Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Data related to consumer size and consumption expenditure
Why in the news?
In 2023, India became the world’s most populous country, contrasting China’s declining birth rate. This prompts a comparison of their consumption patterns and geopolitical implications.
Consumer size of India and China
Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE):
- India’s PFCE as a percentage of GDP is significantly higher than China’s, with India spending over 58% of its GDP on consumption compared to China’s 38%.
- Final consumption, including government expenditure, constitutes 68% of India’s GDP and 53% of China’s GDP.
- Despite China’s larger economy, its PFCE is only about 3.5 times that of India’s, indicating a higher contribution of consumption to India’s GDP.
Expenditure by Categories:
- India’s consumption expenditure is characterized by higher spending on food, clothing, footwear, and transport, typical of a developing market.
- In contrast, China’s consumption basket represents a relatively developed market, with higher spending on housing, white goods, recreation, education, and healthcare.
- India spends approximately half of what China spends on food, transport, and clothing and footwear, despite being a fifth of China’s economy.
- Real growth rates of individual consumption categories in India often outperform nominal growth rates observed in China.
Conclusion: India’s higher PFCE as a percentage of GDP reflects a greater reliance on consumption-driven growth compared to China.The composition of consumption expenditure in India and China highlights differences in market maturity and consumer behavior.Despite China’s larger economy, India’s consumption expenditure is relatively significant, indicating the potential for continued growth and economic development.
Mains PYQ
Q The time has come for India and Japan to build a strong contemporary relationship, one involving global and strategic partnership that will have a great significance for Asia and the world as a whole. Comment. (UPSC IAS/2019)
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Terms and concepts in News; New Humanism;
Mains level: Types of Democracies; Radical Democracy;
Why in the News?
The ongoing socio-political and economic crises highlight the need for societal reorganization.
- Manabendra Nath Roy and colleagues proposed a theory reconciling Freedom with justice, countering the failures of Liberal democracy and modern dictatorship.
- They highlighted crises on the following grounds:
- 19th Century Liberal Democracy and Capitalist Exploitation.
- Degeneration of Communism and Rise of Fascism.
- World Wars and Global Conflict.
What is Radical Democracy?
- Radical democracy is a form of democracy that advocates for an extensive expansion of equality and liberty. It views democracy as an ongoing, inclusive, and reflexive process.
- Radical democracy differs from traditional democracy’s approach to equality, liberty, and the democratic process.
- Traditional democracy typically focuses on established structures and procedures, aiming for consensus and stability.
The key principles of radical democracy in India (by M. N. Roy):
- Decentralized Democracy: Radical democracy advocates for a highly decentralized democracy based on a network of people’s committees, enabling citizens to exercise democratic control over the state.
- Economic Reorganization: It emphasizes the progressive satisfaction of material needs as a prerequisite for individuals to unfold their intellectual potential, with economic liberation being essential for advancing toward freedom.
- Collective Efforts for Freedom: It envisions a world of freedom achieved through the collective efforts of intellectually free individuals who act as guides and friends of the people, promoting rational and ethical political practices.
- Social Renaissance: Radical democracies stressed the importance of educating people on freedom and rational cooperative living to achieve social revolution, requiring an increasing number of individuals committed to freedom, reason, and social harmony.
- Party-less Democracy Critique: Roy’s advocacy for party-less democracy is critiqued for potentially contradicting the fundamental democratic freedom of association, as political parties play a crucial role in democratic processes.
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Significance of Radical Approach towards Elections:
- Empowerment of Citizens: Radical democracy emphasizes empowering citizens beyond mere voting, focusing on raising individuals’ dignity and enabling active participation in decision-making processes.
- Critique of Traditional Democracy: Challenges the limitations of traditional liberal democracy, highlighting how parliamentary systems can lead to demagoguery and a loss of civil liberties, especially for economically disadvantaged individuals.
- Decentralization and Local Participation: Advocates for decentralization of legislative power to local councils, promoting direct participation and accountability at the grassroots level, ensuring a more inclusive and responsive democratic process.
- Protection Against Authoritarianism: Seeks to safeguard against authoritarianism and dictatorship by dispersing power and preventing monopolization by political parties or their leaders, fostering a more pluralistic and accountable political landscape.
- Enhanced Democratic Culture: Promotes a vibrant democratic culture that goes beyond institutional arrangements, emphasizing citizen empowerment through critical thinking, and participatory politics, and cultivating a public ethos that values democratic principles and practices.
How does a Radical Democracy provide a Humanist Economy?
- Roy criticizes Capitalist and Nationalized economies for their centralization and failure to prioritize human needs.
- He advocates for the modernization of agriculture through better irrigation, fertility improvement, and infrastructure development, emphasizing the cooperative organization of rural economies.
- Economic policies should focus on social security, unemployment insurance, old age pensions, and improving health, housing, and education.
- Roy argues for a balanced approach to industrialization that addresses immediate needs and promotes social and economic justice, warning against rapid industrialization that benefits only a small fraction of the population.
Significance of Radical Democracy:
- Achieve true freedom and social justice: Radical democracy, according to Roy, is essential for achieving true freedom and social justice. Democracy should be viewed as a product of civilization, possible only in advanced societies where individual freedom is recognized as interconnected with the freedom of others.
- Prevent totalitarianism: Roy emphasizes that economic deprivation and social oppression pave the way for totalitarianism. To prevent this, democracy must be grounded in individual creativity, rationality, and collective efforts to transform society.
- Humanism and moral radicalism: He advocates for a philosophy rooted in humanism and moral radicalism, asserting that humans are the creators of their world and emphasizing the need for a rational and scientific approach to societal development.
Conclusion: Radical democracy, rooted in humanism and moral radicalism, is crucial for true freedom and social justice, requiring a rational, creative, and collective effort to transform society and prevent totalitarianism.
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Manabendra Nath Roy, better known as M. N. Roy, was a prominent 20th-century Indian revolutionary, philosopher, radical activist, and political theorist. He played a significant role in the Indian independence movement and was the founder of the Mexican Communist Party and the Communist Party of India. Roy’s political career was marked by his involvement in various revolutionary activities, his advocacy for radical humanism, and his contributions to Marxist philosophy. |
Mains PYQ:
Q Starting from inventing the ‘basic structure’ doctrine, the judiciary has played a highly proactive role in ensuring that India develops into a thriving democracy. In light of the statement, evaluate the role played by judicial activism in achieving the ideals of democracy. (UPSC IAS/2014)
Prelims PYQs
Who among the following were the founders of the “Hind Mazdoor Sabha” established in 1948?
a) Krishna Pillai, E.M.S. Namboodiripad and K.C . George
b) Jayaprakash Narayan, Deen Day al Upadhyay and M.N. Roy
c) C .P. Ramaswamy Iyer, K. Kamaraj and Veeresalingam Pantulu
d) Ashok Mehta, T.S. Ramanujam and G.G. Mehta
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: MSMEs;
Mains level: Reviewing the Category of Micro-Enterprises
Why in the News?
A parliamentary panel suggested separating micro-enterprises from the broader MSME category and recommended revising definitions every five years.
- A government order for timely MSME payments has exposed knowledge gaps and unintentionally marginalized smaller enterprises, highlighting issues in understanding their structure and operations.
Present Status:
- According to the National Sample Survey Organisations (NSSO) Unorganised Enterprise Survey 2016, 95% of the enterprises surveyed reported revenues under Rs 50 lakh per annum. Of them, 89% reported an annual revenue of under Rs 12 lakh.
- In the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI), more than 66% of the enterprises reported an annual revenue of less than Rs 50 lakh, and of them, 45% reported annual revenues of Rs 12 lakh.
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What are the Categories of Micro-Enterprises?
- Category 1 – Micro: More than 98% of the MSMEs are within this category, with reporting annual revenue of Rs 50 lakh and less.
- Category 2 – Small: The MSMEs that are reporting annual revenue of Rs 50 lakh to Rs 5 crore.
Present Ambiguity and structural Gap in defining MSMEs
- Lack of Clarity and Consistency in defination: In India, the MSMED Act of 2006 categorized MSMEs based on investment in plants and machinery, which led to industries keeping their plants small to maintain MSME advantages.
- However, the MSMED Amendment Bill, 2018 proposed defining MSMEs solely based on yearly turnover, which has been criticized for under-reporting of qualifying enterprises.
- Quantitative vs. Qualitative Approaches: There are two main techniques for defining MSMEs: quantitative and qualitative, with MSMEs typically defined using a quantitative approach. Quantitative criteria like number of employees, total assets, and yearly revenue have limitations as they vary by industry and sector.
- Impact on Micro Enterprises: The ambiguity in defining MSMEs negatively impacts micro-enterprises, leading to issues like delayed payments and limited access to benefits and support schemes.
- Moreover, the unregistered micro-enterprises have been worse hit by the COVID-19 pandemic than small and medium enterprises, with micro-enterprises accounting for more than two-thirds of all MSMEs and having a higher rate of informality.
Way forward:
- Enhanced Data Collection: Conduct regular and comprehensive surveys to gather detailed data on MSMEs, particularly focusing on micro-enterprises.
- Further Classification within Micro-Enterprises: Establish sub-categories within the micro-enterprise category based on revenue thresholds (e.g., below Rs 10 lakh, Rs 10-25 lakh, Rs 25-50 lakh).
- Revenue Diversity: Significant variation in revenue among micro-enterprises necessitates further classification.
- Targeted Policies: Addressing classification gaps can enhance policy effectiveness, supporting micro-enterprise growth and sustainability.
BACK2BASICS
|
| Program and Policies |
Explanation |
| MSME Development Act, 2006 |
Provides the legal framework for defining MSMEs and their classification into micro, small, and medium enterprises. |
| Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises |
Provides credit guarantee cover of up to 75% of the credit to micro and small enterprises. |
| Udyog Aadhaar |
A simple online process for MSME registration, requiring only the Aadhaar number and a self-declaration. |
| MSME Samadhaan |
Mechanism to facilitate the promotion and development of MSMEs, including Khadi, Village, and Coir Industries. |
| Mudra Yojana |
Provides loans up to 10 lakh to non-corporate, non-farm small/micro enterprises. |
| ZED Scheme |
Aims to enhance the manufacturing capabilities and competitiveness of MSMEs through Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) certification. |
| Stand-Up India |
Facilitates bank loans between 10 lakh and 1 crore to at least one Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) borrower and at least one woman borrower per bank branch |
Make in India: Focuses on making India a global manufacturing hub, with MSMEs playing a crucial role.
Stand-Up India: Facilitates bank loans between 10 lakh and 1 crore to at least one Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) borrower and at least one woman borrower per bank branch
Mains PYQ:
Q Account for the failure of manufacturing sector in achieving the goal of labour-intensive exports. Suggest measures for more labour-intensive rather than capital-intensive exports. (UPSC IAS/2017)
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Present challenges in the Manufacturing sector;
Why in the News?
The emphasis on workers’ accommodation in the manufacturing sector is gaining traction in the news due to its potential to address key challenges and unlock India’s manufacturing ambitions.
About India’s goal to $10 trillion by 2035
India aims to grow its economy to $10 trillion by 2035, with a specific focus on transforming the manufacturing sector to increase its GDP share from 15% to 25%. This ambitious goal involves a four-fold growth in manufacturing to enhance employment elasticity. |
Present Challenges:
- Inadequate Infrastructure: Many factories currently lack the necessary infrastructure to support large-scale manufacturing, particularly in terms of workers’ accommodation.
- Land Regulation: Existing industrial land allocation regulations do not typically account for worker housing, necessitating regulatory changes at the state level.
- Commute and Productivity: Workers often face long commutes, with studies showing travel times of up to two hours each way, leading to exhaustion and reduced productivity.
- Living Conditions: Many workers live in ad hoc accommodations, which are not ideal for maintaining a stable and productive workforce.
- Skill Gaps: There is a need for more targeted skill development programs to enhance worker productivity and adaptability to new manufacturing processes and technologies.
- Lack of Coordinated Policy: There is a need for a more coordinated approach between state and central governments to provide the necessary fiscal and policy support.
Economic Factors that will steer Enlightened Self-Interest:
- Transportation Savings: By providing on-premises or factory-adjacent accommodation, companies can significantly reduce transportation costs, estimated at over Rs 5,000 per worker per month.
- Increased Productivity: Reduced commute times and better living conditions can lead to increased worker productivity.
- Reduced Attrition: Better living conditions and reduced commuting stress can decrease workforce attrition, ensuring a more stable and experienced workforce.
- Better Training Facilities: On-site accommodation can facilitate better training programs, enhancing workers’ skills and productivity.
- Lower Carbon Footprint: Reducing the need for long commutes can lower the overall carbon footprint of manufacturing operations.
Way forward:
- Tax and Fiscal Incentives: The Union government can catalyze investment in workers’ accommodation through tax incentives, GST reductions, and other fiscal benefits.
- Priority Sector Tagging: Tagging workers’ accommodation as a priority sector for construction finance can attract more investment.
- Collaborative Financing: Leveraging vehicles like the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) to finance credible worker housing projects can boost infrastructure development.
Mains PYQ:
Q The nature of economic growth in India in recent times is often described as a jobless growth. Do you agree with this view? Give arguments in favour of your answer. (UPSC IAS/2015)
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: World Water Forum, World Water Council;
Why in the News?
- The World Bank report, titled “Water for Shared Prosperity,” was released at the 10th World Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia.
- It underscores the widening gap in access to water resources and services, exacerbated by factors like population growth, urbanization, and climate change.
Water for Shared Prosperity: Key Highlights of the Report
- In 2022, 2.2 billion people lacked access to safely managed drinking water services, while 3.5 billion lacked access to safely managed sanitation.
- Over 800 million people globally are at high risk of drought, with double that number living in flood-prone areas.
- Low-income countries have seen a regression in access to safe drinking water, with an additional 197 million people lacking access since 2000.
- Rural-urban access gaps in low-income countries have remained largely unchanged over the last two decades.
- Hotspots in regions like the Sahel, Southeastern Africa, and South and Central Asia experience the highest water stress.
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo holds over half of Africa’s total water resources.
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About World Water Forum:
- It is a large-scale international event that focuses on the discussion and development of solutions to global water-related challenges.
- It is held every three years. The first forum took place in took place in Marrakesh, Morocco in March 1997.
- It is organized by the World Water Council, an international organization.
- It brings together stakeholders from various sectors including governments, organizations, businesses, and academia to promote awareness, build political commitment, and trigger action on critical water issues at all levels.
What is the World Water Council (WWC)?
- The World Water Council was founded in 1996.
- The idea for the WWC emerged from discussions during the International Water and Sanitation Congress & Exhibition in 1994 and the subsequent Ministerial Conference on Drinking Water and Environmental Sanitation in 1996.
- WWC’s activities focus on targets related to SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), among others.
- The Council was established by renowned water specialists and international organizations, including academic institutions, private companies, governments, and NGOs etc.
- Objective: The primary aim of the Council is to raise awareness about critical water issues at all levels, including the highest decision-making levels, to facilitate efficient conservation, protection, development, planning, management, and use of water resources globally.
- Membership: The WWC boasts a diverse membership base comprising over 300 member organizations in approximately 50 countries.
Key Functions and Contributions:
- World Water Forums: It is the world’s largest event on water and gathers participants from various sectors to discuss and collaborate on water issues.
- Policy Influence: The WWC works to influence policy by facilitating discussions among political and economic decision-makers.
- Research and Advocacy: Through its publications, policy papers, and strategic projects, the WWC fosters greater understanding and awareness of water issues.
PYQ:
[2016] The effective management of land and water resources will drastically reduce the human miseries. Explain.
[2012] If National Water Mission is properly and completely implemented, how will it impact the country?
- Part of the water needs of urban areas will be met through recycling of waste water.
- The water requirement of coastal cities with inadequate alternative sources of water will be met by adopting appropriate technologies that allow for use of ocean water.
- All the rivers of Himalayan origin will be linked to the rivers of peninsular India.
- The expenses incurred by farmers for digging bore wells and for installing motors and pump sets to draw groundwater will be completely reimbursed by the Government.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: World Migration Report, 2024;
Why in the News?
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has recently launched the World Migration Report 2024.
Back2Basics: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
|
|
Details |
| About |
- Originated in 1951 as the Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants from Europe (PICMME) after World War II’s upheavals.
- In 2016, IOM agreed with the United Nations, becoming a related organization.
|
| Headquarters |
Geneva, Switzerland |
| Members |
- Currently has 175 Member States and 8 states with Observer status.
- India became an IOM Member State on 18th June 2008.
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Key Highlights of the Report:
- Climate Change Impacts on Migration
- The report highlights a significant increase in global migration due to environmental impacts and climate change, with more than 216 million people projected to be on the move within their countries by 2050.
- Migration is being used as a strategy to cope with and adapt to the adverse effects of climate change, although its effectiveness varies based on individual circumstances and active involvement of migrants.
Specific Regional Insights:
- Climate change has led to severe weather changes, including decreased rainfall and increased temperatures in North Africa, contributing to migration.
- Countries like Libya, Algeria, and Morocco have seen migration due to reduced rainfall and increased drought conditions.
- Asia:
- In South Asia, particularly Pakistan and Bangladesh, extreme weather events like floods have led to substantial displacement.
- The 2022 floods in Pakistan resulted in nearly 1.7 million displacements and in Bangladesh, record-breaking floods in 2022 triggered over 1.5 million displacements.
- In India, strong influence of climate impacts on internal migration from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Remittances Inflows in India
- According to the Report, India has consistently been the top recipient of remittances globally. In 2022, India received a record-breaking $111.22 billion in remittances.
Remittance Inflows:
- India is way ahead of its closely ranked peers Mexico ($61.1 billion), China ($51 billion), Philippines ($38.05 billion) and France ($30.04 billion).
- This is the first time any country has crossed the USD 100 billion mark in remittance inflows.
- The largest contributions to India’s remittances come from the UAE, USA, and Saudi Arabia, reflecting the extensive Indian diaspora in these regions.
Migration Statistics:
- With 18 million international migrants residing primarily in the UAE, USA, and Saudi Arabia, India hosts the world’s largest number of international migrants.
- This large diaspora plays a crucial role in the economic linkage between India and these countries through remittances.
- India came in 13th as the destination country for immigrants, with 4.48 million.
PYQ:
[2015] Discuss the changes in the trends of labour migration within and outside India in the last four decades. |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Climate Change; New Collective Quantitative Goal; Evolutions in Global Climate Finances;
Mains level: NA
Why in the News?
At the upcoming COP29 in Baku in November this year, Azerbaijan, the primary discussion will center on the New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) for climate finance.
Recent Climate Conferences and Decisions:
- 2022 Sharm el-Sheikh Conference: A Loss and Damage Fund was established to assist developing countries in recovering from climate disasters.
- Dubai Conference: The focus was on the Global Stocktake (GST) of climate actions, acknowledging the need to transition away from fossil fuels and tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030.
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What is the New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG)?
-
-
- All the parties of the Paris Agreement participate and review the implementation of the Agreement and make decisions. CMA is held once a year.
- This goal will start with a target of at least $100 billion per year, focusing on the requirements and priorities of developing countries.
- It will replace the previous commitment of USD 100 billion per year that developed nations had pledged in 2009 but never delivered.
NCQG: A timeline
- In 2009: The developed countries agreed to provide approximately $30 billion in ‘new and additional’ financial resources to developing countries from 2010 to 2012.
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- Additionally, these countries committed to collectively raising $100 billion annually by 2020 to support climate action in developing countries.
- In 2015: It was decided to continue this collective goal of mobilizing $100 billion yearly by developed countries up to 2025.
- A new climate finance target is to be set before 2025, maintaining at least $100 billion per year and considering the needs and priorities of developing countries. This is referred to as the NCQG or the new goal for post-2025.
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Financial Requirements for Effective Climate Action:
- Current Funding Gaps: The scale of annual climate finance has consistently fallen short of the $100 billion promised by developed countries.
- Projected Needs: Developing countries require about $6 trillion annually until 2030 to implement their climate action plans, according to a 2021 UN Climate Change report. An updated version of this report is expected to raise this figure even higher.
- Global Transition Costs: A global transition to a low-carbon economy is estimated to require about $4-6 trillion every year until 2050.
- Renewable Energy Expansion: Tripling renewable energy capacity, as agreed in Dubai, is estimated to cost $30 trillion until 2030, per the International Renewable Energy Association (IRENA).
Prospects for Meeting Financial Targets:
- Realistic Expectations: Discussions are ongoing, with India suggesting a target of at least $1 trillion per year, primarily through grants and concessional finance.
- Challenges: Developed countries have historically fallen short of even lesser goals, and achieving trillions in finance is seen as ambitious.
Back2Basics: Global Initiatives for Financing Climate Action
|
Established |
Purpose |
How it Works |
| Green Climate Fund (GCF) |
2010 |
To support developing countries in adaptation and mitigation to counter climate change. |
Mobilizes funding from developed to developing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance climate resilience. Operates under the UNFCCC financial mechanism. |
| Global Environment Facility (GEF) |
1991 |
To tackle global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development. |
Provides grants for projects related to environmental conventions (biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, ozone layer, organic pollutants). Functions as a financial mechanism for multiple conventions including the UNFCCC. |
| Climate Investment Funds (CIF) |
2008 |
To bridge funding and learning gaps for cleaner technology transformations. |
Offers scaled-up financing to middle-income countries to initiate cleaner technology transformations. Includes funds like the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and the Strategic Climate Fund (SCF). |
| Adaptation Fund |
2001 |
To finance concrete adaptation projects in developing countries party to the Kyoto Protocol. |
Financed by a share of proceeds from CDM project activities, it supports concrete adaptation projects in vulnerable communities. |
| Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) |
2001 |
To finance projects in adaptation, technology transfer, and various management sectors. |
Managed by the GEF, supports projects in sectors not directly funded through other funds such as energy, transport, and waste management. |
| Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) |
2001 |
To support the least developed countries (LDCs) in their climate change initiatives. |
Finances the preparation and implementation of National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) which identify priority activities for LDCs to adapt to climate change. |
| Carbon Pricing Mechanisms |
NA |
To internalize the cost of GHG emissions, incentivizing emission reductions. |
Involves setting a price on carbon emissions either through carbon taxes or emissions trading schemes (ETS), encouraging businesses to reduce emissions. |
| Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Partnership |
2016 |
To enhance cooperation to achieve NDC goals under the Paris Agreement. |
Facilitates technical and financial support to help countries implement and enhance their NDC commitments for reducing emissions. |
PYQ:
[2016] With reference to the Agreement at the UNFCCC Meeting in Paris in 2015, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- The Agreement was signed by all the member countries of the UN, and it will go into effect in 2017.
- The Agreement aims to limit the greenhouse gas emissions so that the rise in average global temperature by the end of this century does not exceed 2ºC or even 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels.
- Developed countries acknowledged their historical responsibility in global warming and committed to donate $ 1000 billion a year from 2020 to help developing countries to cope with climate change.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3 |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: AMR, Initiatives mentioned;
Why in the news?
The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) released a report titled “From Resistance to Resilience: Reinforcing the Response to Antimicrobial Resistance,” emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced Antibiotic development.
Report Highlights: Current State of Antibiotic Development:
- Weak Pipeline: The current pipeline for developing new antibiotics is described as weak, fragile, and insufficient against growing antimicrobial resistance.
- AMR Threat: Recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the greatest global health threats, AMR is linked to around 1.2 million direct deaths and 5 million associated deaths annually.
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What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?
- Antimicrobials are substances designed to eliminate or suppress the growth of microorganisms.
- This category encompasses antibiotics, fungicides, antiviral drugs, and agents targeting parasites.
- AMR occurs when microbes such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi become resistant to antimicrobial treatments to which they were previously susceptible.
- Microorganisms that develop resistance to antimicrobials are sometimes referred to as “superbugs”.
Global Status of AMR
A recent report from the Global Research on Anti-microbial Resistance (GRAM) project found that:
- In 2019, an estimated 4.95 million people suffered from at least one drug-resistant infection and AMR directly caused 1.27 million deaths.
- AMR is one of India’s major public health problems, directly contributing to about 30% of deaths due to neonatal sepsis across India.
- These are due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) hospital-acquired infections in many cases.
- 30% of the COVID-19 deaths in India could be attributed to our failure to treat the secondary bacterial infections caused by MDR pathogens with the appropriate antibiotics.
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What are the factors that cause AMR?
- Over-prescription of Antibiotics: Frequently prescribing antibiotics for conditions that do not require them, such as viral infections, accelerates the emergence of resistance.
- Incomplete Treatment Courses: Patients not completing their antibiotic courses as prescribed can leave surviving bacteria that adapt to become resistant.
- Self-Medication: Individuals using antibiotics without a prescription, especially in regions where they are available over the counter, increases misuse and drives resistance.
- Lack of New Antibiotics: The slow pace of new antibiotic development fails to keep up with the rate of bacterial evolution, reducing effective treatment options.
- Hospital Settings: Hospitals are critical hotspots for the spread of resistant infections due to the high use of antibiotics and the concentration of vulnerable patients with open wounds, invasive devices, and weakened immune systems.
- Global Travel: International travel allows for the rapid spread of resistant mutant strains between communities and across borders.
India’s efforts to combat AMR:
|
Description |
| National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR) |
- Launched in 2017, this 5-year plan involves multiple ministries to tackle AMR across human, animal, and environmental sectors.
- Focuses on enhancing awareness, surveillance, infection prevention, optimizing antimicrobial use, promoting research, and fostering international collaborations.
|
| New Delhi Declaration on AMR |
- Adopted in 2023 at the G20 Summit.
- It emphasizes strengthening surveillance, regulating antibiotic sales, and boosting research for new treatments and diagnostics in the South-East Asia Region.
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| National Anti-Microbial Resistance Research and Surveillance Network |
- Established under the Indian Council of Medical Research to monitor AMR trends through a network of laboratories across India.
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| National Programme on Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance |
- Initiated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to enhance AMR surveillance, infection control, and antimicrobial stewardship in healthcare facilities.
|
| Red Line Campaign |
- Started in 2016, it raises awareness about the irrational use of antibiotics.
- Medicines marked with a red line on their packaging are prescription-only, aiming to reduce misuse and over-the-counter sales.
|
| National One Health Program for Prevention and Control of Zoonoses |
- Launched in 2019, this program uses a multi-sectoral approach to strengthen responses to zoonotic diseases, including those caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Solar System; Venus and its physiography; Non-Thermal Dissociative Recombination;
Mains level: NA
Why in the News?
Over four billion years ago, Venus had enough water to potentially cover its surface with an ocean approximately 3 km deep, but today, it would remain with only 3 cm.
- A research by US scientists explain the Non-Thermal Dissociative Recombination (DR) responsible for faster loss of water from Venus.
About Venus
- Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is a terrestrial planet and is the closest in mass and size to its orbital neighbour Earth.
- Venus is notable for having the densest atmosphere of the terrestrial planets, composed mostly of carbon dioxide with a thick, global sulphuric acid cloud cover.
- At the surface it has a mean temperature of 464 °C (737 K) and a pressure of 92 times that of Earth’s at sea level.
- These extreme conditions compress carbon dioxide into a supercritical state close to Venus’s surface.
- Internally, Venus has a core, mantle, and crust. Venus lacks an internal dynamo, and its weak induced magnetosphere is caused by atmospheric interactions with the solar wind.
- Venus is one of two planets in the Solar System (the other being Mercury), that have no moons.
- The rotation of Venus has been slowed and turned against its orbital direction (retrograde) by the currents and drag of its atmosphere.
- It takes 224.7 Earth days for Venus to complete an orbit around the Sun, and a Venusian solar year is just under two Venusian days long.
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Water Loss on Venus:
- Venus lost its water primarily due to two factors:
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- Evaporation due to Greenhouse Effect: Its dense atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide, creating a strong greenhouse effect and surface temperatures around 450 degrees Celsius, which prevents water from existing in liquid form.
- Proximity to the Sun: This leads to the disintegration of water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen in the ionosphere under solar heat and ultraviolet radiation.
- Thermal Process: Initially, hydrodynamic escape was significant, where solar heating caused the outer atmosphere to expand, allowing hydrogen to escape into space. This process cooled and slowed about 2.5 billion years ago.
- Non-Thermal Process: Focus of recent study; involves hydrogen escaping into space, reducing water formation as oxygen atoms lack hydrogen to bond with.
Key Research Findings: Non-thermal Dissociative Recombination (DR)
The discrepancy in water loss rates was addressed by identifying a previously overlooked chemical reaction involving the formyl cation (HCO+).
- HCO+ dissociative recombination (DR) reaction occurs when HCO+ gains an electron and splits into CO and a hydrogen atom, which then escapes into space.
- This reaction is responsible for losing out water without evaporation.
- This reaction was modelled to significantly increase the rate of hydrogen escape, potentially doubling the rate at which Venus lost water.
- The model suggests that water levels on Venus would have been stable from nearly 2 billion years ago due to the ongoing non-thermal HCO+ DR reaction, yet some water remains today.
Future Research on Venus
- Existence of HCO+ Ions: Direct evidence of HCO+ ions in Venus’s atmosphere is still missing. Past missions did not focus on this molecule, and its involvement in water loss was not previously considered crucial.
- Future Missions: The findings underscore the importance of future Venus missions to investigate the presence of HCO+ in the upper atmosphere, similar to the MAVEN mission to Mars.
PYQ:
[2011] What is the difference between asteroids and comets?
- Asteroids are small rocky planetoids, while comets are made of ice, dust and rocky material.
- Asteroids are found mostly between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, while comets are found mostly between Venus and Mercury.
- Comets show a perceptible glowing tail, while asteroids do not.
Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3 |
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