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GS Paper: GS3

  • Rs 2,913 Cr from PSEs to PM CARES Fund

    pm cares

    Government-run listed firms have contributed at least Rs 2,913.6 crore between 2019-20 and 2021-22 to the controversial Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund.

    About PM CARES Fund

    • The PM CARES Fund was created on 28 March 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
    • The fund will be used for combat, containment and relief efforts against the coronavirus outbreak and similar pandemic like situations in the future.
    • The PM is the chairman of the trust. Members will include the defence, home and finance ministers.
    • The fund will also enable micro-donations. The minimum donation accepted is â‚č10.

    Issues over PM-CARES Fund

    • No defined purpose: It is deliberately ignored while a new, controversial, unanswerable, and ‘non-accountable vehicle is created; its character is not spelt out till today.
    • Non-accountable: The government seems to consider statutory provisions for enquiry and information seeking to be embarrassing obstacles.
    • Centralization of donations: It centralises the collection of donations and its utility, which is not only against the federal character but also practically inconvenient. The issue is seeming, the trusteeship of the fund.

    Questions and gaps

    • Law/statute: The PM CARES Fund was neither created by the Constitution of India nor by any statute.
    • Authority: If that is the case, under what authority does it use the designation of the Prime Minister, designated symbols of the nation, the tricolour and the official (gov.in) website of the PMO, and grant tax concessions through an ordinance.
    • Collection and dispensation: The amount received by the Fund does not go to the Consolidated Fund of India. If it goes to the CFI, it could have been audited by the CAG.
    • Uncontrolled: The This Trust is neither intended to be or is in fact owned, controlled or substantially financed by any instrumentality of the any govt even being chaired by the PM.

    Issue over tax benefits

    • Income tax: An ordinance was promulgated to amend Income Tax Act, 1961 and declare that the donations to the PM CARES Fund “would qualify for 80G benefits for 100% exemption”.
    • CSR Funds: It will also qualify to be counted as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure under the Companies Act, 2013.
    • Foreign donations: It has also got exemption under the FCRA [Foreign Contribution Regulation Act] and a separate account for receiving foreign donations has been opened.

    What can be inferred from all these?

    • The Centre now considers it as another obstacle and has created a new trust with the Prime Minister and his Ministers only.
    • The manner in which the PM CARES Fund was set up — with its acronym created to publicise the point that the PM cares for people — shows a bypassing of the statutory obligations of a public authority.

    Query and response: Again ironical

    • After initial denials, the Government has conceded it to be a public charitable trust, but still maintains that it is not a ‘public authority’.
    • The point is that the PMO operates the Fund, but says it cannot supply any information about the PM CARES Fund because it is not a public authority.

    Severe interpretations: Is it an Office of Profit?

    • If the PM CARES Fund is unconnected with the Government, then the Fund could become an office of profit.
    • And that could disqualify him and the three Ministers from holding those constitutional offices.

    Conclusion

    • In order to uphold transparency, the PM CARES Fund should be declared as a Public Authority under the RTI Act, and all RTI queries answered truthfully.
    • The fund should be designated as a “public authority” under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act.

     

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  • Genome Sequencing and the Genome India Project

    genome

    The Department of Biotechnology recently said that the exercise to sequence 10,000 Indian human genomes and create a database under the Centre-backed Genome India Project is about two-thirds complete.

    What is the Genome India Project?

    • The Genome India Project has been described by those involved as the “first scratching of the surface of the vast genetic diversity of India”.
    • It involves over 20 scientists from institutions including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru and a few IITs.
    • It is inspired by the Human Genome Project (HGP 1990-2003) an international programme that led to the decoding of the entire human genome.

    About Human Genome Project (HGP)

    Description
    Description HGP was a global research effort aimed at mapping and sequencing the entire human genome, which is the complete set of genetic instructions for building and maintaining a human being.
    Timeframe Began in 1990 and was completed in 2003.
    Collaborators A collaborative effort involving scientists from many countries.
    Coordinators Institutes of Health (NIH) and the US Department of Energy (DOE), US
    Achievements Scientists were able to identify the location of many human genes and provide information about their structure and organization.
    Impact It has led to the development of new diagnostic tools and therapies for a wide range of genetic disorders and has provided valuable insights into the basic biology of human development and evolution.
    Fields affected Medicine, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals.

     

    What is a Genome?

    • Every organism’s genetic code is contained in its Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid (DNA), the building blocks of life.
    • The discovery that DNA is structured as a “double helix” by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953, started the quest for understanding how genes dictate life, its traits, and what causes diseases.
    • A genome is all the genetic matter in an organism. It is defined as “an organism’s complete set of DNA, including all of its genes.
    • Each genome contains all of the information needed to build and maintain that organism.
    • In humans, a copy of the entire genome contains more than 3 billion DNA base pairs.
    • Each pair consists of 23 pairs of chromosomes for a total of 46 chromosomes, which means that for 23 pairs of chromosomes in each cell, there are roughly 20,500 genes located on them.

    What does genome mapping tell us?

    • Some of the genes are lined up in a row on each chromosome, while others are lined up quite close to one another and this arrangement might affect the way they are inherited.
    • For example, if the genes are placed sufficiently close together, there is a probability that they get inherited as a pair.
    • Genome mapping, therefore, essentially means figuring out the location of a specific gene on a particular region of the chromosome and also determining the location of and relative distances between other genes on that chromosome.

    How did it help during the pandemic?

    • Genomic sequencing became a crucial tool in the fight against COVID-19 to track emerging variants, conduct further studies, and develop vaccines.
    • In January 2020, Chinese scientist Yong-Zhen Zhang sequenced the genome of the novel coronavirus and shared it online, allowing researchers to study the virus’s genetic code.
    • India also implemented a sequencing framework, the Indian SARS-COV-2 Genomics Consortia (INSACOG), to scan coronavirus samples from patients and flag the presence of variants.

    What is the significance of GIP?

    • HGP has a major diversity problem as most genomes (over 95%) mapped under HGP have been sourced from urban middle-class white people.
    • Thus, HGP should not really be seen as representative of the human genome.

    In this context, the GIP aims to vastly add to the available information on the human species and advance the cause, both because of the scale of the Indian population and the diversity here. This diversity can be depicted by:

    1. Horizontal Diversity: The Indian subcontinent has been the site of huge migrations, where the first migrations were from Africa. Also, there have been periodic migrations by various populations from all around the world, making this a very special case of almost all races and types intermingling genetically.
    2. Vertical Diversity: There has been endogamy or inter-marriage practised among distinct groups, resulting in some diseases passed on strictly within some groups and some other traits inherited by just some groups.

    Its applications

    • Personalized Medicine: Genome sequencing can help in the development of personalized medicine. By analyzing a patient’s genetic makeup, doctors can determine the best course of treatment for a particular disease. This approach can help in the early detection of diseases, identifying the risk of inherited diseases, and providing targeted therapies.
    • Disease Diagnosis: Genome sequencing can be used to diagnose genetic disorders that are caused by mutations in a single gene, such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia. It can also help in identifying the genetic causes of complex diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.
    • Drug Development: Genome sequencing can help in the development of new drugs by identifying targets for drug therapy. It can also help in the identification of biomarkers that can be used to monitor the effectiveness of drugs.
    • Agriculture: Genome sequencing can help in the development of improved crops and livestock by identifying genes that control traits such as yield, disease resistance, and quality.
    • Forensics: Genome sequencing can be used in forensic investigations to identify suspects by analyzing their DNA. It can also help in identifying missing persons and victims of disasters.

    Challenges involved

    • Fear of Scientific Racism: In India, a nation divided by identity politics, scientific work in mapping genetic groups may further strengthen the divisions in the society based on the prevalent notion of race.
    • Data & Storage: India is yet to pass a Data Privacy Bill with adequate safeguards and launching the GIP before the privacy question is settled could give rise to another set of problems.
    • Medical Ethics: In a project that aims only to create a database of genetic information poses a risk of doctors privately performing gene modification.

     

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  • Rural Real Wage Growth In India: The Importance of Accurate Data analysis

    Central Idea

    • Rural real wage growth is a crucial indicator of the well-being of individuals, particularly the poor, in India. Jean Dreze, a respected economist claims that rural real wage growth in India has been sluggish despite rapid economic growth. However as per Surjit Bhalla another economist, Dreze’s findings are based on weak statistical analysis and incomplete data. Surjit Bhalla’s and presents his own findings, which suggest higher wage growth rates for construction workers, non-agricultural laborers, and agricultural laborers.

    Contrast results for instance

    • For construction workers, Dreze obtains a rate of growth (CAGR) of just 0.2 per cent (actually 0.15 per cent); However, CAGR stands at eight times larger at 1.2 per cent.
    • For non-agricultural labourers (porters and loaders) the same yawning divergence: Dreze obtains 0.3 per cent, whereas it stands 1.2 per cent, and for agricultural labourers, 0.9 per cent vs 1.5 per cent.

    What is CAGR?

    • CAGR stands for Compound Annual Growth Rate. It is a measure used to calculate the average growth rate of an investment over a certain period of time, assuming that the investment has grown at a steady rate each year.
    • It takes into account the effect of compounding, which means that the investment’s growth in one year is added to the base value of the investment, and the total amount is then used to calculate growth for the next year.
    • CAGR is often used in finance to compare the performance of different investments or to forecast future growth.

    Why are the two results so different?

    • Differences in Method of Estimation: Dreze uses semi-log regression on eight observations to estimate the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for each of three male occupations. His estimate of CAGR is not even significant at the 11 per cent level of confidence for two of these occupations – construction and non-agricultural laborers. Dreze does not uses a population-weighted average of year-on-year growth for each of the 38 sex-occupation categories to estimate CAGR accurately.
    • Differences in Time Period of Analysis: Surjit Bhalla also criticizes Dreze’s chosen time period of analysis, 2014-2021. As per Surjit Bhalla, that no study combines pre-Covid and Covid years without even a mention of the difference. Surjit Bhalla presents data for three time periods, including the normal 2014-2018, Covid 2019-2021, and all years 2014-2021.

    Why accurate rural wage data is important?

    • Poverty alleviation: Rural wage data is used to determine the poverty levels in a country, and accurate data is essential for effective poverty alleviation policies.
    • Income inequality: Accurate rural wage data can help policymakers understand the level of income inequality in rural areas and design policies to reduce it.
    • Agricultural productivity: Rural wage data is used to assess the productivity of the agricultural sector, which is a key source of income for rural households.
    • Labor market trends: Accurate rural wage data helps policymakers understand the trends in the rural labor market, such as changes in demand for different types of labor, and design policies to support employment growth.
    • Minimum wage determination: Accurate rural wage data is necessary for determining minimum wages for rural workers, which is important for protecting the rights of workers and reducing labor exploitation.
    • Social protection: Rural wage data is used to design social protection programs such as cash transfers, food subsidies, and public works programs to support the poorest households in rural areas.
    • Macro-economic policy: Rural wage data is used to inform macro-economic policies such as inflation targeting and monetary policy, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of such policies on rural households.

    Conclusion

    • The issue of rural real wage growth in India is complex and requires a nuanced understanding of data selection, treatment, intensity, and estimation. There is need for a more comprehensive set of data and a different method of estimation.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR). Why do you think, accurate rural wage data is so important?

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  • Overuse of Urea in India and its Implications

    urea

    Central idea

    • Rising urea consumption: The use of urea has continued to increase, leading to a decline in crop yield response to fertiliser use, and an imbalance in the nutrient application.
    • Unbalanced fertilization: The nutrient-based subsidy regime is a failure in promoting balanced fertilization.
    • Several measures failed: The measures introduced by the Indian government to reduce urea consumption, such as neem-coating, smaller bags, and Nano Urea, have not been successful.

    Do You Know?

    The ideal NPK use ratio for the country is 4:2:1, whereas it was 6.5:2.8:1 in 2020-21 and 7.7:3.1:1 in 2021-22. In the recent 2022 kharif season, the ratio got further distorted to 12.8:5.1:1.

    What is Urea?

    • Urea is a commonly used nitrogen-containing fertiliser that provides crops with the necessary nutrients for growth and development.
    • It is a white, crystalline solid that is soluble in water and has a high nitrogen content, with around 46% nitrogen by weight.
    • Urea is made from ammonia and carbon dioxide and is used extensively in agriculture due to its high nitrogen content and affordability.
    • It is a major source of nitrogen for crops, and when applied in the right amounts, it can improve crop yields and increase overall agricultural productivity.

    Urea usage in India

    urea

    Policy moves related to Urea

    The introduction of these measures was aimed at reducing urea consumption in the country.

    • Neem-coated urea: In May 2015, the Indian government mandated the neem-coating of all urea manufactured in the country as well as imported urea to illegal diversion for non-agricultural use.
    • Reduced size: Later, in March 2018, the government replaced 50-kg urea bags with 45-kg bags.
    • Liquid Nano Urea: Recently, in June 2021, the Indian Farmers’ Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) launched a liquid fertiliser called ‘Nano Urea’.

    Ineffectiveness of the above measures

    • Despite the introduction of these measures, urea consumption in the country has not decreased.
    • In fact, sales of urea crossed a record 35.7 million tonnes (mt) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023.
    • Although consumption dipped in the initial two years after neem-coating was fully enforced, it reversed from 2018-19.

    Failure of the nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) regime

    • The government introduced the nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) regime in April 2010.
    • The regime fixed a per-kg subsidy for each fertiliser nutrient – nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potash (K), and sulphur (S).
    • The aim was to promote balanced fertilisation and discourage farmers from applying too much urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and muriate of potash (MOP).
    • However, the data shows that nutrient imbalance has worsened, with urea consumption rising by over a third since 2009-10.
    • Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) has declined from 48.2% in 1962-63 to 34.7% in 2018.

    Cost of overdose fertilization

    • Fertilisers are essential for plant growth and grain yield, but the overuse of urea and other fertilisers has led to an imbalance in nutrient application.
    • Crop yield response to fertiliser use has decreased, with the disproportionate application of nitrogen by farmers being a key reason.
    • Recent research has shown that nitrogen use efficiency has declined in India, making it necessary to promote the use of other fertilisers containing different nutrients.

    Way forward

    To address the issue of rising urea consumption, two approaches can be adopted.

    • Disincentivise: The first is to raise prices, but this is not politically feasible.
    • Improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE): One way to achieve this is to make the incorporation of urease and nitrification inhibitors compulsory in urea.

    Some other potential solutions include:

    • Promoting the use of organic fertilisers: Such as compost and manure, can improve soil health and reduce the need for synthetic fertilisers. This can also reduce the risk of environmental pollution and improve the sustainability of agriculture.
    • Encouraging precision agriculture: Such as soil testing, can help farmers apply fertilisers in the right amounts and at the right time, reducing wastage and increasing nutrient use efficiency.
    • Promoting crop rotation and intercropping: Planting different crops in rotation or together can help maintain soil fertility and reduce the need for synthetic fertilisers.
    • Increasing public awareness and education: Educating farmers and the public on the importance of sustainable fertiliser use and the potential risks of overusing synthetic fertilisers can help promote more sustainable agricultural practices.

     

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  • Vibrant Villages Program to be integrated with PM Gati Shakti

    The Centre’s Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) which aims to develop infrastructure and open up villages to tourists along the China border will be integrated with the Gati Shakti Mega Project.

    What is Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP)?

    • Under the VVP, the selected villages will be provided with basic facilities like all-weather roads, potable piped water, 24×7 electricity, good mobile and internet connectivity, healthcare, and enhanced livelihood options.
    • The VVP aims to prevent migration of border population, catalyze reverse migration, and keep all villages along the LAC well-populated from the strategic and security point of view.

    Villages selected

    • Kibithoo, one of the remotest circle headquarters of Arunachal Pradesh, is the first village to be developed under the VVP.
    • The villages will also serve as the Indian Army’s eyes and ears in these remote areas.
    • 2,967 villages in 19 border districts of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh will be developed under the VVP, with 662 villages being developed in the first phase of the project.

    Components

    • The VVP programme involves a number of livelihood programmes, including bee-keeping, improving agricultural yields, encouraging handicrafts and local products, and providing market linkages to them.
    • The programme also focuses on promoting high-end tourism and training local people to cater to tourists.
    • Provision of 24×7 power through micro-hydel power plants, solar power panels, and windmills is also a vital component of the programme.

    Impact

    • The development of border villages under the VVP will help provide a better livelihood for the locals, improve the quality of life and prevent migration from these remote areas.
    • It will also help in gathering intelligence from the people of border villages and provide the Indian Army with better access to these areas.

    Comparison with China’s Model

    • India’s Vibrant Village Programme (VVP) is people-centric and aims to enhance the quality of life of the locals.
    • China’s Xiaokang villages lack proper planning for providing livelihood opportunities, healthcare and education facilities, and proper transportation.
    • Beijing’s aim of keeping civilian residents of these villages as watchful eyes over activities across the LAC and on Indian Army patrols has been negated.
    • Most of the villages now serve as residential quarters and logistical facilities for the PLA.
    • India’s VVP scores over China’s building of new Xiaokang villages as it has a holistic approach to development.

    Why merged with Gati Shakti?

    • Gati Shakti brings 16 ministries, including Railways and Roadways, together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.
    • It allows government departments to break operational silos.
    • By integrating VVP with Gati Shakti, there can be better coordination between various ministries and departments to ensure the smooth implementation of the programme and to avoid any duplication of efforts.

     

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  • India-UAE Food Security Partnership Stands to Benefit From Multiple Points of Convergence

    Food Security

    Central Idea

    • The UAE, heavily dependent on food imports, has set the goal of achieving food access and supply chain crisis readiness. India is a key partner in the UAE’s efforts to strengthen food security, given India’s status as the world’s second-largest food producer. The India-UAE food security partnership stands to benefit from multiple points of convergence.

    India’s Capabilities in the Global Agri-Export Market

    • Global agri-export powerhouse: India has become a global agri-export powerhouse thanks to its vast arable land, favourable climate, and growing food production and processing sector
    • India’s role in global food security: India has demonstrated its evolving role in advancing regional and global food security by serving as a humanitarian provider of food to developing countries
    • Global food marketplace: India has invested in massive food parks and placed its food sector to benefit from bilateral trade agreements, reflecting a strong and sustained intent to make the most of its agri-capabilities in the global food marketplace

    India’s Domestic Food Security Measures

    • World’s largest food subsidy programme: India runs the world’s largest food subsidy programme, the Public Distribution System, providing nearly 800 million citizens with subsidised grains for daily, affordable meals
    • POSHAN Abhiyaan: India’s Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition (POSHAN) Abhiyaan is the world’s largest nutrition programme for children and women
    • 3 C’s for instance: India promotes the consumption and farming of millets as part of its G-20 presidency, demonstrating its resilience focus to address the three Cs of Covid, Conflict, and Climate issues pernicious to food security in India and across the globe

    Facts for prelims: Food security measures

    Scheme Description Target Beneficiaries
    Public Distribution System (PDS) World’s largest food subsidy program providing subsidized grains to nearly 800 million citizens BPL (Below Poverty Line) and APL (Above Poverty Line) families
    National Food Security Act (NFSA) Provides legal entitlement to subsidized food grains to two-thirds of India’s population Priority households and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households
    Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) Provides cooked meals to children in primary and upper primary schools Children in primary and upper primary schools
    Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme Provides supplementary nutrition to children under six years of age, pregnant women, and lactating mothers Children under six years of age, pregnant women, and lactating mothers
    Annapurna Scheme Provides 10 kg of food grains per month free of cost to senior citizens who are not covered under the NFSA or PDS Senior citizens who are not covered under the NFSA or PDS
    Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition (POSHAN) Abhiyaan World’s largest nutrition program for children and women Children under six years of age, pregnant women, and lactating mothers
    Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) Provides free food grains to around 80 crore beneficiaries for a period of 8 months to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 Migrant workers, urban and rural poor, and other vulnerable groups
    Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) Provides highly subsidized food grains to the poorest of the poor families identified by the government Poorest of the poor families identified by the government

    Food Security

    The India-UAE Food Security Partnership

    • UAE’s Commitment to Food Security: The UAE is focusing on the twin objectives of food access and readiness to confront supply chain crises
    • Food corridor: The food corridor could potentially commence a route for foods made and processed in India, beginning their outbound journey on the Indian coast of the Arabian Sea, passing through the UAE, and towards major international markets
    • Agri-trade for India: The corridor stands to emerge as a world-class template of successful agri-trade for India, while also unlocking greater productivity, efficiency, and growth for its millions of workers and employees
    • Boost to food processing sector: The UAE’s private sector projects spanning its agricultural and food processing sector will generate lakhs of non-farm agri-jobs while enabling farmers to discover better prices for their products.
    • Diversified pathways to the global marketplace: Bolstered by the UAE’s infrastructural capabilities, India’s agricultural products will have more resilient and diversified pathways to the global marketplace

    Food Security

    Facts for prelims

    Millet production and food security

    • Largest producer: India is the largest producer of millet in the world with a share of 41% in 2020, as per FAO. Nine types are grown as kharif crops in over 20 States in the country.
    • Major millets include: finger millet (ragi or mandua), pearl millet (bajra) and sorghum (jowar) and minor millets include foxtail millet (kangani or kakun), barnyard millet (sawa or sanwa, jhangora), little millet (kutki), kodo millet (kodon), proso millet (cheena) and browntop millet.
    • Leading producers: Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are leading producers.
    • India is also among the top five exporters: India exported millets worth $64.28 million in 2021-22 and $59.75 million in 2020-21, according to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority.

    In depth: The Benefits of India-UAE food security partnership for India and the UAE

    For India

    • Investment in Food Parks: During the I2U2 summit in July 2020, the UAE committed $2 billion in investment towards constructing food parks in India. This investment will generate lakhs of non-farm agri-jobs, while enabling farmers to discover better prices for their products.
    • Access to Global Markets: The food security corridor established on the sidelines of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with logistics partner DP World takes forward India’s envisioned presence on the global food value chain, beyond the UAE. The corridor has the potential to establish a route for foods made and processed in India, beginning their outbound journey on the Indian coast of the Arabian Sea, passing through the UAE, and towards major international markets.
    • Direct Access to UAE’s Food Ecosystem: The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, the UAE’s largest free trade zone, launched Agriota, an agri-trading and commodity platform to link Indian farmers to food companies in the UAE. This platform will give millions of Indian farmers the opportunity to directly reach out to the entirety of the UAE’s food ecosystem (processing companies, traders, wholesalers) and stock their products in Emirati stores.
    • Infrastructure Development: Several UAE-based companies have expressed interest in constructing a supporting logistics and infrastructure pipeline to accelerate trade and reinforce the food corridor. A consortium of UAE-based entities are investing up to $7 billion in mega food parks, contract farming, and the sourcing of agro-commodities in India. This initiative will include mega food parks, logistics and warehouse hubs, and fruits and vegetable hubs, which will bolster India’s agricultural products’ resilient and diversified pathways to the global marketplace.

    For UAE

    • Diversification of food reserves: UAE heavily relies on food imports to feed its population. The partnership with India will help UAE diversify its food reserves and reduce its dependence on a few countries for its food security.
    • Strategic location: UAE’s strategic location between Asia and Europe can be leveraged to serve as India’s food export gateway to West Asia and Africa region, and beyond. This could enhance the UAE’s position as a hub for food trade in the region.
    • Investment opportunities: The partnership could open up investment opportunities for UAE-based companies to invest in India’s food and agriculture sector, including mega food parks, contract farming, and sourcing of agro-commodities.
    • Better access to Indian products: The partnership could give UAE better access to India’s diversified agri-produce, enabling them to benefit from India’s large and growing food production and processing sector.
    • Infrastructural capabilities: The UAE’s infrastructural capabilities could strengthen India’s agricultural products’ pathways to the global marketplace, providing more resilient and diversified routes to the global food value chain.

    Value addition box

    India’s efforts to promote millet:

    • The Union government promoted millets under the Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion (INSIMP), as a sub-scheme of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) between 2011 and 2014.
    • In the following years, NITI Aayog worked on a framework to introduce millets under the public distribution system for nutritional support.
    • The government declared 2018 as the ‘national year of millets’ to trigger an increase in demand.
    • The programme under INSIMP was merged with the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) as NFSM-Coarse Cereals and implemented in 14 States. Several States led separate missions to promote millets.
    • In 2021, the Centre approved the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) and advised State governments to include millets in the midday meal menu to enhance the nutritional outcome.
    • India’s efforts to promote the consumption and production of millet got a boost when the UNGA accepted the country’s proposal and dedicated 2023 to spreading awareness about these grains. It is instrumental for PM’s vision to make IYM 2023 a people’s movement and positioning India as the ‘global hub for millets’.

    Conclusion

    • The India-UAE food security partnership stands to benefit both countries, and the collaboration between the two nations can offer solutions to address food security issues in the Global South. With the UAE’s infrastructural capabilities and India’s agricultural capabilities, the partnership can create diversified pathways to the global marketplace, generate non-farm agri-jobs, and enable farmers to receive better prices for their products.

    Mains Question

    Q. Explain the India-UAE food security partnership and enumerate the mutual benefit of the food security partnership.

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  • Microbes found near Mt. Everest

    Central idea

    • Researchers conducted a genetic analysis of microbial communities on the South Col of Sagarmatha (Mount Everest).
    • The article examines the human microbiota on the inhospitable slopes of Mount Everest esp. the South Col ridge.

    Microbial Communities on the South Col

    • Microbial communities were collected from sediment samples left by human climbers on the South Col, 7,900 meters above sea level (msl).
    • The South Col is inhospitable due to low oxygen, strong winds, high levels of UV radiation, and temperatures below minus 15 degrees Celsius.
    • Visible signs of life are absent above 6,700 msl except for a few species of moss and a jumping spider.
    • Microbes are carried to high altitudes by birds, animals, winds, and dust particles.

    Microbes found

    • Using sophisticated methods such as 16S and 18S rRNA sequencing, the microbe hunters were able to identify the bacteria and other microorganisms found on the South Col.
    • 16s rRNA is a component of the 30S subunit in prokaryotic ribosomes while 18s rRNA is a component of the 40S subunit in eukaryotic ribosomes.
    • 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing is an amplicon sequencing technique used to identify and compare species of bacteria present within a given sample.
    • 16S rRNA gene sequencing is used to study phylogeny and taxonomy of samples from complex microbiomes or environments that are difficult or impossible to study.
    • Microbes like Modestobacter altitudinis and the fungus, naganishia, which are known to be UV-resistant survivors are found there.

    History of Mount Everest and Naming

    • Nepal’s eminent historian, late Baburam Acharya, gave the Nepali name Sagarmatha to Mount Everest in the 1960s.
    • Andrew Waugh, British Surveyor General of India, discovered Mount Everest in 1847 and named it after his predecessor, Sir George Everest.
    • Radhanath Sikdar, an Indian mathematician and surveyor, was the first person to show that Mount Everest was the world’s highest peak in 1852, with the help of a special device.

     

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  • Jal Shakti Ministry plans network of Groundwater Sensors

    groundwater

    Central Idea: The Jal Shakti Ministry is working on an ambitious plan to deploy a vast network of groundwater sensors to continuously relay information on groundwater levels and contamination.

    What is Groundwater?

    • Groundwater is the water found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rock.
    • It is stored in and moves slowly through geologic formations of soil, sand and rocks called aquifers.
    • Aquifers are typically made up of gravel, sand, sandstone, or fractured rock, like limestone.
    • Water can move through these materials because they have large connected spaces that make them permeable.
    • Aquifers, hand-dug wells, and artesian wells are different types of sources of groundwater.

    Sensors-based Groundwater Monitoring

    • Under this new initiative, around 16,000-17,000 digital water level recorders will be connected to piezometers in the wells to transmit information digitally.
    • In the next three years, the CGWB aims to increase its network from the existing 26,000 to about 40,000.
    • When combined with similar networks possessed by other institutions, India will have about 67,000 digitally recordable units to monitor groundwater dynamics.

    Significance of the move

    • This would make groundwater visible much the same way as air quality and meteorological variables
    • The information will be publicly accessible.
    • It will potentially provide groundwater forecasts to farmers that would be useful for sowing and updated advisories that can influence groundwater extraction policies by states

    Why monitor groundwater?

    • Nitrate contamination – a result of the use of nitrogenous fertilizers – has been observed in some regions
    • Groundwater contamination, mostly “geogenic” (natural), hasn’t significantly changed over the years.
    • But nitrate contamination and fluoride and arsenic contamination have been observed in some regions and states.

    Present system of monitoring

    • The Central Groundwater Board currently relies on a network of about 26 thousand groundwater observation wells.
    • It requires technicians to manually measure the state of groundwater in a region.

    Groundwater Extraction in India

    • The total annual groundwater recharge in the country has been assessed as 437.60 billion cubic meters (BCM)
    • The annual extractable groundwater resource has been assessed as 398.08 bcm, with actual extraction of 239.16 bcm
    • The average stage of groundwater extraction for the country as a whole works out to be about 60.08%, and anything above 70% is considered “critical”

    Also read

    Groundwater Extraction Lowest in 18 years

     

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  • Women and India’s Labour force: Bridging the Gap

    Labour force

    Central Idea

    • Recent data reveals that despite more Muslim women than men enrolling in higher education courses, the number of Muslims in higher education has decreased. Additionally, Muslim women’s employment rates are still lagging behind, in line with the secular trends of low female labour force participation rates and increasing unpaid labour.

    The Current Scenario: Women’ Labour force participation

    • The PLFS reports show three disturbing secular trends:
    1. The female labour force participation (FLFP) rate has stagnated at very low levels in our country.
    2. Women’s employment is seen as a supplemental source of income, and that is only activated in dire times for the family.
    3. The share of women employed in unpaid labour has increased even for highly educated women. In 2017-18, 6.2 per cent of women (age 15-59) with graduate (or higher) level of education worked as unpaid helpers. By 2021-22, this share had increased to 11.2 per cent.

    Female labour force participation rate of Muslim women

    • The female labour force participation rate of Muslim women in the country is 15 per cent, as compared to 26.1 per cent for Hindu women.
    • Over the past three years, Muslim women have had the lowest LFP rate amongst all religious groups in the country, while the gender gap in participation has also been the widest for the community except for the Sikh community.
    • While salaried work is perhaps the more stable source of income, only 12.4 per cent of working Muslim women the lowest of all communities are salaried as compared to 16.2 per cent of Hindu women.
    • Research shows that Muslim women face significant discrimination in hiring at entry level roles.

    Labour force

    Why women labour force participation is low in India?

    • Cultural and social norms: Traditional gender roles and stereotypes often view women as responsible for domestic work and caregiving. Women are expected to prioritize their role as wives and mothers over their careers.
    • Lack of educational opportunities: Women from rural areas or lower socio-economic backgrounds may not have access to quality education or vocational training, limiting their employment opportunities.
    • Lack of safe and flexible work environments: Many women face challenges in finding safe and secure work environments, especially in fields that require mobility or working late hours. Women with children also face challenges in finding work that accommodates their caregiving responsibilities.
    • Discrimination and bias: Women face discrimination and bias in the workplace, including lower wages and fewer opportunities for advancement. Muslim women may also face additional discrimination based on their religion.
    • Legal barriers: Some laws and policies, such as restrictions on working night shifts, may limit women’s employment opportunities.
    • Patriarchal norms in family and society: Patriarchal norms often limit women’s decision-making power within the family and restrict their mobility outside of the home, further limiting their employment opportunities.

    Labour force

    Why the female labour force participation rate of Muslim women Is low?

    • Educational attainment: Muslim women, particularly those living in rural areas, have lower levels of educational attainment compared to women from other communities. This limits their access to better-paying and more skilled jobs, making it more difficult for them to enter the workforce.
    • Traditional gender roles: Muslim families, particularly those in conservative areas, have traditional gender roles where women are expected to prioritize household work and child-rearing over paid employment. This social norm is a significant barrier to women’s labor force participation.
    • Religious and cultural factors: Some Muslim women may face discrimination in the workplace due to religious and cultural stereotypes, which can limit their opportunities for employment.
    • Lack of safe and accessible transportation: Many women, particularly those from conservative communities, may face safety concerns when traveling alone. This limits their ability to commute to work and makes it difficult for them to access job opportunities outside of their immediate neighbourhoods.
    • Lack of support from family and community: Women may face resistance from their families and communities when they seek employment, particularly if it is seen as a threat to traditional gender roles or cultural norms.

    Women’s low participation in the labour force and impact on society and the economy

    • Economic loss: The low participation of women in the labour force leads to an economic loss for the country. Women’s potential contributions to the economy are not utilized, leading to a loss of output and income.
    • Gender inequality: The low participation of women in the labour force perpetuates gender inequality. It limits women’s access to economic opportunities and reduces their bargaining power, leading to their exclusion from decision-making processes.
    • Social welfare: The low participation of women in the labor force also affects social welfare. It limits the resources available to women and their families, leading to a lack of access to education, healthcare, and other basic services.
    • Demographic imbalance: The low participation of women in the labor force also leads to a demographic imbalance. It limits the number of women in positions of power and decision-making, which affects the representation of women in different sectors of the economy.
    • Poverty: The low participation of women in the labor force also affects poverty reduction efforts. It limits the number of women who are able to earn a living and provide for their families, which affects poverty reduction efforts in the long run.

    Way ahead: To increase inclusive women’s LFP

    • Society and Families must create supportive and sharing ecosystem: Society and families need to prioritize women’s employment as a means of contributing to the economic growth of the country. The stereotype of men being the sole breadwinner of the family puts a lot of pressure on them. Women can and should be brought in to share this burden while men share the burden of housework. It is essential to create a supportive ecosystem for women from all communities.
    • Providing skills training: Women should be provided with skills training and education to improve their employability. This could be achieved through vocational training programs, apprenticeships, and mentorship programs.
    • Employers must take intersectional approach: Employers need to ensure that they incorporate mechanisms to address unconscious biases in hiring. This can be done by designing inclusive networking opportunities and company events, promoting cultural awareness, creating an inclusive schedule for employees with faith-related needs, and offering compassion and support. Employers must work on women’s inclusion in the workplace and take an intersectional approach.
    • Policymakers must enable ecosystem for employment of women: The government and policymakers need to make those jobs available that women want and create ecosystems that are supportive of employed women. This involves creating space for women from all communities in policy conversations. There needs to be an emphasis on women’s employment as a means for them to have agency, express themselves, and expand their sources of happiness.
    • Encouraging entrepreneurship: Women entrepreneurs could be encouraged through access to credit, mentorship programs, and business incubators.

    Labour force

    Conclusion

    • India needs more women in the workforce to increase the size of the economic pie. Addressing the issue of Muslim women’s employment could significantly contribute to India’s economic growth. To bridge the gap, employers, policymakers, families, and society must work together and create a supportive ecosystem for women from all communities.

    Mains Question

    Q. The recent data suggests that Muslim women have had the lowest Labour force participation (LFP) rate amongst all religious groups in the country. Enumerate the reasons and Discuss overall impact of women’s low LFP on society and economy along with suggestions to improve women’s LFP .

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  • Botanical Gardens Today Represent a Metric of National Success

    Botanical Gardens

    Central Idea

    • The establishment of a large botanical garden in Tamil Nadu, the Chengalpattu Botanical Garden, is a welcome piece of news as it has the potential to become a major center for the exploration and discovery of India’s plant wealth, research, education, citizen science, and outreach in plant biology.

    Chengalpattu Botanical Garden (CBG)

    • It will be India’s largest botanical garden: The â‚č300 crore Chengalpattu Botanical Garden (CBG), at Kadambur village in Chengalpattu district, is being planned across 138 hectares and will be India’s largest botanical garden.
    • Potential major centre exploration and discovery of our plant wealth: The CBG has the potential to become a major center for the exploration and discovery of our plant wealth, a center of research, education, citizen science, and outreach in plant biology, and be a forceful voice in conservation.

    Background: Historical association of Plants and Gardens

    • Plants have been the foundation of human civilization and the long-standing association of humanity with gardens can be traced back to the dawn of agriculture over 11,000 years ago.
    • The tradition of home gardens, which are planned spaces around homes to grow edible and medicinal plants, has been noted in ancient texts and depicted in cave paintings, demonstrating the antiquity of gardening.
    • Rulers, from ancient to modern civilizations, have owned botanical gardens that are rich in native plants and plants collected from distant places.
    • These patrons of botanical gardens not only funded them but also oversaw botanical collections as a beautiful garden was a metric of one’s prosperity and eclectic administration.

    History of Botanical Gardens

    • European explorations led to the establishment of several academic botanical gardens between the 15th to 17th centuries.
    • The oldest of these, Orto Botanico di Padova in Italy, was founded in 1545, and the most well-known, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew near London, was formally consolidated in 1840.

    Botanical Gardens in India

    • Oldest garden: The oldest of the Indian academic gardens, the Acharya Jagadish Chandra (AJC) Bose Indian Botanic Garden, in Howrah, Kolkata, was established in 1787.
    • Exact number is not yet known: The exact number of botanical gardens in India is not known, but only a handful of botanical gardens have plant exploration and education programs.
    • India’s flora diversity: India is home to approximately 47,000 plant species, which make up around 6-7% of the world’s total plant species. The Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalayas are two of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots, with a large number of endemic plant species found in these regions.
    • The Importance of Plants: India has a high diversity of plants and animals. Plants are the structural foundations of our diverse ecological communities that feed us, provide us with nutrition and medicine, mitigate climate change, enrich our spirits, and secure us against an uncertain future. Yet, our knowledge of our vast botanical heritage is extremely limited.

    Facts for prelims: Botanical Garden in India

    Botanical Garden Location Established Special Features
    Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden Howrah, West Bengal 1787 Oldest botanical garden in India; over 12,000 specimens of plants
    Lalbagh Botanical Garden Bangalore, Karnataka 1760 Known for its collection of rare plants, Glass House which hosts an annual flower show
    Ooty Botanical Gardens Ooty, Tamil Nadu 1848 Spread over 55 acres, collection of over 650 species of plants and trees, Toda tribal hut
    Jijamata Udyan Botanical Garden Mumbai, Maharashtra 1861 Oldest Botanical Garden in Western India; houses Mumbai’s Byculla Zoo
    Shalimar Bagh Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 1619 Mughal garden, UNESCO World Heritage Site
    Government Botanical Garden Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu 1848 Home to over 1000 species of plants including some rare ones, Fossil Tree Trunk
    The National Botanical Research Institute Botanical Garden Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 1953 Over 6000 species of plants including rare medicinal plants
    The Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University Botanical Garden Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 1964 Specializes in medicinal and aromatic plants
    The Calcutta Botanical Garden Kolkata, West Bengal 1786 Has a large collection of plants including rare plants, Cactus House
    The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park and Botanical Garden Darjeeling, West Bengal 1958 Botanical garden houses a collection of Himalayan plants, zoo has endangered species such as Red Panda

     What are Botanical Gardens?

    • Botanical gardens are institutions that are dedicated to the collection, cultivation, preservation, and display of a wide range of plants, with the aim of promoting public education and awareness of the importance of plants in the ecosystem.
    • These gardens may be associated with universities, museums, or government bodies, and are often open to the public for visitation and education.
    • They are often involved in research, conservation, and horticultural activities, and may collaborate with other botanical gardens around the world to share knowledge and resources.
    • Botanical gardens typically feature a variety of plants from different regions and climates, including rare and endangered species, and may also include features such as greenhouses, herbaria, and educational exhibits.

    Significance of botanical gardens

    • Conservation of plant species: Botanical gardens often maintain collections of rare, threatened, and endangered plant species for conservation purposes. These gardens also serve as a refuge for plants in danger of extinction and work towards their preservation.
    • Scientific research: Botanical gardens play a significant role in scientific research related to plants and their uses. Researchers use the gardens to study the characteristics and behavior of various plant species, their adaptability to different environmental conditions, and their potential uses in medicine, agriculture, and other fields.
    • Education and awareness: Botanical gardens offer an opportunity for the public to learn about plant diversity, conservation, and ecology. They often organize tours, exhibitions, and educational programs to raise awareness about the importance of plants and their role in sustaining life on earth.
    • Recreation and tourism: Botanical gardens are often popular tourist destinations and provide a peaceful and scenic setting for people to relax and enjoy nature. They also offer recreational activities such as hiking, bird watching, and photography.
    • Aesthetic value: Botanical gardens are also valued for their aesthetic beauty and are often designed to showcase different plant species in a visually appealing manner. The gardens often include water features, sculptures, and other artistic elements that enhance their beauty and appeal to visitors.

    Challenges related to botanical gardens in India

    • Maintenance and conservation: Botanical gardens require regular maintenance to ensure that the plants remain healthy and the infrastructure is in good condition. Lack of funding and trained staff can make it difficult to maintain the gardens, leading to deterioration of the plants and infrastructure.
    • Climate change: Climate change is a major challenge for botanical gardens, as it can affect the growth and survival of plants. Changing rainfall patterns, temperature fluctuations, and extreme weather events can all have a negative impact on the plants in the gardens.
    • Invasive species: Invasive species can pose a serious threat to the biodiversity of botanical gardens. These non-native plants can outcompete local species and disrupt the delicate balance of the ecosystem in the garden.
    • Urbanization: Urbanization and the expansion of cities can lead to the destruction of natural habitats and reduce the available space for botanical gardens. It can also lead to increased pollution, which can have negative effects on the plants in the gardens.
    • Lack of public awareness: Many people in India are not aware of the importance of botanical gardens and the role they play in conservation and research. This can make it difficult to raise funds and gain support for the gardens, which can limit their potential impact.

    Way ahead: Steps to conserve botanical gardens in India

    • Conservation measures: The conservation of botanical gardens can be done through various measures, such as preserving rare and endangered plant species, protecting the habitats of various plants, and using sustainable gardening practices.
    • Education and awareness: Education and awareness programs should be conducted to promote the significance of botanical gardens and their role in preserving plant diversity. It can help in spreading the knowledge about the importance of plants, conservation methods, and ecosystem services.
    • Scientific research: Scientific research on plant biology, taxonomy, and ecology can be carried out in botanical gardens. It can help in better understanding the plants and their natural habitat, thus helping in developing better conservation strategies.
    • Sustainable practices: Botanical gardens should adopt sustainable practices, such as the use of eco-friendly materials, rainwater harvesting, and composting, to conserve the environment and reduce carbon footprint.
    • Community participation: Community participation can be encouraged in botanical gardens by organizing various events, such as plant shows, gardening competitions, and nature walks. It can help in creating awareness and generating interest in plant conservation.
    • Collaboration and partnerships: Collaboration and partnerships with various organizations, such as NGOs, research institutions, and government agencies, can help in creating a network for sharing knowledge, resources, and expertise. It can also help in developing new conservation strategies and initiatives.

    Conclusion

    • Given the complex engineering that goes behind the construction and maintenance of a successful garden, botanical gardens today represent a metric of national success, from the perspectives of science, technology, and outreach, just as in the golden ages of this region, dating as far back as the Maurya monarch, Aƛoka, when a botanical garden was a display of prosperity, scientific dispositions, and eclectic administration.
    • In this era of climate change and declining biodiversity, we need every inch of our backyards and elsewhere to nurture native plants and associated living organisms, to remind ourselves and the generations to come of the need to heal our earth through the power of plants.

    Mains Question

    Q. Establish historical association of botanical gardens and discuss its significance along with challenges associated with its conservation.

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