Maharashtra’s Aspirational Cities Programme (ACP) aims to address the challenges of rapid urbanisation by adopting a holistic approach to urban governance. The ACP is set to focus on improved governance, address persistent civic issues, and increase funding avenues for the urban local bodies. The success of the ACP could have a significant impact on Maharashtra’s economy and lead to ease of living in urban areas.
Urban population of India
According to the Census of India 2011, the urban population of India was 377 million, which accounted for 31.16% of the total population. Around 590 million people would live in the cities by 2030.
While cities constitute about 3 per cent of the land in the country, they generate 70 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and contribute substantially to economic growth and opportunities.
There is a robust relationship between the index of cities’ liveability and the country’s GDP per capita suggesting that long-term growth is only feasible if the city attributes in terms of providing equitable access to basic services, residences, and improved economic management are woven seamlessly through digital service delivery platforms.
Challenges of urbanization in Maharashtra
Deficient Infrastructure: Maharashtra’s cities are grappling with issues of deficient infrastructure, such as inadequate roads, public transport, water supply, and waste management systems.
Air Pollution: Urbanization has led to an increase in air pollution in Maharashtra’s cities, primarily due to vehicular emissions and industrial activities.
Social Inequities: The growth of informal settlements and slums in Maharashtra’s cities has led to social inequities, with the urban poor lacking access to basic services, such as healthcare, education, and housing.
Mobility and Migration: Maharashtra’s cities continue to face the challenge of frequent mobility and migration, with an inward net movement of people for better livelihood opportunities.
Vulnerabilities to Disasters and Climate Change: Rapid urbanization has increased the vulnerability of Maharashtra’s cities to disasters and climate change, such as floods and heatwaves.
Poor Urban Planning: Many of the challenges faced by Maharashtra’s cities are a result of poor urban planning, with a lack of coordination between various government departments and inadequate implementation of policies and programmes.
What is Aspirational Cities Programme (ACP)?
The Aspirational Cities Programme (ACP) is an initiative of the Government of Maharashtra aimed at addressing the challenges of rapid urbanization in the state by adopting a holistic approach to urban governance.
The ACP has identified 57 cities that have been proposed for the programme. Service level benchmarking will be done for the cities based on the data collected on the Performance Assessment System of the Government of Maharashtra.
The performance of the 57 selected cities would be monitored and ranked quarterly through a standard digital monitoring platform with indicators on the themes of urban infrastructure, education, urban services, skill development, and climate change.
The ACP is based on three priority areas: inclusive urban development, scientific data methods for assessing and monitoring outcomes, and citizen participation in civic affairs.
The Maharashtra government’s Aspirational Cities Programme (ACP) focuses on three priority areas
Inclusive Urban Development: The ACP aims to bring an integrated approach to urban programming that involves all development sectors. This is aimed at ensuring that the benefits of urban development reach all sections of society, including the most vulnerable.
Scientific Data Methods: The ACP seeks to adopt scientific data methods for assessing and monitoring the outcomes of both state and central schemes. This will provide a better understanding of the impact of various policies and programmes on the ground.
Citizen Participation: The ACP aims to enhance the voice and participation of citizens in civic affairs through physical and digital means. This is aimed at ensuring that governance is citizen-centric and responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people.
Other key features of Maharashtra’s ACP
Improved Governance: The ACP is set to focus on improved governance, address persistent civic issues, and increase funding avenues for the urban local bodies. This is aimed at ensuring that the governance of cities is efficient, transparent, and accountable.
Service Level Benchmarking: Service level benchmarking will be done for the cities based on the data collected on the Performance Assessment System of the Government of Maharashtra. This will enable the state government to monitor and rank the performance of the 57 selected cities quarterly through a standard digital monitoring platform.
Provision of Adequate Potable Tap Water: The ACP agenda includes provisioning adequate potable tap water to all households by taking advantage of the ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission.
Reformed Property Tax: The ACP aims to reform property tax by delinking it from the reasonable rental value method and adopting the market value of the property as a base for assessment.
Facts for prelims
What is Urban 20 (U20)?
Within the G20 ecosystem, a city diplomacy initiative called the Urban 20 (U20) was launched in December 2017.
As one of the formal Engagement Groups under G20, the U20 forum was meant to collectively raise critical urban issues of G20 cities during the G20 negotiations.
Despite U20’s concerted efforts to run parallel to G20, the absence of any written constitution, procedures, or formal agreement has made U20 unable to effectively address the aspirations and concerns of cities.
Conclusion
It is time to accept the reality that New India is moving from its villages to the cities, and therefore, the need for renewed thinking and policies that are citizen-centric. The ACP is an example of a policy that puts people first as part of urban development. This effort by the Government of Maharashtra is strategically contextualised with the Viksit Bharat vision for India in 2047.
Mains Question
Q. New India is moving from its villages to the cities which highlights the need for renewed thinking and policies that are citizen-centric. In light of this discuss how Maharashtra’s Aspirational Cities Programme (ACP) could help to address the challenges of urbanization
| Polity | Mains Paper 2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Article 355
Mains level: Read the attached story
Central Idea
Recently, unrest in the state of Manipur was triggered by a decision of the High Court to pursue a 10-year-old recommendation to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the non-tribal Meitei community.
In view of the prevailing unprecedented burning situation, the Centre has imposed Article 355 in the state, in an effort to control the situation, according to reliable sources.
What is Article 355?
Article 355 of the Indian Constitution is a provision that empowers the Union government to protect every state in India against external aggression and internal disturbances.
It is a provision under Part XVIII of the Constitution, titled “Emergency Provisions”.
It is based on the principle of “duty to protect” enshrined in the Constitution, which makes it mandatory for the Union government to protect every state from external and internal threats.
Restrictions under Article 355
Under Article 355, the Union government has the power to issue directions to any state to ensure compliance with the Union’s laws and regulations. However, there are certain restrictions on this power:
The directions can only be given when there is a failure of the state machinery to comply with or give effect to any Union law or regulation.
The directions should be of an urgent nature and may not extend beyond the necessary period for remedying the failure of the state machinery.
The state government should be given an opportunity to submit its views before the issuance of such directions.
The Union government cannot use this power to intervene in the internal affairs of a state unless there is a failure of the state machinery.
Duration of restriction
The duration of the assistance provided under Article 355 is not specified in the Constitution.
The Union government can withdraw its assistance when the situation is normalized or when the state government requests it to do so.
The duration of the assistance provided under Article 355 is subject to judicial review and can be challenged in court if it violates any fundamental rights or constitutional provisions.
Circumstances of imposition
Article 355 can be invoked by the President of India in certain circumstances, such as:
When a state fails to comply with or to give effect to any of the directions given by the Union under the Constitution.
When the security of India is threatened by external aggression or internal disturbance.
When there is a threat to the unity and integrity of India due to any violent activities by any group or organization.
When a state requests for assistance from the Union to maintain public order and the Union is satisfied that the situation in the state cannot be controlled by the state’s own forces.
When a state fails to provide adequate protection to minorities, particularly in cases of communal violence.
When a state government fails to ensure that the constitutional machinery is maintained in the state.
Reasonable restrictions
It is important to note that the use of Article 355 is subject to certain restrictions:
The President cannot use this article on his/her own initiative; it must be done on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers.
The use of Article 355 does not authorize the President to intervene directly in the affairs of the state.
The President can use this article only to give directions to the state government, and not to the state legislature or the judiciary.
The use of Article 355 should be limited in duration and scope, and should not result in the permanent erosion of the state’s autonomy or the violation of its constitutional rights.
Centrestage of the row:Meitei Community
Manipur is geographically divided into the Imphal Valley and the surrounding hills.
The Imphal Valley is dominated by the non-tribal Meitei community, which accounts for more than 64% of the population.
The hills, which comprise 90% of Manipur’s geographical area, are inhabited by more than 35% recognized tribes, which are largely Christians.
The Meiteis are largely Hindus followed by Muslims, while the 33 recognized tribes are broadly classified into ‘Any Naga tribes’ and ‘Any Kuki tribes.’
Behind the ST status: The Meitei Argument
The Manipur High Court directed the State government to submit a 10-year-old recommendation for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.
The ST status is needed to “preserve” the community and “save the ancestral land, tradition, culture, and language” of the Meiteis.
The Meiteis were recognized as a tribe before the merger of the State with the Union of India in 1949.
Tribal groups’ opposition to the ST Status
Advantaged community: Many tribal groups say the Meiteis have a demographic and political advantage besides being more advanced than them academically and in other aspects.
Benefits at others cost: They feel the ST status to the Meiteis would lead to loss of job opportunities and allow them to acquire land in the hills and push the tribals out.
Already benefited: The language of the Meitei people is included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, and many of them have access to benefits associated with the SC, OBC, or EWS status.
Political vendetta: The demand for ST status is a ploy to attenuate the fervent political demands of the Kukis and Nagas, as well as a tacit strategy of the dominant valley dwellers to make inroads into the hill areas of the State.
Immediate triggers of unrest
Some tribal groups with vested interests are trying to scuttle Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh’s crusade against drugs.
The anti-drug drive began with destroying poppy fields and the theory that “illegal settlers” from Myanmar — ethnically related to the Kuki-Zomi people of Manipur — are behind clearing forests and government lands to grow opium and cannabis.
The first violent protest on March 10 was against the eviction of the residents of a Kuki village.
The large-scale arson and violence claiming the life of at least one person on May 3 and 4 followed a “tribal solidarity rally” against the reported move to include the Meiteis in the ST list.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)
Mains level: CBDC used for foreign payments
Central Idea: RBI Deputy Governor T. Rabi Shankar commented on CBDC platforms and their potential impact on cross-border payments during the G20 TechSprint.
About Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)
CBDC is a central bank-issued digital currency which is backed by some kind of assets in the form of either gold, currency reserves, bonds and other assets, recognised by the central banks as a monetary asset.
The present concept of CBDCs was directly inspired by Bitcoin, but a CBDC is different from virtual currency and cryptocurrency.
Cryptocurrencies are not issued by a state and lack the legal tender status declared by the government.
Hurdles in Cross-Border Payments
Fragmented and truncated data formats: Lack of standardization in data formats creates inefficiencies in cross-border payments. Fragmented and truncated data formats create additional costs and delays in the processing of transactions.
Complex processing of compliance checks: Cross-border payments require compliance with different regulatory frameworks in different jurisdictions. Compliance checks can be complex and time-consuming, causing delays and additional costs.
Limited operating hours: Traditional banking systems have limited operating hours, which can cause delays in cross-border payments. International time zone differences also contribute to these challenges.
Legacy technology platforms: Traditional banking systems still rely on legacy technology platforms, which can be slow and outdated. This can lead to inefficiencies and delays in cross-border payments.
Long transaction chains: Cross-border payments often involve multiple intermediaries, which can lead to long transaction chains. Each intermediary adds additional costs and can increase the time it takes for a transaction to be completed.
Funding costs: Cross-border payments require funding in multiple currencies, which can lead to additional costs. Exchange rate fluctuations can also impact the cost of cross-border payments.
Weak competition: The lack of competition in the cross-border payments industry can contribute to inefficiencies and high costs. The dominance of a few large players can limit innovation and hinder the development of more efficient solutions.
Potential benefits with CBDC
Less intermediaries: CBDC can reduce the need for multiple intermediaries in cross-border payments, leading to a faster and more efficient process.
Enhanced efficiency: It can increase the speed and efficiency of cross-border payments by reducing processing times and delays.
Enhanced integration: It can enable better integration between different payment systems, reducing fragmentation and increasing interoperability.
Enhanced technical compatibility: It can be designed to work with existing payment infrastructure, making it easier to adopt and integrate into the current system.
Enhanced safety: It can provide enhanced security measures that can help mitigate the risk of fraud and cyber-attacks in cross-border payments.
Mitigation of cross-currency risks: CBDC can help mitigate risks associated with cross-border and cross-currency transactions, such as exchange rate fluctuations, currency conversion fees, and transaction processing delays.
How can this be implemented to practice?
Description
Examples
Model 1
Enhancing Compatibility Among Domestic CBDC Systems
Many central banks are working to enhance the compatibility of domestic CBDC systems. Common international standards are required, which require regulatory coordination and market practices.
Model 2
Interlinking CBDC Systems
CBDC networks are linked up by synchronizing payment actions without the need for a trusted third party or a common platform.
Model 3
Establishing a Single mCBDC System
Cross-border payments are processed through a jointly operated “corridor network”.
RBI’s push for CBDC adoption @ G20
RBI emphasized the need for increased adoption of CBDCs across countries for them to play a role in the cross-border payments arena.
Countries need to decide to create CBDCs and create an infrastructure for various CBDCs to interface for CBDCs to be effective in cross-border payments.
RBI suggested India’s model of digitization, where the basic infrastructure was created by the public sector and the fintech/financial/start-up ecosystem was allowed to create innovative solutions, could also be successful with CBDCs globally
Conclusion
CBDCs could bring about a significant change in the sphere of cross-border payments, but coordination across countries and between the public and private sectors is essential for that to happen
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Washington Declaration, NPT
Mains level: US nuclear establishments near China
Central Idea: The context is the recent visit of the South Korean President to the US to commemorate the 70th anniversary of US-South Korea bilateral relations. During the visit, the two countries signed the “Washington Declaration” as a nuclear deterrence strategy against North Korea’s regional aggression.
Washington Declaration: Key Terms
Nuke deployment by US: According to the declaration, an American nuclear ballistic submarine would be deployed in the Korean peninsula.
Intel mechanism: A nuclear consultative group would be formed to formulate principles of joint response tactics, and South Korea would receive Intel from the US regarding nuclear advancements.
Joint training: The US will strengthen South Korea’s nuclear deterrence capabilities through joint military training programs and an annual intergovernmental simulation.
Deterrence creation: The declaration reaffirmed the Non-Proliferation Treaty implying that South Korea would not venture into the creation of its own independent nuclear capabilities and would instead focus on deterrence measures through an alliance-based approach.
Implications of the treaty
Big power politics: While the existence of the agreement is based on the security needs of South Korea, the policy reflects big power politics where the interests of the larger power (US) takes precedence.
US proprietorship over the nukes: The US is the only ‘sole authority’ to use the nuclear arsenal of the US in the event of a nuclear confrontation.
Maintaining stability: The assurance that the US and its nuclear weapons would protect its allies by being responsible for maintaining stability in the region aligns with the larger goal of non-proliferation.
US Stance on South Korea’s Nuclear Capabilities
Fouled the SK nuclear program: South Korea’s nuclear development programme supported by former president Park Chung Hee was hindered due to US pressure.
Strategic arms reduction: The US withdrew one hundred nuclear weapons from South Korea in the 1990s as part of their “Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty” to make North Korea unarm itself.
Renewed interest after North Korea’s Rise: The Nuclear Posture Review 2022 reflects a shift in the US narrative where it is now concerned about the progressing nuclear capacities of North Korea.
Regional and domestic responses
China: It said it undermines the nuclear non-proliferation regime and the strategic interests of other countries.
North Korea: Kim Jong-Un’s sister warned that the declaration would only result in making peace and security of North-East Asia and the world be exposed to more serious danger.
Conclusion
Overall, the Declaration is an important step in the direction of creating a more overt and close coordination among the US allies in the Indo-Pacific.
It seeks to deal with not only North Korea but also moves of China and Russia.
Back2Basics: Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
The NPT is an international treaty signed in 1968 that aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Key facts about the NPT include:
Members: There are currently 191 parties to the treaty, including the five recognized nuclear-weapon states (the US, Russia, China, France, and the UK).
Three main pillars: Non-proliferation, Disarmament and Peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Non-nuclear-weapon states: They are parties to the treaty agree not to acquire nuclear weapons and to accept International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards on their nuclear activities.
Nuclear-weapon states: They are the parties to the treaty agree not to transfer nuclear weapons or technology to non-nuclear-weapon states.
5 year review: The treaty is reviewed every five years at a conference of parties, with the most recent review conference taking place in 2015.
Criticisms: NPT has been criticized for not doing enough to promote disarmament, and for perpetuating a system of haves and have-nots in which certain states have nuclear weapons while others do not. However, proponents argue that the treaty has helped to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and to promote peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Prelims Only | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Cantonments
Mains level: ULBs in India
Central Idea: The Union government has kicked off a plan to abolish the 62 cantonments around the country as “archaic colonial legacies”. The first cantonment to be renamed a military station is Yol in Himachal Pradesh.
What is the plan?
The plan is to carve out the military areas in all cantonments and convert them into “exclusive military stations” with the Army exercising “absolute control” over them.
The civilian areas, in turn, will be merged with the local municipalities, which will be responsible for their maintenance among other things.
The Army moved away from the concept of cantonments after independence, mainly due to the friction between military and civilian authorities.
But some major cantonments continued to exist. Ex. Pune Cantonment, Agra Cantonment etc.
What are Cantonments?
Cantonments in India are permanent military stations where a group of military personnel are stationed for administrative purposes.
These cantonments are governed by the Cantonments Act, 2006 which provides for municipal administration and control of these areas.
There are 62 cantonments in India which are located in various states across the country.
These areas are maintained by the Defence Estates Organization (DEO) under the Ministry of Defence, and are distinct from military bases or barracks which are temporary locations for military personnel.
Cantonments are generally considered to be areas with better infrastructure and facilities compared to other parts of the country.
Their features
Cantonment Boards are democratic bodies comprising elected and nominated members.
In terms of Entry 3 of the Union List (Schedule VII) of the Constitution of India, Urban Self Governance of the Cantonments and the Housing Accommodation therein is the subject matter of the Union.
The Station Commander of the Cantonment is the ex-officio President of the Board, and an officer of the IDES or Defence Estates Organisation is the Chief Executive Officer who is also the Member-Secretary of the Board.
They have equal representation of elected and nominated/ex-officio members to balance official representation with democratic composition.
They maintain ecological balance while providing better civic facilities to the residents.
History of establishments
The Cantonments Act, 1924 was enacted by the British to regulate the municipal administration of Cantonments.
After India’s independence, the Cantonments Act, 1924, was modified to suit the democratic setup of the country.
The Cantonments Act, 2006, replaced the Cantonments Act, 1924, and aims to provide greater autonomy and accountability to the Cantonment Boards.
Categories
There are four categories of Cantonments, depending on the size of the population residing inside a Cantonment:
Category I: Cantonments having a population of more than 50,000.
Category II: Cantonments having a population of 10,000 to 50,000.
Category III: Cantonments having a population of less than 10,000.
Category IV: Industrial or training Cantonments, irrespective of their population size.
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.
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?
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.
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.
IOCRPrelims Only | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure
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:
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?
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?
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
Initiatives
Description
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?
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Read the prelims box
Mains level: Oil and Gas policy, volatility and measures taken
Central Idea
The present government has taken several measures to protect Indian consumers from international oil and gas price volatility. The recent Cabinet decision to approve a series of critical Administered Price Mechanism (APM) gas pricing reforms will further advance this objective. These reforms aim to protect Indians from extreme price volatility, promote more innovation and investments in exploration and production (E&P), and provide clarity for planned capex investments in gas-based sectors.
Reasons for oil and gas price volatility
Global supply and demand: The balance between global supply and demand for oil and gas is a key factor in price volatility. If there is a surplus of supply, prices may decrease, while if there is a shortage of supply, prices may increase.
Geopolitical tensions: Political tensions between countries, such as trade disputes or conflicts, can affect oil and gas prices. For example, if there is a threat of war or supply disruption in a major oil-producing country, prices may rise.
Weather conditions: Extreme weather events, such as hurricanes or cold snaps, can impact oil and gas production and distribution, leading to price fluctuations.
Economic growth: Economic growth can drive up demand for oil and gas, which can lead to higher prices. Conversely, economic slowdowns can reduce demand and lead to lower prices.
OPEC decisions: The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) plays a significant role in global oil prices by controlling production levels. Decisions made by OPEC, such as production cuts or increases, can affect prices.
Measures taken by the Indian government to protect consumers from oil and gas price volatility?
Increasing domestic Administered Price Mechanism (APM) gas allocation: This step was taken to provide more clarity for planned capital expenditure investments in gas-based sectors and diverting gas from non-priority sectors to transport and domestic segments.
APM gas pricing reforms: The recent Cabinet decision to approve a series of critical APM gas pricing reforms will further advance the objective of protecting Indian consumers from extreme price volatility. These reforms achieve two major goals: First, to protect Indians from extreme price volatility, and second, to promote more innovation and investments in exploration and production (E&P).
Benchmarking APM prices: The government decided to insulate domestic gas consumers as well as national oil companies from such volatility by benchmarking APM prices to a slope of 10 per cent of Indian crude basket price to be determined on a monthly basis, together with a ceiling of $6.5/MMBTU and floor of $4.5/MMBTU for nomination fields.
Reduction in fertiliser subsidies: After these reforms, the reduction in fertiliser subsidies is expected to be more than Rs 2,000 crore each year.
Incentivising investment in the E&P sector: These reforms will also help incentivise investment in the E&P sector by providing a floor price for mature fields of nomination while also incentivising new wells of nomination fields which will receive 20 per cent higher prices.
Expansion of gas pipeline network and CGD stations: Since 2014, India has increased the length of its gas pipeline network from 14,700 km to 22,000 km in 2023. The number of CGD-covered districts in India has increased from 66 in 2014 to 630 in 2023 while CNG stations have gone up from 938 in 2014 to 5,283 in 2023.
Facts for prelims
Type of Oil/Gas
Production Process
Applications
Advantages
Disadvantages
Pollutants
Crude Oil
Extracted from oil wells through drilling
Transportation, fuel for power generation, industrial uses
High energy density, easy to transport
Air pollution, carbon emissions, oil spills
Carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide
Natural Gas
Extracted from gas wells through drilling or extracted alongside crude oil
Power generation, heating, cooking, industrial uses
Cleanest burning fossil fuel, high energy efficiency
Methane emissions, can leak during production and transportation
Carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
Extracted during crude oil refining or extracted alongside natural gas
Cooking, heating, transportation
Clean burning, easy to store and transport
Non-renewable, carbon emissions during production and transportation
Carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
Extracted alongside crude oil or natural gas
Transportation, cooking
Lower emissions than petrol and diesel, cost-effective
Requires specialized vehicles and refueling stations, less energy-dense than petrol and diesel
Carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides
Shale Gas
Extracted through hydraulic fracturing of shale rock formations
Power generation, heating, cooking, industrial uses
Abundant, reduces dependence on foreign oil, lower carbon emissions than coal
Requires large amounts of water, potential for groundwater contamination, methane leaks
Carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides
Way ahead for India’s oil and gas sector
Encourage and promote domestic oil and gas production: The government should continue to incentivize domestic oil and gas production to reduce dependence on imports and minimize price volatility. This could be achieved by introducing more investor-friendly policies, simplifying regulations, and exploring untapped reserves.
Develop a comprehensive energy policy: India needs to develop a comprehensive energy policy that outlines a clear vision for the sector’s development and growth. This policy should take into account environmental concerns, technological advancements, and future energy demands.
Increase investment in infrastructure: The government should invest in building critical infrastructure like pipelines, terminals, and storage facilities to improve supply chain efficiency and reduce transportation costs. This will also enable the country to tap into more remote oil and gas reserves.
Promote alternative sources of energy: Given the pressing need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, India should promote alternative sources of energy such as solar, wind, and hydropower. This will not only help in meeting India’s climate goals but also reduce the dependence on fossil fuels.
Improve pricing transparency: India should work towards improving pricing transparency in the oil and gas sector. This will help to ensure a level playing field for all players, promote healthy competition, and enable consumers to make informed decisions.
Strengthen international partnerships: India should strengthen its partnerships with other countries, particularly those in the Gulf region, to ensure a stable supply of oil and gas. This will also help in diversifying sources of energy and reduce dependence on a few countries.
Foster innovation: The government should incentivize research and development in the oil and gas sector to encourage innovation and promote the use of advanced technologies. This could help in improving extraction techniques, reducing environmental impact, and optimizing resource utilization.
Conclusion
India’s efforts to protect its consumers from international oil and gas price volatility are commendable. The recent APM gas pricing reforms will further advance this objective and promote more innovation and investments in exploration and production (E&P) and provide clarity for planned capex investments in gas-based sectors. With a growing demand for natural gas, India is well on its way to realizing a gas-based economy as part of its broader energy transition goals. The vision of a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable energy future for India is steadily becoming a reality.
Mains question
Q. Discuss the factors behind Oil and gas sector being volatile. What are the measures taken by the Indian government to protect consumers from oil and gas price volatility?
| Polity | Mains Paper 2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Death Penalty Debate
Central Idea: The government informed the Supreme Court that it is considering the formation of a committee to examine the need for a painless and more dignified alternative to death by hanging.
Background Information
Death by hanging is a mode of execution in India.
In March, the Supreme Court had asked the government to provide data on a more acceptable method of executing prisoners other than death by hanging.
A petition was filed challenging the constitutionality of death by hanging as a mode of execution.
Death Sentences imposed so far
539 prisoners were on death row in India at the end of 2021, the highest since at least 2016.
In 2022, trial courts imposed 165 death sentences, the highest in over two decades.
Gujarat courts imposed 51 death sentences in 2022, the highest among all the States.
Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand also recorded significant increases in death sentences imposed by trial courts in 2022.
From the 67 decided cases by the High Court’s involving 101 prisoners in 2022, three prisoners had their death sentences confirmed, 48 prisoners saw their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment, 43 were acquitted of all charges and six had their cases remitted to the trial court.
In the 11 cases decided by the Supreme Court involving 15 prisoners in 2022, 5 prisoners were acquitted of all charges; the death sentences for eight were commuted to life imprisonment; and the death penalty was confirmed for two.
Death Penalty by Hanging: Present Status
Section 354 (5) of the Code of Criminal Procedure mandates that a person sentenced to death shall “be hanged by the neck till he is dead”.
In India, the Air Force Act, 1950, the Army Act 1950, and the Navy Act 1957 say that execution has to be carried out either by hanging by the neck until death or by being shot to death.
In 2018, the Centre had filed an affidavit supporting death by hanging as a mode of execution.
The Centre had not found the method of execution “barbaric, inhuman and cruel” compared to firing squads and lethal injections.
Various initiatives to alter death by hanging
Ensuring dignified death: The government is considering the formation of a committee to examine the need for a painless and more dignified alternative to death by hanging.
Panel formation: The Chief Justice of India had suggested the formation of a committee with experts from national law universities, professors of law, doctors, and scientific persons.
Humane and painless method: The court indicated that it may even direct an alternative method of executing capital punishments if it was proved that there was a more “humane” method of execution.
Voices for psychological tests: The SC has asked for psychological evaluation of condemned prisoners by expert doctors, and access for them by mitigating investigators.
Concerns raised by Judiciary
The Chief Justice had observed that better data was needed to relook at death by hanging.
The court wanted to know the-
Impact of the sentence of death by hanging
Pain caused
Period of actual death, and
Availability of resources for hanging a person
Judiciary at loggerheads
The court clarified that it was not questioning the constitutionality of the death penalty, which was well-settled in Deena versus Union of India Casejudgment and the Bachan Singh case reported in 1980.
The government argued that the mode of execution is a “matter of legislative policy” and the death penalty is awarded only in the rarest of rare cases, with only three executions between 2012 and 2015.
Debate over Death Penalty
Arguments in favor of death penalty
Arguments against death penalty
– Forfeiture of life: Supporters of the death penalty believe that those who commit murder, because they have taken the life of another, have forfeited their own right to life.
– Eye for an eye: Reformative justice is more productive, that innocent people are often killed in the search for retribution, and that “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
– Moral indignation of the victim: It is a just form of retribution, expressing and reinforcing the moral indignation not only of the victim’s relatives but of law-abiding citizens in general.
– Deterrence is a myth: Death penalty is not a deterrent to capital crimes state that there is no evidence to support the claim that the penalty is a deterrent.
– Highest form of Justice: For heinous crimes such as the Nirbhaya Gangrape Case, no other punishment could have deterred the will of the convicts.
– Political tool of suppression: The authorities in some countries, for example Iran and Sudan, use the death penalty to punish political opponents.
– Deterrent against crime: Capital punishment is often justified with the argument that by executing convicted murderers, we will deter would-be murderers from killing people.
– Reverence for life’ principle: Death penalty is an immoral punishment since humans should not kill other humans, no matter the reasons, because killing is killing.
– Proportional punishment: The guilty people deserve to be punished in proportion to the severity of their crime.
– Stigma against killing: With the introduction of lethal injection as execution method, medical professionals participate in executions. Many professionals have now refused to administer such deaths.
– Prevailing lawlessness: The crimes we are now witnessing cannot be addressed by simple punishments. We are seeing horrific attacks on women, young girls, minority communities and Dalits etc.
– Skewed justice systems: In many cases recorded by Amnesty International, people were executed after being convicted in grossly unfair trials, on the basis of torture-tainted evidence and with inadequate legal representation.
– Prevention of crime is non-existent: Despite of stringent regulations, it is certainly visible that some crimes can never be prevented in our society.
– Discriminatory nature: The weight of the death penalty is disproportionally carried by those with less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds or belonging to a racial, ethnic or religious minority.
Other issues with such executions
(a) Socio-Economic Factors
The recent statistics shows that the death row prisoners in India are more from the backward classes of the society.
The death row prisoners belong to backward classes and religious minorities and the majority of convicts’ families are living in adjunct poverty.
These people who are backward both in economic and social respects, are not in a position to here expensive lawyers and get proper representation in the Court.
(b) Delayed Execution
The law provides for a long process before the execution of the convicts actually takes place.
The unexplained delay in execution can be a ground for commutation of death penalty, and an inmate, his or her kin, or even a public-spirited citizen could file a writ petition seeking such commutation.
Their trials are often cruelly forced to endure long periods of uncertainty about their fate.
Way forward: Law Commission recommendations on death penalty
The Law Commission of India in its 262nd Report (August 2015) recommended that:
Death penalty be abolished for all crimes other than terrorism-related offences and waging war.
Measures such as police reforms, witness protection scheme and victim compensation scheme should be taken up expeditiously by the government.
It felt that time has come for India to move towards abolition of the death penalty. However the concern is often raised that abolition of death penalty for terrorism-related offences and waging war, will affect national security.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Border states, Places in news, Prelims box
Mains level: India- China border conflicts and measures
Central Idea
India needs to take proactive measures to address the ongoing border crisis with China in Ladakh, rather than relying on a status quo approach. The government’s silence and euphemistic language on the issue have given the impression of incompetence and inaction, leading to concerns over India’s capability to handle the situation
Brief background on the Ladakh border issue
The border dispute dates back to the 1950s and 60s, when China made claims to the region and occupied large parts of it.
In 1962, the two countries fought a brief war over the issue, which ended in a Chinese victory and the establishment of a de facto border line known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Since then, the two countries have had several standoffs and skirmishes in the region, with tensions escalating in recent years. T
he latest border standoff in Ladakh began in May 2020 and continues to remain unresolved.
The Depsang crisis of 2013
Depsang Plains of Ladakh: The Depsang crisis of 2013 refers to a tense border standoff between India and China that took place in the Depsang Plains of Ladakh in April-May 2013.
Chinese troops set up a camp: The crisis began when Chinese troops set up a camp in the Depsang Plains, which is located about 19 km inside what India considers to be its territory.
Strategically important area: The area is strategically important as it overlooks the strategically important Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) road that India had built to improve its connectivity to the border areas.
Negotiations and agreement over the withdrawal: The situation was resolved after three weeks of negotiations, with the Chinese agreeing to withdraw their troops in exchange for a pledge from India to scale down its military presence in the area.
The crisis led to other standoffs: The crisis highlighted the long-standing boundary dispute between India and China, which has led to several other standoffs and skirmishes over the years.
What is the current situation?
The current situation at the Ladakh border is that some areas have witnessed disengagement, while two areas, Depsang and Demchok, remain unresolved. Indian soldiers are not allowed to touch 26 of the 65 patrolling points in Ladakh.
Diplomatic meetings and talks between corps commanders have not elicited any progress since September last year. Regular meetings between Indian and Chinese Ministers, Foreign and Defence, have not yielded results either.
India needs to find a way to transfer the pressure back to China, as Beijing has never compromised unless it has been forced into an uncomfortable spot.
Facts for prelims
States
Border with China
Important Passes
Jammu and Kashmir
1597 km
Khardung La Pass, Chang La Pass, Marsimik La Pass, Saser La Pass
Arunachal Pradesh
1126 km
Bum La Pass, Kibithu Pass, Tawang
Uttarakhand
345 km
Mana Pass, Lipulekh Pass, Niti Pass
Sikkim
220 km
Nathu La Pass, Jelep La Pass
Himachal Pradesh
200 km
Shipki La Pass, Kaurik Pass
Way ahead: Steps to transfer the pressure back to China
Bold use of imagination: The political leadership needs to use its imagination boldly to find a way to impose its will upon China.
Be proactive: India needs to be proactive in dealing with China, as Beijing has never compromised unless it has been forced into an uncomfortable spot.
Tactful action on LAC: Tactical actions on the LAC need to be daring, and the military needs to be used as an instrument to pursue policy ends and try to impose its will upon the adversary.
Increase strategic thought: Strategic thought in Delhi needs to be bold and innovative to find a way to wrest the initiative from China.
Avoid fear of military escalation: India’s fear of military escalation is holding back progress in the Ladakh border issue, and the government needs to overcome this fear to take proactive steps.
Utilize diplomatic channels: India should leverage diplomatic channels and international forums to put pressure on China to resolve the border issue.
Strengthen domestic capabilities: India should focus on building domestic capabilities, including military and economic, to match up to China’s strengths and position itself better in negotiations.
Conclusion
India needs to take proactive measures to address the ongoing border crisis with China in Ladakh. A status quo approach can no longer be the answer, and India will have to wrest the initiative from China. Failure to do so would be a national failure for India, and the government must show boldness and imagination to resolve the crisis.
Mains Question
Q. India is going through the tough phase over the issues of border with China. In this backdrop discuss what proactive measures that India needs to take considering the current developments situation of the border conflicts?
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Food procurement
Mains level: Nutritious food through PDS
Central Idea
The Department of Food and Public Distribution (DoF&PD), in particular the Food Corporation of India (FCI), must have heaved a sigh of relief that the procurement of wheat so far has crossed 20 million tonnes (MT), a notch higher than last year. Three states Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh have contributed more than 98 per cent to the central pool.
Wheat production estimates
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) had earlier estimated the wheat production for this year to be 112 MT. However, the impact of unseasonal rains on wheat production has made the revised estimate uncertain.
Punjab: Punjab, one of the largest contributors to wheat procurement, is also in the process of estimating losses due to rough weather just before the harvest time. Despite the unseasonal rains, interactions with Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), market functionaries and farmers suggest that the production of wheat this year is higher than last year.
Uttar Pradesh: Uttar Pradesh produces almost double the amount of wheat (about 35 MT) than Punjab (about 18 MT). UP is estimated to procure 3.5 MT of wheat, but so far it has procured a meagre 0.12 MT. Unless it brings a surprise in May and June, the overall wheat procurement may stop well short of even 30 MT.
Facts for prelims
The benefits of Mulching of paddy straw
Increases organic carbon in the soil: Mulching of paddy straw increases the organic carbon content of the soil. It helps in retaining moisture in the soil and improves soil health.
Helps in reducing weed growth: Mulching acts as a magic as it helps in reducing the weed growth, conserves soil moisture, and provides essential nutrients to the soil.
Increases crop productivity: It helps in improving the fertility of the soil and in turn increases the productivity of the crops.
Reduces soil erosion: Mulching of paddy straw protects the soil from wind and water erosion.
Decreases the use of fertilizers: It helps in reducing the use of fertilizers as the organic matter from the mulch provides essential nutrients to the soil.
Promotes sustainable agriculture: Mulching promotes sustainable agriculture practices as it is an eco-friendly and cost-effective way of managing agricultural waste.
Challenges for providing nutritious food through PDS
Infrastructure and supply chain: There is a lack of proper infrastructure and supply chain to transport and store nutritious food items such as millets, pulses, and oilseeds. This leads to spoilage, wastage, and ultimately affects the quality of food provided through PDS.
Cost: Providing nutritious food items through PDS may increase the cost of the program, which can be a challenge for the government to sustain in the long run.
Awareness and demand: There is a lack of awareness among the general public about the benefits of nutritious food items and the need to include them in their diet. Also, there may not be enough demand for these items, leading to poor offtake and wastage.
Operational challenges: There are several operational challenges such as sourcing, storage, and distribution of nutritious food items, which need to be addressed for an effective PDS program.
Political interference: There may be political interference in the selection of food items to be included in PDS, leading to a focus on populist measures rather than on nutritious food items. This can undermine the effectiveness of the program.
Nutrition security through PDS and a help to climate resilient agriculture
Introducing more nutritious food: The introduction of more nutritious food, such as millets, pulses, and oilseeds, in PDS can help achieve the twin objectives of nutrition and climate resilience.
Encouraging climate-resilient food: Encouraging the production of climate-resilient food crops like millets, pulses, oilseeds, etc., can help create a steady flow of nutritious food.
Upgrading fair price shops to Nutritious Food Hubs: At least 10% of fair price shops can be upgraded and declared as Nutritious Food Hubs (NFHs). These NFHs can have fortified, including bio-fortified, rice and wheat, millets, pulses, oilseeds (especially soyabean products with 40% protein), fortified milk and edible oils, eggs, etc.
Electronic vouchers for targeted beneficiaries: Consumers of PDS list may be given electronic vouchers (like an e-food coupon in a food court) that can be charged by the government three or four times a year.
Government assistance for upgrading NFHs: The NFHs can be upgraded with government assistance, creating demand for more diversified and nutritious food from the masses.
Capping the procurement of rice: The procurement of rice would have to be capped, starting with districts where the water table has been depleting alarmingly.
For example, Sangrur in Punjab has witnessed a fall of groundwater level by more than 25 meters during 2000-2019. Farmers of such districts could be incentivized to grow millets, pulses, oilseeds, etc., that are climate smart, use much less water and fertilizers, thus saving power and fertilizer subsidies.
Giving a special package for carbon credits: The Centre and the states need to join hands to give a special package for carbon credits for growing such crops. Farmers can be rewarded about Rs 10,000/acre (to be shared equally by the Centre and the state), as these crops would save that much fertilizer subsidy of the Centre and power subsidy of the state.
Conclusion
The Department of Food and Public Distribution’s Chintan Shivir on leveraging PDS to offer more nutritious food is a great vision, but there are several operational challenges to provide a steady flow of these foods. Upgrading at least 10% of the fair price shops as Nutritious Food Hubs could create a demand for more diversified and nutritious food from the masses. However, capping the procurement of rice and incentivizing farmers to grow millets, pulses, and oilseeds that are climate-smart and use less water and fertilizers is necessary.
Mains Question
Q. How PDS can be leveraged to provided nutritious food and also help make Indian agriculture more climate resilient? Discuss along with the challenges
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: USCIRF Report
Mains level: Threats to India's secular fabric
The Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has urged to impose targeted sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials responsible for “severe violations” of religious freedom by freezing their assets.
What is USCIRF Report?
The USCIRF report assesses the status of religious freedom around the world.
It provides a comprehensive analysis of the state of religious freedom in countries across the globe, highlighting issues of concern and making recommendations for action by the US government.
The report is an important tool for raising awareness of violations of religious freedom and advocating for greater protection of this fundamental human right.
Allegations against India
(1) Policies
It is alleged that the Indian government at the national, state, and local levels promoted and enforced religiously discriminatory policies, including:
Laws targeting religious conversion
Interfaith relationships
Ban over wearing of hijabs and cow slaughter
This has negatively impact Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and Adivasis.
(2) Laws of Suppression
The report also alleges that the national government continued to suppress critical voices, particularly of religious minorities and those advocating on their behalf through-
India has slammed USCIRF for “misrepresenting” facts and described it as an “organisation of particular concern”.
The Indian government rejected the biased and inaccurate comments.
Foundation of Indian and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) slammed USCIRF for its biased report and failure to acknowledge the cultural and economic significance of cows to Indians.
Why such reports often falsely target India?
Lack of objectivity: There have been instances in the past where these reports have been criticized for being one-sided and lacking objectivity.
US lobby against everyone: It is important to note that reports like USCIRF’s are based on the organization’s own assessments.
Inherent bias against India: Such allegations are prevalent ever since India attained its Freedom.
Self-proclaimed father of democracy: US has infamous for selectively promoting democracy and human rights, and for supporting authoritarian regimes that align with its strategic interests.
Anti-regime: Such reports often overlook the efforts made by the present regime in India towards promoting religious tolerance and communal harmony.
Way forward
Urgent action: India needs to take prompt and necessary steps to address religious freedom issues and take everyone’s faith in the government and democratic process.
Nuanced understanding: International organizations and foreign governments must make a conscious effort to understand the complexities of India’s social, political, and economic landscape before making any recommendations or issuing reports.
Avoid sweeping generalizations: It is important to avoid sweeping generalizations and presenting a one-sided view of the situation, which can be detrimental to India’s reputation and lead to misunderstandings.
Self-reflection by the US: The US must address its own issues related to religious freedom and human rights violations, and not just sermon other countries.
Conclusion
India’s historical diversity and pluralism: India has a long history of diversity, pluralism, and peaceful coexistence among different communities.
Constitutional guarantees: The Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all citizens, regardless of their religion, caste, or creed.
Media as a strong pillar: The country has a vibrant democracy and a free and independent media that regularly scrutinizes the government and its policies. This eliminates the scope for anyone’s oppression.
Nation-building: All communities have contributed significantly to the country’s cultural and social fabric. Success of India is often unwelcomed by the US. People should not fall prey to foreign propaganda.
DOMR | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Effects Of Liberalization On The Economy, Changes In Industrial Policy and their effects on Industrial Growth
Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: National Manufacturing Innovation Survey (NMIS)
Mains level: Read the attached story
Central Idea: The Department of Science and Technology under the Ministry of Science & Technology has released the National Manufacturing Innovation Survey (NMIS) 2021-22.
About National Manufacturing Innovation Survey
Details
Undertaken by
DST and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
History
First National Innovation Survey in 2011
Focus
Manufacturing competitiveness
Purpose
Innovation performance of Indian manufacturing firms
Insights
Enabling activities and identifying barriers to innovation
Processes
Examines innovation processes, outcomes, and barriers faced by firms
State/Sector
Evaluates performance of states and sectors in producing new products, services, and business processes
It captured data related to types of innovations and innovative measures taken by firms.
Includes: the process of innovation, access to finance, resources, and information for innovation, besides also recording the factors impacting the innovation activities in a firm.
One in four firms have successfully implemented an innovation in the observation period.
Over 80% of these firms benefitted significantly in expanding markets and production and reducing costs.
(2) Sectorial System of Innovation survey
It mapped the manufacturing innovation system and its role in achieving innovations in firms.
It measures the interactions between stakeholders of the innovation ecosystem, barriers to innovation, and the convergence or divergence of policy instruments in select 5 key manufacturing sectors important to the Indian economy.
Key highlights
Karnataka is the most “innovative” State, followed by Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu (DNH&DD), Telangana, and Tamil Nadu.
Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu had the highest share of innovative firms at 46.18% ,39.10% and 31.90%, respectively.
Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand reported the lowest share of such firms at 12.78%, 13.47% and 13.71%, respectively.
Nearly three-fourths of the 8,000-odd firms surveyed, most of them micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME), neither made any innovative product nor process innovation.
However, nearly 80% of the firms that did report significant gains such as expanding markets and reducing production costs.
Barriers identified
The most frequent “barriers to innovation” were the lack of internal funds, high innovation costs, and lack of financing from external sources.
Gujarat and DNH&DD reported the highest frequencies of barriers to innovation, despite being among India’s most industrialised States.
Significance of the survey
It will help in the Make-in-India programme, specifically the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes.
It will help to boost manufacturing in a variety of sectors, including electronics, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Abhilash Tomy, Golden Globe Race
Mains level: NA
Central Idea
Abhilash Tomy, a former Commander in the Indian Navy, has achieved the remarkable feat of completing a solo circumnavigation worldwide by finishing second at the Golden Globe Race (GGR), 2022.
He achieved this record under even more challenging circumstances than his previous record-breaking feat of going worldwide on a sailboat solo and unassisted back in 2013.
What is Golden Globe Race?
The Golden Globe Race is a non-stop, solo, unassisted yacht race around the world which was held for the first time in 1968-69.
The race requires contestants to use boats designed to prescribed premodern specifications and rely entirely on sextants and paper charts.
Satellite phones are available for extremely restricted use, and the use of modern navigational gear is not allowed.
The sailing would be along a stipulated route, rounding the three great capes (Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia, and Cape Horn in Chile).
His return to GGR
After several injuries, in 2021, Tomy began to look for sponsors and boats to participate in GGR-2022.
He announced his participation in the race on the Bayanat in March 2022, sponsored by a UAE-based company in the field of geospatial artificial intelligence.
However, just three weeks before the race, the boat collided with a ship and required massive repairs.
Significance of his achievement
Only three of the 11 contestants of GGR-2022 lasted the course of the race, with Kirsten Neuschafer becoming the first woman to win a solo around-the-world yacht race.
Tomy’s boat was the most ‘repaired’ boat in the race and it was all carried out by the sailor fighting unimaginable sea conditions and lack of sleep.
In the end, Tomy became the first Asian to complete the 30,000-mile GGR by finishing second after Neuschafer.
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Statistics on hunger and malnutrition, and initiatives
Mains level: Tackling the problem of hunger and malnutrition
Central Idea
A troubling statistic in the fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data, conducted in 2019-21, is not well-known. Going without food for an entire day at this critical period of a child’s development raises serious concerns related to severe food insecurity.
Statistics from the NFHS-5 data
Zero-food: Among mothers with a child between ages 6-23 months, 18% reported that their child did not eat any food whatsoever (“zero-food”) in the 24 hours preceding the survey. The zero-food prevalence was 30% for infants aged 6-11 months, 13% among 12-17 months old, and 8% among 18-23 months old.
Zero-protein: More than 80% of children in the age group of 6-23 months had not consumed any protein-rich foods for an entire day (“zero-protein”). Close to 40% of children in the age group of 6-23 months did not eat any grains (roti, rice, etc.) for an entire day.
Zero-milk: Six out of 10 children in the age group of 6-23 months do not consume milk or dairy of any form every day (“zero-milk”).
The current measures for undernutrition
Stunting: It is a measure of chronic malnutrition, where children are too short for their age. It is determined by comparing a child’s height with the World Health Organization (WHO) child growth standards.
Wasting: It is a measure of acute malnutrition, where children have a low weight for their height. It is determined by comparing a child’s weight with the WHO child growth standards.
Underweight: It is a measure of both chronic and acute malnutrition, where children have a low weight for their age. It is determined by comparing a child’s weight with the WHO child growth standards.
Limitations of current measures of undernutrition
Anthropometric measures: The assessment of the extent of nutritional deprivation among young children in India has relied on measures of anthropometric failure such as the percentage of children short for their age (stunting) or weighing less given their height (wasting), compared to a reference population. These measures are, at best, proxies suggesting plausible overall deficiencies in the child’s environment, without any guidance on the specific nature of the deficiencies. They do not provide insight into the specific food groups that are lacking in the child’s diet.
Multifactorial nature: Given the multifactorial nature of what causes stunting or wasting among children, it is challenging for any single ministry or department of the Government of India to take responsibility for designing, implementing and monitoring policies to reduce undernutrition among children.
Sensitivity: The sensitivity of the stunting prevalence to what population reference is being used makes it problematic as a policy metric for creating and evaluating the effectiveness of current programs and interventions.
Lack of data: The fact that we do not know what India eats highlights a core deficiency in data related to food and dietary consumption. This limits the ability to design effective policies and programs to improve nutritional security among Indians.
Facts for prelims
Initiative
Description
NFHS-5
Conducted in 2019-21, it revealed that 18% of mothers with a child between ages 6-23 months reported zero-food intake.
Mission Poshan 2.0
A flagship programme aimed at achieving SDG 2 “zero hunger” and focuses on food-based initiatives.
Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)
Increased access to improved toilets among Indian households from 48% to 70% between 2016 and 2021.
Zero Food Metric
A food-based metric that provides a good start to monitor and assess the performance of Poshan 2.0.
White House initiative on hunger, nutrition and health
Launched by the US to end hunger by 2030.
Calorie intake recommendations by WHO
According to the World Health Organisation, at six months of age, 33 per cent of the daily calorie intake is expected to come from food. This proportion increases to 61 per cent at 12 months of age.
The recommended calorie percentages mentioned here are the minimum amount that should come from food.
It is presumed that the child obtains the remaining calories through on-demand breastfeeding, meaning the child is breastfed whenever they need it throughout the day and night, and not solely when the mother is able to provide it.
Consequently, the percentage of food-sourced calories only increases further when a child cannot receive breast milk when needed.
What is the need for Poshan 2.0?
Achieving SDG 2: Poshan 2.0 is a flagship program that aims to achieve SDG 2, which aims to end hunger and ensure year-round access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food by 2030.
Targeting maternal and child nutrition: Poshan 2.0 focuses on food-based initiatives, including its flagship supplementary nutrition program service as mandated by the 2013 National Food Security Act, to target maternal and child nutrition.
Developing food-based metrics: To effectively monitor and assess the performance of Poshan 2.0, there is an immediate need to develop appropriate food-based metrics to measure the extent of food insecurity among Indian households.
Improving nutritional security: The goal of Poshan 2.0 is to ensure affordable access to sufficient quantity and quality of nutritionally diverse food, with a special and immediate focus on India’s youngest children to improve nutritional security among Indians.
Establishing routine dietary and nutritional assessments: A national effort to establish routine dietary and nutritional assessments for the entire population is the need of the hour to measure the availability, accessibility, and affordability of nutritious food, especially for disadvantaged and vulnerable populations such as young children, and constitute the foundation for any evidence-based policy to end hunger and improve nutritional security among Indians.
Way ahead
Elevating food intake among young children to be of primary importance, as opposed to being referred to as “complementary” in policies and guidelines related to maternal, infant and young child nutrition.
Extending the 24-hour recall questions on consumption of various food items to the population of children under five years to better understand food security for all populations in India.
Developing appropriate food-based metrics to effectively monitor and assess the performance of Mission Poshan 2.0.
Establishing routine dietary and nutritional assessments for the entire population to measure the availability, accessibility and affordability of nutritious food, especially for disadvantaged and vulnerable populations such as young children.
Consider a strategic initiative led by the Prime Minister’s Office aimed at eliminating food insecurity in India and ensuring affordable access to sufficient quantity and quality of nutritionally diverse food, with a special and immediate focus on India’s youngest children.
Conclusion
Given the urgency of the situation and the critical need for prompt action to address the issue of hunger and malnutrition among Indians, it is recommended that India takes inspiration from the United States. Recently, the US launched a high-level initiative aimed at ending hunger by 2030, which could offer valuable insights and guidance to India’s efforts in this direction.
Mains Question
Q. Statistic in the fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data on hunger and malnutrition is troubling. In this backdrop discuss the need for Poshan 2.0 for India.
