature in that region was 2°C higher than the long-term average for that region and time period.
Why study this?
- Long-term trend: By analyzing temperature anomalies over time, scientists can identify long-term trends in climate change and predict future changes.
- Track extreme weather event: These are also used to monitor extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, and floods, which can have significant impacts on human health, agriculture, and natural ecosystems.
Recent context: Second warmest March on record
- The fact that March 2023 was the second warmest March on record suggests that the planet is experiencing long-term warming.
- It is a clear indication of the impact of human activities on the planet.
- The burning of fossil fuels and deforestation have led to an increase in greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and contribute to global warming.
- This warming trend is expected to continue and worsen in the coming years, leading to more extreme weather events, sea level rise, and other negative impacts on the planet.
What does this mean for local weather?
- The second warmest March on record can have significant impacts on local weather patterns.
- As mentioned earlier, the warming over the northwest to the west of India caused cooler than normal weather over Mumbai and excess pre-monsoon rains over the northwest.
- On the other hand, Kerala and Odisha experienced scorching heatwaves.
- These weather anomalies can have serious implications for agriculture, water resources, and public health.
Implications
- Crop yields decline: This can be affected by extreme weather events, and changes in precipitation patterns can lead to water shortages or flooding.
- Heatwaves: This can cause heat stress and other health problems, particularly for vulnerable populations such as the elderly and young children.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct
Mains level: Read the attached story
The Supreme Court of India has directed the Registrar General of the Calcutta High Court to investigate an alleged interview given by a judge to a news channel in which he made remarks against a politician. This is cited against Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct.
What are Bangalore Principles?
- The Bangalore Code of Judicial Conduct was drafted in 2001 for the Judicial Group on Strengthening Judicial Integrity and presented to the Round Table Meeting of Chief Justices in November 2002.
- Resolution 23 of the United Nations Social and Economic Council promotes implementation of the Bangalore Principles by the judiciaries of Member States.
- The principles are intended to establish standards for ethical conduct of judges.
- They are designed to provide guidance to judges and to offer the judiciary a framework for regulating judicial conduct.
Six core values recognized
| S. No. |
Principle |
Description |
| 1. |
Independence |
Judges must be free to make impartial decisions based on the law and facts, without any influence or pressure from external sources. |
| 2. |
Impartiality |
Judges must be unbiased and treat all parties equally, without any favoritism or discrimination. |
| 3. |
Integrity |
Judges must have high moral and ethical principles, be honest, and act with transparency and fairness. |
| 4. |
Propriety |
Judges must avoid any impropriety or appearance of impropriety, such as conflicts of interest or inappropriate behavior. |
| 5. |
Equality |
Judges must uphold the principle of equality before the law, treating all people with respect and dignity. |
| 6. |
Competence and diligence |
Judges must have the necessary knowledge, skills, and qualities to perform their duties effectively, and must work diligently and efficiently. |
Significance of these principles
- The principles define their meaning and elaborate in detail on what kind of conduct is to be expected in concrete terms of the persons concerned in order to put the respective value into practice.
- A number of specific instructions are given under each of the values.
- Not only have some States adopted the Bangalore Principles but others have modelled their own Principles of Judicial Conduct on them.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Thirunelly Temple
Mains level: NA
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has urged the government to conserve the historically significant structures, including the 600-year-old ‘Vilakkumadom’, an exquisite granite structure, at the Sree Mahavishnu Temple at Thirunelly in Wayanad district.
About Thirunelly Temple
- The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is also known as Sahyamala Kshetram.
- It is also referred to as the ‘Kashi of the South’ and is considered as an important pilgrimage center for Hindus.
- It is located at the confluence of three rivers – Papanasini, the holy river, which is believed to have the power to wash away sins, Kudamurutti, and Koothappuzha.
- The temple has a unique circular structure made of granite stones, which is believed to have been constructed by Lord Brahma himself.
- It has beautiful architecture and features intricate carvings, mural paintings, and sculptures.
- The temple celebrates several festivals throughout the year, including Vishu, Navaratri, and Thirunelli festival.
Renovation plan
- The renovation works include the reconstruction of the chuttambalam or the structure around the sanctum sanctorum, except for the balikkalpura structure on the front side.
- The renovation work also includes the completion of the vilakkumadam, an exquisite granite structure that has a history dating back to the 15th century AD.
- The renovation works also include the renovation of the panchatheertham pond and the pathway to the papanasini bath ghat where devotees perform the bali ritual.
Why in news?
- The temple structure has a history dating back to the 15th century AD, and stories related to the architecture and style of the temple are associated with it.
- In guise of renovation, there is a concern over the loss of valuable precincts and the destruction of heritage.
- The incomplete structure that stood as testimony to a rich cultural heritage has been remodelled in an insensitive way.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CAGR
Mains level: Significance of accurate rural wage data
Central Idea
- Rural real wage growth is a crucial indicator of the well-being of individuals, particularly the poor, in India. Jean Dreze, a respected economist claims that rural real wage growth in India has been sluggish despite rapid economic growth. However as per Surjit Bhalla another economist, Dreze’s findings are based on weak statistical analysis and incomplete data. Surjit Bhalla’s and presents his own findings, which suggest higher wage growth rates for construction workers, non-agricultural laborers, and agricultural laborers.
Contrast results for instance
- For construction workers, Dreze obtains a rate of growth (CAGR) of just 0.2 per cent (actually 0.15 per cent); However, CAGR stands at eight times larger at 1.2 per cent.
- For non-agricultural labourers (porters and loaders) the same yawning divergence: Dreze obtains 0.3 per cent, whereas it stands 1.2 per cent, and for agricultural labourers, 0.9 per cent vs 1.5 per cent.
What is CAGR?
- CAGR stands for Compound Annual Growth Rate. It is a measure used to calculate the average growth rate of an investment over a certain period of time, assuming that the investment has grown at a steady rate each year.
- It takes into account the effect of compounding, which means that the investment’s growth in one year is added to the base value of the investment, and the total amount is then used to calculate growth for the next year.
- CAGR is often used in finance to compare the performance of different investments or to forecast future growth.
Why are the two results so different?
- Differences in Method of Estimation: Dreze uses semi-log regression on eight observations to estimate the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for each of three male occupations. His estimate of CAGR is not even significant at the 11 per cent level of confidence for two of these occupations – construction and non-agricultural laborers. Dreze does not uses a population-weighted average of year-on-year growth for each of the 38 sex-occupation categories to estimate CAGR accurately.
- Differences in Time Period of Analysis: Surjit Bhalla also criticizes Dreze’s chosen time period of analysis, 2014-2021. As per Surjit Bhalla, that no study combines pre-Covid and Covid years without even a mention of the difference. Surjit Bhalla presents data for three time periods, including the normal 2014-2018, Covid 2019-2021, and all years 2014-2021.
- Poverty alleviation: Rural wage data is used to determine the poverty levels in a country, and accurate data is essential for effective poverty alleviation policies.
- Income inequality: Accurate rural wage data can help policymakers understand the level of income inequality in rural areas and design policies to reduce it.
- Agricultural productivity: Rural wage data is used to assess the productivity of the agricultural sector, which is a key source of income for rural households.
- Labor market trends: Accurate rural wage data helps policymakers understand the trends in the rural labor market, such as changes in demand for different types of labor, and design policies to support employment growth.
- Minimum wage determination: Accurate rural wage data is necessary for determining minimum wages for rural workers, which is important for protecting the rights of workers and reducing labor exploitation.
- Social protection: Rural wage data is used to design social protection programs such as cash transfers, food subsidies, and public works programs to support the poorest households in rural areas.
- Macro-economic policy: Rural wage data is used to inform macro-economic policies such as inflation targeting and monetary policy, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of such policies on rural households.
Conclusion
- The issue of rural real wage growth in India is complex and requires a nuanced understanding of data selection, treatment, intensity, and estimation. There is need for a more comprehensive set of data and a different method of estimation.
Mains Question
Q. What is Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR). Why do you think, accurate rural wage data is so important?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Analysis of legal recognition to Same-sex marriage in India
Central Idea
- The Supreme Court of India recently started hearing petitions from LGBTQ+ petitioners seeking marriage equality. While marriage equality for LGBTQ+ persons is a controversial issue in India, it is essential to understand that denying them the right to marry excludes them from participating fully in family and community life, including gaining recognition and respect.
- Sexual orientations or gender identities: LGBTQIA+ is an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual/Ally. The plus sign is often added to include other identities and orientations that are not explicitly mentioned in the acronym. It is a term used to refer to individuals who identify as any of these sexual orientations or gender identities.
- Equal rights and acceptance: The community is made up of individuals who may face discrimination, marginalization, and stigma based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The community advocates for equal rights and acceptance, and works towards achieving societal and legal recognition and protection
What is mean by Same-sex marriage?
- Same-sex marriage is the legal recognition of a marriage between two individuals of the same sex.
- It grants same-sex couples the same legal and social recognition, rights, and privileges that are traditionally associated with marriage, including property rights, inheritance rights, and the ability to make decisions for each other in medical emergencies.
- The recognition of same-sex marriage varies around the world, with some countries legalizing it while others do not.
- The issue has been the subject of much debate and controversy, with arguments for and against same-sex marriage based on religious, cultural, social, and legal considerations.
Same-sex marriage in India
- Decriminalized homosexuality: Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalized homosexuality, was struck down by the Supreme Court of India in 2018, which was a landmark decision for LGBTQ+ rights in the country.
- Same sex marriage is not yet legal: However, there is still no law that allows same-sex couples to legally marry or have any legal recognition of their relationships. Same-sex marriage is currently not legally recognized in India.
What are the implications of not recognizing Same sex marriage legally?
- Infringement on individual freedoms: Denying same-sex couples the right to marry can be seen as an infringement on individual freedoms and a violation of human rights. It can limit the ability of individuals to express their identities and form meaningful relationships.
- Exclusion from family and community life: Marriage is a fundamental institution in Indian society, and remaining unmarried is looked down upon by the entire family. However, excluding LGBTQ+ persons from marriage denies them full benefits of participating in family and community life, including acceptance in society.
- Social stigma: The lack of legal recognition for same-sex marriage can contribute to negative attitudes towards LGBTQ+ individuals and relationships. This can perpetuate social stigma and discrimination.
- Discrimination: Despite same-sex attraction being a natural part of human society, some people of the same sex fall in love with each other and want to get married. Marriage benefits a couple in tangible and intangible ways, including essential protections, such as the ability to own and share financial assets, joint ownership of property, and access to health and life insurance. Denying these rights to LGBTQ+ persons is discriminatory.
Arguments against recognizing same sex marriage legally in India
- Marriage is a union between a man and a woman: Many people believe that marriage is meant to be a union between a man and a woman, and that allowing same-sex couples to marry goes against traditional values.
- It is against Indian culture: Many opponents of same-sex marriage argue that it goes against Indian culture and Hindu values, and that such unions are not recognized in traditional Indian society.
- It could lead to social instability: Some people believe that allowing same-sex marriage could lead to social instability and moral decay, and that it would have a negative impact on family and societal values.
- It is against the law: While homosexuality is no longer a criminal offence in India, same-sex marriage is not recognized under Indian law. Opponents argue that allowing same-sex marriage would be against the law and would undermine the institution of marriage.
- It could have negative impact on children: Some people argue that children raised by same-sex couples could face social stigma and could be negatively impacted psychologically. They believe that children should have both a mother and a father.
Other developments and challenges
- Many corporations have applied core HR principles of fairness, equality, and non-discrimination to their LGBTQ+ employees and have re-written their equal opportunity and anti-discrimination policies to protect them from discrimination, bullying, and harassment.
- However, inclusive policies have been challenging to implement with insurance companies as same-sex partners are not legally recognised as spouses. Being allowed to marry will help to gain the acceptance that LGBTQ+ citizens are seeking in society.
Way ahead with a balanced approach
- Increase awareness and education: It is essential to increase awareness and education among the general public regarding the LGBTQ+ community and the importance of equal rights for all individuals.
- Dialogue and debate: There need to be an open and respectful dialogue and debate between people who support same-sex marriage and those who oppose it. This will help to address concerns and misunderstandings and lead to a greater understanding and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. A wide-ranging consultation process could be initiated with stakeholders from different communities, including religious leaders, civil society organizations, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, to build consensus on the issue.
- Legal reforms: The Indian government should consider legal reforms to ensure that the LGBTQ+ community has equal rights and protections under the law. This includes legal recognition of same-sex marriage and the extension of benefits and protections to same-sex couples, such as inheritance rights and access to healthcare.
- Inclusive workplace policies: Corporations and employers can play a significant role in promoting inclusivity and diversity by implementing policies that explicitly protect LGBTQ+ employees from discrimination, bullying, and harassment.
- Sensitization of government officials: Sensitization programs should be conducted to sensitize government officials to the needs and rights of the LGBTQ+ community. This will help to ensure that government policies are more inclusive and considerate of the needs of all citizens.
- Balancing Interests: The government could take a cautious approach to legalizing same-sex marriage, considering the positive effects such as social inclusion and individual rights, and the potential negative effects, such as religious sensitivities and family values. This could involve striking a balance between individual rights and social cohesion, taking into account the unique cultural and social contexts of India.
- Monitoring and Evaluation: The government could set up an independent body to monitor the implementation of same-sex marriage legislation and evaluate its impact on society. This could help to identify areas of success and potential areas for improvement, and ensure that the legal recognition of same-sex marriages is a positive step forward for Indian society as a whole.
Conclusion
- Inclusive policies have resulted in more loyalty and engagement from employees, and it is now time to extend this sense of belonging to the LGBTQ+ community in India. The LGBTQ+ individuals deserve the right to participate in one of society’s major institutions and to be treated equally under the law. Allowing same-sex marriage would enable LGBTQ+ individuals to feel a sense of belonging and gain the acceptance they are seeking in society.
Mains Question
Q. Issues over the Same sex marriage has been one of the hot topics for some time now. Analyze the issue recognizing same sex marriage legally in India and suggest a balanced way ahead.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Governor's role and related articles
Mains level: Issues over the role of governor in state legislature
Central Idea
- The Tamil Nadu Governor’s recent statement implying that he would not give assent to a Bill passed by the legislature if it transgresses constitutional limits has resulted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly passing a resolution requesting the President of India to issue directions to the Governor to function within constitutional limits.
Who is Governor?
- Parallel to President: The Governors of the states of India have similar powers and functions at the state level as those of the President of India at the Central level.
- Nominal head: The governor acts as the nominal head whereas the real power lies with the Chief Ministers of the states and her/his councils of ministers.
- Similar offices: Governors exist in the states while Lieutenant Governors or Administrators exist in union territories including the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
- Non-local appointees: Few or no governors are local to the state that they are appointed to govern.
- Passing a resolution by the Assembly requesting the President of India to ensure that the Governor functions within the Constitution is a new constitutional development.
What are the relevant articles?
- Article 355: Article 355 of the Constitution states that it is the duty of the Union to ensure that every State’s government is carried out according to the Constitution.
- R. Ambedkar on Article 355: While the general meaning and purpose of Article 355 was explained by B.R. Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly, the Constitution’s concepts and doctrines have been interpreted and reinterpreted to meet society’s changing needs
- Article 200: Although Article 200 provides options to the Governor when a Bill is presented to him after being passed by the legislature, withholding assent is not an option given by the Constitution.
Governor’s Discretionary Powers and the confusion of Withholding assent
- Options to the Governor: Article 200 provides options to the Governor when a Bill is presented to him after being passed by the legislature.
- These options are:
- To give assent;
- To withhold assent;
- To send it back to the Assembly to reconsider it; or
- To send the Bill to the President for his consideration.
- Idea of the Third option: In case the Assembly reconsiders the Bill as per the request of the Governor under the third option, he has to give assent even if the Assembly passes it again without accepting any of the suggestions of the Governor.
- One of the options is required to be exercised: It is only logical to think that when the Constitution gives certain options to the Governor, he is required to exercise one of them.
- Sitting on the bill goes against the constitutional direction: Since sitting on a Bill passed by the Assembly is not an option given by the Constitution, the Governor, by doing so, is only acting against constitutional direction. A judicial pronouncement on this matter is needed to eliminate the confusion.
The issue of justiciability
Whether the process of assent by the Governor is subject to judicial review?
- Not justiciable: According to D.D. Basu, quoting judgments of the Supreme Court, it is not justiciable.
- For instance, Purushothaman Namboothiri vs State of Kerala (1962): In this case the court held that a Bill which is pending with the Governor does not lapse on the dissolution of the Assembly, but this judgment did not deal with the justiciability of the process of assent.
- Hoechst Pharmaceuticals Ltd. And vs State Of Bihar And Others (1983): In this case the court dealt with the power of the Governor to reserve a Bill for the consideration of the President, and held that the court cannot go into the question of whether it was necessary for the Governor to reserve the Bill for the consideration of the President.
- Government can challenge the inaction of the Governor in a court of law: The issue that is agitating State governments is the non-decision/indecision on the part of the Governor on a Bill passed by the Assembly. Therefore, the government can challenge the inaction of the Governor in a court of law, and the answer seems to be in the affirmative.
Way ahead
- Ensuring constitutional principles are upheld: The state governments and the Governor’s office should work together to establish a mutual understanding of the constitutional provisions and procedures for assent to a bill, with a focus on expediting the process while ensuring constitutional principles are upheld.
- Avoiding confrontation and legal battles: In case of disagreements between the state government and the Governor, the matter should be resolved through dialogue and mutual agreement, rather than resorting to confrontation and legal battles.
- Clarity on the issues of justifiability: The Supreme Court could provide clarity on the issue of justiciability of the Governor’s role in assent to a bill, while keeping in mind the constitutional provisions and the principles of federalism.
- Judicious use of discretionary powers: The Governor should exercise his discretionary powers judiciously and in line with constitutional provisions, without delaying or withholding assent to a bill without any valid reason.
- Transparent and consultative mechanism: The state government should ensure that bills are passed in a transparent and consultative manner, and the Governor should give due consideration to the views and opinions of all stakeholders before exercising his discretion.
- Promoting cooperative federalism: There should be a greater emphasis on promoting cooperative federalism, where the Centre, states, and governors work together in a spirit of collaboration and cooperation, while ensuring the protection of the Constitution and the rights of all citizens.
Conclusion
- The framers of the Constitution would never have imagined that Governors would sit on Bills indefinitely without exercising any of the options given in Article 200. This is a new development which needs new solutions within the framework of the Constitution. So, it falls to the Supreme Court to fix a reasonable time frame for Governors to take a decision on a Bill passed by the Assembly in the larger interest of federalism in the country.
Mains question
- Passing a resolution by the Assembly requesting the President of India to ensure that the Governor functions within the Constitution is a new constitutional development. In the light of the statement discuss the constitutionality of role of Governor in withholding assent to a bill passed by a state legislature. Suggest a way for this legal battle.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Urea, NBS, Neem Coated Urea
Mains level: Fertilizer overuse and related issues
Central idea
- Rising urea consumption: The use of urea has continued to increase, leading to a decline in crop yield response to fertiliser use, and an imbalance in the nutrient application.
- Unbalanced fertilization: The nutrient-based subsidy regime is a failure in promoting balanced fertilization.
- Several measures failed: The measures introduced by the Indian government to reduce urea consumption, such as neem-coating, smaller bags, and Nano Urea, have not been successful.
Do You Know?
The ideal NPK use ratio for the country is 4:2:1, whereas it was 6.5:2.8:1 in 2020-21 and 7.7:3.1:1 in 2021-22. In the recent 2022 kharif season, the ratio got further distorted to 12.8:5.1:1.
What is Urea?
- Urea is a commonly used nitrogen-containing fertiliser that provides crops with the necessary nutrients for growth and development.
- It is a white, crystalline solid that is soluble in water and has a high nitrogen content, with around 46% nitrogen by weight.
- Urea is made from ammonia and carbon dioxide and is used extensively in agriculture due to its high nitrogen content and affordability.
- It is a major source of nitrogen for crops, and when applied in the right amounts, it can improve crop yields and increase overall agricultural productivity.
Urea usage in India
Policy moves related to Urea
The introduction of these measures was aimed at reducing urea consumption in the country.
- Neem-coated urea: In May 2015, the Indian government mandated the neem-coating of all urea manufactured in the country as well as imported urea to illegal diversion for non-agricultural use.
- Reduced size: Later, in March 2018, the government replaced 50-kg urea bags with 45-kg bags.
- Liquid Nano Urea: Recently, in June 2021, the Indian Farmers’ Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) launched a liquid fertiliser called ‘Nano Urea’.
Ineffectiveness of the above measures
- Despite the introduction of these measures, urea consumption in the country has not decreased.
- In fact, sales of urea crossed a record 35.7 million tonnes (mt) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023.
- Although consumption dipped in the initial two years after neem-coating was fully enforced, it reversed from 2018-19.
Failure of the nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) regime
- The government introduced the nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) regime in April 2010.
- The regime fixed a per-kg subsidy for each fertiliser nutrient – nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potash (K), and sulphur (S).
- The aim was to promote balanced fertilisation and discourage farmers from applying too much urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and muriate of potash (MOP).
- However, the data shows that nutrient imbalance has worsened, with urea consumption rising by over a third since 2009-10.
- Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) has declined from 48.2% in 1962-63 to 34.7% in 2018.
Cost of overdose fertilization
- Fertilisers are essential for plant growth and grain yield, but the overuse of urea and other fertilisers has led to an imbalance in nutrient application.
- Crop yield response to fertiliser use has decreased, with the disproportionate application of nitrogen by farmers being a key reason.
- Recent research has shown that nitrogen use efficiency has declined in India, making it necessary to promote the use of other fertilisers containing different nutrients.
Way forward
To address the issue of rising urea consumption, two approaches can be adopted.
- Disincentivise: The first is to raise prices, but this is not politically feasible.
- Improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE): One way to achieve this is to make the incorporation of urease and nitrification inhibitors compulsory in urea.
Some other potential solutions include:
- Promoting the use of organic fertilisers: Such as compost and manure, can improve soil health and reduce the need for synthetic fertilisers. This can also reduce the risk of environmental pollution and improve the sustainability of agriculture.
- Encouraging precision agriculture: Such as soil testing, can help farmers apply fertilisers in the right amounts and at the right time, reducing wastage and increasing nutrient use efficiency.
- Promoting crop rotation and intercropping: Planting different crops in rotation or together can help maintain soil fertility and reduce the need for synthetic fertilisers.
- Increasing public awareness and education: Educating farmers and the public on the importance of sustainable fertiliser use and the potential risks of overusing synthetic fertilisers can help promote more sustainable agricultural practices.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Op Kaveri
Mains level: Not Much
India has launched “Operation Kaveri” to evacuate its citizens from war-torn Sudan.
What is Operation Kaveri?
- It is the recent series of evacuations held by India over the last few years to rescue its nationals in crisis-hit countries. India rescued its nationals last year from war-hit Ukraine and Afghanistan.
- The operation was launched in response to the conflict and breakdown of essential services in Sudan that had brought the country to a standstill.
- India has positioned two transport aircraft of the IAF in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah and a naval ship at a key port in Sudan as part of its contingency plans to evacuate its stranded nationals.
Behind the name ‘Kaveri’
- The choice of naming this operation as ‘Operation Kaveri’ has a lot of significance.
- Kaveri is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- The river is sacred to the people of the region and is worshipped as the Goddess Kaveriamma (mother Kaveri).
- Rivers reach their destination irrespective of barriers. It’s like a mother who will ensure she will bring her children back to safety.
About Sudan
- Sudan is a country located in North Africa, bordered by Egypt to the north, Libya to the northwest, Chad to the west, the Central African Republic to the southwest, South Sudan to the south, Ethiopia to the southeast, and Eritrea to the east.
- It is the third-largest country in Africa and has a diverse population of around 43 million people.
- According to the World Bank, around 46% of the population lives below the poverty line, and many Sudanese people struggle to access basic services such as healthcare, education, and clean water.
What is the crisis all about?
- Sudan is facing a crisis due to fighting between two rival military factions.
- The conflict involves the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
- The fighting began in April 2022 after tensions rose following the coup that saw the two factions topple a civilian government in October 2021.
- The conflict began when an internationally-backed plan to launch a new transition with civilian parties was floated.
- Under the plan, both the army and the RSF had to cede power, but two issues were contentious: the formal placing of the army under civilian oversight and the timetable for the RSF to be integrated into the regular armed forces.
Global Implications of the Conflict
- The volatile region, which borders the Red Sea, the Sahel, and the Horn of Africa, could be destabilized if the fighting continues.
- The conflict in Sudan has the potential to cause a refugee crisis, with people fleeing the country to escape the violence and instability.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Vibrant Village Programme
Mains level: Not Much
The Centre’s Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) which aims to develop infrastructure and open up villages to tourists along the China border will be integrated with the Gati Shakti Mega Project.
What is Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP)?
- Under the VVP, the selected villages will be provided with basic facilities like all-weather roads, potable piped water, 24×7 electricity, good mobile and internet connectivity, healthcare, and enhanced livelihood options.
- The VVP aims to prevent migration of border population, catalyze reverse migration, and keep all villages along the LAC well-populated from the strategic and security point of view.
Villages selected
- Kibithoo, one of the remotest circle headquarters of Arunachal Pradesh, is the first village to be developed under the VVP.
- The villages will also serve as the Indian Army’s eyes and ears in these remote areas.
- 2,967 villages in 19 border districts of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh will be developed under the VVP, with 662 villages being developed in the first phase of the project.
Components
- The VVP programme involves a number of livelihood programmes, including bee-keeping, improving agricultural yields, encouraging handicrafts and local products, and providing market linkages to them.
- The programme also focuses on promoting high-end tourism and training local people to cater to tourists.
- Provision of 24×7 power through micro-hydel power plants, solar power panels, and windmills is also a vital component of the programme.
Impact
- The development of border villages under the VVP will help provide a better livelihood for the locals, improve the quality of life and prevent migration from these remote areas.
- It will also help in gathering intelligence from the people of border villages and provide the Indian Army with better access to these areas.
Comparison with China’s Model
- India’s Vibrant Village Programme (VVP) is people-centric and aims to enhance the quality of life of the locals.
- China’s Xiaokang villages lack proper planning for providing livelihood opportunities, healthcare and education facilities, and proper transportation.
- Beijing’s aim of keeping civilian residents of these villages as watchful eyes over activities across the LAC and on Indian Army patrols has been negated.
- Most of the villages now serve as residential quarters and logistical facilities for the PLA.
- India’s VVP scores over China’s building of new Xiaokang villages as it has a holistic approach to development.
Why merged with Gati Shakti?
- Gati Shakti brings 16 ministries, including Railways and Roadways, together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.
- It allows government departments to break operational silos.
- By integrating VVP with Gati Shakti, there can be better coordination between various ministries and departments to ensure the smooth implementation of the programme and to avoid any duplication of efforts.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Malaria
Mains level: Read the attached story
Malaria is all set to become a notifiable disease across India, which will require cases to be reported to government authorities by law.
About Malaria
|
Description |
| Definition |
A potentially life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes |
| Causes |
Four species of plasmodium parasites, namely plasmodium vivax, plasmodium falciparum, plasmodium malariae, and plasmodium ovale |
| Spread |
Bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes |
| Symptoms |
Fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting |
| Diagnosis |
Blood test |
| Treatment |
Antimalarial drugs |
| Prevention |
Insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor residual spraying, wearing protective clothing, using mosquito repellent, avoiding mosquito bites |
| Vaccine |
RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix) |
Why in news?
- The move is part of India’s vision to become malaria-free by 2027 and to eliminate the disease by 2030.
Menace of malaria in India
- In India, 80% of malaria cases occur among 20% of its population living in the 200 high-risk districts of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal and the seven north-eastern states.
- With only fewer than half of those infected reaching a clinic or hospital, the cases and deaths are much higher than recorded.
What is Notifiable Disease?
- A notifiable disease is a disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities.
- In India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare maintains a list of notifiable diseases under the National Health Mission.
- This is done to track the spread of the disease and to take necessary measures to control and prevent its spread.
- Reporting notifiable diseases is important for public health surveillance and response to outbreaks.
Malaria as a Notifiable Disease
- Malaria is currently a notifiable disease in 33 states and Union Territories in India.
- Bihar, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Meghalaya are in the process of putting malaria in the notifiable disease category.
Other measures to curb malaria
- Malaria Elimination Programme: The government has launched the National Framework for Malaria Elimination in India 2016-2030 to eliminate malaria from the country by 2030.
- Joint Action Plan: The Health Ministry has initiated a joint action plan with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for malaria elimination in tribal areas. This plan aims to bring down malaria cases to zero in tribal areas, which are among the most vulnerable to the disease.
- HIP-Malaria Portal: The Ministry has ensured the availability of near-real-time data monitoring through an integrated health information platform and periodic regional review meetings to keep a check on malaria growth across India.
Vaccines developed so far
- The WHO has approved the rollout of two first-generation malaria vaccines, RTS,S and R21, in high-transmission African countries.
- Bharat Biotech, an Indian company, has been licensed to manufacture the RTS,S vaccine, with adjuvant provided by GSK.
- The R21 vaccine, developed by scientists at Oxford University, has shown promising results in phase 2 clinical studies and has been approved by regulatory authorities in Ghana and Nigeria.
- Scientists at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in New Delhi have developed and produced two experimental blood-stage malaria vaccines, with Phase I clinical trials completed for one of them.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Updates on India Japan Intellectual dialogues
Mains level: India Japan and Bangladesh ties , opportunities and challenges and the role of North east India
Central Idea
- The third India-Japan Intellectual Dialogue hosted by the Asian Confluence (ASCON), Tripura, was an ideal opportunity to assess the evolving thinking of experts and policymakers. It showed that the current decade may produce path-breaking changes in the northeast, bringing the troika of Bangladesh, India and Japan closer.
Significant changes in the North East India
- The region comprising India’s eight northeastern States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim) is undergoing dramatic change.
- It has overcome several (but not all) security challenges and is now heading toward economic development.
- Political changes have been helpful. So is the extensive web of linkages with neighbouring Bangladesh. Besides, Japan has emerged as a significant development partner for both India and Bangladesh.
Japan’s historical ties with the North Eastern region of India
- Cultural ties: There are deep cultural ties between the North Eastern region of India and Japan, with Buddhism being a common thread that binds the two regions.
- World War II: The North Eastern region of India played a crucial role in World War II, with the Battle of Imphal and Kohima considered to be turning points in the war. The Japanese army had advanced into the region and fought fiercely against the Allied forces.
- Post-Independence: After India gained independence, the North Eastern region remained largely isolated from the rest of the country. However, in the 1950s, the Indian government started building roads and infrastructure to connect the region with the rest of the country. Japan also played a role in the region’s development, with its assistance in building the Dimapur-Imphal highway.
- Economic ties: In recent years, there has been a growing focus on economic ties between the North Eastern region of India and Japan. Japan has been investing in infrastructure projects in the region, such as the Guwahati water supply project and the Northeast Road Network Connectivity Improvement Project.
- Connectivity: Improved connectivity between the North Eastern region of India and Japan is seen as a key factor in strengthening the historical ties between the two regions. There have been talks of establishing a direct flight between Guwahati and Tokyo to enhance connectivity.
What is Asian Confluence?
- The Asian Confluence is a think tank and cultural centre based in Shillong, Meghalaya, India.
- It was established in 2012 with the aim of promoting and strengthening cultural and economic ties between the Northeastern region of India and the countries of Southeast Asia.
- The centre seeks to facilitate dialogue and collaboration between academics, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and civil society groups from across the region, with a particular focus on issues related to connectivity, trade, investment, and tourism.
- The Asian Confluence hosts a variety of events, including conferences, seminars, workshops, and cultural programs, that bring together experts and stakeholders from different fields to discuss and explore opportunities for collaboration and cooperation.
- In addition to promoting economic and cultural ties, the centre also seeks to foster a sense of community and shared identity among the diverse peoples of the region.
- Matarbari Deep Sea Port: The development of the Matarbari Deep Sea Port in Bangladesh, with Japanese assistance, is expected to be a game changer for the region. To be optimally viable, the port will have to cater to the needs of Bangladesh and India’s northeast, serving a population of 220 million.
- Competitive advantage: The creation of regional industrial value chains and rapid industrialization in sectors where the northeast has a competitive advantage will be crucial to ensure that the new connectivity links are fully utilized and productive.
- Natural resources and strategic location: The region’s natural resources and strategic location make it an attractive destination for investors in diverse sectors such as agro-processing, man-made fibers, handicrafts, assembly of two-wheelers, mobile phones, and pharmaceuticals.
What are the Challenges?
- Insufficient investment: Japan as a single investor in the northeast is unworkable. Indian companies must also invest, and India needs to ease restrictions on the flow of investments from Bangladesh.
- Security challenges: While the northeastern region has overcome several security challenges, not all of them have been addressed.
- Infrastructure connectivity: While Bangladesh and India have made progress in restoring pre-1965 infrastructure connectivity, other countries in the region need to reciprocate with similar connectivity initiatives.
- Environmental concerns: As industrialization and development take place, there is a need to ensure that environmental concerns are addressed and sustainability is prioritized.
- Lack of attention to BIMSTEC: When issues of regional cooperation and integration are discussed, scant attention seems to be paid to the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), which is self-defeating.
What measures should be taken?
- Limited policy convergence: Policy convergence must be expanded to address challenges in the region.
- Need for closer linkages: The three governments of Bangladesh, India, and Japan should forge closer linkages of economic cooperation.
- Investment: Indian companies need to invest in the northeast along with Japanese companies. India should also ease restrictions on the flow of investments from Bangladesh.
- Infrastructure connectivity: Bangladesh facilitated much connectivity with India and now needs reciprocity from other countries, particularly India, so that it is better connected with other neighbors, including Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
- Need for leadership: The goal of connecting a large part of South Asia with Southeast Asia requires an astute pilot. This leadership can come from the triad of Bangladesh, India, and Japan.
Conclusion
- The triad of Bangladesh, India, and Japan (BIJ) can provide astute leadership in connecting a large part of South Asia with Southeast Asia. A BIJ Forum should be launched at the level of Foreign Ministers, a move that will be welcomed in the northeast. The three governments should forge closer linkages of economic cooperation.
Mains Question
Q. Highlight the role and the potential of North east India for bringing in the troika of Bangladesh, India and Japan closer?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: India's population trends
Mains level: India's population growth analysis and a way ahead
Central Idea
- India’s projected transition as the most populous country from China by mid-2023 presents opportunities for demographic advantage, but also requires focusing on the available demographic dividend. The population growth, size, and composition must be viewed from an empirical and scientific perspective to understand whether it is a dividend or a disaster.
India’s Population Projection
- A UN report released on recently has provided the first official confirmation that India’s population is expected to surpass that of China by the middle of this year at the latest.
- The annual State of World Population report by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has pegged India’s mid-2023 population at 142.86 crore, marginally ahead of China’s 142.57 crore, which is 2.9 million higher than China’s population
What is State of World Population Report?
- The report is an annual report published by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which provides a global overview of population trends and issues.
- The report covers a wide range of topics related to the population, such as fertility, mortality, migration, family planning, and gender equality.
- It also includes analysis and recommendations for policymakers and governments to address population challenges and promote sustainable development.
- The report is widely regarded as a key reference for researchers, policymakers, and international organizations working on population and development issues.
How India’s Population growth can be a resource?
- A larger workforce: A growing population means a larger workforce, which, if trained and employed, can contribute to economic growth and development.
- Domestic market: A larger population can create a larger domestic market, which can drive economic growth by increasing demand for goods and services.
- Innovation and technological advancements: A larger population can provide a greater pool of knowledge and expertise, and a more diverse range of perspectives and ideas, which can lead to innovation and technological advancements.
- Investment in infrastructure: Population growth can create opportunities for investment in infrastructure, education, and health, which can further stimulate economic development.
- Cultural richness: A larger population can lead to cultural richness and diversity. With a diverse population comes a range of languages, traditions, and cultural practices, which can contribute to a vibrant and dynamic society.
- Diplomatic influence: A larger population can give a country greater diplomatic influence on the world stage. As one of the world’s most populous countries, India has significant diplomatic influence and can use its demographic size as a bargaining tool in international negotiations.
How India’s Population growth can be a Burden?
- Strain on resources: A growing population can put a strain on natural resources, such as water, food, and energy. This can lead to environmental degradation, scarcity, and conflict.
- Unemployment: A larger population can create a mismatch between the supply and demand of jobs, leading to high unemployment rates, particularly among young people
- Poverty: Population growth can exacerbate poverty, particularly in rural areas and among marginalized communities. This can create social and economic inequality and limit access to education, healthcare, and other basic needs.
- Overcrowding: A larger population can lead to overcrowding, particularly in urban areas. This can create poor living conditions, increased pollution, and health hazards.
- Infrastructure: A growing population can put a strain on infrastructure, such as transportation, housing, and sanitation. This can lead to inadequate services and poor living conditions.
- Health: A larger population can increase the spread of disease and illness, particularly in areas with poor healthcare infrastructure. This can lead to public health crises and decreased life expectancy.
- Education: Population growth can put a strain on education systems, particularly in terms of providing quality education to all. This can limit social and economic mobility and contribute to inequality.
- Migration: A larger population can lead to migration, particularly to urban areas, which can create social and economic challenges, such as increased crime rates and inequality.
- Replacement level fertility: With total fertility rate of 2.0 in 2023, India is already at replacement level fertility, meaning two children replacing their parents. This indicates that the population is on a path toward stabilisation.
- Negative growth: India continues to experience positive growth, but in a decelerated mode until 2064, from which point it will become negative growth. The peak of India’s population size will be around 169.6 crore in 2063.
- Working age population: Looking at the population composition of India, there are greater prospects for demographic dividend than a disaster. With 68% of the working age population in 2023, the country continues to have a demographic window of opportunity for the next 35 years to reap an economic dividend
Facts for prelims
Fertility Decline
- According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS), fertility rate falling below the replacement level for the first time to 2.0 in 2021.dropped from 2.2 to 2.0.
- Only five States have a fertility rate above the replacement rate: Bihar (3), Meghalaya (2.9), Uttar Pradesh (2.4), Jharkhand (2.3), and Manipur (2.2)
- At the time of Independence, India’s fertility rate was six per woman, and it had taken 25 years to reach five, with the government launching the first ever family planning program in the world in 1952.
- India’s fertility further declined to four in the 1990s when Kerala became the first State in India to have a fertility rate below replacement l
- Increased use of contraception, more years of average schooling, better health care, and an increase in the mean marriage age of women are of the reasons behind the steady dip in fertility rate.
|
Mechanism to translate a demographic bonus to economic dividend
- There are four key mechanisms that translate a demographic bonus to economic dividend:
- Employment, 2. Education and skills, 3. Health conditions, and 4. Governance.
- Job creation, education, skills generation, and ensuring a healthy lifespan are important channels that translate demographic opportunity into economic gains.
- Good governance, reflected through conscientious policies, is another essential aspect for reaping demographic dividend.
Way ahead: India’s Demographic opportunity
- India’s relatively younger population provides higher support ratios, with lesser disease, disability, and caring burden.
- India has the potential to become a worldwide market for both production and consumption, with lower manufacturing costs due to a relatively cheaper workforce.
- Available demographic opportunity in the form of a greater share of the working age population has the potential to boost per capita GDP by an additional 43% by 2061.
- However, a total fertility rate of less than 1.8 may not be economically beneficial for India, and population control methods run the risk of inducing forced population aging.
Conclusion
- While India’s demographic transition presents opportunities for demographic advantage, it must focus on reaping the available demographic dividend. The composition of India’s population presents prospects for demographic dividends, but certain mechanisms must be employed to translate demographic opportunity into economic gains. Policies that support an enabling environment that can provide high-quality education, good healthcare, respectable employment opportunities, good infrastructure, and gender empowerment are essential.
Mains Question
Q. India is set to surpass China as the most populous country in the mid 2023. This presents India an opportunity and a challenge of population growth. Analyze and suggest a way ahead to harness the potential of its working age population.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Food security measures, India's millets mission
Mains level: India-UAE food security partnership nad benefits
Central Idea
- The UAE, heavily dependent on food imports, has set the goal of achieving food access and supply chain crisis readiness. India is a key partner in the UAE’s efforts to strengthen food security, given India’s status as the world’s second-largest food producer. The India-UAE food security partnership stands to benefit from multiple points of convergence.
India’s Capabilities in the Global Agri-Export Market
- Global agri-export powerhouse: India has become a global agri-export powerhouse thanks to its vast arable land, favourable climate, and growing food production and processing sector
- India’s role in global food security: India has demonstrated its evolving role in advancing regional and global food security by serving as a humanitarian provider of food to developing countries
- Global food marketplace: India has invested in massive food parks and placed its food sector to benefit from bilateral trade agreements, reflecting a strong and sustained intent to make the most of its agri-capabilities in the global food marketplace
- World’s largest food subsidy programme: India runs the world’s largest food subsidy programme, the Public Distribution System, providing nearly 800 million citizens with subsidised grains for daily, affordable meals
- POSHAN Abhiyaan: India’s Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition (POSHAN) Abhiyaan is the world’s largest nutrition programme for children and women
- 3 C’s for instance: India promotes the consumption and farming of millets as part of its G-20 presidency, demonstrating its resilience focus to address the three Cs of Covid, Conflict, and Climate issues pernicious to food security in India and across the globe
Facts for prelims: Food security measures
| Scheme |
Description |
Target Beneficiaries |
| Public Distribution System (PDS) |
World’s largest food subsidy program providing subsidized grains to nearly 800 million citizens |
BPL (Below Poverty Line) and APL (Above Poverty Line) families |
| National Food Security Act (NFSA) |
Provides legal entitlement to subsidized food grains to two-thirds of India’s population |
Priority households and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households |
| Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) |
Provides cooked meals to children in primary and upper primary schools |
Children in primary and upper primary schools |
| Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme |
Provides supplementary nutrition to children under six years of age, pregnant women, and lactating mothers |
Children under six years of age, pregnant women, and lactating mothers |
| Annapurna Scheme |
Provides 10 kg of food grains per month free of cost to senior citizens who are not covered under the NFSA or PDS |
Senior citizens who are not covered under the NFSA or PDS |
| Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition (POSHAN) Abhiyaan |
World’s largest nutrition program for children and women |
Children under six years of age, pregnant women, and lactating mothers |
| Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) |
Provides free food grains to around 80 crore beneficiaries for a period of 8 months to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 |
Migrant workers, urban and rural poor, and other vulnerable groups |
| Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) |
Provides highly subsidized food grains to the poorest of the poor families identified by the government |
Poorest of the poor families identified by the government |
The India-UAE Food Security Partnership
- UAE’s Commitment to Food Security: The UAE is focusing on the twin objectives of food access and readiness to confront supply chain crises
- Food corridor: The food corridor could potentially commence a route for foods made and processed in India, beginning their outbound journey on the Indian coast of the Arabian Sea, passing through the UAE, and towards major international markets
- Agri-trade for India: The corridor stands to emerge as a world-class template of successful agri-trade for India, while also unlocking greater productivity, efficiency, and growth for its millions of workers and employees
- Boost to food processing sector: The UAE’s private sector projects spanning its agricultural and food processing sector will generate lakhs of non-farm agri-jobs while enabling farmers to discover better prices for their products.
- Diversified pathways to the global marketplace: Bolstered by the UAE’s infrastructural capabilities, India’s agricultural products will have more resilient and diversified pathways to the global marketplace
Facts for prelims
Millet production and food security
- Largest producer: India is the largest producer of millet in the world with a share of 41% in 2020, as per FAO. Nine types are grown as kharif crops in over 20 States in the country.
- Major millets include: finger millet (ragi or mandua), pearl millet (bajra) and sorghum (jowar) and minor millets include foxtail millet (kangani or kakun), barnyard millet (sawa or sanwa, jhangora), little millet (kutki), kodo millet (kodon), proso millet (cheena) and browntop millet.
- Leading producers: Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are leading producers.
- India is also among the top five exporters: India exported millets worth $64.28 million in 2021-22 and $59.75 million in 2020-21, according to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority.
|
In depth: The Benefits of India-UAE food security partnership for India and the UAE
For India
- Investment in Food Parks: During the I2U2 summit in July 2020, the UAE committed $2 billion in investment towards constructing food parks in India. This investment will generate lakhs of non-farm agri-jobs, while enabling farmers to discover better prices for their products.
- Access to Global Markets: The food security corridor established on the sidelines of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with logistics partner DP World takes forward India’s envisioned presence on the global food value chain, beyond the UAE. The corridor has the potential to establish a route for foods made and processed in India, beginning their outbound journey on the Indian coast of the Arabian Sea, passing through the UAE, and towards major international markets.
- Direct Access to UAE’s Food Ecosystem: The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, the UAE’s largest free trade zone, launched Agriota, an agri-trading and commodity platform to link Indian farmers to food companies in the UAE. This platform will give millions of Indian farmers the opportunity to directly reach out to the entirety of the UAE’s food ecosystem (processing companies, traders, wholesalers) and stock their products in Emirati stores.
- Infrastructure Development: Several UAE-based companies have expressed interest in constructing a supporting logistics and infrastructure pipeline to accelerate trade and reinforce the food corridor. A consortium of UAE-based entities are investing up to $7 billion in mega food parks, contract farming, and the sourcing of agro-commodities in India. This initiative will include mega food parks, logistics and warehouse hubs, and fruits and vegetable hubs, which will bolster India’s agricultural products’ resilient and diversified pathways to the global marketplace.
For UAE
- Diversification of food reserves: UAE heavily relies on food imports to feed its population. The partnership with India will help UAE diversify its food reserves and reduce its dependence on a few countries for its food security.
- Strategic location: UAE’s strategic location between Asia and Europe can be leveraged to serve as India’s food export gateway to West Asia and Africa region, and beyond. This could enhance the UAE’s position as a hub for food trade in the region.
- Investment opportunities: The partnership could open up investment opportunities for UAE-based companies to invest in India’s food and agriculture sector, including mega food parks, contract farming, and sourcing of agro-commodities.
- Better access to Indian products: The partnership could give UAE better access to India’s diversified agri-produce, enabling them to benefit from India’s large and growing food production and processing sector.
- Infrastructural capabilities: The UAE’s infrastructural capabilities could strengthen India’s agricultural products’ pathways to the global marketplace, providing more resilient and diversified routes to the global food value chain.
Value addition box
India’s efforts to promote millet:
- The Union government promoted millets under the Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion (INSIMP), as a sub-scheme of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) between 2011 and 2014.
- In the following years, NITI Aayog worked on a framework to introduce millets under the public distribution system for nutritional support.
- The government declared 2018 as the ‘national year of millets’ to trigger an increase in demand.
- The programme under INSIMP was merged with the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) as NFSM-Coarse Cereals and implemented in 14 States. Several States led separate missions to promote millets.
- In 2021, the Centre approved the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) and advised State governments to include millets in the midday meal menu to enhance the nutritional outcome.
- India’s efforts to promote the consumption and production of millet got a boost when the UNGA accepted the country’s proposal and dedicated 2023 to spreading awareness about these grains. It is instrumental for PM’s vision to make IYM 2023 a people’s movement and positioning India as the ‘global hub for millets’.
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Conclusion
- The India-UAE food security partnership stands to benefit both countries, and the collaboration between the two nations can offer solutions to address food security issues in the Global South. With the UAE’s infrastructural capabilities and India’s agricultural capabilities, the partnership can create diversified pathways to the global marketplace, generate non-farm agri-jobs, and enable farmers to receive better prices for their products.
Mains Question
Q. Explain the India-UAE food security partnership and enumerate the mutual benefit of the food security partnership.
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