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  • Food Procurement and Distribution – PDS & NFSA, Shanta Kumar Committee, FCI restructuring, Buffer stock, etc.

    Leveraging PDS to Improve Nutrition Security

    op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: PDS, Buffer Stock & Food Security

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Food procurement

    Mains level: Nutritious food through PDS

    PDS

    Central Idea

    • The Department of Food and Public Distribution (DoF&PD), in particular the Food Corporation of India (FCI), must have heaved a sigh of relief that the procurement of wheat so far has crossed 20 million tonnes (MT), a notch higher than last year. Three states Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh have contributed more than 98 per cent to the central pool.

    Wheat production estimates

    • The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) had earlier estimated the wheat production for this year to be 112 MT. However, the impact of unseasonal rains on wheat production has made the revised estimate uncertain.
    • Punjab: Punjab, one of the largest contributors to wheat procurement, is also in the process of estimating losses due to rough weather just before the harvest time. Despite the unseasonal rains, interactions with Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), market functionaries and farmers suggest that the production of wheat this year is higher than last year.
    • Uttar Pradesh: Uttar Pradesh produces almost double the amount of wheat (about 35 MT) than Punjab (about 18 MT). UP is estimated to procure 3.5 MT of wheat, but so far it has procured a meagre 0.12 MT. Unless it brings a surprise in May and June, the overall wheat procurement may stop well short of even 30 MT.

    Facts for prelims

    The benefits of Mulching of paddy straw

    • Increases organic carbon in the soil: Mulching of paddy straw increases the organic carbon content of the soil. It helps in retaining moisture in the soil and improves soil health.
    • Helps in reducing weed growth: Mulching acts as a magic as it helps in reducing the weed growth, conserves soil moisture, and provides essential nutrients to the soil.
    • Increases crop productivity: It helps in improving the fertility of the soil and in turn increases the productivity of the crops.
    • Reduces soil erosion: Mulching of paddy straw protects the soil from wind and water erosion.
    • Decreases the use of fertilizers: It helps in reducing the use of fertilizers as the organic matter from the mulch provides essential nutrients to the soil.
    • Promotes sustainable agriculture: Mulching promotes sustainable agriculture practices as it is an eco-friendly and cost-effective way of managing agricultural waste.

    PDS

    Challenges for providing nutritious food through PDS

    • Infrastructure and supply chain: There is a lack of proper infrastructure and supply chain to transport and store nutritious food items such as millets, pulses, and oilseeds. This leads to spoilage, wastage, and ultimately affects the quality of food provided through PDS.
    • Cost: Providing nutritious food items through PDS may increase the cost of the program, which can be a challenge for the government to sustain in the long run.
    • Awareness and demand: There is a lack of awareness among the general public about the benefits of nutritious food items and the need to include them in their diet. Also, there may not be enough demand for these items, leading to poor offtake and wastage.
    • Operational challenges: There are several operational challenges such as sourcing, storage, and distribution of nutritious food items, which need to be addressed for an effective PDS program.
    • Political interference: There may be political interference in the selection of food items to be included in PDS, leading to a focus on populist measures rather than on nutritious food items. This can undermine the effectiveness of the program.

    agriculture

    Nutrition security through PDS and a help to climate resilient agriculture

    • Introducing more nutritious food: The introduction of more nutritious food, such as millets, pulses, and oilseeds, in PDS can help achieve the twin objectives of nutrition and climate resilience.
    • Encouraging climate-resilient food: Encouraging the production of climate-resilient food crops like millets, pulses, oilseeds, etc., can help create a steady flow of nutritious food.
    • Upgrading fair price shops to Nutritious Food Hubs: At least 10% of fair price shops can be upgraded and declared as Nutritious Food Hubs (NFHs). These NFHs can have fortified, including bio-fortified, rice and wheat, millets, pulses, oilseeds (especially soyabean products with 40% protein), fortified milk and edible oils, eggs, etc.
    • Electronic vouchers for targeted beneficiaries: Consumers of PDS list may be given electronic vouchers (like an e-food coupon in a food court) that can be charged by the government three or four times a year.
    • Government assistance for upgrading NFHs: The NFHs can be upgraded with government assistance, creating demand for more diversified and nutritious food from the masses.
    • Capping the procurement of rice: The procurement of rice would have to be capped, starting with districts where the water table has been depleting alarmingly.
    • For example, Sangrur in Punjab has witnessed a fall of groundwater level by more than 25 meters during 2000-2019. Farmers of such districts could be incentivized to grow millets, pulses, oilseeds, etc., that are climate smart, use much less water and fertilizers, thus saving power and fertilizer subsidies.
    • Giving a special package for carbon credits: The Centre and the states need to join hands to give a special package for carbon credits for growing such crops. Farmers can be rewarded about Rs 10,000/acre (to be shared equally by the Centre and the state), as these crops would save that much fertilizer subsidy of the Centre and power subsidy of the state.

    Conclusion

    • The Department of Food and Public Distribution’s Chintan Shivir on leveraging PDS to offer more nutritious food is a great vision, but there are several operational challenges to provide a steady flow of these foods. Upgrading at least 10% of the fair price shops as Nutritious Food Hubs could create a demand for more diversified and nutritious food from the masses. However, capping the procurement of rice and incentivizing farmers to grow millets, pulses, and oilseeds that are climate-smart and use less water and fertilizers is necessary.

    Mains Question

    Q. How PDS can be leveraged to provided nutritious food and also help make Indian agriculture more climate resilient? Discuss along with the challenges

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    Food Security and Energy Crisis In The South Asian neighbourhood

     

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  • Mother and Child Health – Immunization Program, BPBB, PMJSY, PMMSY, etc.

    A Troubling Statistic in India’s Nutritional Landscape

    op-ed snap | Governance | Mains Paper 3: Inclusive Growth & Issues

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Statistics on hunger and malnutrition, and initiatives

    Mains level: Tackling the problem of hunger and malnutrition

    nutrition

    Central Idea

    • A troubling statistic in the fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data, conducted in 2019-21, is not well-known. Going without food for an entire day at this critical period of a child’s development raises serious concerns related to severe food insecurity.

    Statistics from the NFHS-5 data

    • Zero-food: Among mothers with a child between ages 6-23 months, 18% reported that their child did not eat any food whatsoever (“zero-food”) in the 24 hours preceding the survey. The zero-food prevalence was 30% for infants aged 6-11 months, 13% among 12-17 months old, and 8% among 18-23 months old.
    • Zero-protein: More than 80% of children in the age group of 6-23 months had not consumed any protein-rich foods for an entire day (“zero-protein”). Close to 40% of children in the age group of 6-23 months did not eat any grains (roti, rice, etc.) for an entire day.
    • Zero-milk: Six out of 10 children in the age group of 6-23 months do not consume milk or dairy of any form every day (“zero-milk”).

    The current measures for undernutrition

    • Stunting: It is a measure of chronic malnutrition, where children are too short for their age. It is determined by comparing a child’s height with the World Health Organization (WHO) child growth standards.
    • Wasting: It is a measure of acute malnutrition, where children have a low weight for their height. It is determined by comparing a child’s weight with the WHO child growth standards.
    • Underweight: It is a measure of both chronic and acute malnutrition, where children have a low weight for their age. It is determined by comparing a child’s weight with the WHO child growth standards.

    Limitations of current measures of undernutrition

    • Anthropometric measures: The assessment of the extent of nutritional deprivation among young children in India has relied on measures of anthropometric failure such as the percentage of children short for their age (stunting) or weighing less given their height (wasting), compared to a reference population. These measures are, at best, proxies suggesting plausible overall deficiencies in the child’s environment, without any guidance on the specific nature of the deficiencies. They do not provide insight into the specific food groups that are lacking in the child’s diet.
    • Multifactorial nature: Given the multifactorial nature of what causes stunting or wasting among children, it is challenging for any single ministry or department of the Government of India to take responsibility for designing, implementing and monitoring policies to reduce undernutrition among children.
    • Sensitivity: The sensitivity of the stunting prevalence to what population reference is being used makes it problematic as a policy metric for creating and evaluating the effectiveness of current programs and interventions.
    • Lack of data: The fact that we do not know what India eats highlights a core deficiency in data related to food and dietary consumption. This limits the ability to design effective policies and programs to improve nutritional security among Indians.

    Facts for prelims

    Initiative

    Description
    NFHS-5 Conducted in 2019-21, it revealed that 18% of mothers with a child between ages 6-23 months reported zero-food intake.
    Mission Poshan 2.0 A flagship programme aimed at achieving SDG 2 “zero hunger” and focuses on food-based initiatives.
    Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) Increased access to improved toilets among Indian households from 48% to 70% between 2016 and 2021.
    Zero Food Metric A food-based metric that provides a good start to monitor and assess the performance of Poshan 2.0.
    White House initiative on hunger, nutrition and health Launched by the US to end hunger by 2030.

    Calorie intake recommendations by WHO

    • According to the World Health Organisation, at six months of age, 33 per cent of the daily calorie intake is expected to come from food. This proportion increases to 61 per cent at 12 months of age.
    • The recommended calorie percentages mentioned here are the minimum amount that should come from food.
    • It is presumed that the child obtains the remaining calories through on-demand breastfeeding, meaning the child is breastfed whenever they need it throughout the day and night, and not solely when the mother is able to provide it.
    • Consequently, the percentage of food-sourced calories only increases further when a child cannot receive breast milk when needed.

    What is the need for Poshan 2.0?

    • Achieving SDG 2: Poshan 2.0 is a flagship program that aims to achieve SDG 2, which aims to end hunger and ensure year-round access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food by 2030.
    • Targeting maternal and child nutrition: Poshan 2.0 focuses on food-based initiatives, including its flagship supplementary nutrition program service as mandated by the 2013 National Food Security Act, to target maternal and child nutrition.
    • Developing food-based metrics: To effectively monitor and assess the performance of Poshan 2.0, there is an immediate need to develop appropriate food-based metrics to measure the extent of food insecurity among Indian households.
    • Improving nutritional security: The goal of Poshan 2.0 is to ensure affordable access to sufficient quantity and quality of nutritionally diverse food, with a special and immediate focus on India’s youngest children to improve nutritional security among Indians.
    • Establishing routine dietary and nutritional assessments: A national effort to establish routine dietary and nutritional assessments for the entire population is the need of the hour to measure the availability, accessibility, and affordability of nutritious food, especially for disadvantaged and vulnerable populations such as young children, and constitute the foundation for any evidence-based policy to end hunger and improve nutritional security among Indians.

    Way ahead

    • Elevating food intake among young children to be of primary importance, as opposed to being referred to as “complementary” in policies and guidelines related to maternal, infant and young child nutrition.
    • Extending the 24-hour recall questions on consumption of various food items to the population of children under five years to better understand food security for all populations in India.
    • Developing appropriate food-based metrics to effectively monitor and assess the performance of Mission Poshan 2.0.
    • Establishing routine dietary and nutritional assessments for the entire population to measure the availability, accessibility and affordability of nutritious food, especially for disadvantaged and vulnerable populations such as young children.
    • Consider a strategic initiative led by the Prime Minister’s Office aimed at eliminating food insecurity in India and ensuring affordable access to sufficient quantity and quality of nutritionally diverse food, with a special and immediate focus on India’s youngest children.

    Conclusion

    • Given the urgency of the situation and the critical need for prompt action to address the issue of hunger and malnutrition among Indians, it is recommended that India takes inspiration from the United States. Recently, the US launched a high-level initiative aimed at ending hunger by 2030, which could offer valuable insights and guidance to India’s efforts in this direction.

    Mains Question

    Q. Statistic in the fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data on hunger and malnutrition is troubling. In this backdrop discuss the need for Poshan 2.0 for India.

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    A reality check on Nutrition programs

     

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  • Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Global Implications

    Ukraine War Impact on Global Politics and India’s Diplomatic Agenda

    op-ed snap | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements involving India

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: global and regional groupings involving India

    Mains level: Ukraine war, impact, strategic issues and India's diplomatic agenda

    Ukraine

    Central Idea

    • The war in Ukraine has had a ripple effect on global political and financial systems, leading to shortages of essential commodities and rising prices. The conflict is rooted in Putin’s revanchist claims that Ukraine is an inalienable part of Russia’s history, culture, and spiritual space. On the other hand, Putin accuses the US and Europe of violating their assurance to Gorbachev that NATO would not advance eastward. The crisis poses a dilemma for India, which must balance its partnerships with Russia and China in the BRICS and SCO formats while maintaining strategic autonomy.

    Two Essential Facets of the Conflict?

    • Putin’s Assertion of Russia’s Dominance: Vladimir Putin argues that Ukraine is not a sovereign nation and that it is an inalienable part of Russia’s history, culture, and spiritual space. He makes revanchist claims to camouflage Russia’s quest for dominance. Such claims are echoed in China’s Nine-dash line in the South China Sea, its occupation of India’s Aksai Chin, and blatant claims on Arunachal Pradesh.
    • Alleged Violation of NATO’s Assurance: Putin accuses the US and Europe of bad faith, citing the assurance given to a worried Gorbachev that NATO would advance not an inch eastward. This solemn undertaking was allegedly violated when NATO enlisted 10 former Warsaw Pact members in the next decade. With Finland as the latest entrant, NATO is now 31-strong, and Russia feels truly cornered.

    Impact of the war in Ukraine on global political and financial systems

    • Shortages of Essential Commodities: Ukraine is a key contributor of grain, edible oil, and fertilizers to the world’s supply chains, and Russia is a major exporter of natural gas and crude oil. The war has disrupted the production and transportation of these commodities, leading to shortages and rising prices.
    • Falling Stock Markets: The war in Ukraine has caused a decline in global stock markets as investors become increasingly nervous about the economic impact of the conflict.
    • Public Discontent and Political Upheaval: The shortages of essential commodities and rising prices have led to public discontent and even political upheaval in some countries. For example, in India, rising fuel prices have led to widespread protests and political unrest.
    • Realignment of Global Alliances: The war in Ukraine has led to a realignment of global alliances as countries seek alternate sources of food, energy, commodities, and arms. This has resulted in a polarisation of the global community and realignments in diplomatic relations.
    • Economic Sanctions: The international community has imposed economic sanctions on Russia in response to its actions in Ukraine, which have had a significant impact on the Russian economy.
    • Threat of Nuclear War: The conflict in Ukraine has raised concerns about the possibility of a nuclear war, particularly given Putin’s reckless nuclear sabre-rattling.

    What is the Dilemma for India?

    • India’s Engagement with Russia and China: India is engaged with Russia and China in various multilateral forums, including the BRICS format and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). At the same time, India is partnering with the US in the Quad and Malabar groupings. The conflict in Ukraine has created a complex situation for India as it seeks to maintain strategic autonomy while engaging with multiple partners.
    • Security Environment: India’s security environment is of paramount concern, given the recent Poonch ambush and persistent cross-border terrorism by the Pakistan army-ISI combine. In addition, there is stonewalling of Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh’s demarche about the violation of existing agreements by his Chinese counterpart, Li Shangfu.
    • Lack of Defense Technology: India is a nuclear-weapon state and space power with the world’s fourth-largest military. However, the lackadaisical performance of its military-industrial complex has rendered it abjectly import-dependent for weaponry. India seeks to promote its atmanirbharta (self-reliance) policy, but technology has long gestation periods, and India needs to acquire defense technology from its partners.

    How Quad and Malabar Groupings can help India? 

    • Convergence of strategic interests: The Quad and Malabar groupings represent a convergence of strategic interests between India and the US, which can help India strengthen its security and diplomatic ties with the US, Japan, and Australia.
    • Military-diplomatic purpose: These forums serve a useful military-diplomatic purpose, allowing India to deepen its military cooperation with the US and other Quad members, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
    • Power-balancing: India needs to accord priority to power-balancing on its diplomatic agenda, and the Quad and Malabar Groupings can play a significant role in this regard. India can leverage these groupings to balance China’s growing influence in the region.
    • Technology acquisition: India is abjectly import-dependent for weaponry and needs to acquire advanced technologies to address its security concerns. The Quad and Malabar Groupings can help India access advanced military technologies from the US, Japan, and Australia, which can enhance India’s defense capabilities.

    Facts for prelims

    Initiative Objective Countries Involved Key Features
    Quad Strengthen security and promote economic growth in the Indo-Pacific region India, United States, Japan, Australia Regular high-level meetings, joint military exercises, cooperation on maritime security, infrastructure development, and technology transfer
    AUKUS Strengthen security in the Indo-Pacific region through advanced military technology sharing and cooperation United States, United Kingdom, Australia Joint development and sharing of advanced military technologies, including nuclear-powered submarines, and joint military exercises
    iCET Promote cooperation on critical and emerging technologies between India and the United States India, United States Cooperation on cutting-edge technologies such as AI, quantum computing, and 5G, with a focus on sharing knowledge, expertise, and best practices

     New US initiatives

    • AUKUS: AUKUS is a trilateral security pact between the US, the UK, and Australia, aimed at enhancing security cooperation and sharing advanced military technologies. While the focus of the pact is primarily on Australia, it can indirectly benefit India by strengthening the US security architecture in the Indo-Pacific region and deterring China’s aggressive behavior. The pact can also lead to the development of new technologies, such as advanced unmanned underwater vehicles, which can enhance India’s maritime security.
    • Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET): The iCET is aimed at boosting cooperation between India and the US in the field of critical and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology. This initiative can help India access cutting-edge technologies and knowledge, which can enhance India’s technological capabilities and address its security concerns.

    Way ahead: Self-reliance in defence production and reduce dependence

    • Invest in R&D: India should invest heavily in research and development (R&D) to develop cutting-edge military technologies indigenously. This can help reduce India’s dependence on imports and enhance its military capabilities.
    • Promote Public-Private Partnership (PPP): India can promote PPPs to encourage private sector participation in defence production. This can help bring in much-needed investment, innovation, and expertise into the defence sector, thereby enhancing India’s defence capabilities.
    • Facilitate Technology Transfer: India can facilitate technology transfer from foreign defence manufacturers to domestic firms to enhance their technological capabilities. This can help Indian companies acquire critical technologies and expertise, which can be leveraged to develop advanced military systems indigenously.
    • Focus on Export: India should focus on promoting defence exports to enhance its defence manufacturing base and generate much-needed revenue. This can help reduce the cost of domestic production and make Indian defence products globally competitive.

    Conclusion

    • India needs to navigate the conflict in Ukraine deftly to maintain its strategic autonomy while balancing its partnerships with Russia and China. India must prioritize power-balancing and technology acquisition on its diplomatic agenda and focus on building self-reliance in defense production.

    Mains Question

    Q. The war in Ukraine has had a ripple effect on global political and financial systems. In this backdrop highlight the dilemma for India and discuss how Quad and Malabar Groupings along with US initiatives help India on Defence and strategic issues ?

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    India’s role in Russia-Ukraine war

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  • Prime Minister’s Office : Important Updates

    Constitutional Punctuality: Need of The Hour

    op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Comparison Of The Indian Constitutional Scheme With That Of Other Countries

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Governors powers over assent to the bills and related provisions

    Mains level: resolution by the state to the president, issues and need of time bound constitutional delivery

    constitutional

    Central Idea

    • The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly recently passed a resolution that urges a time frame for Governors to act on Bills passed by the State Legislature. The resolution was passed because the Governor of Tamil Nadu, R.N. Ravi, had withheld assent to as many as 13 Bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. This highlights the need for a time-bound constitutional delivery mechanism for Governors, Speakers of Assemblies, and the President of India, emphasizing the importance of time-bound governance.

    What the resolution is all about?

    • The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly passed a resolution urging the Union Government and President to advise the Governor to decide on the bills passed by the State Legislatures within a reasonable time period.
    • The resolution, proposed by the Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, argued that it was important to protect the sovereignty of the Legislatures and, ultimately, safeguard parliamentary democracy.
    • The resolution seeks to provide a time frame for Governors to act on Bills passed by the State Legislature and ensure that they do not sit over Bills indefinitely. The resolution also encourages other Opposition-ruled states to pass similar resolutions in their Assemblies.

    What is mean by Constitutional Punctuality?

    • Timely discharge of duties in accordance with the constitutional provisions: Constitutional punctuality refers to the timely discharge of duties and responsibilities by various constitutional high offices in accordance with the provisions of the Indian Constitution. It involves adhering to a strict time frame to avoid unnecessary delays and ensure the smooth functioning of the constitutional scheme.
    • Growing concerns over misuse of discretionary powers: This concept has gained importance in recent times due to the growing concern over the misuse of discretionary powers by constitutional authorities such as governors, which can lead to a delay in the enactment of important legislation and undermine the principles of parliamentary democracy.

    Need for Constitutional punctuality in terms of Governors role

    • Upholding the sovereignty of legislatures: When the Governor of a state withholds assent to bills passed by the state legislature indefinitely, it undermines the sovereignty of the legislatures. It is essential to provide a time frame for the Governor to act on bills to safeguard the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution.
    • Ensuring timely delivery of justice: The Constitution of India guarantees the right to speedy justice to all citizens. The delay in the Governor’s assent to bills passed by the legislature leads to a delay in the implementation of new laws, which could impact the timely delivery of justice.
    • Preventing misuse of power: Governors hold a significant position of power, and the discretion they exercise in giving assent to bills should not be misused. The absence of a time frame for them to act on bills provides them with an opportunity to misuse their powers, which could harm the interests of the people.
    • Advancing the constitutional scheme: Providing a time-bound constitutional delivery mechanism advances the constitutional scheme. It ensures the smooth functioning of the democratic process and upholds the principles of accountability and transparency.
    • Building public trust: When constitutional high offices, including that of the Governor, President, and Speakers of Assemblies, discharge their duties in a time-bound manner, it builds public trust in the democratic institutions of the country. It ensures that people’s will, as expressed through their elected representatives, is implemented without undue delay.

    Facts for prelims

    Ambit of judicial review on matters of delays by constitutional authorities

    • In India, matters involving delays in exercising powers by constitutional authorities have been brought under the ambit of judicial review by the courts.
    • In the case of Keisham Meghachandra Singh vs The Hon’ble Speaker Manipur (2020), the Supreme Court issued a writ of mandamus to the Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly to decide on disqualification petitions within four weeks.

    Time bound governance

    • The concept of time-bound governance has been successfully implemented in other countries, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, where there are strict timelines for the assent or veto of bills by the respective authorities.
    • In the US, if the President does not sign or veto a bill within 10 days, it automatically becomes an Act.
    • In the UK, there has been no royal veto since 1708.

     Conclusion

    • The resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is a step in the right direction towards a time-bound constitutional delivery mechanism. Constitutional high offices, including Governors, Speakers of Assemblies, and the President of India, must evolve strict time frames and avoid unnecessary delays. Such an approach would advance the constitutional scheme and safeguard

    Mains Question

    Q. What do you understand by mean constitutional punctuality? Discuss the need of constitutional punctuality specifically in terms of Governors role in the state?

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    Governor’s Constitutional Limits: A Resolution to President

     

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  • Labour, Jobs and Employment – Harmonization of labour laws, gender gap, unemployment, etc.

    May Day and the Challenge of Regulating Working Hours

    op-ed snap | Governance | Mains Paper 3: Issues relating growth and development, employment

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: labour day and international and national labour laws

    Mains level: labour rights, issues over increasing working hours and labour laws

    May Day

    Central Idea

    • May 1st commemorates the historic Haymarket Square affair and is celebrated globally as International Labour Day or May Day. The day holds immense significance as it signifies the struggle of workers to secure their rights. However, the idea of reducing working hours to improve social welfare is still a dream for many in India, despite it being adopted by several countries. Instead, we see a growing trend of increasing working hours, especially in the garment and electronic industries, in the name of increasing productivity.

    Significances of International Labour Day

    • Honouring the labour movement: International Labour Day is an occasion to pay tribute to the labour movement and honour the contributions of workers worldwide.
    • Celebrating the rights of workers: The day is an opportunity to celebrate the hard-won rights of workers, including the right to fair wages, safe working conditions, and the right to form unions.
    • Advocating for workers’ rights: International Labour Day is also a platform to raise awareness about the need to protect and advocate for workers’ rights, particularly in countries where labour laws are weak or not enforced.
    • Recognizing the role of labour unions: Labour unions have played a significant role in securing better working conditions and benefits for workers. On International Labour Day, the contributions of labour unions are recognized and celebrated.
    • Promoting social justice: The day promotes social justice by advocating for fair treatment of workers, regardless of their gender, race, or other factors that may lead to discrimination or exploitation.
    • Remembrance of struggles: International Labour Day is also an opportunity to remember the struggles of workers in the past and the sacrifices made by those who fought for workers’ rights.
    • Building solidarity among workers: The day fosters a sense of solidarity among workers, encouraging them to come together to promote their rights and advocate for better working conditions.

    May Day

    What are the reasons behind growing trend of increasing working hours?

    • Global competition: Companies feel pressure to work longer hours to keep up with international competition and maintain their market share.
    • Cost-cutting: Employers may increase working hours to cut costs and boost productivity, rather than hiring more workers.
    • Increased demand: As demand for goods and services grows, companies may feel the need to work longer hours to meet that demand.
    • Technology: Advances in technology have made it easier to work remotely, leading to an expectation of being available and connected 24/7.
    • Flexibility: Employers may offer more flexible schedules, but with the expectation of working longer hours to complete tasks.
    • Emphasis on economic growth: Mainstream economists prioritize economic growth, even if it is at the expense of labor rights and human rights. They believe that working longer hours and increasing exports will lead to economic growth.
    • Subsidies and exemptions: Regional governments offer subsidies and exemptions to attract global and domestic capital, and employers may prefer weaker unions in exchange for these incentives.

    May Day

    Facts for prelims

    International Labour Day

    • International Labour Day, also known as May Day, originated in the United States in the late 19th century when labor unions and socialist movements organized demonstrations and strikes calling for better working conditions, higher wages, and an eight-hour workday.
    • On May 1, 1886, workers in Chicago organized a massive protest rally, and the following days were marked by violent clashes between police and protesters.
    • In 1889, the International Socialist Conference declared May 1 as International Workers’ Day to commemorate the Chicago protests and honor workers around the world. Since then, May Day has been celebrated globally as a day to recognize the contributions of workers and to advocate for their rights and fair treatment.

    Maharashtra day

    • May 1 is celebrated as Maharashtra Day to commemorate the formation of the state of Maharashtra.
    • On May 1, 1960, the Bombay Reorganization Act came into effect, and the state of Maharashtra and Gujarat were formed. Hence, May 1 is celebrated as Maharashtra Day in Maharashtra, India.
    • It is a public holiday in the state, and various cultural events and parades are held to mark the occasion.

    What are the concerns over increasing working hours?

    • Adversely Affecting Health: Extending working hours can lead to physical and mental fatigue, stress, and burnout, which can affect the health of the workers. This, in turn, can lead to an increase in absenteeism, accidents, and medical costs.
    • Diminishing Marginal Productivity: As the hours of work increase, the efficiency and productivity of the worker may decrease, leading to a decline in the quality of output. It can also lead to a decrease in the quality of life of the workers, as they have less time for family and leisure activities.
    • Violation of Labour Rights: Increasing working hours can be a violation of the fundamental rights of the workers, as it denies them the right to rest and leisure, which are essential for the physical and mental well-being of the workers.
    • Job Insecurity: Increasing working hours can lead to job insecurity as employers may replace workers with automation or outsourcing to cut costs. It can also lead to a decline in wages, as employers may argue that they are paying for more working hours.
    • Adverse Impact on Women Workers: Increasing working hours can disproportionately affect women workers, who may be responsible for domestic chores and childcare. Long working hours can lead to a decline in their physical and mental health and an increase in their workload, which can have an adverse impact on their family life.

    May Day

    Why it is necessary to regulate working hours?

    • Protecting workers’ health: Working long hours can have adverse effects on workers’ physical and mental health. It can lead to fatigue, stress, sleep disorders, and other health issues.
    • Ensuring safety at the workplace: Workers who are overworked may become fatigued, which can increase the risk of accidents and injuries at the workplace. Regulating working hours can help ensure a safe and healthy work environment.
    • Promoting work-life balance: Long working hours can negatively impact workers’ personal lives, reducing their time with family and friends, and limiting their ability to engage in other activities outside of work. Regulating working hours can help promote a healthy work-life balance.
    • Enhancing productivity: Research has shown that working long hours can lead to a decline in productivity and an increase in errors and accidents. By regulating working hours, employers can ensure that workers are well-rested and productive.
    • Protecting workers’ rights: Regulating working hours is an essential component of protecting workers’ rights. It helps to prevent exploitation and ensures that workers are compensated fairly for their time and labor.

    Conclusion

    • May Day serves as a reminder of the struggle of workers for their rights. In this context, India must prioritize the welfare of its labour force and regulate working hours to improve their social welfare. The government must ensure that labour laws are not weakened, and trade unions must unite to ensure that the rights of workers are protected. Multinational corporations must be held accountable for skilling their workers and not exploiting the cheap labour offered by developing countries. Only then can India move towards inclusive and sustainable development.

    Mains Question

    Q. There is a growing trend of increasing working hours, especially in the garment and electronic industries, in the name of increasing productivity. Discuss the reasons and discuss why it is necessary to regulate working hours?

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    Why May 1 is observed as Labour Day?

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  • Poverty Eradication – Definition, Debates, etc.

    Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): India’s Progress Analysis

    op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Inclusive Growth & Issues,Issues relating growth and development, employment

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: SDG's target and associated developments

    Mains level: India's progress on SDG's and challenges

    SDGs

    Central Idea

    • India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the first meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors under India’s G20 Presidency, expressed concern about the slowing down of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Given India’s large population, the success of achieving these goals is crucial for global progress. While India has made progress towards achieving some SDG targets, there are concerns regarding others.

    SDGs

    India’s progress on SDG’s

    • Neonatal and under-five mortality: India is on target to meet the SDG indicators for neonatal and under-five mortality. Both indicators have substantially improved in the last five years.
    • Full vaccination: India is on target to meet the SDG indicator for full vaccination.
    • Improved sanitation: India is on target to meet the SDG indicator for improved sanitation. The country has made significant progress in this area in the last five years.
    • Electricity access: India is on target to meet the SDG indicator for electricity access.
    • Access to banking: The number of women having bank accounts has improved across a vast majority of the districts between the years 2016 and 2021.
    • Adolescent pregnancy: The SDG indicator for eliminating adolescent pregnancy has improved across a vast majority of the districts between the years 2016 and 2021.
    • Multidimensional poverty: The SDG indicator for reducing multidimensional poverty has improved across a vast majority of the districts between the years 2016 and 2021.
    • Women’s well-being and gender equality: India has made progress in increasing mobile phone access, with 93% of households having access to mobile phones. However, only 56% of women report owning a mobile phone.

    Facts for prelims

    Recent findings by National Family Health Survey

    • Multidimensional poverty declined: At a compounded annual average rate of 4.8 per cent per year in 2005-2011 and more than double that pace at 10.3 per cent a year during 2011-2021.
    • Declining child mortality: There are some issues with the 2011 child-mortality data, but for each of the 10 components of the MPI index, the rate of decline in 2011-2021 is considerably faster than in 2005-2011.
    • Average decline in overall indicators: The average equally weighted decline for nine indicators was 1.9 per cent per annum in 2005-2011 and a rate of 16.6 per cent per annum, more than eight times higher in 2011-2021.
    • Consumption inequality decline: Every single household survey or analysis has shown that consumption inequality declined during 2011-2021. This is consistent with the above finding of highly inclusive growth during 2011-2021.

    Lessons from COVID-19 Approach

    • Leadership: Strong political leadership and responsive administrative structure are critical to success, and India’s COVID-19 response demonstrated that a mission-oriented ethos that provides adequate support for accomplishing district-level SDGs is urgently needed.
    • Infrastructure and Coordination: India’s success with COVID-19 was largely possible both because of the existing digital infrastructure, as well as new, indigenous initiatives such as the Co-WIN data platform and the Aarogya Setu application. Following these examples, India must put in place a coordinated, public data platform for population health management.
    • Targeted delivery: A targeted SDG strategy delivered at scale must be executed with the same timeliness of India’s COVID-19 relief package. Key to this relief programme was a mix of spending to provide direct in-kind and economic support, as well as measures aimed at revitalising the economy, small businesses, and agriculture.

    Concerns regarding India’s progress towards achieving SDGs

    • Unequal progress across districts: While India is on target to meet 14 out of 33 SDG indicators, the progress is not uniform across all districts.
    • For example: neonatal and under-five mortality rates are on target for the country as a whole, but many districts are not on track to meet these indicators.
    • Pace of improvement: The current pace of improvement is not sufficient to meet the SDG targets for 19 out of 33 indicators.
    • For instance: despite a national policy push for clean fuel for cooking, more than two-thirds of districts remain off-target for this indicator.
    • Gender inequality: India is facing significant challenges in achieving gender-related SDG targets.
    • For example: no district in India has yet succeeded in eliminating the practice of girl child marriage before the legal age of 18 years. Also, despite the overall expansion of mobile phone access in India, only 56% of women report owning a mobile phone, with many districts remaining off-target for this indicator.
    • Multidimensional poverty: Although India has made progress in reducing multidimensional poverty, many districts are still off-track to meet this SDG indicator.
    • Environmental sustainability: India has made progress in some areas related to environmental sustainability, such as improved sanitation and access to electricity. However, the country is still off-target for indicators related to clean cooking fuel, water and handwashing facilities, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

    Way ahead

    • Implement targeted policies and programs that are aligned with the SDG goals, particularly for areas where progress has been slow or lacking.
    • Improve the digital infrastructure, and create a coordinated public data platform for population health management.
    • Ensure strong and sustained political leadership that is supported by a responsive administrative structure at all levels.
    • Prioritize and accelerate efforts to address gender inequality and women’s well-being.
    • Strengthen implementation and monitoring mechanisms to ensure timely and effective delivery of SDG policies and programs.
    • Foster partnerships between government, civil society, and the private sector to mobilize resources and expertise to achieve SDG targets.
    • Develop a decadal plan that outlines concrete steps and targets for achieving SDG goals in the next ten years.

    SDGs

    Conclusion

    • India needs to innovate a new policy path to achieve its SDG targets, especially those related to population health and well-being, basic quality infrastructure, and gender equality. India’s successful COVID-19 response has shown that it is possible to deliver at scale in such an ambitious and comprehensive manner. To achieve SDG targets, India needs a similar concerted, pioneering, and nationwide effort.

    Mains Question

    Q. India’s progress towards SDGs id often described as mixed progress. While there have been positive improvements, there are still concerns that needs to be addressed. Discuss along with a way ahead.

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    A recent analysis published in The Lancet has concluded that India is not on-target to achieve 19 of the 33 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators.

     

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  • Food Processing Industry: Issues and Developments

    Cell-Based Meat: An Environmentally Friendly and Ethical Alternative

    op-ed snap | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Cultural meat mechanism

    Mains level: Cultural meat, potential advantages and challnges

    Meat

    Central Idea

    • Cell-based meat, also known as cultured meat, is a promising alternative to traditional meat production that could offer ethical and environmental benefits. However, there are still many unknowns about its safety, nutritional value, and potential health risks that must be addressed.

    What is Cell-based meat in short?

    • Cell-based meat, also known as cultured meat, lab-grown meat, or clean meat, refers to meat produced from animal cells grown in a laboratory, rather than from animals raised and slaughtered for meat.

    Steps in the process of producing cell-based meat

    • Cell isolation: A small sample of cells is taken from an animal through a biopsy, which could be done using a needle or a small incision. The cells are typically muscle cells, which are capable of replicating and forming muscle tissue.
    • Cell culture: The cells are then placed in a culture medium, which provides the necessary nutrients and growth factors for the cells to multiply and form muscle tissue. The medium typically contains fetal bovine serum (FBS), which is derived from the blood of a cow fetus, but scientists are working to develop plant-based and other alternatives to FBS.
    • Tissue engineering: The muscle cells are then placed on a scaffold, which can be made of various materials such as collagen or cellulose. The scaffold provides structure and support for the cells to form muscle tissue.
    • Bioreactor cultivation: The scaffold with the muscle cells is then placed in a bioreactor, which provides a controlled environment for the muscle tissue to grow. The bioreactor can be adjusted to provide the right levels of oxygen, nutrients, and other factors for optimal growth.
    • Harvesting: Once the muscle tissue has grown to the desired size, it is harvested and processed into the final product, which can take various forms such as ground meat or whole cuts.

    Report on cell-based meat market

    • A 2021 report by United States-based analytics firm Markets and Markets estimated that the global cell-based meat market will reach $214 million by 2027 at a compound annual growth rate of 61.4 per cent.
    • The report cites increasing concerns over animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and the growing demand for protein-rich foods as key drivers of market growth.
    • The firm recently received approval from Singapore Food Agency for its ‘chicken bites’ made from cultured meat. It is a significant step toward the future of food.

    Advantages of cell-based meat

    • Environmental sustainability: The production of cell-based meat requires fewer resources such as land, water, and energy compared to traditional meat production. It also produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
    • For instance:
    1. A recent study published by Switzerland-based research publisher Frontiers mentions cell-based meat could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 78 per cent and land use by up to 99 per cent.
    2. Another study by ACS Publications said that cell-based meat production could reduce GHG emissions by up to 96 per cent and land use by up to 99 per cent compared to traditional beef production.
    • Ethical: Cell-based meat production does not involve animal slaughter and hence is considered more humane.
    • Healthier: Cell-based meat can be produced with lower levels of saturated fat and no antibiotics or hormones. It can also be tailored to provide specific nutritional benefits.
    • Food security: As the global population continues to increase, traditional meat production may not be able to keep up with the demand for protein. Cell-based meat can provide an alternative source of protein that can be produced in a controlled and sustainable manner.
    • Pathogen-free: Cell-based meat is produced in a sterile and controlled environment, reducing the risk of pathogen contamination.
    • For instance: A team of researchers published a report in ScienceDirect in 2018, which says that cell-based meat production could reduce the risk of contamination by bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. This would largely be due to the elimination of animal slaughter and reliance on antibiotics in animal husbandry.
    • No harmful growth hormones: Lab-grown meats are free of growth hormones as well. Commercial livestock factories use these hormones to expedite the growth of farm animals. Their excess use has harmful health outcomes.
    • For instance: A European Union-appointed research committee examined six growth hormones used in raising cattle. It concluded that the growth hormones had developmental, neurobiological, genotoxic, and carcinogenic effects.

    Potential challenges of cell-based meat

    • Culture medium: Researchers have yet to develop a culture medium that is completely free of animal-derived components. The use of fetal bovine serum, for example, contradicts the ethical standards of lab-grown meat production.
    • Health effects: The health effects of consuming cell-based meat are still unknown, and there are concerns about dysregulation and the development of cancerous properties in cultured meat.
    • Consumer acceptance: Most consumers still prefer natural products and may be hesitant to adopt cell-based meat due to its “unnatural” origins. Educating consumers about the safety, quality, and sustainability of cell-based meat will be important for its commercial success.
    • Variety: Researchers have not yet developed true muscle with an organized network of blood vessels, which makes it difficult to reproduce the original flavor and taste of meat derived from different species.
    • Cost: Currently, the production of cell-based meat is more expensive than traditional meat production. As the technology advances and economies of scale are achieved, it is expected that the cost will decrease, but it may take some time before cell-based meat becomes cost-competitive with traditional meat.

    Way ahead

    • Addressing the cost: Currently, cell-based meat is expensive to produce. Research and development should focus on finding ways to reduce production costs and making the final product more affordable.
    • Improving the taste and texture: While cell-based meat is similar to traditional meat, there are still some differences in taste and texture. Researchers need to work on improving the taste and texture to make it more appealing to consumers.
    • Increasing variety: Currently, only a limited range of cell-based meats are available. Researchers need to work on producing different types of meat to offer consumers a wider range of options.
    • Addressing regulatory concerns: As cell-based meat is a new technology, there are still some regulatory concerns that need to be addressed. Governments and regulatory bodies should work with the industry to establish guidelines and regulations to ensure the safety and quality of cell-based meat products.
    • Educating consumers: Consumer awareness and education are key to the success of cell-based meat. People need to be made aware of the benefits of cell-based meat and be educated about how it is produced and the safety and quality standards that are in place.

    Conclusion

    • Cell-based meat can be the food of the future as it is free of antibiotics, germs, and doesn’t emit GHGs. However, their success depends on developing new cell lines and optimising growth conditions to produce meat that is more similar in texture, flavour, and nutritional composition to traditional meat. The health risks and consumer acceptance of cell-based meats are still largely unknown, so rigorous testing and regulatory oversight are needed to meet high safety standards.

    Mains question

    Q. Cultured meat is becoming a promising alternative to traditional meat production, however there are also potential risks associated with it. Discuss.

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  • Health Sector – UHC, National Health Policy, Family Planning, Health Insurance, etc.

    India’s One Health Approach to Tackle Future Pandemics

    op-ed snap | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Health & Education

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Global Health Security Index, PM ABHIM and related schemes and facts

    Mains level: India's One health approach

    One Health

    Central Idea

    • The Covid-19 pandemic exposed weaknesses in the world’s health systems, including countries ranked high in the Global Health Security Index. It has also provided an opportunity to build stronger health systems to prevent and respond to future pandemics. India’s One Health approach aims to address the health of people, animals, and ecosystems together in order to prevent, prepare, and respond to pandemics.

    One Health

    What is PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM ABHIM)? 

    • PM ABHIM is being rolled out as India’s largest scheme to scale up health infrastructure.
    • It is aimed at ensuring a robust public health infrastructure in both urban and rural areas, capable of responding to public health emergencies or disease outbreaks.
    • Key features:
    • Health and Wellness Centres: In a bid to increase accessibility it will provide support to 17,788 rural HWC in 10 ‘high focus’ states and establish 11,024 urban HWC across the country.
    • Exclusive Critical Care Hospital Blocks: It will ensure access to critical care services in all districts of the country with over five lakh population through ‘Exclusive Critical Care Hospital Blocks’.
    • Integrated public health labs: It will also be set up in all districts, giving people access to “a full range of diagnostic services” through a network of laboratories across the country.
    • Disease surveillance system: The mission also aims to establish an IT-enabled disease surveillance system through a network of surveillance laboratories at block, district, regional and national levels.
    • Integrated Health Information Portal: All the public health labs will be connected through this Portal, which will be expanded to all states and UTs, the PMO said.

    Facts for prelims

    What is Global Health Security Index?

    • The Global Health Security Index is a tool developed to assess a country’s preparedness and ability to respond to outbreaks, pandemics, and other public health emergencies.
    • It was developed by the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, in collaboration with The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
    • The Index ranks 195 countries based on their level of preparedness across six categories: 1. Prevention, 2. Detection and reporting, 3. Rapid response, 4. Health system, 5. Compliance with international norms, and 6. Risk environment.
    • The Index aims to identify gaps in preparedness and encourage countries to take action to strengthen their health security systems, particularly in the face of global health threats such as pandemics.
    • The first edition of the Index was published in 2019, and it has since been updated to reflect the evolving global health landscape.
    • Global Health Security Index 2021: India ranked 66th.

    One Health

    What is mean by One health?

    • One Health is an interdisciplinary approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.
    • It emphasizes the need for collaboration between various sectors, including public health, veterinary medicine, environmental science, and others, to achieve optimal health outcomes for all.

    key components of India’s One Health approach

    • Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM): The flagship program launched in October 2021 aims to prevent, prepare, and respond to pandemics. It seeks to fill the gaps in health systems at the national and state levels.
    • National Institute for One Health: The foundation for the institute was laid recently in Nagpur. It will identify hotspots for endemic and emerging zoonotic diseases to contain their spread early on.
    • Creation of a network of institutions for genomic surveillance: During the COVID-19 pandemic, India created a formidable network of institutions that can identify new pathogens. This can now be complemented with wider testing of wastewater and samples from incoming ships and aircraft.
    • Coordination between ministries: Several ministries, including health, animal husbandry, forests, and biotechnology, have been brought under the Principal Scientific Advisor to address overlapping mandates and improve coordination.
    • Expansion of research laboratories: India is expanding its network of research laboratories, which primarily focused on influenza, to cover all respiratory viruses of unknown origin.
    • Partnerships between research bodies and manufacturers: Indian manufacturers produced vaccines, test kits, therapeutics, masks and other items at very competitive prices, both for India and other countries. The partnerships between research bodies and manufacturers will need to be sustained and enhanced to make India a global hub in the biopharma sector.
    • Clinical trial network: The clinical trial network set up under the National Biopharma Mission is a positive step toward improving access to affordable new vaccines and drugs in India and around the world.
    • Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission: The mission can facilitate the bringing of private hospitals and clinics under a common platform and placing data in the public domain to augment surveillance in vulnerable areas.
    • Municipal corporations mandated to provide early alerts: Municipal corporations have been mandated to identify the most vulnerable areas and provide early alerts. For this to be successful, strong partnerships with communities, dairy cooperatives, and the poultry industry will be needed to identify new infections.

    What are the potential advantages of the One Health approach?

    • Holistic approach: The One Health approach looks at the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. By taking a holistic approach, it enables a better understanding of the complex interconnections between human, animal, and environmental health, and can lead to more effective interventions and solutions
    • Early disease detection: The One Health approach emphasizes the importance of early disease detection in animals, which can serve as an early warning system for potential human outbreaks. This approach can help prevent the spread of diseases and reduce the risk of pandemics.
    • Better disease surveillance: The One Health approach facilitates better disease surveillance by enabling the sharing of information and resources between different sectors, including human health, animal health, and environmental health.
    • More effective responses: The One Health approach can lead to more effective responses to outbreaks by facilitating collaboration between different sectors and stakeholders, and ensuring a coordinated response.
    • Improved animal health: The One Health approach recognizes the importance of animal health and welfare, and can lead to improved animal health through better disease control and prevention measures.
    • Better environmental management: The One Health approach also recognizes the importance of environmental management and conservation, and can lead to more sustainable environmental practices that benefit both human and animal health.

    One Health

    Conclusion

    • India’s One Health approach is a positive step towards addressing the health of people, animals, and ecosystems together. The country’s efforts to tackle future pandemics are commendable, and the success of these efforts will be critical. The rise of new pathogens, zoonotic diseases, and antibiotic resistance highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to prevent future pandemics. India’s efforts to build stronger health systems, prevent pandemics, and respond to outbreaks will help protect its citizens and set an example for the world.

    Mains Question

    Q. What do you understand by mean One Health? Discuss the advantages of One health approach the efforts of India in this direction.

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  • Women empowerment issues – Jobs,Reservation and education

    Women’s Political Representation in India: Moving Beyond Tokenism

    op-ed snap | | Mains Paper 2: Parliament & State Legislatures

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Women's Reservation

    Mains level: Reservation and Women’s political participation

    Representation

    “The progress of a community can be measured by the degree of progress which women have achieve” ——Babasaheb Ambedkar

    Central Idea

    • Women have broken the glass ceiling of patriarchy in various sectors; however, they still face significant barriers to political participation in India. Despite achieving suffrage early, women hold only 14% of seats in the Parliament even 75 years after independence. It is time to acknowledge the systematic exclusion of women from politics and demand action for creating a more equitable political landscape.

    Women’s political participation

    • Role in India’s fight for independence: Women played a crucial role in India’s fight for independence, by organising demonstrations, leading rallies, and raising awareness.
    • Representation in Constituent Assembly: There were numerous female representatives in the Constituent Assembly as well.
    • Women Chief Ministers: Just a decade ago, three of India’s largest States, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh, were in the spotlight for being led by women Chief Ministers.
    • For instance: While Sushma Swaraj led the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sonia Gandhi served as both President of the Congress Party and Chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance. Also, India had its first woman President, Pratibha Patil around the same time.

    The discourse on women’s reservation

    • Dates back to pre-Independence era: The discourse on women’s reservation in India originates from the pre-Independence era when several women’s organisations demanded political representation for women.
    • 10% of seats in the Legislature: It can be traced back to 1955 when a government appointed committee recommended that 10% of seats in the Lok Sabha and State legislative assemblies should be reserved for women.
    • National Perspective Plan for Women (1988): The National Perspective Plan for Women (1988) recommended that 30% of seats in all elected bodies should be reserved for women.
    • National Policy for the Empowerment of Women: This recommendation was reiterated in the National Policy for the Empowerment of Women, which was adopted in 2001.
    • 33% reservation under Panchayati raj Act: In 1993, the Panchayati Raj Act was amended to reserve 33% of all seats in local government bodies for women, which was a significant step towards women’s political empowerment.
    • Women’s Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha: The success of this reservation led to demands for similar reservations in other elected bodies; in 1996, the Women’s Reservation Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha. The Bill proposed to reserve one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and State legislative Assemblies for women. However, facing strong opposition from some political parties it lapsed but gained more momentum again in the early 2000s. On March 9, 2010, the Bill was approved in the Rajya Sabha.

    Why female representation in Parliament and state legislatures remained low?

    • Inaccessibility of Institutions: Election records show that most political parties, though pledging in their constitutions to provide adequate representation to women, in practice give far too few party tickets to women candidates. A study found that a large section of women who do get party tickets have family political connections, or are ‘dynastic’ politicians. With normal routes of accessibility limited, such connections are often an entry point for women
    • Notion of women less likely to win: It is still widely held in political circles that women candidates are less likely to win elections than men, which leads to political parties giving them fewer tickets.
    • Challenging Structural Conditions: Election campaigns in India are extremely demanding and time-consuming. Women politicians, with family commitments and the responsibilities of child care, often find it difficult to fully participate
    • Highly vulnerable: Women politicians have been constantly subjected to humiliation, inappropriate comments, abuse and threats of abuse, making participation and contesting elections extremely challenging.
    • Expensive electoral system: Financing is also an obstacle as many women are financially dependent on their families. Fighting parliamentary elections can be extremely expensive, and massive financial resources are required to be able to put up a formidable contest. Absent adequate support from their parties, women candidates are compelled to arrange for their own campaign financing this is a huge challenge that deters their participation
    • Internalized patriarchy: A phenomenon known as ‘internalized patriarchy’ where many women consider it their duty to priorities family and household over political ambitions.

    Why women participation in law making process is so important?

    • Political empowerment: Legislative representation is fundamental to political empowerment, enabling participation in the law-making process. Legislatures play a vital role in raising debates and discussions on various aspects of governance and in exacting accountability from the government.
    • Shows the status of gender parity: Women’s representation in the national parliament is a key indicator of the extent of gender equality in parliamentary politics.
    • Women bring different skills to politics: According to Political scientist, Anne “women bring different skills to politics and provide role models for future generations; they appeal to justice between sexes.
    • Facilitates specific interests of women in policy: Their inclusion in politics facilitates representation of the specific interests of women in state policy and creates conditions for a revitalized democracy that bridges the gap between representation and participation.
    • Highly effective and less likely to be criminal and corrupt: Study found that, women legislators perform better in their constituencies on economic indicators than their male counterparts also women legislators are less likely to be criminal and corrupt, more efficacious, and less vulnerable to political opportunism.

    How reservation for women in India can help increase political participation?

    • Ensuring representation: Reservation of seats for women in legislatures can ensure that women are represented in decision-making bodies. This can help address the issue of underrepresentation of women in politics.
    • Encouraging women to enter politics: Reservation can provide women with an opportunity to enter politics and participate in the political process. This can help increase the number of women who contest elections and engage in politics.
    • Building capacity: Reservation can help build the capacity of women politicians by providing them with an opportunity to participate in legislative processes and gain experience in politics. This can help them to become effective leaders and represent the interests of women.
    • Changing attitudes: Reservation can help change societal attitudes towards women in politics. It can help create a perception that women are capable of holding political office and making important decisions. This can help break down stereotypes and encourage more women to participate in politics.
    • Promoting gender-sensitive policies: Women politicians can help promote gender-sensitive policies that address issues such as violence against women, gender-based discrimination, and women’s health. Reservation can help ensure that these issues are given due consideration in the legislative process.

    Conclusion

    • Women have been waiting for too long for their right to govern not just for themselves but for the greater common good. Women’s leadership qualities are not hidden from anyone, so the denial of opportunity for political representation represents grave injustice. As India strives to become a Vishwa Guru, we must not overlook the pivotal role women can play in nation building and development. The women’s reservation Bill cannot wait any longer. The Bill must be passed.

    Mains Question

    Q. Women’s leadership qualities are not hidden from anyone, so the denial of opportunity for political representation represents grave injustice. Comment.

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  • Nuclear Energy

    Whether The Nuclear Power in India Should Be Phased Out?

    op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Nuclear energy, applications and elements such as Uranium, Thorium,

    Mains level: Nuclear power phasing down discussion

    Nuclear

    Central idea

    • Germany has recently shut down its last nuclear power plant, and France, the nuclear powerhouse of the world, is struggling to replenish its stock of aging reactors. With solar and wind power becoming more popular globally, the question arises whether nuclear power, with its attendant concerns on cost and safety, remains a relevant option for a fossil-free future, particularly in India. The question here arises is that whether the nuclear power in India should be phased out?

    Global outlook for nuclear power

    • Nuclear power renaissance in Europe and US: A lot has happened in the last two years. Particularly after the Ukraine war, nuclear power is seeing a renaissance, even in Europe and the U.S.
    • China: China has anyway been surging ahead on nuclear power.
    • South Korea: South Korea’s new president has changed the energy policy and committed to increasing the share of nuclear power in the country’s energy mix to 30% by 2030.
    • Japan: Japan, which should have completely shut down reactors after the Fukushima (accident), is restarting them, 10 have been restarted following years of inspection and upgrading safety systems, and I believe that the plan is to start 10 more. Japan had to do that because it was otherwise dependent either on expensive, imported coal or on natural gas (LNG).
    • UK: Beyond Germany, the U.K. has said that without scaling up nuclear power, it won’t be possible to decarbonise the electricity sector.

    Facts for prelims

    Element Deposits in India Applications Advantages Disadvantages
    Uranium Jaduguda, Bhatin, Narwapahar, Banduhurang, Mohuldih and Turamdih in Jharkhand; Lambapur-Peddagattu in Telangana; Gogi in Karnataka; and Tummalapalle in Andhra Pradesh Electricity generation, nuclear weapons, nuclear medicine Low carbon emissions, efficient energy production, cost-effective Radioactive waste management, risk of nuclear accidents, non-renewable
    Thorium Kerala coast, Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Rajasthan Electricity generation, nuclear weapons, nuclear medicine More abundant than uranium, low levels of radioactivity, more efficient energy production than uranium Requires a breeder reactor, expensive, currently not widely used

    Why nuclear power is considered low-carbon or green energy?

    • Low greenhouse gas emissions: Nuclear power plants do not produce carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases during their operation, unlike fossil fuel plants that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide and contribute to climate change.
    • High energy density: Nuclear fuel contains a very high energy density, which means that a small amount of fuel can produce a large amount of energy. This makes nuclear power a very efficient and reliable source of energy.
    • Energy security: Nuclear power plants provide a stable and reliable source of energy, which can help to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and improve energy security.
    • Reduced air pollution: Nuclear power plants do not emit pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, or particulate matter, which can have negative impacts on human health and the environment.
    • Land use: Nuclear power plants require much less land than renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power, which can help to conserve land and natural habitats.

    How Nuclear energy is also responsible for greenhouse gas emissions?

    • Nuclear energy itself does not emit greenhouse gases during its operation, but it does produce greenhouse gas emissions during the lifecycle of the plant, including mining, processing, and transportation of nuclear fuel.
    • The construction and decommissioning of nuclear power plants also produce greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, nuclear power plants rely on fossil fuels for the transportation of nuclear fuel and the operation of auxiliary systems.
    • The greenhouse gas emissions associated with nuclear energy are significantly lower than those associated with fossil fuels, but they are not zero.

    Why is there resistance to nuclear energy?

    • Safety concerns: The risk of nuclear accidents, such as those that occurred at Chernobyl and Fukushima, have led to safety concerns about nuclear power plants. The potential for radioactive contamination and long-term health effects on the surrounding population have made many people wary of nuclear power.
    • Nuclear proliferation: The possibility that nuclear power could be used to develop nuclear weapons is a concern for many countries, particularly those with nuclear weapons programs themselves.
    • Waste disposal: The radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants is dangerous and must be stored safely for hundreds of thousands of years. Finding a safe and secure method of storing this waste is a major challenge.
    • Cost: Nuclear power plants are expensive to build and maintain. Cost overruns and delays are common, and the cost of decommissioning nuclear power plants at the end of their life can be significant.
    • Public perception: Nuclear power has a negative public image in many countries, with many people associating it with danger and disaster.

    Facts for Prelims

    Uranium Thorium
    Atomic number 92 90
    Natural isotopes U-238, U-235, U-234 Th-232
    Radioactivity Highly radioactive Weakly radioactive
    Fissile U-235 is fissile Not fissile
    Nuclear weapons Can be used to create nuclear weapons Cannot be used to create nuclear weapons
    Nuclear power Widely used for nuclear power Not commonly used for nuclear power
    Decay products Produces many long-lived and dangerous decay products Produces fewer and less dangerous decay products
    Availability Limited reserves Abundant reserves
    Waste disposal Radioactive waste remains dangerous for thousands of years Radioactive waste decays faster and becomes less dangerous
    Environmental impact Can have significant environmental impact Considered less environmentally damaging than uranium mining
    Health effects Exposure can cause serious health effects, including cancer Less harmful to human health than uranium

    What are the concerns over radioactivity from spent fuel?

    • Long-term storage: Spent nuclear fuel remains radioactive for thousands of years and requires careful handling and storage to prevent any potential exposure to humans and the environment.
    • Accidents: Accidents during transportation or storage of spent nuclear fuel can result in the release of radioactive material, which can cause severe environmental damage and health risks to humans and other living organisms.
    • Nuclear proliferation: Spent nuclear fuel can also be used to create nuclear weapons, and there are concerns about the risk of nuclear proliferation and the potential use of these weapons.
    • Disposal: The long-term disposal of spent nuclear fuel is also a major challenge, as it requires finding safe and secure locations to store the material for thousands of years.

    Why India should never consider phasing out nuclear power?

    • Limited growth potential for hydropower: India has limited growth potential for hydropower due to factors such as conserving biodiversity, rehabilitating and compensating landowners, and seismological factors in the Himalayas. Therefore, nuclear power is an alternative to coal-based power plants.
    • Net-zero emissions goal: To achieve the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, India needs a combination of small modular reactors and large reactors. Therefore, multiple companies need to be allowed to operate nuclear reactors rather than a monopoly by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited.
    • Firm, reliable and low-carbon power: Nuclear power is a source of firm, dispatchable power that is low carbon and reliable. It can provide a constant and stable source of electricity, especially when wind and solar energy are intermittent or variable.
    • Access to nuclear fuel: India has limited access to enriched uranium, which is required to fuel nuclear reactors. However, the country’s nuclear program is based on working around its limited supply of enriched uranium, and it has not faced any significant issues in accessing nuclear fuel.
    • Portfolio of technologies: A mix of supply-side and demand-side technologies is required to solve energy problems. Nuclear power can be a part of the portfolio of technologies that India needs to achieve its energy goals. Therefore, policy frameworks should be enabling rather than technology-specific.

    Mains Question

    Q. Do you agree with the statement that ‘Without scaling up nuclear power, it won’t be possible to decarbonise the electricity sector.

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