[Mission 2022] Insights SECURE SYNOPSIS: 4 May 2022

NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.

General Studies – 1

Topic: Salient features of world’s physical geography.

1. What are mesoscale winds? What are the factors affecting their formation? Explain their impact on local climate. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: Insights on India

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about mesoscale winds/ local winds and their impact on local climate.

Directive word:

Explain – Clarify the topic by giving 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: 

Start by defining mesoscale or local winds and their features.

Body:

First, write the major mesoscale/ local winds witnessed across the globe and factors affecting their formation.

Next, write their impact of livelihood of the people – positive impact – influencing climate, agriculture etc. Cite examples for the same.

Next, write the negative impact of the local winds – destruction of crops, extreme conditions. Cite examples for the same.

Conclusion:

Conclude by mentioning ways to adapt to the negative impacts.

Introduction

Mesoscale or Local winds usually occur on a small spatial scale, their horizontal dimensions typically several tens to a few hundreds of kilometres. They also tend to be short-lived lasting typically several hours to a day. There are many such winds around the world, some of them cold, some warm, some wet, some dry. There are many hazards associated with the winds.

Body

Types and Impact of local winds on the weather:

Periodical winds: The winds originating from diurnal temperature and pressure variation are known as Periodical and they generally complete their cycle in a day/ 24 hour like Land & Sea Breeze and Mountain & Valley Breeze.

Land and Sea Breeze: Land and Sea Breeze is generated by the diurnal variation of pressure. Due to this reason, the Land and Sea Breeze are sometimes known as diurnal Monsoon.

Land Breeze:

• At night reversal of sea breeze may occur but with somewhat weaker characteristics as the temperature and pressure gradient are less steeper during the night.
• During night land breeze is established since land cools to a temperature lower than the adjacent water setting up a pressure gradient from land to sea
• The horizontal and vertical extent of the Land Breeze helps in moderation of temperature of a coastal area during night-time as it maintains regular circulation
• Land Breeze usually attains its maximum intensity in the early morning hours and dies out soon after sunup.

Sea Breeze:

• The sea breeze develops along seacoasts or large inland water bodies when the land heats much faster than the water on a clear day and a pressure gradient is directed high over the water to low over the land.
• Impact of Sea breeze rapidly declines landward and impact is limited to 50km.
• Land- Sea Breeze system is very shallow as the average depth of the land and sea breeze, varies from 1000-2000M in tropical regions and over the lakes, the depth is even lesser.
• Sea Breeze brings cool marine air and thus help in moderation of coastal temperature and due to the sea breeze, coastal regions record a drop of 5-10 0C in their temperature
• It also frequently causes late afternoon rainfall in these coastal areas, particularly during summer.
• Due to the location nearer to the lakes, places experience the Lake Effect like Chicago, due to its location near a lake presents a typical example of lake effect- where lakeside areas are cooler than the much warmer outlying areas in the summer.

Mountain and Valley Breeze: These winds develop over areas with large differences in relief and majorly caused by the temperature gradient that exists between Mountain Slopes and valleys.

Valley Breeze:

• Due to the intense insolation during the daytime, the slopes of the mountain heat up rapidly but the free atmosphere above the lowlands is not heated to some extent.
• As the valleys receive comparatively lesser insolation so relatively high pressure sets up in the valleys while along the mountain slopes due to more heating the warm air is uplifted, and low pressure sets up.
• Thus, the air moves from the Valleys towards the slopes (High pressure to the low pressure) and this upslope movement of air is known as valley breeze.
• Valley breezes are also known as Anabatic Wind.
• Weather associated with the Valley Breeze
• This type of upslope winds in the Mountainous region may cause occasional and afternoon thundershowers on warm and humid days.
• Sometimes, the valley breezes are also accompanied by the formation of cumulus cloud near mountain peaks or over slopes and escarpments.

Mountain Breeze:

• On mountainsides under the clear night sky, the higher land (upslope land) radiates heat and is cooled and in turn cools the air in contact with it. The cool denser air flows down the mountain slope due to the pressure difference since the valley is warmer and at relatively lower pressure.
• This flow of the air is termed as Mountain Breeze and they are also known as Katabatic wind.
• Weather associated with the Mountain Breeze
• By the morning the mountain breeze produces temperature inversions and valley bottom becomes colder than the Mountain Slopes.
• Thus, the valley floors are characterised by frost during the night while upper part/ hillside are free from frost in cold areas.

Non-Periodical winds: Only present during a season and are classified as Hot and Cold Winds.

Hot Local Winds: Hot Local winds are produced generally by the mechanism of downslope compressional heating also known as adiabatic heating. The examples of the Hot Local Winds include Chinook, Harmattan, Foehn, Sirocco, Norwester, Brickfielder, Khamsin, Santa Ana, Loo etc.

• Chinook:
  • These are warm and dry winds blowing on the eastern slopes (leeward side) of the Rocky Mountain. They are the result of adiabatic heating which occurs due to downslope compression on the leeward side, as the mountain barrier creates frictional drag which tends to pull the air from the higher level down on the leeward and air forced down is heated adiabatically and at the same time its relative humidity is also lowered.
  • The temperature in Chinook is so warm that it can remove the underlying snow cover/ice and sometimes these winds are so dry that in spite of their below freezing temperatures the entire snow cover on the ground disappears, by process of sublimation. Thus, these winds are also known as Chinook, which literally means ‘Snow Eater’.
  • Ordinarily, a Chinook wind is accompanied by the cyclonic activity which produces Cloud and precipitation on the windward side of the Rocky Mountain Range.
  • The latent heat released into the air through the condensation process warms the air and which passes across the mountain range and since the air has lost its moisture it becomes drier.
  • During winter Great Plain of North America are very cold and frozen, Chinook with its arrival increase the temperature and bring relief to the people and at the same time, the rise in temperature due to Chinook also helps in early sowing of spring wheat in the USA.
• Foehn:
  • Foehn is dry and warm wind resulting due to adiabatic heating on the leeward side of the Mountain range.
  • These winds are more common on the northern side of Alps in Switzerland and with the arrival of these winds, there is a rapid rise in temperature.
  • The low relative humidity and high temperature are due to the adiabatic heating of the down-slope winds
  • The Foehn winds are present throughout the winter and due to the presence of such winds the temperature increases, and valleys of Switzerland are called ‘Climatic Oasis’ during the winter season
• Harmattan:
  • These hot and dry wind originate from the Sahara Desert and blow towards the Guinea coast of Africa.
  • Due to their journey over the Sahara Desert, these winds become extremely dry and as they pass over the Sahara Desert, they pick up more sand especially red sand and turn dusty.
  • As these winds arrive in the western coast of Africa, the weather, which is warm and moist before its arrival, turns into pleasant dry weather with low relative humidity, thus bringing great relief to the people. Due to this reason, they are also known as “doctor” winds in the Guinea coast area of Western Africa
• Loo:
  • It originates from the Thar desert and has north-westerly to a westerly direction.
  • They dominate during early summer in the months of March to May and create heat waves like condition in Northern India and adjoining parts.
  • They have desiccating effects and are considered as environmental hazards.

Cold Local Winds: Cold local winds are dust-laden winds and as they have a temperature below freezing point, they create Cold Wave condition. The examples of Cold Local winds include-Mistral, Bora, Northers, Blizzard, Purga, Laventer, Pampero, Bise etc.

• Mistral:
  • It is a cold and dry wind which blows in the Spain and France from North-west to South-East direction, mostly occur during winter months.
  • Due to the presence of the Rhome River, these winds are channelized into the Rhome valley due to which they become extremely cold.
  • As they pass through the narrow Rhome Valley, they turn into stormy northerly cold winds
  • Such stormy cold northerly winds cause a sudden drop in temperature to below freezing point.
• Bora:
  • These are cold and dry north-easterly winds which blow from the mountains towards the eastern shore of Adriatic Sea.
  • Bora is more effective in North Italy since here it descends the southern slopes of the Alps, although due to descend it gets adiabatically heated still its temperature is very low in comparison to the coastal area and these are the typical example of fall winds.
  • Bora has often associated with the passage of a temperate Cyclone and at times the Bora winds themselves attain the hurricane force at the foot of the mountain and may cause disastrous impacts on properties.
• Blizzard:
  • Blizzard is cold, violent, powdery polar winds (pick dry snow from the ground)
  • They are prevalent in the north and south polar regions, Canada, USA, Siberia etc. Due to the absence of any east-west Mountain barrier, these winds reach to the southern states of USA.

Conclusion

Local differences of temperature and pressure produce local winds. Such winds are local in extent and are confined to the lowest levels of the troposphere.

General Studies – 2

Topic: Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

2. What are the various options available to the governor with regards to a bill passed by the state legislature? Do you think it is right the governor indefinitely delay grating assent to a bill passed by state legislature? Critically analyse. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: The Hindu

Why the question:

The State of Tamil Nadu has been witnessing a confrontation between the elected government and the State Governor on the question of giving assent to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Bill (linked to an all India pre-medical entrance test) passed by the State Assembly. Giving assent to a Bill passed by the legislature is a normal constitutional act performed by the Governor.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the options available to the governor in regards to bills passed by state legislature and indefinite delay in granting assent to bills.

Directive word: 

Critically analyze – 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. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a balanced judgment on the topic.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by writing role of the governor in legislative process of the state.

Body:

First, write about the various options available to the governor in regards to a bill passed by state legislature – grating assent, withholding assent, returning the bill and reserving it for president.

Next, begin by giving context regarding the indefinite delay in grating assent and give arguments as to why it is right or wrong. Write abouts the impact of the above

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward in order to resolve the tussle between legislature and governor.

Introduction

The position of a Governor in the constitutional setup in India needs to be clearly understood in order to grasp the significance of the actions as well as responses of Governors in the politico-administrative contexts emerging from time to time in States. The Governor is an appointee of the President, which means the Union government. Although Article 154(1) of the Constitution vests in the Governor the executive power of the State, he is required to exercise that power in accordance with the Constitution. In other words, the Governor can act only on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.

Body

Governor’s powers regarding bill passed by state legislature

Ordinary Bills

When a bill is sent to the governor after it is passed by state legislature, he can:

• Give his assent to the bill, or
• Withhold his assent to the bill, or
• Return the bill (if it is not a money bill) for reconsideration of the state legislature.

However, if the bill is passed again by the state legislature with or without amendments, the governor has to give his assent to the bill or

• Reserve the bill for the consideration of the president. In one case such reservation is obligatory, that is, where the bill passed by the state legislature endangers the position of the state high court.When the governor reserves a bill for the consideration of the President, he will not have any further role in the enactment of the bill.
  • If the bill is returned by the President for the reconsideration of the House or Houses and is passed again, the bill must be presented again for the presidential assent only.
  • If the President gives his assent to the bill, it becomes an act.
  • This means that the assent of the Governor is no longer required.

Money Bill

• Every money bill, after it is passed by the state legislature (unicameral or bicameral), is presented to the governor for his assent.
• He has three alternatives:
  • He may give his assent to the bill, the bill then becomes an act.
  • He may withhold his assent to the bill, the bill then ends and does not become an act.
  • He may reserve the bill for the consideration of the president.
• Thus, the governor cannot return a money bill for the reconsideration of the state legislature.
• Normally, the governor gives his assent to a money bill as it is introduced in the state legislature with his previous permission.
• When the governor reserves a money bill for the consideration of the President, he will not have any further role in the enactment of the bill.
• If the President gives his assent to the bill, it becomes an Act.
• This means that the assent of the governor is no longer required. The President also cannot return a money bill for the reconsideration of the state legislature (as in the case of the Parliament).

Significance of such powers of Governor

• Delays in granting assent: The governors sometimes sat over the Bills without giving assent or returning the Bills for an indefinite period, even though the Constitution required it to be done as soon as possible.
  • The governors were also taking months together to reserve the Bills for the assent of the President even though it was to be done immediately.
  • This erodes the authority of the legislatures and the governors, though heads of the state executive, are appointed by the Union government.
• Exceptional situations: In addition to above illustrated powers, the governor can also reserve the bill if it is of the following nature:
  • Ultra-vires, that is, against the provisions of the Constitution.
  • Opposed to the Directive Principles of State Policy.
  • Against the larger interest of the country.
  • Of grave national importance.
  • Dealing with compulsory acquisition of property under Article 31A of the Constitution.
• Case studies
  • Tamil Nadu Assembly in September, 2021 passed a bill seeking exemption for students from the state from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) required for undergraduate medical college admissions.
    • This Bill has been with Governor since then without rejection or acceptance.
    • Indecision can prove costly.
  • Manipur Speaker had not decided on defection, until Supreme Court forced him and bound him by giving a time frame. Justice can be denied in such cases to those who are affected.
• Against the spirit of Constitution: Withholding of assent, though an option, is not normally exercised by Governors because it will be an extremely unpopular step.
  • Besides, withholding assent to a Bill by the Governor, an appointee of the President, neutralises the entire legislative exercise by an elected legislature enjoying the support of the people.

Conclusion

Giving assent to a Bill passed by the legislature is a normal constitutional act performed by the Governor. But of late, even such normal acts have become a source of confrontation between State governments and the Governors. The conduct of Governors in certain States follows a definite pattern which causes a great deal of disquiet to elected governments as well as to those who have faith in the constitutional order.

Under Article 361, the President or a Governor is not answerable to any court for anything done in the exercise and performance of their powers and duties. But when a Governor does not take any decision on a Bill which is put up for his assent, he is not acting in exercise and performance of the duties cast upon him.

Topic: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.

3. Judicial appointments to reduce vacancies and infrastructure upgradation to have a seamless network of courts is key to downsizing judicial pendency. Comment. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: The Hindu

Why the question:

It is unfortunate that the proposal by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) for a national judicial infrastructure corporation with corresponding bodies at the State level, did not find favour with many Chief Ministers at the recent joint conference of Chief Justices and Chief Ministers.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about various causes for pendency of cases in India, its impact and suggest measures to overcome.

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: 

Begin by giving vital statistics to substantiate on the judicial pendency.

Body:

First, write the causes for it – The cumulative effect of persisting vacancies, strained budgets, inadequate infrastructure combined with the continuous inflow of cases inevitably impacts mounting pendency and the time taken for cases to resolve.

Next bring out the impact of it – faith in the justice system, under trial prisoners their due of justice, impact on Economic reforms and foreign investors, Judiciary becomes overworked and lose its efficiency.

Suggest measures to overcome the above.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a way forward to overcome the above issues.

Introduction

The Indian judiciary has a host of problems acting as hurdles in the speedy delivery of justice. Pendency of cases is one such problem that has been ailing the judiciary for a long time along with infrastructure deficit. There is already a loss of trust of people in judiciary and Rule of Law, due to which citizens have to settle matter out of court, even if it is not in their interest.

Body

Background

• The retirements in the topmost rung of the judiciary in 2022 would encompass changes in the powerful Supreme Court Collegium and see two new Chief Justices in a span of months.
• The working judicial strength is 32 against the sanctioned strength of 34.
• The Supreme Court’s statistics show that 70,362 cases are pending with it as on April 1, 2022.
• While 52,110 are admission matters, 18,522 are regular hearing cases.
• The number of Constitution Bench cases (both main and connected matters) total 422.

Causes for huge pendency of cases

• Shifting role of SC: The key reason for the mounting of pending cases can be attributed to shifting the role of the Supreme Court from adjudicating cases of constitutional significance into a regular court of appeals.
  • According to legal experts, most of the cases that the Supreme Court was handling daily are either appeals from various high courts or cases of gross violation of individual’s fundamental rights. But this role was never meant for the apex court.
• Shortage of judges: From 1950 to 1921, the number of Supreme Court judges has increased nearly four times. Even then, case pendency has steadily kept rising.
  • Around 5,580 or 25% of posts are lying empty in the subordinate courts, which leads to poor Judges to Population Ratio, as India has only 20 judges per million population. Earlier, Law Commission had recommended 50 judges per million.
• Frequent adjournments: The laid down procedure of allowing a maximum of three adjournments per case is not followed in over 50 per cent of the matters being heard by courts, leading to rising pendency of cases.
• Low budgetary allocation leading to poor infrastructure: India spends only about 09% of its GDP to maintain the judicial infrastructure. Infrastructure status of lower courts of the country is miserably grim due to which they fail to deliver quality judgements.
  • A 2016 report published by the Supreme Court showed that existing infrastructure could accommodate only 15,540 judicial officers against the all-India sanctioned strength of 20,558.
• Burden of government cases: Statistics provided by LIMBS shows that the Centre and the States were responsible for over 46% of the pending cases in Indian courts.
• Special leave petition: Cases in the Supreme Court, currently comprises to 40% of the court’s pendency. It is because of frivolous PILs and various government policies which are challenged by the people that takes up most of judiciary’s time
• Judges Vacation: Supreme Court’s works on average for 188 days a year, while apex court rules specify minimum of 225 days of work.
• Lack of court management systems: Courts have created dedicated posts for court managers to help improve court operations, optimize case movement and judicial time.
  • However, only few courts have filled up such posts so far.
• Inefficient investigation: Police are quite often handicapped in undertaking effective investigation for want of modern and scientific tools to collect evidences.

Impact of pendency and other issues plaguing judiciary

• Justice denied: According to Economic Survey 2018-19, there are about 3.5 crore cases pending in the judicial system, especially in district and subordinate courts, which leads to actualisation of the maxim “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
• Huge Undertrials: India has one of the world’s largest number of undertrial prisoners.
  • According to NCRB -Prison Statistics India (2015), 67.2% of our total prison population comprises undertrial prisoners.
• Corruption, huge workload and accountability of police is a major hurdle in speedy and transparent delivery of justice.
• Ineffectiveness: The purpose of the criminal justice system was to protect the rights of the innocents and punish the guilty, but nowadays the system has become a tool of harassment of common people.

Measures needed

• Improving infrastructure for quality justice: The Parliamentary Standing Committee which presented its report on Infrastructure Development and Strengthening of Subordinate Courts, suggested:
  • States should provide suitable land for construction of court buildings etc. It should undertake vertical construction in light of shortage of land.
  • Timeline set out for computerization of all the courts, as a necessary step towards setting up of e- courts.
• Addressing the Issue of Vacancies: Ensure the appointments of the judges be done in an efficient way by arriving at an optimal judge strength to handle the cases pending in the system.
  • The 120th Law Commission of India report for the first time, suggested a judge strength fixation formula.
  • Supreme Court and High Courts should appoint efficient and experienced judges as Ad-hoc judges in accordance with the Constitution.
  • All India Judicial Service, which would benefit the subordinate judiciary by increasing quality of judges and help reduce the pendency.
• Timeframe to dispose of cases: Having a definite time frame to dispose the cases by setting annual targets and action plans for the subordinate judiciary and the High Courts. The judicial officers could be issued a strict code of conduct, to ensure that the duties are adequately performed by the officials.
  • Strict regulation of adjournments and imposition of exemplary costs for seeking it on flimsy grounds especially at the trial stage and not permitting dilution of time frames specified in Civil Procedure Code.
• Better Court Management System & Reliable Data Collection: For this categorization of cases on the basis of urgency and priority along with bunching of cases should be done.
• Use of Information technology (IT) solutions: The use of technology for tracking and monitoring cases and in providing relevant information to make justice litigant friendly.
  • All the courts in the country must switch to a hybrid virtual mode immediately and start disposing cases.
• Process reengineering: Involves redesigning of core business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in productivity and quality by incorporating the use of technology in court rules. It will include:
  • Electronic filing of cases: e-Courts are a welcome step in this direction, as they give case status and case history of all the pending cases across High courts and Subordinate courts bringing ease of access to information.
  • Revamping of National Judicial Data Grid by introducing a new type of search known as elastic search, which is closer to the artificial intelligence.
• Alternate dispute resolution (ADR): As stated in the Conference on National Initiative to Reduce Pendency and Delay in Judicial System- Legal Services Authorities should undertake pre-litigation mediation so that the inflow of cases into courts can be regulated.
  • The Lok Adalat should be organized regularly for settling civil and family matters.
  • Gram Nyayalayas, as an effective way to manage small claim disputes from rural areas which will help in decreasing the workload of the judicial institution.
  • Village Legal Care & Support Centre can also be established by the High Courts to work at grass root level to make the State litigation friendly.

Conclusion

The fundamental requirement of a good judicial administration is accessibility, affordability and speedy justice, which will not be realized until and unless the justice delivery system is made within the reach of the individual in a time bound manner and within a reasonable cost. Therefore, continuous formative assessment is the key to strengthen and reinforce the justice delivery system in India.

Topic: Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

4. Throwing light on the various ways to measure poverty, Analyse various issues involved in measurement of poverty in India.  (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: Live Mint

Why the question:

We must take note of a discrepancy between what India’s government advocates and what the World Bank reports, as it makes a big difference to our poverty count.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about various ways to measure poverty and issues in regards to poverty measurement.

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 writing about importance of poverty measurement.

Body:

First, write about the various ways to measure poverty – National Sample Survey (NSS) based per capita consumption, Income based poverty line, consumption-based poverty line, Poverty line basket, Various committees and international standards etc.

Next, write about the various issues with poverty measurement in India.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a way forward to overcome the above issues.

Introduction

Poverty can be defined as a condition in which an individual or household lacks the financial resources to afford a basic minimum standard of living. Economists and policymakers estimate “absolute” poverty as the shortfall in consumption expenditure from a threshold called the “poverty line”.

The official poverty line is the expenditure incurred to obtain the goods in a “poverty line basket” (PLB). Poverty can be measured in terms of the number of people living below this line (with the incidence of poverty expressed as the head count ratio). The “depth” of poverty indicates how far the poor are below the poverty line.

Body

Various ways to measure poverty

• Planning Commission Expert Group (1962), working group constituted by the Planning Commission formulated the separate poverty lines for rural and urban areas (₹20 and ₹25 per capita per year respectively).
• VM Dandekar and N Rath (1971), made the first systematic assessment of poverty in India, based on National Sample Survey (NSS) data.
  • Unlike previous scholars who had considered subsistence living or basic minimum needs criteria as the measure of poverty line, VM Dandekar and N Rath were of the view that poverty line must be derived from the expenditure that was adequate to provide 2250 calories per day in both rural and urban areas.
  • Expenditure based Poverty line estimation, generated a debate on minimum calorie consumption norms.
• Alagh Committee (1979): Task force constituted by the Planning Commission under the chairmanship of YK Alagh, constructed a poverty line for rural and urban areas on the basis of nutritional requirements and related consumption expenditure.
  • Poverty estimates for subsequent years were to be calculated by adjusting the price level for inflation.
• Lakdawala Committee (1993): Task Force chaired by DT Lakdawala, based on the assumption that the basket of goods and services used to calculate Consumer Price Index-Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) and Consumer Price Index- Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL) reflect the consumption patterns of the poor, made the following suggestions:
  • Consumption expenditure should be calculated based on calorie consumption as earlier.
  • State specific poverty lines should be constructed and these should be updated using the CPI-IW in urban areas and CPI-AL in rural areas.
  • Discontinuation of scaling of poverty estimates based on National Accounts Statistics.

Tendulkar Committee (2009): Expert group constituted by the Planning Commission and, chaired by Suresh Tendulkar, was constituted to review methodology for poverty estimation and to address the following shortcomings of the previous methods:

• Obsolete Consumption Pattern: Consumption patterns were linked to the 1973-74 poverty line baskets (PLBs) of goods and services, whereas there were significant changes in the consumption patterns of the poor since that time, which were not reflected in the poverty estimates.
• Inflation Adjustment: There were issues with the adjustment of prices for inflation, both spatially (across regions) and temporally (across time).
• Health and Education Expenditure: Earlier poverty lines assumed that health and education would be provided by the state and formulated poverty lines accordingly.

Issues involved in measuring poverty in India

• Monetary-based poverty measures are inadequate: In most cases, not all individuals who are income poor are multidimensionally poor and not all multidimensionally poor individuals are income poor.
  • As per the Tendulkar estimation, the percentage of people living below the poverty line in India is 21.9%. However, as pe Rangarajan estimation, the percentage of people living below the poverty line in India is 29.5%.
• Economic growth does not always reduce poverty or deprivation. Several studies have found that economic growth is not strongly associated with a reduction in other deprivations, such as child malnutrition or child mortality.
• Poverty as multidimensional: Poor people describe ill-being to include poor health, nutrition, lack of adequate sanitation and clean water, social exclusion, low education, bad housing conditions, violence, shame, disempowerment and much more.
• Need for more policy-relevant information on poverty, so that policymakers are better equipped to deal with it: For example, an area in which most people are deprived in education requires a different poverty reduction strategy from an area in which most people are deprived in housing conditions

Conclusion

The World Health Organization has described poverty as the greatest cause of suffering on earth. Poverty eradication should not be the goal of the government but the goal of the government policies should be to create prosperity. Both monetary and non-monetary measures of poverty are needed to better inform the policies intended to address the needs and deprivations faced by poor populations

General Studies – 3

Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

5. Examine the various impacts of acid rain on our environment and health. What measures are required to counter them? (250 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

Reference: Environment by Shankar

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3.

Key Demand of the question:

To explain the adverse impacts of acid rain and steps needed to counter them.

Directive:

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:

Begin the defining acid rain.

Body:

Frist, in brief explain first the major reasons behind the occurrence of acid rains.

Next, discuss that acid rains are harmful for both biotic and abiotic elements. it corrodes the surface and rendered it riddled with hole. Yellowing of marble and lime stone and other such delicate surface gets destroyed. It is also harmful for textile and metals as it reduces their quality and make them weak. Moreover, it makes the soil acidic and reduces the fertility.

Next, discuss what needs to be done. Highlight the efforts of the government in this direction

Conclusion:

Write a way forward to mitigate the impact of acid rain.

Introduction

Acid rain, or acid deposition, is a broad term that includes any form of precipitation with acidic components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid that fall to the ground from the atmosphere in wet or dry forms.  This can include rain, snow, fog, hail or even dust that is acidic.

Body

Formation of Acid Rain

• Acid rain results when sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NO_X) are emitted into the atmosphere and transported by wind and air currents.
• The SO₂and NO_X react with water, oxygen and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids.
• These then mix with water and other materials before falling to the ground.

Causes of Acid Rain

The major sources of SO₂ and NO_X in the atmosphere are:

• Burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity.  Two thirds of SO₂and one fourth of NO_X in the atmosphere come from electric power generators.
• Vehicles and heavy equipment.
• Manufacturing, oil refineries and other industries.
• Volcanic eruptions.

Impacts of Acid rain

• Forest Ecosystem
  • Dead or dying trees are a common sight in areas effected by acid rain. Acid rain leaches aluminum from the soil. That aluminum may be harmful to plants as well as animals.
  • At high elevations, acidic fog and clouds might strip nutrients from trees’ foliage, leaving them with brown or dead leaves and needles. The trees are then less able to absorb sunlight, which makes them weak and less able to withstand freezing temperatures.
• Soil
  • Acid rain highly impacts on soil chemistry and biology.
  • It means soil microbes and biological activity as well as soil chemical compositions such as soil pH are damaged or reversed due to the effects of acid rain.
• Lakes & Rivers
  • Without pollution or acid rain, most lakes and streams would have a pH level near 6.5.
  • Acid rain, however, has caused many lakes and streams across places to have much lower pH levels.
  • In addition, aluminum that is released into the soil eventually ends up in lakes and streams.
  • Unfortunately, this increase in acidity and aluminum levels can be deadly to aquatic wildlife, including phytoplankton, mayflies, rainbow trout, small mouth bass, frogs, spotted salamanders, crayfish, and other creatures that are part of the food web.
• Health Problems
  • Air pollution like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides can cause respiratory diseases, or can make these diseases worse.
  • Respiratory diseases like asthma or chronic bronchitis make it hard for people to breathe. The pollution that causes acid rain can also create tiny particles.
  • Nitrogen oxides cause ground-level ozone. This ground-level ozone causes respiratory problems, like pneumonia and bronchitis, and can even cause permanent lung damage.
• Statues, monuments & buildings
  • Statues, buildings, vehicles, pipes and cables can all suffer. The worst affected are things made from limestone or sandstone as these types of rock are particularly susceptible and can be affected by air pollution in gaseous form as well as by acid rain.
  • The chemicals found in acid rain can cause paint to peel and stone statues to begin to appear old and worn down, which reduces their value and beauty.
  • g.: Taj Mahal, one of the 7 wonders of the world, is largely affected by acid rain. The city of Agra has many industries which emit the oxides of sulphur and nitrogen in the atmosphere. People continue to use low-quality coal and firewood as a domestic fuel, adding to this problem.
  • Statue of Liberty in USA which is made of copper has also been damaged by the cumulative action of acid rain and oxidation for over 30 years and is, therefore, becoming green.

Measures needed

• Reduce emissions:
  • Burning fossil fuels is still one of the cheapest ways to produce electricity so people are now researching new ways to burn fuel which don’t produce so much pollution.
  • Governments need to spend more money on pollution control even if it does mean an increase in the price of electricity.
  • Sulphur can also be ‘washed’ out of smoke by spraying a mixture of water and powdered limestone into the smokestack.
  • Cars are now fitted with catalytic converters which remove three dangerous chemicals from exhaust gases.
• Alternative sources of energy
  • Governments need to invest in researching different ways to produce energy.
  • These include wind energy, geothermal energy, solar energy, hydropower, and nuclear power.
  • Fuel cells, natural gas, and batteries can also substitute the use of fossil fuel as cleaner energy sources.
• Conserving Resources
  • Greater subsidies of public transport by the government to encourage people to use public transport rather than always travelling by car.
  • Every individual can make an effort to save energy by switching off lights when they are not being used and using energy-saving appliances – when less electricity is being used, pollution from power plants decreases.
  • Walking, cycling and sharing cars all reduce the pollution from vehicles
• Restoring the Damage done by Acid Rain
  • Lakes and rivers can have powdered limestone added to them to neutralise the water – this is called “liming”.

Conclusion

Concerted efforts at global and national levels across the globe can help us tide over the harmful effects of Acid Rain.

General Studies – 4

Topic: Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators;

6. What does this quote means to you? (150 words)

“Reason shows me that if my happiness is desirable and good, the equal happiness of any other person must be equally desirable”― Henry Sidgwick

Difficulty level: Moderate

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Quotes Wednesdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by explaining the literal meaning of the quote.

Body:

Write about how individuals strive for happiness and it is a natural thing for people to seek it. Write about how people in order to achieve happiness have scant regard for other’s happiness. Explain the impact of the above using examples.

Conclusion:

Summarise by highlighting the importance of the quote in the present day.

Introduction

This quote talks about individual happiness of a person which takes dominance when compared to others’ happiness. Man by nature is individualistic, self-centred and inward looking. However, even to enjoy his own rights and be happy, he must respect the rights of others. We must know that, even other individuals are entitled to being equally happy as we are, if not more.

Body

Utilitarianism does not say that it is moral for people simply to pursue what makes them personally happy. Rather, morality is dictated by the greatest happiness principle; moral action is that which increases the total amount of utility in the world. Pursuing one’s own happiness at the expense of social happiness would not be moral under this framework. But this is practically impossible is what Henry Sidgwick is putting forth. Because human beings are sentient and personal happiness

The quote is also a criticism of Mill’s “General Happiness” theory in Utilitarianism. The aggregate of happiness of all individuals does not lead to general happiness. It is impossible to expect an individual to let go of his desires for general or greater good. At the same time, Sidgwick is trying to balance this harmony by saying that, if we believe that our happiness is desirable and good, then so is that of other sentient beings.

However, the world is not an ideal place for ethical considerations. As we see in our day-to-day lives, in pursuit of our own well-being or happiness we often intrude into someone’s else’s happiness. For instance, keeping one’s home clean and littering in front of other’s home.  Or in the context of international relations, national interest reigns supreme and ‘beggar thy neighbour’ policy has become a norm. There is scant regard for universal peace and welfare. Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine is also a case in point.

Conclusion

The harmony of greater good and individual happiness is important for a stable society. Civilisation can thrive when there is “live and let live” principle. Hence ensuring that others also enjoy similar set of rights as means to achieve happiness is the key in ensuring one’s own happiness.

Topic: Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators;

7. What does this quote means to you? (150 words)

“Virtue lies in our power, and similarly so does vice; because where it is in our power to act, it is also in our power not to act…” ― Aristotle.

Difficulty level: Tough

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Quotes Wednesdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by explaining the literal meaning of the quote.

Body:

Write about the role of power and power can used to do both good and bad things. Also, write about inaction and how inaction can also be a vice. Substantiate using examples.

Conclusion:

Summarise by highlighting the importance of the quote in the present day.

Introduction

Aristotle believed that virtue could be habituated by training and bending one’s moral disposition towards virtue and away from vice through the deliberation of means. At times, human beings are capable of great feats and noble deeds and yet are also prone to great depravity, cowardice, and weakness. Now if it is in our power to do noble or base acts, and likewise in our power not to do them, and this was what being good or bad meant, then it is in our power to be virtuous or vicious.

Body

According to Aristotle, the virtuous habit of action is always an intermediate state between the opposed vices of excess and deficiency: too much and too little are always wrong; the right kind of action always lies in the means. According to Gandhi, only right means leads to right destination. For him, he that soweth vice does not reap virtue.

Whether to act morally or not is our discretion. The power to do good for others requires immense virtuosity in man. For instance, Stalin who was the dictator of USSR was infamous for his campaign of terror and his totalitarian ways. His contemporary, Joseph Tito was a benevolent leader, who became popular both in Yugoslavia and abroad. Viewed as a unifying symbol, his internal policies maintained the peaceful coexistence of the nations of the Yugoslav federation.

Also, by choosing to not act regarding a situation, one may be excusing himself from preventing an evil. Take for example, the act of voting, by not voting, which is a duty of a responsible citizen, he or she is enabling a tyrant to take control of the State. Hence inaction is also injurious in many situations and those who are guilty of inaction must also be held accountable. If we do nothing, nothing will change. So, inaction is worse than making a bad decision. One must not be a fence-sitter, rather always take a decision and act upon it. Only then, there can be experiences learning and personal growth.

Conclusion

Virtue or vice is the ultimate choice that human beings are required to make. The exercise of moral virtue is related to means. Therefore, virtue lies in our power, and similarly so does vice; because where it is in our power to act, it is also in our power not to act, and where we can refuse, we can also comply. So, if it is in our power to do a thing when it is right, it will also be in our power not to do it when it is wrong; and if it is in our power not to do it when it is right, it will also be in our power to do it when it is wrong.

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