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Southwest Monsoon begins early Withdrawal/Retreat
The southwest monsoon rainfall, 7% more than normal, has started to withdraw.

What is Monsoon Withdrawal/Retreat?
- In India, retreating monsoon is the withdrawal of south-west monsoon winds from North India.
- The withdrawal is gradual and takes about three months.
- With the retreat of the monsoons, the clouds disappear and the sky becomes clear. The day temperature starts falling steeply.
- Monsoon rains weaken all over India except few southeastern states.
- It is helpful in Rabi crop cultivation.
Factors affecting the retreat

Two predominant factors cause the phenomenon:

(1) Land topography
- First, the low mountain range in each region runs from north to south, shielding it from west-bound winds that trigger summer monsoon.
- After summer, the range aids in the ‘orographic lift’ or rising of east-bound air mass from a lower to higher elevation, forming clouds and resulting in rain.
(2) Atmospheric convection
- The second factor is atmospheric convection or vertical movement of air.
- As the earth is heated by the sun, different surfaces absorb different amounts of energy and convection may occur where the surface heats up very rapidly.
- As the surface warms, it heats the overlying air, which gradually becomes less dense than the surrounding air and begins to rise.
- This condition is more favorable from September to February because of the role played by sea surface temperature or water temperature.
Immediate factors influencing withdrawal
- The withdrawal of the monsoon is based on meteorological conditions such as-
1. Anti-cyclonic circulation (dry air that is the opposite of a cyclone)
2. Absence of rain in the past five days and
3. Dry weather conditions over the region
When does it occur?
- The monsoon withdrawal is a long-drawn process and extends into mid-October, though the IMD considers September 30 to be the final day of the season over India.
- The rain after that is categorised as “post-monsoon” rainfall.
Try this PYQ:

Q.The seasonal reversal of winds is the typical characteristic of:

(a) Equatorial climate

(b) Mediterranean climate

(c) Monsoon climate

(d) All of the above climates

[wpdiscuz-feedback id=”9s1wlwig7j” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

Also read:

Various terms related to Indian Monsoon

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September 21, 2022
What is a Triple-Dip La Nina?
Parts of the world are expected to experience severe weather for the rest of the year and into 2023, as part of a rare “triple dip La Nina” event, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

What is the “Triple-Dip” La Nina?
- A “triple-dip” La Nina is a multiyear cooling of the surface temperature of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which can cause droughts, fierce winds and heavy rainfall.
- According to WMO, the current La Nina is projected to span three consecutive northern hemisphere winters. It began in September 2020.
- If it continues for the next six months, it will be the first “triple-dip” La Nina event of the 21st century, WMO says.
How rare is this triple-dip?
- It is exceptional to have three consecutive years with a la Nina event.
- Its cooling influence is temporarily slowing the rise in global temperatures – but it will not halt or reverse the long-term warming trend.
- La Nina’s are usually preceded by El Nino, a weather pattern that warms the surface of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
- However, an El Nino event did not occur before the current La Nina.
Has it happened before? Will it happen again?
- La Nina’s occurred several times between 1903 to 2010 and 2010 to 2012.
- This would be the first “triple-dip” La Nina this century.
- However, it is not unprecedented for the weather pattern to last more than nine months to a year, which is typical for a La Nina.
Evaluating the likely impact
- In the Indian context, La Nina is associated with good rainfall during the monsoon season.
- This is the opposite of El Nino which is known to suppress monsoon rainfall.
- Thus, a continued spell of La Nina could lead to expectation of another year of good, or normal, rainfall during the monsoon.
- Until now, the monsoon season this year has produced 7% more rain compared to normal. Last year, the seasonal rainfall was almost 100%.
- But, even though powerful, ENSO condition is only one of the several factors affecting monsoon rainfall in India.
Impact on rainfall
- There is no one-on-one correlation between the ENSO condition and the amount of rainfall.
- Also, the influence of ENSO is at a macro level.
- There are wide variations in rainfall at the local level, which are getting exacerbated by climate change.
Differential impacts of this triple-dip event
- The continuance of La Nina further into 2023 is not bad news from the Indian standpoint. But it is not the same for many other regions where La Nina has very different impacts.
- In most parts of the United States, for example, La Nina is associated with very dry winters.
- In Australia and Indonesia, and generally in the tropical region, La Nina is expected to bring more rainfall.
- The excessive rainfall in Pakistan, which is experiencing its worst flooding disaster, can also be blamed in part on La Nina.
- It said that the persistence of La Nina was most likely to result in a worsening of the drought in Africa.
What is its climate change link?
- Every unusual weather event these days is attributed to climate change, but science is not conclusive right now.
- The occurrences of El Nino or La Nina are not very regular.
- Sometimes they emerge every two years, at other times there has been a gap of even seven years.
- Historical records do not go very far in the past.
- As a result, the natural variability of ENSO is not understood very clearly.
- And when the natural variability itself is not clear, the influence of global warming is difficult to quantify.
- But there is clearer evidence of another kind of linkage with global warming.
- During La Nina years, the colder surfaces allow the oceans to absorb more heat from the atmosphere.
- Consequently, the air temperatures tend to go down, producing a cooling effect.
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September 21, 2022
How Hyderabad became a part of India?
The Government of India began its year-long celebrations for the ‘Telangana Liberation Day’ on September 17, marking how on the same day in 1948, the state of Hyderabad got its independence from Nizam’s rule, as said in a press release.

Why in news?
- From 1911 to 1948, Nizam Mir Usman Ali, the last Nizam of Hyderabad, ruled the state composed of Telangana and parts of present-day Karnataka and Maharashtra (Marathwada).
- While these states mark the Liberation Day officially, Telangana has never done so.
Hyderabad’s accession into India: A backgrounder

(1) Reluctance of Nizam
- At the time of India’s independence, British India was a mix of independent kingdoms and provinces that were given the options of joining India, Pakistan, or remaining independent.
- One among those who took a long time to make a decision was the Nizam of Hyderabad.
- Believed to be one of the richest people in the world at the time, the Nizam was not ready to let go of his kingdom.
(2) Sufferings for the people
- Meanwhile, the majority population of Hyderabad state was far from enjoying the same kind of wealth as the Nizam did.
- The feudal nature of the state at the time caused the peasant population to suffer high taxes, indignities of forced labour, and various other kinds of exploitation at the hands of powerful landlords.
(3) Lingual friction
- There was also a demand by the Andhra Jan Sangham for Telugu to be given primacy over Urdu.
- By the mid-1930s, apart from a reduction in land revenue rates and the abolition of forced labour, introducing Telugu in local courts became another important issue.
(4) Mass movement
- Soon after the organisation became the Andhra Mahasabha (AMS), and Communists became associated with it.
- Together, the two groups built a peasant movement against the Nizam that found local support.
Who were the Razakars and the Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen?
- By October 1946, the Nizam banned the AMS.
- A close aide of the Nizam, Qasim Razvi, leader of the Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen, became closely involved in securing the Nizam’s position.
- The Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen was a political outfit that sought a greater role for Muslims in the early 20th century, but after Razvi took over the organisation, it became extremist in its ideology.
- It was under him that a militia of the ‘Razakars’ was formed to suppress the peasant and communist movement, launching a brutal attack.
- Around this time, the Standstill Agreement was also signed between the Nizam and the Indian government in November 1947, declaring a status quo.
- This meant that until November 1948, the Nizam could let things be as they were and not finalise a decision as negotiations with the Indian union continued.
How did the situation escalate to military action?
- In the first half of 1948, tensions grew as the razakar leaders and the government in Hyderabad began to speak of war with India and began border raids with Madras and Bombay Presidencies.
- As a response, India stationed troops around Hyderabad and began to ready itself for military intervention.
India commences Operation Polo
- With the Nizam importing more arms and the violence of the Razakars approaching dangerous proportions, India officially launched ‘Operation Polo’ on September 9 and deployed its troops in Hyderabad four days later.
- On September 17, three days after the deployment, the Nizam surrendered and acceded to the Indian Union in November.
- India has decided to be generous and not punish the Nizam.
- He was retained as the official ruler of the state and given a privy purse of five million rupees.
The legacy of Operation Polo
- It has also been said that the army’s march into Hyderabad did not just target the razakars and the radical extremist forces.
- A four-member goodwill mission led by Pandit Sunderlal was constituted by the then Prime Minister.
- At the request of then PM Nehru, a month was spent in Hyderabad in November 1948 where evidence was gathered and at the end, a report was filed.
- Estimated thousands of people died in communal violence during the military action.
Why debate now?
- The debate about whether the day of independence was about integration into the Indian union after months of negotiations, or liberation from an autocratic monarch has continued.
- Hyderabad’s history continues to affect today’s politics.
- After Qasim Rizvi left India for Pakistan, the organisation was handed over to Abdul Wahed Owaisi, the grandfather of a present day Parliamentarian.
- And communal-sectarian politics is storming up the city of Hyderabad leading to religious tensions.
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September 19, 2022
100 years of periyar because of whom tamil nadu became modern and progressive
Context
- We celebrate Periyar E.V. Ramasamy’s birth anniversary (September 17) as Social Justice Day.
Who is periyar?
- Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy, revered as Periyar or Thanthai Periyar, was an Indian social activist and politician who started the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam. He is known as the ‘Father of the Dravidian movement’. He rebelled against Brahminical dominance and gender and caste inequality in Tamil Nadu.
Who started self-respect movement?
- The self-respect movement was founded by V.Ramaswamy Naicker, commonly known as Periyar. It was a dynamic social movement aimed at destroying the contemporary Hindu social order in its totality and creating a new, rational society without caste, religion and god.
Why Periyar is called as vaikom hero?
- V. Ramasamy Periyar led the famous Vaikom Sathya Graha in 1924, where the people of down trodden community were prohibited to enter into the temple. Finally the Travancore government relaxed such segregation and allowed the people to enter into the temple. Hence periyar was given the title of ‘Vaikom Hero’.
Leadership at a critical juncture
- The satyagraha began with the active support of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.
- Within a week all its leaders were behind bars. George Joseph sought directions from Gandhi and C. Rajagopalachari. He also wrote to Periyar pleading with him to lead the satyagraha.
- Periyar was in the midst of political work. As he was then the president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, Periyar handed over temporary charge to Rajaji before reaching Vaikom in 1924.
- From that date to the day of the victory celebrations in 1925, he was in the struggle giving it leadership at a critical juncture.
Periyar’s role
- Against violence – Periyar presided over the satyagraha in the face of violence and indignity inflicted by the orthodox and the repression of the police.
- Mobilising – To mobilise support, he visited villages in and around Vaikom and delivered public speeches in several towns.
- Gandhi – When the Kerala leaders asked for Gandhi’s permission to make the satyagraha an all-India affair, Gandhi refused saying that volunteers from Tamil Nadu would keep it alive.
- In reports – the British Resident said in his report to the government of Madras: “In fact, the movement would have collapsed long ago but for the support it has received from outside Travancore…”
- Historian T.K. Ravindran — observes that Periyar’s arrival gave “a new life to the movement”.
His Vision for the future
- Ideas on rationality: When he presented his thoughts, there was nuance, honesty, and an explicitness, which prompted even people practising different faiths to discuss and debate his ideas on rationality and religion.
- Freedom of expression: Periyar himself said, “Everyone has the right to refute any opinion. But no one has the right to prevent its expression.”
- Eradication of social evils: Periyar is often referred to as an iconoclast, for the rebellious nature of his ideas and the vigour with which he acted. His vision for the future was a part of all his actions. He did not merely aim at the eradication of social evils; he also wanted to put an end to activities that do not collectively raise standards of society.
Foundation of rationalism
- He understood the evolution of political thought: Periyar’s vision was about inclusive growth and freedom of individuals. He was an important ideologue of his day because of the clarity in his political stand. More importantly, he understood the evolution of political thought and was able to glide through time with this.
- He presented rationalism as a solid foundation: For thinking along these lines. He said, “Wisdom lies in thinking. The spearhead of thinking is rationalism.” Periyar was way ahead of his time.
- Concern towards poor: “Whomsoever I love and hate, my principle is the same. That is, the educated, the rich and the administrators should not suck the blood of the poor.”
- Periyar proclaimed that he would always stand with the oppressed: In the fight against oppressors and that his enemy was oppression. There have been several social reformers in Tamil Nadu who shared their revolutionary thoughts with the people in the past century. In that spectrum, Periyar occupies a unique place because he made interactions of multiple worlds possible.
Periyar said, “Any opposition not based on rationalism or science or experience, will one day or other, reveal the fraud, selfishness, lies, and conspiracies.”

Conclusion
- His works against the Bhraminical dominance, oppression of women in Tamil Nadu, caste prevalence are exemplary. Periyar promoted the principles of rationalism, self-respect, women’s rights and eradication of caste. He opposed the exploitation and marginalisation of the people of South India and the imposition of what he considered Indo-Aryan India.
Mains question

Q.Discuss the future vision of periyar by discussing his role in vaikom satyagraha. Do you think he has placed foundation of rationalism in Tamil Nadu?

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September 17, 2022
How lower fertility rate hampers demographic dividend in number of ways
Context
- Though the Global population, in terms of numbers, has been steadily increasing the average global fertility rate has been consistently declining over the past 70 years.
What Reports say?
- Reports suggest that the global population could grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030.
- According to the World Population Prospects 2022, Average number of children per woman in the reproductive age group has declined by 50%, from an average of five children per woman in 1951 to4 children in 2020.
What is Fertility?
- Fertility is the quality or state of being fertile.
- Fertility is the ability to reproduce through normal sexual interaction. In other words it is the natural capacity to conceive a biological child.
- Fertilitychanges with age. Both males and females become fertile in their teens following puberty.
What is fertility rate?
- The number of live births in women over a specific length of time.
- Total fertility rate is the average number of children born to a woman during her lifetime.
Recent findings

The newly released World Population Prospectus notes that the global fertility rate fell from three in 1990 to 2.3 in 2021.

Overview of fertility dynamics
- Reason: Speeding up the social phenomenon of demographic transition.
- Poorer countries: speeding up the Transition a lot faster than the richer ones.
- Britain: Took 130 years to transition from a fertility rate of five per woman in 1800 to two in 1930, whereas
- South Korea: Took 20 years from 1965 to 1985 to achieve the same. South Korea reporting the lowest fertility rate, 1.05 children per woman.
- Most advanced economies: Have their fertility rate below the replacement rate of 2.1.
- Sub-Saharan African countries: Expected to contribute more than half the population growth after 2050 and grow through 2100. For example, Niger a sub Saharan country with highest fertility rate in the world, estimated to be 91 children per woman.
- What is Demographic transition: is a long-term trend of declining birth and death rate. It is shift from high birth rates to low birth rates in societies with minimal technology, education (especially of women) and economic development and from high death rates to Low death rates in societies with advanced economies and development.
Where India Stands
- According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS), fertility rate falling below the replacement level for the first time to 2.0 in 2021.dropped from 2.2 to 2.0.
- only five States have a fertility rate above the replacement rate: Bihar (3), Meghalaya (2.9), Uttar Pradesh (2.4), Jharkhand (2.3), and Manipur (2.2)
- At the time of Independence, India’s fertility rate was six per woman, and it had taken 25 years to reach five, with the government launching the first ever family planning program in the world in 1952.
- India’s fertility further declined to four in the 1990s when Kerala became the first State in India to have a fertility rate below replacement l
- Increased use of contraception, more years of average schooling, better health care, and an increase in the mean marriage age of women are of the reasons behind the steady dip in fertility rate.
Lower fertility rate as cause and consequences on the economy

Positive impact:
- Lower fertility leads to rise in women’s education.
- Window of time where the ration of working-age population is higher than that of the dependent age groups.
- This high proportion of people in the workforce boosts income and investment, and higher level of saving.
- Lower pressure on land, water and other resources and would also contribute to achieving environmental goals.
- Advanced health care and better nutrition, results in increased life expectancy and productivity of citizens.
Negative impact:
- Lower fertility impacts women’s education positively, which in turn lowers the fertility of the next generations.
- While the income rises with better health care and better infrastructure development, Fertility drops.
- A fall in fertility rate beyond replacement level would have a negative effect on the proportion of the working population, which in turn will affect output in an economy.
- After the window of demographic dividend, the huge working age population moves to old age, supported by fewer workers.
- Japan was the first country to experience the implications of falling fertility rates. Country is now facing fiscal challenges to meet rising social security costs.
Experiments to deal with fertility decline

Countries across the globe are experimenting with policies to boost fertility.
- Germany: found success in boosting births through liberal labour laws, allowing more parental leave and benefits.
- Denmark: offering state-funded IVF for women below 40 years
- Hungary: Recently nationalized IVF clinics.
- Poland: Gives out monthly cash payments to parents having more than two children
- Russia: Makes one-time payment to parents when their second child is born. Reinstituted the Soviet-era ‘Mother Heroine’ title, who bore and raised more than 10 children amounting to almost a one-time payment of 13 lakh.
Way ahead
- Need of the hour is to ensure liberal labor reforms, encourage higher female labor force participation, higher focus on nutrition and health.
- Although India’s working age population will continue to grow for many more decades, it would need to keep an eye on fertility dips.
Mains Question

What are Implications of lower fertility rate on the economy? What steps could be taken to deal with fertility decline? Discuss.

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September 17, 2022
SC seeks Centre’s reply on issue of Marital Rape
The Supreme Court has sought a response from the government on appeals to criminalize marital rape.

Split opinions on Marital Rape
- This follows a split decision from the Delhi High Court on whether or not to prosecute husbands for non-consensual intercourse with their wives.
What is Marital Rape?
- Marital rape is the act of sexual intercourse with one’s spouse without her consent.
- It is no different manifestation of domestic violence and sexual abuse.
- It is often a chronic form of violence for the victim which takes place within abusive relations.
Status in India
- Historically considered as right of the spouses, this is now widely classified as rape by many societies around the world.
- In India, marital rape is not a criminal offense (as protected under IPC section 375).
- India is one of fifty countries that have not yet outlawed marital rape.
Reasons for disapproval of this concept
- The reluctance to define non-consensual sex between married couples as a crime and to prosecute has been attributed to:
1. Traditional views of marriage
2. Interpretations of religious doctrines
3. Ideas about male and female sexuality
4. Cultural expectations of subordination of a wife to her husband
- It is widely held that a husband cannot be guilty of any sexual act committed by himself upon his lawful wife their on account of their mutual matrimonial consent.
Why it must be a crime?
- Associated physical violence: Rape by a spouse, partner or ex-partner is more often associated with physical violence.
- Mental harassment: There is research showing that marital rape can be more emotionally and physically damaging than rape by a stranger.
- Compulsive relationship: Marital rape may occur as part of an abusive relationship.
- Revengeful nature: Furthermore, marital rape is rarely a one-time event, but a repeated if not frequent occurrence.
- Obligation on women: In the case of marital rape the victim often has no choice but to continue living with their spouse.
Violation of fundamental rights
- Marital rape is considered as the violation of FR guaranteed under Article 14 of the Indian constitution which guarantees the equal protection of laws to all persons.
- By depriving married women of an effective penal remedy against forced sexual intercourse, it violates their right to privacy and bodily integrity, aspects of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21.
Problems in prosecuting marital rape
- Lack of awareness: A lack of public awareness, as well as reluctance or outright refusal of authorities to prosecute, is common globally.
- Gender norms: Additionally, gender norms that place wives in subservient positions to their husbands, make it more difficult for women to recognize such rape.
- Acceptability of the concept: Another problem results from prevailing social norms that exist.
Present regulations in India
- Indian Penal Code criminalizes rape in most cases, although marital rape is not illegal when the woman is over the age of 18.
- However, until 2017, men married to those between 15 and 18 could not be convicted of rape.
- Marital rape of an adult wife, who is unofficially or officially separated, is a criminal offence punishable by 2 to 7 year in prison; it is not dealt by normal rape laws which stipulate the possibility of a death sentence.
- According to the Protection of Women From Domestic Violence Act (2005), other married women subject to such crime by their husband may demand for financial compensation.
- They also have the right to continue to live in their marital household if they wish, or may approach shelter or aid homes.
However, marital rape is still not a criminal offence in this case and is only a misdemeanor.

Arguments against criminalization
- Subjective: It is very subjective and intricate to determine whether consent was acquired or not.
- Prone to Misuse: If marital rape is criminalized without adequate safeguards it could be misused like the current dowry law by the dissatisfied wives to harass and torture their Husbands.
- Burden on Judiciary: It will increase the burden of judiciary which otherwise may serve other more important causes.
Way forward
- Sanctioning marital rape is an acknowledgment of the woman’s right to self-determination (i.e., control) of all matters relating to her body.
- In the absence of any concrete law, the judiciary always finds it difficult to decide the matter of domestic rape in the absence of solid evidence.
- The main purpose of marriage is procreation, and sometimes divorce is sought on the ground of non-consummation of marriage.
- Before giving a final interpretation, the judiciary must balance the rights and duties of both partners.
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September 17, 2022
Highlights of India Discrimination Report, 2022
Oxfam India’s latest ‘India Discrimination Report 2022’ finds women in India despite their same educational qualifications and work experience as men will be discriminated in the labour market due to societal and employers’ prejudices.

About the report
- The Oxfam India report refers to unit-level data from:
1. 61st round National Sample Survey (NSS) data on employment-unemployment (2004-05)
2. Periodic Labour Force Survey in 2018-19 and 2019-20 and
3. All India Debt and Investment Survey by the government
Key highlights

(1) Decline of women in workforce
- As per the Union Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), LFPR for women in India was only 25.1 percent in 2020-21 for urban and rural women.
- This is considerably lower than Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa as per the latest World Bank estimates.
- The LFPR for women in India has rapidly declined from 42.7 percent in 2004-05 to mere 25.1 percent in 2021 showing the withdrawal of women from the workforce.
(2) Earning Gap
- There is also a significant gap in the earnings between men and women in the case of regular and self-employment in urban areas.
- The average earning is INR 15,996 for men and merely INR 6,626 for women in urban areas in self-employment.
- The men’s average earning is nearly 2.5 times that of the earnings of women
(3) Communal aspects of discrimination
- Oppressed communities such as Dalits and Adivasis along with religious minorities such as Muslims also continue to face discrimination in accessing jobs, livelihoods, and agricultural credit.
- The mean income for SCs or STs persons in urban areas who are regular employed is INR 15,312 as against INR 20,346 for persons belonging to the General Category.
- The rural SC and ST communities are facing increase in discrimination in casual employment, the report shows.
- The data shows that the unequal income among urban SC and ST casual wage work is because of 79 percent discrimination in 2019-20.
(4) Muslims and economic backwardness
- Muslims continue to face multidimensional challenges in accessing salaried jobs and income through self-employment as compared to non-Muslims.
- In rural areas, the sharpest increase of 17 percent in unemployment was for Muslims as compared to non-Muslims during the first quarter of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 6 percent of the urban Muslims population aged 15 and above were engaged in regular salaried jobs whereas 23.3 percent of non-Muslims are in regular salaried jobs in 2019-20.
- The lower employment for urban Muslims attributes 68.3 percent to discrimination in 2019-20.
- The report shows that the discrimination faced by Muslims in 2004-05 was 59.3 percent, indicating an increase in discrimination by 09 percent over the last 16 years.
Recommendations from the report
- Actively enforce effective measures for the implementation of the right to equal wages and work for all women.
- Work to actively incentivise the participation of women in workforce including enhancements in pay, upskilling, job reservations and easy return-to-work options after maternity.
- Work to actively challenge and change societal and caste/religion-based norms, around women’s’ participation in labour markets.
- Strengthen civil society’s engagement in ensuring a more equitable distribution of household work and childcare duties between women and men and facilitating higher participation of women in labour market
- Implement “living wages” as opposed to minimum wages, particularly for all informal workers and formalise contractual, temporary and casual labour as much as possible.
- Extend priority lending and credit access to all farmers, regardless of social groups and penalize biased lending.
Back2Basics: Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR)
- It is the percentage of the population which is either working (employed) or seeking for work (unemployed).
- According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the LFPR is a ‘measure of the proportion of a country’s working-age population that engages actively in the labour market, either by working or looking for work’.
- The breakdown of the labour force (formerly known as economically active population) by sex and age group gives a profile of the distribution of the labour force within a country.
- As per the ministry of statistics and programme implementation, LFPR for women in India was only 25.1% in 2020-21.
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September 17, 2022
UNEP launches Green Fins Hub
The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) has launched the Green Fins Hub, a global digital platform to give sustainable marine tourism a ‘major boost’.

Green Fins Hub
- The Green Fins Global Hub will be a first-of-its-kind online support system to motivate scuba operators to improve their daily environmental practices at scale.
- It aims to help diving and snorkeling operators worldwide to make simple, cost-efficient changes to their daily practices by utilizing tried and tested solutions.
- It would also help them keep track of their annual improvements and communicate with their communities and customers.
Membership of Green Fins Hub
- It will host two types of membership. One would be digital membership available for diving, snorkelling and liveaboard operations globally.
- Throughout every year of membership, operators will receive environmental scores based on a detailed online self-evaluation and progress made on their action plans.
- The Certified Members will continue to be assessed annually and trained in person at their operation.
- The platform will be for operators around the world to raise industry needs, discuss environmental issues and share lessons and ideas with like-minded industry leaders, non-profits and governments.
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September 16, 2022
old age problems that we should address now
Context

India will be facing the immediate challenge –The ageing of the population. Challenge to ensure a decent quality of life for the old age people in the near future, planning and providing for it must begin today.

Background
- Life expectancy in India has more than doubled since Independence from around 32 years in the late 1940s to 70 years or so today, a historical achievement.
- Over the same period, the fertility rate has crashed from about six children per woman to just two, which liberated women from the cycle of continuous child bearing and child care.
What is ageing of the population?
- Meaning: Population ageing is a shift in the distribution of a country’s population towards older ages.
- Reason behind it: Decline in the fertility rate and Rise In the life expectancy. An increase in longevity increases the average age of the population by increasing the numbers of surviving older people.
- Impact of the ageing population:, labor supply shortage, change in patterns of saving and investment, deteriorate fiscal balance, lack of adequate welfare system etc.
- Challenges they impose: Social security, elderly Healthcare, Dependence on the family etc.
What is the status in India?
- According to the National Commission on Population, The share of the elderly (persons aged 60 years and above) close to 9% in 2011.
- It is growing fast and may reach 18% by 2036.
Problems faced by elderly
- Depression: According to survey by Abdul Latif Jameel foundation in Tamilnadu, 30-50% of people above age of 60 has a symptoms of depression.The proportion with depression symptoms is much higher for women than men, and rises sharply with age. In most cases, depression remains undiagnosed and untreated.
- Loneliness: Loneliness one the major factor leading to depression. A large majority of elderly persons living alone are women, mainly widows.
- Hardship of age: Monetary assistance can certainly help to cope with many health issues.
- Poverty and poor health: Old age pensions are vital. Cash helps to lead a dignified life.
Current government schemes for elderly

Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Scheme – This is one of the most popular senior citizen pension schemes in India.
- Designed for senior citizens above 60 years of age, the policy term of this Prime Minister Senior Citizen Scheme extends to ten years.
- The pensioner can choose the frequency of the payment – monthly/quarterly/half- yearly/annually.
- You can earn interest of 8% per annum over this scheme.
- The minimum and maximum capping of pension are Rs. 3,000 per month and 10,000 per month, respectively
National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE)–
- Introduced in 2010, this scheme concentrates on preventive as well as promotive, care for the maintenance of overall health.
- This program was launched to address the health issues faced by seniors.
- The district-level objectives include providing dedicated health facilities in district hospitals, community health centres (CHC), primary health centres (PHC), and sub-centres (SC) levels through State Health Society.
- These facilities maybe free or highly subsidized.
Varishta Mediclaim Policy –
- This policy aids seniors by covering the cost of medicines, blood, ambulance charges, and other diagnosis related charges.
- Designed for senior citizens between the age of 60 and 80 years, this helps meet the health-related expenses of senior citizens.
- Income tax benefits are allowed for payment of premium.
- Although the policy period is for one year, you can extend the renewal up to the age of 90 years.
Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana –
- This scheme provides physical aids and assisted-living devices to the elderly above 60 years of age that belong to the BPL (below the poverty line) category.
- If senior citizens wish to avail this, then they must have a BPL card.
- This is a Central Sector Scheme and is entirely funded by the Central Government.
Varishta Pension Bima Yojana –
- This pension scheme, launched by the Ministry of Finance, is for senior citizens above 60 years.
- The LIC of India has the authority to operate this scheme.
- Any Medical check-ups is not necessary to avail this policy.
- It offers assured pension with a guaranteed interest rate of 8% per annum for up to 10 years –
- You can opt for monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, and yearly pension – depends on how you’d like to receive it.
Vayoshreshtha Samman –

This scheme focuses on those seniors who have made significant contributions in their disciplines and recognized their efforts.

It was upgraded to the National Award in 2013, and since then, awards have been granted below thirteen categories.

Conclusion
- Social security pensions, of course, are just the first step towards a dignified life for the elderly. They also need other support and facilities such as health care, disability aids and assistance with daily tasks, recreation opportunities and a good social life. They can be the active contributor to the economy having the years of experience and mentorship to the demographic dividend.
Mains Question Q.

Discuss the challenges before our elderly today? What steps have been taken by government to address these challenges?

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September 15, 2022
Who was Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker?
A recently-released Malayalam film Pathonpatham Noottandu (‘Nineteenth Century’) is based on the life of Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker, a social reformer from the Ezhava community in Kerala who lived in the 19th century.

Who was Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker?
- Born into a well-off family of merchants in Kerala’s Alappuzha district, Panicker was one of the most influential figures in the reformation movement in the state.
- He challenged the domination of upper castes or ‘Savarnas’ and brought about changes in the lives of both men and women.
- The social reform movement in Kerala in the 19th century led to the large-scale subversion of the existing caste hierarchy and social order in the state.
- Panicker was murdered by a group of upper-caste men in 1874 at the age of 49. This makes him the ‘first martyr’ of the Kerala renaissance.
What was Panicker’s role in initiating social reforms?
- Panicker is credited with building two temples dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, in which members of all castes and religions were allowed entry.
- One was built in his own village Arattupuzha in 1852, and one in Thanneermukkom in 1854, another village in the Alappuzha district.
- Some of his most significant contributions were in protesting for the rights of women belonging to Kerala’s backward communities.
- In 1858, he led the Achippudava Samaram strike at Kayamkulam in Alappuzha.
- This strike aimed to earn women belonging to oppressed groups the right to wear a lower garment that extended beyond the knees.
- In 1859, this was extended into the Ethappu Samaram, the struggle for the right to wear an upper body cloth by women belonging to backward castes.
- In 1860, he led the Mukkuthi Samaram at Pandalam in the Pathanamthitta district, for the rights of lower-caste women to wear ‘mukkuthi’ or nose-ring, and other gold ornaments.
- These struggles played an important role in challenging the social order and in raising the dignity of women belonging to the lower strata of society in public life.
Other work
- Apart from issues related to women, Panicker also led the first-ever strike by agricultural labourers in Kerala, the Karshaka Thozhilali Samaram, which was successful.
- He also established the first Kathakali Yogam for the Ezhava community in 1861, which led to a Kathakali performance by Ezhavas and other backward communities, another first for them.
Try this PYQ:

Q. The Shri Narayan Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) Movement(1902-03) was related to which of the following community?

a) Mopilla Community

b) South Indian Tea Planters

c) Ezhava Community in Kerala

d) North Eastern Tea Planters

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September 14, 2022