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Green transition during India’s G20 presidency
Central Idea
- Energy transitions are central to the G20 agenda. In 2023, during India’s presidency, the geopolitics and governance of energy have become immensely challenging, as the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy, concerns about energy security and, in many cases, the pressure on keeping financial commitments made related to tackling climate change have become complicated.
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What is mean by Green Transition?
- Moving away from fossil fuels: The Green transition involves shifting away from traditional sources of energy that contribute to climate change, such as coal and oil.
- For example: In 2021, the Indian government announced plans to stop the import of coal by 2024 and to reduce the country’s reliance on coal for power generation
- Embracing renewable energy: The transition involves embracing cleaner and more renewable sources of energy, such as solar, wind, and hydropower.
- Examples: In 2021, the Gujarat government announced plans to set up a 500 MW solar park, which is expected to be the world’s largest solar park upon completion. In 2021, Google announced plans to power all of its data centers and offices using carbon-free energy sources by 2030.
- Reducing carbon emissions: The Green transition involves reducing carbon emissions from transportation, industry, and other sectors.
- For instance, “Switch Delhi campaign”: In 2020, the Delhi government launched the Switch Delhi campaign to promote electric vehicles and reduce air pollution in the city.
- Promoting sustainable lifestyles: It involves promoting sustainable lifestyles and behaviours, such as reducing waste and conserving resources.
- India’s LiFE example: The LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) campaign is an initiative launched by the Indian to promote sustainable lifestyles and reduce the environmental impact by taking actions at individual level.
- Encouraging sustainable innovation: The Green transition involves encouraging innovation in sustainable technologies and practices.
- For instance: In 2021, The Government of India announced plans to set up a National Hydrogen Energy Mission to promote the use of hydrogen as a clean energy source in various sectors.
Energy Poverty at present
- Increasing energy poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa: The International Energy Agency counts 20 million more people worldwide without electricity now compared to 2021. Predictably, the worst-affected are in sub-Saharan Africa, which is back to its lowest rate of electrification since 2013.
- Inadequate energy supply in Europe: In Europe, the number of people experiencing inadequate energy supply has risen to 80 million from 34 million in 2021.
- Middle-income countries face fuel and electricity shortages: Even middle-income countries in Africa, South America and Asia face fuel and electricity shortages and high levels of inflation.
- Reduced availability of energy impact on economies and public health: Reduced availability of energy is hurting economies as industries close, and is impacting public health as safe fuels such as cooking gas become expensive.
- Balance of payments crisis and high energy costs: A number of countries also face a balance of payments crisis, partly driven by high energy costs.
- Global impact on sustainable development goals (SDG): Energy poverty is global and widespread, impacting technology implementation, industry and SDGs all of which are also G20 goals.
Suggestions to produce swift results for India’s G20 presidency
- Financial support as a cornerstone of climate action and energy transition: The G20 should prioritize providing financial support to those in need as a fundamental aspect of climate action and energy transition under the UNFCC Protocol, as emphasized and reinforced in the Paris Agreement and successive Conference of the Parties (COPs).
- Galvanizing the pursuit of financial support: Although financial support to developing countries has increased over time, it still falls short of what is necessary for a successful transition to a low-carbon economy. The G20 has the potential to mobilize efforts and drive momentum towards securing the funding required for climate action and energy transition.
- Public Financing alone is insufficient: Public financing alone will not be sufficient to address the current energy challenges faced globally. Private finance is necessary to complement public finance.
- Innovative approaches to climate financing: Innovative approaches are required to address the financing needs of climate action. These approaches could include blending finance with public and private capital to create a unified effort. Additionally, impediments like exchange rate risks must be addressed to ensure smooth financing of projects.
- Creation of a Global Climate Finance Agency to better integrate and drive global agenda: The agency could be mandated to lower hedging costs to mitigate a key risk faced by developers of green projects and insure major clean energy projects from potential losses due to government utilities failing to meet supply and payment obligations, which is a common issue in developing countries like India.
- Harnessing power of public procurement system: The G20 can use the public procurement system to speed up energy transitions and drive significant change. Effective public procurement can ensure funding and adaptation at scale, which has been proven through abundant evidence.
Conclusion
- The G20 should encourage financial centres and business communities, to create new business models and technologies for energy transitions. This will require cooperation and collaboration between financial centres, including through green financing and economy taxonomies. By doing so, the G20 can accelerate climate transition and energy security for all.
Mains question
Q. Briefly explain the concept of green transition. How India’s g20 presidency can lead the world towards Green transition? Discuss.
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Income Tax Dept. surveys BBC over Transfer Pricing allegations
Central idea: The Income Tax Department has conducted surveys at the premises of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in Delhi and Mumbai. The BBC has been deliberately violative of transfer pricing rules.
Transfer Pricing: A Tax Evasion Technique
- Transfer pricing refers to the practice of determining the price at which goods, services or intangible property are sold between related entities within an enterprise across international borders.
- It is a practice of multinational companies transferring profits to low-tax jurisdictions to reduce their tax liabilities.
How does Transfer Pricing work?
- The I-T Department gives the following example: “Suppose a company A purchases goods for 100 rupees and sells it to its associated company B in another country for 200 rupees, who in turn sells in theopen market for 400 rupees.
- Had A sold it (the good) direct, it would have made a profit of 300 rupees.
- But by routing it through B, it (A) restricted it (profit) to 100 rupees, permitting B to appropriate the balance.
- The transaction between A and B is arranged and not governed by market forces.
- The profit of 200 rupees is, thereby, shifted to the country of B. The goods is transferred on a price (transfer price) which is arbitrary or dictated (200 hundred rupees), but not on the market price (400 rupees).
What is a ‘Survey’ under the I-T Act?
- Section 133A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 empowers the Income Tax Department to conduct surveys to collect hidden information.
- I-T authority can enter any place of business or profession within their jurisdiction, verify books of account, and impound documents if needed.
What is an I-T search?
- Section 132 of the Income Tax Act, which I-T Department to conduct searches when it has reasons to believe that someone is in possession of undisclosed income or property.
Differences between a survey and a search
- A survey is a less serious proceeding than a search and can only be conducted during working hours on business days within the limits of the area assigned to the officer.
- In contrast, a search can happen on any day after sunrise, and the entire premises can be inspected to unravel undisclosed assets, with the help of police.
- While the scope of a survey is limited to the inspection of books and verification of cash and inventory, in a search, the entire premises can be inspected to unravel undisclosed assets, with the help of police.
Powers of the I-T authority during a search
- The provisions for impounding or seizing the goods were introduced only by the Finance Act, 2002.
- The Act says that during a search, an authorized officer can:
- Enter and search any building or place where he has reason to suspect that such books of account, other documents, money, bullion, jewellery, or other valuable article or thing are kept;
- Break/open the lock of any door, box, locker, safe, almirah, or other receptacles for exercising the powers conferred by clause (i) where the keys thereof are not available;
- Seize any such books of account, other documents, money, bullion, jewellery, or other valuable article or thing found as a result of such search;
- Place marks of identification on any books of account or other documents or make or cause to be made extracts or copies therefrom;
- Make a note or an inventory of any such money, bullion, jewellery, or other valuable article or thing.
What are Transfer pricing rules?
- By setting transfer pricing rules, countries can ensure that companies pay taxes on profits generated within their jurisdiction.
- Transfer pricing rules are used to determine the “arm’s length price” at which transactions between related entities should take place.
- The arm’s length price is the price that would have been charged between unrelated entities in similar circumstances.
- The rules aim to ensure that related entities do not shift profits to low-tax jurisdictions, and that the tax authorities of different countries get their fair share of taxes.
What is the role of tax authorities in curbing transfer pricing?
- Audit: The tax authorities can carry out transfer pricing audits to determine whether the prices used in transactions between related entities are in accordance with the arm’s length principle.
- Compliance of Arm’s length principle: If the tax authorities find that the prices are not in accordance with the arm’s length principle, they can make adjustments to the prices and levy taxes accordingly.
What is the “Arm’s Length Arrangement” that the BBC has allegedly violated?
- Section 92F(ii) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 defines arm’s length price as “a price which is applied or proposed to be applied in a transaction between persons other than associated enterprises, in uncontrolled conditions”.
- Section 92C(1) says arm’s length shall be determined by the “most appropriate” among the following methods:
- comparable uncontrolled price method;
- resale price method;
- cost plus method;
- profit split method;
- transactional net margin method;
- such other method as may be prescribed by the I-T Board.
What lies ahead for BBC?
- BBC will have to comply with transfer pricing rules in each country in which they operate.
- Failure to comply with transfer pricing rules can lead to tax liabilities and penalties.
- Compliance with transfer pricing rules can be complex and require the assistance of tax experts.
Try this MCQ:
Q. Which government agency regulates transfer pricing rules in India?
A) Reserve Bank of India
B) Securities and Exchange Board of India
C) Income Tax Department
D) Ministry of Corporate Affairs
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Big Lithium find: Risks and Rewards
Central idea: The discovery of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium in Jammu & Kashmir is a major boost for India’s electrification plans but mining is a high-risk, high-reward game in the ecologically sensitive Himalayas.
India’s lithium treasure
- Huge deposits: Authorities have found 5.9 million tonnes of lithium reserves in Reasi district of Jammu & Kashmir.
- One of the largest mines: This may be the seventh largest deposit of the rare element, accounting for roughly 5.7% of all the reserves in the world.
- High grade quality: They are also said to be of a higher grade—550 parts per million (ppm) against the average 220 ppm—making it highly lucrative, given how lithium prices have soared in the last few years.
Game-changing prospects for India
- White gold: Due to its ability to pack energy, it has utility across a range of sectors and has gained the moniker ‘white gold’.
- Soaring prices: According to the International Energy Agency, lithium prices went up more than seven-fold between the start of 2021 and May 2022.
- Battery economy: It is now primarily used to build the batteries that power modern appliances.
- EV push: They also power electric vehicles, a segment that will corner most of the global lithium production in future.
- Import cut: Currently, India does not have its own lithium resources and like crude oil, it is dependent on imports. In fiscal 2022, India imported lithium and lithium ion worth almost ₹14,000 crore.
Will batteries be made of lithium from India now?
- There is still some way to go before miners can extract lithium for industrial use.
- The discovery is ‘inferred’ or preliminary, the lowest of the three levels of estimations of a mineral deposit and the second of the four stages of exploration, as per the UN Framework Classification of mineral resources.
- There is much analysis to be done before its true value is confirmed.
Pitfalls of lithium mining
- Pollution in the valley: Open-pit-mining, refining, and waste disposal from these processes substantially degrades the environment, including depletes and contaminates waterways and groundwater, diminishes biodiversity, and releases considerable air pollution.
- Water intensity: Extracting lithium from its ore is highly water-intensive, taking about 2.2 million litres of water for one tonne of lithium.
- Seismicity threats: The Himalayas are a highly fragile and eco-sensitive region and as the recent Joshimath subsidence shows, it is vulnerable to long-term adverse consequences of unplanned development works.
- Displacement issues: Mining in the region could displace local communities and have significant social impacts. The region is home to a number of indigenous communities who could be negatively impacted by mining in the region.
- Undue activism over Kashmir: Mining in the region can attract opposition from environmentalists and so-called separatists disguised as national leaders.
Geostrategic considerations
- Sensitive location: The new lithium discovery in J&K has significant geostrategic implications due to the geopolitical sensitivity of its location.
- Neighborhood hostility: The Union territory of J&K has a history of cross-border tensions, domestic insurgency, and terrorism.
- Resentment of local population: Lack of meaningful engagement with the local populace in the Li extraction project could introduce new frontiers of socio-environmental conflict.
China factor
- China currently dominates the global lithium-ion battery manufacturing industry.
- Dependence on China for Li and other crucial metals and their derivatives is a source of energy security risks.
- Major economies such as the E.U., the U.S., Canada, and India are seeking alternative supplies to challenge China’s geopolitical dominance.
Indian initiatives in this regard
- Undeterred trade with China: India’s security considerations are more immediate due to the growing geopolitical rivalry with China and longstanding territorial disputes.
- Rare Earths Mission: The Indian government and industry are pushing for a ‘Rare Earths Mission’ to reduce dependence on China and exploit the country’s critical mineral reserves.
Conclusion
- In effect, the proliferation of EVs could mean India becoming dependent on China, just like it is reliant on the Middle East for crude oil today.
- J&K’s reserves, however, provide a major opening for India to be self-reliant.
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Vacancy of Deputy Speaker Chair in States
The Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre and five states — Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand — over the failure to elect a Deputy Speaker.
The Post of Deputy Speaker
- The Deputy Speaker is the second-highest-ranking official of the Lok Sabha, after the Speaker.
- She/he presides over the House in the absence of the Speaker, maintains order and decorum, and decides points of order raised by the members.
- She/he is elected by the members of the House and holds office until the next Lok Sabha is constituted.
Constitutional provisions for Dy. Speaker
- The Constitution of India provides for the post of Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha under Article 93.
- The Deputy Speaker is elected by the members of the House and holds the office until the next Lok Sabha is constituted.
- The Constitution does not provide for a temporary or acting Deputy Speaker in case of the incumbent’s absence or inability to perform the duties.
- Article 178 contains the corresponding position for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of a state.
Is it mandatory to have a Deputy Speaker?
- Constitutional experts point out that both Articles 93 and 178 use the word “shall”, indicating that the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker is mandatory under the Constitution.
What if she/he remains absent?
- In the absence of Dy. Speaker, the house functions with the Speaker or the panel of chairpersons presiding over the House.
- The House may elect a new Deputy Speaker to fill the post until the next assembly is constituted.
- The House might need to elect a new Deputy Speaker in case of the incumbent’s absence or inability to perform the duties.
Why discuss this?
- The post of Deputy Speaker is an important position in the Lok Sabha/Legislative Assembly and plays a crucial role in conducting the House proceedings.
- It is important to ensure the post’s functioning to maintain the House’s order and decorum and conduct the House proceedings smoothly.
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InfoCrop v2.1: Indigenous Crop Simulator
Central idea: Scientists at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute conducted an experiment using InfoCrop version 2.1 to quantify the impact of hot weather on crop yield in Punjab and Haryana.
What is InfoCrop v2.1?
- InfoCrop version 2.1 is India’s only dynamic crop simulation model developed and released by the IARI in 2015 to study the long-term impact of climate change and crop management practices on yield.
- InfoCrop is more suited for India as it has the life cycle data for almost all the local varieties of 11 crops: paddy, wheat, maize, sorghum, pearl millet, pigeon pea, chickpea, soybean, groundnut, potato and cotton.
How does it work?
- In InfoCrop, the parameters are already calibrated to Indian crop varieties and they are updated at regular intervals by the institute.
- The parameters deal with aspects of-
- Weather (precipitation, temperature, radiation and others)
- Crop growth (phenology, grain characteristics, leaf growth, temperature and flooding sensitivity and others)
- Soil (texture and organic carbon, water holding characteristics and pH levels) and
- Pests and crop management (organic matter, fertiliser and irrigation).
Efficiency of InfoCrop model
- The model has an 85 per cent accuracy rate.
- This is on par with widely used dynamic models such as the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer model, developed by the US, and Agriculture Production Systems sIMulator, developed by Australia.
Utility of this tool
- Prevent on-field corruption: India currently relies on field trials, which are expensive and resource-intensive as well as highly corrupt practise.
- Crop insurance prediction: Government and insurance companies can use this for climate impact projections and for pre- or in-season crop yield forecasts to improve accuracy.
- Assess crop loss: Besides forecasting, simulation models can be used to assess crop loss in the aftermath of an extreme weather event, which can then be used to provide relief packages.
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Marburg Virus
Central idea: Equatorial Guinea has confirmed its first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus disease.
Where is Equatorial Guinea located?
- Equatorial Guinea is a country located in Central Africa.
- It is situated on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Cameroon to the north and Gabon to the south and east. It also includes two small islands, Bioko and Annobon, which are located in the Atlantic Ocean.
Marburg Virus
- The Marburg virus is a highly dangerous pathogen that targets several organs and reduces the body’s ability to function on its own.
- Depending on the strain and case management, the fatality rates for the virus range from 24% to 88%.
Transmission and Prevention
- The natural carrier of the Marburg virus is the African fruit bat, which carries the virus but does not fall sick from it.
- Human-to-human transmission occurs through contact with blood or other bodily fluids.
- Rehydration treatment to alleviate symptoms can improve the chances of survival.
Its outbreaks
- The virus has caused simultaneous outbreaks of disease in laboratories in Marburg, Germany and Belgrade, Serbia in 1967, resulting in seven deaths.
- During an outbreak in Angola in 2004, the virus killed 90% of the 252 people who were infected, and in Ghana last year, two people died of Marburg.
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Spy Balloon: Another Grey-zone warfare tactics
Central Idea
- The recent incident of a Chinese ‘spy balloon’ sighted 60,000 feet over the skies of Montana in the United States (US) which was finally shot down by a missile from a US F22 fighter jet off the coast of South Carolina has left far too many questions unanswered.
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What the debris indicates?
- While some of the clues emerging from the balloon’s debris have unravelled some information, the incident itself is a reminiscent of Cold War era tactics and is a pointer towards archetypical grey-zone activities which could characterise China’s standard operating procedure in the future.
US claims
- The US State Department’s confident claims that the balloon “was clearly for intelligence surveillance and was likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications” point to an incoming precipitation of crisis in US-China relations.
Understanding Chinese perceptions
- Spy balloon episode gives us a peek into the worldview of chinese strategists: There is a strategic awareness in Beijing that even as the war has raged on in Europe for over a year, the US may be turning its attention to the Western Pacific region where it is rebuilding its naval power, resuscitating alliances, and consolidating its position as the centre of its hub-and-spokes network in the Pacific theatre.
- US-Philippines defence cooperation: There has been the renewal of the US-Philippines defence cooperation, which bolsters America’s defences with respect to Taiwan.
- Japan’s return to geopolitics is another basis for such perceptions within China: Japanese PM Fumio Kishida’s warning that East Asia could suffer the same fate as Ukraine has led the nation to radically alter its security policy. On one hand, Japan is building domestic capabilities like incrementally increasing spending on defence, and planning for a missile arsenal to deter China, it is also expanding defence cooperation with the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
- Chinese apprehensions about Indo pacific concept: Chinese strategists have red-flagged the Indo-Pacific concept, likening America’s approach of developing ties with China’s neighbours with an aim of creating regional blocs like NATO to contain China.
- Japan’s new military posturing is being viewed with trepidation in Beijing:
- First, it is believed that Japan will deploy missiles in bases closer to Taiwan.
- Second, there is a belief that Japan’s increasing defence capabilities in the region combined with America’s growing military power in the Western Pacific may exceed China’s comprehensive national power eventually.
Grey-zone warfare: A key feature of China’s aggression and expansionism
- Reclaiming reefs in south China sea: The first step in its expansion into the South China Sea was reclaiming reefs and then building military infrastructure there.
- Villages near Indian border: Similarly, China has constructed ‘xiaokang’ villages near the Indian border in a bid to bolster its territorial claims.
- Spy balloon episode is one of the grey zone tactics: The spy balloon episode marks a major inflection point in this approach, since the US, for the first time, has been at the receiving end of China’s grey-zone tactics.
Conclusion
- The United States uses a variety of tools, from satellites to intercepted communications to surveil China. It’s not unreasonable that China would attempt to do the same to the United States. In between these two views is the realisation that the dragon’s hidden grey-zone tactics have reached the continental US more brazenly than ever before.
Mains question
Q. In the backdrop of Chinese spy balloons episode, Discuss the Chinese perceptions that drive grey-zone activities, and how these tactics could impact the global order in the future?
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14th Feb 23 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions
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AI to improve maternal and child health in India
Context
- With the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies, there is potential for these tools to support maternal and neonatal healthcare in low-resource settings, although their development in this field is still in its early stages. AI has the capability of transforming maternal and child health in low and middle-income countries by supplementing conventional practices with advanced technology, thus improving the accuracy of diagnoses, increasing access to care, and ultimately saving lives.
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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target
- The SDGs have set a target to eliminate preventable deaths of newborns and children under five years of age by 2030, with a specific aim to lower neonatal mortality (NMR) to a minimum of 12 deaths per 1,000 live births and under-five mortality (U5MR) to a minimum of 25 deaths per 1,000 live births across all nations.
Challenges and the current state of maternal and child health in India
- One of the main challenges is the high maternal and infant mortality rates: According to the latest SRS Bulletin, India’s maternal mortality rate (MMR) was 97 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2018-2020, and the infant mortality rate (IMR) was 35.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2019-21.
- Rates are higher than the SDG targets: According to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data, the NMR and U5MR in India are 24.9 and 41.9 respectively. These rates are higher than the SDG targets and are a cause for concern.
- Lack of access to healthcare for many women and children in India: Many rural and remote areas lack basic healthcare facilities, and even when facilities are available, they may not be staffed with qualified healthcare providers. Additionally, cultural and societal barriers can prevent women and children from accessing healthcare.
- Malnutrition: Malnutrition is a major contributor to high maternal, neonatal, and infant mortality rates in India, with about 68 percent of child deaths being linked to malnutrition.
- Low birth weight: In low- and middle-income countries like India, low birth weight is a leading cause of death in the first month of life. Prematurity and low birth weight account for 45.5 percent of deaths during the first 29 days of a newborn in India. Presently, around 18.2 percent of children reported having low birth weight.
Some positive developments in maternal and child health in India in recent years
- Programs and policies aimed at reducing maternal and infant mortality: The government has implemented several programs and policies aimed at reducing maternal and infant mortality, such as the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) which provides cash incentives for pregnant women to deliver in health facilities and free health check-up respectively.
- Efforts to increase access and quality health facilities: There have also been efforts to increase the number of healthcare facilities in rural and remote areas and to improve the quality of care provided at these facilities.
- Using technology in Healthcare: In addition, India has also been working on using technology to improve maternal and child health.
- For example: Telemedicine has been implemented in remote areas, and the government has also launched an application, RCH ANMOL, for tracking pregnant women, infants and children for their health, vaccination, and nutrition status. Other digital initiatives include the Draft Health Data Management Policy, Health Data Retention Policy, Unified Health Interface, and Health Facility Registry.
Potential applications of AI
- Predictive modelling of risk factors: By analysing large amounts of medical data, AI algorithms can identify risk factors for maternal and fetal complications and predict the likelihood of certain outcomes. This can help healthcare providers to identify high-risk pregnancies early on and take steps to mitigate the risks.
- Predicting birth weights for effective nutrition programme: Malnutrition is responsible for lowering newborn immunity to infections and diseases. Predicting birth weight for newborns can aid doctors and parents to adopt putative measures such as effective utilisation of Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) pre-emptively.
- AI can make a big impact is in the detection of fetal abnormalities: In LMICs, access to ultrasound technology is often limited, and the quality of images may be poor. By using AI to analyse ultrasound images, healthcare providers can improve the accuracy of diagnoses and detect abnormalities that may otherwise be missed.
- AI can also be used to improve access to care: Virtual care technologies, such as AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants, can provide expectant mothers in LMICs with information and support. It has been demonstrated that sending personalised, timed voice messages about pregnancy via mobile phone can positively impact maternal healthcare practices and improve maternal health outcomes.
- Manage and analyse large amounts of medical records: By identifying trends and patterns in this data, healthcare providers can make more informed decisions and improve outcomes for mothers and children.
Challenges to using AI to improve maternal and child health in India
- One of the biggest challenges is data availability and quality: AI relies on large amounts of data to train models, however, in India, there is a lack of data on maternal and child health, and the data that is available may be of poor quality. This can make it difficult to develop accurate and reliable AI-based solutions.
- Limited infrastructure: In many parts of India, there is a lack of basic infrastructure such as electricity and internet connectivity, which makes it difficult to implement AI-based solutions. This can be a particular problem in rural areas where access to healthcare is already limited.
- Ethical concerns: AI-based solutions raise a number of ethical concerns, including issues around privacy, bias, and accountability. It is important to address these concerns to ensure that AI-based solutions are used in a responsible and ethical manner.
- Language and dialects: India has a wide variety of languages and dialects, which can make it difficult to develop AI-based solutions that are accessible to everyone. The lack of data in certain languages or dialects can make it difficult to develop accurate and reliable AI-based solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of different linguistic communities.
- Socio-Economic status: As people living in poverty may not have access to the technology and services provided by AI-based solutions.
Conclusion
- AI has the capability of bringing about a substantial difference in maternal and child health in India. Nevertheless, it is crucial to keep in mind that these innovative technologies should not be utilised as a substitute for conventional healthcare practices, but rather as an additional tool. The integration of AI with the already existing healthcare systems would bring about the best results. It is also essential to involve healthcare providers and local communities in the development and implementation process of AI-based solutions. This way, the solutions can be made more relevant, accessible, and in line with the local context, thereby, maximising their positive impact.