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  • [Prelims Spotlight] Important Schemes regarding Agriculture & Allied Sectors

    Prelims Spotlight is a part of “Nikaalo Prelims 2020” module. This open crash course for Prelims 2020 has a private telegram group where PDFs and DDS (Daily Doubt Sessions) are being held. Please click here to register.

    Important Schemes regarding Agriculture & Allied Sectors

    06 May 2020

    1.1 Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana

    Objective

    ● To achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level.
    ● To enhance the recharge of aquifers and introduce sustainable water conservation practices.
    ● To explore the feasibility of reusing treated municipal wastewater for peri-urban agriculture.
    ● To attract greater private investments in irrigation.
    ● To promote extension activities relating to water harvesting, water management and crop alignment for farmers and grass root level field
    functionaries.

    Salient features

    ● Decentralized State level planning and projectized execution’ structure, in order to allow States to draw up a District Irrigation Plan (DIP) and a State Irrigation Plan (SIP). These plans need to be prepared in order to access
    the PMKSY fund.
    ● It will be supervised and monitored by the Inter-Ministerial National Steering Committee (NSC) under PM with Union Ministers of all concerned Ministries. A National Executive Committee (NEC) is to be constituted under the Chairmanship of the Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog to oversee programme implementation.
    ● PMKSY has been formulated amalgamation ongoing schemes viz. Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP); Integrated
    Watershed Management Programme (IWMP); and On-Farm Water Management (OFWM) component of National Mission on Sustainable
    Agriculture (NMSA).
    ● Water budgeting is done for all sectors namely, household, agriculture and industries.
    ● Investments will happen at farm level. So, farmers know what is happening and can provide valuable feedback.
    ● Recently, the Long Term Irrigation Fund has been instituted under PMKSY in NABARD for funding and fast-tracking the implementation
    of incomplete major and medium irrigation projects.

    1.2 RASHTRIYA KRISHI VIKAS YOJANA – RAFTAAR (RKVY-RAFTAAR)

    Objective

    ● To make farming a remunerative economic activity through strengthening the farmer’s efforts, risk mitigation and promoting
    agribusiness entrepreneurship.
    ● To attend national priorities through several sub-schemes.
    ● To empower youth through skill development, innovation and agri entrepreneurship based business models.

    Salient features 

    ● RKVY, initiated in 2007 as an umbrella scheme for holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors, has been recently revamped as
    RKVY-RAFTAAR – Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied sector Rejuvenation for 2017-19 and 2019-20.
    ● It provided states with considerable flexibility and autonomy for planning and executing Programs.
    ● The decentralised planning for agriculture and allied sectors is initiated by the states through District Agriculture Plan and State Agriculture
    Plan based on agro-climatic conditions, availability of appropriate technology and natural priorities.
    ● It will incentivize states to increase allocations for agriculture and allied sectors and help in creation of post-harvest infrastructure and
    promotion of private investment in the farm sector across the country.
    ● Fund Allocation – 60:40 grants between Centre
    and States in states and 90:10 for North Eastern States and Himalayan States through following streams – o Infrastructure & Assets and Production Growth o RKVY-RAFTAAR special sub-schemes of National Priorities o Innovation
    and agri-entrepreneur development.

    Sub-schemes include

    ● Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India
    ● Crop Diversification Program – It is being implemented in the Original Green Revolution States of Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh to diversify area from water-guzzling crop
    ● Reclamation of Problem Soil ● Foot & Mouth Disease – Control Program
    (FMD-CP)
    ● Saffron Mission
    ● Accelerated Fodder Development Programme (AFDP)

    1.3 NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY MISSION

    Objective

    ● Increasing production of rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals and commercial crops through area expansion and productivity enhancement
    in a sustainable manner.
    ● Restore soil fertility and productivity at the individual farm level.
    ● Enhancing farm level economy.

    Salient features

    ● It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme which was launched in 2007.
    ● The approach of the scheme is to bridge the yield gap in respect of these crops through dissemination of improved technologies and farm management practices while focusing on districts which have high potential but relatively low level of productivity at present.
    ● Major Components – National Food Security Mission – Rice, National Food Security Mission – Wheat, National Food Security Mission – Pulses,
    National Food Security Mission – Coarse Cereals and National Food Security Mission –Commercial Crops.

    1.4 National Horticulture Mission

    1. To provide holistic growth of the horticulture sector through an area based regionally differentiated strategies, to enhance horticulture production, improve nutritional security and income support to farm households
    2. To establish convergence and synergy among multiple ongoing and planned programmes for horticulture development
    3. To promote, develop and disseminate technologies, through a seamless blend of traditional wisdom and modern scientific knowledge
    4. To create opportunities for employment generation for skilled and unskilled persons, especially unemployed youth.

    Scheme:

    A National Horticulture Mission was launched in 2005-06 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to promote holistic growth of the horticulture sector
    through an area based regionally differentiated strategies. The scheme has been subsumed as a part of Mission for Integration Development of
    Horticulture (MIDH) during 2014-15.

    What is the National Horticulture Mission?

    The National Horticulture Mission is a government mission to support horticultural production in the country. NHM is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in which the Government of India contributes 85%, and 15% is met by the State Governments.

    Factual Information:

    ● India ranks second in the global production of fruits and vegetables next to China.
    ● Started in 2005-06.

    1.5 SOIL HEALTH CARD SCHEME

    Objective

    ● To issue soil health cards every 3 years, to all farmers of the country, so as to provide a basis to address nutrient deficiencies in fertilization practices.
    ● To strengthen the functioning of Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs) through capacity building, the involvement of agriculture students and
    effective linkage with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) / State Agricultural Universities (SAUs).
    ● To diagnose soil fertility related constraints with standardized procedures for sampling uniformly across states.
    ● To build capacities of district and state level staff and of progressive farmers for promotion of nutrient management practices.

    Salient features

    ● It is a centrally sponsored scheme launched by the Government of India in 2015.
    ● It is being implemented through the Department of Agriculture of all the State and Union Territory Governments.
    ● Assistance is provided to the State Government to issue Soil Health Card and also develop a database to improve service delivery.
    ● Soil Health Card issued to farmers carry crop-wise recommendations of nutrients and fertilizers required for the individual farms.
    ● The experts will analyze the strength and weaknesses (micronutrients deficiency) of the soil collected from farms and suggest measures
    to deal with it.
    ● It will contain the status of his soil with respect to 12 parameters, namely N,P,K (Macronutrients); S (Secondary nutrient); Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo (Micro – nutrients); and pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters).

    1.6 PM FASAL BIMA YOJANA

    Objective

    ● To provide insurance coverage and financial support to the farmers in the event of natural calamities, pests & diseases.
    ● To stabilise the income of farmers to ensure
    their continuance in farming. ● To encourage farmers to adopt innovative and
    modern agricultural practices.
    ● To ensure flow of credit to the agriculture sector.
    Intended beneficiary.
    ● All farmers including sharecroppers and tenant farmers growing notified crops in a notified area during the season who have insurable interest in the crop are eligible.

    Salient features

    ● It replaced all other existing insurance schemes except the Restructured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (uses weather parameters as
    proxy for crop yield in compensating the cultivators for deemed crop loses) .
    ● A uniform premium of only 2% to be paid by farmers for all Kharif crops and 1.5% for all Rabi crops.
    ● In case of annual commercial and horticultural crops, the premium to be paid by farmers will be only 5%.
    ● There is no upper limit on Government subsidy so farmers will get claim against full sum insured without any reduction.
    ● The difference between the premium paid by farmers and the actuarial premium charged was paid by the Centre and state government in
    the ratio of 50:50.
    ● It is compulsory for loanee farmers availing crop loans for notified crops in notified areas and voluntary for non-loanee farmers.
    ● Yield Losses: due to non-preventable risks, such as Natural Fire and Lightning, Storm, Hailstorm, Cyclone, Typhoon, Tempest, Hurricane, Tornado.
    Risks due to Flood, Inundation and Landslide, Drought, Dry spells, Pests/ Diseases also will be covered.
    ● Post-harvest losses are also covered.
    ● Mandatory use of technology: Smart phones, drones etc., will be used to capture and upload data of crop cutting to reduce the delays in claim payment to farmers. Remote sensing will be used to reduce the number of crop cutting
    experiments.
    ● The Scheme shall be implemented on an ‘Area Approach basis’. Defined Area (i.e., unit area of insurance) is Village or above. It can be a
    Geo-Fenced/Geo-mapped region having homogenous Risk Profile for the notified crop.
    ● Presently, 5 public sector insurers (Agriculture
    Insurance Company of India, United India Insurance Company etc.) and 13 private insurance companies are empanelled for implementation of the scheme.
    ● Recently, states have been allowed to set up their own insurance companies for implementing the scheme.

    1.7 National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture

    National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) has been formulated for enhancing agricultural productivity especially in rainfed areas focusing on integrated farming, water use efficiency, soil health management and
    synergizing resource conservation.

    Objectives

    ● To make agriculture more productive, sustainable, remunerative and climate resilient by promoting location specific Integrated/Composite Farming Systems
    ● To conserve natural resources through appropriate soil and moisture conservation measures
    ● To adopt comprehensive soil health management practices based on soil fertility maps, soil test based application of macro & micro nutrients, judicious use of fertilizers etc.
    ● To optimize utilization of water resources through efficient water management to expand coverage for achieving ‘more crop per drop’.
    ● To develop capacity of farmers & stakeholders, in conjunction with other on going missions e.g. National Mission on Agriculture Extension &
    Technology, National Food Security Mission, National Initiative for Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) etc., in the domain of
    climate change adaptation and mitigation measures.
    ● To pilot models in select blocks for improving  productivity of rainfed farming by mainstreaming rainfed technologies refined through NICRA and by leveraging resources  from other schemes/Missions like Mahatma
    Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), RKVY etc.;
    and
    ● To establish an effective inter and intra Departmental/Ministerial coordination for accomplishing key deliverables of National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture under the aegis of National Action Plan on Climate
    Change (NAPCC).

    1.8 PARAMPARAGAT KRISHI VIKAS YOJANA

    Objective

    ● Promotion of commercial organic production through certified organic farming.
    ● pesticide residue free produce and improved health of consumer
    ● Raise farmer’s income and create potential markets for traders.
    ● Motivate the farmers for natural resource mobilization for input production.
    ● Increase domestic production and certification of organic produce by involving farmers.

    Intended beneficiary
    ● Farmers doing organic farming
    ● Farmers from NE India such as Sikkim
    ● Food processing industries
    ● Organic foods – export industry

    Salient features
    ● “Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana” is an elaborated component of Soil Health Management (SHM) under National Mission of Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
    ● Cluster Approach: Fifty or more farmers form a cluster having 50 acre land to take organic farming. Each farmer will be provided Rs. 20000
    per acre in three years for seed to harvesting crops and to transport them to market.
    ● Government plans to form around 10 thousand clusters in three years and cover an area of 5 Lakh hectares under organic farming.

    Components –
    ● Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) certification through cluster approach – mobilization of farmers, form clusters, identification of land resources and training on organic farming and PGS Certification and
    quality control.
    ● Adoption of organic village for manure management and biological nitrogen harvesting through cluster approach –action plan for Organic Farming, Integrated Manure Management, Packing, Labelling and Branding
    of organic products of cluster.

    1.9 NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL MARKET
    (NAM)

    Objective

    ● To promote genuine price discovery
    ● Increases farmers’ options for sale and access to markets
    ● Liberal licensing of traders / buyers and commission agents. One license for a trader valid across all markets in the State
    ● Harmonisation of quality standards of agricultural produce
    ● Single point levy of market fees, i.e on the first wholesale purchase from the farmer.
    ● Provision of Soil Testing Laboratories in/ or near the selected mandi to facilitate visiting farmers to access this facility in the mandi itself

    Intended beneficiary 

    ● 585 regulated wholesale markets in states/union territories (UTs).
    ● Farmers
    ● Local traders
    ● Bulk buyers, processors
    ● Farm produce exporters
    ● Overall economy of the nation

    Salient features
    ● NAM is a pan-India electronic trading portal which seeks to network the existing APMCs and other market yards to create a unified national
    market for agricultural commodities.
    ● Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) has been selected as the lead agency to implement it.
    ● Central government will provide the software free of cost to the states and in addition, a grant of up to Rs. 30 lakhs per mandi or market or
    private mandis will be given for related equipment and infrastructure requirements.
    ● New Features added to the scheme such as E-NAM Mobile App, BHIM Payment facility, MIS dashboard for better analysis and insights,
    grievance redressal mechanism for Mandi Secretaries and integration with Farmer Database to ease the registration and identification process will further strengthen e-NAM.
    ● Fund Allocation – The Scheme is being funded through AgriTech Infrastructure Fund (AITF).

    1.10 KRISHI VIGYAN KENDRAS

    Objective
    ● To be a frontline extension in agriculture, and to serve as a single window mechanism for addressing the technology needs of farmers
    ● To demonstrate location specific technologies and build capacity of farmers
    ● To serve as links between research and extension and also with farmers
    Intended beneficiary
    ● Rural youth, farm women and Farmers (skill development training)
    Salient features
    ● Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)has created a network of 645 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in the country and 106 more
    KVKs will be established.
    ● Directorate of Extension in State Agriculture Universities also helps KVKs in its activities.
    ● KVKs lay strong emphasis on skill development training of rural youth, farm women and farmers
    ● Provide latest technological inputs like seeds,planting materials and bio-products.
    ● Advise farmers on timely crop/enterprise related recommendations, including climate resilient technologies.
    ● Diagnose and solve problems emerging from district agro-ecosystems and lead in adoption of innovations.

    1.11 MERA GAON-MERA GAURAV

    Objective

    ● To promote direct interface of scientists withthe farmers and hasten the land to lab process.
    ● To imbibe a sense of ownership among the agricultural scientists
    ● To provide farmers with required information, knowledge and advisories on regular basis by adopting villages.

    Intended beneficiary

    ● Scientists with ground level experience
    ● Farmers

    Salient features
    ● This scheme involves scientists of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) and state agricultural universities.
    ● Groups of four multidisciplinary scientists each will be constituted at these institutes and universities. Each group will “adopt” five villages within a radius of maximum 100 km.

    1.12 Price Stabilization Fund

    Objective: to safeguard the interest of the growers and provide them financial relief when prices fall below a specified level.

    Scheme:
    ● Central Sector Scheme.
    ● To support market interventions for price control of perishable agri-horticultural commodities.
    ● PSF will be used to advance interest free loan to State Governments and Central agencies to support their working capital and other expenses on procurement and distribution interventions for such commodities.
    ● Procurement of the commodities will be undertaken directly from farmers or farmers’ organizations at farm gate/mandi and made available at a more reasonable price to the consumers.
    ● Initially the fund is proposed to be used for onion and potato only. Losses incurred, if any, in the operations will be shared between the Centre and the States.

    Framework and Funding:

    ● States will set up a revolving fund to which theCentre and State will contribute equally, i.e. 50:50.
    ● The ratio of Centre-State contribution to the State-level corpus in respect of Northeast States will, however, be 75:25.

    1.13 Mission Fingerling

    ● It is a programme to enable holistic development and management of the fisheries sector in India.
    ● The mission aims to achieve the target to enhance fisheries production from 10.79 mmt (2014-15) to 15 mmt by 2020-21 under the Blue Revolution.

    Programme:

    ● Government has identified 20 States based ontheir potential and other relevant factors to strengthen the Fish Fingerling production and Fish Seed infrastructure in the country.
    ● This program will facilitate the establishment of Fingerling rearing pond and hatcheries.
    ● This will converge in the production of 20 lakh tonnes of fish annually, which will in turn benefit about 4 million families.
    ● The implementation of this program will supplement the requirement of stocking materials in the country up to a large extent, which is a much needed input to achieve the enhanced fish production.

    1.14 Umbrella Scheme Green Revolution — Krishonnati Yojana

    AIM

    These schemes look to develop the agriculture and allied sector in a holistic and scientific manner to increase the income of farmers by enhancing
    production, productivity and better returns on produce.

    The Schemes that are part of the Umbrella Schemes are :-

    i. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
    ii. National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
    iii. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
    iv. Submission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
    v. Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Material (SMSP)
    vi. Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM)
    vii. Sub Mission on Plant Protection and Plan Quarantine (SMPPQ)
    viii. Integrated Scheme on Agriculture Census, Economics and Statistics (ISACES)
    ix. Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Cooperation (ISAC)
    x. Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Marketing (ISAM)
    xi. National e-Governance Plan (NeGP-A) The Schemes/Missions focus on
    creating/strengthening of infrastructure of production, reducing production cost and marketing of agriculture and allied produce.

    1.15 Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)

    1. The Scheme is aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce as announced in the Union Budget for 2018.
    2. It is expected that the increase in MSP will be translated to farmers’ income by way of robust procurement mechanism in coordination with
    the State Governments.
    The three schemes that are part of AASHA are:
    1. the Price Support Scheme (PSS)
    2. the Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS)
    3. the Pilot of Private Procurement and Stockist Scheme (PPPS)
    ● These three components will complement the existing schemes of the Department of Food and Public Distribution.
    ● They relate to paddy, wheat and other cereals and coarse grains where procurement is at MSP now.
    ● PSS – Under the PSS, physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies.
    ● Besides, NAFED and Food Corporation of India will also take up procurement of crops under PSS.
    ● The expenditure and losses due to procurement will be borne by the Centre.
    ● PDPS – Under the PDPS, the Centre proposes to cover all oilseeds.
    ● The difference between the MSP and actual selling/modal price will be directly paid into the farmer’s bank account.
    ● Farmers who sell their crops in recognised mandis within the notified period can benefit from it.
    ● PPSS – In the case of oilseeds, States will have the option to roll out PPSS in select districts.
    ● Under this, a private player can procure crops at MSP when market prices drop below MSP.
    ● The private player will then be compensated through a service charge up to a maximum of 15% of the MSP.

    1.16 Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)

    What is the news: The Central Government notified a decision to extend the benefit of ₹6,000 per year under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi
    scheme to all 14.5 crore farmers in the country, irrespective of the size of their landholding.
    ● Central sector scheme

    Objective

    ○ To provide income support to all farmer families having cultivable land.
    ○ To supplement the financial needs of the farmers in procuring various inputs to ensure proper crop health and appropriate yields, commensurate with the anticipated farm income.

    Salient Features:

    ● The revised Scheme is expected to coveraround 2 crore more farmers, increasing the coverage of PM-KISAN to around 14.5 crore
    beneficiaries.
    ● Responsibility of identifying the landholder farmer family eligible for benefit under the scheme shall be of the State/UT Government.
    ● The lists of eligible beneficiaries would be published at the village level to ensure transparency.
    ● Exclusions: Certain categories of beneficiaries of higher economic status such as institutional landholders, former and present holder of constitutional posts, persons who paid income tax in the last assessment year etc. shall not be eligible for benefit under the scheme.
    ■ Professionals like doctors, engineers and lawyers as well as retired pensioners with a monthly pension of over ₹10,000 and those who paid income tax in the last assessment year are also not eligible for the benefits.
    ■ For the purpose of exclusion State/UT Government can certify the eligibility of the beneficiary based on self-declaration by the beneficiaries.
    ● A dedicated PM Kisan Portal will be launched for the implementation of the scheme.
    ● This is a Central Sector Scheme and will be funded fully by the Government of India

  • Should we do away with the MPLADS?

    Since its inception in 1993, MPLADS has continued uninterrupted for 27 years. But COVID-19 came as a roadblock for MPLADS. Recently, it was suspended by the government for two years. As expected it led to huge political drama. However, as an aspirant, it is our duty to cut the drama out and focus on issues that matter. This article discusses MPLADS and argues for its abolition owing to various issues associated with it.

    Reason for suspension of MPLADS

    • The government suspended the scheme to strengthen the government’s efforts in managing the challenges and adverse impact of COVID-19 in the country.
    • It has been suspended for two years.
    • BTW scheme in short: Each MP has the choice to suggest to the District Collector for works to the tune of ₹5 crores per annum to be taken up in his/her constituency.

    Why should MPLADS be abolished?

    1. It goes against the spirit of the Constitution

    • The scheme violates one of the cardinal principles: separation of powers.
    • Simply put, this scheme, in effect, gives an executive function to legislators or the legislature.
    • The argument that MPs only recommend projects, but the final choice and implementation rest with the district authorities is unfounded.
    • There are hardly any authorities in the district who have the courage to defy the wishes of an MP.

    2. Lacunae in implementation

    • Consider some of the observations made by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India:
    • Expenditure incurred by the executing agencies being less than the amount booked.
    • Utilisation of funds between 49 to 90% of the booked amount.
    • The scheme envisages that works under the scheme should be limited to asset creation, but 78% of the works recommended were for improvement of existing assets.
    • Wide variations in quantities executed against the quantities specified in the BOQ (Bills of Quantity) in 137 of the 707 works test-checked. Variations ranged from 16 to 2312%.
    • Use of lesser quantities of material than specified by contractors resulting in excess payments and sub-standard works.
    • Delays in issuing work orders ranging from 5 to 387 days in 57% of the works against the requirement of issuing the work order within 45 days.
    • Extensions of time granted to contractors without following the correct procedure.
    • Register of assets created, as required under the scheme, not maintained, therefore location and existence of assets could not be verified.

    3. Wide variation in utilisation of MPLADS funds

    • A report published in IndiaSpend has some very interesting insights based on data made available to it by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
    • A year after they took office, 298 of 543 members of the 16th Lok Sabha— have not spent a rupee from the ₹5 crore.
    • Though ₹1,757 crore had been released for MPLADs, only ₹281 crore had been utilised by all the 543 MPs till May 15, 2015.
    • This means only 16% of the money had been spent in one year by all the MPs put together, because the Lok Sabha was constituted in May 2014.
    • Since the MPLADS began in 1993, ₹5,000 crore was lying unspent with various district authorities by May 15, 2015.
    • It is clear from the details above, as well as later experience, that most MPs use money under MPLADS quite haphazardly, and a significant portion of it is left unspent.

    4. Misuse of the money under MPLADS

    • There is widespread talk of money under MPLADS being used to appease or oblige two sets of people: opinion-makers or opinion-influencers, and favourite contractors.
    • There have been cases of the contractor and the MP being financially linked with each other.

    5. Legality issue

    • The constitutional validity of MPLADS was challenged in the Supreme Court of India in 1999, followed by petitions in 2000, 2003, 2004, and 2005.
    • The combined judgment for all these petitions was delivered on May 6, 2010, with the scheme being held to be constitutional.
    • The SC seems to have placed an unquestioned trust in the efficacy of the scheme of implementation of MPLADS drawn up by the government without an assessment of the situation prevalent in the field.
    • The court should pay more attention to its skewed implementation, evidence of which is available in audit reports.

    Contrast and compare the provision of MPLADS with the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana. A direct question on the MPLADS could be asked by the UPSC, for instance, consider this question-“There has been the debate around the MPLADS. Discuss the issues involved in the MPLADS.”

    Conclusion

    Reports of underutilisation and misutilisation of MPLADS funds continue to surface at regular intervals but there seems to have been no serious attempt to do anything about it till now. Some concrete decisions on the future of the scheme is now inevitable.

     Back2Basics: What is MPLADS?

    • MPLAD is a central government scheme, under which MPs can recommend development programmes involving the spending of Rs 5 crore every year in their respective constituencies.
    • MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including nominated ones, can do so.
    • MPs do not receive any money under these schemes.
    • The government transfers it directly to the respective local authorities.
    • The legislators can only recommend works in their constituencies based on a set of guidelines.
    • For the MPLAD Scheme, the guidelines focus on the creation of durable community assets like roads, school buildings etc.
    • Recommendations for non-durable assets can be made only under limited circumstances.

    For example, last month, the government allowed the use of MPLAD funds for the purchase of personal protection equipment, coronavirus testing kits etc.

     

     

  • Environmental regulations: go or no go?

    As the world struggles to restart the economic activities amid the pandemic, various strategies are being advised to salvage the damaged economies. One amongst them is to cut down on the environmental standards to spur the economic activities. This article explains why India should not be short-sighted to lower the environmental standards.

    What is this fuss about environment and lockdown?

    • The lockdown exit strategies are focused on saving livelihoods.

    • But the lockdown is causing fiscal pressures on governments which further motivates it to lower the environmental standards, suspend environmental monitoring requirements and reduce environmental enforcement. (Well to save some bucks.)

    • And also in the belief that this is necessary to secure economic growth.

    • But it would be a mistake to assume that there is a trade-off between saving livelihoods and protecting the environment.

    • The crisis of COVID-19 has highlighted that improving the quality of air in our country is not a matter of choice but an emergency.

    How countries around the world are reacting?

    • The US announced a significant reduction in fuel efficiency standards for new cars.

    • This move could result in increased gasoline consumption by 80 billion tonnes, pumping increased carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

    • The US Environmental Protection Agency has announced that it will not be enforcing compliance with routine monitoring and reporting obligations of environmental protection, for an indefinite period.

    • 13 European ministers have been outspoken about resisting the temptations of short-term solutions in response to the present crisis- need to maintain and strengthen EU’s effective regulatory tools to stick to its 2030 climate goals.

    5 Arguments that Indian authorities that look into viz a viz environmental standards

    1. Pollution increases risk to COVID-19

    • People living in areas with higher levels of air pollution face increased risk of premature death from COVID-19.

    • New Delhi was the world’s most polluted capital city for the second straight year in 2019.

    • And India was also home to 21 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities, Swiss-based group IQ AirVisual said in a recent study.

    • The State of Global Air 2019 Report finds air pollution responsible for over 1.2 million deaths in China and India each, based on 2017 data.

    2. The poor are the most affected by air pollution

    • There is enormous inequality in the impact of the COVID-19 fallout.

    • Those who suffer the most from air pollution are the millions who live and toil in the open, who cannot afford air-purifiers or other mitigating measures, as also the elderly and children.

    3. Risk of future pandemics

    • There is good evidence that three-quarters of the emerging infectious diseases migrate from wild or domesticated animals into humans.

    • This includes Ebola, SARS, MERS and now COVID-19.

    • Deforestation, industrial agriculture, illegal wildlife trade, climate change and other types of environmental degradation increase the risk of future pandemics.

    4. Public support for environment protection

    • From Delhi to Sao Paulo, Bangkok to Bogota, the dramatic improvement in the quality of air and water in the most polluted cities around the world has been transmitted by social media.

    • This may well result in a groundswell of public support for measures to protect the environment.

    5. The environment will get the value it deserves

    • The corona pandemic will jolt the markets into giving a clean, healthy and sustainable environment the economic value it deserves.

    • There’s a possibility that the gulf between what markets value, and what people value, will close.

    Environment conservation as a silver lining in this Pandemic

    • We have never treated air pollution as a national emergency, failing to coordinate between the Centre and state governments.

    • The COVID pandemic has been declared a national disaster in India, under the National Disaster Management Act, 2005.

    • This legislation mandates the disaster authorities coordinate among themselves and take measures for the prevention and mitigation of the pandemic.

    • Preventing and mitigating the risks of COVID-19, therefore, means the mandate for the disaster authorities is also to tackle air and other forms of pollution head-on.

    Questions based on disasters have been a recurring theme in the UPSC. In 2014, a question was asked with respect to drought, the same could be asked about air pollution. In 2017 again a question based on role of NDMA and tsunami was aksed. In 2018, a question based on Sendai Framework was asked.

     

    Conclusion

    The NDMA is a platform which should be used to combat air pollution as an emergency, similar coordination will be required at an international level to continue to work towards reduced emissions under the Paris Agreement. It is a great pity that it takes a pandemic to bring the realisation that economic growth versus clean air is a false dichotomy.

    Back2Basics: NDMA

    • On 23 December 2005, the Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act, which envisaged the creation of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
    • It is headed by the Prime Minister, and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by respective Chief Ministers.
    • It aims to spearhead and implement a holistic and integrated approach to Disaster Management in India.

  • FCI to the rescue

    FCI, indeed, has remained a crucial topic from the examination viewpoint. Mostly it is highlighted for its issues, corruption and wastages in the godowns. Be it MS Swaminathan or the latest Shanta Kumar committee all focus on how to revamp this giant institution. This article, however, points to the relevance of the FCI in the times of pandemic and suggests areas where there is scope for improvement in fulfilling its role. Stay tuned to find out what are the major concerns with FCI which needs consideration by the government.

    A background check on FCI

    • The FCI was set up under the Food Corporations Act 1964.

    •  In its first decade, FCI was at the forefront of India’s quest of self-sufficiency in rice and wheat following the Green Revolution.

    • Its functions involved managing procurement and stocking grain that supported a vast Public Distribution System (PDS).

    • Over time it became a behemoth that had long outlived its purpose and Its operations were regarded as expensive and inefficient.

    • Even in the 1970s and 1980s, poor storage conditions meant a lot of grain was lost to pests, mainly rats; diversion of grain was widespread.

    What role can FCI play amid Covid-19?

    • The FCI has consistently maintained the PDS, a lifeline for vulnerable millions across the country.

    • In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, it can play a major role in avoiding hunger and starvation.

    • Before the lockdown, with 77 million tonnes of grains in its godowns, the FCI was facing a serious storage problem.

    • This was worrying not just because of a shortage of modern storage facilities but also because the FCI lacked a “pro-active liquidation policy” for excess stocks.

    • Post-COVID: FCI has opened up the godowns to release food stocks to those affected by the lockdown.

    • The FCI has also enabled purchases by States and non-governmental organisations directly from FCI depots, doing away with e-auctions typically conducted for the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS).

    • With rabi procurement underway in many States, it seems that the country will secure ample food supplies to cope with the current crisis.

    • Given the extended lockdown, the FCI is uniquely positioned to move grain across State borders where private sector players continue to face formidable challenges of transport.

    5 suggestions for the FCI to perform better

    1. Using roads along with rails:

    • The FCI is overwhelmingly reliant on rail, which has several advantages over road transport.

    • In 2019-2020 (until February) only 24% of the grain moved was by road.

    • The FCI has long recognised that road movement is often better suited for emergencies and for remote areas.

    • Containerised movement too, which is not the dominant way of transporting grain, is more cost-effective and efficient.

    • Now, more than ever, it is imperative to move grain quickly and with the least cost and effort, to areas where the need is greatest.

    2. Store grain near demand hotspot

    • The FCI already has a decentralised network of godowns.

    • In the current context, it would be useful for the State government and the FCI to maintain stocks at block headquarters or panchayats in food insecure or remote areas.

    • This would allow State governments to respond rapidly.

    •  It will also provide a sense of assurance and psychological comfort to vulnerable communities.

    • This is especially relevant for regions that are chronically underserved by markets or where markets have been severely disrupted.

    3. Release stocks over and above existing allocation

    • The central government need to look beyond the PDS and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana and release stocks over and above existing allocations.

    • This would provide flexibility to local governments to access grains for appropriate interventions at short notice and to sell grain locally at pre-specified prices until supply is restored.

    • This would allow the state government to engage in feeding programmes, free distribution to vulnerable and marginalised sections, those who are excluded from the PDS, etc.

    • In many States, there is a vibrant network of self-help groups formed under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) which can be tasked with last mile distribution of food aid other than the PDS.

    • Consultative committees presumably exist already in each State to coordinate with the FCI on such arrangements.

    4. Suspend FIFO principle

    • Typically, the FCI’s guidelines follow a first in, first out principle (FIFO).

    • FIFO mandates that grain that has been procured earlier needs to be distributed first to ensure that older stocks are liquidated, both across years and even within a particular year.

    • It is time for the FCI to suspend this strategy, that enables movement that costs least time, money and effort.

    5. Support the farmers trying to reach out to consumers directly

    • In many places, farmer producer organisations (FPOs) have been at the forefront of rebuilding these broken supply chains.

    • The FCI along with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED), is well placed to rope in expertise to manage the logistics to support these efforts.

    • NAFED has already taken the initiative to procure and transport horticultural crops.

    • The FCI should similarly consider expanding its role to support FPOs and farmer groups, to move a wider range of commodities including agricultural inputs such as seeds and fertilizers, packing materials and so on.

    Major concerns regarding FCI’s role

    • Cost of food subsidy: The first is a long-term concern regarding the costs of food subsidy.

    • An analysis of FCI costs spanning 2001-16 suggests that on average about 60% of the costs of acquisition, procurement, distribution and carrying stocks are in fact transfers to farmers.

    • Not all of what is counted as subsidy therefore represents a waste of resources.

    • The government needs to address the FCI’s mounting debts — an estimated ₹2.55 lakh crore in March 2020 in the form of National Small Saving Funds Loan alone.

    • Depressing food prices: A second concern is that extended food distribution of subsidised grain is akin to dumping and depresses food prices locally.

    • The depressed prices, in turn, affect farmers.

    The Covid-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the relevance of the FCI. This makes PDS and Food security in prelims as well as in mains examination focus area. So, questions based on the topic are likely to be asked by the UPSC, for ex- “The FCI’s role in providing succour has been proved many times in the past and it lived up to its reputation amid Covid-19 pandemic as well. In the light of the above statement, discuss the relevance of the FCI and suggest the ways to improve its performance in the times of disasters”

    Also consider a question asked by the UPSC in 2019, “What are the reformative steps taken by the Government to make the food grain distribution system more effective?”

    Conclusion

    In 2015, the Shanta Kumar report recommended repurposing the organisation as an “agency for innovations in Food Management System” and advocated shedding its dominant role in the procurement and distribution of grain. There is no doubt that the FCI needs to overhaul its operations and modernise its storage. At the same time, the relevance of an organisation such as the FCI or of public stockholding, common to most Asian countries, has never been more strongly established than now.

  • CSE Prelims 2020 Deferred – New date to be announced on 20th.

    Click to fill the form: Samanvaya for IAS 2021

    The official UPSC website – https://www.upsc.gov.in/

    has a yellow strip running the announcement that

    The Civil Services (Prel.) Examination-2020, scheduled to be held on 31/05/2020, stands deferred. Decision on fresh date of the Examination will be made available on 20/05/2020 after assessing the situation.

    Video for the same is attached –

    It was logical plus we knew it from our sources that the exam would be shifted. However, we didn’t want to disclose this because regardless of the shifting of the exam, your study schedule should remain the same.

    Over 80% of our students have already communicated with us on changes in strategy and how they should optimize in these uncertain times.  

    You just have to take 5 minutes out and fill this form: Samanvaya For IAS 2021. Go ahead. Dont wait for anyone.

  • Why liquor sale matters to states?

    Following the ease of restrictions in the third phase of the nationwide lockdown, some of the most striking images showed long queues outside liquor stores around the country. The Delhi government announced a 70% hike in the price of liquor across categories in the capital.

    Aspirants must note:

    1. Purview of Excise duty (i.e. Petroleum and Liquor)

    2. Excise duty before and after GST regime

    3. Sources of state revenue etc.

    4. Argument relating to inclusion of Liquor in GST

    Why liquor matters?

    • Delhi’s “special corona fee” on alcohol underlines the importance of liquor to the economy of the states.
    • Manufacture and sale of liquor is one of the major sources of their revenue, and the reopening comes at a time when the states have been struggling to fill their coffers amid the disruption on account of the lockdown.

    How do states earn from liquor?

    • Liquor contributes a considerable amount to the exchequers of all states and UTs except Gujarat and Bihar, both of which have enforced prohibition.
    • Generally, states levy excise duty on manufacture and sale of liquor.
    • Some states, for example, Tamil Nadu, also impose VAT (value-added tax).
    • States also charge special fees on imported foreign liquor; transport fee; and label & brand registration charges.
    • A few states, such as UP, have imposed a “special duty on liquor” to collect funds for special purposes, such as maintenance of stray cattle.

    Share in revenue

    • A report published by the RBI last year shows that state excise duty on alcohol accounts for around 10-15 per cent of Own Tax Revenue of a majority of states.
    • In fact, the state excise duty on liquor is the second or third largest contributor to the category State’s Own Tax revenue; sales tax (now GST) is the largest.
    • This is the reason states have always wanted liquor kept out of the purview of GST.

    What exactly is State Excise?

    • Excise duty on alcohol, alcoholic preparations, and narcotic substances is collected by the State Government and is called “State Excise” duty.
    • For most of the states, excise duty is the second largest tax revenue after sales taxes (state VAT).
    • Besides, a substantial amount comes from licences, fines and confiscation of alcohol products.

    What has changed with the State Excise after the GST regime?

    • At the central level, excise duty earlier used to be levied as Central Excise Duty, Additional Excise Duty, etc.
    • However, the Goods and Services Tax (GST), introduction in July 2017, subsumed many types of excise duty. Today, excise duty applies only on petroleum and liquor.
    • Excise duty was levied on manufactured goods and levied at the time of removal of goods, while GST is levied on the supply of goods and services.
    • Alcohol does not come under the purview of GST as exclusion mandated by constitutional provision.
    • States levy taxes on alcohol according to the same practice as was prevalent before the rollout of GST.
    • After GST was introduced, central excise duty was replaced by Central GST because excise was levied by the central government. The revenue generated from CGST goes to the central government.

    What are the other sources of revenue for the states?

    • The states’ revenues comprise broadly two categories — Tax Revenue and Non-Tax Revenue.
    • Tax revenue is divided into two further categories: State’s Own Tax Revenue, and Share in Central Taxes.
    • Again, Own Tax Revenue comprises three principal sources:

    1) Taxes on Income (agricultural income tax and taxes on professions, trades, callings and employment);

    2) Taxes on Property and Capital Transactions (land revenue, stamps and registration fees, urban immovable property tax); and

    3) Taxes on Commodities and Services (sales tax, state sales tax/VAT, central sales tax, a surcharge on sales tax, receipts of turnover tax, other receipts, state excise, taxes on vehicles, taxes on goods and passengers, taxes and duties on electricity, entertainment tax, state GST, and “other taxes and duties”).

    Back2Basics: What is Excise Duty?

    • Excise duty is a form of tax imposed on goods for their production, licensing and sale.
    • It is the opposite of Customs duty in sense that it applies to goods manufactured domestically in the country, while Customs is levied on those coming from outside of the country.
    • At the central level, excise duty earlier used to be levied as Central Excise Duty, Additional Excise Duty, etc.
    • Excise duty was levied on manufactured goods and levied at the time of removal of goods, while GST is levied on the supply of goods and services.

    Purview of excise duty

    • The GST introduction in July 2017 subsumed many types of excise duty.
    • Today, excise duty applies only on petroleum and liquor.
    • Alcohol does not come under the purview of GST as exclusion mandated by constitutional provision.
    • States levy taxes on alcohol according to the same practice as was prevalent before the rollout of GST.
    • After GST was introduced, excise duty was replaced by central GST because excise was levied by the central government. The revenue generated from CGST goes to the central government.

    Types of excise duty in India

    Before GST kicked in, there were three kinds of excise duties in India.

    1) Basic Excise Duty

    • Basic excise duty is also known as the Central Value Added Tax (CENVAT). This category of excise duty was levied on goods that were classified under the first schedule of the Central Excise Tariff Act, 1985.
    • This duty was levied under Section 3 (1) (a) of the Central Excise Act, 1944. This duty applied on all goods except salt.

    2) Additional Excise Duty

    • Additional excise duty was levied on goods of high importance, under the Additional Excise under Additional Duties of Excise (Goods of Special Importance) Act, 1957.
    • This duty was levied on some special category of goods.

    3) Special Excise Duty

    • This type of excise duty was levied on special goods classified under the Second Schedule to the Central Excise Tariff Act, 1985.
    • Presently the central excise duty comprises of a Basic Excise Duty, Special Additional Excise Duty and Additional Excise Duty (Road and Infrastructure Cess) on auto fuels.

  • Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Virtual Summit

    PM Modi has for the first addressed the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit since assuming office in 2014.

    Possible mains question-

    Q. Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) has lost its relevance in the new era of multipolar world. Comment.

    Highlights of the online summit

    • The online NAM Contact Group Summit on “United against COVID-19” was hosted by current NAM Chairman and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.
    • The NAM leaders announced the creation of a task force to identify requirements of member countries through a common database reflecting their basic medical, social and humanitarian needs in the fight against COVID-19.

    What is the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)?

    • The NAM is a forum of 120 developing world states that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.
    • The group was started in Belgrade, Yugoslavia in 1961.
    • After the UN, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide.

    Its formation

    • NAM emerged in the context of the wave of decolonization that followed World War II.
    • It was created by Yugoslavia’s President, Josip Broz Tito, India’s first PM, Jawaharlal Nehru, Egypt’s second President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah, and Indonesia’s first President, Sukarno.
    • All five leaders believed that developing countries should not help either the Western or Eastern blocs in the Cold War.
    • As a condition for membership, the states of the NAM cannot be part of a multilateral military alliance (such as the NATO) or have signed a bilateral military agreement with one of the “big powers” involved in Great Power conflicts.
    • However, its idea does not signify that a state ought to remain passive or even neutral in international politics.

    Terms of summits

    • Unlike the UN or the Organization of American States, the NAM has no formal constitution or permanent secretariat.
    • All members of the NAM have equal weight within its organization.
    • The movement’s positions are reached by consensus in the Summit Conference of Heads of State or Government, which usually convenes every three years.
    • The administration of the organization is the responsibility of the country holding the chair, a position that rotates at every summit.
    • The ministers of foreign affairs of the member states meet more regularly in order to discuss common challenges, notably at the opening of each regular session of the UN General Assembly.

    Its relevance today

    • One of the challenges of the NAM in the 21st century has been to reassess its identity and purpose in the post-Cold War era.
    • The movement has continued to advocate for international cooperation, multilateralism, and national self-determination, but it has also been increasingly vocal against the inequities of the world economic order.
    • On the contrary, from the founding of the NAM, its stated aim has been to give a voice to developing countries and to encourage their concerted action in world affairs.

  • How Remdesivir tricks coronavirus?

    A new research has found how Remdesivir treats coronavirus and described the exact mechanism of interaction between the virus and the drug.   Remdesivir is an experimental antiviral made by American pharmaceutical firm Gilead Sciences that was first developed to treat Ebola.

    DNA/RNA related terminologies, Genes and Genomes, etc. always find their way in UPSC Prelims.  Most recent one was-

    With reference to the recent developments in science, which one of the following statements is not correct? (CSP 2019)

    (a) Functional chromosomes can be created by joining segments of DNA taken from cells of different species.

    (b) Pieces of artificial functional DNA can be created in Iaboratories.

    (c) A piece of DNA taken out from an animal cell can be made to replicate outside a living cell in a laboratory.

    (d) Cells taken out from plants and animals can be made to undergo cell division in laboratory petri dishes.

    How Remdesivir kills coronavirus?

    • Remdesivir is designed to obstruct the stage of replication, when the virus creates copies of itself, followed endlessly by the copies creating copies of themselves.

    How does replication take place?

    • Once the virus enters the human cell, it releases its genetic material, which is then copied using the body’s existing mechanism.
    • At every stage of infection, various human proteins, virus proteins, and their interactions come into play.
    • At the replication stage, the key viral protein at play is an enzyme called RdRp (an enzyme is a kind of protein that speeds up chemical reactions within a cell).
    • It is RdRp that makes the copies, by processing components of the RNA of the virus.
    • University of Alberta researchers called it the “engine” of the virus in a paper last week, in which they described the action of Remdesivir against this “engine”.
    • In scientific literature, such an enzyme is called a polymerase (the p is RdRp stands for polymerase) or a replica.
    • In any case, this is the enzyme that is targeted by Remdesivir.

    And how exactly does Remdesivir target this enzyme?

    • In order to replicate, the virus processes raw material from the virus RNA, broken down by another enzyme with that specific function.
    • When a patient is given Remdesivir — the inhibitor — it mimics some of this material and gets incorporated in the replication site.
    • With Remdesivir replacing the material it needs, the virus fails to replicate further.
    • These coronavirus polymerases are sloppy and they get fooled, so the inhibitor gets incorporated many times and the virus can no longer replicate.

  • [Burning Issue] The COVID chapter in Indian Diplomacy

    The outbreak and spread of COVID-19 has created multiple challenges for the entire world. Apart from primary challenges like containing the spread of the virus and treating infected patients, there are rising political issues such as the blame game between US and China, crumbling role of WHO and questions about the future world order. Amid this entire crisis, India has been playing an important role as reflected in the praises being heaped on our PM from worldwide, paving way for stronger future partnerships. This also creates an opportunity for India’s so-called “medical diplomacy” which is already growing at an unprecedented scale.

    Background

    • The spread of COVID at lightning speed has exposed the void in collective leadership at the global level.
    • The contemporary global order and institutions have proved to be hegemonic exercises meant to deal with isolated political and military crises but failed to serve humanity at large.
    • To top it all, the worst nativist tendencies of the global leaders are visible in the face of this major crisis.
    • The fact that UNSC took so long to meet (that too inconclusively) to discuss the pandemic is a ringing testimony to the UN’s insignificance.
    • In this global chaos, India’s handling of the pandemic and its bilateral moves, shows India’s mettle to awaken the conscience of the superpowers and catalyse collective global action.

    The World on its knees (credits COVID-19)

    Fall of WHO

    • WHO is under criticism for giving China too much benefit of the doubt at the beginning of this pandemic.
    • At the center of public outrage, WHO is now being mimicked as “Chinese Health Organisation” even as it is at the forefront of fighting its worldwide spread.
    • The largest contributor to WHO’s finance, the US has halted its funding making WHO a paper organisation.

    The Trumplomacy

    • The US decision to suspend contributions to the WHO is an extraordinary act of moral abdication and international vandalism at a time when the world desperately needs to find means of working together.
    • From unnecessary trade war to an increasingly desperate coronavirus war, US and China are trapped in a blame game with no easy way out.
    • Weakened economically and politically after COVID-19, U.S.’s capacity to play a critical role in world affairs is diminishing.

    EU woes

    • The EU, the most progressive post-national regional arrangement, stood clueless when the virus spread like wildfire in Europe.
    • Its member states turned inward for solutions: self-help, not regional coordination, was their first instinct.
    • These regional institutions haven’t fared any better in the past as well.
    • Europe, in the short and medium-term, will prove incapable of defining and defending its common interests, let alone having any influence in world affairs.

    Problems in West Asia

    • In West Asia, both Saudi Arabia and Iran are set to face difficult times.
    • The oil price meltdown will aggravate an already difficult situation across the region.
    • There may be no victors, but Israel may be one country that is in a position to exploit this situation to its advantage.
    • Israel could exploit this situation to strengthen its control over Palestine (benefiting from its dependency) and crush the Hamas.

    Looming global depression

    • Neoliberal economic globalization may face a major beating in the wake of the pandemic and signs of the global recession are eminent.
    • The pre-existing structural weakness of the global order will further feed states’ protectionist tendencies fueled by hyper-nationalism.

    The Great Strategist: China

    • China is seeking to convert its ‘failure’ into a significant opportunity. This is Sino-centrism at its best, or possibly its worst for the world.

     Point in Case

    • China has surprisingly accelerated its movements in the South China Sea.
    • It plans using its manufacturing capability to its geo-economic advantage.
    • There are enough reports of China’s intentions to acquire financial assets and stakes in banks and companies across the world amid crisis.
    • Shares in HDFC: India seems to have woken up only recently to this threat after the Peoples’ Bank of China acquired a 1% stake in India’s HDFC.

    Taking advantage of RCEP and Belt and Road Initiative

    • Restricting hostile takeovers may not be adequate to checkmate China.
    • It is poised to dominate the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
    • It will enable China to exploit market access across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, East Asian nations, Australia and New Zealand.
    • Together with its Belt and Road Initiative, China is ostensibly preparing the way for a China-centric multilateral globalization framework.

    India steps in as a Leader

    • India has been proactive at both the domestic level – the steps taken to tackle the crisis at home — and the diplomatic level — India’s assistance to other countries, especially in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), amid the pandemic.
    • Despite the existing domestic challenges emanating out of the pandemic, India has decided to render possible help to countries like the US, a few European, African, and Latin American countries, as well as countries in the Middle East by providing medicines and sending medical professionals.

    What steps did India take?

    • The first element of India’s medical diplomacy includes issuing speedy clearances for the export of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine – seen as useful in the treatment of patients suffering from the novel coronavirus – at the last count to 55 countries.
    • The second element includes dispatch of Indian military doctors teams to countries like Nepal, the Maldives and Kuwait to help local administrations draw up plans to combat the spread of this pandemic.

    India and IOR

    1) Early evacuations

    • One of the first steps taken by India was to evacuate citizens of different countries along with its own citizens from Wuhan, China, the epicentre of the first COVID-19 outbreak.
    • Those evacuated as compassionate cases includes citizens from IOR countries such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Maldives, South Africa, and Madagascar.
    • India not only evacuated these people but also quarantined them in India as a precautionary measure before sending them to their respective countries.

    2) Supply of essential medicines

    • India has emerged as a major supplier of medicines to different countries worldwide in the fight against COVID-19.
    • As part of that effort, India was the first responder to Mauritius and Seychelles.
    • Accordingly, India sent a consignment of life-saving drugs, including hydroxychloroquine, to Mauritius and Seychelles.

    3) Settling the neighbourhood irritants

    • In the past few months, India’s relations were strained to owe to Iran and Malaysia’s criticisms of India on CAA issue.
    • However, recently India and Iran cooperated with each other in order to evacuate Indians stranded in Iran.
    • Apart from this, India has sent a wheat consignment to Afghanistan through Iran’s Chabahar port.
    • With respect to Malaysia, India has agreed to supply anti-malarial drugs, indicating an improvement in bilateral relations.

    India and Middle-East

    • While the current Indian government has been placing immense importance on promoting its “Neighborhood First” policy, it is simultaneously strengthening overall cooperation with its “extended neighbours.”
    • This is where the Middle Eastern countries come to the fore.

    Extending the cooperation

    • India’s cooperation with this region has become more comprehensive, moving beyond the oil-energy trade to include military-security ties, maritime cooperation, strategic oil reserves, joint energy exploration projects, and mutual investments.
    • India has dispatched a team of 15 doctors and healthcare professionals to assist the efforts of the Kuwaiti government in its fight against the pandemic.
    • Jordan, UAE and Oman are some of the countries to whom India has supplied hydroxychloroquine (HCQ).
    • Apart from the above-mentioned Arab countries, India has also provided medical-related and humanitarian assistance to Israel, which is one of its largest arms suppliers.

    India and SAARC

    • India has assumed leadership of the South Asian charge against COVID-19.
    • India has backed to set up an emergency fund to fight the rapid spread of Covid-19 pandemic and has pledged $10 million toward this emergency fund.

    India and US

    • India lifted the ban on HCQ, displaying its ability to rise above politics despite Trump’s consistent politicization of COVID-19 response efforts.

    The thought behind Indian Diplomacy

    1) Acting in-principle with Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam

    • At this crucial juncture when almost every part of the globe is engulfed by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, India has taken a step forward by providing medical assistance to some of its international partners.
    • Precisely, India has been propagating the ancient Sanskrit dictum Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning “the world is one family.”
    • Such goodwill reflects the evolving nature of the Indian foreign policy, and this has gradually been acknowledged by other countries.

    2) India chose collaboration over confrontation

    • Crises bring out the best and worst in individuals, and the same appears to be the case for nation-states.
    • While rivals China and the US engage in a high-profile war of words amidst the COVID-19 crisis, India has chosen the approach of collaboration over confrontation.
    • This approach also provided India with an opportunity to address the irritants in its ties with countries, most notably Iran and Malaysia.

    3) Being the global pharmacy

    • India is often dubbed “the pharmacy of the world” that produces 70 per cent of the world’s HCQ.
    • The Indian pharma industry is the world’s third-largest drug producer by volume and the country’s market manufactures 60 per cent of vaccines globally.

    4) Addressing the ‘threat everywhere’

    • Covid-19 does not respect borders – even closed ones – and its continued transmission anywhere poses a threat to health everywhere.
    • If the pandemic worsens, intensive international cooperation will be required to get expertise and resources to where they are needed the most – especially as the disease takes root in impoverished countries in the Global South.

    5) Occupying the vacuum generated

    • The COVID-19 crisis presents an opportunity for India. This entire crisis has put the focus on China from different quarters.
    • At present, more and more countries in the world have an unfavourable opinion about China.
    • On the other hand, India has been nimble-footed enough to take this opportunity and build up goodwill, which could result in elevated status in the post-COVID-19 period.

    Conclusion

    • History teaches us that the collective action needed to address this crisis will not just emerge spontaneously – it must be built painfully, step by step, by countries that trust one another and are able to look beyond their own immediate interests.
    • Indian diplomacy has been often accused as a response to the transactional discussions. However, India is making genuine sacrifices to show international solidarity and not to monger profits.
    • India’s foreign policy has instilled this principle in letter and spirit and is acting accordingly because of even the smallest contribution matters.

    Way ahead

    • The new world order is on the way. The spread of concepts like “before corona” and “after corona” will become commonplace.
    • Far-reaching changes can be anticipated in the realm of geo-economics and geopolitics.
    • India is gearing up itself for the emerging challenges on various fronts.
    • The effort and message are clear: India’s careful diplomacy reflects a balance between the country’s values and interests.
    • The Indian act of generosity has turned the world attention towards India and is sure to open doors towards deeper ties around the world in the near future.

     

    References

    https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/covid-19-and-the-crumbling-world-order/

    https://www.civilsdaily.com/burning-issue-world-health-organization-who-and-coronavirus-handling/

    https://thediplomat.com/2020/04/indias-indian-ocean-diplomacy-in-the-covid-19-crisis/

    https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-deep-void-in-global-leadership/article31200881.ece

  • Bay of Bengal Boundary Layer Experiment (BoBBLE)

    A team from IISc Bengaluru and UK based researchers has created a blueprint for accurate prediction of monsoon, tropical cyclones and another weather-related forecast under the BoBBLE Experiment.

    Aspirants must note:

    1) BoBBLE is headed by which organizations?

    2) Its purpose and application

    What is BoBBLE?

    • The Bay of Bengal Boundary Layer Experiment or BoBBLE in short is a project funded by Union Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Natural Environment Research Council of UK.
    • BoBBLE tries to determine, quantify and model ocean-atmosphere interactions that drive variability in the South Asian monsoon.
    • The experiment created a blueprint for future weather system observational experiments for accurately forecasting monsoon rainfall.

    Why need BoBBLE?

    • The Bay of Bengal (BoB) plays a fundamental role in controlling the weather systems that make up the South Asian summer monsoon system.
    • In particular, the southern BoB has cooler sea surface temperatures (SST) that influence ocean-atmosphere interaction and impact the monsoon.
    • Compared to the southeastern BoB, the southwestern BoB is cooler, more saline receives much less rain, and is influenced by the summer monsoon current (SMC).
    • To examine the impact of these features on the monsoon, the BoB Boundary Layer Experiment (BoBBLE) was undertaken.

    BONUS:

    1) How technology development in monsoon forecasting can benefit realizing the dream of doubling farmers income by 2022?

    2) Discuss the role of Bay of Bengal in monsoon dynamics. (Hint: the link between the two lies in Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD))

    How is the experiment carried out?

    • BoBBLE will deploy two ships, six ocean gliders and eight floats to collect an unprecedented range of oceanic and air-sea flux observations.
    • These will occupy locations in the southwest and southeast Bay, as well as tracing east-west and north-south paths between those locations, measuring ocean temperature, salinity and currents.

    With inputs from http://www.walker.ac.uk/research/projects/bay-of-bengal-boundary-layer-experiment-bobble/

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