Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: SAI20 engagement group and India’s presidency
Mains level: SAI20 and CAG's leadership and sustainable economic growth
Central Idea
- Under India’s presidency, the G20 leaders will be focusing on collective progress, equity, and inclusive growth, with the summit theme of One Earth, One Family, One Future. India’s commitment to green development, circular economy, and lifestyle behavior changes aim to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) will chair SAI20, the Engagement Group for Supreme Audit Institutions (SAls) of G20 countries in Goa in June.
Top Priority areas for SAI20 deliberations Under India’s presidency
- The Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) will chair SAI20 in Goa in June this year.
- Two priority areas have been selected for SAI20 deliberation:
- Blue economy
- Responsible Artificial Intelligence
What is SAI20?
- SAI20 stands for Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of G20 countries.
- It is a forum where SAIs from G20 countries can engage with each other to share their experiences and expertise in auditing public policies and governance practices.
- The group meets annually to discuss important issues related to public auditing and to develop joint initiatives to promote good governance and accountability in their respective countries.
What is Blue Economy?
- Blue Economy is defined by the World Bank as the Sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ecosystem.
- Gunter Pauli’s book, The Blue Economy: 10 years, 100 innovations, 100 million jobs” (2010) brought the Blue Economy concept into prominence.
- The UN first introduced blue economy at a conference in 2012 and underlined sustainable management, based on the argument that marine ecosystems are more productive when they are healthy. In fact, the UN notes that the Blue Economy is exactly what is needed to implement SDG 14, Life Below Water.
- The term ‘blue economy’ includes not only ocean-dependent economic development but also inclusive social development and environmental and ecological security.
Key functions and significance of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs)
- Independent audits: SAIs conduct independent audits of government finances and operations to ensure that public funds are being used in accordance with the law, and that government agencies are operating effectively and efficiently.
- Promoting transparency and accountability: SAIs promotes transparency and accountability by making audit reports publicly available, and by providing information to the public about government spending and operations.
- Improving governance: By identifying weaknesses and inefficiencies in government operations, SAIs can help to improve governance and promote more effective use of public resources.
- Supporting the legislative branch: SAIs supports the legislative branch by providing information and analysis that can help lawmakers make informed decisions about government programs and policies.
- Ensuring compliance with laws and regulations: SAIs ensure compliance with laws and regulations by reviewing government operations and financial statements to ensure that they comply with applicable laws and regulations.
- Fostering international cooperation: Through international organizations such as the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), SAIs collaborates and share best practices with their counterparts in other countries to promote good governance and accountability globally.
Facts for prelims
What is Compendium of Asset Accounts of Natural Resources?
- The Compendium of Asset Accounts of Natural Resources is a comprehensive report prepared by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in line with the United Nations system of Environmental and Economic Accounts.
- It is the first-ever country-wide compendium of natural resource accounting methodologies and provides a guide for the Indian government to utilize natural resources optimally.
- The report covers various aspects of natural resources such as forests, minerals, water, and land, and includes accounts of physical quantities, values, and transactions related to these resources.
- The main objective of the compendium is to improve the management of natural resources and promote sustainable development.
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How CAG can lead the SAI20 engagement group?
- Setting the agenda: The CAG can set the agenda for SAI20 deliberations, identifying priority areas for discussion and ensuring that they align with the broader goals of the G20 and the United Nations.
- Providing technical expertise: The CAG can provide technical expertise in auditing and public finance management, which can help other SAIs in the group to develop their capacity and improve their performance.
- Developing audit toolkits: The CAG can take the lead in developing audit toolkits, which can help SAIs in the group to assess development in coastal stretches, track marine water quality, and promote sustainable development.
- Building consensus: The CAG can work towards building consensus among SAIs in the group, promoting constructive dialogue and agreement on how to improve auditing of performance in specific areas of ocean-based activities.
- Strengthening accountability: The CAG can use SAI20 to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance in ocean-based activities, which can help ensure that economic growth benefits are shared fairly across generations.
Conclusion
- The toolkits being prepared by SAI20 under the leadership of the CAG of India will be presented at the SAI20 Engagement Group meet, which will provide a unique opportunity for constructive dialogue and agreement to improve auditing of performance in specific areas of ocean-based activities. This collaborative effort would not only build capacity for auditors across SAI20 member countries but also help regional auditing communities by providing a common and replicable auditing tool.
Mains Question
Q. The Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) will chair SAI20 (Supreme Audit Institutions) of G20 countries this year. In this light discuss the role of SAI 20 and How CAG can lead the engagement group for sustainable economic growth?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NOTTO
Mains level: Liberalizing organ transplant rules in India
Central Idea: The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) is working on a transplant manual as a step-by-step guide for the implementation of organ donation and transplantation programmes in hospitals and a standard course for training transplant coordinators.
Organ transplant in India: Key statistics
- According to data accessed from the Health Ministry, the number of organ transplants has increased by over three times from 4,990 in 2013 to 15,561 in 2022.
- Of the 15,561 transplants, a majority — 12,791 (82%) — are from live donors and 2,765 (18%) are from cadavers (the dead).
- Up to 11,423 of the 15,561 organ transplants are for the kidney, followed by liver (766), heart (250), lung (138), pancreas (24) and small bowel transplants (3).
- Most of these transplants occur in private hospitals, the numbers in government hospitals are relatively lower.
About National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP)
- In 2019, the GoI implemented the NOTP for promoting deceased organ donation.
- Organ donation in India is regulated by the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994.
Types of Organ Donations
- The law allows both deceased and living donors to donate their organs.
- It also identifies brain death as a form of death.
- Living donors must be over 18 years of age and are limited to donating only to their immediate blood relatives or, in some special cases, out of affection and attachment towards the recipient.
(1) Deceased donors:
- They may donate six life-saving organs: kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, and intestine.
- Uterus transplant is also performed, but it is not regarded as a life-saving organ.
- Organs and tissues from a person declared legally dead can be donated after consent from the family has been obtained.
- Brainstem death is also recognized as a form of death in India, as in many other countries.
- After a natural cardiac death, organs that can be donated are cornea, bone, skin, and blood vessels, whereas after brainstem death about 37 different organs and tissues can be donated, including the above six life-saving organs
(2) Living donors:
They are permitted to donate the following:
- one of their kidneys
- portion of pancreas
- part of the liver
Features of the NOTP
- Under the NOTP a National Level Tissue Bank (Biomaterial Centre) for storing tissues has been established at National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO), New Delhi.
- Further, under the NOTP, a provision has also been made for providing financial support to the States for setting up of Bio-material centre.
- As of now a Regional Bio-material centre has been established at Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (ROTTO), Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
More moves for facilitation: Green Corridors
- Studies have suggested that the chances of transplantation being successful are enhanced by reducing the time delay between harvest and transplant of the organ.
- Therefore, the transportation of the organ is a critical factor. For this purpose, “green corridors” have been created in many parts of India.
- A “green corridor” refers to a route that is cleared out for an ambulance carrying the harvested organs to ensure its delivery at the destination in the shortest time possible.
Recent amendments
(1) No Age Bar
- Now an individual of any age can register for organ transplant.
- People beyond 65 years in need of an organ donation will also be eligible to get one.
- The government has decided to do away with a clause in the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) guidelines as the clause violates the Right to Life.
(2) Doing away with domicile compulsion
- Earlier an organ recipient could register for a prospective transplant in domicile State.
- States like Gujarat had made it mandatory for registered patients to furnish a domicile certificate to be eligible for a transplant.
- In November last year, the Gujarat High Court quashed the discriminatory policy of the State government.
About NOTTO
National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) is a national level organization set up under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- National Human Organ and Tissue Removal and Storage Network
- National Biomaterial Centre (National Tissue Bank)
[I] National Human Organ and Tissue Removal and Storage Network
- This has been mandated as per the Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act 2011.
- The network will be established initially for Delhi and gradually expanded to include other States and Regions of the country.
- Thus, this division of the NOTTO is the nodal networking agency for Delhi and shall network for Procurement Allocation and Distribution of Organs and Tissues in Delhi.
- It functions as apex centre for All India activities of coordination and networking for procurement and distribution of Organs and Tissues and registry of Organs and Tissues Donation and Transplantation in the country.
[II] National Biomaterial Centre (National Tissue Bank)
- The Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act 2011 has included the component of tissue donation and registration of tissue Banks.
- It becomes imperative under the changed circumstances to establish National level Tissue Bank to fulfill the demands of tissue transplantation including activities for procurement, storage and fulfil distribution of biomaterials.
- The main thrust & objective of establishing the centre is to fill up the gap between ‘Demand’ and ‘Supply’ as well as ‘Quality Assurance’ in the availability of various tissues.
The centre will take care of the following Tissue allografts:
- Bone and bone products
- Skin graft
- Cornea
- Heart valves and vessels
Various issues involved
- Lack of awareness: Lack of awareness leads to myths and misconceptions about organ donation, which further discourages people from donating organs.
- Religious and cultural beliefs: Some religious and cultural beliefs view organ donation as a desecration of the body, which hinders organ donation.
- Lack of infrastructure: India faces a shortage of medical infrastructure and facilities for organ donation.
- Legal and regulatory challenges: India’s organ donation system is heavily regulated by the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994.
- Socioeconomic factors: Poverty and lack of education can lead to reduced access to information and medical services, making it difficult for people to donate organs.
- Organized crime: Organized criminal networks involved in organ trafficking and commercialization also create challenges for organ donation in India.
- Stigma and Discrimination: Stigma against organ recipients, particularly those who receive transplants from other communities or castes, is also a challenge in promoting organ donation in India.
Way forward
- Developing a National Organ and Tissue Donation Registry: The registry could maintain a database of donors and recipients, along with their medical history and compatibility information.
- Setting up Mobile Organ Donation Units: These units could be equipped with medical personnel and equipment to conduct donation procedures in remote areas.
- Crowdfunding for Organ Transplant Surgeries: This could be used as a means to raise funds for organ transplant surgeries, especially for underprivileged individuals who cannot afford the cost of treatment.
- Promoting Living Donor Transplants: Living donor transplants can help increase the number of organs available for transplantation.
- Incentivizing for Organ Donation: Incentives could be introduced to encourage more people to donate organs. This could include tax breaks, priority access to medical treatment, and other benefits.
- Leveraging Technology: Technology could be used to develop better donor and recipient matching algorithms, create virtual waiting lists, and streamline the donation and transplantation process.
- International Collaboration: India could collaborate with other countries to share best practices, leverage technology, and develop new approaches to organ donation and transplantation.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: AI
Mains level: Regulation of AI
Central idea: The European Parliament has recently reached a preliminary deal on a new draft of the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act, after two years of drafting and negotiations.
Regulating AI
- The need for regulation of AI technologies has been highlighted worldwide.
- EU lawmakers have urged world leaders to hold a summit to brainstorm ways to control the development of advanced AI systems.
EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act
- The aim of the AI Act is to bring transparency, trust, and accountability to AI technologies and to mitigate risks to the safety, health, fundamental rights, and democratic values of the EU.
- The legislation seeks to address ethical questions and implementation challenges in various sectors, from healthcare and education to finance and energy.
- It seeks to strike a balance between promoting the uptake of AI while mitigating or preventing harms associated with certain uses of the technology.
- It aims to strengthen Europe’s position as a global hub of excellence in AI from the lab to the market and ensure that AI in Europe respects the 27-country bloc’s values and rules.
- The Act delegates the process of standardization or creation of precise technical requirements for AI technologies to the EU’s expert standard-setting bodies in specific sectors.
Details of the Act
- Defining AI: AI is broadly defined as “software that is developed with one or more of the techniques that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, generate outputs such as content, predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing the environments they interact with.”
- Four risk-category: The Act outlines four risk categories:
- Unacceptable: The use of technologies in the unacceptable risk category is prohibited with little exception, including real-time facial and biometric identification systems in public spaces, China-like systems of social scoring, subliminal techniques to distort behavior, and technologies that exploit vulnerabilities of certain populations.
- High: The focus is on AI in the high-risk category, prescribing pre-and post-market requirements for developers and users of such systems and establishing an EU-wide database of high-risk AI systems. The requirements for conformity assessments for high-risk AI systems must be met before they can make it to the market.
- Limited and minimal: AI systems in the limited and minimal risk category can be used with a few requirements like transparency obligations.
Recent proposal on General Purpose AI
- Recent updates to EU rules to regulate generative AI, including language model-based chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, are discussed.
- Lawmakers are debating whether all forms of general-purpose AI will be designated high-risk.
- Companies deploying generative AI tools are required to disclose any copyrighted material used to develop their systems.
Reaction from the AI Industry
- Some industry players have welcomed the legislation, while others have expressed concerns about the potential impact on innovation and competitiveness.
- Companies are worried about transparency requirements, fearing that they may have to divulge trade secrets.
- Lawmakers and consumer groups have criticized the legislation for not fully addressing the risks associated with AI systems.
Global governance of AI
- The US currently lacks comprehensive AI regulation and has taken a hands-off approach.
- The Biden administration released a Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights (AIBoR) that outlines the harms of AI and five principles for mitigating them.
- China has come out with some of the world’s first nationally binding regulations targeting specific types of algorithms and AI.
- China enacted a law to regulate recommendation algorithms, with a focus on how they disseminate information.
- While India is still stuck with the Personal Data Protection Bill.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: World Press Freedom Index
Mains level: Freedom of press in India and global propaganda
Central Idea: India’s ranking in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index has slipped to 161 out of 180 countries, according to the latest report released by global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
What is Press Freedom Index?
- The PFI is an annual ranking of countries compiled and published by Reporters without Borders since 2002.
- It is based upon the organisation’s own assessment of the countries’ press freedom records in the previous year.
- It defines press freedom as “the ability of journalists as individuals and collectives to select, produce, and disseminate news in the public interest independent of political, economic, legal, and social interference and in the absence of threats to their physical and mental safety.”
- It intends to reflect the degree of freedom that journalists, news organisations, and netizens have in each country, and the efforts made by authorities to respect this freedom.
- It does not measure the quality of journalism in the countries it assesses, nor does it look at human rights violations in general.
Irony of the rankings
- In 2022, India was ranked at 150.
- Pakistan has fared better when it comes to media freedom as it was placed at 150, an improvement from last year’s 157th rank.
- Afghanistan was ranked 152nd. This raises some questions about the methodology of the index.
Global scenario
- Sri Lanka also made significant improvement on the index, ranking 135th this year as against 146th in 2022
- Norway, Ireland and Denmark occupied the top three positions in press freedom, while Vietnam, China and North Korea constituted the bottom three.
Back2Basics: Freedom of Press and Constitutional Provisions
- The Supreme Court in Romesh Thappar v. the State of Madras, 1950 observed that freedom of the press lay at the foundation of all democratic organisations.
- It is guaranteed under the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19, which deals with ‘Protection of certain rights regarding freedom of speech, etc.
- Freedom of the press is not expressly protected by the Indian legal system but it is impliedly protected under article 19(1) (a) of the constitution.
- The freedom of the press is also not absolute.
Reasonable restrictions
- A law could impose only those restrictions on the exercise of this right, it faces certain restrictions under Article 19(2), which are as follows:
- Sovereignty and integrity of India
- Security of the State,
- Friendly relations with foreign States
- Public order, decency or morality
- Contempt of court
- Defamation
- Incitement to an offence
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: OPS, NPS and CGPS
Mains level: Contributory Guaranteed Pension Scheme (CGPS) Analysis
Central Idea
- The debate on pensions is heating up as several state governments announce their reversion to the old pension scheme (OPS). However, economists have frowned upon this move, citing two major reasons. Firstly, since the state has to bear the full burden of pensions, it may become fiscally unsustainable in the long run. Secondly, an unsustainable rise in pension allocation in the budget can come at the cost of other welfare expenditures allocated to the poor and marginalized sections.
What is mean by pension?
- A pension is a retirement plan that provides a stream of income to individuals after they retire from their job or profession. It can be funded by employers, government agencies, or unions and is designed to ensure a steady income during retirement.
What is Old Pension Scheme (OPS)?
- The OPS, also known as the Defined Benefit Pension System, is a pension plan provided by the government for its employees in India.
- Under the OPS, retired government employees receive a fixed monthly pension based on their last drawn salary and years of service.
- This pension is funded by the government and paid out of its current revenues, leading to increased pension liabilities.
What is the National Pension System (NPS)?
- The Union government under PM Vajpayee took a decision in 2003 to discontinue the old pension scheme and introduced the NPS.
- The scheme is applicable to all new recruits joining the Central Government service (except armed forces) from April 1, 2004.
- On the introduction of NPS, the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 was amended.
What are two arguments against reverting to the old pension scheme?
- Fiscal Unsustainability: Since the State has to bear the full burden of pensions, it will become fiscally unsustainable in the medium to long run.
- Trade-Off with Welfare Expenditure: Such an unsustainable rise in pension allocation in the Budget can only come at the cost of other more pressing welfare expenditures allocated to the poor and marginalized sections.
The commonality between the two arguments
- Both arguments assume that the fiscal revenues are fixed, which is not necessarily the case if the government has its priorities right.
- Both arguments assume that unsustainable rise in pension allocation in the Budget can only come at the cost of other more pressing welfare expenditures allocated to the poor and marginalized sections.
Why Public sector workers are asking for a guaranteed pension in place of the NPS?
- Fluctuating pension returns: The NPS is market-based, which means that the pension returns fluctuate according to the returns prevailing in the market. This creates uncertainty and makes it difficult for employees to plan for their post-retirement life.
- Guaranteed pension: Public sector workers are looking for a guaranteed pension that will provide them with a fixed amount after retirement. This will ensure a stable and predictable post-retirement life for them.
- Employee contribution: In the new contributory guaranteed pension scheme (CGPS), a large part of the pension will be funded by the employees themselves. This is in contrast to the old pension scheme (OPS) where no contribution was required from the employees.
- Protection against market fluctuations: The CGPS provides protection to employees against market fluctuations. If the market return happens to be higher than the guaranteed pension, the State gets to pocket the difference. On balance, the additional burden on the CGPS may be marginal compared to the NPS.
- Burden-sharing: The CGPS ensures that the burden of uncertainty does not fall on employees alone. In the OPS, elite workers gain at the cost of their brethren lower on the income ladder. However, in the CGPS, the burden is only the employer’s contribution part, exactly as in the NPS.
Potential disadvantages of a CGPS
- Higher contribution burden on employees: Under the CGPS, employees will continue to contribute a fixed percentage of their basic pay towards their pension. This may put a higher burden on them compared to the current system, where their contribution fluctuates based on market returns.
- Additional administrative burden: Implementing a new pension scheme like CGPS may involve additional administrative burden and costs for the government, which could be challenging to manage efficiently.
- Uncertainty of market returns: While the CGPS guarantees a fixed pension amount, it does not provide any certainty on the market returns. If the market returns are lower than expected, the government will have to bear the burden of paying the difference between the guaranteed pension and the actual pension.
Facts for prelims: CGPS vs NPS
| Parameter |
Contributory Guaranteed Pension Scheme (CGPS) |
National Pension scheme (NPS) |
| Type of Scheme |
Guaranteed Pension Scheme |
Market-linked Pension Scheme |
| Contributions |
Made by both employee and employer |
Made by the employee only |
| Pension Amount |
Guaranteed 50% of the last drawn salary, adjusted for inflation |
Market-linked, varies according to returns |
| Risk |
Risk is shared by both employee and employer |
Risk is borne entirely by the employee |
| Burden on exchequer |
Burden is only on the employer’s contribution part |
Burden is on the entire pension amount |
| Upside |
State gets to pocket the excess if the market return is higher |
No upside for the State |
| Fiscal sustainability |
Can be sustainable with proper rationalisation of taxes |
Unsustainable in the medium to long run |
Way ahead
- The government could consider implementing the Contributory Guaranteed Pension Scheme (CGPS) as an alternative to the New Pension Scheme (NPS) for public sector workers.
- The CGPS would allow the state to pocket any excess returns from the market, rather than bearing the entire burden of uncertain market returns as in the NPS.
- The government should consider rationalizing taxes, such as implementing inheritance and wealth taxes, to increase its revenue and reduce its dependence on fixed fiscal revenues.
- The government should set up a special task force to rationalize pensions and address the issue of pension sustainability in the long run.
- A possible downside to the CGPS is that it may require a higher contribution from employees, which could affect their take-home pay during their working life. However, this could be addressed by offering tax breaks or other incentives to encourage employees to contribute to the scheme.
Conclusion
- The current debate on pensions in India has brought forth the need for a well-designed and sustainable pension scheme that can cater to the needs of public sector workers while being fiscally responsible. The CGPS presents a viable alternative to the OPS and the NPS providing public sector workers with a guaranteed pension after they retire while also being largely funded by the employees themselves. While there may be some challenges in implementing the CGPS, with proper planning and execution, the CGPS could serve as a model for sustainable and equitable pension schemes that can support the growing needs of an ageing workforce in India.
Mains question
Q. The debate on pensions is heating up as several state governments announce their reversion to the old pension scheme. Do you think Contributory Guaranteed Pension Scheme (CGPS) presents a viable alternative to the OPS and the NPS?
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Pacific Island countries
Mains level: Geostrategic significance of Pacific Island countries and India's development diplomacy
Central Idea
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG) has strategic importance as it marks the Third Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), which India is co-hosting along with PNG in Port Moresby. India’s involvement with the region is crucial from a geostrategic perspective as it is viewed by the US as a means to counter China in the Indo-Pacific. In this context, India is gradually tuning itself towards the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) by building development partnerships on critical issues.
Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC)
- The Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) is a multilateral grouping that aims to enhance India’s relations with the Pacific Islands region. It was launched in November 2014 during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Fiji.
- The FIPIC includes 14 Pacific Island countries, namely Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
- The forum serves as a platform for India to engage with the Pacific Island countries on issues such as climate change, renewable energy, disaster management, health, and education, among others.
- The forum also provides an opportunity for India to strengthen its strategic presence in the Indo-Pacific region and counter China’s growing influence in the region.
Why should India focus on Pacific Island Countries (PICs)?
- Strategic location: The PICs are strategically located in the South Pacific and inhabit almost one-sixth of the world’s population. These islands have occupied common spheres of influence and interest for major superpowers like the US, France, Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom (UK).
- Resource-rich region: The PICs are inherently resource-rich in natural minerals and hydrocarbons. They are known for massive biodiversity, diverse ocean life, and extensive mangroves.
- Countering China: China’s foray into the region in the form of resource extraction, increasing naval presence in the South China Sea, and investments under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has unnerved the neighbourhood. India’s engagement with the Pacific nations is viewed by the US as a means to counter China in the Indo-Pacific.
- Diplomatic importance: India’s engagement with the PICs is significant for diplomatic reasons, as it can increase India’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region. India’s foreign policy considerations are progressively being structured around the notion of diplomacy for development. This India Way of foreign policy fits well for the larger Global South.
- Development partnerships: India can build development partnerships with PICs on critical issues including climate resilience, digital health, renewable energy, and disaster risk reduction.
- Economic opportunities: The PICs offer economic opportunities for India, especially in the areas of green transition and climate change, technology transfer, capacity building, encouraging trade and commerce, etc.
Facts for prelims: PIC’s
| Region |
Countries |
Resources |
Strategic Importance |
Physical Location |
| Melanesia |
Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu |
Minerals, timber, fish, gold, copper, oil, gas |
Natural resources, biodiversity, proximity to shipping lanes |
1°N to 14°S, 124°E to 168°E |
| Micronesia |
Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau |
Fish, phosphate, coconut products |
Strategic military location, control of the Pacific Ocean, climate change impacts |
1°N to 11°N, 130°E to 176°E |
| Polynesia |
American Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Wallis and Futuna |
Fish, forestry, agriculture, tourism |
Tourism, cultural significance, strategic military location |
14°S to 27°S, 123°W to 162°E |
What is Development Diplomacy?
- Development diplomacy is a foreign policy approach that emphasizes cooperation and partnership on development issues with other countries as a means of achieving shared goals and promoting mutual interests.
- The focus is on building relationships with other nations based on shared values and common objectives, rather than on traditional notions of power and influence.
- Development diplomacy recognizes the interdependence of nations in an increasingly globalized world, and seeks to create win-win partnerships that benefit all parties involved.
key initiatives taken by India under Development diplomacy in Papua New Guinea (PNG)
- Line of Credit: India has offered a $100 million Line of Credit (LoC) to Papua New Guinea for infrastructure development.
- Climate resilience: India has partnered with PNG for a project aimed at developing climate-resilient agriculture. Under this project, Indian experts are sharing their expertise on climate-resilient agriculture practices and technology transfer.
- Healthcare: India has offered training for healthcare professionals in PNG, and has also provided medical equipment and supplies.
- Education: India has offered scholarships to students from PNG to study in India, as well as providing vocational training for PNG youth.
- Renewable energy: India has partnered with PNG to promote the use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power.
- Capacity building: India has provided training for PNG government officials in areas such as public administration, governance, and disaster management.
- Trade and commerce: India have sought to enhance trade and investment relations with PNG, including through the promotion of Indian businesses and the facilitation of PNG investment in India.
Conclusion
- India’s involvement with the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) is crucial from a geostrategic perspective, as it is viewed by the US as a means to counter China in the Indo-Pacific. India’s unique approach to development cooperation fits well for the larger Global South, and it can be a possible pathway for advancing Southern-driven partnerships in the PICs. With the G20 Presidency giving India leverage as an important economy in world politics, the FIPIC can be viewed as a suitable opportunity for New Delhi to realign itself in the emerging world order.
Mains Question
Q. What do you understand by mean Development diplomacy? Why India should increase its focus on pacific island countries?
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Initiatives for Climate smart agriculture
Mains level: Climate-smart agriculture, digitalization, role of G20 and way ahead
Central Idea
- Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is a part of India’s and the G20 countries’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) vision. It is a complex, mega-scale challenge. The objective of CSA is to optimise a country’s agriculture productivity, resilience, and emissions in response to climate change (long-term, irreversible changes in temperature, precipitation, humidity, pressure, and wind). The G20 can play a key role in addressing the challenge of climate-smart agriculture
What is Climate-smart agriculture (CSA)?
- Sustainable agricultural practice: Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) refers to the sustainable agricultural practices that help to increase food production and farmer incomes, improve resilience to climate change, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- CSA aims to achieve three goals simultaneously: (1) sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and incomes, (2) adapting and building resilience to climate change, and (3) reducing and/or removing greenhouse gas emissions, where possible.
- It involves a combination of strategies, technologies, and policies that are tailored to the specific needs and conditions of each country’s agriculture sector.
Challenges for Climate-smart agriculture (CSA)
- Complex and multi-dimensional: CSA is a complex and multi-dimensional challenge that requires integrated solutions, which may be difficult to implement and require significant investments.
- Lack of awareness and knowledge: Many farmers are not aware of the benefits of CSA and may not have the knowledge or skills to implement it effectively.
- Access to finance: Financing for CSA practices may be limited, especially for smallholder farmers who may lack collateral or access to credit.
- Policy and institutional constraints: Policies and institutions may not be aligned to support the adoption and scaling up of CSA practices.
- Technical and technological challenges: CSA requires the use of appropriate technologies and practices, which may not be available or accessible in some regions.
- Climate change impacts: The impacts of climate change, such as droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events, may negatively affect the productivity and resilience of agricultural systems, making it difficult to implement CSA practices.
- Data and information gaps: There may be gaps in data and information on the impacts of CSA practices, making it difficult to assess their effectiveness and scale them up.
G20’s role in addressing these challenges
- The G20 must play a key role in addressing the challenge of CSA by adopting the ontological framework, method, and recommendations to set the agenda for research, policy, and practice.
- The G20 must constitute a committee to formulate a systemic agenda for systematic research, policies, and practices for the digitalisation of CSA in a country using the ontology.
- The Think20 Engagement Groups provide research and policy advice to the G20 and are ideal forums to develop the ontological framework as the G20 presidency rotates between the member countries each year.
- The ontology of CSA must be adopted globally as a framework for all G20 countries by adapting the crop and region taxonomies to each country.
- The G20 committee must help countries collaborate in their efforts, coordinate their policies, and communicate their learnings.
- The G20 must set the trajectory for the digitalisation of CSA within the G20 and globally and must provide a ‘map’ for the global effort.
Facts for prelims
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Initiatives
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Description
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| National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) |
A network project launched by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 2011 to enhance resilience of Indian agriculture to climate change |
| Soil Health Card Scheme |
Launched in 2015 to provide farmers with information on the nutrient status of their soil and recommend appropriate soil health management practices |
| Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana |
Launched in 2016 to provide farmers with insurance coverage and financial support in the event of crop losses due to adverse weather conditions |
| Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana |
Launched in 2015 to promote organic farming practices in India and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides |
| National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) |
Launched in 2010 to promote sustainable agriculture practices in India and enhance agricultural productivity and income of farmers |
| Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana |
Launched in 2007 to support agricultural development in India through the provision of financial assistance for various agricultural activities |
| National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) |
Launched in 2016 to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities in India through the use of technology and digital platforms |
| Kisan Credit Card Scheme |
Launched in 1998 to provide farmers with access to affordable credit for agricultural and related activities |
| Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana |
Launched in 2015 to promote efficient use of water resources in agriculture and enhance water use efficiency in farming |
| Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) |
A farming practice that aims to eliminate the use of synthetic inputs in agriculture and promote natural farming techniques |
Recommendations to the G20
- Outcome Management:
- Productivity: Encourage the adoption of sustainable soil management practices, provide subsidies and financial incentives for efficient irrigation techniques, and invest in R&D of improved seed varieties.
- Resilience: Promote crop diversification, develop a comprehensive risk management strategy, and support agroforestry practices.
- Emissions Management: Develop and implement policies that promote reduced tillage practices, provide financial incentives and support for the adoption of renewable energy technologies, and develop and implement regulations and standards for sustainable livestock management practices.
- Regional Management: Utilise digitalisation tools and technologies to effectively differentiate CSA management across regions in India, gather real-time data and information on regional variations, deliver customised and region-specific extension services to farmers, optimise resource use, and facilitate stakeholder engagement and collaboration.
- Crop Management:
- Differentiation of CSA management across crops: Identify the unique agro-ecological and socioeconomic conditions of each crop and design region-specific policies and programmes that promote CSA practices and technologies.
- Integration of CSA management across crops: Promote the use of integrated crop management practices that focus on optimising resource use, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and enhancing productivity across multiple crops.
- Precision crop management: Adopt precision agriculture techniques that utilise real-time data and information to optimise resource use and increase productivity.
- Digital Semiotics Management:
- Collect and analyse weather data: India has a vast network of weather stations across the country that collect data on temperature, precipitation, humidity, pressure, and wind fields. This data can be used to analyse weather patterns and identify trends that affect crop growth and yield. Machine learning algorithms can be used to process the data and provide real-time insights to farmers on weather forecasts, pest and disease outbreaks, and optimal planting and harvesting times.
- Develop crop-specific models: India has a diverse range of crops grown across different regions, each with unique requirements for temperature, precipitation, and other climatic factors. Crop-specific models can be developed using data and information on climate
- Promote precision agriculture: Precision agriculture involves the use of digital technologies such as sensors, drones, and satellite imaging to monitor crop health and growth, and provide real-time recommendations to farmers. By incorporating weather data and information into precision agriculture technologies, farmers can make data-driven decisions that are tailored to the local climatic conditions.
- Build farmer capacity: To effectively use data and information on climate variability, farmers need to have the skills and knowledge to interpret and apply this information to their farming practices. Training programmes and extension services can be developed to build farmer capacity in using digital tools and interpreting weather data. These programmes can be designed to be accessible and affordable to all farmers, including smallholder farmers.
Conclusion
- The digitalisation of CSA requires a roadmap. Addressing the challenge of CSA is a prerequisite to meeting the challenge of food security, and digitalisation is essential to this task. The G20 must set the trajectory for the digitalisation of CSA within the G20 and globally and must provide a map for the global effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals vision.
Mains Question
Q. What do you understand by mean Climate-smart agriculture (CSA)? Discuss the challenges for CSA and suggest a way ahead for G20 how it can address these challenges?
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