[Mission 2024] Insights SECURE SYNOPSIS: 16 September 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

Answer the following questions in 150 words:

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General Studies – 1

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1.  Examine the social and economic factors behind increasing cases of farmer suicides. What measures are needed to empower farmers and offer social support?

Reference: Indian Express ,  Insights on India

Introduction

According to the National Crime Records Bureau data, a total of 10,881 persons from the farming sector died by suicide in 2021—this includes farmers and farm labourers. Several socio-economic factors have enabled an environment vulnerable to distress in the agricultural belts of the nation. Unable to cope with mounting debt and the inability to take care of their families, many choose to end their lives.

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Factors behind increasing cases of farmer suicides

• Plummeting incomes, mounting debt, and high interest rates (particularly of non-institutional sources) have pushed the peasantry towards deprivation
• The high debt burdenwas the primary reason behind 75% of farmer suicides.
• Large chunk of persons were underemployed or disguisedly unemployedduring 2016–17 in Punjab.
• The mismatch between farm inputs and output prices, crop failures, and unfavourable terms of trade between prices paid and received by the farmers have contributed fairly to declining farm incomes.
• Cost of cultivation:
  • The MSP of wheat and paddy increased at the rate of 2% per annum while the cost of cultivation increased at the rate of 7.9% during the last one and a half decades.
• With a growth rate of around 1.6% (during 2012–17) and the stress on natural resources, thefarm sector is trapped in a vicious circle of crisis. Expectedly, small farmers are the worst sufferers.
• Due to the declining water table, the cost of irrigation structures has increased as the farmers have to replace centrifugal pumps by costly submersible pumps.
• According to the Niti Aayog, in 2022-23, of the 21 crore hectares of sown area across India, 11.5 crore hectares had access to irrigation—54.76% against 47.80% in 2013-14.
• The farmers are being exploited by traders and dealers providing them spurious seeds and agrochemicals.
• Agriculture in Punjab suffers from mono-crop culture of mainly wheat and paddy. With this cropping pattern, farming itself is becoming an unviable occupation, due to rising fixed and variable input costs, and low remuneration leading to falling profit margins.
• Cost of inputs:
  • Variable costs increase due to rising prices of inputs like fertilisers, pesticides, weedicides, diesel etc.
  • Fixed costs like installation and deepening of submersible pumps due to the dipping water table increase the financial woes of farmers.
  • For a small and marginal farmer, it is economically unviable to make such investments, especially by borrowing from informal sources at high rates of interest
• Data Anomaly:
  • Existing studies have analysed the intensity of farmer suicides in isolation, i.e. without comparing farmer suicides with those by other professionals

Policy measures needed to prevent farmer suicides

• The “Scheme for Debt Swapping of Borrowers” should be made more effective for converting the non-institutional debt into institutional debt.
• The AMSCs should be set up at every village to provide custom-hiring services to small farmers on a priority basis.
• Quality farm inputs like seed, fertilisers, and pesticides must be supplied to the farmers at subsidised prices.
• Rationalisation of subsidies, especially in favour of small farmers may control appreciating farm costs and making small farming viable.
• For alternative employment, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme should be effectively implemented by ensuring stipulated annual employment of 100 days, rather than the existing 30 days, to each family in the state.
• Identifying and developing crop niches that will encourage allied activities in appropriate agro-climatic zones of the state, and developing cooperative primary processingand marketing units for crops and activities in these zones can help improve the economic well-being of the farmers.
• Effective irrigation facilities should be provided. Drip and sprinkle irrigation should be popularized. Canals should be built to reach deep into villages.
• Using Information technologies and electronic media (like DD Kisan channel) to spread awareness about government schemes and monsoon predictions.
• Skill Development of farmers, so that they can develop alternative sources of income. Government should initiate alternative employment generation programmes.
• Land pooling, where lands of small farmers can be pooled into a larger piece, and benefits can be maximized.
• Effective implementation of various government schemes like pradhan Mantri Krishi sinchai yojana, pradhan Mantri fasal bima yojana and Soil Health Card scheme.

 

2. Analyse the underlying causes of ethnic clashes in diverse societies and assess the crucial role civil society organizations play in conflict prevention and resolution.

Reference: The Hindu

Introduction

In ethnically diverse societies like India, the coexistence of various cultural and tribal groups often brings both vibrancy and complexity to the social fabric. However, it also presents challenges, as the potential for ethnic clashes and conflicts lurk beneath the surface. Understanding the underlying causes of these conflicts is essential for effective prevention and resolution. In this context, civil society organizations emerge as crucial players, wielding their influence to promote peace, dialogue, and harmony among diverse ethnic communities.

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Causes of ethnic clashes in diverse societies

• Historical Grievances: Long-standing historical grievances, often stemming from events like colonial rule, partition, and regional tensions, can contribute to ethnic animosities.
• Economic Disparities: Economic inequality, particularly when it aligns along ethnic lines, can exacerbate tensions. Unequal access to resources and opportunities can create a sense of injustice and marginalization.
  • The Naxalite movement in India, primarily in states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha, is fuelled by economic disparities, with marginalized communities feeling left out of the benefits of economic development.
  • Meiteis vs Kukis in Manipur, where the valley people are more prosperous vis-a-vis the hill dwelling people.
  • The conflict in the Niyamgiri Hills arose due to economic disparities related to mining. The Dongria Kondh tribe opposed mining activities by a multinational company, citing threats to their livelihoods and environment.
• Political Manipulation: Politicians may exploit ethnic differences for their own gain, using divisive rhetoric or policies to consolidate support within their own ethnic group.
• Cultural and Religious Differences: Diverse societies often have various cultural and religious practices. When these are not respected or are perceived as a threat, it can lead to conflict.
  • The Kuki-Naga conflict in Manipur is rooted in cultural and ethnic differences between the Kuki and Naga tribes. Disputes over territory and political representation have led to violent clashes.
• Lack of Effective Governance: Weak governance, corruption, and ineffective law enforcement can contribute to a sense of lawlessness and mistrust in the state’s ability to protect citizens.
  • Example: Jharkhand Tribal Uprising (2001), The Jharkhand tribal uprising was a result of perceived neglect and exploitation of tribal communities. The demand for a separate state, Jharkhand, was driven by a sense of disillusionment with governance.
• Territorial Disputes: Land and territorial disputes, particularly in areas with diverse ethnic populations, can be a significant source of conflict.
  • The Bodo-Adivasi conflict in Assam has roots in territorial disputes between Bodo tribes and Adivasi communities who migrated to the region for agricultural purposes. Disputes over land have led to violent clashes.
• Lack of Social Integration: When there is limited interaction between different ethnic groups, stereotypes and prejudices can persist, leading to mistrust and hostility.
  • Example: Santhal-Ho Conflict in Jharkhand. The Santhal-Ho conflict in Jharkhand involves tensions between the Santhal and Ho tribal communities. Lack of social integration and historical animosities have contributed to sporadic clashes.

Role of civil society organisations in prevention and resolution

• Promoting Dialogue and Understanding: NGOs, community-based organizations, and advocacy groups can facilitate dialogues between different ethnic groups, fostering understanding and empathy.
  • North East Network: This NGO works in the Northeastern states of India, addressing issues related to gender, violence, and conflict. They focus on building bridges between different ethnic communities.
• Advocacy for Policy Change: Civil society organizations can advocate for policies that address the root causes of ethnic tensions, such as economic disparities or cultural rights.
• Capacity Building and Empowerment: They can work on empowering marginalized communities through education, skill-building, and providing access to resources, thereby reducing economic disparities.
• Conflict Mediation and Resolution: NGOs specializing in conflict resolution can act as intermediaries in negotiations, helping parties find mutually acceptable solutions.
  • The Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti: This grassroots organization played a pivotal role in the Niyamgiri Hills mining conflict in Odisha. They organized tribal communities and led protests against mining activities that threatened the Dongria Kondh tribe’s way of life.
• Promoting Inclusivity: Civil society organizations can work towards creating inclusive spaces and platforms where different ethnic groups can come together, fostering a sense of unity.
• Raising Awareness and Education: They can engage in awareness campaigns, promoting tolerance, diversity, and understanding among different ethnic groups.
  • The Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED): TRIFED is a government agency that supports tribal artisans and forest dwellers by promoting their products and facilitating market access. They work closely with tribal communities across India to improve their economic conditions.
• Monitoring and Advocating for Human Rights: Civil society organizations can monitor human rights abuses and advocate for justice, ensuring that all citizens are treated fairly and equally.

Conclusion

Ethnic clashes in diverse societies, particularly within the context of India’s intricate tapestry of tribal communities, stem from a complex interplay of historical, economic, political, cultural, and governance-related factors. These conflicts often result in deep-seated grievances and tensions among various ethnic groups. However, civil society organizations serve as pivotal agents of change in mitigating and preventing such conflicts

 

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General Studies – 2

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3. Examine the importance of New Delhi Declaration in fostering international collaboration and optimism for addressing critical global problems.

Reference: Indian Express , Live Mint

Introduction

At the G20 Summit in New Delhi, leaders from member countries reached a consensus and adopted the New Delhi Declaration. This declaration outlines significant commitments and agreements on various global issues.

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Background

• On 9 September, G20 leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration.
• India’s diplomacy made a major success by fostering consensus and avoiding falling back on ‘Chair summary’ as it happened in a few previous G20 meetings when it was impossible to reach an agreement on the text about the war in Ukraine.
• It starts with “We are One Earth, One Family, and we share One Future.”

 

G20 New Delhi declaration

• War in Ukraine

• Peaceful Resolution: The G20 countries emphasize the importance of peace and call on all states to uphold the principles of international law, including territorial integrity and sovereignty.
• Humanitarian Concerns: The declaration expresses deep concern about the human suffering and adverse impacts of wars and conflicts worldwide, specifically addressing the war in Ukraine.
• UN Charter Principles: It emphasizes that all states must act in accordance with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter, refraining from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition.
• Nuclear Disarmament: The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is deemed inadmissible.

• Countering Terrorism and Money Laundering
  • Condemnation of Terrorism: The G20 condemns terrorism in all its forms, including those rooted in xenophobia, racism, and intolerance or carried out in the name of religion.
  • Holistic Approach: A holistic approach based on international law is advocated to effectively counter terrorism, with an emphasis on strengthening international cooperation to deny terrorist groups safe haven, freedom of operations, and financial support.
  • Illicit Trafficking: Concerns about illicit trafficking and diversion of small arms and light weapons are addressed, with an emphasis on international cooperation among states to combat these phenomena.
  • Financial Action Task Force (FATF): The G20 leaders commit to supporting the resource needs of the FATF and FATF Style Regional Bodies to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
• Economy & Climate
  • Sustainable Growth: G20 leaders call for strong, sustainable, and inclusive growth in response to the uneven recovery from the pandemic.
  • Climate Action: Trillions of dollars will be required for countries to meet their climate goals and invest in clean energy technologies.
  • Reforming Financial Institutions: Reforms of international financial institutions are urged, along with efforts to manage debt vulnerabilities in low and middle-income countries.
  • Crypto Asset Taxation: The exchange of tax-relevant information on crypto assets is set to begin by 2027.
  • Energy Transition: The declaration calls for accelerated efforts to phase down unabated coal power and eliminate inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.
  • Financial Stability: Emphasis is placed on the need for well-calibrated monetary, fiscal, financial, and structural policies to promote growth, reduce inequalities, and maintain macroeconomic and financial stability.

• Global Growth

• Policy Coordination: The G20 leaders reiterate the need for well-calibrated monetary, fiscal, financial, and structural policies to promote growth, reduce inequalities, and maintain macroeconomic and financial stability.
• Central Banks Commitment: They also stress that central banks remain committed to achieving price stability in line with their respective mandates.
• Financial Stability Board (FSB): Initiatives by the FSB, Standard Setting Bodies (SSBs), and jurisdictions to examine lessons from recent banking turbulence are welcomed.

• Multilateral Development Banks

• Enhancing MDBs: G20 leaders emphasize the importance of delivering better, bigger, and more effective multilateral development banks (MDBs).
• Leveraging Private Capital: Financial institutions are encouraged to leverage private capital through innovative financing models and partnerships for maximum development impact.
• Capital Adequacy Frameworks (CAFs): The roadmap for implementing the recommendations of the G20 Independent Review of MDBs CAFs is endorsed.

• Cross-border Payments

• Payment Improvements: The G20 reaffirms its commitment to achieving global targets for faster, cheaper, and more transparent cross-border payments by 2027.
• CBDC Discussion: Discussions on the potential macro-financial implications of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) are welcomed, especially concerning cross-border payments and the international monetary and financial system.

• Education

• Digital Education: The G20 recognizes the importance of investing in human capital development and supporting digital technologies to bridge educational divides.
• Scientific Collaboration: The promotion of open, equitable, and secure scientific collaboration and mobility of students, scholars, researchers, and scientists is encouraged.
• Inclusive Education: Emphasis is placed on inclusive, equitable, high-quality education and skills training, with foundational learning as a primary building block.

• Agriculture

• Trade Facilitation: Rising commodity prices contributing to cost of living pressures are addressed.
• Rules-Based Trade: The G20 leaders commit to facilitating open, fair, predictable, and rules-based trade in agriculture, food, and fertilizers, in line with relevant WTO rules.
• Food Security: Support for developing countries’ efforts to address food security challenges is emphasized, aligning with the G20 Deccan High-Level Principles on Food Security and Nutrition 2023.

• Religion

• Religious Tolerance: The G20 strongly condemns acts of religious hatred against individuals, religious symbols, and holy books.
• Cultural Diversity: Emphasis is placed on promoting respect for religious and cultural diversity, dialogue, and tolerance.
• Rights Interdependence: The interdependence of freedom of religion or belief, freedom of opinion or expression, peaceful assembly, and freedom of association is recognized as a means to combat intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief.

• Corruption

• Zero Tolerance: The G20 reaffirms its commitment to zero tolerance for corruption.
• International Cooperation: Strengthening international cooperation and information sharing for combating corruption is urged.
• Asset Recovery: The joint Declaration also called for strengthening asset recovery mechanisms for combating corruption.

 

Significance of G20 New Delhi declaration

• Global Economic Cooperation: The G20, or Group of Twenty, is a forum for major economies that includes 19 individual countries and the European Union. It represents a significant portion of the global economy. G20 declarations are important because they often address pressing economic issues that have global implications.
• Policy Coordination: The G20 provides a platform for member nations to discuss and coordinate policies related to international financial stability and economic growth. The declarations typically include commitments and recommendations on areas like fiscal policy, monetary policy, trade, and investment.
• Crisis Response and Recovery: G20 declarations can be especially significant during times of economic crisis or uncertainty. They often include measures and strategies to stabilize the global economy, mitigate the impacts of financial crises, and promote recovery.
• Multilateralism and Diplomacy: G20 meetings and declarations serve as opportunities for leaders of major economies to engage in diplomatic efforts. They allow for the exchange of ideas, negotiation of policies, and the building of relationships that can have broad geopolitical implications.
• Global Challenges: In addition to economic matters, G20 declarations may address broader global challenges such as climate change, public health crises, poverty alleviation, and other issues that require international cooperation and coordination.
• Setting Agendas for International Organizations: G20 declarations can influence the priorities and agendas of other international organizations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and World Trade Organization (WTO). The G20’s policies and recommendations can carry substantial weight in these institutions.
• Market Confidence and Investor Sentiment: Statements and commitments made in G20 declarations can impact market confidence and investor sentiment. Investors often look to G20 meetings for signals about the direction of global economic policies.
• Normative and Regulatory Frameworks: G20 declarations can influence the development of normative and regulatory frameworks in various areas, including financial regulation, trade rules, and sustainable development goals.
• Addressing Inequalities: Declarations may focus on inclusive growth, reducing income inequality, and promoting social development. These aspects are crucial for creating sustainable and equitable economic systems.

Conclusion

In essence, the New Delhi Declaration serves as a testament to the collaborative efforts of G20 member countries in addressing global challenges and striving for a more prosperous, peaceful, and sustainable world.

 

 

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General Studies – 3

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4. Safe disposal of e-waste is essential not only to protect the environment and public health but also to recover valuable resources and promote sustainable consumption and production practices. Discuss.

Reference: The Hindu

Introduction

E- Wastes are discarded and end- of- life electronic products ranging from computer, TV and other electronic equipment and their electronic components. India is the third largest E-waste generator, after USA and China. E-waste is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 30% in the country.

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Factors leading to rise in e-Waste

• India is the third-largest e-waste generator in the world after Chinaand the USA (Global E-waste Monitor 2020).
• E-waste management in India is predominantly informal, with roughly 90% of collectionand 70% of recycling handled by the informal sector.
• E-waste generation in India increased by 43 per cent in just three years.
• The demand for electronics, especially in the form of information and telecommunication equipment, has been fuelled after novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
• As the demand for electronic equipment increases, so does the amount of E-waste generated.
• An attractive electronics market with new design and innovation as well as a downward pricing trend allure consumers to purchase new electronic products way before the older ones become dysfunctional.
• Lack of Extended Producer Responsibility of collecting e-Waste.

Issues with handling e-waste

• E-waste Generation in India: According to the Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB), India generated more than 10 lakh tonnes of e-waste in 2019-20,an increase from 7 lakh tonnes in 2017-18. Against this, the e-waste dismantling capacity has not been increased from 82 lakh tonnes since 2017-18.
• Unsafe disposal:In 2018, the Ministry of Environment had told the tribunal that 95% of e-wastein India is recycled by the informal sector and scrap dealers unscientifically dispose of it by burning or dissolving it in acids.
• Gap in collection:National Green Tribunal noted gaps in collection targets, as the amount of e-waste collected in 2018-19 was 78,000 tonnes against a target of 1.54 lakh tonnes. There are clear governance deficits on the subject.
• Involvement of Child Labor: In India, about5 lakh child laborers in the age group of 10-14 are observed to be engaged in various E-waste activities and that toowithout adequate protection and safeguards in various yards and recycling workshops.
• Hazardous: E-waste contains over 1,000 toxic materials, which contaminate soil and groundwater.
• E-waste Imports: Cross-border flow of waste equipment into India- 80% of E-waste in developed countries meant for recycling is sent to developing countries such as India, China, Ghana and Nigeria.

Various measures needed to control and safely dispose e-waste

• E-waste clinic:India’s firste-waste clinic for segregating, processing and disposal of waste from household and commercial units has been set-up in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
• It is needed to come up with a strategy to engage with informal sector workersbecause doing so will not only go a long way in better e-waste management practicesbut also aid in environmental protection, improve the health and working conditions of labourers and provide better work opportunities to over a million people.
  • This will make management environmentally sustainable and easy to monitor.
• The need of the hour is to generate employment, which can be done throughidentifying and promoting cooperatives and expanding the scope of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016to these cooperatives or the informal sector workers.
• Effective implementation of regulations is the way ahead to managing the e-waste that is yet to be regulated in at least 115 countries.

Conclusion

There are various start-ups and companies in India that have now started to collect and recycle electronic waste. We need better implementation methodologies and inclusion policies that provide accommodation and validation for the informal sector to step up and help us meet our recycling targets in an environmentally sound manner. Also, successfully raising collection rates required every actor to be involved, including consumers.

 

5. While nuclear energy can play a significant role in India’s clean energy ambitions, relying too heavily on it may not be advisable due to the significant risks involved. Comment.

Reference: Live Mint , Insights on India

Introduction

Nuclear Energy plays a critical role in achieving sustainable economic and social development. Modern civilization heavily depends on energy for daily activities. Energy is like a lifeline for the sustenance and progress of the entire world. Nuclear energy plays a vital role in the world economy by generating jobs, income and facilitating trade on a massive scale.

Recently, India issued a joint statement with France that envisioned the co-development of modular nuclear reactors, the kind with interchangeable parts meant for rapid assembly at scale.

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Some nuclear disasters across globe:

• In 2011, multiple reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant suffered severe accidents after an earthquake and a tsunami.
• The Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine in 1986 is the worst nuclear power plant accident ever in terms of death toll and cost.
• The Kyshtym Nuclear disaster was a radiation contamination incident that occurred on 29 September 1957 at Mayak, a Nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in the Soviet Union. It measured as a Level 6 disaster on the INES, making it the third most serious Nuclear disaster ever recorded behind the Chernobyl Disaster and Fukushima Daiichi Disaster (both Level 7).

Potential of nuclear energy as a source of clean energy:

• Thorium and Uranium reserves: India has vast reserves of Thorium that can fuel India’s nuclear energy provided appropriate technology. India’s thorium deposits, estimated at 360,000 tonnes, and natural uranium deposits at 70,000 tonnes. The country’s thorium reserves make up 25% of the global reserves.
• Energy poverty: Although India is the 3^rdlargest producer of electricity, about 20 % of the population of the country does not have access to electricity today. The per capita consumption of electricity is very low at about 1,181 kWh per annum, about half of the world average and way below that of advanced countries. There exist shortages in energy and peak power in the range 10-15%.
• Energy demand: Nuclear energy is a critical part for India’s future energy security. As we know India’s annual energy demand is expected to rise to 800 GW by 2032, it is very important to consider every source of energy in the optimum energy mix.
• Energy efficiency: Quantities of nuclear fuel needed are considerably less than thermal power plants. For instance, 10000 MW generation by coal will need 30-35 million tons of coal, but nuclear fuel needed will be only 300-350 tons.
• Economic growth:Rapid economic growth is also critical to achieve developmental objectives and poverty alleviation. A sustained economic growth of about 8 to 10% is needed over the next few decades. As electricity is a key driver for economic growth, it is necessary that there is a massive augmentation in electricity capacity, apart from transmissions and distribution systems.
• Decrease in Energy Supply:Energy supply has been negatively affected by changing weather patterns. As water reservoirs decreases due to lower precipitation and increased evaporation, capacity for electricity production from hydropower and other water-intensive generation technologies may decline.
• Climate change:Due to its emission-free nature, nuclear energy can contribute to global efforts under the Paris Agreement. India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has outlined goals to reduce the carbon emissions intensity of its economy by 33-35% by 2030 as well as increase the clean energy electricity capacity to 40% of the total installed capacity in the same period.

Vulnerabilities of nuclear energy and nuclear reactors:

• In the case of Nuclear Reactors, there is a concern over their safety. The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident in Japan is a testimony to the havoc that can be created by a nuclear leak.
• A nuclear disaster might leave large swathes of land uninhabitable — as in Chernobyl — or require a prohibitively expensive clean-up — as in Fukushima, where the final costs may eventually exceed $600 billion.
• Nuclear power generation is not as clean as it is often considered. This is demonstrated in the case of Kudankulam. People have been protesting for decades as they worry that the hot water dispatched from the plant will affect the marine life of the surrounding water sources and subsequently their livelihood.
• Nuclear power plants are capital intensive and recent nuclear builds have suffered major cost overruns. An illustrative example is the V.C. Summer nuclear project in South Carolina (U.S.) where costs rose so sharply that the project was abandoned — after an expenditure of over $9 billion.
• Also, to build nuclear reactors, it requires huge amounts of land. This would displace local communities who may not want to leave. Further, it is not easy to rehabilitate them and provide them with appropriate compensation.
• Pursuant to this, the nuclear industry came to a standstill except in Russia, China and India. However, a revival was seen with global warming becoming ever more apparent.
• In 2020, a windstorm caused the Duane Arnold nuclear plantin the U.S. to cease operations. The frequency of such extreme weather events is likely to increase in the future.
• The commercial nuclear supply can lead to proliferation of Nuclear weapons. The fast breeder reactors have a risk of the turning of inert uranium to plutonium, and then using the plutonium as fuel. However, plutonium is a nuclear explosive which can be used for developing a bomb.
• The recent reports that China is building two more fast reactors have immediately provoked international concerns about China’s possible weapons plutonium production.

Conclusion

Nuclear power can help to improve energy security. For a rapidly developing economy such as India, it can make a vitally important contribution to growth. Besides, nuclear power can also reduce the impact of volatile fossil fuel prices and mitigate the effects of climate change. India needs to come up with a durable energy strategy to meet present and future energy demands of its population and industries.

 

 

Answer the following questions in 250 words(15 marks each):

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General Studies – 1

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6. Overcoming caste discrimination is a complex and ongoing process, but with concerted efforts from society, government, and individuals, it is possible to create a more equitable and inclusive world. Discuss.

Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India

Introduction

Caste system refers to a broad hierarchical institutional arrangement along which basic social factors like birth, marriage, food-sharing etc are arranged in a hierarchy of rank and status. These sub-divisions are traditionally linked to occupations and decide the social relations with respect to other upper and lower castes.

Recently, 18-year-old Dalit student Darshan Solanki died by suicide at IIT Bombay by jumping from the seventh floor of a hostel building, allegedly because of the caste discrimination he faced.

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Caste discrimination is still widely prevalent in the contemporary society because

• Indian society has been bearing the brunt of this social evil since the post-Vedic times and continues to bear despite Constitutional and Legal measures.
• Hereditary: An individual’s caste is determined by the caste of the family he is born in. It is generally hereditary. One’s caste is unalterable no matter what his/her social position is. One inherits the membership of a caste by his/her birth.
• Persistence is that ancient inequities and prejudices are slow to change. The higher castes, which exploited the lower castes for centuries, continue to discriminate against them both socially and economically.
• Sense of caste prestige: Feeling of own caste superiority over other castes Is the main factor. It is people’s strong desire to enhance caste prestige. Members of a particular caste or sub-caste have the tendency of developing loyalty to their own caste.
• Caste endogamy: Caste endogamy refers to marriage within the same caste. Caste endogamy is therefore responsible for the emergence of the feeling of casteism.
• Belief in religious dogmas: Due to illiteracy, people are governed by belief in religious dogmas, blind beliefs and superstitions. Due to the practice of ‘Jati Dharma’ they take interest in their own caste. It leads to caste feeling and casteism.
• Social distance: Especially in rural areas, people belonging to the higher caste maintain social distance from the lower castes.
  • Dalits in rural villages are forbidden in Hindu temples and disallowed with their shoes on in higher-caste neighborhoods.
  • They maintain it through different restrictions like inter-caste marriages, Inter-dinning etc.
  • The ideology of an individual is associated with his caste norms and values. This has given rise to casteism.
• Caste reservation in higher education and the government has served to perpetuate a system that would otherwise have withered away.

Impacts of Caste system on Indian society:

• Segmental division of society:It means that social stratification is largely based on caste. Membership to a caste group is acquired by birth, on the basis of which people are ranked in relative to other caste groups.
• Hierarchy:It indicates that various castes are categorized according to their purity and impurity of occupations.
• Civil and religious disabilities:Example, lower caste groups had no access to wells, they were restricted from entering temples etc.
• Endogamy: Members of a particular caste have to marry within their caste only. Inter caste marriages are prohibited.
• Untouchability: It is the practice of ostracizing a group by segregating them from the mainstream by social custom.
• Hindered national unity:The caste system and religion developed a parochial feeling and made the people unduly conscious of their own castes/religion.
  • Many a time caste/communal interests were given priority over national interest.
  • Thus the whole system stood against the very concept of national unity.
• Hinders democracy: Democracy presupposes human equality, but the caste system believed in inequality and there was a hierarchical arrangement.
  • Today caste has manifested into a subject to gain political benefits, like reservation in educational colleges, government jobs etc.
• Lowered women’s status: The practice of Sati, child marriage etc  were result of caste system. Women were treated as second-class citizens. This patriarchal behaviour is still prevalent today.
• Violence and conflict: Dalit atrocities, sexual assault on lower caste women etc are result of such discrimination and exploitation which are in turn a result of caste and communal identities deeply entrenched in Indian society

 

How casteism can be removed?

• Emotional and intellectual appeal to economic determinism, as was advocated by Karl Marx
• Awareness about Constitutional values, ethics, ill effects of castiesm etc. by debates, nukkad natak, puppetry,
• Promote and incentivise inter caste marriages as is already done for marrying a SC ST women in some parts of India.
• Evaluate the existing customs, rituals etc. on thetouchstone of Human Rights. Here judiciary can play a positive role but with due respect to religious feelings.
• Implement laws and agreements like ICCPR, Protection of human rights, Prevention of atrocities against SC ST etc. with full letter and spirit.
• Dalit capitalism, check on extra judicial bodies like Khaps etc.
• Economic empowerment of Dalit through education and ownership of land and capital.

Conclusion

Caste system is a terrible anomaly of society which became more prevalent over time. It is the strong enemy of the concept of social justice mentioned in the Indian Constitution and causes economic, social damage to the country from time to time. Undoubtedly, along with the government, it is the responsibility of the common man, religious leaders, politicians, and civil society to resolve this discrepancy as soon as possible.

Value addition

The evil face of Caste System:

• Manual scavenging: Manual scavenging eventually became a caste-based occupation, which involves the removal of untreated human excreta from bucket toilets or pit latrines. It has been officially abolished by the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013.
• Caste based violence in India: Increasing trend of caste based violence are related to instances of inter-caste marriage and assertion of basic rights by Dalits including landrights, freedom of expression, access to justice, access to education etc.
• Dalit violence: Increasing trend of caste-based violence are related to instances of inter-caste marriage and assertion of basic rights by Dalits including land rights, freedom of expression, access to justice, access to education etc.
  • A group of Dalits were attacked in Una, Gujarat when they had participated in the movement for demand of land ownership for the Dalits.
  • Hathras Gang rape of a Dalit womanwas touted as caste based violence.
• Jati Panchayat: The status of each caste is carefully protected, not only by caste laws but also by the conventions. These areopenly enforced by the community through a governing body or board called Jati Panchayat.
• The Concept of Purity and Pollution: The higher castes claimed to have ritual, spiritual and racial purity which they maintained by keeping the lower castes away through the notion of pollution. The idea of pollution means a touch of lower caste man would pollute or defile a man of higher caste.
• Restriction on Food and Drink: Usually a caste would not accept cooked food from any other caste that stands lower than itself in the social scale, due to the notion of getting polluted.
• The caste system is a check on economic and intellectual advancement and a great stumbling block in the way of social reforms
• It undermines the efficiency of labour and prevents perfect mobility of labour, capital and productive effort
• It perpetuates the exploitation of the economically weaker and socially inferior castes, especially the untouchables.
• Inflicted untold hardships on women through its insistence on practices like child-marriage, prohibition of widow-remarriage, seclusion of women
• Caste conflicts are widely prevalent in politics, reservation in jobs and education, inter-caste marriages etc.

 

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General Studies – 2

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7. National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 offers a comprehensive framework to address the challenges faced by public universities in India by enhancing funding, autonomy, research opportunities, and accessibility, thereby aiming to revamp the higher education landscape in the country. Discuss.

Reference: Insights on India

Introduction

India’s higher education system is the third largest in the world, next to the United States and China. Higher Education sector has witnessed a tremendous increase in the number of Universities/University level Institutions & Colleges since Independence. Some institutions of India, such as IITs, NITs, IIMs have been globally acclaimed for their standard of education..

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key features of National Education Policy (NEP), 2020

Transforming School Education:

• Ensuring Universal Access at all levels of school education:
  • NEP 2020 emphasizes on ensuring universal access to school education at all levels- pre-school to secondary.
  • About 2 crores out of school children will be brought back into main stream under NEP 2020.
• Early Childhood Care & Education with new Curricular and Pedagogical Structure:
  • With emphasis on Early Childhood Care and Education, the 10+2 structure of school curricula is to be replaced by a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively.
  • This will bring the hitherto uncovered age group of 3-6 years under school curriculum, which has been recognized globally as the crucial stage for development of mental faculties of a child.
  • The new system will have 12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/ pre schooling.
• Attaining Foundational Literacy and Numeracy:
  • Recognizing Foundational Literacy and Numeracy as an urgent and necessary prerequisite to learning, NEP 2020 calls for setting up of a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy by MHRD.
• Reforms in school curricula and pedagogy:
  • The school curricula and pedagogy will aim for holistic development of learners by equipping them with the key 21st century skills, reduction in curricular content to enhance essential learning and critical thinking and greater focus on experiential learning.
  • Students will have increased flexibility and choice of subjects.
  • There will be no rigid separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams.
  • Vocational education will start in schools from the 6th grade, and will include internships.
• Multilingualism and the power of language:
  • The policy has emphasized mother tongue/local language/regional language as the medium of instruction at least till Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond.
  • Sanskrit to be offered at all levels of school and higher education as an option for students, including in the three-language formula.
  • Other classical languages and literatures of India also to be available as options.
  • No language will be imposed on any student.
• Equitable and Inclusive Education:
  • NEP 2020 aims to ensure that no child loses any opportunity to learn and excel because of the circumstances of birth or background.
  • Special emphasis will be given on Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups(SEDGs) which include gender, socio-cultural, and geographical identities and disabilities.
• Robust Teacher Recruitment and Career Path:
  • Teachers will be recruited through robust, transparent processes.
  • Promotions will be merit-based, with a mechanism for multi-source periodic performance appraisals and available progression paths to become educational administrators or teacher educators.
  • A common National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) will be developed by the National Council for Teacher Education by 2022, in consultation with NCERT, SCERTs, teachers and expert organizations from across levels and regions.
• School Governance:
  • Schools can be organized into complexes or clusters which will be the basic unit of governance and ensure availability of all resources including infrastructure, academic libraries and a strong professional teacher community.
• Standard-setting and Accreditation for School Education:
  • NEP 2020 envisages clear, separate systems for policy making, regulation, operations and academic matters.
  • States/UTs will set up independent State School Standards Authority (SSSA).
  • Transparent public self-disclosure of all the basic regulatory information, as laid down by the SSSA, will be used extensively for public oversight and accountability.
  • The SCERT will develop a School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF) through consultations with all stakeholders.

Transforming Higher Education:

• Increase GER to 50 % by 2035:
  • NEP 2020 aims to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education including vocational education from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035. 3.5 Crore new seats will be added to Higher education institutions.
• Holistic Multidisciplinary Education:
  • The policy envisages broad based, multi-disciplinary, holistic Under Graduate education with flexible curricula, creative combinations of subjects, integration of vocational education and multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification.
  • UG education can be of 3 or 4 years with multiple exit options and appropriate certification within this period.
  • For example, Certificate after 1 year, Advanced Diploma after 2 years, Bachelor’s Degree after 3 years and Bachelor’s with Research after 4 years.
• Regulation:
  • Higher Education Commission of India(HECI) will be set up as a single overarching umbrella body the for entire higher education, excluding medical and legal education.
  • HECI to have four independent verticals – National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) for regulation, General Education Council (GEC) for standard setting, Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) for funding, and National Accreditation Council (NAC) for accreditation.
  • HECI will function through faceless intervention through technology, & will have powers to penalise HEIs not conforming to norms and standards.
  • Public and private higher education institutions will be governed by the same set of norms for regulation, accreditation and academic standards.
• Rationalised Institutional Architecture:
  • Higher education institutions will be transformed into large, well resourced, vibrant multidisciplinary institutions providing high quality teaching, research, and community engagement.
  • The definition of university will allow a spectrum of institutions that range from Research-intensive Universities to Teaching-intensive Universities and Autonomous degree-granting Colleges.

Other Provisions for transformation of educational sector:

• Motivated, Energized, and Capable Faculty:
  • NEP makes recommendations for motivating, energizing, and building capacity of faculty through clearly defined, independent, transparent recruitment, freedom to design curricula/pedagogy, incentivising excellence, movement into institutional leadership.
  • Faculty not delivering on basic norms will be held accountable
• Teacher Education:
  • A new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education, NCFTE 2021, will be formulated by the NCTE in consultation with NCERT.
  • By 2030, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree.
  • Stringent action will be taken against substandard stand-alone Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs).
• Mentoring Mission:
  • A National Mission for Mentoring will be established, with a large pool of outstanding senior/retired faculty – including those with the ability to teach in Indian languages – who would be willing to provide short and long-term mentoring/professional support to university/college teachers.
• Financial support for students:
  • Efforts will be made to incentivize the merit of students belonging to SC, ST, OBC, and other SEDGs.
  • The National Scholarship Portal will be expanded to support, foster, and track the progress of students receiving scholarships.
  • Private HEIs will be encouraged to offer larger numbers of free ships and scholarships to their students.
• Professional Education:
  • All professional education will be an integral part of the higher education system.
  • Stand-alone technical universities, health science universities, legal and agricultural universities etc will aim to become multi-disciplinary institutions.
• Adult Education:
  • Policy aims to achieve 100% youth and adult literacy.
• Financing Education:
  • The Centre and the States will work together to increase the public investment in Education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest.
• Open and Distance Learning:
  • This will be expanded to play a significant role in increasing GER.
  • Measures such as online courses and digital repositories, funding for research, improved student services, credit-based recognition of MOOCs, etc., will be taken to ensure it is at par with the highest quality in-class programmes.

Challenges faced by Public Universities

• Financial issues
  • Spending on higher education as a percentage of government expenditure has stagnated at 1.3-1.5% since 2012.
  • Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education continues to push higher education institutions to increase their intake capacity by 25%
  • The Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA), which provides funding for all infrastructure loans to institutions, saw its budget reduced from ₹2,000 crore in FY 20-21 to ₹1 crore in FY 21-22.
• Management Issues
  • Management of Indian education faces challenges of over-centralization, bureaucratic structures and lack of accountability, transparency, and professionalism.
• Inadequate Research Grants
  • There are insufficient resources and facilities, as well as limited numbers of quality faculty to advise students. Most of the research scholars are without fellowships or not getting their fellowships on time which directly or indirectly affects their research.
  • Moreover, grants under the UGC’s minor and major research project schemes have declined from ₹42.7 crore in FY 2016-17 to ₹38 lakh in FY 2020-21.
  • India has over 1,040 universities, but just 2.7% offer PhD programmes, given paltry funding and poor infrastructure.
• Infrastructural Issues
  • Investments in university infrastructure have shrunk.
  • Most Indian universities and colleges have overcrowded classrooms, poor ventilation and sanitation, and unsatisfactory hostel accommodation.
• Poor Teaching Capacity
  • The QS World University Rankings 2022 revealed that although Indian universities have improved their performance on academic reputation metric and research impact, they continue to struggle on the teaching capacity metric.
  • No Indian university ranks among the top 250 for faculty-student ratio.
  • Poor performance on teaching capacity is not because of any drop in hiring, but rather an increased student intake mandated by the government to implement reservations for economicallyweaker sections.
• Fall in Academic Standards
  • Academic standards and processes are not being maintained. Examination paper leaks have become common.
  • Candidates have anecdotally highlighted examination centre operators charging a hefty amount from candidates to help them pass.

Measures needed to improve status of Indian Universities:

• The best Indian universities would require a kind of “cultural revolution” to join the ranks of global world-class universities and to be able to lure top faculty.
• It is virtually impossible for India to attract large numbers of international professors of high standing and ability without dramatic changes in many aspects of the existing governance structure in higher education. Dramatically enhanced funding would also be required.
• The Ministry of Human Resource Development should be working closely with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to have a road map that incentivizes CSR funding to be made available for universities.
• There need to be an immediate move to attract more candidates, such as the faculty recruitment drive in the US, and monetary incentives like the Young Faculty Incentive Fellowship Scheme.
• Parallel development in infrastructure is necessary to accommodate the research needs of incoming faculty.
• The structural and practical realities of Indian universities make them generally unattractive to academic talent from abroad, this must be rectified at the earliest.
• The key motivation for hiring foreign faculty must be to improve international competitiveness and secure positions in global rankings, which in turn would also attract more motivated students.
• Attracting foreign nationals, Indians who studied at prestigious foreign universities by offering higher salaries and other benefits.
• The moral and motivation of the academics have to be maintained. Not only attract the quality but also retain the quality of teachers. For this, the recruitment and the promotion policy have to be looked into. Recruitment policy on merit, kind of promotion on merit and in intervals would retain good teachers.

Way forward

• Thus a complete revamp is needed to meet the present demand and address the future challenge that India is about to face.
• To reap the diverse culture demographic dividend and to maintain peace and social harmony among them quality education with values are the necessary area to focus.
• The higher education is facing many challenges as pointed
  above, most the challenges are difficult but are not impossible to resolve.
• Our goal to be a world power, the resolving and restructuring of higher education is must, then only we will be able to harness the human potential and resources of nation to the fullest and channelize it for the growth of the
• Youth is the most important asset for a country their future is the future of the Nation. So, the government must be compelled to provide basic education and skills.

Conclusion

If universities become center of fresh knowledge production, then things change. Complete freedom of thought in direction and ideas is need of the hour. There is a prevailing culture that knowledge is finite and job of student is to master pre-existing knowledge. This has a limiting problem in educational culture which needs to be challenged.

 

8. Skill development is no longer a matter of choice. It is an imperative to adapt, survive and succeed as it plays a pivotal role in employment and livelihood. Examine the changes that are needed to the India’s skill development model.

Reference: Insights on India

Introduction

Skill Development can be defined as proficiency that is acquired or developed through training or experience. It strengthens the ability of individuals to adapt to changing market demands and help benefit from innovation and entrepreneurial activities. Skill building could also be seen as an instrument to empower the individual and improve his/her social acceptance or value. At national level, the future prosperity of any country depends ultimately on the number of persons in employment and how productive they are at work.  Skilled human resource is essential for inclusive growth. Hence, skill development can be connected to a broader growth, employment and development mandating government interventions.

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Importance of Skill development for India:

• The skilled workforce is crucial for the success of recently launched missions –Make in India, Digital India, and Smart Cities.
• Demographic Dividend: With most of the major economies of world having sizeable ageing population, India has huge opportunity of serving the booming market. The ‘demographic window’ is only a span of few decades. The skilled youth is required to save demographic dividend from becoming demographic disaster.
• Slowdown in China – an opportunity: With China gradually vacating its factories, with rising Chinese wages and an appreciating Yuan, and also with internal demographic challenge of too few young people, India has an opportunity to become a factory of the world.
• Sectoral mobilization: Less number of people will be required to work in farming as productivity improves. This would result in sectoral mobilization   of   workforce   from   agriculture   to secondary and tertiary activities.
• Better Employment: Skills are needed to those currently in colleges for them to be better employed.
• Skill Capital of World: To convert this vision into reality, India needs to create a skilled and productive workforce matching international standards of quality and productivity through integration of skills and training along with education.

Challenges faced

• With the largest youth population in the world, India faces the difficult task of educating every citizen to become a productive member of society.
• This goal has become harder with the pandemic: over 320 million learners have been affected and more than 5 million young people are likely to have lost their jobs.
• Proactive measures need to be taken to resolve this situation. Education can play a vital role in bridging this gap.
• India’s Right to Education Act guarantees free and compulsory education for the ages of 6 to 14 years, and is based on books and written examinations.
• However, evidence shows that many people develop 21st century skills on the job, or from courses that focus on practical application of skills.
• This indicates that vocational education can be a route for many to gain specific skillsets and knowledge which they can directly apply in their jobs.
• Such education formats are referred to as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

Towards a skill capital

• In India, the skills development ecosystem has undergone rapid changes and improvements over the last decade.
• The National Skill Development Policy was launched in 2009 and revamped in 2015, recognizing the challenge of skilling with speed and high standards.
• Since then, India has laid the foundation for delivering on this vision of making quality skills development programmes available to the youth, but also faced various challenges.
• UNESCO’s State of the Education Report for India 2020, published this week, focuses on vocational education and training and showcases the growth of the skills development sector, along with emerging challenges.
• It also provides practical recommendations to ensure that policy is effectively implemented.
• One of the biggest challenges for expanding the reach of TVET-related courses has been the lack of aspiration and stigma attached to jobs such as carpentry and tailoring.
• Considerable effort, including information campaigns involving youth role models, would go a long way in improving the image of vocational education.
• At the same time, common myths around TVET need to be debunked.
• Research is now proving that TVET graduates for entry level jobs can get paid as much as university graduates, and for some jobs can even surpass them.
• The report emphasizes the need for expanding evidence-based research.
• High-quality research based on careful data-gathering and analytics can add value to all aspects of TVET planning and delivery but is especially useful for creating evidence behind the value of vocational education.
• For instance, proving the business case of apprenticeship to employers can push them to hire more apprentices.
• Considering that many employers are unable to find skilled candidates for jobs, promoting skills development and hiring skilled workers can make the economy stronger.

Way forward:

• Improving the labour market information system where emerging demand for skills are spotted quickly and the necessary training and certifications for the same are created.
• Quick improvements in public-private partnership in capturing demand for skills and following through with quick investments in skill-building to match demand with supply.
• Jobs and skills planning should be decentralized and it has to be done at state and district levels, where there is granular information on education, skills and job options.
• Implementing a new model of manufacturing which is high-skilled, and where high-end cottage manufacturing can create employment at the small scale level.
• If urbanization is good and well planned, then job growth will be positive. Government should concentrate on the development of towns and narrow areas and service it with good infrastructure to generate employment alongside development.
• If government starts spending on public goods (schools, hospitals, dams, roads etc.) instead of spending on freebies (deep subsidies on food, farm loan waivers etc.) the capacity of government to create employment increases.

Conclusion:

India needs a new strategy to counter the phenomena of jobless growth. This requires manufacturing sector to play a dominant role. The focus of economic policy must be the creation of jobs and creating an enabling policy for youth to take up entrepreneurship and create more jobs in the market. India does not need five companies worth 5000 crores turnover but needs 5000 companies of 5 crore turnover.

Value addition

Initiatives undertaken to strengthen skill development:

• “Skill India” programme, that aims to train a minimum of 300 million skilled people by the year 2022.
• The National Skill Development Mission was launched to provide strong institutional framework at the Centre and States for implementation of skilling activities in the country.
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), a dimension of skill India, under which the training fees were paid by the government.
• A ‘Skill Loan’ initiative was launched in which loans from Rest 5,000-1.5 lakhs will be available to whom who seek to attend skill development programmes, over the next five years. The idea is to remove financial constraints as a hindrance to accessing skill training programmes
• National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2015: The Policy acknowledges the need for an effective roadmap for promotion of entrepreneurship as the key to a successful skills strategy. The Vision of the Policy is “to create an ecosystem of empowerment by Skilling on a large Scale at Speed with high Standards and to promote a culture of innovation based entrepreneurship which can generate wealth and employment so as to ensure Sustainable livelihoods for all citizens in the country”.
• In 2014, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship was created to harmonise training processes, assessments, certification and outcomes and, crucially, to develop Industrial Training Institutions (ITIs) — the building blocks of this endeavour.
• Apprenticeship Protsahan Yojana: It is a major initiative to revamp the Apprenticeship Scheme in India.
• Deen Dayal Upadhyaya –Grameen Kaushal Yojana: The Ministry of Rural Development implements DDU-GKY to drive the national agenda for inclusive growth, by developing skills and productive capacity of the rural youth from poor families.
• Nia Manzil for education and skill development of dropouts;
• USTTAD (Upgrading Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development) to conserve traditional arts/crafts and build capacity of traditional artisans and craftsmen belonging to minority communities.
• Nai Roshni, a leadership training   programme   for minority
• MANAS for   upgrading entrepreneurial skills of minority youth.

 

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General Studies – 2

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9. Analyse the factors contributing to the decline in cotton production in India and propose effective measures to reverse this trend, ensuring sustainability and livelihood security of cotton farmers.

Reference: Indian  Express

Introduction

Cotton is a versatile crop known for its white fluffy fibre, oil-rich seeds, and protein-rich seed cake. Cotton in India provides food, feed, and fibre, making it a crucial crop for agriculture and the textile sector.

Cottonseed oil is the third-largest domestically produced vegetable oil in India, following mustard and soyabean. It also ranks second in feed cake production, with soybeans leading. Textile Dominance: Cotton is the dominant fibre in India’s textile industry, accounting for about two-thirds of the total consumption.

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Stats about Cotton Industry

• India is one of the largest consumers and producers of cotton and jutein the world. 95% of the world’s hand-woven fabric comes from India.
• It is the 2nd largest employment provider after agriculture. India is 2nd largest manufacturer of PPE and producer of polyester, silk and fibrein the world.

Reasons for the decline of cotton Production in India:

Government initiatives for the Cotton sector in India:

• Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS)
• Market Access Initiative (MAI) Scheme
• SAMARTH (Scheme for Capacity Building in the Textile Sector)
• Mega Investment Textiles Parks (MITRA)
• Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme to promote the production of MMF Apparel, MMF Fabrics and Products of Technical Textiles

Measures needed to strengthen the cotton crops and industry

• Mating Disruption as a Solution: “Mating disruption” uses synthetic versions of pheromones to confuse male PBW moths, preventing them from mating with females.
• Products like PBKnot and SPLAT were approved for this purpose.
• The Government of India along with the export promotion council has set a long-term target of US$ 100 billion for textiles industry exports by 2025-26 and growing productivity from the current level of around 450 Kg lint per hectare to at least 800-900 Kg lint per hectare.
• The focus continues to adopt the latest innovative technologies and global best farming practices to enhance productivity and achieve sustainable quality cotton output.
• For achieving these goals, the emphasis remains to motivate cotton farmers through awareness meetings, timely advisories, and transfer of technology from the lab to the field in the most effective manner by using natural methods and adopting modern scientific farm practices.
• There needs to be a fundamental change in cropping pattern to the pricing of seeds, along with a host of policy measures to revive as well as to make the cotton industry profitable.

Conclusion

As a crop cultivated in some 12.5 million hectares predominantly by smallholders – and a source of all three Fs – cotton’s importance to India’s agriculture and textile sector is obvious to anybody. While Bt technology gave a huge impetus to production during the first decade-and-a-half of this century, the yield gains from it have been somewhat eroded by the emergence of new dominant pests, especially PBW. The threat of pest infestation has also discouraged farmers in states like Punjab from growing cotton. It only highlights the central role that new technologies – whether GM, next-generation insecticides or mating disruption – will have to play in sustaining the cultivation of this fibre, food and feed crop.

 

10. Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is a holistic and proactive approach that involves the systematic identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks and vulnerabilities to reduce the impact of disasters on communities, infrastructure, and the environment. Analyse.

Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India

 

Introduction

A disaster is a result of natural or man-made causes that leads to sudden disruption of normal life, causing severe damage to life and property to an extent that available social and economic protection mechanisms are inadequate to cope.

It is an undesirable occurrence resulting from forces that are largely outside human control. It strikes quickly with little or no warning and requires major efforts in providing statutory emergency service.

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India’s vulnerability profile

• India is vulnerable, in varying degrees, to a large number of disasters. Around 59% of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of moderate to very high intensity.
• About 12% (over 40 million hectares) of its land is prone to floods and river erosion.
• Close to 5,700 kms, out of the 7,516 kms long coastline is prone to cyclones and tsunamis.
• 68% of its cultivable area is vulnerable to droughts; and, the hilly areas are at risk from landslides and avalanches.
• Moreover, India is also vulnerable to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) emergencies and other man-made disasters.
• Disaster risks in India are further compounded by increasing vulnerabilities related to changing demographics and socio-economic conditions, unplanned urbanization, development within high-risk zones, environmental degradation, climate change, geological hazards, epidemics and pandemics.
• Clearly, all these contribute to a situation where disasters seriously threaten India’s economy, its population and sustainable development.

 Impact of disaster

• Disaster impacts individuals physically(through loss of life, injury, health, disability) as well as psychologically.
• Disaster results in huge economic loss due to destruction of property, human settlements and infrastructure etc.
• Disaster can alter the natural environment, loss of habitat to many plants and animals and cause ecological stress that can result in biodiversity loss.
• After natural disasters, food and other natural resources like water often becomes scarce resulting into food and water scarcity.
• The disaster results in displacement of people, and displaced population often face several challenges in new settlements, in this process poorer becomes more poor.
• Disaster increases the level of vulnerability and hence multiply the effects of disaster.

 

National Disaster Management Plan

 

• National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) is the first ever national plan prepared to handle disasters in the country. The NDMP has been aligned broadly with the goals and priorities set out in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
• For each hazard, the approach used in this national plan incorporates the four priorities enunciated in the Sendai Framework into the planning framework for Disaster Risk Reduction under the five Thematic Areas for Actions:
  • Understanding Risk
  • Inter-Agency Coordination
  • Investing in DRR – Structural Measures
  • Investing in DRR – Non-Structural Measures
  • Capacity Development
• The Response part of the Plan has identified eighteen broad activities which have been arranged into a matrix to be served as a ready reckoner:
  • Early Warning, Maps, Satellite inputs, Information Dissemination
  • Evacuation of People and Animals
  • Search and Rescue of People and Animals
  • Medical Care
  • Drinking Water/ Dewatering Pumps/ Sanitation Facilities/ Public Health
  • Food & Essential Supplies
  • Communication
  • Housing and Temporary Shelters
  • Power
  • Fuel
  • Transportation
  • Relief Logistics and Supply Chain Management
  • Disposal of Animal Carcasses
  • Fodder for livestock in scarcity-hit areas
  • Rehabilitation and Ensuring Safety of Livestock and other Animals, Veterinary Care
  • Data Collection and Management
  • Relief Employment
  • Media Relations
• Governance: The Plan has also incorporated a Chapter on Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance. The generalized responsibility matrix given in this section summarizes the themes for strengthening Disaster Risk Governance and specifies agencies at the Centre and State with their respective roles. The matrix has six thematic areas in which Central and State Governments have to take actions to strengthen disaster risk governance:
  • Mainstream and integrate DRR and Institutional Strengthening
  • Capacity Development
  • Promote Participatory Approaches
  • Work with Elected Representatives
  • Grievance Redress Mechanism
  • Promote Quality Standards, Certifications, and Awards for Disaster Risk Management

  Prevention and preparedness

• Disaster risk reduction is the concept and practice of reducing disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyse and reduce the causal factors of disasters.
• Pre-Disaster risk reduction includes-
• Mitigation: To eliminate or reduce the impacts and risks of hazards through proactive measures taken before an emergency or disaster occurs.
• Preparedness: To take steps to prepare and reduce the effects of disasters.
• Post-Disaster risk reduction includes-
• Rescue: Providing warning, evacuation, search, rescue, providing immediate assistance.
• Relife: To respond to communities who become victims of disaster, providing relief measures such as food packets, water, medicines, temporary accommodation, relief camps etc.
• Recovery: This stage emphasises upon recovery of victims of disaster, recovery of damaged infrastructure and repair of the damages caused.

Conclusion

Disaster management must be implemented at all levels of society and must have a bottoms up approach. Every disaster can be mitigated if there is preparedness and risk reduction should be first step to reduce the impact of a disaster.

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