The death of 66 children in the Gambia, linked to cough syrups manufactured by an Indian firm, has spurred the government to launch an urgent probe into the matter.
Samples of the cough syrups, being blamed for the deaths, have been sent for testing.
Kids poisoned by cough syrup in Gambia
The cough syrups contained unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, considered to be poisonous compounds.
After this, the WHO raised an alert, linking the deaths in the Gambia to the four cough syrups, made by Haryana-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals.
While the probe is on, the incident has certainly put the spotlight once again on quality monitoring and due diligence by companies and the need for stricter regulations.
Indiaâs drug export to Africa
India is a significant player in the pharmaceutical market in Africa.
A recent report revealed that 20% of Indiaâs exports of pharmaceuticals of about $17 billion go to Africa.
The Gambia received 3.6 lakh doses of the Indian vaccine in March 2021, showing the importance that India attaches to this nation.
Africa is, therefore, a major partner in Indiaâs pharmaceutical industry.
What is Diethylene Glycol (DEG)?
WHO said that Diethylene Glycol (DEG) or ethylene glycol is toxic to humans when consumed and can prove fatal.
It can cause kidney and neurological toxicity and has been associated with several cases of mass poisoning when consumed via drugs.
The chemical tastes sweet and is water-insoluble.
The toxic effects of the chemical include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state, and acute kidney injury.
Are the syrups sold in India?
A drug regulatory expert who was part of the investigation into the 2020 J&K deaths said India has phased out syrups in favour of suspensions.
The chemical is used as a solvent for Active Pharma Ingredients (API).
To save on costs, some companies use industrial propylene glycol that may contain diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants.
Indiaâs response to Gambia deaths
It is certainly the responsibility of the importing country to test medicines before releasing them in their market.
After being informed about the incident, Indiaâs apex regulatory body, Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) opened investigations and lifted control samples.
Issue: Indiaâs credibility at stake
India is one of the leading exporters of medicines.
PM Modi recently stressed that Indian drugs had earned the worldâs trust and that India could be called the âpharmacy to the worldâ.
However, such negative reports on the quality and safety of our medicines will be a massive blow to the countryâs image as a source of cheap generic drugs to the world.
Issues highlighted by the incident
Smuggling of cheap drugs: Inquiry reveals that these were imported from an Indian manufacturer, not under public tender but privately.
Ignorance by authorities: The drug which is banned for domestic consumption has got exported and led to fatalities. This is a huge blissful mistake by Indian Authorities.
Lack of inspection: There are not enough drug inspectors in the country to conduct as many inspections as is ideally required in such as vast set-up.
Inadequacies in quality-check: Despite huge production units, there are not an adequate number of laboratories to test the samples in time if all the samples that should be lifted for testing are picked up.
Blot on credibility: The matter, if not properly handled, can damage the perception that Indian medicines are trustworthy for African countries and the global South.
Health cooperation between India and Africa
Health cooperation is an important part of the India-Africa engagement.
The India-Africa Health Sciences platform, Pan-African e-Network project, e-Arogya Bharti, and training programs under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program are part of inter-governmental action.
There is a growing pharmaceutical trade, medical tourism and hospital management between India and Africa.
This is because of the confidence that India is a cost-effective but efficient partner in the health sector.
Indian companies have established a reputation as partners of choice â particularly of international healthcare NGOs and aid agencies â over the past decades.
They have followed WHO standards in the main and their budget-friendly medicines have been a boon to many African countries for their public health programs.
Possible factors behind this tragedy
There are rackets of counterfeit Indian medicines turning up in many African countries.
Some of these were coming from unregistered producers in India, who would produce medicine depending on what cost was paid to them without concern for quality.
In some cases, competitors from other countries were known to make counterfeit medicines with Indian markings and dump them in markets where Indian pharmaceuticals were well regarded.
Way forward
The pharmaceutical trade is vital and must be protected from predatory practices and violations of regulatory norms.
Regulatory mechanism on both sides should be strengthened.
African importers should be given lists of recognised Indian manufacturers.
Training should be provided to drug controllers to curtail the menace of counterfeit and poor-quality medicine entering Africa from India.
Despite the global decline in crude oil prices over the last month and buying of cheap Russian crude oil, the retail prices of Petrol and Diesel in India have remained high. These increased prices have also caused high inflation in India, leading to an increase in key policy rates by RBI.
In this context, in this edition of the burning issue, we will study Global fuel dynamics and how it impacts Indiaâs energy security.
Global fuel dynamics
Global production of oil- averaged 95.6 million barrels per day in 2021. The top producing country group was OPEC (31.7 million b/d) followed by OECD (31.0 million b/d). The top three producing countries were the United States (18.9 million b/d), Saudi Arabia (10.8 million b/d), and Russia (10.8 million b/d).
Price of oil- The average Brent crude oil spot price declined to USD100/bbl in August from USD112/bbl in July. Brent crude oil prices have sunk by over USD20/bbl after peaking in June, pressured by tightening monetary policies and demand concerns in China
Demand of crude oil- Global liquids demand saw a slight increase in August to 99.4 MMb/d, but remained below Juneâs 100 MMb/d.
Factors impacting prices- Oilgenerates revenue for countries with enough oil reserves to produce more oil than they consume. Not surprisingly, events such as unrest in oil-producing regions, new oil field discoveries, and advances in extraction technology profoundly affect the oil industry.
Recent decline in prices- Benchmark Brent crude oil prices dipped to USD100/bbl in August â the lowest in the past six months. Elevated inflation levels, rate hikes by major central banks, and concerns about a slowdown in the Chinese economy have impacted oil and fuel demand, leading to a price decline.
Natural gas- accounts for 32% of primary energy consumption in the United States, the worldâs largest producer. Russia is the second biggest producer, and also has at least 37 trillion cubic meters of natural gas reserves, the most in the world. Also, there was a steep rise in the international prices of natural gas triggered by the Russia-Ukraine war disrupting global supplies
Why crude oil prices were high till last month?
(A) Limited Supply:
Major oil-producing countries had cut oil production amid a sharp fall in demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Russian-Ukraine war has disrupted the supply chains. Also, sanctions on Russia, Iran and Venezuela by the US have reduced supplies of crude in international markets leading to price rises.
In early October 2022, OPEC agreed to cut back on oil production to increase prices.
(B) Revival of Demand:
Theproduction and rollout of vaccines for Covid-19 and the rising consumption post the COVID lockdowns last year have both led to a revival in international crude oil prices.
(C) Geopolitical reasons:
Geopolitical tension has risen between Russia, which is the second largest oil producer in the world, and neighbouring Ukraine.
In January, there were drone attacks on oil facilities in UAE, another major oil producer.
An outage on a major oil pipeline linking Saudi Arabia and Turkey further added to the pressures.
Impacts of Global fuel dynamics on the Energy Security of India
Energy security of India is threatened– Sanctions on Iran & Russia and the reduction of oil production by OPEC have caused prices of Crude oil to sour to record high levels, making it unbearable for the economy and common man, thus negatively impacting the energy security of India.
Current Account Deficit: The increase in oil prices will increase the countryâs import bill, and further disturb its current account deficit (excess of imports of goods and services over exports). According to estimates, a one-dollar increase in crude oil price increases the oil bill by around USD 1.6 billion per year.
Inflation: The increase in crude prices could also further increase inflationary pressures that have been building up over the past few months. This will decrease the space for the monetary policy committee to ease policy rates further.
Fiscal Health: If oil prices continue to increase, the government shall be forced to cut taxes on petroleum and diesel which may cause a loss of revenue and deteriorate its fiscal balance.The revenue lost will erode the governmentâs ability to spend or meet its fiscal commitments in the form of budgetary transfers to states, payment of dues and compensation for revenue shortfalls to state governments under the goods and services tax (GST) framework.
Reasons for recent fall in crude oil prices
Strengtheningof US Dollar: For the first time since early February, international crude benchmark Brent went below $90 a barrel last week. This level was last seen before Russia invaded Ukraine. The recent decline came amid expectations of further US dollar rise due to Fed rate hikes.
Reducing global demand: Global energy demand is softening, especially in China, where crude oil imports fell 9.4% last month compared to a year ago, as the countryâs zero-Covid policy has led to full or partial lockdowns in more than 70 cities since late August.
Fear of global recession: US Fed has been increasing the policy rate aggressively causing the Dollar to appreciate vis-Ă -vis other currencies and outflow of capital thus generating fears of a global recession and thus reducing the demand for oil in the future.
Increasing Russian oil supplies: India is buying Russian crude in defiance of Western, especially US pressure, to isolate the country economically and financially. India is buying Russiaâs flagship Urals grade at discounts of as much as $35 a barrel on prices before the war
But why fuel prices are still high in India?
Non-passing of savings: Indian refiners are not passing on the cost savings derived from declining crude oil prices since last month.
No government support to companies: Petrol was deregulated in June 2010 and diesel in November 2014. Since then, the government does not pay oil firms any subsidy to compensate them for losses they might incur on selling fuel at rates below cost.
High losses: The three biggest oil retailers in India posted a combined net loss of Rs 18,480 crore in the June quarter.
Recover past losses: No revision of fuel prices by oil marketing companies is to recover the losses that state-owned fuel retailers incurred in keeping the fuel prices unchanged when international oil prices surged to multi-year highs.
3rd biggest energy consumer: The primary energy consumption in India grew by 10.4% in CY2021 and is the third biggest with a 6% global share after China and USA.
The energy basket: The total primary energy consumption from coal (452.2 Mtoe; 45.88%), crude oil (239.1 Mtoe; 29.55%), natural gas (49.9 Mtoe; 6.17%), nuclear energy (8.8 Mtoe; 1.09%), hydro-electricity (31.6 Mtoe; 3.91%) and renewable power (27.5 Mtoe; 3.40%) is 809.2 Mtoe (excluding traditional biomass use) in the calendar year 2018.
Import dependency: In 2018, India’s net imports are nearly 205.3 million tons of crude oil and its products, 26.3 Mtoe of LNG and 141.7 Mtoe coal totalling 373.3 Mtoe of primary energy which is equal to 46.13% of total primary energy consumption. India is largely dependent on fossil fuel imports to meet its energy demands â by 2030.
Challenges to Energy security in India
Low domestic resources: India, with 17% of the worldâs population, has just 0.8% of the worldâs known oil and natural gas resources.
High domestic demand: Indiaâs domestic production is not sufficient to meet its demand. As a result, India already imports 80% of its crude oil needs. Without new and substantial domestic discoveries, imports will continue to increase.
Volatile energy supply regions: Problems of diversification of energy sources for India arise from the political volatility, and geopolitics of the regions from where India imports its energy products like the Persian Gulf region, and countries like Russia, Iran, etc.
Low share of natural gas usage in India: Natural gas currently provides only 8% of Indiaâs primary energy supply despite the fact that 50% of that gas comes from domestic sources, onshore and offshore. Today, oil accounts for 36% of the countryâs primary energy use. This figure is set to rise both in absolute and in percentage terms.
Low Private sector participation: Private sectorâs Cold response to Government initiatives and policies such as HELP and mine auctions.
Lack of holistic policy: India currently does not have a holistic National energy policy but is divided into a national electricity policy, renewable energy policy, etc. leading to a lack of coherency in all energy sectors and ministries.
Energy policy in India
In this context, in 2017, NITI Aayog published a draft National energy policy (NEP) with four key objectives of Access at affordable prices, Improved security and Independence, Greater Sustainability and Economic Growth.
The draft NEP proposes actions to meet the objectives in such a way that Indiaâs economy is âenergy readyâ in the year 2040.
Some Draft NEP proposals for the Energy Sector
India has nearly 3.17 million square km of sedimentary area, out of which only 19% has been moderate to well-explored. To quickly appraise the entire sedimentary area, there is a need to offer geological data to prospective Exploration and Production (E&P) companies.
Setting up of 90-day consumption requirement of strategic and commercial storage, both for crude and petroleum products through innovative private investment strategies is needed.
To increase the penetration of natural gas, a National Gas Grid would have to be rolled out throughout the country.
There is a need to migrate the existing hydrocarbon regime (both Nomination and PSCs) to the emerging framework of market-determined prices and marketing freedom. However, this cannot be done overnight and needs to be achieved in gradual phases.
OMCs have done a commendable job in maintaining petroleum supplies throughout the country. The next step in this direction is to encourage competition through the entry of the private sector in a big way, to raise efficiency and consumer satisfaction levels.
Indiaâs Quest for Energy Security: The Steps Taken
Exploring domestic energy reserves: To promote oil and gas production at the domestic level, the Indian Government has been taking several steps which range from encouraging Indian companies to increase their domestic activities and widening its engagement with multinational companies, broadening opportunities for them to participate in oil and gas exploration in India.
HELP policy: Government has launched an Open licensing and acreage policy under the Hydrocarbon exploration and licensing policy (HELP) in 2017. The HELP marked an important transition from regulation to liberalization of Indiaâs E&P sector; it is a very significant upstream reform of the fiscal regime.
Policy and operational changes: to stimulate the investments and development in the exploration of hydrocarbon sources of energy, some of the steps have focussed on regulatory changes, a transparent gas pricing policy and redevelopment of uneconomical assets.
Exploring alternative sources: The domestic efforts have also seen a concerted focus on exploring various alternative sources of energy that are infinite, renewable and environment-friendly. The government has given a massive push in this regard in energy production through solar energy, wind power, hydroelectricity power, and biomass, and nuclear energy.
Diversifying energy sourcing regions: Two-thirds of Indiaâs oil imports come from Gulf region. India is following in the footsteps of other major oil-importing economies and making significant efforts to obtain supplies from sources outside the Gulf such as regions of Latin America, Africa, the Caspian Basin, Russia and the waters of the Indo-Pacific region.
Launch of NDR: In support of the OALP, the government launched the National Data Repository in June 2017. It is a comprehensive archive of geo-scientific data for E&P activities. By allowing companies to access the data through an e-platform and consult relevant information, the government helped the interested parties in making bidding decisions.
Small field policy launched: Discovered Small Field Policy was launched in 2016 to tap unmonetized small oil/gas discoveries in India, Discovered Small Field provides an easy and low-risk investment option for interested parties to encourage E&P activities.
Way forward
Reinforce its oil emergency response policy- to adapt it to the expected strong growth in oil consumption, with increased dedicated emergency stocks and procedures, including demand restraint measures and a proper analysis of risks by using oil disruption scenarios.
Strengthen the regulatory oversight- of the sector. Non-discriminatory access to oil transport and the level-playing field in the mid-and downstream oil sector.
Promotethediversification- of oil sources and reduce Indiaâs high oil import dependence by enhancing exploration and production activities and the development of alternative sources, such as biofuels.
Foster the creation of a liquid market- for natural gas in India, gradually moving from gas allocation and multiple pricing regimes to the creation of a gas hub, so that domestic gas and LNG imports can be used most efficiently and competition can flourish.
Strengthen and clarify the roles and responsibilities- of the regulatory supervision of natural gas market activities (upstream, midstream and downstream) to ensure a non-discriminatory access regime to pipeline capacity so that both LNG imports and new gas discoveries can find their way to markets and investment in gas transport and storage is encouraged.
Ensure gas is treated on a level playing field- with other fuels for taxation and is included under the GST, as the country strives to increase the share of gas in the total energy supply.
Enhance international engagement- by India on global oil security issues.
Conclusion
Nation has achieved a lot in the energy sector in recent years which has propelled it to become one of the largest economies in the world.
But to continue on this growth path, Indiaâs energy policy needs to be pursued more inclusively in its domestic and international settings to address its fast-growing energy demand in a competitive geo-political environment.
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) region has been afflicted by the problem of cross-border terrorism, separatist violence and armed militancy for more than 30 years.
Militancy in J&K: A Backgrounder
Since the early 1990s, this militancy has transformed radically as various internal and external dynamics have impacted it, such as the driving role of Pakistanâs Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), evolution of Kashmirâs separatist politics, influence of terrorist groups and the emergence of social media.
This makes the militancy in J&K today a qualitatively different challenge to the security establishment than it was in 1989 when scores of Kashmiri youths crossed the Line of Control (LoC) to train in Pakistan-occupied J&K (PoK) and joined the ranks of terrorist outfits.
J&K since the revocation of Art. 370
The 5th of August 2022, marked three years since the Union Government revoked the special status of J&K and created two new Union Territories (UTs) of J&K and Ladakh.
This change is said to be a landmark moment for the region, marking a break from the past to herald a new administrative and security approach to this strategically-important region.
Several initiatives implemented by the J&K UT administration and security establishment since then demonstrate that there is hope for a better future.
At present, the Indian security establishments extend their firm control of the situation in J&K. Security agencies have kept up the pressure on militants through dynamic operations and have cut off the support from terror ecosystems.
Despite there being some evolving and emerging challenges from the Counter-Terrorism (CT) perspective, security forces are confident of tackling them effectively.
Success of counter-terrorism operations
Ans. Decline in militancy
The current residual strength of the terrorists operating in the region is a key indicator of the improved security situation in the region.
The numbers during the early 1990s were in the thousands. However, the situation has changed significantly. Current terrorist strength in Kashmir stands at about 163.
It is also seen that the role of Pakistani terrorists has now been reduced to guiding and motivating the local terrorists.
South Kashmir remains the main hub of militancy while North Kashmir has been a key entry point for Pakistani Militants through the LoC.
Major challenges
(1) Tackling cross-border infiltration
Pakistan-based terrorist organizations have used the mountainous terrain in north Kashmir to sneak into the Kashmir Valley.
Militants enter through the south of Pir Panjal range, Jammu-Samba-Kathua plains and the hilly Rajouri-Poonch areas.
To counter this infiltration, security forces have set up a highly-effective three-tiered counter-infiltration grid.
Further, the forces have deployed Anti Infiltration Obstacle System (AIOS) fencing and have enhanced surveillance through the use of drones, night-vision equipment, and hand-held thermal imaging devices.
The security agencies have increased the pressure on the terrorist groups in the region through several Counter-Insurgency (CI) operations.
The elimination of the top militant leadership and disruption of their subversive plan has yielded great results.
(2) Leftover terrorist groups
A crucial part of the security crackdown is the punitive action against the subversive elements of the ecosystem that support the terrorists that include the network of Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and terrorist sympathisers.
Security agencies have targeted the OGWs who help the militants by providing multiple services such as recharging mobile phones, providing shelter and informing the terrorists about the security forces movements.
Since 2019, J&K Police have arrested more than 900 OGWs under the Public Safety Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Countering terrorist finances has been another key area of focus. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has launched several investigations into the cases of terrorist financing.
The MHA has set up a Terror Monitoring Group, comprising representatives of security agencies like NIA, Central Bureau of Investigation, Intelligence Bureau and JKP and financial agencies like Central Board of Direct Taxes, and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs to closely monitor terrorist financing cases.
Several soft measures such as exercising maximum restraint, avoiding pellet guns and minimizing collateral damage during the CI operations and protest demonstrations have also helped the cause by gaining the trust and respect of the civilians in the region.
Emerging challenges
Radicalization and Terrorist Recruitment: Increase in the local terrorist recruitment in areas such as Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Awantipora have been a key cause of concern.
Hybrid terrorists and virtual terrorist outfits: With increased Counter-Insurgency ops and neutralization of many active militants, terrorist masterminds have changed their strategies.
Technological advances: With the advent of modern technologies in cyberspace such as the dark web, the militants are using technological advancements to achieve their agenda.
Pakistanâs information warfare: Â The ISI is working hard to spread disinformation on social media platforms as Pakistanâs material and financial support to terrorist groups such as LeT and JeM have attracted global scanners.
Way forward
Comprehensive national efforts: Countering terrorism will require a comprehensive national effort anchored in Indiaâs democratic credentials.
Sahi Raasta Initiative: by Indian Army aims to tackle the issue of radicalization by bringing the youth on the right track through national integration tours, sports training programs and festivals, and skill development workshops.
October 1, 2022, marks an important date in the countryâs history which is when telecom companies in India start rolling out 5G for users after months of testing.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the commercial rollout of 5G services in India at the India Mobile Congress 2022.
Thus, in this edition of the Burning Issue, we will discuss the 5G technology, its rollout in India, benefits and associated concerns in detail.
What is 5G technology?
5G or the fifth generation is the latest upgrade in the long-term evolution (LTE) of mobile broadband networks.
5G enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything including machines, objects, and devices.
Itâs a unified platform that is much more capable than previous mobile services with more capacity, lower latency, faster data delivery rate and better utilization of spectrum.
It mainly works in 3 bands, namely low, mid and high-frequency spectrum â all of which have their uses as well as limitations.
The low, mid, and high-frequency spectrum
The low band spectrum has great promise in terms of coverage and speed of internet and data exchange but the maximum speed is limited to 100 Mbps (Megabits per second).
So Telcos can use and install it for commercial cell phone users who may not have specific demands for very high-speed internet, the low band spectrum may not be optimal for the specialized needs of the industry.
The mid-band spectrum offers higher speeds compared to the low band, but has limitations in terms of coverage area and penetration of signals.
This band may be used by industries and specialized factory units for building captive networks that can be molded into the needs of that particular industry.
The high-band spectrum offers the highest speed of all three bands, but has extremely limited coverage and signal penetration strength.
Internet speeds in the high-band spectrum of 5G have been tested to be as high as 20 Gbps (gigabits per second), while, in most cases, the maximum internet data speed in 4G has been recorded at 1 Gbps.
Salient features of 5G technology
Capability:Â 5G will provide much faster mobile broadband service as compared to the previous versions and will provide support to previous services like mission-critical communication and the massive Internet Of Things (IoT).
Speed:Â With a peak delivery rate of up to 20 Gbps and an average of 100Mbps, it will be much faster as compared to its predecessors. The speed increment is partly achieved by using higher-frequency radio waves than in previous networks.
Capacity:Â There will be up to 100x increase in traffic capacity and network efficiency.
Spectrum usage:Â This will provide better usage for every bit of spectrum, from low bands below 1 GHz to high bands.
Latency: Itâs expected to have lower latency with better instantaneous, real-time access of the data. The 5G, like 4G LTE, also uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) but the new 5G NR (New Radio) air interface will enhance OFDM and provide better flexibility in data delivery.
Millimeter wave spectrum:Â The 5G networks will operate in the millimeter wave spectrum (30-300 GHz) which has the advantage of sending large amounts of data at very high speeds because the frequency is so high, it experiences little interference from surrounding signals.
Global situation on 5G
More than governments, global telecom companies have started building 5G networks and rolling them out to their customers on a trial basis.
In countries like the US, some companies have taken the lead when it comes to rolling out commercial 5G for their users.
China and the United States are significantly ahead of other nations in their 5G rollout, with a combined 652 cities in which 5G is available.
A South Korean company, which had started researching 5G technology way back in 2011, has, on the other hand, taken the lead when it comes to building the hardware for 5G networks for several companies.
The recent launch of 5G in India
5G is officially available for commercial usage on October 1, 2022. Airtel and Jio are the only telecom players who have finalized a proper timeline for 5G services rollout in the country at the time of writing.
Airtel will initially offer 5G services in 8 cities including four metros. Jio, on the other hand, will launch its 5G services across key metropolitan cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata to begin with.
A government panel report points out that with 5G, the peak network data speeds are expected to be in the range of 2-20 Gigabit per second (Gbps). This can help in good governance and can lead to higher economic growth in India.
The Ministry of Communications notes that the cumulative impact of 5G on Indiaâs economy is expected to reach a whopping $450 Billion by 2035 opening up new opportunities and societal benefits while cutting down on conventional barriers.
PM is pushing for Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance), with the success of Digital India being a priority. India is working on technologies that would enable it to launch its Indigenous 5G. This will help run its IoT platforms on indigenous technology for civilian as well as military applications.
Standalone and Non-Standalone 5G networks
Jio will offer stand-alone 5G services with zero dependencies on 4G network, or âtrue 5Gâ, Jio is the only player to have purchased the premium 700 megahertz low-band spectrum which would be âessential for deep indoor coverageâ in addition to the 3500 MHz mid-band and the 26 GHz millimeter-wave band meant for ultra-high capacity.
Jio claims that it would combine these frequencies into a single powerful âdata highwayâ using Carrier Aggregation for more seamless connectivity that would help connect the remotest parts of the country in the days to come.
Airtel, meanwhile, has downplayed the need for the 700 MHz band saying that it would lead to additional cost and more carbon emissions (because then it would have to install large âpower-guzzlingâ radios on this band) while giving no additional coverage compared to the 900 MHz spectrum band that it has.
Airtel also has a contrarian view -to Jio- on using stand-alone 5G saying that non-standalone (NSA) 5G- that Airtel would be using- offers a wider coverage and can work with more devices while allowing the use of existing 4G technology at no extra cost.
What is the 5Gi Technology network?
5Gi is a locally designed telecommunication network that has been designed by IIT Hyderabad, IIT Madras and the Centre of Excellence in Wireless Technology.
The technology developed by Indian institutions will be an alternative to the global 5G standards and has already got a thumbs up from the International Communication Unit.
the main problem with global 5G technology is that the range of coverage goes down with an increase in frequency. This is where 5Gi steps in, as it provides a higher range at a lower frequency.
5Gi network technology is capable of working at a lower frequency than 5G by still providing a higher range. The technology works on a Low Mobility Large Cell method, which transmits a cell-based waveform which results in increased range.
The TSDSi or the Telecommunications Standards Development Society of India says that “Enhanced cell coverage enabled by this standard, will be of great value in countries and regions that rely heavily on mobile technologies for connectivity but cannot afford dense deployment of base stations due to lack of deep fiber penetration, poor economics and challenges of geographical terrain.”
If implemented in the right manner, the 5Gi technology can be fruitful in a large country like India as the large-scale implications will make the technology cost-effective. Additionally, owing to its high range, 5Gi will be able to provide better network connectivity in the rural area of the country.
Opportunities with 5G Technology
High-Speed mobile network: 5G will revolutionize the mobile experience with the supercharged wireless network. Compared to conventional mobile transmission technologies, voice and high-speed data can be simultaneously transferred efficiently in 5G.
Entertainment and multimedia: 5G can provide 120 frames per second, high resolution and higher dynamic range video streaming without interruption. The audio-visual experience will be rewritten after the implementation of the latest technologies powered by 5G wireless. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality services will be better experienced over 5G.
Internet of Things: IoT applications collect a huge amount of data from millions of devices and sensors and thus require an efficient network for data collection, processing, transmission, control and real-time analytics which 5G network is a better candidate.
Smart cities: Smart city applications like traffic management, Instant weather update, local area broadcasting, energy management, smart power grid, smart lighting of the street, water resource management, crowd management, emergency response etc can use a reliable 5G wireless network for its functioning.
Smart farming: 5G technology will be used for agriculture and smart farming in the future. Using smart RFID sensors and GPS technology, farmers can track the location of livestock and manage them easily. Smart sensors can be used for irrigation control, access control and energy management.
Mission critical applications: Like telemedicine services, remote control of critical infrastructure and vehicles. It has the potential to transform industries with highly reliable, low latency links.
Better Governance: Better speed and connectivity would reduce red tapism. It will enhance the speedy completion of projects and better implementation of policies. It will enable accountability in the system through a better monitoring system and will reduce corruption.
Employment generation: 5G wireless technology will open greater opportunities for new device manufacturers and application developers. New VoIP devices and smart devices will be introduced in the market and thus more job opportunities as well. This will help in inclusive growth reaping the demographic dividend.
Enhanced Security: 5G wireless technology is one the best solution for security surveillance due to its higher bandwidth and unlicensed spectrum. It will enhance better coordination among various agencies. Smart appliances which can be configured and accessed from remote locations, closed circuit cameras will provide high-quality real-time video for security purposes.
Logistics and Shipping: Logistic and shipping industry can make use of smart 5G technology for goods tracking, fleet management, centralized database management, staff scheduling and real-time delivery tracking and reporting.
Industrial Growth: Future industries will depend on smart wireless technologies like 5G and LTE advanced for efficient automation of equipment, maintenance, safety, tracking, smart packing, shipping, logistics and energy management.
Agricultural applications: 5g technology can be used for agriculture and smart farming in the future. Using smart RFID sensors and GPS technology, farmers can track the location of livestock and manage them easily. Smart sensors can be used for irrigation control, access control and energy management.
Healthcare and mission-critical applications: 5G technology will support medical practitioners to perform advanced medical procedures with a reliable wireless network connected to another side of the globe. Doctors can connect with patients from anywhere anytime and advise them when necessary. Scientists are working on smart medical devices which can perform remote surgery. Smart medical devices like wearables will continuously monitor a patientâs condition and activate alerts during an emergency.
Challenges with 5G in India
Enabling critical infrastructures: 5G will require a fundamental change to the core architecture of the communication system. The major flaw of data transfer using 5G is that it canât carry data over longer distances. Hence, even 5G technology needs to be augmented to enable infrastructure.
Financial liability on consumers: For a transition from 4G to 5G technology, one has to upgrade to the latest cellular technology, thereby creating financial liability for consumers.
Capital Inadequacy: Lack of flow of cash and adequate capital with suitable telecom companies (like Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea) is delaying the 5G spectrum allocation.
Frequency allocation: Indian operators have far less spectrum in comparison to international operators. The high investment cost makes telecom companies unsure about Return on Investment.
Pricing: The 5G spectrum is overpriced by at least 30% to 40% compared to international standards and auctions in other markets such as South Korea and the U.S. In previous auctions, the government saw no takers for the 700 MHz spectrum, which is used to offer high-speed 4G services and was put on sale for the first time, mainly due to the high reserve price.
Network investment: In India, the telecom sector is facing capital augmentation issues that need to be resolved. Non-availability of funds for investment: Many Indian operators are also weighed down by debt.
Regulatory restrictions: Faster rounds of new technology introduction when prior technology investments have not been recouped add further complexity.
Technical Challenges: Designing IT architecture that can be deployed globally, while still allowing for localized technology to cater to different regions is a challenge. Though Reliance Inc. has some plans to roll out 5G.
Geopolitics related to 5g technology
Nearly a decade ago a report by the US House Intelligence Committee flagged issues posed by Chinese telecom companies Huawei Technologies and ZTE. The US Federal Communications Commission has designated these two companies as national security threats.
Soon after, the US, Britain and Australia announced a ban on equipment from Huawei in their country’s high-speed wireless networks.
India along with Canada and some other countries is reviewing security implications and has yet to decide on allowing Huawei to provide equipment for them.
Most observers see this as a âtechnological cold warâ that could extend beyond just the US and China, and compel other countries, including India, to effectively choose between one camp and the other. This could be an another challenge for India in future.
Way forward
We should focus on strengthening our cyber infrastructure and also cyber security as the telecom networks advance to prevent cyber security breaches.
5G start-ups that enable this design and manufacturing capabilities should be promoted. This will spur leaps in the coverage, capacity, affordability and density of wireless networks.
Funds should be allocated and local technology and telecom firms should be incentivized to develop their internal capacities which would in turn help 5G technology succeed in the country.
Push for âMake in Indiaâ manufacturing for 5G equipment and handsets.
Scientists and Industries should work together to bring 5G technology quicker to the entire nation rather than getting entangled in policy processes & bureaucratic rifts.
Telecom companies should augment their infrastructure and capabilities to provide a true 5G experience to customers as still many parts of the country lack even a 4G network.
The financial condition of telecom companies should be improved to maintain competition in the Indian telecom market and thus attract new companies or FDI in the sector.
Conclusion
By acting early on adoption, India can accelerate the 5G dividends and also become an innovator in applications and this technology.
Supreme data download rates, three times greater spectrum efficiency, and super low latency will empower India to experience cases like seamless video calls, instant downloads and uploads and seamless gaming on the cloud thus the beginning of a new era for Indiaâs technology landscape.
The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW) is being observed for the third time on 29 September 2022 with the theme ‘Stop Food Loss and Waste! For People and Planet.â
This day assumes huge importance due to the rising food insecurity across the globe.
Food loss and waste (FLW) is an important topic due to its high socioeconomic costs and its relationship to waste management and climate change challenges.
Worldwide Food Loss and Waste (FLW)
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, an estimated 14 percent of the worldâs food is lost between harvest and retail.
Moreover, an estimated 17 per cent is wasted in retail and at the consumption level.
This food loss and waste accounts for 8-10 per cent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions.
As the data suggests that approx 4 to 5 lakhs people die without food every year and this includes the dependent population of the country as well.
What is Food Loss and Waste?
Food loss and waste is food that is not eaten.
The causes of food waste or loss are numerous and occur throughout the food system, during production, processing, distribution, retail and food service sales, and consumption.
Why should we discuss this?
Pre-consumption Losses: Nearly 40% of the food produced in India is wasted every year due to fragmented food systems and inefficient supply chains.
Post-harvest damages: India does incur huge losses due to post-harvest damages. Economic cost of post-harvest loss is nearly 926.51 bn INR as per a 2014 study.
Rotting in godowns: In the wake of the lockdown imposed last year, surplus stocks of grain â pegged at 65 lakh tonnes in the first four months of 2020 â continued to rot in godowns across India.
Huge share of GDP: It is about 0.6% of Indiaâs GDP and two and a half times the Budget estimate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmersâ Welfare.
FLW in India: Causes
There are some reasons which cause huge food waste of food in the country:
Food habits: First is that India is a nation where maximum foods are spicy and the reason for them to get rot very early.
Cultural issues: The culture of our nation, letâs not take it otherwise but we can can’t deny that the wedding functions causes large amount of food waste.
Household losses: The data on food wastage at the retail and household levels is at the nascent stage.
Replacement of manures: Chemical fertilizers has replaced the organic one which is a big replacement of leftover wastes.
Logistics: Uneven transportation and warehousing is another factor for FLW.
Why is it important to reduce food loss and waste?
Prevalence of hunger: If more food is wasted, then the remaining food is available at higher prices. This excludes many people from accessing quality food owing to poor socio-economic conditions.
Sustainability of food system: Food loss and waste undermine the sustainability of our food systems. When food is lost or wasted, all the resources that were used to produce this food – including water, land, energy, labour and capital – go to waste.
Emissions by FLW: In addition, the disposal of food loss and waste in landfills, leads to greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change.
Food insecurity: Food loss and waste can also negatively impact food security and food availability, and contribute to increasing the cost of food.
Steps taken by India
SDG commitment: Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 talks about halving food loss and waste by 2030. It also talks about halving the food loss in production and supply chains.
Institutional research: India has been systematically estimating food loss since 1968 and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research has also conducted several studies and quantified the loss at certain levels.
NITI Aayog moves: Ashok Dalwai Committee has suggested various interventions that go beyond the supply chain in the report to double farmerâs income by 2025.
SAMPADA Scheme: Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters was launched in 2016. One of the core components of the scheme involves developing an integrated cold chain and value addition infrastructure.
National Food Security Act, 2013: It places an obligation on the government to deliver quality food at affordable prices to the poor. This places an indirect obligation on the government to reduce food wastage.
Way forward
Inducing behavior change: Public needs to be sensitized as the food resources belong to the community irrespective of their individual financial capacity. Nobody has the right to waste limited food (or any other resources).
Food Banking: There are examples of many NGO-run food banks where leftover food is collected and shared to the needy.
Boosting local supply chains: This should be optimized to reduce post-harvest and transportation losses.
Prevention: Last but not the least. Prevention of food losses is far better than mitigation.
Conclusion
Our food systems cannot be resilient if they are not sustainable, hence the need to focus on the adoption of integrated approaches designed to reduce food loss and waste.
Actions are required globally and locally to maximize the use of the food we produce.
The introduction of technologies, innovative solutions, new ways of working, and good practices to manage food quality and reduce food loss and waste are key to implementing this transformative change.
The Indian freedom movement was a peopleâs movement that gained strength as it progressed.
This transcended regional and class differences and became an expression of the collective resolve of the people of the entire country well before 1857.
The tribal people had revolted against the British in India time and again predominantly in Central India.
Freedom Movement in Chhattisgarh
The East India Company began efforts to annex Chhattisgarh after the Battle of Plassey in 1757.
The central part of Chhattisgarh was under the control of the Maratha rulers of Nagpur and the various Princely States.
The British got their first success in 1800 when the Raja of Raigad signed a treaty with the Company and made Raigad a part of the Government.
They annexed the Maratha empire after its defeat in the war at Nagpur in 1818 and began to rule the central region of Chhattisgarh.
However, in Bastar, the south of Chhattisgarh and Surguja in the north, several tribal rebellions arose to save tribal people from the slavery of the Companyâs Government.
Various tribal movements in Central India
Halba Rebellion (1774_1779): This was the first rebellion against the British in India, and King Ajmer Singh of Bastar was the first martyr.
Kol Rebellion, 1831: The Kols are indigenous people from the Chota Nagpur area, which was part of the Bengal presidency during British control in India. These tribes include the Kols, Bhils, Hoes, Mundas, and Oraons.
Tarapur Rebellion 1842: Ruler of Tarapur Bhupaldev refused to raise the annual tax in his area. It was considered an act of rebellion by the British, and an army was sent from Nagpur to suppress it.
Dantewada revolt 1842: By the tribals against the order of the British regarding the custom of human sacrifice. The tribal people fought fiercely against the British. After a struggle, the custom of human sacrifice was stopped and a permanent military system was established in Dantewada.
First Revolt of 1857 in Sonakan: By Narayan Singh, the tribal landlord of Sonakan of Raipur. He formed an army of tribal youth. After fierce fighting, Narayan Singh was arrested and publicly hanged at Raipur on 10 December 1857. He was declared the first martyr of 1857 in Chhattisgarh by conferring the title of âVeerâ in independent India.
Muria Raj, 1910: The Muria tribesmen of Bastar defeated the British state and took up an armed revolution to establish the âMuria Rajâ in 1910.
Tana Bhagat Movement/Oraon Movement (1914-1919): It was against the policies of the local British authorities and exploitative business practices of local zamindars, mostly by Oraon people.
Conclusion
The history of Indiaâs freedom movement is incomplete without recognizing the tribal consciousness.
The new system for collection of rent, steps taken to change the traditional social, religious and political system, new rules implemented for forest management, and restrictions imposed on the production of liquor, all affected the unique tribal culture associated with their rights to water, forest and land.
By resorting to these measures, the British also bruised the independent tribal consciousness.
The tribals resorted to these revolts to protect their culture and autonomy.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has launched a massive nationwide search operation in connection with anti-terror activities linked to the Popular Front of India-PFI for alleged terror links.
The PFI has been alleged with a possible connection to terror activities in the country and organized crimes such as money laundering, terror funding, etc.
In this context, in this edition of the burning issue, we will discuss the connection between terror and organized crimes, its consequences, and the way forward.
What are organized crimes?
Organized crime is a continuing criminal enterprise that rationally works to profit from illicit activities that are often in great public demand.
While organized crime is generally thought of as a form of illegal business, some criminal organizations, such as terrorist groups, rebel forces, and separatists, are politically motivated.
Organized crime is considered to be a changing and flexible phenomenon. Many of the benefits of globalization such as easier and faster communication, movement of finances and international travel, have also created opportunities for transnational organized criminal groups to flourish, diversify and expand their activities.
Types of Organized Crime
Types of organized crime can exist in a wide range of types. Among the most popular types of organized crime are:
Money laundering– It is a way by which illegal money earned from sources such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, etc. are diverted to create an impression that such money comes from a legitimate source. Many criminals are engaged in this profession where they help people with an illegal income to convert it into a legitimate income.
Smuggling– Naturally, the goods which are illegal in the territory of India or heavily taxed are smuggled to continue their trade or maintain profits. With a change in fiscal policy, the definition of smuggled goods varies but it is mostly items such as contraband substances, valuable jewels, electronics, certain fabrics, etc. which are smuggled in India.
Drug trafficking– Drug trafficking is another major crime that poses a threat to the younger population of India, considering its drastic effects on physical and mental health. It is usually considered that the most important reason for the high rate of drug trafficking is the geographical condition of India. It is located between the Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos) in the northeast and Golden Crescent (Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran) in the northwest- both of which are the two largest sources of illicit drugs in Asia. Resultantly, this form of organized crime has become more prevalent and significant in the country.
Human trafficking– Human trafficking is one of the most significant and heinous organized crimes. This involves women trafficking, child trafficking, trading in sex workers, etc. A book titled âIndian Mafiaâ by S.K. Ghosh has revealed that there are more than twenty-five lakh prostitutes in the country.
Contract killings and kidnapping– Contract killings mean murdering someone for money on a contractual basis. This is usually prevalent among the highly influential and public personalities who are being murdered by their enemies/competitors through some other criminal for ransom. Similarly, kidnapping incidents are also prevalent wherein people pay a certain sum of money to get someone kidnapped or these criminals ask someone for a ransom. The recent murder of a Punjabi singer is a case of contract killing.
Weapons Trafficking- Criminal networks and illicit arms dealers also play important roles in the black markets from which terrorists and drug traffickers procure some of their weapons. According to the head of UNODC, these âillicit arms fuel the violence that undermines security, development and justiceâ worldwide.
Cybercrime. Organized crime networks are increasingly involved in cybercrime, which costs consumers billions of dollars annually, threatens sensitive corporate and government computer networks, and underÂmines worldwide confidence in the international financial systems such as banking, stock markets, e-currency, and value and credit card services
Links with terrorism
Terrorists can benefit from organized crime as a source of financing or logistical support through the illicit trafficking of arms, persons, drugs, artifacts and cultural property.
Conceptually, terrorism does not fall in the category of organized crime, as the dominant motive behind terrorism is political and/or ideological and not the acquisition of money-power.
Terrorist groups, whether indigenous or sponsored by outside states, need arms and money for their fight against the security forces. Organized crime conglomerates need clientele and couriers who can smuggle drugs, arms and human beings across the countries and regions.
If we look at some of the regions in the country affected by terrorism, this linkage becomes apparent. In the Northeast, extortion is the fundamental basis for funding all forms of terrorism. In addition to this, kidnapping has been used extensively for spreading terror and raising funds. Human trafficking, drug trafficking and gun running are some of the other criminal activities that have been common in these areas.
In J&K, the counterfeit currency has been a major source of funding for terrorism. Â Money laundering plays a significant role. Hawala (money laundering) transactions take place swiftly and effectively in Kashmir. Besides, it is also believed that the ISI uses drug money to fund militant activities in Kashmir.
In the Maoist terror movements, extortion is yet again a common phenomenon. They have also indulged in robberies of banks to fund their movement. There have also been reports of cuts being enforced on drug-yielding crops in the region.
The Indian Mujahideen have also resorted to crime to raise funds. This includes robberies, kidnappings, etc.
There are also several insurgent groups that over a period of time have morphed into crime syndicates.
What began as an ideological movement is now merely a means of generating profit. This is especially the case with insurgent groups in Northeast India.
Implications
Promote Violence- as evident from recent violence in Kerala by PFI activists after the NIA crackdown and also the Red Fort violence in Delhi by the âSikh for Justiceâ organization.
Weakening of governments– as these organization tries to undermine the government by creating hatred towards national governments, and other communities and thus weakening the democratic institutions.
Damages economy– Organized crimes cause significant damage to the world financial system through its subversion, exploiÂtation, and distortion of legitimate markets and economic activity. These activities can lead to disruption of the global supply chain and impacts the ability of industry and transportation sectors to be resilient in the face of such disruption.
Supporting terrorists– Terrorists and insurgents increasingly are turning to organized crimes to generÂate funding and acquire logistical support to carry out their violent acts.
Increase in local crimes and create an atmosphere of fear– The expansion of organized crimes has a spillover effect and increases the number of local crimes in the area, political corruption formation of unholy nexuses, etc. which ultimately leads to poor social security and law and order situation.
Social challenges– organized crimes are also used to fund organizations that promote radicalization of youth, and anger against government thus creating social tensions and rupturing the social fabric of the nation.
Why is PFI under crackdown?
(1) Links to terror outfits
Many volunteers of PFI are allegedly involved in terror funding, organizing training camps, and radicalizing people to join proscribed organizations.
It has been involved in carrying out social and Islamic religious work among Muslims on the lines of the work done by right-wing groups.
The PFI does not maintain records of its members, and it has been difficult for law enforcement agencies to pin crimes on the organization after making arrests.
(2) Promoting Radicalization
The outfit is hostile to the consolidation across the country and the rise of a single non-secular party as the nationâs pre-eminent political and ideological force.
The post-2014 political landscape and the self-alienation of minorities have further pushed sections of the community towards groups like the PFI.
The outfit is also said to have a large number of supporters in Gulf countries who contribute handsomely to its kitty, something which is under the scanner of investigating agencies for hawala and money laundering.
(3) Hostility against state mechanism
Starting as an organization primarily rooted in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the PFI has spread its wings far and wide, with a presence in at least 18 states.
It has found particularly fertile ground in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Assam.
Authorities have accused the outfit of instigating and funding protests against the CAA and the National Register of Citizens.
(4) Barbarism in the name of religion
The PFI has had the most visible presence in Kerala, where it has been repeatedly accused of murder, rioting, intimidation, and having links with terrorist organizations.
The Kerala government affidavit said PFI activists were involved in 27 cases of MURDER, mostly of CPM and RSS cadres, and that the motives were highly communal.
Laws to counter organized crimes in India
FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) 2000- aims to consolidate and amend the law relating to foreign exchange to facilitate external trade and payments and for promoting the orderly development and maintenance of the foreign exchange market in India. It also helps in keeping an eye on the flow of foreign contributions to domestic organizations and keeping a check on its illicit use.
PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) 2002- The PMLA seeks to combat money laundering in India and has objectives such as preventing and controlling money laundering, Confiscating and seizing the property obtained from the laundered money and dealing with any other issue connected with money laundering in India.
UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) 1967- The act is an Indian law aimed at the prevention of unlawful activities of associations and individuals in India. Its main objective was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India.
National Security Act, 1980- There are various preventive laws existent in India which apply to organized crimes, explicitly and implicitly.
Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988- It is another preventive law enacted to control the actions of people engaged in the illicit trafficking of drugs and other narcotic substances.
International efforts to curb organized terrorism
UNSC resolution 2482- In 2019, the Security Council adopted resolution 2482, which urged Member States to address the links between terrorism and organized crime, by adopting policy measures. Great strides have been made to better understand the linkages between terrorists and organized criminal groups owing to the adoption of Resolution 2482
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime– (UNTOC, often known as the Palermo Convention) is a multinational treaty against transnational organized crime that was established by the United Nations in 2000. The convention recognizes the threat that organized crime poses to security, sovereignty, human rights, and development.
Challenges in tackling organized crimes
Law-making and enforcement- There is no central legislation specifically governing organized crime in India. Different organized crimes are dealt with under different laws and with weak enforcement.
Slow trials– Though these organized criminals are tried under different laws, the whole process of trials is very slow and there is a very low conviction rate because in most of the cases, for such a long period, the witnesses deny to come out of fear and in some cases, the pieces of evidence are lost. For example, the conviction rate under UAPA law is just 1%.
Obtaining proof- As mentioned earlier, most of the witnesses deny coming out of fear, so even if they are arrested, they are later acquitted because of insufficient evidence and longevity of time.
Lack of resources- A major part of the country is still unorganized and the lack of proper resources and technology become an obstacle in way of curbing organized crime. The lower-ranked police officers are not given sufficient powers and a statement before them is not admissible evidence. Further, these officers do not have sufficient equipment to tap these criminals.
Lack of federal agency- Since there is no central or federal agency controlling these activities, every state has its way of functioning. These criminals do not stay for long in one place and keep migrating now and then. In such cases, due to lack of coordination, it becomes difficult and sometimes, impossible to catch them.
Use of new technologies- organized crime criminals have started using the latest technologies such as darknet, blockchain and cryptocurrencies to operate their networks which have further reduced several state police’s abilities to tackle such crimes as they are already having a state crunch.
Way forward
Strengthening global response- all the countries must come together and globally respond to organized crimes. INTERPOL could play an important role in it by playing the role of a global coordinating organization.
Inter-state coordination- should be promoted among state police as the nature of these crimes is transboundary. It would help in taking faster and more effective actions against criminals.
Introduce hi-tech software to track organized crime- since criminals are using the latest technologies to carry out their work, police also need hi-tech software to counter them. E.g CCTNS and Kerala policeâs Cyberdome.
Having a dedicated law- Specific laws are required and the executive needs to be empowered to take steps accordingly. Moreover, the enforcement should also be stringent failing which, the whole object of enacting such a law would defeat.
Conclusion
From the above, it is clear that organized crimes have a multitude of effects and if not contained well might threaten the security and integrity of India.
Thus, it is imperative to deal with all organized crimes holistically by promoting coordination among states and nations and capacity building of state law enforcement institutions, finally leading to the achievement of national security in its largest sense.
India is witnessing the spread of the Lumpy Skin Disease infection which has killed nearly 75,000 cattle in India and spread to more than 10 States and UTs.
The scale of deaths and spatial spread of the viral infection is important for the nation as India has the largest number of cattle in the world and is also the largest milk producer.
At the same time, India also hosted the World Dairy Summit 2022 after a gap of 48 years. In both these contexts, this edition of the burning issue will deal with the Indian Dairy Sector, its contribution to the nation, its challenges and the way forward.
Indian Dairy Sector: An Overview
India ranks 1st in milk production and contributes 23 % of global milk production. Milk production in the country has grown at a compound annual growth rate of about 6.2 % to reach 210 million tonnes in 2020-21 from 146.31 million tonnes in 2014-15.
The top 5 milk-producing states are: Uttar Pradesh (14.9%, 31.4 MMT), Rajasthan (14.6%, 30.7 MMT), Madhya Pradesh (8.6%, 18.0 MMT), Gujarat (7.6%, 15.9 MMT) and Andhra Pradesh (7.0%, 14.7 MMT).
Dairy is the single largest agricultural commodity contributing 5% of the national economy, witnessing 6.4% (CAGR) in the past 5 years.
Approximately 80 million people are employed in the dairy industry directly or indirectly.
Significance of the Indian dairy sector
Acts as a buffer: Milk animals act as a buffer for farmers during droughts and flood conditions. Also, milk animals are more evenly distributed among farmers than on agricultural land.
Not a seasonal occupation: Dairying is not a seasonal occupation like farming as milk and milk products can be produced throughout the year thus leading to the year generation of income.
Highly nutritious: Milk is considered a âWhole mealâ. Dairy products are highly nutritious with high amounts of proteins and calcium, thus helping tackle malnutrition in India. For this reason, several state governments are trying to add Milk to their school’s Mid-day meal scheme.
Huge Employment Generation: the dairy sector employs around 80 million people from milk-producing farmers in rural areas to milk distributors in urban areas.
Promotes women empowerment: most of the milking work in rural areas is done by women. They also work as collectors and suppliers of milk to village milk collection centres. This, helps rural women earn some income and automatically promotes women empowerment.
Boosting other sectors: the dairy sector promotes the growth of multiple other sectors like fodder industries, organic manure manufacturing, and food processing industries like Curd, cheese, paneer manufacturing.
Challenges being faced by the sector
Low productivity of Indian dairy animals: Improving the productivity of farm animals is one of the major challenges. The average annual milk yield of Indian cattle is 1172 kg which is only about 50% of the global average.
Disease outbreaks: The Frequent outbreaks of diseases like Food and Mouth Diseases, Black Quarter infection, Influenza etc. continue to affect Livestock health and lowers productivity.
Limited success in cross-breeding: Crossbreeding of indigenous species with exotic stocks to enhance the genetic potential of different species has been successful only to a limited extent.
Supply Chain issues: which include collection, pasteurisation and transportation of milk in a safe environment. Since 60% of the dairy industry lies in informal dairy, it becomes difficult to ensure regular flow and quality of milk. That is why the adulteration of milk remains a perennial issue in India.
Unorganised Nature: The unorganised nature of the dairy farming industry has resulted in minimal penetration of technological progress within the sector. This has further led to consistently high wastage as well as a lack of standardisation in terms of quality and quantity.
Data Deficiency: Informality of the sector also leads to a lack of data regarding total milk production, wastage of milk, and financial flows in the sector which further inhibits the formalisation of the sector.
Low returns: there have been perennial complaints from milk farmers about low milk purchase prices paid to them by milk companies as compared to the final milk price in the market. This leads to the cornering of profits by companies while actual producers get poor returns.
Latest Challenge to Indian Dairy Sector- Lumpy Skin Disease
Lumpy skin disease is caused by the lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), which belongs to the genus capripoxvirus, a part of the poxviridae family (smallpox and monkeypox viruses are also a part of the same family).
It is not a zoonotic virus, meaning the disease cannot spread to humans. It is a contagious vector-borne disease spread by vectors like mosquitoes, some biting flies, and ticks and usually affects host animals like cows and water buffaloes.
The disease was first observed in Zambia in 1929, subsequently spreading to most African countries extensively, followed by West Asia, South-eastern Europe, and Central Asia, and more recently spreading to South Asia and China in 2019.
There is a vaccine against viral infection. Indian scientists have developed an indigenous vaccine. The ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (ICAR-NRCE) in collaboration with ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) has developed a vaccine against Lumpy Skin Disease called âLumpi-ProVacIndâ
Economic implications of Lumpy on the Dairy Sector
Milk reduction: Lumpy leads to reduced milk production as the animal becomes weak and also loses appetite due to mouth ulceration. Milk collection across Rajasthan is estimated to have been reduced by 3 to 4 lakh litres per day after the onset of lumpy skin disease.
Animal wasting: The income losses can also be due to poor growth, reduced draught power capacity and reproductive problems associated with abortions, infertility and lack of semen for artificial insemination.
Impact of trade ban: Movement and trade bans after infection also put an economic strain on the whole value chain.
Steps needed to improve the Indian dairy sector
(A) Steps regarding animals:
Improving artificial insemination: to improve cow breeds and thus better milk yield per animal.
Improving animal fodder: designing animal fodder on scientific lines rather than old dry grass-based fodder.
Improving Vaccination coverage: of milch animals against several diseases to prevent the frequent disease outbreak in an animal thus maintaining a sustained and healthy supply of milk.
(B) Steps related to dairy farmers:
Ensuring more prices to farmers: as they are the actual producers of the milk. For this, rather than giving more weightage to fat percentage in milk as a determinant of milk price, more quantity and quality to taken as parameters.
Price support: to farmers to improve animal fodders, ensure vaccination and afford veterinary services on time. This ensures animal health and productivity and thus farmers’ prosperity.
More cooperatives: Forming new cooperatives of farmers to more formalization of the dairy sector and thus better milk quality and quantity in the market. It will also generate more data that can be used in further planning in the dairy sector and hence better resource mobilization.
(C) Dairy sector logistics
Improve cold storage and transportation: more refrigerated trucks must be employed for a faster and fresh delivery of dairy products.
More dairy sector-related research: should be promoted from production to logistics. Production data analysis and demand analysis should be done to cater better to the needs of the producers and consumers.
Promote more start-ups: and new private dairies in the dairy industry like Country Delight, fresh to home, big basket etc. This will help increase competition in the market and thus break the monopolies of a few big names and bring down prices.
Case Study: AMUL: âUnity in Strengthâ based Cooperative Model
Anand Milk Union Limited or AMUL has created its name and reputation over the years delivering quality milk products to the entire country and now the world.
Amul’s story started in 1946 with inspiration from Sardar Patel, when farmers established a cooperative named ‘Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited’ (KDCMPUL) in a village called Anand.
Amul has a three-tiered structure. First, every milk producer in the village is a member of the Village Dairy Cooperative Society. These members elect their representatives. These representatives together manage District Milk Unions, which form the second tier.
These district milk unions take care of milk and milk products and their processing. They sell these products to the State Milk Federation which forms the third tier. State Milk Federation then acts as the distributor that sells or facilitates the selling of the products in the market. The revenue gets shared downwards in a similar fashion.
The dairy is in control of the villagers themselves. Farmer organizations come together under one umbrella of Amul and directly sell products to consumers through the state milk federation.
This elimination of intermediaries could ensure a good quality product at a competitive price. This provided a stable income for marginal farmers in lean seasons as well because there are no intermediaries to take the chunk.
This model has become a case study in business schools. It showed the success of cooperatives. It showed how the benefits trickle down from the market to the producer at the bottom of the pyramid. Recently, Union Cooperative minister Amit Shah commented that the Amul model can go beyond the milk and dairy sector and produce great results in other sectors also.
How are Indian startups changing the dairy sector?
Several startups are working in the dairy sector to provide solutions to several problems in this sector. Prompt Equipment is one such organisation that provides livestock management solutions. The firm teamed up with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mumbai to design the ‘BovSmart’ wearable belt. The belt uses AI and IoT for tracking livestock breeding and delivering timely information to farmers.
Another business, Stellapps Technologies (Stellapps), offers a similar solution, which uses a wearable gadget for cattle and a mobile application to deliver recommendations to improve herd performance. According to Stellapps, using this approach, milk yield can be raised by 20% and calf health costs can be decreased by up to 50 per cent. The Stellapps technology is currently being used to track around 4.5 lakh livestock.
Stellapps, Mr. MilkMan, as well as Trinetra Wireless are three Indian start-ups among several others that are digitalising the dairy supply chain.
With start-ups entering the industry and addressing gaps in livestock management and supply chain, the situation is beginning to change, ushering in a new era of growth for the industry, rooted in digitalisation.
Government schemes related to the Dairy sector
Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund: The scheme aims to provide a subsidized loan of @6.5% to capital-stressed milk cooperatives for primarily replacing their decades-old chilling and processing plants and addition of value-added product plants.
Animal Husbandry infrastructure development fund: This scheme aims to help to increase meat processing capacity and product diversification thereby providing greater access for unorganized Dairy producers to organise the Dairy market.
National Programme for Dairy Development: The objective of the scheme is to create and strengthen dairy infrastructure for procurement, processing and marketing of milk and milk products by the State Implementing Agencies (SIAs) i.e. State Cooperative Dairy Federations/ District Cooperative Milk Producersâ Union.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana: PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana is a comprehensive package which will result in the creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.
Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) to Livestock Farmers: The Kisan Credit Card scheme aims at providing adequate and timely credit support from the banking system under a single window with flexible and simplified procedures to the animal husbandry and fisheries farmers for their working capital requirements.
Conclusion
The dairy sector in India has performed well in the past but still faces several challenges.
The need of the hour is to address these challenges holistically to usher in âWhite Revolution 2.0â in India and achieve the target of the government of a liquid milk production capacity of 255 MMT by 2022.
The National Logistics Policy (NLP), rolled out on September 17, will play a big role in providing a boost to the logistics sector in India.
Itâs expected to bring down the logistics cost, which currently is quite high in India compared to other developed countries, and also make India a global logistics hub with enhanced economic activity.
What is Logistics?
Logistics refers to the overall process of managing how resources are acquired, stored, and transported to their final destination.
It involves identifying prospective distributors and suppliers and determining their effectiveness and accessibility.
Indiaâs logistics sector: A backgrounder
Logistics is the backbone of the economy. It affects all industries in three sectors â agriculture, manufacturing, and services. In India, the logistics sector has been marred with inefficiencies, depriving the industry of achieving its full potential.
(1) Road Transport
The country faces a skewed logistic modal mix with nearly 71% of all freight transport being done by roads.
Highways only account for 2.2 % of the entire road network but carry 40% of all freight traffic, thereby putting immense strain on the highway network of the nation.
(2) Railways
The Railwaysâ share in freight transport has dropped from 89% in 1950-51 to only 18%in 2020.
The average speed of a freight train in India is only 25 km/hour with a permitted axle load (freight capacity of wagons) of around 20 tonnes.
The US, which has a vast rail network like India, runs its freight trains at an average speed of 38 mph (60 kmph) and permits an axle load of nearly 30 tonnes.
(3) Air Cargo
The picture is similar in terms of the air cargo handled.
According to the Ministry of Civil Aviationâs Annual report 2019-20, India has 23 domestic cargo terminals and 20 international cargo terminals which handled a total of 3.56 million tonne (mt) of cargo in 2018-19.
In contrast, the Shanghai Pudong International Airport in China alone handled 3.63 mt of cargo in 2019.
 What is National Logistics Policy, 2022?
First introduced in 2020 during Finance Ministerâs Budget speech, the policy will bring in an integrated and tech-enabled approach to logistics operations to bridge the efficiency gap.
A comprehensive action plan is proposed under the policy, with major features including:
Integrated digital logistics systems;
Unified logistics interface platform;
Ease of logistics and standardization of physical assets and
Benchmarking service quality standards, state engagement,
Human resource development and capacity building,
Export-import logistics
Sectoral plans for efficient logistics, and facilitation of the development of logistics parks.
Why need a logistics policy?
Organizing and consolidating the sector: Indiaâs logistics sector is largely unorganized and fragmented. As per estimates, the worth of Indian logistics market is over $200 billion.
Reducing logistics cost: This is why the countryâs logistics costs are as high as 14-15% of the GDP, against 7-8% in developed nations such as the Singapore and the US, who leverage it to boost exports. The NLP aims to bring down Indiaâs logistics cost to 8% in the next five years.
Preventing waste of perishable items: As per some estimates in India, about 16% of agri-production is wasted at different stages of the supply chain.
Warehousing development: Moreover, due to factors such as limited capacity and availability of warehouses, the cost of transaction increases.
Multi-modal integration: The new policy is going about simplification, technology and will have a multimodal approach that will combine rail, water, and air â all modes of transport.
Reducing operational complexities: The sector is complex with more than 20 government agencies, 40 PGAs (Partner Government Agencies), 37 export promotion councils, 500 certifications, over 10,000 commodities.
Employment generation: The sector provides livelihood to more than 22 million people and improving it will facilitate 10 per cent decrease in indirect logistics cost leading to the growth of 5 to 8 per cent in exports.
What are the focus areas?
According to several reports, the policy is expected to touch upon four main steps:
Integration of Digital System (IDS): This system will look forward to integrating 30 different systems of seven different departments, which are road transport, railway, customs, aviation, foreign trade, and commerce ministries. The digital data from these departments will be integrated under IDS. This will directly affect shorter cargo movement in a positive way.
Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP): This system will monitor smooth cargo movement.
Ease of Logistics (ELOG): Under this, the new policy will simplify the rules, which is expected to simplify basic business.
System Improvement Group (SIG): This system will be used to monitor all logistics-related projects regularly and will facilitate the removal of any hurdle. An empowered group of secretaries (EGoS), constituted under the PM Gati Shakti, would monitor and review the implementation of the policy.
How will the NLP increase the participation of state governments?
Under the policy, every state in India will have to set up a State Logistics Coordination Committee/Cell.
The central government will also let states develop their logistics ecosystems and provide a roadmap for improving logistics efficiency.
The SIG will also carry out the annual LEADS performance index of states and union territories in India.
The agency will work closely with the states and prepare a comprehensive annual State Engagement Report covering the above-mentioned aspects.
Policy measures till now
Mission Gati-Shakti: This mission has been launched as a national master plan for multi-modal connectivity.
Bharatmala Pariyojana: The 34,000 km of road infrastructure works would be undertaken, of which, 11,000 km have been targeted to be completed by March 2022. (Also read about Sagarmala, Parvatmala etc.)
High budgetary allocation: The government allocated Rs5.54 trillion towards capital expenditure across various ministries in the Union Budget 2021-22, a 34.5% jump from the previous year.
Dedicated freight corridor: There is Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors commissioned which can be a game-changer for boosting railway freight share
National Air Cargo Policy: This has also been formulated that seeks to build air transport shipment hubs in all major airports by 2025.
Way forward
Third-party logistics services such as warehouse building and management, and last mile transport provisioning would help bridge critical gaps in the logistics sector.
A comprehensive national policy for the logistics sector is critical as it will help the country understand how it can reach its economic goals.
The policy needs to address prevailing concerns in Indiaâs logistics sector from an international lens.
The UNESCO United Nations World Water Development Report of 2022 has encapsulated global concern over the sharp rise in freshwater withdrawal from streams, lakes, aquifers and human-made reservoirs, impending water stress and also water scarcity being experienced in different parts of the world.
A NITI Aayog report, âComposite Water Management Index (2018) has sounded a note of caution about the worst water crisis in the country, with more than 600 million people facing acute water shortages.
In this context, this edition of the Burning issue will elaborate on the issue of the growing Water crisis in India (in form of water stress and scarcity), its causes, implications and possible solutions.
What Do âWater Scarcityâ and âWater Stressâ actually Mean?
Water Scarcity: âWater scarcityâ refers to the volumetric abundance, or lack thereof, of freshwater resources. âScarcityâ is human-driven; it is a function of the volume of human water consumption relative to the volume of water resources in a given area.
Water Stress: âWater stressâ refers to the ability, or lack thereof, to meet human and ecological demand for fresh water. Compared to scarcity, âwater stressâ is a more inclusive and broader concept. It considers several physical aspects related to water resources, including water availability, water quality, and the accessibility of water, which is often a function of the sufficiency of infrastructure and the affordability of water, among other things.
Current situation of the water crisis in India
The Global Drought Risk and Water Stress map (2019): it shows that major parts of India, particularly west, central and parts of peninsular India are highly water-stressed and experience water scarcity.
India has only 4% of the planetâs fresh-water for 16% of its population. The annual per capita availability of water continues to decline sharply from about 5,177 cubic meters in 1951 to about 1,720 cubic meters in 2019.
Composite Water Management Index (2018):Â Released by NITI Aayog indicates that more than 600 million people are facing acute water stress.
India is the worldâs largest extractor of groundwater: Accounting for 25 percent of the total. 70 percent of our water sources are contaminated and our major rivers are dying because of pollution.
Global Drought Risk and Water Stress map (2019) shows that major parts of India, particularly west, central and parts of peninsular India are highly water-stressed and experience water scarcity.
According to a recent official estimate, 22 of the countryâs 32 major cities are plagued with acute water shortages. NABARD study shows that around 60 percent of the countryâs gross cropped area is facing a water crisis. The most serious water crisis is being faced by Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, MP, UP and Andhra Pradesh.
The new Water Report of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) sounded a note of caution about this silent crisis of a global dimension, with millions of people being deprived of water to live and sustain their livelihood.
Causes of the water crisis in India
Lack of pricing of water:Â There has been an effort to develop sustainable water supplies in India in recent years with water conservation legislation existing in 80 percent of the country. However, poor data management and an abject failure to properly price water have prevented the country from making any significant progress.
Populist policy: âPolicies like several states giving free electricity to farmers or giving financial support for groundwater extraction â borewells and tubewells â results in uncontrolled exploitation and wastage of resources. Also, the subsidized pricing of water in various states has resulted in non-revenue water and a sharp decline in groundwater levels in all states.
Failure of mass adoption of drip irrigation:Â Drip irrigation, a method that means farmers use drastically less fertilizer and diesel, has failed to become popular and its implementation is expensive for most people with state governments providing limited support.
Erratic monsoon and climate change: Climate change is a real global challenge today that is altering the water cycle in the worst way possible. Increased temperature, droughts, river drying and insufficient monsoon to replenish the groundwater has become one of the greatest cause of water scarcity in India.
Poor planning and Leakage: This is one of the greatest reasons for the water crisis in Indian cities as some reports state that around 20â25% of water is wasted due to the leakage in the pipelines. India wastes considerably a lot of water as leakage in pumping and distribution.
Improper wastewater treatment: In India, there is no policy support for recycling and reuse of industrial wastewater contrary to other countries that have proper guidelines on wastewater management. Israel uses about 86% of its treated wastewater in agriculture. 70% of urban sewage in India is untreated and is disposed of directly to the water bodies which creates quite a lot of health and environmental concerns.
Implications of Water Crisis
Shifting to inter-city water supplies– Almost all cities in India are experiencing water stress major due to the drying up of groundwater water or local water resources. Thus, now City water supply is now a subject of inter-basin and inter-State transfers of water. For example, Ahmedabadâs 80% water supply used to be met from groundwater sources till the mid-1980s. But now the city depends on the Narmada canal for the bulk of its water supply.
Inter-state water disputes are growing- Rising inter-state river water disputes between states to secure their water supplies and economic growth. This is further causing federal disputes and inter-state political rivalries.
Faster depletion of water resources- The increased pace of water resource usage to meet the growing water demand has led to faster depletion of water, crossing the sustainable replenishment rate of the resources and ultimately leading to their drying up.
Creation of urban heat islands- water has a cooling effect on the environment, but due to the drying up of surface water resources, this cooling effect of water has reduced leading to the rise in the environmental temperatures and thus creating urban heat islands.
âCommodification of waterâ- has started as evident from the growing number of water bottling plants popping up in cities, creating artificial scarcity of water and selling water at higher rates thus impacting peopleâs pockets negatively as well as creating a Rich-Poor divide/ inequality in water affordability and accessibility.
Some suggestions to solve the water crisis in India
Sustainable water management: Improving water infrastructure must be a priority, as water conservation and efficiency are key components of sustainable water management.
Restoring and reviving traditional water harvesting structures such as wetlands, lakes, Johads (earthen check dams), etc.
Reclaimed water: Rainwater harvesting and recycled wastewater also allow to reduce scarcity and ease pressures on groundwater and other natural water bodies.
Pollution control & better sewage treatment: Without proper sanitation, the water becomes full of diseases and unsafe to drink. That is why addressing pollution and measuring and monitoring water quality is essential.
Awareness & Education: Education is critical to solving the water crisis. In fact, to cope with future water scarcity, it is necessary to radically reform all forms of consumption
Adopting an integrated approach: A system perspective and catchment scale-based approach are necessary to link the reallocation of water with wider discussions on development, infrastructure investment, fostering a rural-urban partnership, and adopting an integrated approach in water management.
Some water management Models
Learning from better performing states: In what could serve as an encouragement to step up the pursuit of policies to better conserve water, several water-scarce states are the best at managing the resource. Some of the best performers in the national composite water index â Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana â are states that have suffered from severe droughts in recent years.
Reviving dead rivers: Rajendra Singh, popularly known as âWaterman of Indiaâ has applied the method of constructing check dams and reservoirs to revive several hundreds of dead rivers in India. His network- âRashtriya Jal Biradariâ is working for the restoration of all mighty and small rivers of the country.
Applying the âOne Waterâ Approach– âOne Waterâ is the recognition that all water has value, regardless of its source. It includes managing that source in an integrated, inclusive and sustainable manner by including the community, business leaders, industries, farmers, conservationists, policymakers, academics and others for ecological and economic benefits.
Mihir Shah, Head of the New Water Policy formulation committee, has suggested shifting the focus of water management in India from âsupply managementâ to âdemand managementâ i.e managing the growing demand for water in India rather than focusing on supplying more and more water.
Steps taken by the government for Water Management
The government of India launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in 2019, a time-bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including groundwater conditions in the water-stressed blocks of 256 districts in India.
National Water Policy (2012) has been formulated by the Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, inter-alia advocates rainwater harvesting and conservation of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through direct use of rainfall.
Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater- 2020 has been prepared by Central Ground Water Authority in consultation with States/UTs which is a macro level plan indicating various structures for the different terrain conditions of the country.
Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY), a Rs.6000 crore scheme with World Bank funding, for sustainable management of groundwater with community participation is being taken up in the identified over-exploited and water-stressed areas.
National Water Mission had started a campaign “Sahi Fasal” to nudge farmers to favor crops that consume less water and to use water more efficiently in agriculture, as a part of demand side management.
Fifteenth Finance Commission (FFC) in its report for 2021-26, has earmarked 60 per cent for national priorities like drinking water supply and rainwater harvesting and sanitation, out of the total grants earmarked for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI). For fifty Million-Plus cities, two-thirds of the allocation of funds under the Challenge Fund of Rs. 38,196 crores is meant for meeting service level benchmarks on drinking water supply, rainwater harvesting, water recycling, solid waste management and sanitation.
Way forward
Improving traditional irrigation methods- to shift to Drip irrigation which is already in practice in India needs to be practiced efficiently across the country which will reduce the water usage in agriculture.
Wastewater recycling to save our water bodies: As we know, most of our water bodies are polluted because of wastewater released by textile and industries which in turn got mixed up and resulted in polluting the water bodies. Like Israel, India should also take necessary steps to recycle wastewater and reuse it for agriculture and industrial activities.
Extracting water from air and fog is a futuristic technology: the Indian government should invest in these technologies which can be implemented in suitable areas. For eg: extracting water from fog can be done in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Assam etc.
To prevent leakage, a Proper team with skilled workers should be assigned the job of maintaining and repair of the pipelines. Smart metering and leakage detection systems should be designed to check the water wastage in the transmission.
Conclusion
Looking at the current situation, there is a need for a paradigm shift. We urgently require a transition from this ‘supply-and-supply-more water’ provision to measures that lead towards improving water use efficiency, reducing leakages, recharging/restoring local waterbodies as well as applying for higher tariffs and ownership by various stakeholders.
