[Mission 2024] Insights SECURE SYNOPSIS: 30 June 2023

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

General Studies – 1

Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

1. Female saints made significant contributions to the Bhakti movement, challenging gender norms, advocating for social reform, and serving as role models for spiritual devotion and equality. Discuss. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

Reference: Insights on India

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2024 Secure timetable.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about origins of Bhakti movement and contributions by female bhakti saints.

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 defining bhakti movement of medieval in India.

Body:

Write about the role played by female Bhakti saints like – Mira Bai, Lal Ded, Akka Mahadevi etc in the Bhakti movement. Write about their contributions.

Conclusion:

Conclude by mentioning the impact of Bhakti movement.

Introduction 

Bhakti was accepted as a means to attain moksha along with jnana and karma. The Bhakti Movement originated in the seventh-century in Tamil, South India (now parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala), and spread northwards. It swept over east and north India from the 15th century onwards, reached its peak between the 15th and 17th century CE. The Bhakti Saints moved against the austerities propagated by the Buddhist and Jain schools and professed that ultimate devotion to god was the means to salvation.

Body

Factors that led to the Bhakti movement:

Political:

• It has been pointed out that as the popular bhakti movement could not take root in Northern India before the Turkish conquest because the socio-religious milieu was dominated by the Rajput-Brahman alliance which was hostile to any heterodox movement.
• The Turkish conquests brought the supremacy of this alliance to an end.
• The advent of Islam with the Turkish conquest also caused a setback to the power and prestige commanded by the Brahmans.
• Thus, the way was paved for the growth of non-conformist movements, with anti-caste and anti-Brahminical ideology.
• The loss of power and influence by the Brahmans and the new political situation ultimately created conditions for the rise of the popular monotheistic movements and other bhakti movements in Northern India.

Socio-economic:

• It has been argued that the bhakti movements of medieval India represented sentiments of the common people against feudal oppression.
• The Vaishnava bhakti saints broke away from orthodox Brahminical order only to the extent that they believed in bhakti and religious equality.
• Normally, they continued to subscribe to many basic principles of orthodox Brahmanism.

Religious:

• Evils in the Hindu Society: Hindu society was full of many social anomalies like rigidity of caste system, irrelevant rituals and religious practices, blind faiths and social dogmas. Common men in general had developed an adverse attitude towards these social evils and were in need of a liberal form of religion where they could identify themselves with simple religious practices.
• Complexity of religion: The high philosophy of the Vedas and Upanishads were very complicated for the common people. They wanted a simple way of worship, simple religious practices and simple social customs. Alternative was Bhakti marga—a simple way of devotion to get salvation from worldly life.
• Role of Religious Reformers: The chief exponents of the movement were Shankara, Ramanuja, Kabir, Nanak, Shri Chaitanya, Mirabai, Ramananda, Namdev, Nimbarka, Madhava, Eknath, Surdas, Tulsidas, Tukaram, Vallabhacharya and Chandidas. They were the propounders of Bhakti movement and gave a call to the people to worship in the simplest possible way of devotion and love.
• Challenge from Rival Religion: the impact of the Muslim rule and Islam put dread in the heart of Hindu masses. The Hindus had suffered a lot under some of the fanatic rulers. They wanted some solace to heal their despairing hearts.
• Influence of Sufism: The Sufi saints of the Muslim community also inspired the movement. Some similar chords in the two evoked resonance.

contributions of female saints towards Bhakti movement

• Akkamahadevi: During the 12th century CE, Akkamahadevi, also known as Akka or Mahadevi, belonging to the southern region of Karnataka, established herself as an ardent devotee of Shiva whom she addressed as Chennamallikarjuna.
• Janabai: Janabai was born around the 13th century in Maharashtra in a low caste sudra family. She was sent to work in the upper caste family of Namdev, one of the most revered of the bhakti poet saints.
• Mirabhay: Mirabai, or Mira is said to have been born into a ruling Rajput Mirabai’s poetry tells about her vision of Lord Krishna when she was a child; from that point on Mira vowed that she would forever be his bride.
• Bahinabhai: Bahinabai was a poet saint from 17th century Maharashtra. written in the form of abangas, women’s songs that accompanied their labors, especially in the fields. Her writings are particularly autobiographical, recounting her childhood, puberty and married life.

Conclusion

Bhakti cult was out-of-the-box thoughts on religion. It was mainly against the common religious views, and most importantly, it was strongly against the caste system. With such long-lasting impacts, the religious depression of the medieval society was set aside. The teachings acted as a healing balm to the suppressed classes. A deep-rooted change came about to lay the foundations of a liberal and composite Indian society.

Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

2. Sufism in India encompasses several distinctive features. The Sufi movement had a profound impact on Indian society during medieval times, promoting communal harmony, social equality, and a more inclusive approach to spirituality. Explain. (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 and mentioned as part of Mission-2024 Secure timetable.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the features of Sufi movement and its impact.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by giving context of the origin and rise of Sufi movement

Body:

First, write about the various features of the Sufi movement – nature, austerity, liberalism, tolerance etc.

Next, write about the detailed impact of Sufi movement on contemporary society.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing about the legacy of the Sufi movement.

 Introduction 

Sufis were a group of religious-minded people who turned to asceticism and mysticism in protest against the growing materialism of the Caliphate as a religious and political institution. Sufism entered India in the 12th century with Muslim invaders and became popular in the 13th century. The socio-religious movement saw many mystic Sufis, who were unorthodox Muslim saints. These Sufis had a deep study of vedantic philosophy and had come in contact with great sages and seers of India.  Sufism emphasizes upon leading a simple life. Sufi saints preached in Arabic, Persian and Urdu etc. The Sufis were divided into 12 orders each under a mystic Sufi saint like Khwaja Moinuddin Chisthi, Fariuddin Ganj-i-Shakar, Nizam-ud-din Auliya etc.

Body

The word ‘Sufi’ derives its name from another Arabic word ‘Suf which means wool. The Muslim saints who wore garments of coarse wool began to be called Sufi saints. The Sufi saints lived and worked in the midst of the common people. They needed to reach out to common people in order to spread their socio-religious and philosophical messages. They did everything to establish brotherhood, love and friendship between the Hindus and Muslims.

Features of Sufism in India

• Sufism derives is inspiration from Islam.
• While the orthodox Muslims depend upon external conduct and blind observance of religious rituals, the Sufi saints seek inner purity.
• They were critical of the dogmatic definitions and scholastic methods of interpreting the Qur’an and sunna (traditions of the Prophet) adopted by theologians.
• Instead, they laid emphasis on seeking salvation through intense devotion and love for God by following His commands, and by following the example of the Prophet Muhammad whom they regarded as a perfect human being.
• The sufis thus sought an interpretation of the Qur’an on the basis of their personal experience
• Devotion is more important than fast (Roza) or prayer (Namaz).
• Sufis bridged the communal divide as is evidenced by the reverence the Subcontinent’s non-Muslim population exhibited for Sufi saints. Sufism around the world and in the Subcontinent had the depth to connect beyond caste, creed and gender

Impact of Sufism:

• Sufism does not believe in caste system.
• They broke all societal rules and stereotypes, and lived their lives as they pleased.
• They awakened a new sense of confidence and attempted to redefine social and religious values. Saints like Kabir and Nanak stressed upon the reordering of society along egalitarian lines. Their call to social equality attracted many a downtrodden.
• The efforts of Sufi saints helped to lessen religious fanaticism in India.
• Their stress on social welfare led to the establishment of works of charitable naturee. opening of orphanages and women service centres.
• A notable contribution of the Sufis was their service to the poorer and downtrodden sections of society. Nizamuddin Auliya was famous for distributing gifts amongst the needy irrespective of religion or caste.
• The efforts of Sufi saints helped to promote equality and lessen the evils of casteism. They also tried to infuse a spirit of piety and morality.
• Sufism also inculcated a spirit of tolerance among its followers.
• At a time when struggle for political power was the prevailing madness, the Sufi saints reminded men of their moral obligations. To a world torn by strife and conflict they tried to bring peace and harmony.
• Other ideas emphasised by Sufism are meditation, good actions, repentance for sins, performance of prayers and pilgrimages, fasting, charity and suppression of passions by ascetic practices.

Conclusion

Sufi movement a deep-rooted change came about to lay the foundations of a liberal and composite Indian society. The Sufi movement is a characteristics feature of the medieval Indian Period. As the Sufi saints’ holiness, asceticism and relatively open hospices appealed to the masses and numerous followers thronged to them

Topic: population and associated issues

3. To fully harness India’s demographic dividend, the government must address significant gaps in education and skills training to ensure that the population’s potential is realized to its fullest extent. Analyse.  (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India

Why the question:

According to the IMF, it is expected to grow at nearly 6% in FY 24. On their own, the numbers paint a picture of slowing growth. However, if put in the right context, with global growth slowing to a crawl, the numbers underline the Indian economy’s resilience.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about demographic dividend, impediments to achieving and ways to overcome it.

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 demographic dividend and its various features.

Body:

First, write about the various impediments to achieving the dividend – demographic dividend may turn into a liability in the absence of enough jobs and the required skilled workforce etc.

Next, suggest ways to overcome the limitations.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a way forward.

Introduction

Demographic dividend, as defined by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) means, “the economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population’s age structure, mainly when the share of the working-age population (15 to 64) is larger than the non-working-age share of the population (14 and younger, and 65 and older).” India has one of the youngest populations in an aging world. By 2020, the median age in India was 28 years. Demographics can change the pace and pattern of economic growth.

The UN report, World Population Prospects 2022, forecasts that the world’s population will touch eight billion this year and rise to 9.8 billion in 2050. What is of immediate interest to India is that its population will surpass China’s by 2023 and continue to surge.

Body

India has long been touted as the next big economic growth story after China. India has one of the youngest populations in an aging world. By 2020, the median age in India will be just 28 years. One of the primary reasons for that has been its young population which constitutes 59% of all Indians. Since 2018, India’s working-age population (people between 15 and 64 years of age) has grown larger than the dependent population. This bulge in the working-age population is going to last till 2055, or 37 years from its beginning. The hope has remained that as the young Indian population enters the working age, it will lead to higher economic growth.

Challenges in India to reap the demographic dividend:

• Health:
  • Healthcare provisions in India is grossly inadequate and access to healthcare is highly inequitable. Lack of efficient public healthcare and burden of out-of-pocket health expenditures reduces people’s capacity or disables them from investing in the human capital of their children.
  • ineffective functioning (corruption and leakages) of the public distribution system (PDS), growing economic inequalities and lack of nutritional awareness pose challenges in combating malnutrition
• Education:

• • Basic literacy (the ability to read and write) in the overall population has progressed modestly. However, there is persistent gender differentials, and major differentials by caste and religion.
  • The state of functional literacy and professional skills is poor. Indian graduates have low employability and does not meet changing economic structure or support global competitiveness.

• Rising Inequality:

• • In India, a large portion of the population is below the poverty line, therefore, they do not have easy access to primary health and education.
  • There is growing inequality across social groups and income groups which translates itself into poor socio-economic mobility.
  • Lack of socioeconomic mobility hinders human capital development and traps a large section of population to be in the vicious circle of poverty.

• Lack of Skilling:

• • According to the National Sample Survey, out of the 470 million people of working age in India, only 10% receive any kind of training or access to skilled employment opportunities.
  • There’s a huge mismatch between demand and supply when it comes to skilled workforce and employment opportunities, which could place a strain on the economy in the long run

• Inadequate use of knowledge bases from technology developments:

• • There is a disconnect between India’s rate of technological growth and ability to distribute the gains from it by adequately focusing on skilling and health.
  • The use of technical advancements has been concentrated in few sectors and benefits accrued by a few elitist sections of the society.

• Jobless growth:

• • India’s high growth rate phase (2004-05 to 2010-11) has created significantly fewer jobs as compared to previous decades of economic growth.
  • Around 47 % of India’s population is still dependent on agriculture which is notorious for underemployment and disguised unemployment.
  • Majority of the workforce is employed by the unorganized sector where workers are underpaid and lack any kind of social security.

• Falling female labour force participation:

• • According to data from International Labour Organization and World Bank, India’s female labour force participationrates have fallen from 34.8 % in 1990 to 27 % in 2013.
  • Socio-cultural factors and rising family incomes have been identified as the main reasons for this decline.
  • Another appalling concern is that a significant proportion of qualified women drop out of the workforce for reasons ranging from no suitable jobs in the locality—particularly in rural areas—to family responsibilities and marriage.

A differential planning approach is needed:

• To engineer an inclusive and sustainable growth for India, the social infrastructure like education, health and social protection are being given utmost priority by the Government
• The gaps in the expenditure on social infrastructure like health and education should be closed by strengthening the delivery mechanisms of the government initiatives. Protecting and investing in people’s health, education, and skilling is vital for reducing income inequality, and sustained inclusive economic growth.

• India needs to increase its spending on health and education. As recommended by the National Health Policy 2017 and the NEP 2020, India needs to increase its spending on health and education to at least 2.5 % in 6 % of GDP respectively from its current levels. Enhancing policies to maintain and even increase health and longevity will therefore be necessary.
• The current situation calls for more and better schools, especially in rural areas. It also calls for better transportation links between rural areas and regional urban hubs.
• India has to invest more in human capital formation at all levels, from primary education to higher education, cutting-edge research and development as well as on vocational training to increase the skill sets of its growing working-age population.
• The flagship schemes such as Skill India, Make in India, and Digital India have to be implemented to achieve convergence between skill training and employment generation.
• Bridging the gender gaps in education, skill development, employment, earnings and reducing social inequalities prevalent in the society have been the underlying goals of the development strategy to enhance human capabilities.
• Improved infrastructure, skill development, access to easy finance, reducing barriers to entrepreneurship and forums for mentorship of emerging entrepreneurs in partnership with corporates are some of measures.
• Decentralized models of development: Social policies for each state must be differentiated to accommodate different rates of population growth. The populations in south and west India are growing at a much slower pace than in the central and eastern states.

Conclusion:

A multi-pronged approach is imperative to reap the demographic dividend. There is also a need to engage with the youth and create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship. The demographic dividend offers them a unique opportunity to boost living standards, but they must act now to manage their older populations in the near future by implementing policies that ensure a safe and efficient transition from the first demographic dividend to the second demographic dividend.

General Studies – 2

Topic: issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure

4. Fiscal federalism plays a vital role in the effective functioning of a federal system of government. The Indian government should take proactive steps to address issues related to fiscal federalism and implement measures to enhance the autonomy of states in financial matters. Discuss. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: Live Mint

Why the question:

The Sixteenth Finance Commission (16th FC) is likely to be appointed soon. It is a good time to reflect on some challenging issues of fiscal federalism that the 16th FC may have to face.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the evolution of fiscal federalism in India, issues in it and measures needed to overcome the issues.

Directive:

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 defining fiscal federalism in India.

Body:

First, give a brief about the development of fiscal federalism in India since independence.

Next, write about the various issues with respect to fiscal federalism in India – opacity, GST issues, FRMBA, impact of the pandemic etc.

Next, write about the measures needed to rectify the above.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a way forward.

Introduction

While fiscal federalism in India has a long history, its practice has grown increasingly opaque over the years. Serious attention is required to improve its principles and practices. The India of today, notably through its governance “matrix”, economic development, institution-building and multilateral relations, are vastly different from the India that drafted its constitution in 1950. India is going through a transition in its intergovernmental relations. Boundaries based on linguistic factors and administrative convenience are blurring, given changes brought on by innovation and migration. Socio-economic trends such as technological change, rising mobility and market integration will affect the future of fiscal federalism in India.

Body

Development of fiscal federalism in India

• Broadly speaking, with the evolution of fiscal federalism in India, there has beenmarked stability in its process and procedures.
• The annual budgetary processes of both the central and federal governments are independent exercisesand must pass through the Parliament or state legislature.
• The Finance Commission, which was first constituted in 1951, performs the functions broadly enshrined inArticle 280 of the Indian Constitution.
• For most of the post-independence era, the existence of the Planning Commission injected centralising dependence in more ways than one.
  • The Planning Commissionbecame a parallel institution for the transfer of resources from the Union of States.
• While the focus of the Finance Commission remained on the revenue account, the Planning Commission was concerned predominantly with the capital account.
• Successive Finance Commissions commented on this as being inconsistent with the spirit of the Constitution in the devolution of resources.
• There were other developments, like the73rd and 74th Amendments of the Constitution in 1992 giving status to Panchayat Raj institutions and Urban Local Bodies with specific functions assigned to them under the 11th and 12th schedules.
• The Fourteenth Finance Commission decided that 42% of NDP (net divisible pool) should go to the subnational governments by way of devolution, or net proceeds of taxes, and the balance should go to the central government. In addition, after projecting the likely growth rates of individual subnational governments and their likely buoyancy in appropriate cases, a revenue deficit grant under Article 275 was given.

Various issues regarding fiscal federalism in India

• GST: States have lost the autonomy to decide the tax rates of subjects that fall within the State List.
  • Previously, state governments used to fix tax rates by taking into account their spending requirements, revenue base, etc.
  • The inability of states to fix tax rates to match their development requirements implies greater dependence on the centre for funds.
• Cess and surcharges: Another emerging challenge is that cesses and surcharges are becoming a disproportionate proportion of the overall divisible revenue, withnon-tax revenues being kept outside the divisible pool.

• • These are worrisome issues, and there should be some mechanism to ensure that the basic spirit of the devolution process should not be undercut by clever financial engineering or by the manipulation of methods that makes them technical and legally tenable, but perhaps not morally so.

• Increasing dependency on Centre: The dependency of states on the Centre for revenues has increased, with the share of the revenue from own sources declining from 55% in 2014-15 to 50.5% in 2020-21.

• • While part of this is inherent in India’s fiscal structure, wherein states are the big spenders and the Centre controls the purse strings, the situation has been exacerbated by the introduction of the GST.
  • Barring a few exceptions, such as petroleum products, property tax, and alcohol excise, indirect taxes have, to a large degree, been subsumed under the GST regime, eroding the ability of states to raise their own revenues.

• Shortfall in devolution:Adding to state woes is the significant divergence in past periods between the amount of GST compensation owed and the actual payments made, including for states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand that need greater fiscal support.

• • Even before Covid-19 hit, 11 states estimated a revenue growth rate below the estimated 14% level, implying higher amounts will be owed as GST compensation.
  • With the bulk of the states’ GST coming from goods such as electronics, fashion, and entertainment — all of which have been impacted by the pandemic — these revenues are likely to decline further.

Measures needed

To sum up, for a large federal country of a mind-boggling diversity, India’s ability to fight Covid-19 pandemic largely rests on how well it manages its Centre-state relation.

• When compared with other large federal countries such as the US, the country has done very well to minimize the frictions and provide a sense of direction to the states.
• However, tackling Covid-19 as seen from the experience of other countries would require adifferential and agile response across states and the Centre has at best to play the role of a mentor in providing leadership and resource support.
• The rigid approach as evident in lockdown phase would prove a major hurdle. States must becleared their dues and be given ample fiscal space to ensure economy is revived.
• States must be allowed to lead in terms of reviving economy, generating income support, jobs while contain the virus at the same time.
• The next big change will come when the current Centre-state relationship gets redefined in a way that enables the 28 states to become federal in the true sense – as self-sustaining economic territories in matters of energy, water, food production and waste recycling.
• Our economic geography of production, transport and communication has to change – it has to become distributive rather than being focused towards the Centre.
• Centrally distributed funds will need to be directed specifically to build the capacities of each state.

• • The instruments will enable them to embark on a sustainable economic recovery whose base is widely distributed across the various panchayats and districts of each state.
  • Driving distributive recovery will be energy, transport, supply chains, public administration, rule of law, agriculture and rural development.

• a buoyant tax system can ease the battle for resources in our federal system, and hopefully minimize the mistrust that has grown in recent years between the Centre and states.
• The 15th Finance Commission has thus recommended a slew of fiscal reforms to increase the tax-to-GDP ratio, especially through an overhaul of the goods and services tax.
• In short, the real cooperative federalism which the Centre has been espousing for many years is now put on test and the Centre must ensure states are given full cooperation to battle the challenge.

Conclusion

It is important now to rethink the design and structure of a genuine fiscal partnership, which should not merely be a race to garner more resources, but a creative attempt to move towards a vibrant Indian value chain that can catapult India’s growth rate closer to the quest for double-digit growth. Times of economic slowdown must be viewed anecdotally as they are transient in nature and cannot impair India’s vision, both with regard to its potential and its historical compulsions. It is necessary to recast the ideology in a more contemporary context; only then will the practice become more transparent, and India will benefit from congruence between its precepts and practice.

General Studies – 3

Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

5. Inflation affects several macroeconomic parameters and can have significant consequences on the overall economy. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India

Why the question:

Indian households find themselves yet again struggling to cope with a sharp surge in the prices of essential kitchen staples — ranging from tomatoes, onions and potatoes to tur dal and rice.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about inflation, its impact and measures needed to keep it under control.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by defining inflation.

Body:

First, write about the impact of inflation on various macroeconomic parameters – purchasing power, growth, cost of living, availability of credit and exchange rates etc.

Next, write about the measures that are taken to keep inflation under tolerable limits – the monetary policy measures, fiscal policy measures and price control measures.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward.

Introduction

Inflation refers to the rise in the prices of most goods and services of daily or common use, such as food, clothing, housing, recreation, transport, consumer staples, etc. Inflation measures the average price change in a basket of commodities and services over time. The opposite and rare fall in the price index of this basket of items is called ‘deflation’. Inflation is indicative of the decrease in the purchasing power of a unit of a country’s currency. This is measured in percentage.

Body

Impact of Inflation on various macroeconomic parameters

• Inflation is a decrease in the purchasing power of currency due to a rise in prices across the economy.
  • For instance, the average price of a cup of coffee was a 50 paisa. Today the price is closer to 25 Rupees.
• The value of currency unit decreases which impacts the cost of living in the country.
• When the rate of inflation is high, the cost of living also increases, which leads to a deceleration in economic growth.
• However, a healthy inflation rate (2-3%) is considered positive because it directly results in increasing wages and corporate profitability and maintains capital flowing in a growing economy.

Factors for the high rate of inflation in the Indian economy

• Fuel prices: The government has increased taxation of energy to raise resources.
  • Since energy is used for all production, prices of all goods and services tend to rise and push up the rate of inflation.
  • Further, this is an indirect tax, it is regressive and impacts the poor disproportionately It also makes the RBI’s task of controlling inflation difficult.
• Supply shortage: The lockdowns disrupted supplies and that added to shortages and price rise.

• • Prices of medicines and medical equipment rose dramatically.
  • Prices of items of day-to-day consumption also rose.
  • Fruits and vegetable prices rose since these items could not reach the urban markets.

• International factors: Most major economies have recovered and demand for inputs has increased while supplies have remained disrupted (like chips for automobiles).

• • So, commodity and input prices have risen (like in the case of metals).
  • Businesses claim increase in input costs underlies price rise.

• Data collection and methodology: In April and May 2020, data on production and prices could not be collected due to the strict lockdown.

• • So, the current data on prices for April to July 2021 are not comparable with the same months of 2020.
  • As such, the official inflation figures for these months in 2021 do not reflect the true picture.

• Weak Rupee: The weakening of the rupee also added to inflation.

Measures to keep the inflation under control

• Monetary policy Measures: Maintaining price stability is the foremost objective of the monetary policy committee of RBI. However, during the pandemic, growth has taken centre stage and RBI has rightly cut interest rates.
• Commodity prices: GoI needs to remove supply side bottlenecks. For example, GoI can immediately offload 10-20% of its pulses stock with NAFED in the open market.
• Fuel prices: Bringing them under GST would reduce the prices by at least 30 rupees. GST council must agree to this with haste.
• Policy measures: Navigating out of this will need a fiscal stimulus to shore up consumer spending, an investment revival to increase the productive capacity of the economy, and a careful management of inflationary expectations.
• Concomitantly, the government will also need to pursue redistribution of income to reduce the widening disparity.
• This also calls for fiscal prudence to cut wasteful spending, find new revenue through asset sales, mining and spectrum auctions, and build investor confidence.

Conclusion

With the rise in inflation amidst a second wave, the balancing acumen of the MPC will now be sorely tested. Factors like rising commodity prices, supply chain disruptions are expected to raise overall domestic inflation. Economists have pointed at India’s K-shaped recovery where a few have benefitted while others have fallen sharply behind. Big companies have benefitted and increased market share, revenues and profits sharply. They have also taken advantage of low interest rates to decrease the cost of their borrowings. Small and medium companies, struggling with falling revenues and cash flows, have not been able to take advantage of the rates. Hence inflation must also be controlled while growth is focussed upon.

Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

6. What are critical minerals and on what basis are they designated as such? Ensuring access to critical minerals is crucial for strategic purposes and the advancement of clean energy technologies. Examine. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Reference: Indian Express

Why the question:

In a strategic move, the Centre has identified 30 critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, tin and copper, which are essential for the country’s economic development and national security.

Key Demand of the question: 

To write about the ways to ensure resilient supply chains of critical minerals.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Start by giving context of critical minerals and their basis of designation.

Body:

Firstly, in detail, mention the various threats and impediments to supply of critical minerals and rare earths and how any disruption in their supply will affect India.

Next, write about the measures that are needed to ensure their seamless supply and for India to get self-reliant in supply chain.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward.

Introduction

Critical minerals are a group of minerals that are essential for various industrial sectors and have strategic importance for a country’s economy and security. These minerals are characterized by their scarcity, high economic value, and criticality in the production of advanced technologies and defence systems.

Union Minister of Coal, Mines & Parliamentary Affairs has unveiled the first-ever report on “Critical Minerals for India.” The report, prepared by an expert team constituted by the Ministry of Mines, identifies 30 strategically important critical minerals for the country.

Body

Basis for designation

• Mineral commodities that have important uses and no viable substitutes, yet face potential disruption in supply, are defined as critical to the Nation’s economic and national security.
• Critical minerals are the building blocks of essential modern-day technologies.

Various threats and impediments to supply of critical minerals

• India faces global and domestic challenges in assuring resilient critical minerals supply chains. On the international front, there currently exist four significant risks.
• China, the most dominant player in the critical mineral supply chains, still struggles with Covid-19-related lockdowns. As a result, the extraction, processing and exports of critical minerals are at risk of slowdown.
• Russia is one of the significant producers of nickel, palladium, titanium sponge metal, and the rare earth element scandium.
• Ukraine is one of the major producers of titanium. It also has reserves of lithium, cobalt, graphite, and rare earth elements, including tantalum, niobium, and beryllium. The war between the two countries has implications for these critical mineral supply chains.
• As the balance of power shifts across continents and countries, the critical mineral supply chains may get affected due to the strategic partnership between China and Russia. As a result, developed countries have jointly drawn up partnership strategies, including the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) and G7’s Sustainable Critical Minerals Alliance, while developing countries have missed out.

Risks posed by their shortage

• Manufacturing renewable energy technologies would require increasing quantities of minerals, including copper, manganese, zinc, and indium.
• Likewise, the transition to electric vehicles would require increasing amounts of minerals, including copper, lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements.
• However, India does not have many of these mineral reserves, or its requirements may be higher than the availability, necessitating reliance on foreign partners to meet domestic needs.

Measures taken by the government to ensure their supply

• India has set up KABIL or the Khanij Bidesh India Limited,a joint venture of three public sector companies, to ensure a consistent supply of critical and strategic minerals to the Indian domestic market.
• It ensures the mineral security of the nation;it also helps in realizing the overall objective of import substitution.
• India and Australia have reached asignificant milestone in working towards investment in critical minerals projects to develop supply chains between the two countries.
• In mid-2020, India, through a newly floated state-owned company, had signed an agreement with an Argentinian firm to jointly prospect lithium in the South American country that has the third largest reserves of the metal in the world.
• India has shown interest in joining the USA-led Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) but has not found a place in the grouping because the country does not bring much expertise to the table.
• It would be desirable to participate in such multi-country dialogues.

Way forward and conclusion

• India has a geological potential similar to mining-rich Western Australia, much still needs to be explored.
• Given the increasing importance of critical and strategic minerals, there is an imperative need to create a new list of such minerals in the MMDR Act.
• The list may include minerals such as molybdenum, rhenium, tungsten, cadmium, indium, gallium, graphite, vanadium, tellurium, selenium, nickel, cobalt, tin, the platinum group of elements, and fertiliser minerals such as glauconitic, potash, and phosphate (without uranium).
• These minerals must be prospected, explored, and mined on priority, as any delays may hinder India’s emissions reduction and climate change mitigation timeline.
• The reconnaissance and exploration of minerals must be encouraged, with particular attention given to deep-seated minerals. This will call for a collective effort by the government, ‘junior’ miners, and major mining companies.
• An innovative regime must be devised to allocate critical mineral mining assets, which adequately incentivises private explorers, including ‘junior’ explorers.
• Given the long lead times of setting up new exploration, extraction, and processing activities, these issues must be addressed soon if India is to utilise its natural wealth for its manufacturing needs.
• India needs to determine where and how the processing of minerals and assembly of critical minerals-embedded equipment will occur. Currently, India relies on global supplies of various processed critical minerals, as there are limited domestic sources.
• India requires a critical minerals strategy comprising measures aimed at making the country AatmaNirbhar (self-reliant) in critical minerals needed for sustainable economic growth and green technologies for climate action, national defence, and affirmative action for protecting the interests of the affected communities and regions.
• In addition, India must actively engage in bilateral and plurilateral arrangements for building assured and resilient critical mineral supply chains.
• Furthermore, the assessment of critical minerals for India needs to be updated every three years to keep pace with changing domestic and global scenarios.
• A national critical minerals strategy for India, underpinned by the minerals identified in this study, can help focus on priority concerns in supply risks, domestic policy regimes, and sustainability.

General Studies – 4

Topic: dimensions of ethics;

7. Maintaining environmental integrity is crucial for safeguarding the welfare of both human beings and the natural environment. Discuss. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about environmental integrity, its features and its importance.

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 defining ‘environmental integrity’.

Body:

In the first part, write about the various features of environmental integrity and its dimensions.

Next, write about the importance of environmental integrity and cite examples to substantiate your points.

Conclusion:

Conclude by summarising.

Introduction

Environmental integrity is a condition where the natural processes of a place occur with the strength and frequency expected in the region. Places with environmental integrity experience normal patterns of rainfall, fires, and other processes and contain ecosystems that house the living and non-living species native to the area.

“Environmental integrity” is often used in legal and philosophical writing to refer to an undisturbed state of natural conditions. These are circumstances in which plant, animal, and human life can continue freely. Living beings can receive all of the resources essential to their growth and reproduction, such as water, food, and shelter.

Body

The concept of environmental integrity in philosophy was developed in the early twentieth century by a philosopher and ecologist named Aldo Leopold. His seminal “land ethic” philosophy looked at the holistic relationship between living beings, with homo sapiens as mere members of the land community.

Food webs, nutrient cycling, natural disturbances, and other natural processes have to be present to allow animal and plant species to thrive, reproduce, and populate the area naturally. Any human activity that disturbs the development of a healthy natural system negatively impacts the notion of environmental integrity.

This very intersection between human activity and environmental integrity is an area of continued contention. Humans have exploited the natural environment, particularly in the past few centuries, for their survival at the cost of other plant and animal lives. We’ve turned forests into farms and wetlands into housing projects with almost no regard for the health of the environment.

Conclusion

Establishing a balance between the well-being of humans and other living beings in the environment is the key objective of environmental integrity. As some writers have argued, it’s morally important for the environment to remain intact for all living beings, including humans. Only then can the environment have positive instrumental value for all of its inhabitants.

Join our Official Telegram Channel HERE

Please subscribe to Our podcast channel HERE

Subscribe to our YouTube ChannelHERE

Follow our Twitter Account HERE

Follow our Instagram ID HERE

Follow us on LinkedIn : HERE