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  • ISRO to attempt 200th consecutively successful launch of RH-200 sounding rocket

    rh-200

    The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has attempted the 200th consecutively successful launch of the Rohini RH-200 sounding rocket from Thumba.

    RH-200 (Rohini )

    • RH-200 is a two-stage rocket capable of climbing to a height of 70 km bearing scientific payloads.
    • The first and second stages of RH-200 are powered by solid motors. The ‘200’ in the name denotes the diameter of the rocket in mm.
    • Other operational Rohini variants are RH-300 Mk-II and RH-560 Mk-III.
    • For years, the RH-200 rocket had used a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based propellant.
    • The first RH-200 to use a new propellant based on hydroxyl-terminated Polybutadiene (HTPB) was successfully flown from the TERLS in September 2020.
    • The first and second stages of RH200 rocket are powered by solid motors.
    • Since inception of RH200 rocket, both solid stages are processed using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based propellant.
    • As compared to PVC based propellants, HTPB based propellant is more energetic, higher mechanical & interface properties and has less defects due to lower processing temperature.

    What basically is a Sounding Rocket?

    • A sounding rocket is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight.
    • The rockets are used to launch instruments from 48 to 145 km above the surface of the Earth, the altitude generally between weather balloons and satellites.
    • The maximum altitude for balloons is about 40 km and the minimum for satellites is approximately 121 km.

    History of sounding rockets in India

    • Sounding rockets have an important place in the ISRO story.
    • The first sounding rocket to be launched from Thumba was the American Nike-Apache — on November 21, 1963.
    • After that, two-stage rockets imported from Russia (M-100) and France (Centaure) were flown. The ISRO launched its own version — Rohini RH-75 — in 1967.
    • The ISRO has launched more than 1,600 RH-200 rockets so far.
    • Currently, the RH200, RH300 MkII and RH560 Mk-III rockets are operational which were developed during the early phase of our journey in rocketry.

     

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  • CDSL: India’s registered share depository

    Certain services at CDSL (Central Depositories Services India Ltd) were disrupted due to a suspected cyber-attack over the weekend.

    What is CDSL?

    • CDSL, or Central Depositories Services India Ltd, is a government-registered share depository, alongside its other state-owned counterpart National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL).
    • It was founded in 1999.
    • It is a Market Infrastructure Institution or MII that is deemed as a crucial part of the capital market structure, providing services to all market participants, including exchanges, clearing corporations, depository participants, issuers and investors.
    • Share depositories hold shares in an electronic or dematerialised form and are an enabler for securities transactions, playing a somewhat similar role to what banks play in handling cash and fixed deposits.
    • While banks help customers keep their cash in electronic form, share depositories help consumers store shares in a dematerialised form.

    Functions of CDSL

    • CDSL facilitates holding and transacting in securities in the electronic form and facilitates settlement of trades done on stock exchanges.
    • These securities include equities, debentures, bonds, Exchange traded Funds (ETFs), units of mutual funds, units of Alternate Investment Funds (AIFs), Certificates of deposit (CDs), commercial papers (CPs), Government Securities (G-Secs), etc.

     

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  • Limiting the Anti-Biotic Pollution and Anti-microbial resistance (AMR)

    Anti-microbial

    Context

    • Almost half, or 43 per cent, of the world’s rivers are contaminated with active pharmaceutical ingredients in concentrations that can have disastrous ramifications on health. The industry must prioritize wastewater management and process controls to limit antibiotic pollution and Anti-microbial resistance (AMR). 18-22 November is observed as World Antimicrobial awareness week.

    What is Anti-microbial resistance (AMR)?

    • Antimicrobial resistance (AMR or AR) is the ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication that once could successfully treat the microbe
    • Antibiotic resistance occurs naturally, but misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals is accelerating the process.
    • A growing number of infections – such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhoea, and salmonellosis – are becoming harder to treat as the antibiotics used to treat them become less effective.
    • It leads to higher medical costs, prolonged hospital stays, and increased mortality.

    Anti-microbial

    Importance of Pharma Industry

    • Important sector of economy: The recently adopted Glasgow Climate Pact has called upon countries to facilitate the adoption of greener technologies to phase out the use of fossil fuels. The development and deployment of such technologies is also critical for the pharmaceutical sector that has formed the backbone of the growth of many economies including India.
    • Improving the health outcomes: The Pharma sector plays a fundamental role in improving health outcomes through the invention of life-saving products.
    • 20% of global supply of medication: Pivoting to sustainable waste management and process-control practices assumes acute significance in the Indian context. India already accounts for 20 per cent of the global supply of medication, making it the largest supplier of generic medicines worldwide.

    Anti-microbial

    Anti-biotic Pollution and Anti-microbial resistance (AMR)

    • Pharmaceutical pollution in the country: Recently, widescale pharmaceutical pollution has been reported across the country, particularly in pharmaceutical hubs like Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
    • Untreated waste release into rivers: The release of untreated effluents into the soil and water bodies add to the pollution of the environment during the manufacturing of various pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics. Further, untreated antibiotic residues also accelerate the build-up of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
    • High emission intensity: Pharma sectors emission intensity is 55 per cent more than the automotive sector.
    • AMR is public health threat: AMR is often dubbed as one of the top 10 public health threats facing humanity. It occurs when disease-causing pathogens develop a resistance against the pharmaceuticals that could have neutralized them. In 2019, AMR accounted for more than half a million deaths in the European region and about five million globally.
    • Accumulation of AMR in ecosystem: The build-up of AMR can happen due to several factors across the human, animal, and environmental ecosystems.

    Government policies to prevent Anti-biotic pollution in India

    • National Action Plan on AMR (NAP-AMR): India’s production capacity is all set to expand further with the government’s recent impetus on the domestic production of pharmaceuticals. Against this background, the country’s National Action Plan on AMR (NAP-AMR) called for limiting pharmaceutical pollution.
    • Surveillance of residues discharged: Strategic Pillars 2 and 3 under the NAP-AMR focused on developing frameworks for the surveillance of residues discharged in the environment and developing a plan to reduce the environmental impact on AMR, respectively. However, this policy impetus is yet to translate into on-ground implementation.
    • Benefits to manufacturers with greener practices: The government can take a cue from countries like the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden and Germany, among others, which have policies in place that provide benefits to manufacturers with greener practices.

    How pharmaceutical industry can improve its waste management?

    • Use of innovative technologies: Adopting innovative technology and self-regulation can help the industry reduce its carbon footprint and minimize its environmental impact.
    • State-of-art API technology: Centrient Pharmaceuticals Netherlands BV’s plant at Toansa, Punjab, where the adoption of state-of-art API technology led to a 60-62 per cent reduction in the plant’s carbon footprint.
    • Regulating the discharge: The AMR Industry Alliance (AMRIA) has developed the Predicted No-Effect Concentrations (PNEC) criteria further to facilitate the industry in regulating its discharge of effluents.
    • Strict compliance of guidelines: The compliance to PNEC value for Centrist’s oral API product line and supply chain has helped the company reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing.

    Conclusion

    • The containment of AMR in India is crucial for realizing several policy goals, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. While collective action is needed from various stakeholders, the domestic pharmaceutical industry should also take the lead, especially in limiting antibiotic pollution.

    Mains Question

    Q. Explain the linkages between Anti-biotic pollution and anti-microbial resistance (AMR). How government and pharma industry join the hands to reduce the anti-biotic pollution?

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  • India’s Soft Loans to neighbours up to $15 billion

    The volume of India’s soft loans to neighboring countries has increased from about $3 billion to almost $15 billion in the last eight years.

    What are Soft Loans?

    • A soft loan is a loan with no interest or a below-market rate of interest.
    • Also known as “soft financing” or “concessional funding,” soft loans have lenient terms such as-
    1. Namesake interest rate
    2. Extended grace periods in which only interest or service charges are due
    3. Interest holidays
    4. Long tenure up to 50 years
    • Soft loans are often made by multinational development banks such as the Asian Development Fund affiliates of the World Bank etc.

    Why are soft loans popular?

    • Diplomatic tool: Soft loans are often offered not only as a way to support developing nations but also to form economic and political ties with them.
    • Economic benefit: Nations exchange credit in return of some important resources.
    • Geopolitics: Soft loans have been an important diplomatic tool to sustain political influence in the neighborhood and beyond as well as counter the growing Chinese presence, especially in Africa.

    Pros and cons of Soft Loans

    • Pro: Breaks for Business– Soft loans offer favorable business opportunities.
    • Con: Shaky Returns– The length of time it may take to repay a soft loan could mean the lender is tied to the borrower for an extended number of years.

    Did India take any soft loan?

    • For instance, in 2015, Japan offered a soft loan to India to cover 80% of the cost for a $15 billion fund a bullet train project at a less than 1% interest rate.
    • This was done with the caveat that India would purchase 30% of the equipment for the project from Japanese companies.
    • By the time the countries signed a formal agreement, Japan’s commitment increased to 85% of the cost, in the form of soft loans, for a then-estimated $19 billion project cost.

    Using soft loans as a diplomatic tool

    • The amount of development assistance India has offered to other nations in 2019-20 was more than twice what it had extended in 2011-12.
    • However, such loans have usually gone to countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America that are lower down the economic strength ladder.
    • India has extended a total of $27.8 billion in lines of credit since 2002-03.

    Conclusion

    • Extending development assistance is nothing new for India and about half of the foreign ministry’s budget is made up of grants and loans to foreign governments, especially India’s neighbours.
    • For a country that for long had to rely on international loans to meet key development goals, India understands the diplomatic value of providing a helping hand.

     

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  • 67% drop in PM-KISAN pay-out in 3 years

    pm kisan

    The number of farmers who received the 11th installment of funds from the Prime Minister’s Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) had fallen by 67%.

    What is PM-KISAN?

    • The PM-KISAN Yojana is a government scheme through which, all small and marginal farmers will get up to Rs 6,000 per year as minimum income support.
    • It is a Central Sector scheme with 100% funding from GoI. It has become operational since 1st December 2018.
    • Under the PM-KISAN scheme, all landholding farmers’ families shall be provided with the financial benefit of Rs. 6000 per annum per family payable in three equal instalments of Rs. 2000 each, every four months.
    • The definition of the family for the scheme is husband, wife, and minor children.
    • State Government and UT administration will identify the farmer families which are eligible for support as per scheme guidelines.
    • The fund will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

    Note: Aadhaar was made optional for availing the first instalment (December 2018 – March 2019). But now it is mandatory.

    Who are NOT eligible for PM-KISAN?

    The following categories of beneficiaries of higher economic status shall not be eligible for benefit under the scheme.

    • All Institutional Landholders

    Farmer families that belong to one or more of the following categories:

    • Former and present holders of constitutional posts
    • Former and present Ministers/ State Ministers and former/present Members of Lok Sabha/ Rajya Sabha/ State Legislative Assemblies/ State Legislative Councils, former and present Mayors of Municipal Corporations, former and present Chairpersons of District Panchayats.
    • All serving or retired officers and employees of Central/ State Government Ministries
    • All superannuated/retired pensioners whose monthly pension is Rs.10,000/-or more. (Excluding Multi-Tasking Staff / Class IV/Group D employees) of the above category
    • All Persons who paid Income Tax in the last assessment year
    • Professionals like Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, and Architects registered with Professional bodies and carrying out the profession by undertaking practices.

    Note: It is not so easy to remember all such exclusions. But one must be able to recognize them by applying pure logic and thumb rule. This can be well understood from the PYQ given.

    Plus, West Bengal is yet to implement the PM-KISAN scheme while the farmers have completed their registrations!

    Why in news?

    Ans. Fall in number of beneficiaries

    • PM Kisan was one of the largest Director Benefits Transfer schemes in the world and certain higher income categories of farmer families were excluded from the benefits.
    • But 67% reduction in overall beneficiaries clearly points to exclusion of eligible beneficiaries too.
    • Only about three crore farmers in India had received all the 11 instalments.

    How are states responsible?

    • The responsibility of maintaining the data of beneficiaries, remained with the States.
    • The Scheme extensively uses digital technologies to verify eligibility of farmers.
    • States/ UTs upload the data of eligible farmers after verification of the farmers, in terms of eligibility and exclusion criterion prescribed under the scheme.
    • The data of farmers so uploaded by States goes through several validations, through the portals of UIDAI, PFMS, Income Tax Portal and NPCI.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Under the Kisan Credit Card Scheme, short-term credit support is given to farmers for which of the following purposes? (CSP 2020)

    1. Working capital for maintenance of farm assets
    2. Purchase of combine harvesters, tractors and mini trucks
    3. Consumption requirements of farm households
    4. Construction of family house and setting up of village cold storage facility
    5. Construction of family house and setting up of village cold storage facility

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    (a) 1,2 and 5 only

    (b) 1,3 and 4 only

    (c) 2,3,4 and 5 only

    (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

     

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  • A&N’s first application for GI tag for the Nicobari Hodi Craft

    hodi

    The Geographical Indications Registry at Chennai, has received an application from the Tribal Development Council, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, seeking the GI tag for the Nicobari hodi craft.

    Why in news?

    About Nicobari Hodi Craft

    • The hodi is the Nicobari tribe’s traditional craft.
    • It is an outrigger canoe, very commonly operated in the Nicobar group of islands.
    • The hodi is built using either locally available trees or from nearby islands, and its design varies slightly from island to island.
    • Hodis are used for transporting people and goods from one island to another, for sending coconuts, for fishing and racing purposes.
    • The tuhet, a group of families under a headman, consider the hodi an asset.
    • Hodi races are held between islands and villages.
    • The technical skills for building a hodi are based on indigenous knowledge inherited by the Nicobarese from their forefathers.

    How many GI tags have been accorded so far?

    • The Geographical Indications Registry, established in Chennai in September 2003, has received over 1,000 applications.
    • An application seeking GI tag for the Banaras’ thandai (a beverage made with milk, dry fruits and spices) was the 1,000th application.
    • Data shows that, as on date, around 1,015 applications have been filed at the Chennai office and of them, GI tags have been given to 422 products.

    Back2Basics:  Geographical Indication

    • A GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
    • Nodal Agency: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry
    • India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 w.e.f. September 2003.
    • GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.
    • The tag stands valid for 10 years.

     

     

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  • Everything you need to know about ‘Friendshoring’

    friendshoring

    In her visit to India last week, US secretary of treasury Janet Yellen reiterated her country’s stance of pushing for “friendshoring” to diversify away from countries that present geopolitical risk.

    What is Friendshoring?

    • Friendshoring is a strategy where a country sources the raw materials, components and even manufactured goods from countries that share its values.
    • The dependence on the countries considered a “threat” to the stability of the supply chains is slowly reduced.
    • It is also called “allyshoring”.
    • Apple’s announcement to shift its iPhone manufacturing facilities from China to India.

    US push for friendshoring

    • In the current case, Yellen said that Russia has long presented itself as a reliable energy partner, but in the Ukraine war, Putin has weaponized the gas “against the people of Europe”.
    • Another country Yellen mentioned in her speech was China.
    • She said it currently controls over 80 per cent of global solar panel production.
    • However, there are reports that in parts of the country, like Xinjiang, the production of panels takes place through forced labour.

    Issues with friendshoring

    • Friendshoring may push the world towards a more isolated place for trade and reverse the gains of globalisation.
    • It is a part of the “deglobalisation” process.
    • While moving supply chains away from East Asia could increase security in the long run, an ill-conceived implementation of this friendshoring strategy could result in price hikes and a stronger China over time.

     

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  • Hwasong-17: North Korea’s new ‘monster missile’

    hwasong

    North Korea said it test-fired its massive new Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

    Hwasong-17  

    • The Hwasong-17 is nuclear-armed North Korea’s biggest missile yet, and is the largest road-mobile, liquid-fuelled ICBM in the world.
    • Its diameter is estimated to be between 2.4 and 2.5 metres, and its total mass, when fully fuelled, is likely somewhere between 80,000 and 110,000 kg.
    • Unlike North Korea’s earlier ICBMs, the Hwasong-17 is launched directly from a transporter, erector, and launcher (TEL) vehicle with 11 axles, photos by state media showed.

    How far can it fly?

    • The missile launched on Friday flew nearly 1,000 km (621 miles) for about 69 minutes and reached a maximum altitude of 6,041 km.
    • The weapon could travel as far as 15,000 km (9,320 miles), enough to reach the continental United States.

    What is North Korea trying to demonstrate with the missile launches?

    • North Korea is wary of joint drills between the US and South Korea and believes them to be a rehearsal for invasion and proof of hostile policies.
    • Notably, Pyongyang’s record launches this year began even before military exercises between the allies, one also involving Japan.
    • While it says it is responding to the “provocative” drills, some analysts believe that Kim Jong-un must be setting the stage for something bigger— the resumption of nuclear testing after five years.
    • Pyongyang may also be showcasing its pre-emptive abilities in response to South Korea’s own pre-emptive “kill chain” strategy.

    Failure of diplomacy

    • North Korea pulled out of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) in January 2003 and has conducted six nuclear tests so far since 2006.
    • Diplomatic talks have been starting and halting over the past two decades.
    • The Six-Party Talks involving South and North Korea, China, Japan, Russia, and the United States, started in 2003, have since stalled with changing geopolitical dynamics.
    • Former U.S. President Donald Trump met with Kim Jong-un thrice between 2018 and 2019 but talks broke down and resulted in more sanctions from the West and increased testing by Pyongyang.
    • The Joe Biden administration did make attempts to restart talks, and North Korea has not seemed keen either.

     

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  • Pensionary benefits for Women in combat

    Combat

    Context

    • The Supreme Court recently directed the Centre and the Indian Air Force to consider granting Permanent Commission to 32 retired women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers based on their suitability with the purpose of giving them pensionary benefits. The SC has, however, clarified that the retired women officers will only be considered for pension benefits and not salary arrears.

    Background

    • The military opened its doors to women in 1992 when the Air Force inducted its first batch.
    • The landmark judgment came in which Justice Kishan Kaul (then with the High Court of Delhi) had hoped that “with expanding horizon of women’s participation in different walks of life, the armed forces would be encouraged to have larger participation of women in more areas of operation.”

    combat

    The case of women inducted into short service

    • The 32 retired women officers were inducted into short service commission between 1993 and 1998.
    • Though they were not granted permanent commission, their service was extended by six years and then then again for another four years.

    Another Important verdict

    • In a landmark verdict on February 17, 2020, the top court had directed that women officers in the Army be granted permanent commission, rejecting the Centre’s stand on their “physiological limitations” as being based on “sex stereotypes” and “gender discrimination against women”

    combat

    Permanent Commission (PC) Vs. Short Service Commission (SSC)

    • SSC means an officer’s career will be of a limited period in the Indian Armed Forces whereas a PC means they shall continue to serve in the Indian Armed Forces, till they retire.
    • The officers inducted through the SSC usually serve for a period of 14 years. At the end of 10 years, the officers have three options.
    • A PC entitles an officer to serve in the Navy till he/she retires unlike SSC, which is currently for 10 years and can be extended by four more years, or a total of 14 years.
    • They can either select for a PC or opt-out or have the option of a 4-years extension.
    • They can resign at any time during this period of 4 years extension.

    Why males have ever dominated the armed forces?

    • Militaries across the world help entrench hegemonic masculine notions of aggressiveness, strength and heterosexual prowess in and outside their barracks.
    • The military training focuses on creating new bonds of brotherhood and camaraderie between them based on militarized masculinity.
    • This temperament is considered in order to enable conscripts to survive the tough conditions of military life and to be able to kill without guilt.
    • To create these new bonds, militaries construct a racial, sexual, gendered “other”, attributes of whom the soldier must routinely and emphatically reject.

    combat

    Struggle of women in combat role

    • Gender parity in forces still needs a relook: Though women have been in the forces since 1992 all roles and career options are not offered to them. Women have been allowed in combat in the Air Force, but we are yet to see women in combat roles in the army and navy.
    • Battle of acceptance: Acceptance of women in the military has not been smooth in any country. Every army has to mould the attitude of its society at large and male soldiers in particular to enhance acceptability of women in the military.
    • Adjusting with the masculine set up: To then simply add women to this existing patriarchal setup, without challenging the notions of masculinity, can hardly be seen as “gender advancement”.
    • Capabilities of women are questioned: Although women are equally capable, if not more capable than men, there might be situations that could affect the capabilities of women such as absence during pregnancy and catering to the responsibilities of motherhood, etc.
    • Physical and Physiological Issues: The natural physical differences in stature, strength, and body composition between the sexes make women more vulnerable to certain types of injuries and medical problems. The natural processes of menstruation and pregnancy make women particularly vulnerable in combat situations.

    Conclusion

    • Women have been allowed in combat in the Air Force, but we are yet to see women in combat roles in the army and navy. Even though women have been in the forces since 1992 all roles and career options are not offered to them. Women in combat have still to fight for the equal opportunities and equal treatment.

    Mains Question

    Q. The Indian Army has sought to induct women into combat roles but equality remains a challenge on many fronts. Critically analyze.

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  • Addressing the Leakages in PDS in the light of PMGKAY

    PMGKAY

    Context

    • The government of India extended Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), a scheme to distribute free food grains to the poor, for another three months. However, issues of food grain leakages remains unaddressed.

    Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)

    • PM-GKAY: Launched during COVID-19 crisis to provided food security to the poor, needy and the vulnerable households/beneficiaries so that they do not suffer on account of non-availability of adequate foodgrains. Under PMGKAY, effectively it has doubled the quantity of monthly foodgrains entitlements being normally delivered to beneficiaries.
    • Benefits: Under PMGKAY welfare scheme, 5 kg of food grain per person per month is provided free of cost for all the beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) including those covered under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
    • Financial Expenditure: Financial implication for the Government of India has been about 3.45 Lakh Crore for Phase-VI of PMGKAY. With the additional expenditure of about Rs. 44,762 Crore for Phase-VII of this scheme, the overall expenditure of PMGKAY will be about Rs. 3.91 lakh crore for all the phases.
    • Grain Allotment: The total outgo in terms of food grains for PMGKAY Phase VII is likely to be about 122 LMT. Food grain for phases I- VII is about 1121 LMT.
    • Implementation: PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) has been implemented in the following phases –
    1. Phase I and II (8 months): April’20 to Nov.’20
    2. Phase-III to V (11 months): May’21 to March’22
    3. Phase-VI (6 months): April’22 to Sept.’22

    PMGKAY

    Impact of the PMGKY scheme

    • Ensuring food security and public health: Policymakers and experts concede that the scheme made a difference to food security and public health during the pandemic.
    • IMF commended the scheme: Be it the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food and Public Distribution or the authors of an IMF-published working paper, “Pandemic, Poverty, and Inequality: Evidence from India” (April 2022), the scheme has received commendation.
    • Absorbing the shock in the pandemic: The working paper concluded that “the social safety net provided by the expansion of India’s food subsidy program absorbed a major part of the pandemic shock.”

    Why the experts are suggesting the study of PMGKY?

    • Rationalizing the budget: To keep the budgetary allocation under control, rules on quota for rice or wheat can be changed suitably.
    • Checking the diversion of Funds: While it is all right to provide foodgrains free during the pandemic, the central and State authorities need to ponder over the scheme’s continuance, given the chronic problem of diversion from the Public Distribution System (PDS).
    • Combing the Centre and state subsidy: In many States, including West Bengal, Kerala and Karnataka, the 50 kg is free. In Tamil Nadu, for over 10 years, rice-drawing card holders have been getting rice free.

    PMGKAY

    How the transparent study of PMGKY will help in leakage detection?

    • Updating the database of beneficiary: Study should be the basis for updating the database of foodgrain-drawing card holders, scrutinising the data critically and zeroing in on the needy.
    • Automation of PDS: The task should not be onerous, given the widespread application of technological tools in the PDS such as Aadhaar, automation of fair price shops and capturing of the biometric data of beneficiaries.
    • Estimation of PHH: Using this database, the Centre and States can decide whether the size of the Priority Households (PHH) nearly 71 crores, can be pruned or not.
    • Reasonable price to avoid freebies culture: In addition, if they feel the need to go beyond the mandate of the NFSA, as is being done under the PMGKAY, they can supply the foodgrains at a reasonable price. The culture of providing essential commodities free of cost at the drop of a hat has to go.

    Conclusion

    • PMGKY has helped the needy in people in the dark period of pandemic. However, with good intention of government food grain leakages of PDS couldn’t be stopped. Transparent study of will certainly help in leakage detection and more targeted delivery.

    Mains Question

    Q. Schemes of food security are always with good intentions; However, lack of transparency and leakages disturbs targeted delivery. Discuss the measures to ensure the last mile delivery of food grains.

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