Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 2-Issues relating to development and management of Social sector/services relating to health,education, Human resources.
Context
Death of 100 children in the month of December at a Government Hospital in Kota highlights the state of the public health system in India.
Public health as a political agenda
- After the incident of a large number of children in such a short span, Rajasthan CM appealed not to politicise the issue.
- But it is high time the issue is in fact politicised.
- The issue of public health needs to be pushed at the top of the political agenda.
- Citizens must hold political parties accountable for the state of healthcare in the country.
Poor infrastructure
- Until the number of deaths crosses a certain threshold the poor state of infrastructure fails to attract the attention of the authorities.
- This hospital came to light like Gorakhpur Medical college where scores of children had died only after media reports of 963 child deaths.
Conclusion
Every single death in a hospital ought to be seen as a failure that needs to be addressed urgently. For that, the government needs to make public health a priority.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Nothing much.
Mains level: Paper 2- International relations
Context
The recent targeted killing of Commander of Quds Forces of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by the US raised the tension in the region to a new high level. The imminent blowback from Iran could have several consequences for the rest of the world including India.
Different from past killings
- Though the U.S. has carried out many such targeted killings in the past but this case bears two important differences to the past killings.
- Unlike Osama bin Laden or Abu Bakr, Gen. Soleimani was a state actor.
- Unlike the above mentioned two, he was not past his prime.
Roles played by Gen. Soleimani
- He was the founder-commander of Iran’s Quds Force-formed for extra-territorial operations.
- He enhanced Iran’s influence in the Arab countries by leveraging the disarray in the region.
- Arab countries with a significant Shia population such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen came under Iranian influence.
What could be the fallouts
- Tit-for-tat between Iran and the U.S. could easily go out of hand and precipitate into a major confrontation.
- Both countries have domestic compulsions- there are elections due in both countries.
- These compulsions limit options for both countries to low-intensity skirmishes.
- The fact that the killing was carried on the Iraqi soil also assumes significance.
- The incident could increase the problems in Iraq which is rocked by three months of youth protests against undue foreign interference by both Iran and the U.S.
- The event is also likely to re-polarise the Iraqi society along sectarian lines.
- In the worst-case scenario Iraq could turn into the new Syria.
Potential fallout for India
- Global oil prices have already seen a 4% rise in within hours of the incident.
- India has already faced difficulty in maintaining relations with both countries because of the U.S.-Iran cold war.
- While we want to be on the right side of the U.S., our ties with Iran apart from being civilisational have their own geostrategic logic.
- With conflict turning hot, its adverse impact on India could magnify.
- High oil prices will definitely increase our import bill and increase difficulties in supplies.
- Safety of an estimated 8 million expatriates in the Gulf may be affected.
- Iran could influence the U.S.-Taliban peace process in Afghanistan which in turn increases India’s woes.
- After Iran, India has a large number of Shia population and some of them could be radicalised due to the event.
Conclusion
The event, if turn into a wider conflict between the two countries, could have many consequences for India from soaring oil prices and maintaining the balance between the two countries to the safety of expatriates in the Gulf.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much.
Mains level: Paper 2-Issues relating to development and management of social sector/ services relating to health, education, human resources.
At the End TB summit, 2018 the prime minister of India made a bold commitment to end tuberculosis by 2025-five years ahead of the global target. Which is possible to achieve if the efforts are put at the level it was done in case of polio.
The toll taken by TB
- Despite the disease being fully curable, people still die from it.
- TB usually affects people in their most productive years and drives families into debt.
- It has a direct link to human suffering, discrimination and also poverty.
- Due to its infectious spread, it directly affects our economic growth as well.
- With resilience, sufficient investment, innovative approaches and strategies and the participation of all stakeholders, TB can be defeated.
First Step- Awareness
- The first step is the creation of awareness and empowering of communities.
- TB affects millions, yet very few know enough about it.
- Multilingual, multi-stakeholder awareness effort to ensure that all Indians knows about the challenges of TB and where to seek treatment is required.
- With the expansion of the media and evolving technology, it is possible to reach everyone with the right information.
Second Step- Access to diagnosis and treatment
- Ensuring that every Indian get access to correct diagnosis and treatment for TB, regardless of their ability to pay for it is the second step.
- To do so, working with the private sector is necessary as was done in the case of polio.
- There are numerous innovative private-sector programmes and partnership schemes for TB.
Role of Private sector
- Recently launched programmes for doctors and labs offer the private sector various incentives.
- Even today, about half a million TB cases go unnotified, especially those seeking care in the private sector.
- Those cases need to be tracked and ensured that everyone in the need of treatment and care gets it.
- Organisations like Indian Medical Association and Indian Academy of Paediatrics are working with the private sector to ensure patient-centric care as per “Standards of TB Care in India” (STCI).
Drug-resistant TB
- A key challenge is building a forward-looking plan to address and control drug resistance.
- Drug-resistant TB is a man-made menace that is a major roadblock in a fight against TB.
- Every TB patient must be tested for drug resistance at the first point of care, whether in the public or private sector, to rule out any drug resistance.
Efforts by the government
- Nikshay Poshan Yojana -in which TB patients receive Rs 500 every month while on treatment was launched.
- Nikshay Poshan Yojana ensure that the patients have economic support and nutrition during the required period.
- ‘TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign’ was launched to accelerate the efforts to end TB by 2025.
- The campaign aims to initiate preventive and promotive health approaches.
- By applying “multi-sectoral and community-led” approach, the government is building a national movement to end TB by 2025.
- Resource allocation towards the TB Elimination Programme has been increased by four-fold.
- Sincere efforts need to be made to make our health systems more accessible and reliable.
- It also required to ensure that those seeking care trust the healthcare system and get the appropriate care for completing treatment.
- There is a need to create more labs, point of care tests, an assured drug pipeline, access to new drugs.
- The government should also ensure counselling and support for those affected.
- Every patient who is diagnosed late and does not receive timely treatment continues to infect others.
- To break this cycle, government machinery at the field level should work with communities and provide free diagnosis and treatment to every affected individual.
Conclusion
With all the efforts, planning and resource put in place to eradicate the menace of TB from India, it is possible to achieve the goal by 2025.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Nothing much
Mains level: Paper 3-Cyber security
Context
The Personal Data Protection Bill which was introduced in Lok Sabha contains a certain provision that might have implications for India’s digital economy. These provisions must be carefully considered as Parliament reviews the proposed legislation.
What are the stated objectives of the bill?
- The first purpose deals with privacy concerns.
- Its purpose is to safeguard the constitutional guarantee of privacy for Indian citizens
- The second purpose is to provide a just and equitable vision for the future of India’s digital economy
What are the incongruent provisions?
- One of the provision enables the central government to direct the regulated entity under the act to provide anonymised personal data.
- The government wants to use this anonymised personal data to enable the targeted delivery of services or evidence-based policymaking
- The above provisions could have certain implications that need to be carefully considered.
Anonymised data and issues with it
- Under the bill, anonymised data refers to data from which all the markers of identity have been irreversibly removed.
- Recent research shows that the present methods of anonymisation are imperfect.
- With the use of modern machine learning techniques, the data released as “anonymous” can be re-identified.
- So, the approach to regulation of anonymised data must be contextual and sectoral- with a focus on finance and healthcare.
Use of big data and AI in governance
- The government also plans to use big data and artificial intelligence within governance and planning systems.
- The use of these techniques has the potential to increase government capacity and transparency.
- It can also help in making an informed decision about economic and social planning.
- However, the provision ignores the multiplicity of existing and inchoate rights like IPRs (Intellectual Property Rights), copyrights and trade secret protections.
Consequences of the conflicting provision
- While the government wants the data to be open for acquisition similar to the power of “eminent domain” over land, but it comes in conflict with existing laws.
- It comes in conflict with the copyright acts, intellectual property rights, and trade secret laws.
- Databases are commercially significant for commercial companies.
- Overlap of these existing rights within the government system can jeopardise accountability and transparency.
Problems with Big data and AI in governance
- Unregulated use of the database in governance could have consequences for the people and communities who are being made visible or being invisible by this data.
- A shift from a qualitative method like census to the quantitative method like big data which is collected in a different context and used for a different purpose may not be smooth.
- Such data will be incomplete for governance.
- The data could also be replete with biases of the private entity collecting the data.
- So, the use of this unregulated data for policymaking or targeting beneficiaries could be disastrous.
Way forward
The regulation of non-personal data must take into account both the potential harms to individual privacy as well as the wider social and political consequences of the use of data for governance.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Provisions of anti-defection law.
Mains level: GS Paper 2-Parliament and the state legislature-Structure functioning, conduct of business, power and privileges, and the issues arising out of it
Context
In the recently concluded by-election in Karnataka, most of the disqualified MLA’s were re-elected. This set of the event lay down a well-structured framework to sidestep the law, it even set a dangerous precedent for neutralising the consequences of the Anti-Defection Law altogether.
Historical background
- Defection is not new to the Indian political landscape.
- An independent MLA from Haryana had switched parties three times in two weeks in 1967.
- The recurrence of this phenomenon led to the 1985 Anti-Defection Law.
Provisions of the law
- The law defined three grounds for disqualification-Giving up party membership, violation of whip, and abstaining from voting.
- Before the amendment, the law allowed for a “split” in the party if at least one-third of the MLAs defect.
- 91st Constitutional Amendment in 2003 deleted the provision allowing split.
- Resignation is not the condition for disqualification.
- This loophole was exploited by the MLAs in Karnataka while they resigned.
- The resignation was not accepted by the speaker of the house and declared the MLAs disqualified.
- Law puts no time constraint on the speaker to decide on the resignation of MLAs.
Speaker as a tribunal under law
- The law originally protected the Speaker’s decision from judicial review.
- This safeguard was struck down in Kihoto Hollohan v. Zachillhu and Others (1992).
- In this case, the SC upheld the Speaker’s discretionary power, it underscored that the Speaker functioned as a tribunal under the law.
- This made the Speaker’s decision subject to judicial review.
- The same was said in Shrimanth Balasaheb Patel & Others v. Speaker Karnataka Legislative Assembly & Others (2019).
Neutral role of the SC
- The SC struck down ban on Karnataka disqualified MLAs from contesting election till 2023.
- This effectively removed the only possible permanent solution to the problem.
Way forward
The minimum period limit of six years is needed to ensure that the defectors are not allowed to enter the election fray for at least one election cycle which is five years.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much.
Mains level: Government policies and intervention for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Context
Over the years many well-designed schemes failed to make a significant dent on the lack of access to basic services that a large proportion of our population faced. However, Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) has thrown up six guiding principles, which can be applied to any large transformation scheme.
What made the difference?
- Final delivery of service was considered as the only metric of success.
- There has been a relentless emphasis on taking all schemes to fruition on the ground.
- The success has thrown up six important guiding principles that can be applied to any large transformation scheme — the ABCEDF of implementation.
A-Align
- Different people at different levels may have competing priorities. So, goal congruence has to be achieved across the administrative ecosystem i.e. aligning the goal.
- The message must percolate down to all the levels.
- After the announcement of SBM the Department of Drinking water and Sanitation had to ensure that the message reaches the Chief Ministers, 700 district collectors, and 2,50,000 sarpanches.
- The three layers of the PM-CM-DM model working in cohesion is the first and most important step towards policy translating into real delivery.
- Team SBM-Grameen ensured sanitation remained on everyone’s agenda.
B-Believe
- Believing in the set goal is crucial for achieving success.
- When faced with seemingly insurmountable goals, teams that don’t genuinely believe that the goal can be achieved find themselves not motivated enough.
- This lack of motivation results in them not trying enough and not achieving results- a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- So, the next important step is to build a team of people who believes that the goal is achievable.
- The SBM brought in a unique blend of young professionals and experienced but driven bureaucrats, at the center and in the states, and each person quickly became a believer.
C-Communicate
- At its core, SBM is a behavioral change program.
- Communication at all levels, above and below the line, mass and inter-personal, is fundamental to the SBM.
- Trained grassroots volunteers called Swachagrahis were created, who went from door to door to communicate the message of swachhata.
- SBM attempted to make sanitation glamorous.
- Glamour was sought to achieve by engaging extensively with media, leveraging popular culture, and associating Bollywood stars, sportspersons, and other influencers.
- A recent study estimated that each rural Indian was reached by SBM messaging about 3,000 times over the past five years.
D-Democratise
- Democratize means developing a feeling of belonging or being part of something.
- SBM has become a sort of Jan Andolan.
- It nudged people to realise that sanitation is not an individual good, but a community good, as its full benefits accrue only when it is universal.
- Over the years, everyone became a stakeholder and sanitation became everyone’s business.
- Even corporates, NGOs, civil society organizations and other government ministries and departments played a role in mainstreaming sanitation.
E-Evaluate
- The SBM was operating at a massive scale in a largely decentralised manner
- As progress started surpassing expectations many people questioned the veracity of official administrative progress figures.
- So, it became important to encourage third-party monitoring.
- The monitoring evaluates outputs, outcomes, and impacts to reinforce the credibility and keep the implementers motivated.
- At the same time, pockets of excellence emerged which deserved to be studied and shared with others to replicate.
- The various organization conducted an assessment with regard to various factors.
- World Bank, UNICEF, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and WHO conducted various assessments of sanitation coverage and usage, successes and areas of improvement, as well as the health, economic and social impacts of the SBM.
F-Follow-through
- There is a strong focus on not declaring SBM a “mission accomplished”.
- The SBM is continuing to work towards sustaining the ODF behaviour and ensuring that no one is left behind.
- Recently released a forward-looking 10-year sanitation strategy, articulating the goal of moving from ODF to ODF Plus.
- This post-delivery follow-through is critical to ensure that the change becomes the norm and that things don’t reset to what they used to be in the past.
Conclusion
The lessons learned from SBM and these guiding principles could be applied in the implementation of other such policies. And aligning with this goal, the Jal Jeevan Mission is being designed to deliver, based on the ABCDEF of implementation.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much.
Mains level: India and its neighborhood-relations.
Context
India’s recent actions at home like the decision to amend Article 370, or the CAA 2019, may take a toll on its international relations.
Effects on the relation with the U.S. and Europe:
- In the U.S. bipartisan support for India had been the norm for at least two decades.
- The dwindling of Democrat support was evident early on during the “Howdy Modi” event in September 2019.
- In that event, only three out of the two dozen lawmakers at the event were from the Democratic Party.
- In the weeks that followed the event, the State Department and several bipartisan committees have issued statements of concern over continued detentions in Kashmir and the CAA.
- They also held hearings in the U.S. Congress, and even referred to Kashmir in the annual Foreign Appropriations Act for 2020.
- The same issue found a voice in the U.K. parliament.
- In the European Parliament, there was also discussion on Kashmir.
- Kashmir became a campaign talking point between Labour and Conservative candidates in the U.K. elections.
Deterioration in relations with Bangladesh and the neighbourhood
- In the neighbourhood, Pakistan is predictably angry.
- While Afghanistan is more muted.
- The real damage has been done to ties with Bangladesh.
- In the last decade, Dhaka and New Delhi had worked hard on building connectivity, opening energy routes, trade and developing travel links.
- Bangladesh is upset for being clubbed together with Afghanistan and Pakistan on the issue of treatment of minorities.
- At the same time, Bangladesh’s repeated requests for help on the Rohingya refugee issue were unheeded.
- The OIC plans for a special meet on Kashmir and the CAA in April 2020.
- If Bangladesh which defends India at the OIC feels that India’s actions are discriminatory, Arab countries could also become more vocal.
Possible fallouts
- The U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has already recommended sanctions be considered against Home Minister.
- In the U.S. Congress lawmakers can effectively block defence sales to India, or pursue sanctions on the S-400 missile system purchase from Russia.
- On the international stage, the United Nations and its affiliated bodies could provide a platform for India to be targeted.
- At FATF, India hopes to blacklist Pakistan for terror financing.
- Break in ties with Turkey and Malaysia for their comment at UN on Kashmir could also lead them to veto India’s position at the FATF.
- Unrest in the country could lead to a lower number of foreign visitors and visit cancellation/postponement by leaders.
- All this also takes a toll on its diplomatic resources that have been diverted for much of the year in firefighting negative international opinion.
Conclusion
- The government must consider the impact of its domestic actions on India’s diplomatic capital.
- This capital is a complex combination of the goodwill the country has banked on over decades as a democratic, secular, stable power, bilateral transactions it can conduct in the present, and the potential it holds for future ties, particularly in terms of its economic and geopolitical strengths.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CDRI-Coalition For Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
Mains level: Bilateral, regional and global groupings involving India and/or affecting India's interests.
Context:
Some of the most pressing issues and developmental challenges facing nations in contemporary times have a scientific and technological dimension. Science and Technology (S&T)-led innovation offers an opportunity to address these multifaceted challenges, which are now global in nature.
Role of S&T in national and international obligations:
- S&T today has a national obligation.
- For a diverse country such as India, S&T is expected to empower the common citizen, making his/her life easier and also being inclusive, which is a national obligation.
- It has to also meet the international obligation of a responsible country.
- Importance of S&T innovation in achieving the 2030 Agenda for UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)- points towards new opportunities for cross border collaboration.
- Science diplomacy, thus, is a crucial policy dimension.
- India has launched several global initiatives.
Global Innovation and Technology Alliance (GITA):
- It was launched by India a few years ago.
- GITA has provided an enabling platform for frontline techno-economic alliances.
- It is an industry-led collaboration, with the government as an equal partner.
- It is aimed at supporting the last phase of technology-based high-end, affordable product development — which can connect to both global and domestic markets.
- Under GITA, enterprises from India are tying up with their counterparts from partner countries.
- Partnering countries include Canada, Finland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, and the UK.
International Solar Alliance (ISA):
- It has more than 79 sunshine countries as signatories and nearly 121 prospective countries as partners.
- The vision and mission of the ISA are to provide a dedicated platform for cooperation among solar resource-rich countries.
- ISA can make a contribution to increasing the use of solar energy in meeting the energy needs of member countries in a safe, affordable, equitable and sustainable manner.
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI):
- It was recently announced at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York.
- CDRI is an international partnership piloted by India in consultation with 35 countries.
- CDRI will support developed and developing nations in their efforts to build climate and disaster-resilient infrastructure.
- It will provide member countries with technical support and capacity development, research and knowledge management, and advocacy and partnerships.
- It is aimed at risk identification and assessment, urban risk and planning, and disaster risk management.
- In the next two-three years, the coalition aims to have three types of impact.
- First-impact on country’s policy framework, second-on infrastructure investments, third-reduction in economic losses from climate-related events and natural disasters.
- Through this coalition, we can mitigate the fallouts of earthquakes, tsunami, floods.
Conclusion:
- No nation alone has the capacity, infrastructure, and human resources to address the massive challenges that the earth and mankind face, threatening our very existence. It is inevitable, therefore, that science, technology, and innovation should increasingly become an intrinsic diplomatic tool for India.
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