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Foreign Policy Watch: India-United States

[6th Spetember 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: India’s Strategic autonomy in a multipolar world

op-ed snap | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Effect Of Policies & Politics Of World On India'S Interests

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2014] With respect to the South China Sea, maritime territorial disputes and rising tension affairs the need for safeguarding maritime security to ensure freedom of navigation and even flight throughout the region. In this context, discuss the bilateral issues between India and China.

Linkage: India’s stance on the South China Sea highlights strategic autonomy — upholding freedom of navigation under UNCLOS while resisting China’s expansive claims. Bilateral tensions persist, from border clashes (2020) to disputes over India’s oil exploration with Vietnam in contested waters. Yet, India balances deterrence through the Quad and cooperation via BRICS/SCO, reflecting a cautious but autonomous approach.

Mentor’s comment

Strategic autonomy is more than just a diplomatic catchphrase for India, it is the lifeline of its foreign policy in an era of multipolar flux. As India seeks to balance ties with the United States, China, and Russia, while also positioning itself as the voice of the Global South, the concept is no longer theoretical but a daily practice. For UPSC aspirants, understanding this evolving doctrine is essential to connect historical continuities with present-day challenges of geopolitics, economy, and technology.

Introduction

Strategic autonomy, once confined to the academic realm of international relations, has become a core principle of India’s foreign policy. Rooted in India’s colonial history and first institutionalized through Nehru’s Non-Alignment Movement, it has today evolved into a doctrine of multi-alignment, pragmatism, and resilience. In a world where U.S. unipolarity is waning, China is rising, and Russia is recalibrating its global role, India faces both opportunities and constraints. The essence of strategic autonomy lies in navigating this turbulent multipolarity while safeguarding sovereignty, growth, and global aspirations.

The Evolution and Relevance of Strategic Autonomy

  1. Historical roots: Emerged from India’s colonial subjugation and Nehru’s vision of non-alignment.
  2. Cold War practice: Balanced ties with both blocs while retaining independence.
  3. Contemporary shift: Modi-era “multi-alignment” emphasizes flexibility with powers like the U.S., Russia, and China.
  4. Core principle: Not isolationism but adaptability in safeguarding national interests.

How the Global Order Shapes India’s Autonomy

  1. Fragmented multipolarity: Decline of U.S. dominance, rise of China, Russia’s revisionism, and West’s internal divisions.
  2. Volatility in partnerships: U.S. unpredictability under Trump strained trade ties and increased pressure on India over Russia.
  3. Fluid environment: India must recalibrate ties to secure territorial integrity, economic growth, and regional stability.

India’s Engagement with the United States

  1. Deepened partnership: Defence cooperation, intelligence sharing, joint exercises, and technology transfers.
  2. New initiatives: Quad, Indo-Pacific dialogues, I2U2, and IMEC reflecting shared concerns about China.
  3. Friction points: Trade tariffs, sanctions, and pressure to reduce Russia ties.
  4. India’s stance: Balanced engagement, cooperative yet assertively independent.

India’s Balancing Act with China

  1. Security challenge: Border clashes of 2020 ended the façade of benign coexistence.
  2. Dual reality: China remains India’s major trading partner despite tensions.
  3. Strategic response: Strengthened border infrastructure, deepened Indo-Pacific ties, and indigenous defence push.
  4. Diplomatic engagement: Continued participation in BRICS, SCO to balance rivalry with dialogue.

India’s Enduring Partnership with Russia

  1. Historical solidarity: Long-standing defence cooperation rooted in Cold War ties.
  2. Ukraine conflict test: Continued oil imports and weapons purchases despite Western criticism.
  3. Autonomous approach: Diversification of defence imports without abandoning Russia.
  4. Core principle: Refusal to choose sides in binary contests.

Strategic Autonomy in the Global South Context

  1. Voice of the Global South: Asserted during India’s G20 presidency in 2023.
  2. India’s stance: “Non-West” but not “anti-West”, balancing pragmatism with plural democracy.
  3. Resonance abroad: Other rising powers too seek agency, not vassalage, in global politics.

Domestic and Technological Dimensions of Autonomy

  1. Internal constraints: Political polarisation, economic vulnerabilities, institutional weaknesses.
  2. Modern domains: Cyber threats, AI warfare, space competition, data sovereignty.
  3. Recent steps: Indigenous platforms, critical minerals security, global tech governance participation.

Conclusion

Strategic autonomy is not about standing alone, but about standing tall. It requires balancing ties with major powers, investing in national capacity, and adapting to new-age domains of competition. India’s rise as a sovereign pole in the multipolar order rests on maintaining autonomy without succumbing to bloc politics. The essence is not isolation, but resilience, the art of walking the tightrope with clarity, confidence, and conviction.

Value Addition

Definition of Strategic Autonomy

General Definition:

  • Strategic autonomy is a nation’s ability to pursue independent foreign and security policies, making sovereign decisions without being bound by external pressures, alliances, or blocs.
  • MEA perspective: It is about “maximizing national interest through diversified engagements” — not neutrality, not isolation, but flexibility and resilience.

Evolution of Strategic Autonomy in India

  • Colonial Context: India’s colonial past created a deep-rooted desire to preserve independence in foreign policy.
  • Nehruvian Non-Alignment (1950s–1970s)
    • Core principle: India would not align with any Cold War bloc.
    • 1955 Bandung Conference and NAM (1961 Belgrade) institutionalized this vision.
    • Quote (Nehru, 1946): “We propose, so far as we can, to keep away from the power politics of groups, aligned against one another.”
  • Indira Gandhi Era (1970s–1980s)
    • Tilt towards USSR (1971 Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation).
    • Still claimed non-alignment, but practice became more pragmatic.
  • Post-Cold War Recalibration (1990s–2000s)
    • Unipolar U.S.-dominated world; India liberalised economy and sought closer U.S. ties while keeping Russia engaged.
    • “Strategic autonomy” re-emerged as India avoided being a U.S. ally despite growing partnership.
  • 21st Century: Multi-Alignment
    • India now engages multiple powers simultaneously: U.S. (Quad, I2U2, IMEC), Russia (defence, energy), China (BRICS, SCO), EU (trade), Global South (voice in G20).
    • Current doctrine: “Autonomy through diversification”, maintaining flexibility across issues.

Multi-Alignment in India’s Foreign Policy

  • Overview: Instead of non-alignment (staying out of blocs), India today practices multi-alignment — engaging with all major powers, often simultaneously, without exclusive commitment.
  • Examples:
    • Quad (U.S., Japan, Australia, India) → Indo-Pacific security.
    • BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) → financial/strategic cooperation.
    • SCO (Russia, China, Central Asia) → security & regional stability.
    • I2U2 (India, Israel, UAE, U.S.) → technology, infrastructure, food security.
    • IMEC → new economic corridor connecting India–Middle East–Europe.

Key Quotes for Value Addition

  • Jawaharlal Nehru (1946): “We propose, so far as we can, to keep away from the power politics of groups, aligned against one another.” (Origin of non-alignment).
  • Atal Bihari Vajpayee (2003, as PM): “India and the United States may disagree on some issues, but as sovereign countries, we have the right to pursue our national interests.” (Strategic autonomy in U.S. ties).
  • Dr. Manmohan Singh (2005, PM): “Our strategic autonomy does not mean isolation. It means engaging all major powers on equal terms.”
  • S. Jaishankar (External Affairs Minister):
    • “Multi-alignment is the call of the day. Strategic autonomy in today’s multipolar world means engaging America, Russia, China, Europe, and others — each on its own merit.”
    • “Partnerships must be based on interests, not sentiment, not inherited obligations.”
    • “We are non-West, but not anti-West.” (G20 context, 2023).
  • Shivshankar Menon (Former NSA & diplomat):
    • “Strategic autonomy is not a slogan. It is the art of being flexible in a world where alliances are rigid, and sovereignty is contested.”
    • “For India, autonomy lies in not choosing sides but choosing our interests.”

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Disasters and Disaster Management – Sendai Framework, Floods, Cyclones, etc.

Why Punjab keeps flooding

Explained | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Disaster Management

Introduction

Punjab, often called the “food bowl of India,” is paradoxically one of the most flood-prone states in the country. Drained by three perennial rivers, the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej, along with seasonal tributaries and hill streams, Punjab has historically thrived on its fertile floodplains. Yet, the very rivers that make its land abundant also bring recurring devastation. The 2025 floods, among the worst in recent memory, have once again underlined the dual challenge of geography and governance. With 3.8 lakh people affected, 11.7 lakh hectares of farmland destroyed, and 43 lives lost, the floods highlight not just natural vulnerability but also systemic mismanagement.

Why Punjab’s Floods Are Back in the Spotlight

Punjab is currently experiencing one of the most destructive floods in decades, with unprecedented rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, J&K, and Punjab itself swelling rivers beyond capacity. What makes this year’s floods significant is the scale: all 23 districts have been declared flood-hit, and the breach of Madhopur barrage gates has worsened devastation. While heavy rains are not new, institutional failures, especially in dam management by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), and delayed warnings have amplified the crisis, making the situation worse than previous floods of 1955, 1988, 1993, 2019, and 2023.

Rivers as Both Boon and Bane

  1. Three perennial rivers – Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej traverse Punjab, carrying immense alluvium and making the state highly fertile.
  2. Seasonal rivers and choes – Rivers like Ghaggar and hill streams add to Punjab’s complex hydrology.
  3. Agricultural abundance – Punjab produces nearly 20% of India’s wheat and 12% of its rice, despite occupying only 1.5% of landmass.
  4. Recurring floods – Heavy monsoons, particularly in upstream catchments (Himachal and J&K), frequently overwhelm dhussi bundhs (earthen embankments), as seen in 1955, 1988, 1993, 2019, 2023, and now 2025.

Why Do Dams Intensify Flooding

  1. Upstream dams – Bhakra (Sutlej), Pong (Beas), and Thein/Ranjit Sagar (Ravi) play a central role in regulating river flow.
  2. Rule curve dilemma – The BBMB maintains high reservoir levels in July–August for irrigation and power, leaving little cushion for sudden heavy inflows.
  3. Sudden releases – Emergency releases during extreme rainfall cause flash floods downstream, as seen with Pong dam’s unprecedented 20% higher inflows than 2023.
  4. Governance issue – Punjab feels marginalized in BBMB decisions, especially after 2022 rule changes allowing all-India officers to head the Board.

Human Factors Worsening the Crisis

  1. Barrage failures – On August 26, two gates of the Madhopur barrage collapsed after Thein dam releases, flooding Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar.
  2. Weak embankments – Illegal mining has eroded dhussi bundhs, reducing their ability to withstand pressure.
  3. Poor coordination – Lack of communication between upstream and downstream departments delayed gate operations.
  4. Neglected desilting – Experts estimate that ₹4,000–5,000 crore investment in desilting and embankment strengthening could prevent far greater losses.

Larger Governance Failures

  1. BBMB’s narrow mandate – Prioritizes irrigation and power, neglecting flood management.
  2. Delayed warnings – Punjab officials allege sudden releases with little time for evacuation.
  3. Political tensions – Punjab’s Water Resources Minister accused the Centre of ignoring Punjab’s plight.
  4. Environmentalists’ view – Experts stress that flood cushions, transparent decision-making, and scientific dam operations are essential to prevent repeated tragedies.

Conclusion

Punjab’s floods are not just a story of heavy rain but of fragile governance structures. Nature may trigger floods, but poor dam management, illegal mining, weak embankments, and lack of timely communication convert them into disasters. Strengthening embankments, enforcing transparent dam operations, and giving Punjab a greater role in BBMB are urgent needs. Unless governance catches up with geography, Punjab will continue to oscillate between abundance and devastation.

UPSC Relevance

[UPSC 2024] Flooding in urban areas is an emerging climate-induced disaster. Discuss the causes of this disaster. Mention the features of two such major floods in the last two decades in India. Describe the policies and frameworks in India that aim at tackling such floods.

Linkage: The Punjab floods of 2025 mirror the challenges of urban floods like Mumbai (2005) and Chennai (2015), where extreme rainfall combined with poor drainage, unplanned construction, and dam mismanagement turned heavy rain into catastrophe. Frameworks like the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Sendai Framework (2015–30), and National Disaster Management Plan (2019) provide guiding structures, yet governance lapses and weak local preparedness continue to make both rural and urban areas equally vulnerable to flooding.

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A new leaf- environmental compliance needs to be monitored at all levels

Explained | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

Introduction

India’s environmental regulation has long suffered from weak enforcement due to manpower and capacity deficits. The Environment Audit Rules, 2025 seek to fix this by authorising private accredited auditors to monitor compliance, ensuring industries and companies adhere to environmental norms and emerging frameworks like carbon accounting and green credits.

Why in the News

The rules are significant because, for the first time, private agencies have been formally allowed to audit environmental compliance, a task previously limited to statutory boards. This shift addresses the chronic resource crunch in pollution control authorities and ties compliance to future-ready mechanisms such as the Green Credit Rules.

The Expanding Framework of Environmental Monitoring

  1. Current institutional structure: Supported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Regional Offices of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), and the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs).
  2. Persistent limitations: Severe shortage of manpower, resources, capacity, and infrastructure has hampered effective monitoring.
  3. Press statement: The Ministry itself acknowledged that these deficits weaken enforcement across “the vast number of projects and industries operating nationwide.”

The Role of Private Environmental Auditors

  1. Accreditation system: Private agencies can now get licensed as environmental auditors.
  2. Comparable to Chartered Accountants: Much like financial auditors, they will assess compliance with environmental laws and best practices in pollution abatement.
  3. Wider application: Their audits will also be relevant for emerging frameworks such as the Green Credit Rules.

Integrating Green Credit and Carbon Accounting

  1. Green Credit Rules: Individuals and organisations can earn tradeable credits for activities such as afforestation, water conservation, and waste management.
  2. Corporate responsibility: Companies must now account for direct and indirect carbon emissions, requiring sophisticated auditing frameworks.
  3. Gap in state capacity: SPCBs are not equipped to handle complex emission accounting, hence the shift towards specialised auditors.

Risks of Diluting Core Responsibilities

  1. Neglect at the grassroots: Environmental violations are often most blatant at district, block, and panchayat levels.
  2. Lack of trained staff: Local monitoring agencies remain understaffed and undertrained, allowing many violations to go unchecked.
  3. Need for empowerment: Any new regime must strengthen, not sideline, grassroots institutions.

Future of Environmental Regulation in India

  1. Beyond policing: Environmental regulation is no longer about enforcement alone but about aligning with global climate goals.
  2. Preparing for the future: Systems must adapt to integrate climate accounting, sustainability audits, and market-based mechanisms like credits.
  3. Balancing act: New reforms must bridge manpower deficits without undermining accountability.

Conclusion

The Environment Audit Rules, 2025 represent a decisive shift in India’s environmental governance by institutionalising private auditing in compliance monitoring. While this can bridge long-standing deficits in manpower and expertise, the real test lies in ensuring grassroots empowerment and preventing dilution of State responsibility. Environmental protection cannot be outsourced entirely; instead, it must evolve into a multi-stakeholder responsibility that balances accountability, innovation, and inclusivity.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2013]: Enumerate the National Water Policy of India. Taking river Ganges as an example, discuss the strategies which may be adopted for river water pollution control and management. What are the legal provisions for management and handling of hazardous wastes in India?

Linkage: The UPSC 2013 question on National Water Policy, Ganga pollution control, and hazardous waste laws links well with the Environment Audit Rules, 2025, as both highlight the gap between legal provisions and effective enforcement. The new rules strengthen monitoring by accrediting private auditors, addressing the chronic manpower deficits that plagued river pollution and waste management efforts. They represent an evolution from mere policy frameworks to robust compliance mechanisms.

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Internal Security Architecture Shortcomings – Key Forces, NIA, IB, CCTNS, etc.

Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap (TPCR-2025)

Prelims Only | Security Issues | Mains Paper 3: External State & Non-State Actors: Challenges To Internal Security.

Why in the News?

The Ministry of Defence has released the Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap 2025 (TPCR-2025), a 15-year blueprint for military preparedness and modernization.

About Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap (TPCR-2025):

  • Overview: A strategic modernization blueprint released by the Ministry of Defence to guide India’s Armed Forces for the next 10–15 years.
  • Scope: Covers tri-services for multi-domain operations across land, sea, air, cyber, and space.
  • Industry Role: Provides clear requirements to defence industry, MSMEs, and start-ups to focus R&D, manufacturing, and innovation.
  • Policy Alignment: Linked to Atmanirbhar Bharat, reducing import dependence and strengthening indigenous production.
  • Objective: Ensure forces remain technologically competitive, prepared for emerging threats, and resilient in a dynamic security environment.

Key Features of TPCR-2025:

  • Nuclear & CBRN Preparedness: Strengthening nuclear command systems, survivability infrastructure, radiation detection, decontamination units, unmanned CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) vehicles.
  • Drones & Unmanned Systems: Development of stealth drones (range 1,500 km, altitude 60,000 ft), AI-enabled loitering munitions, anti-drone EW bubbles.
  • Electronic & Cyber Warfare: Deployment of advanced jammers, EW payloads, info-dominance systems, and readiness for cyber and space warfare.
  • Service Modernization:
    • Army: New tanks, light tanks, UAV-launched PGMs, electromagnetic weapons.
    • Navy: New destroyers, corvettes, mine vessels, nuclear-powered warships, third aircraft carrier.
    • Air Force: Stratospheric airships, long-range cruise missiles, hardened PGMs.
  • Implementation: Regular industry–services consultations, engagement with MSMEs and start-ups, periodic updates.

Significance:

  • Serves as a capability roadmap for long-term defence planning.
  • Strengthens domestic defence ecosystem.
  • Ensures future combat readiness in multi-domain operations.
[UPSC 2020] In India, why are some nuclear reactors kept under “IAEA safeguards” while others are not?

Options: (a) Some use uranium and others use thorium

(b) Some use imported uranium and others use domestic supplies

(c) Some are operated by foreign enterprises and others are operated by domestic enterprises

(d) Some are State-owned and others are privately owned *

 

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Nuclear Energy

Thunderbird Reactor and Cold Fusion Research (2025)

Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

Why in the News?

Cold fusion reaction, once dismissed after failed 1989 claims, is back in discussion as US-based researchers report neutron production from their small “Thunderbird Reactor.”

Thunderbird Reactor and Cold Fusion Research (2025)

What is Cold Fusion Reaction?

  • Overview: A proposed way to achieve nuclear fusion at room temperature, unlike conventional fusion which needs extremely high heat (100 million °C or more).
  • How it started: In 1989, two chemists, Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons, said their palladium-heavy water experiment created more heat than normal chemistry allows.
  • Problem: Other scientists could not reproduce the result. No clear evidence of fusion products (like neutrons or helium) was found. The claim was dismissed, but the idea stayed alive.
  • Why interest remains: If proven, cold fusion could provide limitless, clean, and cheap energy. Research in this area is now called Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR).

About the Thunderbird Reactor (2025)

  • Inception: Scientists led by Curtis Berlinguette, University of British Columbia, published in Nature (Aug 2025).
  • Why built: Not to make electricity, but to test if chemistry can affect nuclear reactions.
  • How it works:
    • A plasma thruster shoots deuterium ions (a form of hydrogen) at a palladium metal target.
    • At the same time, an electrochemical cell pushes more deuterium into the palladium.
    • This builds up a very high density of deuterium inside the metal, making fusion more likely.
    • A neutron detector checks if fusion really happens.

Key Findings:

  • Neutrons detected: When deuterium ions hit palladium, about 130–140 neutrons per second were observed (much higher than background levels).
  • Electrolysis boost: Adding extra deuterium through electrolysis increased the neutron count further.
  • Energy output: The reaction only produced a tiny amount of power (one-billionth of a watt) while consuming 15 watts of electricity. No net energy gain yet.
[UPSC 2016] India is an important member of the ‘International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor’. If this experiment succeeds, what is the immediate advantage for India?

Options: (a) It can use thorium in place of uranium for power generation

(b) It attain a global role in satellite-navigation

(c) It can drastically improve the efficiency of its fission reactors in power generation

(d) It can build fusion reactors for power generation*

 

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Electronic System Design and Manufacturing Sector – M-SIPS, National Policy on Electronics, etc.

[pib] Incentive Scheme to Promote Critical Mineral Recycling

Schemes | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.

Why in the News?

The Union Cabinet approved a â‚ą1,500 crore Incentive Scheme to promote recycling of critical minerals from secondary sources such as e-waste and battery scrap.

About Critical Mineral Recycling Incentive Scheme:

  • Launch: Approved under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM).
  • Outlay: â‚ą1,500 crore over 6 years (FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31).
  • Objective: Build domestic recycling capacity for critical minerals (lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, rare earths) from secondary sources.
  • Rationale: Provides a near-term solution to supply chain challenges as mining projects require long lead times.
  • Targets:
    • 270 kilotonnes annual recycling capacity.
    • 40 kilotonnes minerals yield per year.
    • â‚ą8,000 crore investment mobilised.
    • ~70,000 jobs created.

Key Features:

  • Beneficiaries: Large recyclers, small/new recyclers, start-ups; one-third funds reserved for small/new entrants.
  • Feedstock Sources: E-waste, lithium-ion battery scrap, catalytic converters, other industrial scrap.
  • Coverage: Support for new units, as well as expansion, modernisation, and diversification of existing plants.
  • Capex Subsidy: 20% subsidy on plant & machinery for timely commissioning; reduced rates for delays.
  • Opex Subsidy: Tied to incremental sales over FY 2025–26 base year.
    • 40% subsidy released in FY 2026–27.
    • 60% subsidy released in FY 2030–31.
  • Incentive Caps:
    • Large entities: â‚ą50 crore cap (â‚ą10 crore max for opex).
    • Small entities: â‚ą25 crore cap (â‚ą5 crore max for opex).
  • Eligibility Restriction: Only for firms engaged in actual mineral extraction, not just intermediate “black mass” processing.
[UPSC 2021] Consider the following statements:

I. India has joined the Minerals Security Partnership as a member.

II. India is a resource-rich country in all the 30 critical minerals that it has identified.

III. The Parliament in 2023 has amended the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 empowering the Central Government to exclusively auction mining lease and composite license for certain critical minerals.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Options: (a) I and II only (b) II and III only (c) I and III only* (d) I, II and III

 

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Food Processing Industry: Issues and Developments

BHARATI Initiative

Prelims Only | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Food Processing & Related Industries In India

Why in the News?

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has launched the BHARATI initiative — Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement.

About BHARATI Initiative:

  • Launched by: APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) in September 2025.
  • Purpose: To incubate and empower 100 agri-food and agri-tech startups, making them export-ready.
  • Target: Support APEDA’s vision of reaching US$ 50 billion (â‚ą4.4 lakh crore) in agri-food exports by 2030.
  • Focus Areas: Export enablement, innovation, incubation, and addressing challenges like perishability, logistics, quality compliance, and sustainability.
  • Policy Alignment: Linked to Atmanirbhar Bharat, Start-Up India, Vocal for Local, and Digital India.

Key Features:

  • Targeted Products: GI-tagged items, organic foods, superfoods, AYUSH products, processed foods, livestock-based products.
  • Technology Integration: AI-based quality control, blockchain-enabled traceability, IoT-based cold chains, and agri-fintech solutions.
  • Acceleration Model: 3-month programme to build export readiness, ensuring compliance with international food safety and quality standards.
  • Partnership Ecosystem: Collaboration with state boards, IITs/NITs, universities, industry bodies, and accelerators.
  • Scalability: Designed for annual expansion, gradually increasing the number of supported startups.
[UPSC 2011] With what purpose is the Government of India promoting the concept of “Mega Food Parks”?

1. To provide good infrastructure facilities for the food processing industry.

2. To increase the processing of perishable items and reduce wastage.

3. To provide emerging and

eco-friendly food processing technologies to entrepreneurs.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Options: (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only* (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

 

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MGNREGA Scheme

20 Years of MGNREGS

Schemes | Social Justice | Mains Paper 2: Government Scheme/Policies

Why in the News?

On the 20th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, concerns were raised over chronic underfunding of the scheme during the past decade.

About MGNREGS:

  • Overview: MGNREGS is a rights-based Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched under the MGNREGA Act of 2005 to ensure the Right to Work for rural households.
  • Origins:
    • The idea of employment guarantee in India began with Maharashtra’s pilot, Employment Guarantee Scheme (MEGS), in 1965 under the Vasantrao Naik government.
    • At the national level, the idea was first proposed in 1991 by then PM P. V. Narasimha Rao and later enacted in 2005.
  • Employment Guarantee: It provides 100 days of wage employment per year to any adult willing to do unskilled manual labour in rural India.
  • Legal Obligation: It is the first law in India that imposes a legal duty on the government to provide employment and compensate for non-compliance.
  • Development Goal: The scheme aims to promote livelihood security, inclusive growth, and rural development.

Key Features:

  • Statutory Right: Employment under MGNREGS is a legal entitlement, not just a welfare scheme.
  • Eligibility: Any rural adult aged 18 or above can apply and must be offered work within 15 days.
  • Proximity and Wages: Work must be provided within 5 km of the applicant’s residence with minimum wage, and delays attract compensation.
  • Unemployment Allowance: If work is not provided on time, the state must pay an allowance.
  • Demand-Driven Model: The scheme is worker-initiated, requiring the government to respond to demand.
  • Transparency and Audits: Regular social audits and online updates ensure accountability in job cards, muster rolls, and fund use.
  • Local Implementation: It is decentralised, led by Gram Panchayats, with support from block and state officials, and centrally funded.
  • Women’s Inclusion: At least one-third of beneficiaries must be women, enhancing gender equity.
  • Sustainable Assets: Projects focus on durable rural infrastructure like ponds, roads, canals, and plantations.
[UPSC 2006] Consider the following statements in respect of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005:

1. The Act provides 100 days of employment to households as a fundamental right.

2. Women are given priority such that half of the employment seekers are women.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 *

 

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