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General Studies – 1
Topic: Geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question: The United Nations advocated finding ways to unlock the potential of groundwater in providing water security, in its latest edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report. The intergovernmental organisation called for governments to build sustainable models to harness the potential of groundwater.
Key Demand of the question: To write about the various issues with respect to ground water in India and to suggest steps overcome them.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by giving statistic regarding the status of groundwater utilisation in India.
Body:
Frist, write about various issues regarding groundwater in India Depletion of water tables, saltwater encroachment, drying of aquifers, groundwater pollution, water logging and salinity, etc. are major consequences of overexploitation and intensive irrigation. Substantiate with examples and facts
Next, write about the measures that are needed to promote sustainable utilisation and management of ground water.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Today, India is the largest user of the groundwater in the world with almost 90% being used for drinking water and around 85% for irrigation. Current statistics also show that nearly 50% of urban water supply comes from groundwater. India is the largest groundwater-user globally, at an estimated 251 cubic kilometres per year, followed by China and Pakistan, according to the report. India is on the threshold of a very serious groundwater crisis, which needs mitigation both in the fields and at the policy corridors of the country.
Body
Problems with groundwater depletion
- Lowering of the water table
- Reduction of water in streams and lakes
- Land subsidence: A lack of groundwater limits biodiversity and dangerous sinkholes result from depleted aquifers.
- Increased costs for the user
- Deterioration of water quality
- Saltwater contamination can occur.
- Crop production decrease from lack of water availability (40% of global food production relies on groundwater).
- Groundwater depletion interrupts the ‘natural’ water cycle putting disproportionately more water into the sea.
- As large aquifers are depleted, food supply and people will suffer.
Measures needed
- The government should develop policies to determine which crops should be grown in which region according to the water availability, which “has not been the focus.” For instance, Punjab has a semi-arid climate but it grows rice, which depletes groundwater and is “highly unsustainable.”
- The traditional flood irrigation in India accounts for huge water loss through evapotranspiration. Drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation must be used for efficient utilisation of water.
- There should be restrictions to cut off the access to groundwater in areas identified as “critical” and “dark zones”, where the water table is overused or very low.
- There is a need to treat water as common resource rather than private property to prevent its overexploitation
- Problems and issues such as water logging, salinity, agricultural toxins, and industrial effluents, all need to be properly looked into.
- Government has initiated schemes like DRIP programme, more drop per crop, Krishi Sinchai Yojana to ensure economical water use practices in agriculture.
- Bottom-up approach by empowering the local community to become active participants in managing groundwater.
- Creating regulatory options at the community level such as panchayat is also one among the feasible solutions.
- Traditional methods of water conservation should be encouraged to minimize the depletion of water resources.
- Artificial recharge of tube wells, water reuse, afforestation, scientific methods of agriculture should also be done.
Conclusion
Sustainable management of groundwater in India is vital for tackling growing challenges related to water availability. The effective answer to the groundwater crisis is to integrate conservation and development activities, from water extraction to water management, at the local level; making communities aware and involving them fully is therefore critical for success.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: the Quint
Why the question: Developing countries’ contribution is 97% of all unsafe abortions. More than half of them occur in Asia.
Key Demand of the question: To write about the continued menace of unsafe abortions despite various measures to promote safe and legal abortions.
Directive word:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving statistic with regards to abortions in India.
Body:
First, mention the features of Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act 2021 expands the access to safe and legal abortion.
Next, write about the various factors as to why the practise of illegal and unsafe abortions continues in the county – lack of awareness, discrimination, stigma, lack of counselling etc. Write about its impact on the women.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward to tackle this menace.
Introduction
The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act 2021 expands the access to safe and legal abortion services on therapeutic, eugenic, humanitarian and social grounds to ensure universal access to comprehensive care. It had been amended in 1975 and 2002. According to a study published in the Lancet Global Health, 15.6 million abortions occurred in India in 2015 of which 78% of these were outside health facilities.
Body
Key Provisions of the MTP Amendment Act, 2021:
- Termination due to Failure of Contraceptive Method or Device: Under the Act, apregnancy may be terminated up to 20 weeks by a married woman in the case of failure of contraceptive method or device. It allows unmarried women to also terminate a pregnancy for this reason.
- Opinion Needed for Termination of Pregnancy:
- Opinion of one Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP)for termination of pregnancy up to 20 weeks of gestation.
- Opinion of two RMPsfor termination of pregnancy of 20-24 weeks of gestation.
- Opinion of the State-level medical boardis essential for a pregnancy to be terminated after 24 weeks in case of substantial foetal abnormalities.
- Upper Gestation Limit for Special Categories: Increases the upper gestation limit from 20 to 24 weeksfor special categories of women, including survivors of rape, victims of incest and other vulnerable women (differently abled women, minors, among others).
- Confidentiality: The “name and other particulars of a woman whose pregnancy has been terminated shall not be revealed”, except to a person authorised in any law that is currently in force.
Reasons for continued unregulated and unsafe abortions
- Early marriage, pressure for early childbearing, lack of decision-making power within the family, physical violence, and coercion in sexual and family relations lead to early pregnancy which often ends up in unsafe abortion practices.
- Preference for male child: As per the UNFPA Report, Indian parents after a first born female have resorted to sex selective abortions to ensure birth of male child. This has led to neglect of the girl chiildren and sometimes even abandonment.
- Strong Patriarchal Culture: The notion of society that a male child as the rightful heir of the family still continues to exist.
- Girl Child seen as a burden: The raising of a girl child is seen in monetary terms, starting from education to marriage. This has created nearly 21 million “unwanted girls” in India as per the Economic Survey of 2018.
- Prestige: Birth of a male child is a matter of prestige and celebration vis-a-vis a girl child.
- Son-meta preference: Parents continue to have children until they have the desired number of sons. The extent of the problem can be measured when one considers that the sex ratio of last birth (females per 100 births) has merely changed from 39.5% to 39% between 2005-06 and 2015-16.
- Lack of Awareness of rights: A study of 1,007 women of ages 15-24 years in Assam and Madhya Pradesh in November 2018 found only 20% young women know about modern contraceptive methods, and 22% are aware that abortion is legal in India. None of the women surveyed were aware of the correct legal gestation of 20 weeks
- Personal reasons such as affordability, need to advance a career, education, lack of support,
- Rape, Premarital sex leading to pregnancy is aborted due to the stigma attached to it.
- Lack of counselling, sex education to teens about safe abortion practices
Measures needed
- A focus on the health needs of women, their nutritional status, the risk of early marriage and child bearing is sensitive issue of concern and require urgent attention if condition of women has to be improved.
- At the same time, there is a need to provide health care information to the grass root level through awareness programme in the large scale.
- There is a need for the proper legal framework to address and recognize the promotion and protection of reproductive rights of women in India.
- There is a need to have access to appropriate, affordable and quality health care facilities and related services for women. Health programmes should focus more on women’s health including reproductive health.
- There is a urge to have legislation as Reproductive Rights (Protection) Act in order to protect and promote reproductive rights of women and to look after all the issues of reproductive health of women whether it is as regard to providing medical facilities or creating awareness or having health policies and programmes concerning women.
- Therefore, it is a need of the hour that sexual and reproductive health become a priority at the policy level.
- Fostering better informed and healthier reproductive behaviour among the country’s masses is a long-term endeavour that should not cease on account of a health emergency.
Way forward
- Access to legal and safe abortion is an integral dimension of sexual and reproductive equality, a public health issue, and must be seen as a crucial element in the contemporary debates on democracy that seeks to provide the just society that abhors all sort of discrimination.
- The silence around unsafe abortion leads to deaths of women and hides important problems that lie at the intersection of these concerns, such as the formidable barriers for adolescent girls to access reproductive health services, including abortion services.
- The right to safe abortion is an important facet of women’s right to bodily integrity, right to life and equality and needs to be protected.
Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Difficulty level: Moderate.
Reference: the Hindu
Why the question: Australia is celebrating India’s 75 years of Independence by making the largest single investment in our bilateral relationship.
Key Demand of the question: To write about the various facets of India-Australia relations especially with respect to security and stability of the Indian Ocean Region.
Directive word:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context regarding the progress of Indo-Australian relations in the recent times.
Body:
Discuss first the possible prospects that Australia and India have in the IOR – Australia is rich in natural resources that India’s growing economy needs. Its armed forces, hardened by international combat, are widely respected. Canberra’s intelligence establishment is valued in many parts of the world. Australia has deep economic, political and security connections with the ASEAN etc. Bilateral trade and investment between the countries.
Next, write about the recent developments – formation of AUKUS, QUAD and turmoil in Ukraine and its impact on the bilateral relations between the two nations,
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
Introduction
India and Australia have several commonalities, which serve as a foundation for closer cooperation and multifaceted interaction, on lines similar to what India has developed with other Western countries. Both are strong, vibrant, secular and multicultural democracies.
The relationship has grown in strength and importance since India’s economic reforms in the nineties and has made rapid strides in all areas – trade, energy and mining, science & technology, information technology, education and defence.
Body
India-Australia cooperation in Indian Ocean Region
- Technology and Research: The two nations are working on a new and renewable energy partnership, to support the development of technologies such as green hydrogen and ultra-low cost solar.
- Australia is also supporting research and investment to unlock Australian critical minerals for Indian advanced manufacturing.
- Defence and security cooperation: Both signed Strategic Partnership, including a Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation in 2009.
- Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement was signed 2014 between two, enabling India to secure uranium from Australia.
- On China: Chinese aggression and assertive foreign policy are common concerns and has brought both the democracies closer.
- Both have shared interests in vision of a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.
- Both are part of QUAD, and also proposed Supply Chain Resilience Initiative.
- Australia’s Pacific Step Up and India’s Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) reaffirm their cooperation in the South Pacific region.
Issues that persist
- Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) still remains inconclusive after 9 rounds of negotiations.
- India opted out from Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
- Among other things, India and Australia could not agree regarding market access over agriculture and dairy products.
- Australia’s economy is heavily dependent on China, with China being Australia’s largest trading partner, accounting for 26 % of its trade with the world.
Conclusion
The prospects for bilateral relationship are recognized in both countries as strategically useful, economically productive and aligned with each other’s new agenda. However, it is recognized that the natural synergy has so far not been exploited fully. Countries should conclude CECA at the earliest, to realize the economic opportunities.
Based on several commonalities and closely aligned values in principles of democracy, liberty, the rule of law, human rights, freedom of speech, free press and multiculturalism both shall enhance the bilateral relationship by expanding engagement in various sectors like defence industry and commercial cyber activity etc
General Studies – 3
Topic: Government Budgeting.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: InstaPedia
Why the question: The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2022 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question: To write about BoP and India’s vulnerabilities with regards to its BoP.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining BoP and its various components.
Body:
First, in brief, elaborate on the evolution of India’s BoP and various crises faced with respect to BoP.
Next, write about the various reforms undertaken to strengthen India’s BoP scenario and write about their impact.
Next, write about the present vulnerabilities with respect to India’s BoP and steps needed to prevent it from any adverse impact.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Balance of Payment (BoP) of a country can be defined as a systematic statement of all economic transactions of a country with the rest of the world during a specific period usually one year.
It indicates whether the country has a surplus or a deficit on trade. When exports exceed imports, there is a trade surplus and when imports exceed exports there is a trade deficit.
Body
Evolution of India’s BoP and various crises faced
1991 BoP crisis was one of the worst crises that India had to face. The then government was close to default, as RBI had refused new credit and foreign exchange reserves had been reduced to such a point that India could barely finance three weeks’ worth of imports.
- Widening of trade gap due to rise in imports against a small growth in exports and increased cost of imports.
- The sharp rise in crude prices due to the Gulf crisis.
- Deterioration in the Exchange Rate of Rupee.
- India’s current account deficit (CAD) had already touched 2.7% of the GDP in 1988-89.
- From mid-1990, financing the CAD became arduous.
- Traditional sources of financing started drying up.
- The main factor contributing to the rising current account deficit was decline in the growth of net invisible earnings.
- Decline in migrants’ remittance from abroad.
- Non-resident deposits, which contributed significantly to bridge the CAD, had also started flowing out.
Reforms that improved India’s Balance of Payments
- Abolition of Industrial licensing: Licence raj was liberalized. Many industries were delicensed.
- Public Sector companies were revamped
- Rupee was devalued: The first decisive action of the new government was with respect to the exchange rate. In 1991, rupee was devaluated.
- The RBI shipped about 47 tonnes of gold to the Bank of England as security to raise foreign currency from England and Japan.
- The government also sold 20 tonnes of gold to a Swiss Bank for acquiring foreign currency, with the condition that it would be repurchased after six months.
- Liberalization, Privatization & Globalization were introduced for the first time
- Import tariffs were lowered.
- Import restrictions were eased.
- Foreign investment was encouraged.
- Domestic supply was promoted
- Export subsidies were withdrawn
- Liberalized Exchange Rate Management System: In the Union Budget 1992-93, a new system named LERMS was started. Under this, a system of double exchange rates was adopted.
- Under LERMS, the exporters could sell 60% of their foreign exchange earning to the authorized Foreign Exchange dealers in the open market at the open market exchange rate while the remaining 40% was to be sold compulsorily to RBI at the exchange rates decided by RBI.
Present vulnerabilities with respect to India’s BoP
- Trade deficit: India has always had deficits on its merchandise trade account, with the value of its imports of goods far in excess of that of exports. At the same time, the country has traditionally enjoyed a surplus on its ‘invisibles’ account.
- Covid-19 impact: It has restricted economic activities and many remittances were stopped as people came back from overseas.
- Russian invasion of Ukraine: It has sent up the oil prices and many foreign investors are removing money from Indian economy, as Sensex went down more than 1000 points on the onset ofwar.
- Net services receipts decreased marginally over the previous quarter but increased on a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis, on the back of robust performance of the exports of computer and business services.
- Net foreign portfolio investment was US$ 3.9 billion as compared with US$ 7.0 billion in Q2:2020-21.
Conclusion and way forward
The balance of payments data should catalyse finance ministry and RBI to jointly initiate a thorough study of the causes for the deterioration in the past. Very likely, there are measures which can be initiated quickly to arrest the slide in case the vulnerability deepens due to global factors.
Value addition
Statistics
- India’s current account balance recorded a deficit of US$ 9.6 billion (1.3 per cent of GDP) in Q2:2021-22 as against a surplus of US$ 6.6 billion (0.9 per cent of GDP) in Q1:2021-22
- The deficit in the current account in Q2:2021-22 was mainly due to widening of trade deficit to US$ 44.4 billion from US$ 30.7 billion in the preceding quarter and an increase in net outgo of investment income.
- Private transfer receipts, mainly representing remittances by Indians employed overseas, amounted to US$ 21.1 billion, an increase of 3.7 per cent from their level a year ago.
- Net outgo from the primary income account, mainly reflecting net overseas investment income payments, increased sequentially as well as on a y-o-y basis.
- In the financial account, net foreign direct investment recorded an inflow of US$ 9.5 billion, lower than US$ 24.4 billion a year ago.
Topic: Government Budgeting.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Live Mint
Why the question: Two-and-a-half months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted climate action and an energy transition as pillars of economic development in her budget speech.
Key Demand of the question: To write about the need of a roadmap for energy transition from carbon based to non-carbon energy sources.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Begin by giving context to India’s net zero declaration at cop-26.
Body:
First, in brief, mention India’s recognition of net zero and corresponding budgetary announcement.
Next, in brief, mention India’s needed to balance both its development as well as its climate goals. Bring out the link between the two.
Next, write about the changes required to India’s with respect to energy transition in this regard – A green industrialisation strategy, diversifying clean energy sources, creating avenues for investment etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Climate sustainability is integral to India’s economic policy. The energy transition will also have far-reaching implications for energy security, and the ripple effects of unfolding events in Ukraine are a sobering reminder of its relevance.
Clean energy appears to be the future for the power needs of humanity across the globe as reliance of fossil fuels continues to diminish.
Body
Energy transition phases
There are three parallel transitions, or shifts, taking shape on our journey towards a low-carbon future.
- First, a shift from fossil fuel-based power generation to renewable energy-based (RE) generation.
- Second, a transition from petrol and diesel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs).
- Finally, a shift from fossil-fuel-powered industrial manufacturing to that powered by green hydrogen.
Measures needed for seamless energy transition
- Differentiated interventions: So far, growth in the RE sector has resulted from policy pushes, including power purchase agreements (PPAs), solar parks and reverse auctions for tariff discovery.
- Incentives for domestic manufacturing, new power sources such as offshore wind, new tariff and tender designs, and grid integration would drive growth further.
- Electric mobility: Building consumer confidence in EVs is key and the recent budget proposals on battery swapping and interoperability do just that.
- Green Hydrogen: For green hydrogen, blending and exports offer the possibility of PPA-type contracts with highly rated off-takers, opening up financing options.
- However, unfamiliarity with the technology means interventions may also be required at the lender level, something EVs could benefit from as well.
- Investment: There was a budget announcement related to sovereign green bonds. We can expect these bonds to be serviced by rupee revenues, with rupee-denominated end-use.
- This makes a strong case for domestic as well as ‘masala’ bond issuances overseas.
- India’s immense requirements for green finance could be turned into an advantage to develop a homegrown but world-facing capital market (further development of Gift City, home to the India International Exchange).
- Carbon credit: A broader market for carbon credits is essential. As India transitions, there will be over-achievers and those that miss emissions targets. A system of rewards and nudges is an important policy lever.
Conclusion
There appears to be no turning back on the path of decarbonized economic growth for India. The recent Union budget has made this sufficiently clear. The scale of the challenge is also balanced by an opportunity. It’s the execution that will now determine the pace at which we proceed along that path.
Topic: Disaster and disaster management.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: HindustanTimes
Why the question: Cyclone Asani is likely to skirt Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Monday night and might result in heavy rainfall and strong winds, the India Meteorological Department has said.
Key Demand of the question: To write about the need of a long-term mitigation measures for cyclones.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by providing context and the increasing frequency of cyclones in India.
Body:
In first part, cite the data and write the reasons for increasing frequency of cyclones on both the eastern and western coast of India. Increasing sea surface temperatures in the northern Indian Ocean and the changing geo-climatic conditions in India etc.
Next, bring out the economic costs and human costs as a result of devastation caused by the severe cyclones.
Mention the measures that are needed – installing a disaster warning system in the coastal districts, and construction of evacuation shelters in cyclone-prone districts etc. Mention long term measures – Embankments that are resilient to storm surges, improved prevention of flooding from swollen rivers and coastal mangrove habitats regeneration etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
Introduction
Cyclone is a region of low atmospheric pressure surrounded by high atmospheric pressure resulting in swirling atmospheric disturbance accompanied by powerful winds. They occur mainly in the tropical and temperate regions of the world. Cyclone Asani is likely to skirt Andaman and Nicobar Islands and might result in heavy rainfall and strong winds. Asani has developed very early in the year, even before the typical cyclone season begins in April, the India Meteorological Department has said.
Body
Increasing incidence of cyclones
- India has a coastline of about 7,516 km, 5,400 km along the mainland, 132 km in Lakshadweep and 1,900 km in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Although the North Indian Ocean (NIO) Basin (including the Indian coast) generates only about 7% of the world’s cyclones, their impact is comparatively high and devastating, especially when they strike the coasts bordering the North Bay of Bengal.
- On an average, five to six tropical cyclones form every year, of which two or three could be severe.
- More cyclones occur in the Bay of Bengal than the Arabian Sea and the ratio is approximately 4:1. This is now changing due to impact of climate change.
- Research evidence shows more cyclones forming over the Arabian Sea when compared to the Bay; overall there were eight storms of concern to India in 2019, and five last year, Amphan being a super cyclone.
- India has faced 170 storms since 1970, which is the fourth highest after the United States, the Philippines and China in the same duration.
Challenges posing the Cyclone Management in India
- India has a coastline of about 7,516 km, 5,400 km along the mainland, 132 km in Lakshadweep and 1,900 km in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- On an average, five to six tropical cyclones form every year, of which two or three could be severe.
- More cyclones occur in the Bay of Bengal than the Arabian Sea and the ratio is approximately 4:1. This is now changing due to impact of climate change.
- There is an over-emphasis on a total evacuee figure, particularly in states such as Odisha.
- There exists an inadequate focus on response aspects other than evacuation, such as measures to minimise crop damage, assistance for quick harvest, adequate relief and timely distribution of post-cyclone assistance such as for damaged houses, etc.
Way forward
Short term measures:
- provide cyclone forecasting, tracking and warning systems
- Construction of cyclone shelters, cyclone resistant buildings, road links, bridges, canals, drains etc.
- Establishing Early Warning Dissemination System (EWDS), and Capacity building for coastal communities.
- Mock drills, and training of local population and police by NDRF and SDRF
- Plantations of strong rooted trees, canopies, mangroves and proper vegetation cover which act as first line of defence.
- Proper drainage system throughout the city to discharge the water as soon as possible to avoid flood like conditions
- Use of NAVIC and RESOURCESAT-2 for disseminating coastal information and helping in disaster management.
- Implementation of National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project
Long term measures:
- The National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP) should be implemented with financial assistance from the World Bank
- The NDMA had come up with its National Guidelines of Management of Cyclones in 2008. The basic premise of these guidelines is that the mitigation has to be multi-sectoral.
- Developing Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) frameworks for addressing the sustainability and optimal utilisation of coastal resources as also cyclone impact minimisation plans.
- Ensuring cyclone resistant design standards are incorporated in the rural/ urban housing schemes in coastal areas
- Implementing coastal flood zoning, flood plain development and flood inundation management and regulatory plans.
- Coastal bio-shields spread, preservation and restoration/ regeneration plans.
- There is a need for private sector participation in designing and implementing policies, plans, and standards.
- Need of Disaster Management program to be inclusive including women, civil society, and academia.
Conclusion
Cyclone Disaster Management encompasses mitigation and preparedness measures for cyclones. Installing disaster-resilient power infrastructure in the coastal districts, providing concrete houses to poor and vulnerable households, and creating massive community awareness campaigns are essential.
Value addition
India’s preparedness to handle cyclones
- National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has responsibility of formulating National Guidelines for Management of Cyclonesand India Meteorological Department (IMD) is the nodal agency for providing cyclone warning services to communities and important officials in affected areas.
- The National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP), to be implemented with financial assistance from the World Bank, is envisaged to have four major components:
- Component A: Improvement of early warning dissemination system by strengthening the Last Mile Connectivity (LMC) of cyclone warnings and advisories.
- Component B: Cyclone risk mitigation investments.
- Component C: Technical assistance for hazard risk management and capacity-building.
- Component D: Project management and institutional support.
- These components are highly interdependent and have to be implemented in a coherent manner.
- Its aim is to undertake suitable structural and non-structural measures to mitigate the effects of cyclones in the coastal states and UTs of India.
- The NDMA had come up with its National Guidelines of Management of Cyclones in 2008. The basic premise of these guidelines is that the mitigation has to be multi-sectoral.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service, integrity, impartiality and nonpartisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker-sections.
Difficulty level: Moderate.
Why the question: The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Conceptual Tuesdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Key Demand of the question: To explain the role of neutrality in civil services.
Directive word:
Comment– here we must express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by defining neutrality.
Body:
Elaborate upon as to how civil service should give free and frank advice to the government impartially and without any political consideration. It also means the implementation of the decisions of the government by the civil service faithfully whether such decisions were in consonance with their advice or not. Substantiate with examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude by mentioning as to how the above will lead integrity and efficiency in the administration.
Introduction
Civil service neutrality refers to political impartiality. Neutrality is not being biased in providing facts, feedback, opinions, etc. to the political executive or diligently carrying out tasks ordered by the government, irrespective of which political party’s government is in power.
Body:
A civil servant is needed to be politically neutral
- Neutrality depicts that public officials are not slaves to either the politicians or any other authority other than the moral authority of the Constitution.
- It shows that the principle of neutrality implies a measure of independence both from the partisan interests of the government of the day and the exogenous agenda that prompts certain social groups to cow others down to humiliating vulnerability.
- Bureaucracy should be neutral in terms of ideology and politics. So that there will not be an affinity to a particular class or ideology.
- For a genuine public official, commitment to constitutional principles is not only a lifelong project but, more importantly, it can be carried out without any political or ideological mediation.
- If bureaucracy won’t be neutral then it cannot lend its whole-hearted support to the existing political system, and to the economic and political system if any radical changes are introduced.
- Without neutrality, there can be a close nexus between bureaucracy and large-scale enterprises which could further lead to crony capitalism.
- By and large, the spirit of neutrality imbedded by civil servants enables them to perform their duties in a detached and impartial manner.
Way forward
- As a civil servant, one has the responsibility towards public and must adhere to constitutional principles keeping his conscience intact. His primary job is to perform Nishkama Karma (selfless and desire less duty).
- Independent Civil Services Board should be set up, as it directed by the Supreme Court to take care of all service matters with objectivity and independently of political consideration.
- Earnestly implementing RTI Act, especially the pro-active disclosure clause so as to bring transparency in official functioning, breaking the unholy nexus.
- Effective performance appraisal of civil servants by independent body and aligning it with their promotions, incentives and other service conditions.
Conclusion
Impartiality forms an essential foundational values for civil services. Impartiality ensures equality without any bias and prejudices in the general.
